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The Cold Spot
Clay Daniels is an outcast among outcasts. Cursed with a terrible birthmark on his face, his life is an endless misery of teasing and physical abuse from his classmates. Things only get worse when his parents die and he's forced to move in with cruel relatives who make the torture of school seem like paradise.
Then everything changes when he meets a boy named John in the woods behind his house. John and his friends don't care what Clay looks like, or that he's not strong or particularly smart. That's because they're dead, and the dead don't discriminate. Their acceptance of him helps Clay overcome his initial fear, and soon he's doing all the cool things he always dreamed of—sneaking out of the house, drinking beer, smoking cigarettes, and hanging out in a hidden cemetery.
For the first time in his life he knows the joy of having friends. Friends who treat him as an equal. Friends who have his back when trouble comes along, and even stick up for him against his violent cousin. But John and the others harbor dangerous secrets.
The secrets of the Cold Spot.
Then everything changes when he meets a boy named John in the woods behind his house. John and his friends don't care what Clay looks like, or that he's not strong or particularly smart. That's because they're dead, and the dead don't discriminate. Their acceptance of him helps Clay overcome his initial fear, and soon he's doing all the cool things he always dreamed of—sneaking out of the house, drinking beer, smoking cigarettes, and hanging out in a hidden cemetery.
For the first time in his life he knows the joy of having friends. Friends who treat him as an equal. Friends who have his back when trouble comes along, and even stick up for him against his violent cousin. But John and the others harbor dangerous secrets.
The secrets of the Cold Spot.
- GenresHorror
174 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2012
55 people want to read
About the author
J.G. Faherty
99 books139 followersJG Faherty is a Bram Stoker Award® and ITW Thriller Award nominee and the author of six novels, nine novellas, and more than 50 short stories. He writes adult and YA horror/sci-fi/fantasy, and his works range from quiet, dark suspense to over-the-top comic gruesomeness.
His novels and novellas, all of which are listed on Goodreads, include THE CURE, CARNIVAL OF FEAR, GHOSTS OF CORONADO BAY, CEMETERY CLUB, THE BURNING TIME, LEGACY, CASTLE BY THE SEA, FATAL CONSEQUENCES, THIEF OF SOULS, THE COLD SPOT, and HE WAITS.
He enjoys urban exploring, photography, classic B-movies, good wine, and pumpkin beer. As a child, his favorite playground was a 17th-century cemetery, which many people feel explains a lot. His personal motto is "Photobombing people since 1979!" You can follow him at www.twitter.com/jgfaherty, www.facebook.com/jgfaherty, http://about.me/jgfaherty, and www.jgfaherty.com.
His novels and novellas, all of which are listed on Goodreads, include THE CURE, CARNIVAL OF FEAR, GHOSTS OF CORONADO BAY, CEMETERY CLUB, THE BURNING TIME, LEGACY, CASTLE BY THE SEA, FATAL CONSEQUENCES, THIEF OF SOULS, THE COLD SPOT, and HE WAITS.
He enjoys urban exploring, photography, classic B-movies, good wine, and pumpkin beer. As a child, his favorite playground was a 17th-century cemetery, which many people feel explains a lot. His personal motto is "Photobombing people since 1979!" You can follow him at www.twitter.com/jgfaherty, www.facebook.com/jgfaherty, http://about.me/jgfaherty, and www.jgfaherty.com.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
May 9, 2025
This was ok for me. I liked Clay, our main character, and the premise that he has a huge birthmark on his face, lives with his abusive extended family members, is bullied at school, etc. Like a perfect textbook set up for a tragic character. And then he meets up with some ghosts, and things seem fun at first, but quickly spiral out of control. Now I liked the plot progression with Clay jumping right in with his newfound pals. They appear to be his own age, protect his from aggressors, and show this poor kid a good time. Something that he desperately needed and deserved. So, even with some of the less ideal situations the ghosts brought upon Clay, it was really nice to see this kid catch a break. Now once Clay begins to see massive conflict with his supernatural allies, the plot again took a very reliable and sensible turn. However, the ending really didn’t work for me. I know that some of this review is spoil-ery, and I won’t ruin the ending, but I didn’t like it at all. The redemption arc for Clay needed a positive ending to come full circle, which it didn’t. Beyond Clay, I felt like all of the other characters needed more depth and, despite having a good pace, this clocked in about 76 pages. If it was a tad longer and gave everyone some more development, the story may have had a greater impact. I also was distracted by a fair amount of formatting issues on the Kindle edition, too. So, even with the good writing, plot, and characters, this needed some more fine-tuning to be better experience.
December 11, 2012
3.5 stars.
Slightly better than "He Waits" although it suffers from the same problems. Once again, I feel that this book was written for a younger audience, based on the prose level, simple plot structure, and characterization. We do get a feel for the protagonist Clay Daniels and his motivation, but the outcast teenager who acquires a supernatural buddy(ies)/protector has been done so much better elsewhere with "Dweller" by Jeff Strand being pretty much the gold standard.
This novella does have an original ending that gave it an extra half point. Like I said in my review of "He Waits"--I probably would have really liked this one if I had read it when I was younger.
Slightly better than "He Waits" although it suffers from the same problems. Once again, I feel that this book was written for a younger audience, based on the prose level, simple plot structure, and characterization. We do get a feel for the protagonist Clay Daniels and his motivation, but the outcast teenager who acquires a supernatural buddy(ies)/protector has been done so much better elsewhere with "Dweller" by Jeff Strand being pretty much the gold standard.
This novella does have an original ending that gave it an extra half point. Like I said in my review of "He Waits"--I probably would have really liked this one if I had read it when I was younger.
August 12, 2013
One of the best things about reading a story by JG Faherty is the incredibly authentic characterization. In this novella about a lonely boy forced to endure the vicious cruelty of others on a daily basis, I found myself so caught up in the characterization that I never saw where the end was going. (A rare pleasure for someone who reads as much fiction as I do!) THE COLD SPOT is an emotionally potent novella that hits like a ferocious punch to the gut.
Recommended!
Recommended!
March 14, 2019
This is the first Faherty story I've read, but it won't be the last. I love young protagonists, yet what starts out as (I thought) a coming-of-age tale gradually turns into a nightmare as 13-year-old Clay Daniels is seduced into dire and ruinous circumstances. What begins as a bad situation for an orphaned adolescent devolves into mounting horror that had me dreading the end. This tale was disturbing, and I like that in a horror novella. A+ on the ghosts' abilities.
August 23, 2023
Actually really enjoyed this! It was a quick and fun read that definitely didn’t turn out how I expected it to
April 28, 2012
This is my first Faherty piece and overall, I found it to be simply ok. Certainly, it was a competently told story, and I didn't find any major blunders in the work itself. However, I can't really say that I was entirely engaged by any of characters.
In particular, our protagonist, Clay Daniels, had a fairly bland yet whiny personality... one that was certainly appropriate for a teenager, but not one that helped him stand out as a character. I think I am giving this story 3 stars because I can appreciate the themes that Faherty attempts to tackle in this story, that of teenage bullying.
But beyond this thematic treatment, I really didn't find this story, and its use of the supernatural to be entirely compelling. Much of the story was fairly predictable, and even the "twist" in the end wasn't surprising.
I think the part that really lost me in terms of appropriate character development was the scene where one of Clay's bullies is bullied back. In this scene, you see Clay rejoice in his bully's downfall, which is a normal reaction. But when the bully gets his neck snapped, which should have been shocking and horrific, Clay's reaction is more of an insouciant resignation to his feelings about murder. This kind of reaction really rang hollow and in a sense muted the rest of the "horror" in this story.
I'd give Faherty another read, but I can only hope that his next piece is more promising than this one.
In particular, our protagonist, Clay Daniels, had a fairly bland yet whiny personality... one that was certainly appropriate for a teenager, but not one that helped him stand out as a character. I think I am giving this story 3 stars because I can appreciate the themes that Faherty attempts to tackle in this story, that of teenage bullying.
But beyond this thematic treatment, I really didn't find this story, and its use of the supernatural to be entirely compelling. Much of the story was fairly predictable, and even the "twist" in the end wasn't surprising.
I think the part that really lost me in terms of appropriate character development was the scene where one of Clay's bullies is bullied back. In this scene, you see Clay rejoice in his bully's downfall, which is a normal reaction. But when the bully gets his neck snapped, which should have been shocking and horrific, Clay's reaction is more of an insouciant resignation to his feelings about murder. This kind of reaction really rang hollow and in a sense muted the rest of the "horror" in this story.
I'd give Faherty another read, but I can only hope that his next piece is more promising than this one.
February 16, 2012
T.S. Eliot once wrote that "Youth is cruel and has no remorse." Well, this concept is brilliantly on display in JG Faherty's "The Cold Spot," a compelling, addictive read that will take you back to your formative school days and having you thanking the good Lord that they're over.
As if Clay Daniels's parents and his dog dying in a horrific fire just two weeks prior wasn't bad enough, he's now forced to move in with an uninterested aunt, a borderline drunk of a disciplinaran uncle, and three lousy cousins who care nothing for him. Oh, and he's also been cursed with a large wine-colored birthmark on his face, and now must relive the horrors of attending a new school and enduring old torments.
When Clay meets a young ghost named John in the woods, along with his cabal of dead friends, Clay thinks he's finally found a group of people who accept him for what he is, how he looks. But the dead boys in the forest have secrets, violent tendencies, and ulterior motives.
"The Cold Spot" works on so many levels--it is at once a tale of bullying, of how far kids will go to fit in, and how sometimes no matter what you do, you're always bound to be the outsider. It's a gut-wrenching, emotional story with beautiful prose and vibrant characters best read in a single sitting.
As if Clay Daniels's parents and his dog dying in a horrific fire just two weeks prior wasn't bad enough, he's now forced to move in with an uninterested aunt, a borderline drunk of a disciplinaran uncle, and three lousy cousins who care nothing for him. Oh, and he's also been cursed with a large wine-colored birthmark on his face, and now must relive the horrors of attending a new school and enduring old torments.
When Clay meets a young ghost named John in the woods, along with his cabal of dead friends, Clay thinks he's finally found a group of people who accept him for what he is, how he looks. But the dead boys in the forest have secrets, violent tendencies, and ulterior motives.
"The Cold Spot" works on so many levels--it is at once a tale of bullying, of how far kids will go to fit in, and how sometimes no matter what you do, you're always bound to be the outsider. It's a gut-wrenching, emotional story with beautiful prose and vibrant characters best read in a single sitting.
December 3, 2012
The pains of adolescence are well known by everyone. The struggle to find one’s self and be accepted by their peers is usually one of the most harrowing events in growing up. JG Faherty’s, The Cold Spot, illustrates the vulnerability of youth and the manipulation of death with unnerving detail and motivation.
Faherty reintroduces one of the oldest horror stereotypes with gut-wrenching honesty. The youthful naivety in the search for acceptance is fully detailed in Clay’s derailing. Turning to something he doesn't fully understand- Clay is thrown into a whirlwind of uncertainty and terror. The ghosts in The Cold Spot, are convincing characters, as is Clay, in his despondent isolation. The characters are the driving force behind the story, as the reader, you become invested in Clay’s acceptance both individually and socially. However, just because something is dead, doesn't mean it’s exactly as it seems. The twist at the end of the book is worth any time it takes to read. Cleanly executed, Faherty hits you with the one-two, and leaves you clutching your gut not only from the shock but also the bit of raw violence and gore.
Read my full review at Bloody Good Horror: http://www.bloodygoodhorror.com/bgh/b...
Faherty reintroduces one of the oldest horror stereotypes with gut-wrenching honesty. The youthful naivety in the search for acceptance is fully detailed in Clay’s derailing. Turning to something he doesn't fully understand- Clay is thrown into a whirlwind of uncertainty and terror. The ghosts in The Cold Spot, are convincing characters, as is Clay, in his despondent isolation. The characters are the driving force behind the story, as the reader, you become invested in Clay’s acceptance both individually and socially. However, just because something is dead, doesn't mean it’s exactly as it seems. The twist at the end of the book is worth any time it takes to read. Cleanly executed, Faherty hits you with the one-two, and leaves you clutching your gut not only from the shock but also the bit of raw violence and gore.
Read my full review at Bloody Good Horror: http://www.bloodygoodhorror.com/bgh/b...
July 15, 2013
The Cold Spot is the first work by J.G. Faherty that I have read. I am especially partial to ghost stories because they can genuinely creep me out. So, I am always thrilled to come across a good one. I’m excited to say that The Cold Spot fits the bill - and then some.
Clay is a young adolescent whose parents have recently died in a fire, and he is sent to live with some rather crude relatives in upstate New York – far from his home in Florida. Clay has the misfortune of having a large port wine birth mark on his face which subjects him to cruel bullying. The bullying existed in Florida and began immediately upon his arrival in New York. Much to his surprise, he does make friends with a group of boys he meets in the woods. One problem, though – these kids are dead. Here is where Faherty really gets rolling with his story. First, the ghosts have “depth”; they are interesting kids in their own right. The actions and behavior of the ghosts are also unexpected as Flaherty breaks some of the overused conventions associated with ghost stories. The story navigates surprising dark territory that I did not see coming, and I thought the conclusion was not only chilling but creative. Highly recommended.
Clay is a young adolescent whose parents have recently died in a fire, and he is sent to live with some rather crude relatives in upstate New York – far from his home in Florida. Clay has the misfortune of having a large port wine birth mark on his face which subjects him to cruel bullying. The bullying existed in Florida and began immediately upon his arrival in New York. Much to his surprise, he does make friends with a group of boys he meets in the woods. One problem, though – these kids are dead. Here is where Faherty really gets rolling with his story. First, the ghosts have “depth”; they are interesting kids in their own right. The actions and behavior of the ghosts are also unexpected as Flaherty breaks some of the overused conventions associated with ghost stories. The story navigates surprising dark territory that I did not see coming, and I thought the conclusion was not only chilling but creative. Highly recommended.
April 16, 2013
Clay Daniels was born with a terrible birthmark on his face. All the kids at school would make fun of him and call him names. Clay's mother and father were killed in a fire. Clay was force to live with an aunt and uncle that he could not stand. Things changed one afternoon while walking through the woods, Clay meet a boy name John. John accepted Clay for what he was and wanted to hang out with him, There was only one problem with John and his friends, they were dead. Clay was so happy to have friends to hang around with, that the other stuff did not make a difference. Clay would end up sneaking out of the house to meet up with his new friends. Clay's new friends took him to this old hidden cemetery in the woods. Clay nicknamed the cemetery The Cold Spot. What happen next would change Clay's life forever. Things don't always turn out the way you think they should be. The is the first book that I have read by JG Faherty. This was a quick enjoyable read.
February 16, 2012
A truly chilling ghost story with a blindsided twist.
November 29, 2012
Another great piece from J.G. Faherty. People are going to start thinking I am him in disguise, but Faherty's short works, particularly those focusing on children, are chillingly good.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews