The Rabbit Cave Resort is an ideal vacation destination.. there's an underground bar, a lookout, several hiking trails, and a hands-off tour called the Deep Dark. For action movie star Bully... the resort is his last chance to connect with his estranged children. What he doesn't know is that something is slithering through the caves beneath the resort. Something ancient... and hungry... A murderer is taking advantage of the bizarre creatures that live in Rabbit Cave. He's a thrill killer, who has decided to target the family as they take the Deep Dark tour. And after he kills them, he's going to feed them to the prehistoric beasts! From the depraved author of THE CLOWN HUNT, SOMETHING AKIN TO REVULSION, and NO ONE RIDES FOR FREE. DEEP DARK is a throwback to 70's disaster flicks and 50's creature features! If you like slime, blood, and family drama... you need to read DEEP DARK!
This one has all the feels of an old school horror movie!
Rabbit cave resort….. previous owners have not had much luck with the resort, mysterious deaths and disappearances stick with the resort through the years to make for good stories for future guests. Who wouldn’t want to visit the resort with its underground clubs and bars, a spa and walking trail through the caves known as Deep Dark. You will be safe if you follow your tour guide and don’t veer off the trail…… or will you? We meet a handful of staff and guests who find out what is lurking in the Deep Dark!
Seriously good. Aging actor and deadbeat dad bully takes his children and agent/chaperone on holiday to the Rabbits cave resort, expecting a last chance opportunity to get to know them. Instead they end up battling prehistoric creatures and a serial killer in an subterranean hell. Judith Sonnet has written an engrossing novel filled with a large cast of well rounded, relatedable characters involved in some of the best gory creature feature carnage I have ever had the pleasure of reading. Funny, scary and brutal.
Well i might as well just state the facts: Deep Dark is Sonnet's best novel to date.
And while she swore I would like it, telling me it was right up my alley in terms of the kind of horror Ilike to read, I didn't think i would end up coming to the conclusion that this book would be her best work so far.
Turning her back against her proclivities for the extreme side of horror and instead focusing on a more straight up mash up or creature feature/disaster porn/ serial killer story made this not only my favorite of her vast bibliography, but definitely the most accessible.
Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of blood, gore, and violent death, feeling more akin to a Richard Laymon novel than anything else, but when it's done in this manner, when snails are the ones doing the killing, it makes for a fun and wildly entertaining story. And it's just well written as well.
I have read quite a few of Judith's books, so I was very excited for Deep Dark. Deep Dark has a lot of characters to follow. Deep Dark isn't as extreme as the authors other work, but it still has plenty of gore. There is a serial killer in this story, and he is very creepy. Deep Dark is also a creature feature. Highly recommend.
The Rabbit Cave resort is supposed to be a great vacation destination. Guests can enjoy the tram ride, the bar, the scenery and, if they are brave enough, the Deep Dark. The Berlusconi family hits the resort hoping that this will bring them closer together. Unfortunately, what lurks in the Deep Dark has other plans.
So, this was a book I didn’t want to put down and when I had to, I couldn’t wait to pick it up again. Sonnet did a brilliant job with the scenery. Not only does she provide some great visuals within the caves, but the death scenes are vivid too. Imagine wandering through huge dank, dark caverns, creatures lurking, the sound of dripping water, and let’s not forget the sticky snail goo. Sonnet really doesn’t leave anything to the imagination, so it was super easy to get caught up in this book. It’s not quite as violent as some of her other work, but it’s still gory.
This book was thrilling from start to finish. The prehistoric creatures bring lots of havoc to the resort, but Sonnet pushes things even further and tosses a murderer in the mix too. The odds are really stacked against all the characters, and it was a blast watching all of this unfold. I’d recommend this to anyone that enjoys B-horror flicks, creature features, spelunking, and that claustrophobic feeling as you descend further into the caves. Do. Not. Miss. This. One.
"Their screams even liquified. They melted together into a cacophony of braying agony."
Judith Sonnet is one of my favorite authors. She's an absolute treasure to the horror and thriller genres, and I hope we see more books from her for years to come! I enjoy her shorter works, but there's something about a nice thick novel that will always excite me. I absolutely loved Low Blasphemy and The Home, so it's safe to say I've been looking forward to this one.
The Rabbit Cave's long and complicated history began when a drunk man discovered it during the civil war. It's always been popular, but reports of mysterious disappearances and sudden deaths have held it back. They have now turned it into a popular resort to attract people from all over. At first it's an undeniable success until that is the disaster that happened 4 years after it opened. What happened and what monsters lurk underneath the surface? People from all over came to find salvation, instead they found death and mind-numbing terror. The Cave Dwellers are coming and someone hopes to use them to his advantage.
Judith Sonnet has written an incredible novel that is horrifying, heartbreaking, and relentlessly brutal. It's a story about gigantic snails, a blood-thirsty killer and a father who wants to fix his relationship with his son and daughter. It's a very well-written and paced out novel that will have you on the edge of your seat. A claustrophobic and tense read that's a combination of the slasher and creature-feature sub-genres. The characters are solid and well-developed, the world-building is superb, and the ending is heart shattering.
Overall: Judith Sonnet has written another outstanding novel; I'm surprised it hasn't received more attention—it's bloody brilliant! 10/10
If you grew up watching the Creature Double Feature or anything like it (There’s actually nothing like it.), then you’re going to love this book. It’s B-movie horror on steroids and far better written than any B-movie script. In my humble opinion anyways. Judith Sonnet crushed it, and I enjoyed the ride.
The Rabbit Cave Resort is an ideal vacation destination.. there's an underground bar, a lookout, several hiking trails, and a hands-off tour called the Deep Dark. For action movie star Bully... the resort is his last chance to connect with his estranged children. What he doesn't know is that something is slithering through the caves beneath the resort. Something ancient... and hungry... A murderer is taking advantage of the bizarre creatures that live in Rabbit Cave. He's a thrill killer, who has decided to target the family as they take the Deep Dark tour. And after he kills them, he's going to feed them to the prehistoric beasts! From the depraved author of THE CLOWN HUNT, SOMETHING AKIN TO REVULSION, and NO ONE RIDES FOR FREE. DEEP DARK is a throwback to 70's disaster flicks and 50's creature features! If you like slime, blood, and family drama... you need to read DEEP DARK!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Thank you to D&T Publishing for providing a review copy. This creature feature definitely gives off B-movie vibes. I almost feel like saying that is doing it a disservice, because the book is written exceptionally well. There is a whole lot going on here. Not only are prehistoric creatures rising from the deep, there's a murderer on the loose. I loved every second of this book and especially loved the ending. Highly recommended.
What a creative way to tell me not to explore underground caves! Deep Dark is a fantastic book with a claustrophobic setting, and a disturbing way to show you how terrifying snails can be. The characters are the main strength of the book, each of them with their own struggles and identity and adding something special to the story. The deaths are creative and disgusting, there were scenes I had struggled to read because of how detailed they were. Can't recommend this book enough!
Could have been a great creature feature except for too many different story lines. Too wordy with useless descriptions that added nothing to the story or plot. Also could use a better editor.