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Underneath
For Dean, it begins with a dare, one that comes with the threat of violence if he chickens out. All he has to do is date Stephanie Watts, a disfigured girl who is the pariah at their high school.
Dean agrees, and soon discovers that there is much more to Stephanie Watts than anyone dared imagine, and deadlier secrets awaiting him...underneath.
Dean agrees, and soon discovers that there is much more to Stephanie Watts than anyone dared imagine, and deadlier secrets awaiting him...underneath.
32 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 19, 2010
32 people are currently reading
704 people want to read
About the author
Kealan Patrick Burke
194 books2,353 followersHailed by Booklist as “one of the most clever and original talents in contemporary horror,” Kealan Patrick Burke was born and raised in Ireland and emigrated to the United States a few weeks before 9/11.
Since then, he has written six novels, among them the popular southern gothic Kin, and over two hundred short stories and novellas, many of which are in various stages of development for film/TV.
In 2005, Burke won the Bram Stoker Award for his coming-of-age novella The Turtle Boy, the first book in the acclaimed Timmy Quinn series.
As editor, he helmed the anthologies Night Visions 12, Taverns of the Dead, and Quietly Now, a tribute anthology to one of Burke’s influences, the late Charles L. Grant.
More recently, he wrote the screenplays for Sour Candy (based on his novella), and the remake of the iconic horror film The Changeling (1980), for the original film's producer, Joel B. Michaels.
He also adapted Sour Candy as a graphic novel for John Carpenter's Night Terrors.
His most recent releases are Cottonmouth, a prequel to Kin and The Widows of Winding Gale, a maritime horror novel set in Ireland.
Kealan is represented by Valarie Phillips at Verve Talent & Literary Agency.
He lives in Ohio with a Scooby Doo lookalike rescue named Red.
Since then, he has written six novels, among them the popular southern gothic Kin, and over two hundred short stories and novellas, many of which are in various stages of development for film/TV.
In 2005, Burke won the Bram Stoker Award for his coming-of-age novella The Turtle Boy, the first book in the acclaimed Timmy Quinn series.
As editor, he helmed the anthologies Night Visions 12, Taverns of the Dead, and Quietly Now, a tribute anthology to one of Burke’s influences, the late Charles L. Grant.
More recently, he wrote the screenplays for Sour Candy (based on his novella), and the remake of the iconic horror film The Changeling (1980), for the original film's producer, Joel B. Michaels.
He also adapted Sour Candy as a graphic novel for John Carpenter's Night Terrors.
His most recent releases are Cottonmouth, a prequel to Kin and The Widows of Winding Gale, a maritime horror novel set in Ireland.
Kealan is represented by Valarie Phillips at Verve Talent & Literary Agency.
He lives in Ohio with a Scooby Doo lookalike rescue named Red.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
December 9, 2015
First Kealan Patrick Burke and I'm already in love with his writing. Underneath is the type of book that will kinda disturb you in the end.
I didn't know what to expect to this book because I didn't even know I have a copy of this one, but Burke did not disappoint. I love the way that it's kinda dark and had a sad (just a bit) shade. The ending was kinda unexpected but honestly, just between us, I kinda like it.
February 25, 2019
What a great story. We have the marred girl Stephanie, the school bully Freddy and his victim Dean the new kid in town. When Dean takes Stephanie out the action takes off. It started as Dean's revenge for him and Stephanie being humiliated but then things turn into a completely different and unexpected direction. A fantastic twist in the plot you wouldn't have dreamed of. Well, Dean relied on conventional thinking. Could he have forseen what's really going on? Did he have a chance to change the game? A real pageturner and reminder of school days past. Clear recommendation!
February 13, 2019
For the love of KPB!
I once read a story quite similar to this but all the characters were adults that should have known better so it let that story down a bit.
I started to read this and straight away thought back to my own experiences in high school. I was bullied, I watched others get bullied. It's a cruel place to be.
Dean is like a punching bag for the school bully and just keeps on taking it until the cruelest prank of all could ever possibly be made.
I wasn't expecting the twist at the end at all!! But seriously this is KPB, what was I expecting, a happy ending? Life isn't full of happy endings and neither is this story.
Definitely give it a read, it's short so won't take up much of your time but it's a story you'll remember.
I once read a story quite similar to this but all the characters were adults that should have known better so it let that story down a bit.
I started to read this and straight away thought back to my own experiences in high school. I was bullied, I watched others get bullied. It's a cruel place to be.
Dean is like a punching bag for the school bully and just keeps on taking it until the cruelest prank of all could ever possibly be made.
I wasn't expecting the twist at the end at all!! But seriously this is KPB, what was I expecting, a happy ending? Life isn't full of happy endings and neither is this story.
Definitely give it a read, it's short so won't take up much of your time but it's a story you'll remember.
December 8, 2017
Another fantastic story from Kealan Patrick Burke, his work always elicits many emotions and often a strange mix of them. What you may feel for a character on one page may not be true the next and as usual Kealan manages to make the characters surprisingly deep despite the length of the story. This isn't straight up horror, it deals with bullying and guilt, and these are explored in disturbing ways until a shocking ending with an unexpected twist.
January 10, 2018
A short story about the importance of not reading a book by it's cover with an interesting look at the darkness of the human character.
First off I'll do my usual warning - this is a short story and it took me just one sitting to read. The story itself is an interesting one but I feel that it could have easily have been stretched out a little more especially towards the end where everything just ends up feeling rushed. The book is also quite a disturbing and dark read - which isn't a bad thing of course but just requires a certain reading mood to get into.
The characters were interesting and the plot was nice with a good twist and dark themes - I would recommend this book but only while it is still free because of it's length, typos and sense of being a bit too rushed.
First off I'll do my usual warning - this is a short story and it took me just one sitting to read. The story itself is an interesting one but I feel that it could have easily have been stretched out a little more especially towards the end where everything just ends up feeling rushed. The book is also quite a disturbing and dark read - which isn't a bad thing of course but just requires a certain reading mood to get into.
The characters were interesting and the plot was nice with a good twist and dark themes - I would recommend this book but only while it is still free because of it's length, typos and sense of being a bit too rushed.
December 29, 2015
Review to come
January 4, 2021
neat premise but was hoping for a bit more depth, not really into most of the horror being a girl with facial scars. was expecting more from this. neat twist, bad execution
March 26, 2012
I downloaded this for the Kindle, mainly because it was free and I was testing whether my battered old Android phone was suitable for reading books.
I have to say that the story showed promise. The main character, Dean, a fifteen-year-old boy being bullied at school, was solid, and I really felt for him. The cruel nature of him asking a scarred girl out on a date because he's been ordered to by the school bully actually made me cringe, because Dean didn't want to do it, and felt awful for being put in that position. It had me hooked from the start.
But then, as the story progressed, and things snowballed out of control, it became less of a book about Dean's thoughts and more of a catalogue of what was going wrong with his life. His thoughts were abandoned, and a rushed overview was presented to me. The narrator was no longer Dean but some omniscient being, describing Dean's despair without allowing us to feel empathy.
The ending of the story was powerful, but sadly underplayed, and didn't have the impact I felt it deserved. Possibly because of the lack of empathy in previous sections, I was viewing Dean's guilty descent from an unsympathetic point of view, and by the end of the book, I didn't care as much about him as I should have.
This could've been so much more - most definitely a 5 star read - but the middle section felt rushed. Showed definite promise and, because it was a short novella, was a quick and enjoyable read. Just not all it could've been. Hence the 3 stars - though for me, I'd probably but it directly in between 3 and 4 stars. I liked it quite a bit, but I didn't REALLY like it.
I have to say that the story showed promise. The main character, Dean, a fifteen-year-old boy being bullied at school, was solid, and I really felt for him. The cruel nature of him asking a scarred girl out on a date because he's been ordered to by the school bully actually made me cringe, because Dean didn't want to do it, and felt awful for being put in that position. It had me hooked from the start.
But then, as the story progressed, and things snowballed out of control, it became less of a book about Dean's thoughts and more of a catalogue of what was going wrong with his life. His thoughts were abandoned, and a rushed overview was presented to me. The narrator was no longer Dean but some omniscient being, describing Dean's despair without allowing us to feel empathy.
The ending of the story was powerful, but sadly underplayed, and didn't have the impact I felt it deserved. Possibly because of the lack of empathy in previous sections, I was viewing Dean's guilty descent from an unsympathetic point of view, and by the end of the book, I didn't care as much about him as I should have.
This could've been so much more - most definitely a 5 star read - but the middle section felt rushed. Showed definite promise and, because it was a short novella, was a quick and enjoyable read. Just not all it could've been. Hence the 3 stars - though for me, I'd probably but it directly in between 3 and 4 stars. I liked it quite a bit, but I didn't REALLY like it.
August 27, 2011
What will you do to get the school bully to stop picking on you? Will you ask the facially-scarred girl out on a date?
When Dean and Stephanie's date is interrupted by the bully and his henchman, Dean is beaten and Stephanie is sexually assaulted. Dean is deeply ashamed about his failure to protect Stephanie and later attacks Freddy with a baseball bat. That isn't enough to alleviate his shame, however.
How he deals with that shame is somewhat painful to read about (but not overly done).
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After I read this I tried to figure out how many books I may have read in my life. I estimate (and maybe on the low side) 17,000. Never have I been as surprised as I was at the denouement of this lengthy short story. I never saw it coming.
When Dean and Stephanie's date is interrupted by the bully and his henchman, Dean is beaten and Stephanie is sexually assaulted. Dean is deeply ashamed about his failure to protect Stephanie and later attacks Freddy with a baseball bat. That isn't enough to alleviate his shame, however.
How he deals with that shame is somewhat painful to read about (but not overly done).
------------------------------------
After I read this I tried to figure out how many books I may have read in my life. I estimate (and maybe on the low side) 17,000. Never have I been as surprised as I was at the denouement of this lengthy short story. I never saw it coming.
August 23, 2011
#SPOILERS INCLUDED!!#
Um...yeah...well, shock value should be 5 stars because I did NOT see that ending coming. Really surprised me. On the other hand, it's not really the kind of ending you can LIKE. I mean, the girl he got into such trouble physically and emotionally over was playing him the entire time?? Dude! I think he should take his baseball bat out again.
Um...yeah...well, shock value should be 5 stars because I did NOT see that ending coming. Really surprised me. On the other hand, it's not really the kind of ending you can LIKE. I mean, the girl he got into such trouble physically and emotionally over was playing him the entire time?? Dude! I think he should take his baseball bat out again.
January 20, 2012
I really did not like this book, I am so glad it was a free kindle download and a short read at that!!!
February 13, 2012
Had good potential but a weak ending IMO.
February 12, 2012
This story was not what I expected. What a twist! It felt very 'stephen king' to me in the end!
January 6, 2013
Oh, what characters.:( How perverse is human nature. Review soon.
October 29, 2012
interesting but not amazing
April 13, 2016
What the... ? What ?!
This story is so very short and extremely confusing. Deals with tough stuffs. Has an extremely abrupt ending and what the hell did I just read ?
This story is so very short and extremely confusing. Deals with tough stuffs. Has an extremely abrupt ending and what the hell did I just read ?
February 22, 2012
Good story with BAD ending, I think the author got overexcited and just spoiled everything
December 31, 2022
Simplemente ¿qué?
Fue mucho más de lo que esperaba y en definitiva no pude prever el final, fue distinto a como lo esperaba y eso me gustó.
Fue un tanto confuso en ciertas partes y no entendía las cavilaciones de Dean, pero realmente fue bueno, inesperado y lo suficientemente entretenido.
Fue mucho más de lo que esperaba y en definitiva no pude prever el final, fue distinto a como lo esperaba y eso me gustó.
Fue un tanto confuso en ciertas partes y no entendía las cavilaciones de Dean, pero realmente fue bueno, inesperado y lo suficientemente entretenido.
June 20, 2018
I have never read anything so dark. These 32 pages will haunt you.
August 17, 2019
Burke is a master of real-life horror.
Read
May 29, 2023Interesting
Would read again and recommend the authors books. Will be seeking out more of the authors books in the future
Would read again and recommend the authors books. Will be seeking out more of the authors books in the future
June 6, 2023
Good little story.
February 25, 2017
Inhalt: Dean wird vor die Wahl gestellt. Entweder bittet er das hässlichste Mädchen der Schule mit ihm auszugehen oder ihn erwartet von nun an ein Martyrium, welches sein bisheriges Leben nur noch verschlimmern wird. Was Dean nicht weiß, ist, dass er durch das Date etwas noch viel schlimmeres erleben wird...
Bewertung: Ich konnte mir nicht helfen, aber beim Lesen des Klappentextes musste ich an "Carrie" von Stephen King denken. "Underneath" hat bis auf einige Parallelen wenig mit Kings Geschichte zu tun. Es geht in dieser Kurzgeschichte eher um den zwischenmenschlichen Horror. Wie auch King in seiner Kurzgeschichte "Moral" konfrontiert Burke seinen Leser mit dem moralischem Gewissen des Protagonisten.
Was ist falsch? Was ist richtig? Welche Konsequenzen haben meine Entscheidungen? Und noch viel wichtiger: Kann ich mit den Konsequenzen leben?
Dean findet einen eigenen und verstörenden Weg mit den Konsequenzen seiner Entscheidung zu leben.
Hier möchte ich noch anmerken, dass Burke einen ziemlich fiesen Twist am Ende eingebaut hat. Der Leser wird dabei ziemlich überrumpelt und mit einem sehr bitterem Nachgeschmack zurückgelassen.
Fazit: Empfehlung für Leser, die 1. realistischen Horror mögen und 2. etwas zum Nachdenken wollen.
Bewertung: Ich konnte mir nicht helfen, aber beim Lesen des Klappentextes musste ich an "Carrie" von Stephen King denken. "Underneath" hat bis auf einige Parallelen wenig mit Kings Geschichte zu tun. Es geht in dieser Kurzgeschichte eher um den zwischenmenschlichen Horror. Wie auch King in seiner Kurzgeschichte "Moral" konfrontiert Burke seinen Leser mit dem moralischem Gewissen des Protagonisten.
Was ist falsch? Was ist richtig? Welche Konsequenzen haben meine Entscheidungen? Und noch viel wichtiger: Kann ich mit den Konsequenzen leben?
Dean findet einen eigenen und verstörenden Weg mit den Konsequenzen seiner Entscheidung zu leben.
Hier möchte ich noch anmerken, dass Burke einen ziemlich fiesen Twist am Ende eingebaut hat. Der Leser wird dabei ziemlich überrumpelt und mit einem sehr bitterem Nachgeschmack zurückgelassen.
Fazit: Empfehlung für Leser, die 1. realistischen Horror mögen und 2. etwas zum Nachdenken wollen.
March 6, 2017
This is a terrible short story. The writing is so all over the place that it is hard to follow. It is very detailed at first but then jumps all over the place then its just over. I literally said WTF did I just read. No wonder it was free.
March 1, 2017
I was torn between giving this story a 3 and a 4. The writing wasn't great but the ending was completely unexpected.
April 21, 2014
This one is extremely brief. But somehow in this stories few pages we are able to follow Dean on his descent into madness, uncover the horrible truth behind the act that started him down that path. I decided to include the warning in the summery that there are some scenes of violence and strong language. But I think that only touches on the scenes it is referring too.
Honestly I feel the scenes are truly disturbing. The twist that comes at the end of the book, makes them even more so.
The story is extremely well written. The author does an amazing job of bringing his characters and scenes to life. Some of the scenes are more horrifying by what the author doesn't say and leaves strictly to the imagination of the reader.
The ending is very abrupt. The final scene shocking, as we find out, along with Dean, exactly what happened to Stephanie. I do feel that the ending was a bit too sudden. Considering the depths of crazy that Dean reached, I definitely expected at least one more act of violence to explode from him.
This isn't part of a larger story, just it's own stand alone. I don't know if I would read more from the author. He is obviously a master with words, but the places those words take the reader are definitely disturbing. I wouldn't recommend this one to anyone under 18, it's definitely more adult fare.
If you've read Underneath or any other works by Kealan Patrick, I'd love to know what you think. If you were as bothered, or not, and either way why.
Honestly I feel the scenes are truly disturbing. The twist that comes at the end of the book, makes them even more so.
The story is extremely well written. The author does an amazing job of bringing his characters and scenes to life. Some of the scenes are more horrifying by what the author doesn't say and leaves strictly to the imagination of the reader.
The ending is very abrupt. The final scene shocking, as we find out, along with Dean, exactly what happened to Stephanie. I do feel that the ending was a bit too sudden. Considering the depths of crazy that Dean reached, I definitely expected at least one more act of violence to explode from him.
This isn't part of a larger story, just it's own stand alone. I don't know if I would read more from the author. He is obviously a master with words, but the places those words take the reader are definitely disturbing. I wouldn't recommend this one to anyone under 18, it's definitely more adult fare.
If you've read Underneath or any other works by Kealan Patrick, I'd love to know what you think. If you were as bothered, or not, and either way why.
January 25, 2016
The layout and the prose are good.
I guess cause I actually went to high school and knew all kinds of people, I was in the weirdo group and all that but since I didn't grow up in the fucking Stephen King version of the 50's none of this shit makes sense to me.
SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT
My only response to the ending is that a fucking wizard did it.
How the shit do you go from worse than a Sith Lord face to Oh her skin was slightly off color in one spot working at a fucking ticket booth at a drive in!?!? YOUR FUCKING GIRLFRIEND IS RAPED AND YOU GET THREATENED WITH RAPE AND DEATH AND YOU DON'T FUCKING CALL THE COPS!!??!???!?!?!?!?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!??????? Oh I forgot to mention his ONLY friend comes over and SEES HIM CUTTING HIS FLESH OPEN WITH A FUCKING KITCHEN KNIFE (I doubt it's ceramic so I don't believe this shit for an instant) AND DOESN'T TELL ANYONE!?
WHY IN THE FUCK DID THEY KICK HIS ASS FOR TELLING HIM TO GO OUT WITH HER AND HAVE HER MAKE OUT WITH HIM WHAT IN THE FUCKING HELL IS THE POINT OF ANY OF THIS?!!?
SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT
OH MY GAWD!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owuy1...
I guess cause I actually went to high school and knew all kinds of people, I was in the weirdo group and all that but since I didn't grow up in the fucking Stephen King version of the 50's none of this shit makes sense to me.
SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT
My only response to the ending is that a fucking wizard did it.
How the shit do you go from worse than a Sith Lord face to Oh her skin was slightly off color in one spot working at a fucking ticket booth at a drive in!?!? YOUR FUCKING GIRLFRIEND IS RAPED AND YOU GET THREATENED WITH RAPE AND DEATH AND YOU DON'T FUCKING CALL THE COPS!!??!???!?!?!?!?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!??????? Oh I forgot to mention his ONLY friend comes over and SEES HIM CUTTING HIS FLESH OPEN WITH A FUCKING KITCHEN KNIFE (I doubt it's ceramic so I don't believe this shit for an instant) AND DOESN'T TELL ANYONE!?
WHY IN THE FUCK DID THEY KICK HIS ASS FOR TELLING HIM TO GO OUT WITH HER AND HAVE HER MAKE OUT WITH HIM WHAT IN THE FUCKING HELL IS THE POINT OF ANY OF THIS?!!?
SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT
OH MY GAWD!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owuy1...
July 18, 2013
Dean is being bullied at school and his bully has set him the challenge of having a date with the school freak. Stephanie has a badly scared face and other pupils poke fun at
her. Dean asks her out in the hope that the bullying will stop if Stephanie agrees to a date. Stephanie gives Dean a keen and wanting look as she is normally ignord by all the other boys.
Underneath is a short story of just 205 KB and was written in 2010. It is a quirky read all the way to the end and it is rather refreshing. Dean is apprehensive about going on his first date but is spurred on by the look in Stephanie's eyes. I developed a lot of empathy for both characters and wondered where this novella was going.
There is a lot of intrigue in this story which addresses a lot of social issues. Underneath is not just about the menace of bullying but also about how people judge others only by what is on the surface rather than what is underneath. People's surface can hide both sadness and joy.
Underneath is a good read and I vote it 4 stars. There is a twist at the end and this novella has a strong social message to take away with you.
her. Dean asks her out in the hope that the bullying will stop if Stephanie agrees to a date. Stephanie gives Dean a keen and wanting look as she is normally ignord by all the other boys.
Underneath is a short story of just 205 KB and was written in 2010. It is a quirky read all the way to the end and it is rather refreshing. Dean is apprehensive about going on his first date but is spurred on by the look in Stephanie's eyes. I developed a lot of empathy for both characters and wondered where this novella was going.
There is a lot of intrigue in this story which addresses a lot of social issues. Underneath is not just about the menace of bullying but also about how people judge others only by what is on the surface rather than what is underneath. People's surface can hide both sadness and joy.
Underneath is a good read and I vote it 4 stars. There is a twist at the end and this novella has a strong social message to take away with you.
September 7, 2012
Guilt of bystander effect..
This an open eyed look at high school life and the repercussions of the social interactions within its walls. A so called popular dares the main character to ask the ugliest girl in school on a date, if he doesn't he will be beaten, again. The events that take place on that date are a mirror into the soul of our future generations. The majority of them too scared to lift a hand to help others and ruled by the minority of bullies, because the upper echelon, who are safe in their ivory towers, choose to let the minority of miscreants rule the streets. The main character is overtaken by guilt about his own inability to act or react and that sets the stage for the ending, which is again a reflection of the cruelty of the times we live in. I like the way this off the wall writer thinks.
This an open eyed look at high school life and the repercussions of the social interactions within its walls. A so called popular dares the main character to ask the ugliest girl in school on a date, if he doesn't he will be beaten, again. The events that take place on that date are a mirror into the soul of our future generations. The majority of them too scared to lift a hand to help others and ruled by the minority of bullies, because the upper echelon, who are safe in their ivory towers, choose to let the minority of miscreants rule the streets. The main character is overtaken by guilt about his own inability to act or react and that sets the stage for the ending, which is again a reflection of the cruelty of the times we live in. I like the way this off the wall writer thinks.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews