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Timmy Quinn #1-5
Stage Whispers: The Collected Timmy Quinn Stories
Available for the first time in one volume, the complete collection of stories featuring Timmy Quinn, whose terrifying journey began in the 2004 Bram Stoker Award-Winning story THE TURTLE BOY. Over the course of thirty years, we follow Timmy, a boy cursed with the ability to see ghosts and doomed to serve them, into adulthood, as he battles murderers and monstrous revenants in his struggle to find those responsible for violating the veil that separates the realm of the living from the land of the dead. Included in STAGE WHISPERS, you'll find all the books in the series (over 200,000 words): THE TURTLE BOY, THE HIDES, VESSELS, PEREGRINE'S TALE, and the concluding novel-length volume, NEMESIS.
685 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 5, 2011
28 people are currently reading
320 people want to read
About the author
Kealan Patrick Burke
195 books2,346 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 release is Cottonmouth, a prequel to Kin. The Widows of Winding Gale, a maritime horror novel set in Ireland, is due for release in October as a signed limited edition from Earthling Publications.
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 release is Cottonmouth, a prequel to Kin. The Widows of Winding Gale, a maritime horror novel set in Ireland, is due for release in October as a signed limited edition from Earthling Publications.
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 46 reviews
July 21, 2023
LOVED the first couple of creepy Quinn tales (The Turtle Boy was fantastic) but was sooooo ready for this collection to be done by the last. Diminishing returns much?
There's a separate, full length novel (Nemesis) that brings the Timmy Quinn world to a grand close and I will definitely be avoiding it as my time in Timmyland is mos def done.
Neeeeeeeext!!
3 Burned-Out Stars
There's a separate, full length novel (Nemesis) that brings the Timmy Quinn world to a grand close and I will definitely be avoiding it as my time in Timmyland is mos def done.
Neeeeeeeext!!
3 Burned-Out Stars
May 13, 2021
It’s official. Kealan Patrick Burke is the KING of novellas. He always manages to pack such a gut wrenching punch to the stomach in the smallest package and it blows my mind every single damn time! I love that I got all of the Timmy Quinn novellas in an omnibus because it meant I got to DEVOUR them one after another without having to stop, it was nonstop awesome horror. Stage Whispers is just packed to the brim with so much emotion and dread and horror and it was just SO haunting! I could literally feel the horror soaking through the pages and reaching deep down inside of me and sinking it’s hooks in. I think these just might be my favourite Burke stories I’ve read yet, these novellas are different than anything else I’ve read by him and I adored it.
June 21, 2014
Stage Whispers contains the first four novella’s and the concluding novel covering the life of Timmy Quinn from the young boy cursed to look on the dead, to the man fated to stop the revengeful deceased from rising.
In The Turtle Boy, Timmy Quinn and his best friend Pete Marshall encounter a strange boy at Myers Pond and here starts a journey filled with terror, betrayal, murder and the discovery of disturbing secrets. This opening novella is wonderfully written and you are immediately invested in the story, gripping narrative, haunting atmosphere and consuming characterization. If you’ve not read The Turtle Boy, it’s free on kindle and is well worth an hour of your time.
In The Hides, Timmy & his Father go to live with his grandmother in Dungarvan, Ireland and his ability to see the lingering dead, which often ends in some form of resolution is about to show dark secrets hidden by his own family. A more personnel affair this time for Timmy, where The Turtle Boy shows a young boy developing a disturbing gift, The Hides delves further into his curse and the lack of control he has over it, in a truly chilling conclusion, the dead show the power contained in the rage of the unlawfully killed.
Vessels is the third novella and to give the story some more depth we have the re-introduction of Timmy’s on/off girlfriend Kim, Timmy is seriously at odds, he wants Kim but at the same time knows that being with him will put her in danger. From the beginning Timmy hears a startling admission, the curtain had parted and the dead had come to exact revenge on one he loved but they were stopped by a voice and it’s his Father who had to live with the guilt. Now he points Timmy to Blackrock Island, a place of sanctuary, a place where there’s never been a reported murder.
On the Island he’s drawn to the ancient chapel where he soon realises no place can be free of evil and there he hears the whispers that have blighted his life, the terrifying ghost of Edmund Brennan who was hung from the crucifix. Vessels builds to a tense climax as we learn more of what Timmy is destined to face and I’ve got to say this is wonderfully descriptive, alluding to the stage, the curtain and the vengeful dead.
Peregrine’s Tale is the next story in the series and introduces a new protagonist, a short read that if anything could have been attached to one of the other novellas but it is important and introduces a character that’s instrumental in the endgame, his purpose is certainly one to think over.
Nemesis: The Death of Timmy Quinn is the coup de grâce and as finishing blows go, this is sensational. Nemesis entwines all the threads of the previous 4 stories and so much more that we didn’t even get a hint at, that I was stunned at the sheer magnitude of it all. In fact, stands up and applauds, this has to be one of the best books I’ve read, epic describes it perfectly. The author showed incredible imagination with the series up to this point but with Nemesis he smashed it out of the park.
And to end on news that this story isn’t quite over yet, there is an exclusive preview of Night Falls on Memory Lane, the first story in a new series featuring Cassandra Quinn, Timmy’s daughter, looking forward to it.
In The Turtle Boy, Timmy Quinn and his best friend Pete Marshall encounter a strange boy at Myers Pond and here starts a journey filled with terror, betrayal, murder and the discovery of disturbing secrets. This opening novella is wonderfully written and you are immediately invested in the story, gripping narrative, haunting atmosphere and consuming characterization. If you’ve not read The Turtle Boy, it’s free on kindle and is well worth an hour of your time.
In The Hides, Timmy & his Father go to live with his grandmother in Dungarvan, Ireland and his ability to see the lingering dead, which often ends in some form of resolution is about to show dark secrets hidden by his own family. A more personnel affair this time for Timmy, where The Turtle Boy shows a young boy developing a disturbing gift, The Hides delves further into his curse and the lack of control he has over it, in a truly chilling conclusion, the dead show the power contained in the rage of the unlawfully killed.
Vessels is the third novella and to give the story some more depth we have the re-introduction of Timmy’s on/off girlfriend Kim, Timmy is seriously at odds, he wants Kim but at the same time knows that being with him will put her in danger. From the beginning Timmy hears a startling admission, the curtain had parted and the dead had come to exact revenge on one he loved but they were stopped by a voice and it’s his Father who had to live with the guilt. Now he points Timmy to Blackrock Island, a place of sanctuary, a place where there’s never been a reported murder.
On the Island he’s drawn to the ancient chapel where he soon realises no place can be free of evil and there he hears the whispers that have blighted his life, the terrifying ghost of Edmund Brennan who was hung from the crucifix. Vessels builds to a tense climax as we learn more of what Timmy is destined to face and I’ve got to say this is wonderfully descriptive, alluding to the stage, the curtain and the vengeful dead.
Peregrine’s Tale is the next story in the series and introduces a new protagonist, a short read that if anything could have been attached to one of the other novellas but it is important and introduces a character that’s instrumental in the endgame, his purpose is certainly one to think over.
Nemesis: The Death of Timmy Quinn is the coup de grâce and as finishing blows go, this is sensational. Nemesis entwines all the threads of the previous 4 stories and so much more that we didn’t even get a hint at, that I was stunned at the sheer magnitude of it all. In fact, stands up and applauds, this has to be one of the best books I’ve read, epic describes it perfectly. The author showed incredible imagination with the series up to this point but with Nemesis he smashed it out of the park.
And to end on news that this story isn’t quite over yet, there is an exclusive preview of Night Falls on Memory Lane, the first story in a new series featuring Cassandra Quinn, Timmy’s daughter, looking forward to it.
December 1, 2011
We travel a long way with Timmy Quinn in Stage Whispers. Through time, across oceans and other stygian bodies of water of darker importance, through years as he grows from a sensitive boy into a haunted man, and through the curtain that leads us to The Stage where we encounter vengeful and vicious beings that are more than ghosts. If anyone is thinking of reading the Timmy Quinn series, I would recommend this book for continuity and maximum impact of the story. Plus there is a great introduction and some author notes along the way.
Stage Whispers flows from act 1 (The Turtle Boy) a very emotional story of innocence lost which introduces us to Timmy Quinn; through act 2 (The Hides) in which we learn more about The Stage and that this isn’t just a ghost story---there is much more at stake; on to act 3 (Vessels) which deepens and darkens the story immensely and where we learn that the vicious creatures on the Stage are not content to be “noises off” much longer and will soon rend the curtain entirely, cross the Stage and enter our reality; and finally to act 4 (Peregrine’s Tale) which serves as a pause to Timmy’s story, and introduces us to characters who had merely been behind the scenes up to that point, and ends with a shock to set up what is sure to be a cataclysmic act 5.
This work (what do you call a series of novels that collectively have the structure of a play?) is full of emotion. The images of rivers and bodies of water that, as did the river styx, serve as bridges between the living and the dead, resonate and leave after-images after the stories are completed. These characters, especially Timmy Quinn, are well drawn and you feel for them. The reader is not just cringing from a monster; we are horrified because we are moved by the characters and are affected when they suffer, especially in Vessels when the hungry ghosts make it much more personal for Timmy. The creatures of the Stage, and their familiars, especially the carnivorous turtles, are dangerous and become more and more aggressive and free to move about the world with each act of the play as the holes in the curtain become broader. By the time we get to Vessels, Timmy’s days of the safety of being merely an unwilling spectator, much as an audience is protected from the carnage on the Stage, are gone. The curtain is falling apart and we are all about to wind up a part of the action.
Act 4, Peregrin’s Tale provides the set up, with another tragic tale of a different young boy, for what is to come. With the final bombshell at the end of act 4 we have enough tension, and enough unanswered questions, to whet our appetite for act 5—The Nemesis. As any good Shakespeare scholar knows, act 5 is the showdown and this promises to be a good one. In the meantime, I will just mill around the lobby a bit, look at a poster or two, get a drink maybe, and wait for the call that announces that the final act is about to begin.
Stage Whispers flows from act 1 (The Turtle Boy) a very emotional story of innocence lost which introduces us to Timmy Quinn; through act 2 (The Hides) in which we learn more about The Stage and that this isn’t just a ghost story---there is much more at stake; on to act 3 (Vessels) which deepens and darkens the story immensely and where we learn that the vicious creatures on the Stage are not content to be “noises off” much longer and will soon rend the curtain entirely, cross the Stage and enter our reality; and finally to act 4 (Peregrine’s Tale) which serves as a pause to Timmy’s story, and introduces us to characters who had merely been behind the scenes up to that point, and ends with a shock to set up what is sure to be a cataclysmic act 5.
This work (what do you call a series of novels that collectively have the structure of a play?) is full of emotion. The images of rivers and bodies of water that, as did the river styx, serve as bridges between the living and the dead, resonate and leave after-images after the stories are completed. These characters, especially Timmy Quinn, are well drawn and you feel for them. The reader is not just cringing from a monster; we are horrified because we are moved by the characters and are affected when they suffer, especially in Vessels when the hungry ghosts make it much more personal for Timmy. The creatures of the Stage, and their familiars, especially the carnivorous turtles, are dangerous and become more and more aggressive and free to move about the world with each act of the play as the holes in the curtain become broader. By the time we get to Vessels, Timmy’s days of the safety of being merely an unwilling spectator, much as an audience is protected from the carnage on the Stage, are gone. The curtain is falling apart and we are all about to wind up a part of the action.
Act 4, Peregrin’s Tale provides the set up, with another tragic tale of a different young boy, for what is to come. With the final bombshell at the end of act 4 we have enough tension, and enough unanswered questions, to whet our appetite for act 5—The Nemesis. As any good Shakespeare scholar knows, act 5 is the showdown and this promises to be a good one. In the meantime, I will just mill around the lobby a bit, look at a poster or two, get a drink maybe, and wait for the call that announces that the final act is about to begin.
August 25, 2014
Buddy read with Athena.
Initial thoughts: An interesting, creepy tale. Review to come.
Review:
Actual rating: 3.5-3.75 stars. No spoilers.
Burke has such a skill at writing original, dark tales. I've enjoyed everything I've read by him. He has yet to let me down.
This is a collection of stories in the Timmy Quinn world. It's a very interesting concept that Burke hashes out well. He builds the characters and the world in a great way. As is his fashion, he doesn't believe in just giving you creepy. No, he wants you to develop sympathy and bond to his characters. He has serious skill in that department.
While I enjoyed this set of stories, it's always difficult to rate a collection of stories. Some are usually better than others. The final story was very long, and dragged for the most part. I was really into the story and engaged up until the final story. I feel like it could've been done differently. But, with that being said, there is no love lost here. I'm definitely still a Burke fan and will continue to read his stuff!!! The man has talent for sure!!
Initial thoughts: An interesting, creepy tale. Review to come.
Review:
Actual rating: 3.5-3.75 stars. No spoilers.
Burke has such a skill at writing original, dark tales. I've enjoyed everything I've read by him. He has yet to let me down.
This is a collection of stories in the Timmy Quinn world. It's a very interesting concept that Burke hashes out well. He builds the characters and the world in a great way. As is his fashion, he doesn't believe in just giving you creepy. No, he wants you to develop sympathy and bond to his characters. He has serious skill in that department.
While I enjoyed this set of stories, it's always difficult to rate a collection of stories. Some are usually better than others. The final story was very long, and dragged for the most part. I was really into the story and engaged up until the final story. I feel like it could've been done differently. But, with that being said, there is no love lost here. I'm definitely still a Burke fan and will continue to read his stuff!!! The man has talent for sure!!
November 6, 2014
Buddy Read with Shandra
August 1, 2025
A collection of novellas following the character of Timmy Quinn.
I thought that the first novella, The Turtle Boy, was the best one, and the others were fine but nothing remarkable. Overall this isn't one of my favorite creations by KPB, and I'm in no hurry to read the concluding novel, Nemesis. (As a fan of the author I may get to it at some point, though)
I give Stage Whispers a 3⭐ overall considering all 4 novellas included in this volume.
I thought that the first novella, The Turtle Boy, was the best one, and the others were fine but nothing remarkable. Overall this isn't one of my favorite creations by KPB, and I'm in no hurry to read the concluding novel, Nemesis. (As a fan of the author I may get to it at some point, though)
I give Stage Whispers a 3⭐ overall considering all 4 novellas included in this volume.
April 6, 2012
According to the author’s introduction, “Stage Whispers” contains the previously published Timmy Quinn material (“The Turtle Boy,” “The Hides,” “Vessels”) plus the new “Peregrine’s Tale.” This collection will be followed by the as-yet-incomplete “Nemesis,” which will finish Timmy’s saga. So this volume contains 4 of the ultimately 5 stories of Timmy Quinn, conveniently placed in one volume.
Amazingly lyrical, intensely suspenseful, poetic, descriptive in incredibly imagined ways: any story of any length by author Kealan Patrick Burke is equivalent to a mind-expanding and soul-inspiring walk through a literary Paradise-the man is just that excellent. I had never read “The Turtle Boy” (apparently my education in horror has been sadly neglected after all) so I was excited to find it as the frontispiece story of this collection-even more excited from the first few sentences. How do I describe it? Author Burke himself gives a nod to Lovecraftian traditions in his “expanded introduction.” “The Turtle Boy” has some of the flavor of Dan Simmons’ excellent “coming of age” horror “Summer of Night.” But anything to which Kealan Patrick Burke turns his pen is special-exceptional-awesome. If you’ve read any of the first three stories of Timmy Quinn, do buy this volume-it’s a keeper. If you’ve not encountered young Timmy, as had been the case for me, don’t hesitate-race to get it! If this is not a re-reader, multiple award winner, an utter joy and delight-then I don’t know my horror, and I believe I do. Do acquire “Stage Whispers” if you can acquire nothing else.
Amazingly lyrical, intensely suspenseful, poetic, descriptive in incredibly imagined ways: any story of any length by author Kealan Patrick Burke is equivalent to a mind-expanding and soul-inspiring walk through a literary Paradise-the man is just that excellent. I had never read “The Turtle Boy” (apparently my education in horror has been sadly neglected after all) so I was excited to find it as the frontispiece story of this collection-even more excited from the first few sentences. How do I describe it? Author Burke himself gives a nod to Lovecraftian traditions in his “expanded introduction.” “The Turtle Boy” has some of the flavor of Dan Simmons’ excellent “coming of age” horror “Summer of Night.” But anything to which Kealan Patrick Burke turns his pen is special-exceptional-awesome. If you’ve read any of the first three stories of Timmy Quinn, do buy this volume-it’s a keeper. If you’ve not encountered young Timmy, as had been the case for me, don’t hesitate-race to get it! If this is not a re-reader, multiple award winner, an utter joy and delight-then I don’t know my horror, and I believe I do. Do acquire “Stage Whispers” if you can acquire nothing else.
Want to read
February 21, 2015Contents:
9 - A Kind Of Haunting
13 - The Turtle Boy
71 - The Hides
187 - Vessels
285 - Peregrine's Tale
317 - Nemesis: The Death Of Timmy Quinn
This is copy 47 of 75 signed numbered copies.
9 - A Kind Of Haunting
13 - The Turtle Boy
71 - The Hides
187 - Vessels
285 - Peregrine's Tale
317 - Nemesis: The Death Of Timmy Quinn
This is copy 47 of 75 signed numbered copies.
July 24, 2019
Amazing book, Kealon reaches out and let's you know who's in charge. Believe me when you open one of his written nightmares, you'll agree. It's well written and extremely fast paced. Can't wait to read the next one, brothers are crazy. This is my review and I'm sticking to it. Your gonna need a bigger boat.
.
.
June 8, 2020
Timmy Quinn amazing. Creepy imagery!!
September 11, 2012
‘Stage Whispers’ by Kealan Patrick Burke is a collection of his Timmy Quinn novellas in one volume.
The Turtle Boy is a well written tale with vivid characters that captures a small town in 1970's America. What starts out as a run of the mill story, quickly turns into a supernatural ghost story with enough twists and turns which keeps the reader interested.
The story is written in the third person but interestingly enough only shows things from Timmy Quinn's point of view which makes an interesting read. The pace is quick and well thought out and characters are displayed in a natural sense.
The main complaint I have about the story is that the villain of the piece is a bit two dimensional and one of the twists is a bit too easy. This could have been cleverer in its reveal to keep the reader on their toes.
I did enjoy the ambiguity at the end and I did enjoy that everything was not totally wrapped up in a neat little bow.
Hides is the next volume which starts out with a two chapter episode dealing with a farmer and his son who doesn’t live up to father’s expectations. This two chapter story was really well done and placed Timmy into his teenage years. The next part of the story deals with family and the past. This leads Timmy and his father to his grandmother’s house in Ireland.
Burke gave an excellent description of Ireland and the town itself which he captured brilliantly. The shoreline, houses, old factory and the winding streets are all captured beautifully. I lived in County Clare for a year and used to frequent the surrounding area and trust me, he captured it fantastically. I do understand that he does come from there but it takes a true talent to make you feel like you are there.
When Timmy arrives in Ireland, things take a turn with skeletons popping out of the closet and the dark town history comes to light. The action is fast paced and a real page turner that scared and exhilarated in equal measures. When the scares come in, this is where the story becomes its strongest. The imagery is very crystalline description providing an ending that is very moving and stays transplanted in your memory long after reading.
Vessels is the final novella which starts to connect the dots to what is happening to Timmy. We find Timmy alone on an island outside of Dublin after a life changing experience that happens to one of his parents. Timmy is now Tim and he is ready to just give up on the world. All is going to plan until a presence makes itself known who is ready for revenge.
This is very cleverly written and this does move the saga forward towards it climax which should be out at the end of September/beginning of October 2012. This was an exciting read. I enjoyed the way that all the points started to come together to form the bigger picture.
It was good to have a character from the past make an appearance but would have liked them to play a bigger part overall. Saying this, they do play a huge emotional part to the story which will hopefully lead to the conclusion when it comes out.
This, I felt was one of the strongest of the novellas as it started placing pieces of the puzzle together to start forming a bigger picture.
Perrigrine is a story written like a fairy tale that turns to nightmare. This was exceptionally written and the tone is slightly different than the rest of the novellas concerning Timmy Quinn. The story is a side story to the rest of the series and gives a bit of background history to what is mentioned in ‘Vessels’. I really liked this story and found all the characters very interesting and pushed me to finish this in one sitting.
The mother is terribly monstrous and the horror itself comes from her mothering skills that had an enormous pay off at the end. This is the part of the saga that made me excited about the next instalment. This warped fairy tale is what gives the saga substance.
Overall, ‘Stage Whispers’ is a fantastic read and highly recommended for the paranormal audience. It has real solid mythos surrounding it and you will find yourself devouring every word, phrase and sentence until the very end. I found this a lot more comprehendible as a set than I did reading each story as a one-off.
Kealan Patrick Burke has a real talent and I am reading more and more of his work and I am starting to become a real fan. His descriptions and situations can truly become awe inspiring but at the same time frighten you with his imagery.
This is a definite must read and highly praise this ingenious series.
The Turtle Boy is a well written tale with vivid characters that captures a small town in 1970's America. What starts out as a run of the mill story, quickly turns into a supernatural ghost story with enough twists and turns which keeps the reader interested.
The story is written in the third person but interestingly enough only shows things from Timmy Quinn's point of view which makes an interesting read. The pace is quick and well thought out and characters are displayed in a natural sense.
The main complaint I have about the story is that the villain of the piece is a bit two dimensional and one of the twists is a bit too easy. This could have been cleverer in its reveal to keep the reader on their toes.
I did enjoy the ambiguity at the end and I did enjoy that everything was not totally wrapped up in a neat little bow.
Hides is the next volume which starts out with a two chapter episode dealing with a farmer and his son who doesn’t live up to father’s expectations. This two chapter story was really well done and placed Timmy into his teenage years. The next part of the story deals with family and the past. This leads Timmy and his father to his grandmother’s house in Ireland.
Burke gave an excellent description of Ireland and the town itself which he captured brilliantly. The shoreline, houses, old factory and the winding streets are all captured beautifully. I lived in County Clare for a year and used to frequent the surrounding area and trust me, he captured it fantastically. I do understand that he does come from there but it takes a true talent to make you feel like you are there.
When Timmy arrives in Ireland, things take a turn with skeletons popping out of the closet and the dark town history comes to light. The action is fast paced and a real page turner that scared and exhilarated in equal measures. When the scares come in, this is where the story becomes its strongest. The imagery is very crystalline description providing an ending that is very moving and stays transplanted in your memory long after reading.
Vessels is the final novella which starts to connect the dots to what is happening to Timmy. We find Timmy alone on an island outside of Dublin after a life changing experience that happens to one of his parents. Timmy is now Tim and he is ready to just give up on the world. All is going to plan until a presence makes itself known who is ready for revenge.
This is very cleverly written and this does move the saga forward towards it climax which should be out at the end of September/beginning of October 2012. This was an exciting read. I enjoyed the way that all the points started to come together to form the bigger picture.
It was good to have a character from the past make an appearance but would have liked them to play a bigger part overall. Saying this, they do play a huge emotional part to the story which will hopefully lead to the conclusion when it comes out.
This, I felt was one of the strongest of the novellas as it started placing pieces of the puzzle together to start forming a bigger picture.
Perrigrine is a story written like a fairy tale that turns to nightmare. This was exceptionally written and the tone is slightly different than the rest of the novellas concerning Timmy Quinn. The story is a side story to the rest of the series and gives a bit of background history to what is mentioned in ‘Vessels’. I really liked this story and found all the characters very interesting and pushed me to finish this in one sitting.
The mother is terribly monstrous and the horror itself comes from her mothering skills that had an enormous pay off at the end. This is the part of the saga that made me excited about the next instalment. This warped fairy tale is what gives the saga substance.
Overall, ‘Stage Whispers’ is a fantastic read and highly recommended for the paranormal audience. It has real solid mythos surrounding it and you will find yourself devouring every word, phrase and sentence until the very end. I found this a lot more comprehendible as a set than I did reading each story as a one-off.
Kealan Patrick Burke has a real talent and I am reading more and more of his work and I am starting to become a real fan. His descriptions and situations can truly become awe inspiring but at the same time frighten you with his imagery.
This is a definite must read and highly praise this ingenious series.
March 27, 2020
The Turtle Boy -
That was my 6th read of Kealan Patrick Burke & was so sure with the fact that this time too I would gonna love this one. I was not wrong of course…
Just look at the book cover and the title of it. I just loved it. Thinking for a while to read this one but anyhow couldn’t make myself to read it. But now finally finished this one I can say it worth my time completely…
This novella by the author have to admit was an awesome experience to read. I just couldn’t put it down. Though in the middle while I was reading I had to work for something so it was just like that I couldn’t finish it in one time. But of course as I said it worth my time. The plot of this story was too good. Just like other book or novella from this author I’ve read in near past this one too entertained me very much. While making myself deep into the story I could feel the environment of it. It was like as if I was in there, looking, having and fearing at the same time. It was at first chapter I find out that it gonna be a good book to read…
Timmy the boy who’s been just 11 years old, the main character of this novella. Timmy was leading perfectly good life alongside with his best friend Pete Marshall. But it didn’t stay like that forever. Time changed so than he too. It was all about that mysterious pond that drawn them together & it was then the story or say the main twist just begun…
I like the way the story developed by itself (I mean by the author). And of course I liked that girl named Kim too. Somehow that girl remind me about someone from my childhood time. Anyway what happened to Pete obviously he never deserved that. And than that tragic event linked to the train where that horrific incident happened. What can I say it is all that I could reveal here without giving any spoiler. I of course do want read the sequence of this novella. No doubt about this…
5 out of 5...
The Hides -
Let just copy paste the review in here at first-
"It's been almost seven years since the events of Myers Pond. Seven years since a child rose from the dead, seeking Timmy Quinn's help in finding a murderer, a search that left more questions than answers in its terrifying wake. But for Timmy, the dead never leave. They're everywhere, reaching out to him, and there is nowhere to hide from their quiet desperation."...
After reading the 1st book Timmy Quinn Series I had that high expectations and KPB didn't dissapointed me. No, Not at all. I found the absolute pleasure in this short read too as I get it from the 1st one; and I want keep the reading flow on by proceeding to the 3rd story of this series. No doubt...
Timmy never wanted anything but peace to himself and to his family from having the experience of his first horrific incidents with something unthinkable. But that never leave him but followed him like forever. Now after 7 years later visiting his Grandma Agatha's house he was looking for some good time. But he didn't and he find something else that he never thought he had to see. There's something dark and evil in that house or to say something lurking in there from it's cruel past history. In the time to visit his Grandma's house he left his girlfriend Kim; the girl who dearly in love with him. But Timmy Quinn has some job to do though he never knew it would come like that...
The ending was good. Really good. Bit of unexpected to me. But in the end where that incident took place with Tim and with his father and something from nowhere blocked out there path to moving on I believe there's obviously had something to do with it by link to the next book. Couldn't wait to find out the answer...
Giving it 5...
Vessels -
3rd book Of Tummy Quinn series. To be truth I liked the 2nd book THE HIDES than this one but of course this one too was good to enjoy...
Tim tried to take a break from everything that happening around him but he just couldn't. On a remote island off the cost in Ireland he found a vessels and in the Chapel he experienced something too that was unimaginable to believe and thus it went on. Special thanks to the author for bringing Kim, Tim's girlfriend. I was really looking for it and finally I got to know her...
The story and the plot was really good enough to read. There's some terrifying incidents and I hate that sergeant 100%. But the ending, well that was of course in a way really frightening and sad too because what happened to Tim's girlfriend...
Anyway enjoyed it much and going for the next one...
Peregrine's Tale -
So, who is Peregrine actually??
“His name was Perry Griffin, but before he'd learned the proper way to pronounce it, he'd simply run it together into one word: Per-grin, which as the years went by mutated into Peregrine in the mouths of all who repeated it.“...
A novella and the 4th part of Timmy Quinn Series and I have to admit I found it really surprising; didn't see that coming...
Well Perry got nothing but only his mother to live on. His father was dead and he is all alone with his mom. But. There's a problem. His mom wants to kill him and while at the time she finally attempted to kill him he escaped. Running through woods after sometime he couldn't remember anything and when he regained his conscious he saw his dead father and more people. Perry then know whay he needed to do or mean to do. But it was cruel and another thing that he had to accomplish. So the end to tell. Of course I had to read twice to read what I was really reading...
Off to the final book of this Timmy Quinn Series...
Nemesis -
Wow! What a way to end the Timmy Quinn Series. In a way I am totally shocked and speechless...
So the final book of Timmy Quinn named as Nemesis!...
Couldn't believe knowing the fate of Timmy. Man I swear that I really didn't know the ending would be like nothing but this. I wonder how on earth this could be happening. But it happened as a matter of fact...
"For over twenty years Tim Quinn has lived in the shadow of death. Now, the Curtain has come down and the dead no longer need him to facilitate their vengeance. As the air turns amber, the shadows deepen, and murderous revenants begin to stalk the streets, Tim and the woman he loves must race to find Peregrine, the man they believe responsible for the sundering of the veil between the living and the dead."
So yeah the dead doesn't need him anymore but he had to fight for his life and for his loved one. There's plenty more events occurred in this final story. There's these horrible, terrible and frightful incidents that will blow your mind. I felt deep sadness for Tim that he has to dead in this final book. But there's other side of the tale as Kim came in the prime light spot in here. The journey that Kim and Tim together ran really what's the word fascinating but yet heartbreaking at the same time. I just couldn't say more about how much I regret the death of Timmy Quinn. I wish KPB reconsider it while he was writing this book. But as always it's only the author's choice to how the story will flow and write. In this book Timmy went through a lot and he met his dead father and with dead brother too but the main twist yet to come as you go deeply in the story. There's something dark again lurking in there for power or beyond this and only Timmy Quinn can destroy it completely. Kim on the other hand did regret the death of his dear lover and she had to live the rest of her life knowing Tim was gone but a part of him that grown inside her of course will be with her always as she will continue live her life. So touchy and emotional to read for ending part have to admit and of course that's one of the main fact which make this final more dramatic and valuable for reading...
Many many thanks from the core of my heart to my favourite author -
Kealan Patrick Burke...
That was my 6th read of Kealan Patrick Burke & was so sure with the fact that this time too I would gonna love this one. I was not wrong of course…
Just look at the book cover and the title of it. I just loved it. Thinking for a while to read this one but anyhow couldn’t make myself to read it. But now finally finished this one I can say it worth my time completely…
This novella by the author have to admit was an awesome experience to read. I just couldn’t put it down. Though in the middle while I was reading I had to work for something so it was just like that I couldn’t finish it in one time. But of course as I said it worth my time. The plot of this story was too good. Just like other book or novella from this author I’ve read in near past this one too entertained me very much. While making myself deep into the story I could feel the environment of it. It was like as if I was in there, looking, having and fearing at the same time. It was at first chapter I find out that it gonna be a good book to read…
Timmy the boy who’s been just 11 years old, the main character of this novella. Timmy was leading perfectly good life alongside with his best friend Pete Marshall. But it didn’t stay like that forever. Time changed so than he too. It was all about that mysterious pond that drawn them together & it was then the story or say the main twist just begun…
I like the way the story developed by itself (I mean by the author). And of course I liked that girl named Kim too. Somehow that girl remind me about someone from my childhood time. Anyway what happened to Pete obviously he never deserved that. And than that tragic event linked to the train where that horrific incident happened. What can I say it is all that I could reveal here without giving any spoiler. I of course do want read the sequence of this novella. No doubt about this…
5 out of 5...
The Hides -
Let just copy paste the review in here at first-
"It's been almost seven years since the events of Myers Pond. Seven years since a child rose from the dead, seeking Timmy Quinn's help in finding a murderer, a search that left more questions than answers in its terrifying wake. But for Timmy, the dead never leave. They're everywhere, reaching out to him, and there is nowhere to hide from their quiet desperation."...
After reading the 1st book Timmy Quinn Series I had that high expectations and KPB didn't dissapointed me. No, Not at all. I found the absolute pleasure in this short read too as I get it from the 1st one; and I want keep the reading flow on by proceeding to the 3rd story of this series. No doubt...
Timmy never wanted anything but peace to himself and to his family from having the experience of his first horrific incidents with something unthinkable. But that never leave him but followed him like forever. Now after 7 years later visiting his Grandma Agatha's house he was looking for some good time. But he didn't and he find something else that he never thought he had to see. There's something dark and evil in that house or to say something lurking in there from it's cruel past history. In the time to visit his Grandma's house he left his girlfriend Kim; the girl who dearly in love with him. But Timmy Quinn has some job to do though he never knew it would come like that...
The ending was good. Really good. Bit of unexpected to me. But in the end where that incident took place with Tim and with his father and something from nowhere blocked out there path to moving on I believe there's obviously had something to do with it by link to the next book. Couldn't wait to find out the answer...
Giving it 5...
Vessels -
3rd book Of Tummy Quinn series. To be truth I liked the 2nd book THE HIDES than this one but of course this one too was good to enjoy...
Tim tried to take a break from everything that happening around him but he just couldn't. On a remote island off the cost in Ireland he found a vessels and in the Chapel he experienced something too that was unimaginable to believe and thus it went on. Special thanks to the author for bringing Kim, Tim's girlfriend. I was really looking for it and finally I got to know her...
The story and the plot was really good enough to read. There's some terrifying incidents and I hate that sergeant 100%. But the ending, well that was of course in a way really frightening and sad too because what happened to Tim's girlfriend...
Anyway enjoyed it much and going for the next one...
Peregrine's Tale -
So, who is Peregrine actually??
“His name was Perry Griffin, but before he'd learned the proper way to pronounce it, he'd simply run it together into one word: Per-grin, which as the years went by mutated into Peregrine in the mouths of all who repeated it.“...
A novella and the 4th part of Timmy Quinn Series and I have to admit I found it really surprising; didn't see that coming...
Well Perry got nothing but only his mother to live on. His father was dead and he is all alone with his mom. But. There's a problem. His mom wants to kill him and while at the time she finally attempted to kill him he escaped. Running through woods after sometime he couldn't remember anything and when he regained his conscious he saw his dead father and more people. Perry then know whay he needed to do or mean to do. But it was cruel and another thing that he had to accomplish. So the end to tell. Of course I had to read twice to read what I was really reading...
Off to the final book of this Timmy Quinn Series...
Nemesis -
Wow! What a way to end the Timmy Quinn Series. In a way I am totally shocked and speechless...
So the final book of Timmy Quinn named as Nemesis!...
Couldn't believe knowing the fate of Timmy. Man I swear that I really didn't know the ending would be like nothing but this. I wonder how on earth this could be happening. But it happened as a matter of fact...
"For over twenty years Tim Quinn has lived in the shadow of death. Now, the Curtain has come down and the dead no longer need him to facilitate their vengeance. As the air turns amber, the shadows deepen, and murderous revenants begin to stalk the streets, Tim and the woman he loves must race to find Peregrine, the man they believe responsible for the sundering of the veil between the living and the dead."
So yeah the dead doesn't need him anymore but he had to fight for his life and for his loved one. There's plenty more events occurred in this final story. There's these horrible, terrible and frightful incidents that will blow your mind. I felt deep sadness for Tim that he has to dead in this final book. But there's other side of the tale as Kim came in the prime light spot in here. The journey that Kim and Tim together ran really what's the word fascinating but yet heartbreaking at the same time. I just couldn't say more about how much I regret the death of Timmy Quinn. I wish KPB reconsider it while he was writing this book. But as always it's only the author's choice to how the story will flow and write. In this book Timmy went through a lot and he met his dead father and with dead brother too but the main twist yet to come as you go deeply in the story. There's something dark again lurking in there for power or beyond this and only Timmy Quinn can destroy it completely. Kim on the other hand did regret the death of his dear lover and she had to live the rest of her life knowing Tim was gone but a part of him that grown inside her of course will be with her always as she will continue live her life. So touchy and emotional to read for ending part have to admit and of course that's one of the main fact which make this final more dramatic and valuable for reading...
Many many thanks from the core of my heart to my favourite author -
Kealan Patrick Burke...
March 13, 2013
"All the world's a stage, Timothy Quinn, but it's not the only one..."
Timothy Quinn sees dead people. He's one of the cursed few who are able to see behind the curtain between the world of the living and the stage upon which the dead act out eternity. The dead whisper deadly secrets of both worlds to him as they use him to exact vengeance upon the living.
Stage Whispers collects the first 4 Quinn novellas and one short story (used as a prologue to the first four acts of this tragedy--the final act is still in HC.)
This is a series that friends have been nagging me to read for more than 2 years and I always found a way to put them off. My bad. From the opening lines of this work, author Kealan Patrick Burke mesmerizes with prose that is densley beautiful--poetic, eerie, desperate and melancholic--as he relates the events of 11-year-old Timothy Quinn's loss-of-innocence summer vacation (The Turtle Boy); Quinn's relocation to the birth plasce of his father at 17 (The Hides); and finally to Blackrock Island off the coast of Ireland 10 years later (Vessels). Act 4 (Peregrine's Tale) is the story of Quinn's adversary's fall from innocence, setting up what is certain to be a great final act.
There's so much to love about these works. Great characterizations, moody atmosphere, true horror. The strongest of the pieces is The Turtle Boy. The Hides is a more conventional horror story, but is a terrific continuation of events. Vessels is in some ways the least successful of the bunch in that is fails to move the locale (as did the first two), but at the same time it succeeds in darkening the scope of the series to an almost unbearable point. Peregrin's Tale is the shortest and seemingly simplest of the stories, but the horrors at it's dark heart are magnified by the preceeding events.
But what runs through all these tales IS heart. It's what makes the series so compelling. Burke makes you feel every pain and every terror that plagues Timothy and his circle. Even that of his antogonists is felt by the reader and adds another level to the horror of this masterful work.
I give Stage Whispers the highest of reccomendations.
Timothy Quinn sees dead people. He's one of the cursed few who are able to see behind the curtain between the world of the living and the stage upon which the dead act out eternity. The dead whisper deadly secrets of both worlds to him as they use him to exact vengeance upon the living.
Stage Whispers collects the first 4 Quinn novellas and one short story (used as a prologue to the first four acts of this tragedy--the final act is still in HC.)
This is a series that friends have been nagging me to read for more than 2 years and I always found a way to put them off. My bad. From the opening lines of this work, author Kealan Patrick Burke mesmerizes with prose that is densley beautiful--poetic, eerie, desperate and melancholic--as he relates the events of 11-year-old Timothy Quinn's loss-of-innocence summer vacation (The Turtle Boy); Quinn's relocation to the birth plasce of his father at 17 (The Hides); and finally to Blackrock Island off the coast of Ireland 10 years later (Vessels). Act 4 (Peregrine's Tale) is the story of Quinn's adversary's fall from innocence, setting up what is certain to be a great final act.
There's so much to love about these works. Great characterizations, moody atmosphere, true horror. The strongest of the pieces is The Turtle Boy. The Hides is a more conventional horror story, but is a terrific continuation of events. Vessels is in some ways the least successful of the bunch in that is fails to move the locale (as did the first two), but at the same time it succeeds in darkening the scope of the series to an almost unbearable point. Peregrin's Tale is the shortest and seemingly simplest of the stories, but the horrors at it's dark heart are magnified by the preceeding events.
But what runs through all these tales IS heart. It's what makes the series so compelling. Burke makes you feel every pain and every terror that plagues Timothy and his circle. Even that of his antogonists is felt by the reader and adds another level to the horror of this masterful work.
I give Stage Whispers the highest of reccomendations.
December 18, 2012
Collecting four novellas which together follow the character of Timmy Quinn, a boy who sees ghosts and is forced to help them find peace. The opening entry, The Turtle Boy, is the best of the lot, introducing Timmy as a child. As ghost stories go, it's a modern classic. A tale of childhood and innocence into which horrors intrude, the story is unsettling and novel, and the collection never quite reaches its heights again. That's not to say that what follows isn't excellent. The Hides and Vessels both rejoin Timmy later in his life, as he goes to increasing lengths to distance himself from the increasingly aggressive and demanding dead and finds that there is no escape.
If there's a frustration in reading the books as a sequence, it's that it becomes notable how much of the key development is happening between the books rather than during them. The stories were initially released individually, over several years, and the decision to allow major events to happen in the space between would have given weight to the sense of time passing, of catching up with character in each new book. Read as a continuous volume though, it becomes a failing rather than a strength. It's a minor problem, not with the stories but with the collected format, and Burke makes up for it with his unusual and potent take on ghosts and hauntings.
If there's a frustration in reading the books as a sequence, it's that it becomes notable how much of the key development is happening between the books rather than during them. The stories were initially released individually, over several years, and the decision to allow major events to happen in the space between would have given weight to the sense of time passing, of catching up with character in each new book. Read as a continuous volume though, it becomes a failing rather than a strength. It's a minor problem, not with the stories but with the collected format, and Burke makes up for it with his unusual and potent take on ghosts and hauntings.
June 23, 2015
Review on the way!
April 27, 2020
Timmy Quinn has a problem—or more to the point, I should say—he has a curse. He can see and communicate with the dead. The dead seek Quinn out for his help to set things right to what went wrong in their life when they were alive. Stage Whispers consists of five stories that happen at different ‘stages’ (pun intended) in Quinn’s life. There is a reason the first book in the series--The Turtle Boy--won the Bram Stoker Award. From the original storyline to overall prose of the story itself, The Turtle Boy is a true masterpiece. But not only that story, but the other ones in this collection are just as good as the one that begins this saga. I particularly enjoyed the second story, The Hides. There was so much that went on in that story. If you love stories dealing with the supernatural--and all these did as KPB up-ed the anti with each--this book is sure to be right down your alley. Kealan Patrick Burke continues to hit homeruns with his unique writing style and beautiful prose that bring his stories to life.
April 11, 2019
The version I read does NOT include "Nemesis."
I really enjoyed all of these stories as a single read and felt that it ramped up in the last two books, especially. I liked all of the characters and very much enjoyed Burke's way with words. I felt cold and wet and scared in the stories where Timmy visited Ireland, and I felt like I was a kid following young Timmy to the pond where he discovered the Turtle Boy.
The parents were developed in an interesting way that parallels real life: when you're young, you don't feel that your parents have their own lives hidden in the shadows of your life as their child. As you grow older, you start to discover family secrets and flaws that only seemed to appear to you until later in life. I love how that was captured here.
I enjoyed the descriptions of the spirits and certainly felt creeped out through all of the stories.
It was a great read!
I really enjoyed all of these stories as a single read and felt that it ramped up in the last two books, especially. I liked all of the characters and very much enjoyed Burke's way with words. I felt cold and wet and scared in the stories where Timmy visited Ireland, and I felt like I was a kid following young Timmy to the pond where he discovered the Turtle Boy.
The parents were developed in an interesting way that parallels real life: when you're young, you don't feel that your parents have their own lives hidden in the shadows of your life as their child. As you grow older, you start to discover family secrets and flaws that only seemed to appear to you until later in life. I love how that was captured here.
I enjoyed the descriptions of the spirits and certainly felt creeped out through all of the stories.
It was a great read!
December 31, 2023
I loved this series of novellas! I had read several of Burke’s other novellas, and while I really enjoyed them, they just felt a bit incomplete. This series, all focusing on Timothy Quinn aging from ~11 to his 30s reads like “The Sixth Sense,” mixed a bit with Koontz’s “Odd Thomas,” but with a healthy dose of Bradbury-like description (but, for my money, Burke’s descriptive language and ability to craft imagery that causes fits of nostalgia in the reader, often, is stronger and more poignant than Bradbury). There are some issues (for instance, the character of Kim just doesn’t feel as fleshed out as she should be), but I absolutely enjoyed the entire experience of reading these. And, the final vignette in this collection serves to really get one excited for the final tale in this series - and, as I finish typing this review, I will be directly jumping into “Nemesis,” and I am excited.
April 22, 2018
I loved every single story in this collection. All of them have a unique twist to the murderer that kept me wanting more. Poor Timmy, it seems everyone around him is a closeted murderer. Is there anyone in the world who isn't a killer.
My copy did not include the final novel in the series, Nemesis. I will have to get this so I can finish Timmy's story.
My copy did not include the final novel in the series, Nemesis. I will have to get this so I can finish Timmy's story.
December 7, 2020
I discovered Burke sometime last year and have been slowly collecting his books. I was very pleased to find out there was a collection of all the Turtle Boy novellas in one place when I found Stage Whispers (with the exception of Nemesis , of course).
You know, one of the reasons why Kealan was moved to the top of my ‘favorite authors’ list is because of how impactful his writing is. The man doesn’t need long, breathy books to tell a damn good story.
The Timmy Quinn series is no different. I highly recommend all of KPB’s books to any fan of horror.
You know, one of the reasons why Kealan was moved to the top of my ‘favorite authors’ list is because of how impactful his writing is. The man doesn’t need long, breathy books to tell a damn good story.
The Timmy Quinn series is no different. I highly recommend all of KPB’s books to any fan of horror.
September 4, 2020
Mind-blowing! What a ride. I didn't breathe once while reading the entire novel in a day. A tremendously satisfying horror story. Poor Timmy Quinn. Thank you, Kealan Patrick Burke for such a lovable protagonist, and horrendous dead things!
December 12, 2020
As a collection, I’d give this 3.5 stars. Turtle Boy is one of my favorite stories, the second and third stories were pretty interesting but by the time I got to the last one I was losing interest. Maybe if I hadn’t read them all in a row I’d feel differently.
January 9, 2023
This was a phenomenal series and Timmy Quinn was such an amazing character. To see my thoughts on each part, check my reviews on each of the individual releases. But, if you're looking for an amazing series to dive into, look no further!
October 17, 2019
Love this mans writing!! If you love creepy reads with a splash of horror and ghosts, then this book is a must!!
January 10, 2015
3.5 stars.
When it comes to horror books, movies, and TV shows, I have nerves of steel. I'm rarely affected by them, which is why I can't judge horror novels by how scary they are. I can only judge them by how atmospheric they are and how much emotion they evoke in me. Kealan Patrick Burke is extremely gifted at creating a tense, foreboding environment and I really enjoyed this collection of novellas. You quickly learn that Burke's writing is descriptive, vivid, and almost lyrical. He can transfix you in the moment and make you feel like you're right there with the characters.
We start with a young, naive and innocent Timmy in The Turtle Boy. It was by far my favourite story of the four because it was so captivating and atmospheric. I could feel Timmy's fear as if it was my own and I loved the ending. It was amazing how at the end of such a short tale, Timmy ended up far older than his eleven years. Personally, I found The Hides and Vessels were slightly less successful than The Turtle Boy. Both of them built to a frantic climax, but there were passages that dragged for me and the dialogue wasn't always great. I did enjoy the change of scenery to Ireland though and it added a new level of melancholy to the stories. I also really enjoyed Peregrine's Tale even though it was a different protagonist. It was the shortest story of the four, but still packed a punch and I found myself wanting to know more about Peregrine.
This is a solid book of horror and one of my favourites. I highly recommend it.
When it comes to horror books, movies, and TV shows, I have nerves of steel. I'm rarely affected by them, which is why I can't judge horror novels by how scary they are. I can only judge them by how atmospheric they are and how much emotion they evoke in me. Kealan Patrick Burke is extremely gifted at creating a tense, foreboding environment and I really enjoyed this collection of novellas. You quickly learn that Burke's writing is descriptive, vivid, and almost lyrical. He can transfix you in the moment and make you feel like you're right there with the characters.
We start with a young, naive and innocent Timmy in The Turtle Boy. It was by far my favourite story of the four because it was so captivating and atmospheric. I could feel Timmy's fear as if it was my own and I loved the ending. It was amazing how at the end of such a short tale, Timmy ended up far older than his eleven years. Personally, I found The Hides and Vessels were slightly less successful than The Turtle Boy. Both of them built to a frantic climax, but there were passages that dragged for me and the dialogue wasn't always great. I did enjoy the change of scenery to Ireland though and it added a new level of melancholy to the stories. I also really enjoyed Peregrine's Tale even though it was a different protagonist. It was the shortest story of the four, but still packed a punch and I found myself wanting to know more about Peregrine.
This is a solid book of horror and one of my favourites. I highly recommend it.
September 17, 2013
There are those times when you read a story and the whole world disappears. This was one of those times. I've never heard of Kealan Patrick Burke before but I found The Turtle Boy for free on Amazon and took a chance. I read it on a whim because I was in-between books and immediately was sucked in. As soon as I finished it I bought Stage Whispers to get 4 novellas in one and each one of them sucked me in. I cannot begin to tell you how good these books are and how upset I am at having just recently learned of this author. If the rest of his work is even almost as good as this series - read it and read it now.
I wasn't expecting much when I started this out and maybe that is why it hit so hard but whatever the reason, these stories captivated me. It starts out with two young boys spending their summer wasting time and you think this is going to be another Stand By Me but all of a sudden the clouds roll in and you are belted in for the ride. The characters seem real enough that I may pass them on the street, the circumstances Timmy finds himself in are not unbelievable and the emotions that come from these pages hit you with such weight that you cannot help but feel them for yourself. I am adding Burke to my list of favorite authors, and if by some chance I never get to read another book of his, this one will stick with me for many years.
I wasn't expecting much when I started this out and maybe that is why it hit so hard but whatever the reason, these stories captivated me. It starts out with two young boys spending their summer wasting time and you think this is going to be another Stand By Me but all of a sudden the clouds roll in and you are belted in for the ride. The characters seem real enough that I may pass them on the street, the circumstances Timmy finds himself in are not unbelievable and the emotions that come from these pages hit you with such weight that you cannot help but feel them for yourself. I am adding Burke to my list of favorite authors, and if by some chance I never get to read another book of his, this one will stick with me for many years.
December 26, 2012
What a wonderful book!
I was enthused paragraph after paragraph and thoroughly enjoyed the technique by which the author conveyed the story. Just magnificent with lines like "anxiety manifested itself as a cold hand stirring his innards" I found myself feeling anxious and shivered against the chill of that cold hand.
Every location and scenario was given skillful attention, entertaining each of my senses. My eyes could behold the shore and its terrifying beauty, the crescendo of waves against the shadows of death. My nose could hardly bare the stench of the leather factory, fighting the urge to gag for fear a vomit may actually follow. My ears could make out the gargled words of Agatha's victim as she begged for her murderous assailant to help (which just makes me want to say HELLO she's the one who hurt you, like she's gonna help). I couldn't get enough, each death and instance of treachery exciting and tragic. My attention was occupied by each character as much as Timmy Quinn and at times I couldn't determine which I felt a deeper empathy for.
Loved that it was the collected stories in one, start to finish a great set of works! Moving on to Nemesis!
May your actions never merit the wrath of the deceased.
I was enthused paragraph after paragraph and thoroughly enjoyed the technique by which the author conveyed the story. Just magnificent with lines like "anxiety manifested itself as a cold hand stirring his innards" I found myself feeling anxious and shivered against the chill of that cold hand.
Every location and scenario was given skillful attention, entertaining each of my senses. My eyes could behold the shore and its terrifying beauty, the crescendo of waves against the shadows of death. My nose could hardly bare the stench of the leather factory, fighting the urge to gag for fear a vomit may actually follow. My ears could make out the gargled words of Agatha's victim as she begged for her murderous assailant to help (which just makes me want to say HELLO she's the one who hurt you, like she's gonna help). I couldn't get enough, each death and instance of treachery exciting and tragic. My attention was occupied by each character as much as Timmy Quinn and at times I couldn't determine which I felt a deeper empathy for.
Loved that it was the collected stories in one, start to finish a great set of works! Moving on to Nemesis!
May your actions never merit the wrath of the deceased.
October 18, 2013
Awesome page-Turner! Must read multi-genre series.
A very well written; Suspense, Thriller, Mystery, Paranormal Series. Kealean P.Burke has a wonderfully twisted maniacal imagination, I Love It!!!
This series had me reading through the 4-Books within 4-days, sooner if life hadn't beckoned. It starts out in the 1st book, "The Turtle Boy"; Timmy and his friend had started Summer vacation and like all boys do, they go wondering through their nearby creek/pond where they meet an odd looking boy.... pretty much, Huck Finn meets Turtle Boy!
For Timmy, their innocent encounter with the boy is much more than meets the eye. And when the truth comes out it'll change him and everything he holds dear.
I'm not into giving away the storyline. I would think Stephen King or Dean Koontz fans should add this series and author to their MUST READ list.
Burke is on my favorite authors list. He weaves a story that keeps you in suspense as you whip through the book and reading late into the spooky night... trying to guess who is who and on who's side or What?!
A very well written; Suspense, Thriller, Mystery, Paranormal Series. Kealean P.Burke has a wonderfully twisted maniacal imagination, I Love It!!!
This series had me reading through the 4-Books within 4-days, sooner if life hadn't beckoned. It starts out in the 1st book, "The Turtle Boy"; Timmy and his friend had started Summer vacation and like all boys do, they go wondering through their nearby creek/pond where they meet an odd looking boy.... pretty much, Huck Finn meets Turtle Boy!
For Timmy, their innocent encounter with the boy is much more than meets the eye. And when the truth comes out it'll change him and everything he holds dear.
I'm not into giving away the storyline. I would think Stephen King or Dean Koontz fans should add this series and author to their MUST READ list.
Burke is on my favorite authors list. He weaves a story that keeps you in suspense as you whip through the book and reading late into the spooky night... trying to guess who is who and on who's side or What?!
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