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In This Skin
Two teenage runaways, Robyn and Noel, are desperate for a place of safety. Fate takes them to the Luxor which has been sealed from the outside world for decades. They discover that people are drawn here against their will and that certain individuals sense there is a pathway on the old dance floor leading to a fabulous world beyond this one. Only the path isn't just one way. Monstrous beings are stepping into this world too, with murderous intent. And they seek something that they value more than life itself. As Robyn and Noel's lives become entangled with those drawn to the haunted Luxor, the building - and what lies inside - will test then to the limits of their endurance and their sanity.
384 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
1 person is currently reading
173 people want to read
About the author
Simon Clark
212 books299 followersBorn, 20th April, 1958, Simon Clark is the author of such highly regarded horror novels as Nailed By The Heart, Blood Crazy, Darker, Vampyrrhic and The Fall, while his short stories have been collected in Blood & Grit and Salt Snake & Other Bloody Cuts. He has also written prose material for the internationally famous rock band U2.
Raised in a family of storytellers – family legend told of a stolen human skull buried beneath the Clark garage – he sold his first ghost story to a radio station in his teens. Before becoming a full-time writer he held a variety of day jobs, that have involved strawberry picking, supermarket shelf stacking, office work, and scripting video promos.
He lives with his wife and two children in mystical territory that lies on the border of Robin Hood country in England.
Raised in a family of storytellers – family legend told of a stolen human skull buried beneath the Clark garage – he sold his first ghost story to a radio station in his teens. Before becoming a full-time writer he held a variety of day jobs, that have involved strawberry picking, supermarket shelf stacking, office work, and scripting video promos.
He lives with his wife and two children in mystical territory that lies on the border of Robin Hood country in England.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
March 16, 2021
This was my third SC book and thusfar the best. Published in 2004 it was marketed as horror, but really is more of a thriller with some 'special' aspects. The story is centered on the old Luxor Dance Hall located deep in the (new defunct) industrial sprawl of Chicago. The Luxor has been closed for about a decade, but still, some people are attracted to it, like coming home after a long time away. We are gradually introduced to our main characters-- Ellery, a late teen with a bad stutter, who often hangs out at the Luxor; Robyn, 19 and suddenly pregnant and running away from her mother (with her boyfriend Noel); and finally, Benedict, in his young 30s who has spent the last decade pining over his ex-girlfriend, who dumped him one day and was last seen going into Luxor, but never coming out.
SC moves the story around among the characters; we know they are going to meet up, but it takes awhile. What is it about the Luxor? Ellery found and fixed up an apartment in the Luxor that was used by its last owner. When Robyn, on the run with her boyfriend, drive by the Luxor, she insists that they stop and explore it. While there, they run into Ellery, who shows them the apartment and tells them they can stay there as long as they want. Robyn seems quite taken by the place, even after she encounters a 'monster' one night on the deserted dance floor...
As this is more of a thriller than a horror story, I will stop with the plotting to avoid spoilers. SC does write well, and it seems he had a decent editor for this one, so no glaring inconsistencies as I found in his other works. I figured out what the Luxor was, but still, the ending came as something of a surprise. ITS is an engaging, quick and quirky read and I can see why he got tagged as a rising star. Still, he fell into a few cliches along the way, especially regarding his characters, that took a little luster off the story. 3.5 stars rounding up.
SC moves the story around among the characters; we know they are going to meet up, but it takes awhile. What is it about the Luxor? Ellery found and fixed up an apartment in the Luxor that was used by its last owner. When Robyn, on the run with her boyfriend, drive by the Luxor, she insists that they stop and explore it. While there, they run into Ellery, who shows them the apartment and tells them they can stay there as long as they want. Robyn seems quite taken by the place, even after she encounters a 'monster' one night on the deserted dance floor...
As this is more of a thriller than a horror story, I will stop with the plotting to avoid spoilers. SC does write well, and it seems he had a decent editor for this one, so no glaring inconsistencies as I found in his other works. I figured out what the Luxor was, but still, the ending came as something of a surprise. ITS is an engaging, quick and quirky read and I can see why he got tagged as a rising star. Still, he fell into a few cliches along the way, especially regarding his characters, that took a little luster off the story. 3.5 stars rounding up.
October 1, 2008
In Clark’s new novel, he holds nothing back in pulling out all the stops to frighten readers into madness. Someone should have handed him a STOP sign. In his desire to terrify, he forgot the number one golden rule that may be applied to anything in life – less is more. Having numerous themes running at the same time all he managed to deliver was a sever case of indigestion and a headache that no amount of aspirin can cure.
The synopsis on the back cover does not do this book justice; it’s campier than you’re led to believe. The plot is stereotyped, comical and disproportionate. With barely any instrumental background to go on, Clark delivers far too much needless information and what little is given to us, is given to us over and over and over. Also, the story constantly derails and changes direction throughout the book, losing the author’s intent and the reader’s attention.
The atmosphere constantly switches from the stench of mold to a clean, woodsy smell. Traveling between realities, the author tries to instill each with their own air and ambiance to further their distinction. It would have worked phenomenally had it not been so obvious. Clark’s style of writing is scattered at times, digressive and completely mainstream. He weighs the story down with tedious details, repetitive words and exploits far too many clichés.
The pace in the story moves at a crawl for the first 10 chapters and then dwindles even further until it’s almost inert. It’s not until the last four chapters that momentum kicks in, suddenly thrusting you into hypersonic mode without warning or a paper bag.
Now comes my biggest problem, the characters. Not one player in this story is developed realistically. Their behavior and reactions to the situations they’re put in are completely unbelievable. The players moved around as if they were simple puppets, wandering aimlessly and every time trouble was at hand – they were surprised! A blind man has better direction than this cast of mental defects.
My rating? I give it a 1. Should this book ever fall into your hands, Burn It!!
-As reviewed for Horror-Web.com
The synopsis on the back cover does not do this book justice; it’s campier than you’re led to believe. The plot is stereotyped, comical and disproportionate. With barely any instrumental background to go on, Clark delivers far too much needless information and what little is given to us, is given to us over and over and over. Also, the story constantly derails and changes direction throughout the book, losing the author’s intent and the reader’s attention.
The atmosphere constantly switches from the stench of mold to a clean, woodsy smell. Traveling between realities, the author tries to instill each with their own air and ambiance to further their distinction. It would have worked phenomenally had it not been so obvious. Clark’s style of writing is scattered at times, digressive and completely mainstream. He weighs the story down with tedious details, repetitive words and exploits far too many clichés.
The pace in the story moves at a crawl for the first 10 chapters and then dwindles even further until it’s almost inert. It’s not until the last four chapters that momentum kicks in, suddenly thrusting you into hypersonic mode without warning or a paper bag.
Now comes my biggest problem, the characters. Not one player in this story is developed realistically. Their behavior and reactions to the situations they’re put in are completely unbelievable. The players moved around as if they were simple puppets, wandering aimlessly and every time trouble was at hand – they were surprised! A blind man has better direction than this cast of mental defects.
My rating? I give it a 1. Should this book ever fall into your hands, Burn It!!
-As reviewed for Horror-Web.com
January 27, 2016
While this isn't quite as good as his amazing Stranger, In This Skin kept me glued to the couch, lounging around and being lazy all day as I read. (Like that's anything new but hey, saying this book is good gives me a believable excuse)
The plot is complex, unsettling, covered with a mysterious, dreamy-like atmosphere. Wiggling around in this foggy soup are characters that stand out, with credible motives for their actions, realistic goals, and I cared about each. The 'creatures' were shivery and unique.
As for the pace, In This Skin started out with swift, hard kicks, never letting up, ending with a final bang that could be
felt through the entire length of my spine. Clarks writing style is not weighed down by unneeded 'pretty phrases' - instead he's focus, determined, and powerful.
The only real flaw I can see is that sometimes the characters are a bit dumb, but hey, not much is perfect. This one tantalized my mind and kept my blood roaring through my ears - what more could a horror reader ask for?
The plot is complex, unsettling, covered with a mysterious, dreamy-like atmosphere. Wiggling around in this foggy soup are characters that stand out, with credible motives for their actions, realistic goals, and I cared about each. The 'creatures' were shivery and unique.
As for the pace, In This Skin started out with swift, hard kicks, never letting up, ending with a final bang that could be
felt through the entire length of my spine. Clarks writing style is not weighed down by unneeded 'pretty phrases' - instead he's focus, determined, and powerful.
The only real flaw I can see is that sometimes the characters are a bit dumb, but hey, not much is perfect. This one tantalized my mind and kept my blood roaring through my ears - what more could a horror reader ask for?
June 20, 2020
Sometimes when reading a book you feel the urge to shake the author and say to them "stop being so fucking self-indulgent and actually tell a story FOR your readers". This is one of those times.
January 6, 2026
This is the second book I've read by Simon Clark. it's also (most likely) the last book I'll read by Simon Clark. The book went from "Meh" to "ridiculous," and by the last 100 pages, I was forcing myself to finish it.
Clark can't write female characters at all. And in both the books I've read by Clark so far, why the found-footage/video diary trope? I couldn't find a reason to care for a single person in this book. The characters were one-dimensional. The ending wrapped up in such a "WTF did I just read" manner.
Yeah. Basically... WTF did I just read?
Clark can't write female characters at all. And in both the books I've read by Clark so far, why the found-footage/video diary trope? I couldn't find a reason to care for a single person in this book. The characters were one-dimensional. The ending wrapped up in such a "WTF did I just read" manner.
Yeah. Basically... WTF did I just read?
June 19, 2020
Great book!
October 28, 2014
IN THIS SKIN is a perfectly good book that does a nice job of getting the story and chills across. Unfortunately the story didn't quite gel with me. It felt off; I was not pulled into the characters or story enough to really become invested in the book.
The Luxor Dance Hall stands outside of Chicago, in a mostly abandoned area. The building is rundown and deserted, a far cry from its heyday as a dance club for alternative bands. However, the building is not that deserted as people are still pulled there to experience something. And not everyone leaves. Benedict West has tracked his ex-girlfriend to the building but it turns out that she never left it. Ellery Hann and a pregnant Robyn Vincent decide to live there when their home life becomes too hard. Together the three of them face forces and mystical creatures while discovering the truth.
As I mentioned previously though, the story didn't quite gel. It wasn't one thing in particular because I know that I've read crazier stories. It's just that things did not feel right. Maybe it was because Clark had set the story in America instead of his native England; kind of like he was setting it in Chicago but all he knew about Chicago was what he read online. Note that I have no idea if Clark has ever visited the Chicago area or not; I'm just trying to explain how the story felt off. VAMPYRRHIC had mood! Despite some chilly moments, IN THIS SKIN did not. The book is entertaining and enjoyable. It is not Clark's best though and not something that I would recommend as a starting point for him.
The Luxor Dance Hall stands outside of Chicago, in a mostly abandoned area. The building is rundown and deserted, a far cry from its heyday as a dance club for alternative bands. However, the building is not that deserted as people are still pulled there to experience something. And not everyone leaves. Benedict West has tracked his ex-girlfriend to the building but it turns out that she never left it. Ellery Hann and a pregnant Robyn Vincent decide to live there when their home life becomes too hard. Together the three of them face forces and mystical creatures while discovering the truth.
As I mentioned previously though, the story didn't quite gel. It wasn't one thing in particular because I know that I've read crazier stories. It's just that things did not feel right. Maybe it was because Clark had set the story in America instead of his native England; kind of like he was setting it in Chicago but all he knew about Chicago was what he read online. Note that I have no idea if Clark has ever visited the Chicago area or not; I'm just trying to explain how the story felt off. VAMPYRRHIC had mood! Despite some chilly moments, IN THIS SKIN did not. The book is entertaining and enjoyable. It is not Clark's best though and not something that I would recommend as a starting point for him.
June 28, 2011
Simon Clark's new book, In This Skin, reads like someones nightmare. From the very first chapter, the story starts off dreamlike, with an unsettling feeling in both the character and reader's mind. Clark carefully and slowly builds the mystery between the characters, raising the stakes as the terror begins to mount. This Clark's most mature book to date - and possibly his best, focusing on what we don't know instead of shoving mindless, predictable graphic violence at the reader (although I do love a good gory scene, now and again). This has a solid beginning, middle, and end - with all the stuffings that a good horror novel should contain - believable characters in an original story that threatens their lives. In addition, Clark's mythology of the lurking dangers are fascinating and hint to flavors in his other novel, Darker (another fine read). Stranger and Darkness Demands are also recommended by Clark.
May 14, 2011
When I read books, I usually just go by the title and what the author is known for. In Simon Clark’s case, he is a horror author so I will read anything by him without caring what it is about until I’m actually pages in. In This Skin was a dreadful reading experience. I read the plot description after finishing and who ever wrote that little summary did a great job of selling this book. It sounds good, but I didn’t enjoy any of it at all. As I usually say in my short reviews, the description is there for you to read and you don’t need me re-wording it. I just say what I thought of the book as a whole and this one was a dud. I’m glad I’m not a slow reader. I didn’t waste more than a couple of days on this.
January 28, 2009
This book was well written. But the plot left a lot to be desired, especially the ending. Reading the back of the book gives an impression that this is a horror novel, but I felt more like I was reading a sci-fi book. And that may be why I didn't care for it all that much.
January 23, 2008
A somewhat interesting read. A group of individuals find themselves drawn to a moth-balled old theater that is a gateway to another world; one where evil lurks around every corner.
April 14, 2008
Horror
March 29, 2012
Probably one of the worst books I've ever read. I don't mind horror, if it's well done, but this wasn't well done. Just too weird and not in a good way.
March 25, 2012
Wasn't sure where this one was headed, and was prepared to not like it,...it ended up being
pretty good and freaky. I recommend it.
pretty good and freaky. I recommend it.
June 13, 2012
It started out a bit slow but when the weird freaky shit happened the story got better.
May 15, 2014
not bad what started as a horror story ended in more of a fantasy but a very enjoyable read
October 5, 2014
review coming soon
December 18, 2015
Macabre story about a haunted studio. While not one of Clark's best works...it is still enjoyable albeit strange.
February 7, 2013
Awesome story. Sad ending
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews