Things are usually pretty quiet in the coastal town of Hatford, Oregon, but that’s all about to change.
When college students on summer vacation discover long-dead human remains hidden in the nearby Castillo Cove, a vicious storm unexpectedly rolls in. And that’s not even the worst to come. Mysterious murders follow, along with other calamities that leave the quaint seaside town reeling.
Police Chief Ramona Wesley believes the remains are from a Mexican community who had inhabited the area before being killed off by American settlers who wanted the land. The massacre victims vowed vengeance, and are finally taking their revenge on Hatford.
If the residents want to protect their city and survive the night, they’ll have to find a way to stop the vengeful spirits before the whole town—and everyone in it—is destroyed.
Assessment:
Plot/Idea: In this fast-paced horror novel, unusual circumstances impact the residents of a small town after the discovery of bodies missing since the nineteenth century. The story is exciting, though the plot can feel a bit unbalanced, with the characters enduring a series of connected events that the narrative doesn’t explore or explain to a satisfying enough degree.
Prose: The writing is energetically paced, and the book moves quickly from scene to scene. The dialogue is authentic and supports characterization well, though the narrative voice could do more to connect the themes and supernatural elements to the chapter-to-chapter plot beats.
Originality: The core conceit of the story, a town legend unleashing a storm that affects its residents like a curse, is exciting and somewhat uncommon if not unique; the addition of the possessed cars is particularly entertaining. The book blends elements of haunting and curse stories well. The characters fit the story's tone nicely.
Character Development/Execution: Characters feel distinct, and their relationships play well off one another. While the characterization is not incredibly deep here, each character has a role and personality that fits the often cinematic storytelling.
Date Submitted: April 07, 2022
