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Small Town Evil
A father and daughter are haunted by a girl they thought they had run over in their car while returning home from a weekend vacation. When the father realizes that his daughter's condition is getting worse, and that the girl he hit may or may not even exist, he returns to the small town where he had the accident, hoping to find answers.
91 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 6, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
December 3, 2021
Jack and his daughter are on their way home when Jack thinks he hits a little girl. Not knowing if he did or not they both become haunted by her. With Jack's daughter getting worse he returns to the small town to find out if the little girl even exists. Short read packed full of mystery and suspense. The ending left with a cliffhanger, had me surprised. I can't wait to read the next one.
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February 6, 2015
Jack and his eight year old daughter Jennifer are in the car on their way home after spending the weekend together. While riding along Jack runs over this little girl who was standing in the middle of the road. Jack can hear her bones crunching as the car rolled over her. Jack gets out of the car to see if he can some how help the little girl but she is dead. Jack picks up the little girl and puts her in the back seat of the car. Jack hears Jennifer ask the little girl what her name is. The dead girl replies Amanda. Jack hears this and loses control of his car and smashes into a tree. Jack returns to the small town where the accident happened. He is looking for information about the girl. What he stumbles upon will haunt him for the rest of his life, There are many twist and turns in this novella that I did not see coming. I am going to read the sequel to this book
September 28, 2015
Blurb:
A father and daughter are haunted by a girl they thought they had run over in their car while returning home from a weekend vacation. When the father realizes that his daughter's condition is getting worse, and that the girl he hit may or may not even exist, he returns to the small town where he had the accident, hoping to find answers.
While taking is daughter home after spending the weekend with her, Jack runs over this little girl who is standing in the middle of the road. He can literally hear the bones of her tiny body crush beneath his tires. He stops immediately, rushing out of the car to find that she is dead. He cannot just leave her there, so he picks her up and carries her in the car. He hears his daughter speaking and when someone answers back, it causes him to crash.
This story was engaging at times, but found the lack of pacing to be annoying. I loved the premise of the story, but I found the only time I felt any real emotion in the book was after the initial accident, when the dead girl was in the car. The writing was very good so I give this book four stars.
June 12, 2015
I was not expecting much from this with it being so short. But it had me hooked from the beginning. I could not stop reading this on my Kindle fire. I read the whole thing in a hour. Wow. Is all I can say. Well done Ken!!! It gave me goosebumps. Now I am starting Small Town Evil 2. And I am hoping that it is just as good if not better than the first.
April 4, 2015
What a terrible waste of my time
I'm absolutely disgusted with myself for wasting my own time reading this book. My time could have been better spent picking up dog poop in the back yard.
Seriously...don't bother.
I'm absolutely disgusted with myself for wasting my own time reading this book. My time could have been better spent picking up dog poop in the back yard.
Seriously...don't bother.
August 21, 2017
This was a good short ghost mystery story. It was eerie, the main character was very likable, and I found myself really needing to know what had happened to this little lost girl. The ending was shocking and something I was not expecting. It also had a cliffhanger, which you will need to read the next book in order to get the answers. The only thing that I didn't like about this book was when there was a death, it was such an abrupt scene, like 2 or 3 sentences. I almost needed to re-read those scenes because such a big thing happens in such a small way. Other than that, the book was really well written and there was plenty of action. I haven't read the next book yet but I will be soon.
July 13, 2017
Amanda
It fought my attention the moment I began reading it. I couldn't put it down. It held my attention, it is a good read. I loved it. I loved the ending. Beautifully written. Thank you for writing this.
It fought my attention the moment I began reading it. I couldn't put it down. It held my attention, it is a good read. I loved it. I loved the ending. Beautifully written. Thank you for writing this.
February 9, 2017
A really quick read! Pretty scary with a good twist at the end. Looking forward to reading the next book!
April 1, 2020
Quick ghost thriller
Very quick read. The book has a good story line, but not very sophisticated. It's more of a young adult book. The characters are developed pretty well.
Very quick read. The book has a good story line, but not very sophisticated. It's more of a young adult book. The characters are developed pretty well.
January 17, 2024
3.5 stars
March 24, 2024
A haunted novella that was different than anything I have ever read before. A quick, interesting read.
September 25, 2017
This was great. Did not see that ending coming. I have Small Town Evil 2 on my wish list.
March 14, 2017
Very good short, spooky mystery.
May 27, 2013
(This review can be found on my blog The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl).
Anyone who knows me knows that I'm a sucker for a good ghost story. Luckily, Small Town Evil by Ken Berglund didn't really disappoint.
Jack and his 8 year old daughter, Jennifer, are on their way home after spending a father-daughter weekend together. When a girl appears in front of Jack's car causing Jack to run over her and kill her, Jack floors it to the hospital. However, this dead girl is able to speak and says her name is Amanda.. Speed caused by shock causes Jack to crash. When he wakes up in the hospital, no one has seen or heard of this girl he claims to have hit and killed. His daughter, Jennifer, however, claims to be Amanda, and now Amanda is appearing to Jack in his dreams. What does she want, and will she ever leave Jennifer alone?
The title of this book doesn't make sense until you've almost finished the book. I think it is a well-suited title for the book although the title makes it sound more like a murder mystery then a ghost story.
I feel that the cover is just mediocre. It's not bad, but it's not great either. I admit that it did catch my eye, but I just think it could've been done better.
This is a really short story (Amazon has it estimated at 91 pages), so you'd think there wouldn't be a lot of world building. You'd be wrong. For such a short story, I thought the world building was fantastic. We didn't get a lot of unnecessary info dumping. What we get is enough information about the town Jack is in as well as a little bit of back story about Jack and his failed marriage. We also learn a little bit about Amanda. I only was left with one question, but if I put what it was here, I'll give away part of the story which I don't want to do.
The pacing starts off great and continues to be great throughout the whole book. I'm always thankful when a book instantly draws me in by the first page. Like I said, this is a short story, but I didn't want to stop reading it.
The plot, like most books, has been done before. It is very interesting to read even if it is quite predictable. This is your typical possession novel, but I wanted to know the why? Why did Amanda want to possess someone else?
I definitely enjoyed the characters and felt that they were very well-written. Jack is the worried father and plays the part very well. It was obvious how much he cared for his daughter. He was also very determined to find out more about Amanda to prove he wasn't crazy and to help her as well as helping his daughter. I also loved Jennifer. We don't get to see much of her as herself, but what I saw, I enjoyed. She comes across as sweet and innocent the way an 8 year old child should be. I didn't know what to make of Amanda. I can't go into much detail because I don't want to ruin the story, but the way she spoke wasn't that of an 8 year old. She was creepy though.
I enjoyed the dialogue. A lot of the time, it was creepy, especially where Amanda was involved. Nothing came across as forced, and it never came across as dull. I enjoyed reading about Jack's thoughts and feelings. I felt as if I was right beside him all throughout the story. There are swear words in here, so do be warned about that.
The only thing that bothered me really was the ending. I wanted closure, and I wanted answers. Instead, I was left with more wondering and no closure. You'll see what I mean when you read the story.
Overall, Small Town Evil by Ken Berglund is a creepy short read if predictable. The world building is fantastic, but the ending left me feeling annoyed.
I'd recommend this book to those aged 17+ who are after something a bit creepy but short.
I'd give Small Town Evil by Ken Berglund a 3.5 out of 5.
Anyone who knows me knows that I'm a sucker for a good ghost story. Luckily, Small Town Evil by Ken Berglund didn't really disappoint.
Jack and his 8 year old daughter, Jennifer, are on their way home after spending a father-daughter weekend together. When a girl appears in front of Jack's car causing Jack to run over her and kill her, Jack floors it to the hospital. However, this dead girl is able to speak and says her name is Amanda.. Speed caused by shock causes Jack to crash. When he wakes up in the hospital, no one has seen or heard of this girl he claims to have hit and killed. His daughter, Jennifer, however, claims to be Amanda, and now Amanda is appearing to Jack in his dreams. What does she want, and will she ever leave Jennifer alone?
The title of this book doesn't make sense until you've almost finished the book. I think it is a well-suited title for the book although the title makes it sound more like a murder mystery then a ghost story.
I feel that the cover is just mediocre. It's not bad, but it's not great either. I admit that it did catch my eye, but I just think it could've been done better.
This is a really short story (Amazon has it estimated at 91 pages), so you'd think there wouldn't be a lot of world building. You'd be wrong. For such a short story, I thought the world building was fantastic. We didn't get a lot of unnecessary info dumping. What we get is enough information about the town Jack is in as well as a little bit of back story about Jack and his failed marriage. We also learn a little bit about Amanda. I only was left with one question, but if I put what it was here, I'll give away part of the story which I don't want to do.
The pacing starts off great and continues to be great throughout the whole book. I'm always thankful when a book instantly draws me in by the first page. Like I said, this is a short story, but I didn't want to stop reading it.
The plot, like most books, has been done before. It is very interesting to read even if it is quite predictable. This is your typical possession novel, but I wanted to know the why? Why did Amanda want to possess someone else?
I definitely enjoyed the characters and felt that they were very well-written. Jack is the worried father and plays the part very well. It was obvious how much he cared for his daughter. He was also very determined to find out more about Amanda to prove he wasn't crazy and to help her as well as helping his daughter. I also loved Jennifer. We don't get to see much of her as herself, but what I saw, I enjoyed. She comes across as sweet and innocent the way an 8 year old child should be. I didn't know what to make of Amanda. I can't go into much detail because I don't want to ruin the story, but the way she spoke wasn't that of an 8 year old. She was creepy though.
I enjoyed the dialogue. A lot of the time, it was creepy, especially where Amanda was involved. Nothing came across as forced, and it never came across as dull. I enjoyed reading about Jack's thoughts and feelings. I felt as if I was right beside him all throughout the story. There are swear words in here, so do be warned about that.
The only thing that bothered me really was the ending. I wanted closure, and I wanted answers. Instead, I was left with more wondering and no closure. You'll see what I mean when you read the story.
Overall, Small Town Evil by Ken Berglund is a creepy short read if predictable. The world building is fantastic, but the ending left me feeling annoyed.
I'd recommend this book to those aged 17+ who are after something a bit creepy but short.
I'd give Small Town Evil by Ken Berglund a 3.5 out of 5.
March 28, 2014
This is another short, concise book that follows a fairly common theme. It is written well, but overall doesn't really introduce anything groundbreaking. I gave it three stars because it was well written and because it sort of started out okay but had to withhold anything additional because it was standard ghost fare in the scheme of things.
The story is about a father and daughter, Jack and Jennifer, traveling in a car adjacent to basically, Smalltown, USA when they are put off the road in an accident which appears to have critically injured another little girl the daughter's age in the road. In the process of taking the girl to town presumably to a hospital, they lose control of the car again and crash.
Things get sort of interesting then as the supernatural begins to take hold and the girl, Amanda, appears to be a lot more than first indicated, as does the back story that begins to unfold. But as the story progresses, the supernatural portion of it becomes more of an overlay to, as I said, a pretty by numbers tale and by the end it is not even really disappointing, it's just sort of "there".
The character treatments in this book are pretty good, as you do get a good idea of what the people within are about, but overall, the entire piece feels very small time and contained. It never gets any bigger than the tiny town it is set in, and even then, there are only really two or three people with any prominence in the book and the rest are merely incidentals that do their jobs and are completely forgettable.
The reveal is also standard fare and with very little effort most people even marginally familiar with ghost stories would stand a decidedly better chance than average figuring out what happened here.
Again, not a bad book. Just not a particularly inventive one. I have noticed there is a second book in the series and I am on the fence about getting it. I might if for no other reason than to have it take a second crack at producing a frightening or even interesting and innovative hook or twist that will bring the story together but honestly, I just don't know if I need it that badly given what I'm already working with.
The story is about a father and daughter, Jack and Jennifer, traveling in a car adjacent to basically, Smalltown, USA when they are put off the road in an accident which appears to have critically injured another little girl the daughter's age in the road. In the process of taking the girl to town presumably to a hospital, they lose control of the car again and crash.
Things get sort of interesting then as the supernatural begins to take hold and the girl, Amanda, appears to be a lot more than first indicated, as does the back story that begins to unfold. But as the story progresses, the supernatural portion of it becomes more of an overlay to, as I said, a pretty by numbers tale and by the end it is not even really disappointing, it's just sort of "there".
The character treatments in this book are pretty good, as you do get a good idea of what the people within are about, but overall, the entire piece feels very small time and contained. It never gets any bigger than the tiny town it is set in, and even then, there are only really two or three people with any prominence in the book and the rest are merely incidentals that do their jobs and are completely forgettable.
The reveal is also standard fare and with very little effort most people even marginally familiar with ghost stories would stand a decidedly better chance than average figuring out what happened here.
Again, not a bad book. Just not a particularly inventive one. I have noticed there is a second book in the series and I am on the fence about getting it. I might if for no other reason than to have it take a second crack at producing a frightening or even interesting and innovative hook or twist that will bring the story together but honestly, I just don't know if I need it that badly given what I'm already working with.
August 18, 2015
This is a pretty standard ghost story - nothing too surprising here. Typical small town characters encountered in the tale with more than just a hint of stereotyping going on. It is written well and the pacing is good but if you are familiar with ghost stories, this will not surprise you. However, I believe I also found the book free on Amazon so the price is right. It is a fairly quick read since it is only 96 pages long. The author writes well enough that I am also going to read the second book in this series as the story looks like it may be promising.
June 9, 2013
In Berglund’s novel, a father and daughter are haunted by a girl they thought they had run over in their car while returning home from a weekend vacation. When the father realizes that his daughter's condition is getting worse, and that the girl he hit may or may not even exist, he returns to the small town where he had the accident, hoping to find answers.
Nice pace, good read.
Nice pace, good read.
April 5, 2014
Haunting Evil
There are definitely disturbing and unsettling parts in this book! The beginning in particular was compelling and suspenseful. I will say that towards the end, I was confused with switching from past to present and I felt that Joanne's character didn't quite hold up on the believability scale for me. Despite this, I'm giving four stars for suspense.
There are definitely disturbing and unsettling parts in this book! The beginning in particular was compelling and suspenseful. I will say that towards the end, I was confused with switching from past to present and I felt that Joanne's character didn't quite hold up on the believability scale for me. Despite this, I'm giving four stars for suspense.
January 6, 2014
Quickread
Omg haven't read a book so quickly in a long time
only stopped once for a peanut butter sandwich. when I came back the mom was making one in the story
I really enjoyed it. wish I could read it again
Omg haven't read a book so quickly in a long time
only stopped once for a peanut butter sandwich. when I came back the mom was making one in the story
I really enjoyed it. wish I could read it again
March 3, 2014
Short story.
I accidentally bought this on my kindle. I was just trying to get more info on the book and before I realized it, I had purchased it. I don't normally like short stories but this was pretty good and I would like to read the second one too :)
I accidentally bought this on my kindle. I was just trying to get more info on the book and before I realized it, I had purchased it. I don't normally like short stories but this was pretty good and I would like to read the second one too :)
March 30, 2014
That is a scary messed up book!
That is a scary messed up book!
This book scared the POOPY out of me! At the end I was ummm so the brother and sister uh mated? THAT IS MESSED UP STUFF! But other than that great book excellent detail and chilling suspense
That is a scary messed up book!
This book scared the POOPY out of me! At the end I was ummm so the brother and sister uh mated? THAT IS MESSED UP STUFF! But other than that great book excellent detail and chilling suspense
June 4, 2014
Awesome ghost story for a rainy night
I gave this a 4 star rating because I like reading stories about the paranormal and he really brought the characters to life... or should I say death? Spooky and good.
I gave this a 4 star rating because I like reading stories about the paranormal and he really brought the characters to life... or should I say death? Spooky and good.
April 14, 2015
Good short story
I wish that the story was longer, but it was a decent short story. I would go ahead and read it if you have an hour to kill or as a good book to read on the beach. Happy reading!
I wish that the story was longer, but it was a decent short story. I would go ahead and read it if you have an hour to kill or as a good book to read on the beach. Happy reading!
September 18, 2015
Great read
The book was really easy to follow. I wish the characters were more complex, but I still enjoyed them. I wanted to keep reading it forever and can't wait to read the sequel. I think I might have found one of my favorite authors.
The book was really easy to follow. I wish the characters were more complex, but I still enjoyed them. I wanted to keep reading it forever and can't wait to read the sequel. I think I might have found one of my favorite authors.
November 9, 2015
Very Good Read
This short story was written so well, I liked how it started out with a bang. It is a page turner and the character's are Very real. I am looking forward to the sequel and I do recommend this one.
kozettekaysmith
This short story was written so well, I liked how it started out with a bang. It is a page turner and the character's are Very real. I am looking forward to the sequel and I do recommend this one.
kozettekaysmith
January 2, 2016
This was a nice fast paced read for my first book of the new year. The plot was interesting. I figured out the mystery pretty quickly but was not disappointed getting to the outcome. A good read for a cold winter night.
December 2, 2013
Pretty quick reading
ok for a buck! short, simple, to the point. Will check out other books by this author. kept me entertained
ok for a buck! short, simple, to the point. Will check out other books by this author. kept me entertained
December 11, 2013
Good Book
I would recommend this to anyone who likes a little twist at the end. The ending does leave you wondering.
I would recommend this to anyone who likes a little twist at the end. The ending does leave you wondering.
January 1, 2014
THIS STORY WAS A LITTLE SHORT FOR ME BUT IT WAS A GOOD GHOST STORY WITH A TWIST
January 13, 2014
Ok quick read
this book was ok at best. it didn't give an ending and jumped around a good bit. I'm glad I didn't pay for it.
this book was ok at best. it didn't give an ending and jumped around a good bit. I'm glad I didn't pay for it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews