Desolation by Kristopher Rufty

by Kristopher Rufty

There’s no escaping your past. Especially when it wants revenge.Grant Marlowe hoped taking his family to their mountain cabin for Christmas would reunite them after his alcoholic past had torn them apart, but it only puts them into a life and death struggle. On Christmas Eve, a stranger from Grant’s past invades the vacation home and takes his wife and children hostage. His agenda is simple—make Grant suffer the same torment that Grant’s drunken antics have caused him. Now Grant must confront his demons head on and fight for his family’s lives. Because this man has nothing left to lose. The only thing keeping him alive is misery—Grant’s misery.

Genres: Horror, Fiction, Christmas

Paperback

First published January 5, 2016

About the author

Kristopher Rufty lives in North Carolina with his three children and pets. He’s written over twenty novels, including ALL WILL DIE, THE DEVOURED AND THE DEAD, DESOLATION, THE LURKERS and PILLOWFACE. When he’s not spending time with his family or writing, he’s obsessing over gardening and growing food.

His short story DARLA'S PROBLEM was included in the Splatterpunk Publications anthology FIGHTING BACK, which won the Splatterpunk award for best anthology. THE DEVOURED AND THE DEAD was nominated for a Splatterpunk award.

He can be found on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. For more about Kristopher Rufty, please visit: www.kristopherrufty.com

Reviews

[Michael Hicks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dennis Hinshaw has it all - a beautiful wife, a great kid and a second baby on the way, and a solid career as a teacher - until his entire life is taken away by a drunk driver, Grant Marlowe. Two years later, Marlowe is a recovering alcoholic intent on saving what's left of his own family by gathering them together at their mountain retreat to celebrate Christmas. Hinshaw, however, has other plans, plans he has been constructing for two years, and now is the time for revenge.

Heading into Desolation, I wasn't quite sure what to expect beyond a home invader horror romp but Kristopher Rufty managed to exceed my expectations. His opening chapter, in which we see the tragic aftermath of an automobile crash from Hinshaw's point of view, was truly gut-wrenching and unsettling. Enough so that I honestly thought that I would be rooting for Hinshaw as he exacted vengeance.

Right from the get-go, I wanted to hate Grant Marlowe, and for a while there I did. But that's kind of the neat trick Rufty pulls here in that I wanted, and to a degree expected, things to go one way and the author pulled me off into a different direction, turning the tables on me pretty solidly.

Each of these men are, in their own distinct ways, walking wounded in the aftermath of a single, fatal collision. Their lives have careened off in different directions like pinballs hitting a paddle, but both continue to live in the shadows of that fateful night. Hinshaw is rather clearly the villain, and although his initial motivations may be far too understandable, his actions are supremely abhorrent. Marlowe, meanwhile, turned out to be a far more tragic figure than I had initially suspected. Yeah, he's a touch too full of himself and at times way more entitled than he deserves to be, but the night Hinshaw has planned for him goes well beyond the pale and into full-on psychopathy.

Ultimately, I wish Rufty would have juggled expectations for these characters a little bit more before settling on a fairly black-and-white depiction of good versus evil, but his characterizations here are admirable. Both men are equally relateable (well, to a certain degree anyway...), with their flaws shining through nicely, even before all the blood starts a-spillin'. In terms of gore, there's a few wince-inducing sequences and some hair-raising scenarios that get extra-chunky as the story wears on to a supremely bloody finish. I doubt many horror hounds will be disappointed by this one.

[Kenneth McKinley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Grant Marlowe changed Dennis's life forever that fateful night when he drunkenly got behind the wheel and killed his pregnant wife and child. Grant's big-shot lawyer friends got him off easy. Too easy for Dennis and he can't get over the pain and suffering of losing his family. In fact, while Grant is getting out of prison less than a year later, Dennis has been slowly losing his mind from the grief. Grant needs to be made to suffer all of the torment that Dennis has had to endure and when Grant decides to take his family up to the family cabin in the mountains for Christmas, Dennis decides it's time for Grant to pay for his sins.

Desolation doesn't break any new ground. It's a classic get-them-alone-and-enact-your-revenge slasher story. There really aren't many surprises along the way, but that doesn't make this an entertaining read. Rufty handles the material with skill and crafts out a nice story. A few of the scenes are a little too convenient for my taste. Some key characters are spared due to happenings that would defy Vegas-type odds and made my eyes roll. The other thing that kept popping up was all of the grammatical errors. It was so many that it made you wondered if the book was ever edited at all. I hope that the fact that my copy was an Advanced Review Copy means that they did one more final edit before they sent it to the printers. All in all, a decent slasher story worth the read.

3 1/2 disemboweled family members out of 5


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[Icy-Cobwebs-Crossing-SpaceTime · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review: DESOLATION by Kristopher Rufty

If your phobias are extreme horror and home invasion, DESOLATION will make you run screaming into the night. 'Nuff said. But if you avoid this novel, you will miss out on a heartwrenching, gutchurning tale that will wring your emotions and inflame your sensitivities. On the surface, DESOLATION is a tale of driving intoxicated, death--and vengeance. It's far more than that. The characters--good, bad, and bystanders--are amazingly delineated--and evolving. No one who starts the story will remain unchanged. Even the reader.

[Jason Nickey · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I've read so far this year. Brutal, emotional, and powerful. It feels a bit like something Ketchum would have written. This is a story that will stick with me for a while. Highly recommend

[Horror Underground · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review from: http://beneaththeunderground.com

Driving home one night, Dennis Hinshaw is struck in a collision with a drunk driver. The impact instantly kills his wife, son, daughter, and unborn child. The drunk driver, Grant Marlowe, gets off on easy street when his friends in high places get him a deal where he spends less than a year in prison. Despite the easy sentence, Grant struggles daily with dealing with the repercussions; his wife barely speaks to him, his kids hate him, he lost his job, the only thing left is to try and piece his life back together.

Grant isn’t the only one struggling. As Dennis is the lone survivor of his family, he works with a therapist to try and overcome his rage and for a time it appears to work. With a growing dissatisfaction of the justice that was bestowed upon Grant, Dennis decides to further the pain by taking matters into his own hands. When Grant takes his family to their secluded cabin in the middle of a winter storm, in hopes of repairing his relationship with his family, Dennis decides to pay the family a visit and force Grant to face his demons.

Despite this being a horror novel, Kristopher Rufty has managed to display a distinguished level of drama. The book opens with the fateful crash and Rufty’s writing will damn near bring you to tears. The imagery of Dennis searching for his son that was launched from the car is powerful and striking, delivering a shock to the gut of true horror and real life tragedy. The dramatic shifts throughout the story will cause you to switch sides between Dennis and Grant. While both are drenched in misery and inflict horrible things upon the supporting characters, neither feels as though they are the true villain or hero of the narrative.

Switching between heartbreaking prose and gut wrenching violence, Rufty has delivered a horror story that packs emotional heft. By placing the character development in front of the gore and violence, Desolation becomes a powerful story that leaves you speechless. By the time the final act crescendos into an eruption of violence, you will be out of breath from dealing with the stress of the buildup. Equal parts family drama, home invasion, and revenge, the balance of each sub genre leads to a masterful story that showcases Kristopher Rufty’s talent as a leading voice in horror storytelling.

[Tim Meyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was brutal. Lots of blood. Tons of spilled innards. Really good character stuff here. This was my first Rufty read, and it definitely won't be my last.

[Karl]

This is copy number 14 of 52 signed numbered editions signed by Kristopher Rufty.

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book about revenge, but also about finding forgiveness. My feelings changed so much in this book I still am not sure who I was routing for. It kept switching at different times in the book. I really felt the pain they both had on the different sides of the situation they were put in. I guess you never know what you would do if ever put in either of their shoes unless you were in them yourself, which I hope I never am. A great story with some gory and brutal kills.

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished this book and I feel exhausted. It was so emotionally draining, a real roller coaster of emotions from start to finish. I was torn throughout most of the book, never really knowing who I felt the most sympathetic for. Grant Marlowe was a man who had obviously made a great many mistakes in life, mistakes that cost others more than it cost him. But that soon changed once Dennis Hinshaw began to exact his revenge. A grief and a rage that ran so deep after the loss of his family at the hands of a drunken Grant behind the wheel, fueled a madness that consumed him. Determined to make Grant suffer as he had, my sympathies soon switched to Grant, a man who was trying so hard to make amends and fix mistakes he had made. Two wrongs don't make a right and this book had me on the edge of my seat, reading as fast as I could to find out who, if anyone would survive this nightmare!

[Angela Crawford · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. This is in no way reflected in my opinion of this novel.

Desolation is a fast paced descent into madness and revenge. The story is well written and gripping, peopled with wholly sympathetic characters. I felt horrible for both Grant and Dennis during the different parts of this story. It was as easy to empathize with Grant's need to redeem himself in the eyes of his family as it was to understand Dennis's need for revenge and closure. The result is bloody and terrifying. Kristopher Rufty has deftly captured the all too human flaws of these two broken men and the innocents who are caught in the crossfire. An intensely satisfying 4 star read.

[Rich D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review copy provided in exchange for an honest review
I first discovered Rufty's work through Jagger, a gripping novel about a lovable dog that is pumped full of experimental drugs and transformed into an unstoppable killing machine that finally breaks loose wreaking all kinds of carnage. What made Jagger such an excellent read is that Rufty wasn't afraid to show readers the violence and depravity that lurks in the darkest corners of the human mind. That same unflinching portrayal of human darkness is carried out in Desolation and the results are devastating.

Desolation hits readers right in the gut from the start by opening with a prologue about a tragic accident involving the Hinshaw family. They were hit by a drunk driver only a few miles before reaching the safety of their home and the results of the crash shatters their world forever. This prologue is absolutely heart-wrenching and one of the most emotionally raw openings I have ever read. Rufty has a background in film and that experience is evident throughout Desolation, but it really shines through in this scene.

After witnessing the horrifying events that kickstart the plot of the novel, readers are introduced to Grant Marlowe, the driver responsible for the accident. He is in an AA meeting 8 months after the accident and is getting ready to share his story with a group of relative strangers for the first time. He was a hotshot lawyer from Leaf Spring who was known for winning every case that came across his desk for almost a decade. He had just won a case against a teacher accused of sexual abuse and was out celebrating his big victory. He was pounding drinks at the bar and buying everyone's drinks, completely forgetting his promise to his wife Marion that they would celebrate his big win in a calmer more relaxed environment. It is here in his confession of addiction we learn that he has been hiding his addiction from his family and lying to them about being sober. His wife can hear the raucous party in the background and tells Grant it is over between them. This causes Grant to rush out of the bar despite the fact he shouldn't be driving in attempt to get home before his wife and he decides to take the back roads to avoid cops and shave a few minutes off his drive. It is this fateful decision that changes the lives of both Grant and Hinshaw's forever.

Grant was hardly punished due to having friends in the legal system, only getting sentenced to a year in jail. He is released early on probation and his oldest friend is the leader of his AA group. Despite not suffering any legal ramifications following the crash, his personal life is in shambles - he lost his job and he is in danger of losing his family. Grant and his wife still live together in a large house that was once their dream home. However, following the accident, the home is nothing more than a painful reminder of what they used to be. Grant and Marion have become relative strangers, hardly interacting with each other and unable to confront the issues caused by Grant's horrible mistake.

Although Grant still struggles with the urge to drink and is still haunted by the fallout of the accident, the upcoming Christmas holiday helps him stay on track in his recovery and offers a glimmer of hope. He plans to take his wife and two kids, Kara and Bobby, to their cabin in Bear Creek in an attempt to piece his family back together. As the family heads to the cabin in the mountains, there is a sense of hope that surrounds them for the first time in what feels like forever after the events of the horrific accident. Grant and his wife have seemingly made progress in patching up their marriage and Grant secretly hopes the trip will allow him to build on the progress they have made while they are secluded from the town where memories still haunt them. Grant secretly hopes the storm they are calling for will keep them all stuck in the cabin, forced to work on the issues that have been tearing them apart.

When they arrive at the cabin, they realize not much has changed despite the fact they haven't been there since Kara and Bobby were just kids. However, the caretaker Edgar warns Grant that there has been a prowler frequenting the cabin in recent weeks. While the family is trying to make the most of a tense situation at the cabin, Grant and Bobby make a startling discovery near the cabin while searching the woods for a Christmas tree. After Edgar's warning about a prowler, the discovery sets the two on edge. After the discovery and a fight between Grant and Bobby, the tensions that plagued the family come rushing to the surface and Grant is worried that his plan at reconciliation will fail. However, that is the least of Grant's worries when a stranger from his past shows up and takes his family hostage. His goal is simple - to make sure grant Grant feels the same pain he has suffered and to make sure he never forgets what he has done.

Desolation is one of the first books of 2016 that I have read and it started my year off with a bang. Rufty's characterization and raw display of emotion are the driving forces behind this novel. The two main characters - Grant Marlowe and the man that terrorizes his family - steal the show in my opinion. Their fates are intertwined and although each man brings their own baggage to the table, you cant help but feel both of their pain. Don't get me wrong, the stranger from Grant's past is evil and you want nothing more than to see him pay for what he does to the Marlowes, but at the same time your heart breaks for him when you learn of the struggles he has gone through since his initial meeting with Grant. Rufty does an excellent job of showing both sides of this devastating tragedy and challenging readers to question their stances on his characters. Readers witness the attacker struggle to cope with the fallout of the accident and on the flip side you see Grant trying to get his life back after his role in the crash. Both of these men have lost everything as the result of a few tragic moments and each one is forever haunted by the aftermath.

Rufty's portrayal of the man from Grant's past is truly terrifying and he is a well-developed antagonist. Although he is unhinged and driven by loss and his need for revenge, he is very methodical in his plans, which is a scary combination. He isn't totally overcome by grief to the point where he flies blindly into his attack on the Marlowes. His need for his own brand of justice is too important to him and he plans his attack on the Marlowe's with precision. He has scouted the cabin for weeks and painstakingly planned all of his actions to account for any possible occurrences. Even when it seems his emotions and desperation will get the better of him, he is able to restrain himself against all odds. There are scenes in the cabin where he shares his past with Grant and his family that are absolutely gut-wrenching and even though he is committing horrible acts against the Marlowes, you still can't help sympathize with him for the sadness he is going through. It is in these scenes we learn things about the trial and the aftermath of the accident that were buried and you can't help but feel angry at the injustice of it all.

Desolation doesn't feature even the tiniest bit of the supernatural, but it is one of the scariest scenarios you can imagine. The attacker inflicts psychological torture on the Marlowe family and they go through some of the most emotionally draining situations imaginable. I won't lie, I have read a lot of truly horrific books and there is not much that makes me squeamish, but this one definitely had me pausing at times because of the brutality that takes place. The novel may seem like a standard home invasion piece at first glance, but once you read it, you will realize that there is so much more taking place below the surface.

Rufty also utilizes an interesting style choice that really carries the emotional thread of Desolation. There are letters written by the attacker interspersed throughout the story and I don't want to give too much away, but they are a strong point of the novel. The letters themselves seem harmless enough at first as you read through Desolation, but they get darker with each entry and it is later in the novel that you realize the depths of this man's insanity and why the letters are so important. I loved this approach because it allows readers to get inside the head of the character and experience how the crushing sense of loss and despair send him spiraling into darkness. I remember reading these letters and as I started to get to some of the later ones, the hair on the back of my neck stood up.

Desolation is a truly visceral story that is full of darkness and heartbreak, but also forgiveness. What makes this story such a great horror read is that is entirely plausible. Rufty shows that ordinary people can snap under pressure and intense grief and that sometimes the aftermath is devastating. I know that 2016 just started, but I can't imagine another book hitting me on such an emotional level as Desolation. I wish I could explain why, but I don't want to ruin the journey Rufty has planned for his readers. Let me just say that Rufty puts readers through an emotional wringer and this story is guaranteed to leave an impression on anyone that decides to read it. Highly recommended for fans of both horror and thriller novels!

[Sidney Shiv · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having read several other books by Kristopher Rufty, I knew I was in for something great before I even started Desolation. I wasn’t wrong; this book didn’t disappoint. If anything, this book set the bar higher for Rufty as a standard of excellence.

It’s hard to say too much about the plot without spoiling some of the impact of the beginning of the book. What I will say is that the masterful way the characters are written had me sympathising with both the protagonist and the antagonist. The way it’s laid out, every reader can easily relate to both.

Along with the amazing characters, this book offers suspense that starts slowly at the beginning and builds all the way to the climax.

This is not a typical slasher. This is a complex story of revenge, redemption, and the family bond that will not disappoint slasher fans.

[Emily Fleming · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve been in a bit of a reading slump just with everything going on in my life, but I’m so glad I read this one!! Desolation by Kristopher Rufty was exactly what I needed to get out of that slump. There’s a reason he’s one of my favorite authors! This revenge slasher had me hooked from the very beginning and didn’t let up. It was brutal and emotional. It had me feeling so many different emotions throughout and my feelings kept changing. Go read a Rufty book if you haven’t already!!! ❄️🎄

[Melissa Bennett · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was an okay book. Not really that scary. It's a slasher type book where a man has gone crazy and set on revenge. I tend to get more into horror when either the atmosphere is set right or the story could pertain to me. Neither of this happened. The author writes well enough and will look into reading more of his work.

[Bob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grim rollercoaster of a revenge novel dealing with an alcoholic lawyer who kills a man's family in a drunken car crash. It deals with the horrible affects it has on both men mentally and physically culminating in a Christmas Eve bloodbath in a cabin during a blinding snowstorm. Kristopher Rufty's writing is, in my opinion, a cross between Richard Laymon and Jack Ketchum. Very highly recommended.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Different than his regular style. Rufty had made believable characters that you can relate too. One horrible situation that just turned into a horrible situation. Felt bad for both Grant and Dennis. The ending was full of gore and awesome.

[Rachel Roy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was a bit slow for me at times. The ending was action packed and kept you hoping for the best. It was also a bit predictable to me.

[Reading In The Dark · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a Gore filled book it’s got everything that a horror book should have I enjoyed very much

[Jeff French · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had read one Rufty novel before, PillowFace, and it was not a good experience. Characters did silly things and the story was more laughable than scary (plus it didn't help that I had "can't read my, can't read my, no he can't read my Pillowface going through my head whenever I saw the title). Given that, I wasn't eager to read Desolation, but it was time to get it off of my 'to read' list. I'm glad that I did. This was one intense read. Rufty doesn't hold back. One tragic incident leads to a snowball of horrific events and a few twists and turns along the way keeps the reader on their toes. Not a great idea to follow this one up with The Girl Next Door. I needed a small break from horror after that combo.

[Matthew Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first read the synopsis for author Kristopher Rufty’s new book, DESOLATION, I have to confess I was a bit skeptical about reading it. The premise sounded like a typical revenge-for-past-wrongs plot, and I didn’t see how it could be interesting again. But I should have known better…after all, I’ve reviewed and loved four of Rufty’s previous works. Sure enough, after I finished the book, I had to swallow all of my doubts and admit my skepticism was blatantly unfounded. DESOLATION is a hell of a read, and it’s one of the best revenge stories I’ve read in a long time.

Rufty’s imagination is as sharp as a serial killer’s meat-cleaver, and it never dulls. I’m a huge fan of his Lurkers series, and JACKPOT, which he wrote with three other great authors, is a terrifying gem. In short, he’s quickly becoming an icon in the horror genre.

DESOLATION is written well and flows at a smooth pace. The story has a quick progression, which works well here; several revenge tales I’ve read in the past have focused way too much on the buildup. Rufty does a skillful job of weaving the story together with plenty of tension, but he does not drag it out.

The characters in DESOLATION are realistic. They are all damaged in some form, and all display characteristics of people the reader can relate to. I found the depth of Grant Marlowe to be very interesting, as we get a lot of emotional insight into his character.

The horror in the story is delicious, and I gobbled it up by the handful. I like the tension that hangs in the air once Dennis is in the cabin. There’s so much of it in the air that I could picture it like smoke.

DESOLATION is another big win for Rufty and Samhain Publishing, and I highly recommend it. If you’re not a fan of Rufty already, you will be after reading this one. The book is available now in a variety of formats, so make a note to check it out.

[megHan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been following Kristopher Rufty's career for some time now, but have had the hardest time deciding which book of his I wanted to start with. After having him on The Gal in October, and learning more about him, I knew that I couldn't put this off any longer, so when Erin of Hook of a Book asked me if I wanted to be part of this blog tour, there was no way I was going to turn her down.

The cover and book description really caught my attention and I couldn't wait to pick it up, but at the same time I really didn't want to, knowing that if I loved it, I would be so disappointed when it ended.

I was immediately, from page one, pulled into a story that tugged at my heart strings - told from two different sides of a horrific event. I don't think I have cared this much for both the "good guy" and the "bad guy" in a long time. Rufty did an AMAZING job setting up the scenes, describing the events, and letting you meet his characters - each one having so much more to them than first expected. When things turn, as you would expect them to do in a novel in the horror genre, things get even better. Where the story went was so well-written that I feel I need to purchase every thing this man has EVER put on paper and start reading them, like, now.

It hasn't been very often lately that I have been so sucked up into a story that I have forgotten where I was, but with this book, I truly did. I lost sleep because of this book, being unable to put it down because it was so good. I missed bus stops because of this book, being so sucked in that I didn't realize, until two stops later, that I was still on the bus.

To say that I recommend this book is an understatement and I can't wait to see what he has to offer next.

Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. Please remember that these words are my opinion.

[Russell James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kristopher Rufty has delivered an outstanding, gripping thriller in DESOLATION. Tales of revenge and redemption cross paths and the result is mesmerizing. The first, amazing chapter hooks you, and the rest of the book reels you in. Excellent characterization, unforeseen, but believable plot twists, and splendid suspense. The pace leaves you breathless all the way to the last page. I won’t dig into the plot because you deserve to watch this story unfold completely spoiler free. Rufty’s best book yet.

[Matthew Franks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I've read by Kristopher Rufty and I look forward to reading more. He has a real talent when it comes to building characters that we come to care about then placing them in the worst of situations.

Desolation is the type of book that you can't put down because you have know what's coming next. Not only is it a great story but it would make a hell of a PSA for drunk driving. I highly recommend this suspensful, often times brutal, tale of revenge and redemption.

[John Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simply put, this will be on my top 10 of 2016.

Rufty gets better with every book and this story of two men brought together by a terrible accident is riveting, enraging and heartbreaking. Yes , there is gore and yes there is violence but there's a central theme that is engaging and thought provoking.

Highly recommended.