Xepherus Reads

  Hello, Fellow Book Worms and Book Dragons, It's that time again, picking your Spooky TBR for October. In this series I recommend some amazing books that I have read and reviewed. Let's see if I can add some scary times to your TBR.                The Haunting of Hill House is written by author Shirley Jackson, and it is published by Penguin Classics. This 1959 classic horror novel introduces us to Eleanor Vance, who is adjusting to life without her demanding mother. With a sister constantly at odds with her for their mother's estate, Eleanor is at her wit's end. When Eleanor receives a letter from researcher Dr. John Montague, she feels that the invite is what she needs to get away from her family. When she arrives she meets with Theodora, a posh-looking store owner with a flamboyant flair. Soon Luke Sanderson, the son of Hill House's current owner joins them as Doctor Montague arrives.    As the hours wear on, Montague final...

  Hello, Fellow Book Worms and Book Dragons,          A Flicker in the Dark is the Debut novel from author Stacy Willingham; published by Minotaur Books. In it, we are introduced to Chloe Davis, daughter of notorious serial Killer, Dick Davis. She has fought hard these past twenty years to escape her father's legacy. She is a successful psychologist and about to be married. Life is better because she moved away and started over.   But when girls in her area begin to vanish, the eerie similarities to her father's crimes are undeniable. Caught up in the latest disappearances, her past comes calling in the form of a reporter bent of investigating these copy-cat crimes. As the clues pile up, Chloe does not know who to trust. She is suddenly alone and in the crosshairs of a killer.    A Flicker in the Dark is an impressive first novel by Willingham. I loved her writing style and ability to plunge the reader into the mind of her protagonist. Chloe ...

  Hello, Fellow Book Worms and Book Dragons,          Middle of the Night is written by Riley Sager and published by Dutton Books. When Ethan Marsh was ten-years-old his best friend Billy disappeared. Decades later, Ethan is once again living in his childhood home on Hemlock Circle. As bizarre incidents begin to occur, Marsh is certain his childhood friend is contacting him from beyond the grave.  As he reacquaints himself with his past, the present unravels. A mysterious figure lurks in the shadows, and fear has returned to the neighborhood. But is it the ghost of a long-dead boy or a new threat?    Middle of the Night was a day read for me. An excellent thriller with a lot of emotion. This was a different novel for Sager, who brought in elements of trauma and child loss. It was a heart-tugger at times that had me feeling as emotional as the characters. Ethan's journey through PTSD was a layered narrative. It brought in a child's fear and th...

        Hello, Fellow Book Worms and Book Dragons,   As I continue to read my way through Riley Sager's novels, I love looking back at past reviews (and editing them). Here is the fourth in my series of revisiting my Riley Sager reviews:                    With a Vengeance is Riley Sager's ninth thriller. It is published by Dutton Books. In it, we are introduced to Anna Matheson. She is the daughter of a disgraced railway mogul and the only surviving member of her family. When she discovers that her father was framed for his crimes, she sets out to destroy the people that led to her family's death.  With the help of Seamus, another of their victims, she assembles the guilty party on a non-stop train to Chicago. There, the FBI will be ready to arrest everyone responsible for the fall of the Matheson family. But a snow storm and an unexpected variable derails Anna's plans. One man is dead and she is sure she ...

                   Hello, Fellow Book Worms and Book Dragons,   As I continue to read my way through Riley Sager's novels, I love looking back at past reviews (and editing them). Here is the third in my series of revisiting my Riley Sager reviews:                             Lock Every Door is the third thriller by Riley Sager, and is published by Dutton Books. In this twisty tale of terror, we are introduced to Jules Larsen. Her job hunt leads to an advertisement for an apartment sitter  at the famous Bartholomew Building. After her interview goes well and she is hired, she moves in to begin her three-month stay.     Her friend, Chloe, is suspicious of the deal and warns her against staying. As the days go by it is apparent that this job is indeed too good to be true. Ears are listening. Eyes are watching. And the fairy tale life at the Bartho...