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Catacombs of the Damned: Those who would steal living bodies in the quest for eternal life
Selling their London home and buying a decaying rural pile in the wilds of the English countryside seems to Bill and Alison Cavendish the perfect way to swap the stresses and strains of the city for a peaceful new life in the country, with the added bonus of cash in the bank. Unfortunately the manor house which captures their interest in the picturesque village of Little Daunting has problems far older, deeper and nastier than rats and dry rot. The cellars conceal a terrible, shocking secret; one which dates all the way back to the witch hunts of the 17th century and to those who would steal living bodies in the quest for eternal life. As Bill and Alison soon discover, at least one of the villagers knows far more than he is admitting about the gruesome events that have been taking place in the ancient, walled-off catacombs, which lie concealed under the neighboring churchyard. When Bill and Alison and their new gypsy allies investigate, they find themselves lifting the lid on an unimagined horror... Catacombs of the Damned, is a sexy, shocking horror story for adults from P J Cadavori.
- GenresHorror
262 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
412 people want to read
About the author
P.J. Cadavori
1 book17 followersP J Cadavori is the author of the outstanding, sexy and shocking supernatural horror novel, Catacombs of the Damned. The paperback and Kindle edition are published by one of the countries leading independent publishers, Memoirs Publishing. He is currently busy writing the prequel.
With a passion for ancient history and renowned literature, P J Cadavori draws upon his knowledge, and dedicates much of his time to writing. His creativity is influenced by current top authors such as James Herbert, Anne Rice, Bernard Cornwell and Ray Bradbury, as well as the historical narratives of the likes of Livy, Tacitus, Herodotus and many other literary greats. Further inspired by William Shakespeare’s succinct turns of phrase, Chaucer’s skill for story telling and Milton’s use of language and imagery, P J Cadavori’s distinctive writing style is strong, powerful and compelling.
With a passion for ancient history and renowned literature, P J Cadavori draws upon his knowledge, and dedicates much of his time to writing. His creativity is influenced by current top authors such as James Herbert, Anne Rice, Bernard Cornwell and Ray Bradbury, as well as the historical narratives of the likes of Livy, Tacitus, Herodotus and many other literary greats. Further inspired by William Shakespeare’s succinct turns of phrase, Chaucer’s skill for story telling and Milton’s use of language and imagery, P J Cadavori’s distinctive writing style is strong, powerful and compelling.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
March 22, 2013
PJ Cadavori has a knack of taking one to a sadly neglected manor house and just as one feels settled in and begining to warm to the place and its isolated charm....CRASH!!! shocking secrets come flooding through the walls as old terrors being to surface.
I really liked the style for whilst not as obsure as Poe, the horror and terror resonates long throughout a sleepless night.
I really liked the style for whilst not as obsure as Poe, the horror and terror resonates long throughout a sleepless night.
August 7, 2013
A deliciously dark, haunting tale that will keep you awake all through the night…
This spectacular spinechilling story exudes a ‘classic’ feel reminiscent of Edgar Allen Poe, and yet is also totally original with a contemporary feel to the characters and backdrop. The secrets that lurk within an ancient manor house brought to mind the woman in black, for underneath the isolated charm and warmth lies a sinister mystery. The sheer terror and creepy factor keeps you wide-eyed and alert, hence I found myself not only unable to tear my gaze away but that shockingly mesmerized by the disturbing nature of this tale. Encapsulating quintessentially English country living this compelling story is a gripping read, full of sublime ambiance and vivid imagery.
A derelict manor house, a churchyard groaning with the ghosts of the past and a walled-off system of underground catacombs concealing unspeakable horrors are the background to this erotic, shocking story…
P J Cadavori’s ‘Catacombs of the damned’ is a classic horror story filled with interesting religious connotations, amid a detailed dark history regarding a haunted old house. In a village whose past is filled with Witch-hunting and grave robbing, the Cavendish family moves in and slowly uncovers the creepy past of this unusual place. Unimaginable shocking elements make this story simply unique and a tantalizing read, which is aimed towards the adult reader* Steeped in haunting historical detail and lush imaginative premise, I was so impressed by this chilling tale that sent shivers running down my spine.
Fans of classic horror and thrillers will simply love this sexy, shocking horror story with a fascination for eternal life.
*I won a copy of Catacombs of the damned by P J Cadavori through a Goodreads, first-read giveaway*
www.catacombsofthedamned.com - book website.
This spectacular spinechilling story exudes a ‘classic’ feel reminiscent of Edgar Allen Poe, and yet is also totally original with a contemporary feel to the characters and backdrop. The secrets that lurk within an ancient manor house brought to mind the woman in black, for underneath the isolated charm and warmth lies a sinister mystery. The sheer terror and creepy factor keeps you wide-eyed and alert, hence I found myself not only unable to tear my gaze away but that shockingly mesmerized by the disturbing nature of this tale. Encapsulating quintessentially English country living this compelling story is a gripping read, full of sublime ambiance and vivid imagery.
A derelict manor house, a churchyard groaning with the ghosts of the past and a walled-off system of underground catacombs concealing unspeakable horrors are the background to this erotic, shocking story…
P J Cadavori’s ‘Catacombs of the damned’ is a classic horror story filled with interesting religious connotations, amid a detailed dark history regarding a haunted old house. In a village whose past is filled with Witch-hunting and grave robbing, the Cavendish family moves in and slowly uncovers the creepy past of this unusual place. Unimaginable shocking elements make this story simply unique and a tantalizing read, which is aimed towards the adult reader* Steeped in haunting historical detail and lush imaginative premise, I was so impressed by this chilling tale that sent shivers running down my spine.
Fans of classic horror and thrillers will simply love this sexy, shocking horror story with a fascination for eternal life.
*I won a copy of Catacombs of the damned by P J Cadavori through a Goodreads, first-read giveaway*
www.catacombsofthedamned.com - book website.
March 30, 2013
Great read! Loved it! Fast paced and some brilliant writing too. I felt I was actually there.
April 22, 2013
I read this an thoroughly enjoyed it. Am eager to read the next one!
February 5, 2014
First of all I would like to thank the author for giving me the chance to read this book through the Goodreads First Read Giveaway.
This is an interesting an fun story that grabs you quickly and holds you tight whilst it rockets towards the end.
As a fan of thrillers I was keen to read this book but I found that, whilst it was a good read, it did not live up to its promise.
The downside is that I felt that the story was rather shallow. A lot happens but there is often little sense of true fear or horror. The characters tend to not have much of a reaction to what it going around them. I don't wish to spoil for anyone still to read but there were times when I expected a serious reaction, for the whole foundation of the relationships between the characters to be shaken, but instead they simply shrug and two pages later all is forgotten.
As well as this the whole premise is rather shaky. There is no real reason given for them to move into the house in the first place. Once they move they appear to never work again and no longer struggle for money despite this, hiring multiple housekeepers. One in particular that I can't remember the name of (and apparently neither can the author since her name is spelt wrong on at least one ocassion) appears a total of three times and seems to serve no purpose other than to show that the family now have money. Why they suddenly have money is unclear. Surely they didn't get that much from selling the house and no one seems to ever work again upon buying the house. Also, if the house is as run down as it is described to be, why on earth over a year later have they not bothered to fix it up at all?
Of course decrepit houses are creepier on the surface than done up ones but I feel that a trick was missed where the house could have been renovated to an extent but that the original cracks still persisted to show through, or damp suddenly appeared despite new insulation etc. Apart from the obvious signs of spooks; apparitions, sounds and cold spots, there was little else and these obvious signs would immediately drive out any normal family regardless of how cool they thought the place was. It would at least cause serious discussions between the adults but this is never really done. Everyone just seems to accept it and it leads the story to read more like a lighthearted romp than a creepy thriller.
I still agree this this is a fun read but I feel that it missed out on a lot of potential. The characterisations were what bothered me the most. Everyone is shallow and there is little underneath what we initially see. No one develops and no one lets us see past the facade. It's very cookie cutter. Often I found that the story jarred when I realised that I did not believe the characters at all. It stopped me from being sucked in when I was painfully aware that what I was reading wasn't real, people don't act the way that they do here.
Despite this I did enjoy the book. Cadavori has a good sense of pace although I think that a lot of the problems could have been ironed out if more care and time had been spent fleshing out the characters and the atmosphere. It's a fun read but I am unlikely to pick up the book again.
3/5 stars
This is an interesting an fun story that grabs you quickly and holds you tight whilst it rockets towards the end.
As a fan of thrillers I was keen to read this book but I found that, whilst it was a good read, it did not live up to its promise.
The downside is that I felt that the story was rather shallow. A lot happens but there is often little sense of true fear or horror. The characters tend to not have much of a reaction to what it going around them. I don't wish to spoil for anyone still to read but there were times when I expected a serious reaction, for the whole foundation of the relationships between the characters to be shaken, but instead they simply shrug and two pages later all is forgotten.
As well as this the whole premise is rather shaky. There is no real reason given for them to move into the house in the first place. Once they move they appear to never work again and no longer struggle for money despite this, hiring multiple housekeepers. One in particular that I can't remember the name of (and apparently neither can the author since her name is spelt wrong on at least one ocassion) appears a total of three times and seems to serve no purpose other than to show that the family now have money. Why they suddenly have money is unclear. Surely they didn't get that much from selling the house and no one seems to ever work again upon buying the house. Also, if the house is as run down as it is described to be, why on earth over a year later have they not bothered to fix it up at all?
Of course decrepit houses are creepier on the surface than done up ones but I feel that a trick was missed where the house could have been renovated to an extent but that the original cracks still persisted to show through, or damp suddenly appeared despite new insulation etc. Apart from the obvious signs of spooks; apparitions, sounds and cold spots, there was little else and these obvious signs would immediately drive out any normal family regardless of how cool they thought the place was. It would at least cause serious discussions between the adults but this is never really done. Everyone just seems to accept it and it leads the story to read more like a lighthearted romp than a creepy thriller.
I still agree this this is a fun read but I feel that it missed out on a lot of potential. The characterisations were what bothered me the most. Everyone is shallow and there is little underneath what we initially see. No one develops and no one lets us see past the facade. It's very cookie cutter. Often I found that the story jarred when I realised that I did not believe the characters at all. It stopped me from being sucked in when I was painfully aware that what I was reading wasn't real, people don't act the way that they do here.
Despite this I did enjoy the book. Cadavori has a good sense of pace although I think that a lot of the problems could have been ironed out if more care and time had been spent fleshing out the characters and the atmosphere. It's a fun read but I am unlikely to pick up the book again.
3/5 stars
August 20, 2013
*Goodreads book giveaway - Thank you*
The story held the promise of fear, but only managed to leave me in the dark.
The story was enjoyable, but not enough to make it a real page turner. I found myself reading on with a desire for more. More story, more thrills, more fear.
The characters all had their place in the story, all pushed the story on, but they themselves were rather shallow and predictable in their actions and reactions.
Overall, Catacombs of the Damned was a quick read which held promise of so much more. If you want to more fear in your weekend read then this isn't for you.
The story held the promise of fear, but only managed to leave me in the dark.
The story was enjoyable, but not enough to make it a real page turner. I found myself reading on with a desire for more. More story, more thrills, more fear.
The characters all had their place in the story, all pushed the story on, but they themselves were rather shallow and predictable in their actions and reactions.
Overall, Catacombs of the Damned was a quick read which held promise of so much more. If you want to more fear in your weekend read then this isn't for you.
October 2, 2013
I have just read P J Cadavori's `Catacombs of the Damned' which I won in a Goodreads giveaway. It is a cleverly constructed horror story surrounding the dark past of a creepy haunted house. The local village's past is filled with Witch hunters, grave robbing and murder and the unsuspecting Cavendish family move into the house which was at the centre of some ghastly events. Terrifying times follow making this story an engrossing read. The extensive historical detail and beautiful descriptive writing kept me capitivated throughout this chilling tale.
August 18, 2013
This was a fun spin on the classic 'Haunted House' tale, and I particularly enjoyed the descriptions of nature and English country living. The writing was beautiful, lush and full of life. I also enjoyed the gorey horror stuff!
There was a little too much reliance, however, on stereotyping Gypsies and/or Romanians as connected to the occult. I also felt like there were more religious overtones than I expected or would have liked, and a twist that I saw coming a mile away.
There was a little too much reliance, however, on stereotyping Gypsies and/or Romanians as connected to the occult. I also felt like there were more religious overtones than I expected or would have liked, and a twist that I saw coming a mile away.
July 26, 2013
I'm sure I have written a review on here before for this book but its asked me to do it again for some reason...in case my old review didn't post -- I absolutely loved reading PJ's Catacombs of the Damned...I found it held me in suspense throughout and I am waiting patiently for his next release apparently due early next year. #VeryExciting
June 16, 2015
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads and am glad I had the chance to read it.
It's a must-read for any Horror fan.
With a great mix of characters, this Haunted House story keeps you hooked from start to end.
I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
It's a must-read for any Horror fan.
With a great mix of characters, this Haunted House story keeps you hooked from start to end.
I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
July 29, 2013
Won in a competition never received it
October 14, 2013
I really like the way Cadavori describes environments and how he changes between different styles of narration, but the story ends before it gets to take off, which causes the end to fall flat.
May 1, 2014
it's realy horrendous!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews