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Ironbones
If books could kill...
Rejected, reviled and ridiculed by publishers, would-be novelist Karen Davies one night excavates all of her fury and unleashes it on the page—creating a monster that proves to be a big hit with readers.
But her imagination is so powerful, it appears to have conjured up her paranormal killer for real.
And soon, the supernatural psycho begins a campaign of terror and vengeance on anyone who criticizes his creator's work.
The more books Karen writes, the more bodies pile up—and the police seem incapable of solving the bloody murders and catching the unhinged avenger.
A short, sharp, shock of a novel from acclaimed horror author, Thomas Emson (Maneater, Skarlet, Zombie Britannica)
Rejected, reviled and ridiculed by publishers, would-be novelist Karen Davies one night excavates all of her fury and unleashes it on the page—creating a monster that proves to be a big hit with readers.
But her imagination is so powerful, it appears to have conjured up her paranormal killer for real.
And soon, the supernatural psycho begins a campaign of terror and vengeance on anyone who criticizes his creator's work.
The more books Karen writes, the more bodies pile up—and the police seem incapable of solving the bloody murders and catching the unhinged avenger.
A short, sharp, shock of a novel from acclaimed horror author, Thomas Emson (Maneater, Skarlet, Zombie Britannica)
- GenresHorror
184 pages, Paperback
Published May 6, 2023
1 person is currently reading
9 people want to read
About the author
Thomas Emson
26 books69 followersThomas Emson is a British horror author. He has written eight novels, all published by Snowbooks in the UK. They include Maneater, Skarlet, and Zombie Brittanica. His Jack The Ripper novel Pariah was published by Tantor Media in the U.S.
His collection of stories The Trees And Other Stories was published on Kindle and CreateSpace. He has also written How To Write A Novel In 6 Months, a how-to guide for would-be novelists, which is available on Amazon.
He is represented by Mariam Keen at the Whispering Buffalo Literary Agency.
His collection of stories The Trees And Other Stories was published on Kindle and CreateSpace. He has also written How To Write A Novel In 6 Months, a how-to guide for would-be novelists, which is available on Amazon.
He is represented by Mariam Keen at the Whispering Buffalo Literary Agency.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
November 3, 2023
"And the darkness moved and became alive."
I read four very different horror books, from short to long, during the month of October, and Iron Bones was by far my favorite of the four. Horror book lengths can be a challenge, as most seem either way too short or far too long, but Iron Bones coming in right under 200 pages seemed perfect.
I didn't find this story to be scary or overly gory, but I loved the premise, the execution (😉), and the writing style of this book nonetheless. That being said, though, with this being written by a British author, it wasn't always easy to tell if the book needed a bit more editing or if it was more a case of the dialect. I feel it was probably a little of both and deserves mentioning.
I received a review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I read four very different horror books, from short to long, during the month of October, and Iron Bones was by far my favorite of the four. Horror book lengths can be a challenge, as most seem either way too short or far too long, but Iron Bones coming in right under 200 pages seemed perfect.
I didn't find this story to be scary or overly gory, but I loved the premise, the execution (😉), and the writing style of this book nonetheless. That being said, though, with this being written by a British author, it wasn't always easy to tell if the book needed a bit more editing or if it was more a case of the dialect. I feel it was probably a little of both and deserves mentioning.
I received a review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 5, 2023
Karen has failed as a romance novelist, after 50 books that have been rejected her anger manifests in her next novel, an extreme horror novel that introduces the character of Iron Bones, a seven foot tall unstoppable supernatural killer. When people who criticize the books are found slaughtered in the most disturbing ways suspicion begins to fall on Karen
A fun, nasty supernatural slasher. Pretty horrible in places with some splashes of extreme gore. Overall its an entertaining read that I sped through in about a day. Would be very interested to read more of this world
A fun, nasty supernatural slasher. Pretty horrible in places with some splashes of extreme gore. Overall its an entertaining read that I sped through in about a day. Would be very interested to read more of this world
December 28, 2023
I truly enjoyed this story. The author did a great job with the characters and building the anticipation of what was coming next. Great build up to the ending. It caught me by surprise.
October 2, 2023
Rating: B
Review copy provided by Voracious Readers.
Ironbones is a pretty decent novel. The plot is sort of Candyman meets Nightmare on Elm street with a writer focus. Karen is an author having written over 50 novels, all rejected by a traditional publishing house. She decides to change gears and write horror instead, where she finds success as a self-published author, but mysterious killings centred around those who criticise her work shines a spotlight on her in another way.
I found the writing servicable. Thomas Emson's style is similar to Iain Rob Wright - at times it's better, others its worse. The book's pacing was actually really well plotted and I liked the gore - it was very cleanly described (hehe) whilst not being garish and tacky. I thought the concept also was pretty unique - it falls somewhere between thriller and horror and definitely was a book I would enjoy typically. I'm glad I requested it and was given a chance to read it.
Review copy provided by Voracious Readers.
Ironbones is a pretty decent novel. The plot is sort of Candyman meets Nightmare on Elm street with a writer focus. Karen is an author having written over 50 novels, all rejected by a traditional publishing house. She decides to change gears and write horror instead, where she finds success as a self-published author, but mysterious killings centred around those who criticise her work shines a spotlight on her in another way.
I found the writing servicable. Thomas Emson's style is similar to Iain Rob Wright - at times it's better, others its worse. The book's pacing was actually really well plotted and I liked the gore - it was very cleanly described (hehe) whilst not being garish and tacky. I thought the concept also was pretty unique - it falls somewhere between thriller and horror and definitely was a book I would enjoy typically. I'm glad I requested it and was given a chance to read it.
September 10, 2023
I got to like 13 pages in and holy shit what a way to start... horrified but not in an entirely bad way. The vibe of the book was mostly "oh this is fucked up. it's just about people who are fucked up." I was a little unclear about whether realism and the supernatural were being blended or the characters were just unstable, but I do think that adds to the mystery of the book. I loved the Jane and Gilchrist parallels that started popping up.
I will say it puts the pieces together faster than I would have thought- the pacing didn't feel quite right to me. And I know it's an ARC so not final final copy but there are some errors for an editor to catch!
It was certainly weird and gory but if that's your thing, slay! Pun intended! The premise is a cool one.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I will say it puts the pieces together faster than I would have thought- the pacing didn't feel quite right to me. And I know it's an ARC so not final final copy but there are some errors for an editor to catch!
It was certainly weird and gory but if that's your thing, slay! Pun intended! The premise is a cool one.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 22, 2023
I started this right before bed and couldn't go to bed until I finished it. The writing style itself was really different in a way I find hard to explain, is abrupt a good thing? Yes, yes it is. All the way to the end, I kept wondering: was there really a supernatural monster, a devoted serial killer, or something even worse? (Although, what is scarier than one of those options, I'm not sure).
The characters and world-building were top-notch! I really enjoyed Kaz's book excerpts interspersed with the book itself. Ironbones had me thinking about it long after I finished reading! I can't help but hope this won't be the last time we read about Ironbones and Kaz!
The characters and world-building were top-notch! I really enjoyed Kaz's book excerpts interspersed with the book itself. Ironbones had me thinking about it long after I finished reading! I can't help but hope this won't be the last time we read about Ironbones and Kaz!
October 13, 2023
Thank you very much BookSirens, for this ARC - whew. I read a lot of thrillers and watch a lot of horrors, but I've never read a book quite like this. This was proper horror film horror, graphic and violent and unending. I really liked the way it was written; I really liked how unlikeable the characters were and yet how compelling the plot was. I'd recommend this to anyone who enjoys slasher-style horror - it's very much not subtle.
October 3, 2023
This novel has a story that I have never read before. The descriptions in this book are so real that I needed to look over my shoulder a few times. The whole book entranced myself to read through the pages until I had reached the final page. The end came with just as much intensity as the rest of the book. It is difficult to write a review for this book without giving spoilers.
August 20, 2023
“I love, I rage. Two things. Two pure things. I see everything so clearly. See it all in blood and in bone.”
This book was a perfect slasher horror read. I was hooked from page one and couldn't put it down. It starts off extremely fast paced and keeps you on the edge of your seat. Completely unputdownable.
The descriptions of the gore were so detailed that I felt like I was witnessing it firsthand. Really good stuff. There is literally no character to root for in this book as everyone is guilty of something- even the victims and that just adds to horrific atmosphere of the book. The FMC is completely unhinged and unreliable but just enough to keep the story interesting and not confusing.
There is a bit of the supernatural mixed into this one and I thought that was different and unique- I liked it.
Overall I really enjoyed this book- it was like nothing I've ever read before, and I love when a book still has the capability to shock me. I highly recommend this one for fans of slasher reads extreme gore (depending on what your definition of extreme gore is). A solid read for sure.
I received an ARC for free and I am writing this review voluntarily.
This book was a perfect slasher horror read. I was hooked from page one and couldn't put it down. It starts off extremely fast paced and keeps you on the edge of your seat. Completely unputdownable.
The descriptions of the gore were so detailed that I felt like I was witnessing it firsthand. Really good stuff. There is literally no character to root for in this book as everyone is guilty of something- even the victims and that just adds to horrific atmosphere of the book. The FMC is completely unhinged and unreliable but just enough to keep the story interesting and not confusing.
There is a bit of the supernatural mixed into this one and I thought that was different and unique- I liked it.
Overall I really enjoyed this book- it was like nothing I've ever read before, and I love when a book still has the capability to shock me. I highly recommend this one for fans of slasher reads extreme gore (depending on what your definition of extreme gore is). A solid read for sure.
I received an ARC for free and I am writing this review voluntarily.
September 13, 2023
Thank you, BookSiren, for the ARC, and thank you to the writer and publishers for all your hard work. This review is voluntary and happily left!
I absolutely loved this book. I couldn't put it down and finished it in one day. Just the thought of an authors creation coming to life, one from a horror book is startling to think about, but even more so if your in danger of being killed for not liking that authors work or say negative things is terrible!
This book certainly makes you think more about words written on the page. The power words hold. If you believe in something hard enough, it can gain such power and perhaps even come true. Danger, death, despair, and just overall anger! This book was phenomenal.
This book was definitely worth the read. There's not so much sex in this book as it's faded to black. If that's what you hope to find, this isn't the one for you. Gore is certainly a big one in this book.
I absolutely loved this book. I couldn't put it down and finished it in one day. Just the thought of an authors creation coming to life, one from a horror book is startling to think about, but even more so if your in danger of being killed for not liking that authors work or say negative things is terrible!
This book certainly makes you think more about words written on the page. The power words hold. If you believe in something hard enough, it can gain such power and perhaps even come true. Danger, death, despair, and just overall anger! This book was phenomenal.
This book was definitely worth the read. There's not so much sex in this book as it's faded to black. If that's what you hope to find, this isn't the one for you. Gore is certainly a big one in this book.
July 25, 2023
This mind bending bloody slasher novella is a fun horrifying book that hooks you from the beginning and doesn't let loose.
This is basically about an author who breaks out with a novel called Ironbones, an extreme gore drenched novel that has everyone talking. She writes a ten part series around this creature and is adored by the horror community.
But she also has detractors. People who want to burn the books and ban them from the public. Because with every new novel, a horrendous string of brutal murders take place and the police have zero evidence or DNA to go on. This continues for years. The one thing the victims have in common is their dislike of and nasty negative opinions about the author.
Could a wretched blood thirsty character actually be real, ready to seek vengeance on those that speak ill of his creator?
The characters in this book are really all antagonists. From the crazed "number one fan", to the author herself who doesn't care about the deaths, to the detectives assigned to the case... they all can be sneaky, manipulative, and self centered at times. This really works well with this novella because it's a gruesome, gory affair filled with all the good splattery stuff we love in a horror book. It's meant to be gritty, terrifying, and nasty...and it succeeds in the best possible way!
This is a fantastic book and I highly recommend it.
This is basically about an author who breaks out with a novel called Ironbones, an extreme gore drenched novel that has everyone talking. She writes a ten part series around this creature and is adored by the horror community.
But she also has detractors. People who want to burn the books and ban them from the public. Because with every new novel, a horrendous string of brutal murders take place and the police have zero evidence or DNA to go on. This continues for years. The one thing the victims have in common is their dislike of and nasty negative opinions about the author.
Could a wretched blood thirsty character actually be real, ready to seek vengeance on those that speak ill of his creator?
The characters in this book are really all antagonists. From the crazed "number one fan", to the author herself who doesn't care about the deaths, to the detectives assigned to the case... they all can be sneaky, manipulative, and self centered at times. This really works well with this novella because it's a gruesome, gory affair filled with all the good splattery stuff we love in a horror book. It's meant to be gritty, terrifying, and nasty...and it succeeds in the best possible way!
This is a fantastic book and I highly recommend it.
December 19, 2023
This was my first Thomas Emson book and it won't be my last. The action never stops. The pace and the horror are relentless. The characters, scenes and plot are brilliantly crafted conjuring a spine chilling setting that at times makes your skin crawl. It's a page turner in every sense. Deliciously dark and intriguing enough for me to read it in two sittings. I'd have done it one if the battery on my kindle hadn't run out of juice. Dare to read it in the dark!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews