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Alice Walks
Alice walks. Sher walks 'cause she can't breathe. She's angry that you can.
Mikey Fitzsimmons and his friends only went to St. Mary's Cemetery to hang out and tell ghost stories. Mikey's father, the gravedigger, had the keys to the mausoleums.
Fourteen-year-old Alice Arthur had drowned that past summer. Mikey invented her frightening legend to scare his pals. They made their way down: to open the heavy granite door, to move aside the mosquito netting, to creep up for a closer look at the body.
They had no idea what they were to awaken down there.
Mikey Fitzsimmons and his friends only went to St. Mary's Cemetery to hang out and tell ghost stories. Mikey's father, the gravedigger, had the keys to the mausoleums.
Fourteen-year-old Alice Arthur had drowned that past summer. Mikey invented her frightening legend to scare his pals. They made their way down: to open the heavy granite door, to move aside the mosquito netting, to creep up for a closer look at the body.
They had no idea what they were to awaken down there.
- GenresHorror
201 pages, Hardcover
First published June 10, 2013
3 people are currently reading
105 people want to read
About the author
Michael Aronovitz
33 books38 followersNovels:
Alice Walks
The Witch of the Wood
Collections:
Seven Deadly Pleasures
The Voices in Our Heads
Writer of Reviews and Criticism on / in:
Hellnotes
The Weird Fiction Review
Chiaroscuro
The Australian Metro
Anthologies:
Searchers After Horror
The Year's Best Dark Fantasy and Horror
Upcoming:
Novel- "Phantom Effect" Night Shade Books / February 2016
Novel- "Becky's Kiss" Vinspire Press / November 2015 under the pseudonym Nicholas Fisher
Alice Walks
The Witch of the Wood
Collections:
Seven Deadly Pleasures
The Voices in Our Heads
Writer of Reviews and Criticism on / in:
Hellnotes
The Weird Fiction Review
Chiaroscuro
The Australian Metro
Anthologies:
Searchers After Horror
The Year's Best Dark Fantasy and Horror
Upcoming:
Novel- "Phantom Effect" Night Shade Books / February 2016
Novel- "Becky's Kiss" Vinspire Press / November 2015 under the pseudonym Nicholas Fisher
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
November 3, 2015
ALICE WALKS was my first novel by Michael Aronovitz. From the very beginning of this story, I found that I was immediately drawn into his words. Despite the fact that most of the main characters are around the age of fourteen, there is nothing "young adult" about Aronovitz's use of language. At times, I felt it held an almost poetic quality to it--soothing, if you are able to discount the subject material ;).
One of my favorite quotes came from early on in the tale: "But oaths were for fools who thought that the boundaries of our world didn't sit right up against the borders of another, and vows were for those who couldn't fathom the bleeding if those two realms were to somehow overlap."
The story begins with three young teenaged boys, Mikey, Will, and Nick, sneaking into Saint Mary's Cemetery at night to amuse themselves by telling ghost stories. As Mikey's father had been dismissed under scandal from his teaching position, he was now the groundskeeper for this particular burial section. Taking advantage of the opportunity provided, Mikey sneaks out with the keys to the crypts, and a story about a girl, Alice Arthur, who had died a mere six months earlier.
I found it impossible NOT to get caught up in the atmosphere Aronovitz sets for us. From the novel: "Maybe death was a long trail, a waterfall bigger and longer and deeper than we could possibly imagine, from, well, this side or whatever. Maybe when I held her hand, I'd pulled her out of the current, or something. Into limbo.... " .
An incredible read that I will not be forgetting. In closing: "Time does not blur nor smooth things over with her as it does with us. As I said, it is math: the arithmetic of terror and horror and vengeance and murder" .
Highest recommendation!
One of my favorite quotes came from early on in the tale: "But oaths were for fools who thought that the boundaries of our world didn't sit right up against the borders of another, and vows were for those who couldn't fathom the bleeding if those two realms were to somehow overlap."
The story begins with three young teenaged boys, Mikey, Will, and Nick, sneaking into Saint Mary's Cemetery at night to amuse themselves by telling ghost stories. As Mikey's father had been dismissed under scandal from his teaching position, he was now the groundskeeper for this particular burial section. Taking advantage of the opportunity provided, Mikey sneaks out with the keys to the crypts, and a story about a girl, Alice Arthur, who had died a mere six months earlier.
I found it impossible NOT to get caught up in the atmosphere Aronovitz sets for us. From the novel: "Maybe death was a long trail, a waterfall bigger and longer and deeper than we could possibly imagine, from, well, this side or whatever. Maybe when I held her hand, I'd pulled her out of the current, or something. Into limbo.... " .
An incredible read that I will not be forgetting. In closing: "Time does not blur nor smooth things over with her as it does with us. As I said, it is math: the arithmetic of terror and horror and vengeance and murder" .
Highest recommendation!
July 17, 2013
It's been so long since a book has kept me awake into the wee hours, I was beginning to think it was impossible. Alice Walks broke that curse. I don't want to say much until I finish it, but this beautifully written traditional ghost story is almost impossible to put down. I want to devour it all at once but force myself to stop, meting out just a chapter a night to make it last as long as possible. By turns charming and terrifying, this book makes me dream of ghosts and graveyards. I've read nothing like this in decades. A stunner.
Having finished this book, all I can add is that it delivered from first page to last. Michael Aronovitz is an author to watch. He has a literate feel that puts me in mind of Peter Straub, and there's a sensibility in Alice Walks that makes me think of Dan Simmons' Summer of Night. Aronovitz's prose is often poetry ala Bradbury, and his ability to tell a tale from a boy's point of view is stunningly perfect.
Alice Walks is bound to become a classic. It is a ghost story told so well that I turned each page with dread and anticipation. It delivers chills and smiles. It is a ghost story with heart, and it's an absolutely amazing first novel.
Having finished this book, all I can add is that it delivered from first page to last. Michael Aronovitz is an author to watch. He has a literate feel that puts me in mind of Peter Straub, and there's a sensibility in Alice Walks that makes me think of Dan Simmons' Summer of Night. Aronovitz's prose is often poetry ala Bradbury, and his ability to tell a tale from a boy's point of view is stunningly perfect.
Alice Walks is bound to become a classic. It is a ghost story told so well that I turned each page with dread and anticipation. It delivers chills and smiles. It is a ghost story with heart, and it's an absolutely amazing first novel.
December 6, 2015
A beautiful book that had moments of genuine terror and heartbreak in equal measure. Aronovitz captures the teenage voice perfectly, the humour and the insecurity and the insight adults don't necessarily notice or give them credit for. The use of language is haunting and incredibly engaging - I devoured the book in a single feverish sitting. Not only is this a damn good ghost story, but Aronovitz's lushly detailed and tangible characterisation makes it a damn good human story, too.
Also, thanks to Centipede Press for this beautiful edition of the book, without whom I probably wouldn't have heard of it, or Aronovitz.
Also, thanks to Centipede Press for this beautiful edition of the book, without whom I probably wouldn't have heard of it, or Aronovitz.
November 1, 2015
Outstanding modern ghost story. No clanking chains and old mansions here, but the sense of dread is no less real - if anything it is moreso because of the modern setting. Characters are very well drawn, and the atmosphere is spot-on. This book has a lot to say about family dynamics as well, which is skillfully woven into the supernatural elements, and that part of it feels achingly true. Highly recommended for fans of ghost stories, though even people who aren't fond of "traditional" ghost stories will find a lot to like here.
September 25, 2025
I think I'm going to stop reading "Alice Walks". I'm now 80 pages into it. It reads like very "tough guy straight white male" fiction, even though the narrator is a child, with great interest in drugs, swearing, bodily functions, etc., there are too many characters (the narrator's constantly tossing more acquaintances into the mix, and there's no chance I'll remember any of them at this rate, and I don't think any of them are necessary to the plot), and it just comes across as both very Creative Writing Program final year project, crossed with second-rate Stephen King or Robert McCammon.
And if that sounds unfair, at the very least, I'm not enjoying it (whereas I definitely enjoy first-rate Stephen King and Robert McCammon!). So it's time to stop, and move along.
There were a few odd choices as well which didn't endear me to it, e.g. I feel if a child approximately your age died last year, you'd know perfectly well how it happened, you wouldn't have 3 variations of urban legends about the death. Twenty years later, sure, but last year? It seemed odd.
(5* = amazing, terrific book, one of my all-time favourites, 4* = very good book, 3* = good book, but nothing to particularly rave about, 2* = disappointing book, and 1* = awful, just awful. As a statistician I know most books are 3s, but I am biased in my selection and end up mostly with 4s, thank goodness.)
And if that sounds unfair, at the very least, I'm not enjoying it (whereas I definitely enjoy first-rate Stephen King and Robert McCammon!). So it's time to stop, and move along.
There were a few odd choices as well which didn't endear me to it, e.g. I feel if a child approximately your age died last year, you'd know perfectly well how it happened, you wouldn't have 3 variations of urban legends about the death. Twenty years later, sure, but last year? It seemed odd.
(5* = amazing, terrific book, one of my all-time favourites, 4* = very good book, 3* = good book, but nothing to particularly rave about, 2* = disappointing book, and 1* = awful, just awful. As a statistician I know most books are 3s, but I am biased in my selection and end up mostly with 4s, thank goodness.)
September 9, 2013
Barring religious and mythological texts, the oldest form of horror tale is that of the ghost story. Mankind has always been fascinated with spirits and the afterlife, and every culture not only has their own idea of what happens to us after we die, but every culture also has their own idea of ghosts.
Ghost stories in Western culture became popular in the Victorian era, with writers such as Le Fanu. The turn of the century saw a rise in spiritualism, and an even bigger rise in the ghost story. M.R. James, Oliver Onions, and Algernon Blackwood all helped foster the ghost story even further.
Now, early on in the 21st century, ghosts still remain as popular as ever. I can’t even turn on the TV without finding it riddled with ghost-hunting shows, or shows like Paranormal Witness, where people share their experiences while actors recreate key scenes. Horror cinema is much the same, with ghost films seeing another rise in popularity due to movies such as Paranormal Activity and The Conjuring. Publishers seem to be jumping on this opportunity as well, in the last two-three years alone I could easily name five or more anthologies all dealing with hauntings and ghosts, helmed by many of the big-name editors including Ellen Datlow, Stephen Jones and Paula Guran, and there’s definitely no shortage of novels dealing with the subject either.
Readers may wonder why I’ve included such a lengthy opening talking about ghost stories without getting to the review. The reason is simple: it has to be understood that the industry is flooded with ghost fiction. Some use time-worn tropes but are written well enough that they are worth reading. Some take the concept of ghosts in radical new directions, making for a fresh take on the genre. Michael Aronovitz’s Alice Walks does a bit of both.
I came across this book on a recommendation by my friend CM Muller. It didn’t hurt that the book was published by Centipede Press either, as Centipede Press is pretty much synonymous with quality. I went through this book rather quickly, and putting it down to head into work was a struggle.
Alice Walks takes place in a Pennsylvania suburb in the 1970s. The book’s narrator, now an older man suffering from health problems in modern time, is passing his story on to his son. Michael, the narrator, relates the life-changing events that took place during the winter of his own fourteenth year, when he and two friends go playing around in the cemetery his father works and awaken the spirit of a girl their own age that rather recently died. Things escalate from there.
Aronovitz does a masterful job at conveying character and setting. His characters are believable, and he easily puts the reader in the shoes of Michael, who is a rather average fourteen year old boy. The emotional weight that Michael feels every day in his household, due to his father’s shameful suspension from a teaching career over dubious circumstances, has a very authentic feel to it.
When it comes to the ghost, Aronovitz also does something fresh. Alice is a very interesting ghost as far as ghosts go. Many times ghost stories can lose their sense of terror by the end, when the ghost usually becomes a sympathetic figure. The reader finds out that the ghost responsible for all the spooky moments was a murder victim, trying to gain closure and finally be at peace. Aronovitz does something much different with Alice, who goes from evoking terror, to being a sympathetic figure, and then back to evoking terror. Alice’s motivations are different from the norm, and this keeps the story very interesting, as the reader never knows what to expect.
Alice Walks is a shorter novel, and Aronovitz has a strong sense of pace, never allowing the story to slow down or become overburdened and bloated. This sense of focus, combined with an excellent sense of character and setting, as well as an original take on the ghost, make for an excellent debut and marks Aronovitz as a writer to watch. Being a Centipede Press book, the novel's price tag is heftier than average, but it’s worth every penny.
Review originally appeared on my blog, The Arkham Digest.
Ghost stories in Western culture became popular in the Victorian era, with writers such as Le Fanu. The turn of the century saw a rise in spiritualism, and an even bigger rise in the ghost story. M.R. James, Oliver Onions, and Algernon Blackwood all helped foster the ghost story even further.
Now, early on in the 21st century, ghosts still remain as popular as ever. I can’t even turn on the TV without finding it riddled with ghost-hunting shows, or shows like Paranormal Witness, where people share their experiences while actors recreate key scenes. Horror cinema is much the same, with ghost films seeing another rise in popularity due to movies such as Paranormal Activity and The Conjuring. Publishers seem to be jumping on this opportunity as well, in the last two-three years alone I could easily name five or more anthologies all dealing with hauntings and ghosts, helmed by many of the big-name editors including Ellen Datlow, Stephen Jones and Paula Guran, and there’s definitely no shortage of novels dealing with the subject either.
Readers may wonder why I’ve included such a lengthy opening talking about ghost stories without getting to the review. The reason is simple: it has to be understood that the industry is flooded with ghost fiction. Some use time-worn tropes but are written well enough that they are worth reading. Some take the concept of ghosts in radical new directions, making for a fresh take on the genre. Michael Aronovitz’s Alice Walks does a bit of both.
I came across this book on a recommendation by my friend CM Muller. It didn’t hurt that the book was published by Centipede Press either, as Centipede Press is pretty much synonymous with quality. I went through this book rather quickly, and putting it down to head into work was a struggle.
Alice Walks takes place in a Pennsylvania suburb in the 1970s. The book’s narrator, now an older man suffering from health problems in modern time, is passing his story on to his son. Michael, the narrator, relates the life-changing events that took place during the winter of his own fourteenth year, when he and two friends go playing around in the cemetery his father works and awaken the spirit of a girl their own age that rather recently died. Things escalate from there.
Aronovitz does a masterful job at conveying character and setting. His characters are believable, and he easily puts the reader in the shoes of Michael, who is a rather average fourteen year old boy. The emotional weight that Michael feels every day in his household, due to his father’s shameful suspension from a teaching career over dubious circumstances, has a very authentic feel to it.
When it comes to the ghost, Aronovitz also does something fresh. Alice is a very interesting ghost as far as ghosts go. Many times ghost stories can lose their sense of terror by the end, when the ghost usually becomes a sympathetic figure. The reader finds out that the ghost responsible for all the spooky moments was a murder victim, trying to gain closure and finally be at peace. Aronovitz does something much different with Alice, who goes from evoking terror, to being a sympathetic figure, and then back to evoking terror. Alice’s motivations are different from the norm, and this keeps the story very interesting, as the reader never knows what to expect.
Alice Walks is a shorter novel, and Aronovitz has a strong sense of pace, never allowing the story to slow down or become overburdened and bloated. This sense of focus, combined with an excellent sense of character and setting, as well as an original take on the ghost, make for an excellent debut and marks Aronovitz as a writer to watch. Being a Centipede Press book, the novel's price tag is heftier than average, but it’s worth every penny.
Review originally appeared on my blog, The Arkham Digest.
November 5, 2015
Who doesn’t love a good ghost story? This one grabs you by your senses and pulls you in with vivid imagery and the frantic yet fragile energy of Michael, the story’s teenage protagonist. What I like best is how the preliminary ghost story of Alice Arthur is expertly woven into the story of a family scandal that changes a father and alienates a son. The shades of doubt and suspicion become, in a sense, another kind of ghost that now haunts this family, constantly looming and heavy with confusion and guilt.
Aronovitz’s prose is lovely, clear and concise. It was a pleasure to read and I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a gripping ghost story that breaks your heart one minute, then scares you cold the next. Here are some of my favorite quotes:
“ She owned the night wind here, and her voice could ride it like a horse galloping out of the darkness.”
“Maybe death was a long trail, a waterfall bigger and longer and deeper than we could possibly imagine from, well this side or whatever. Maybe when I held her hand, I pulled her out of the current or something. Into Limbo. Maybe it was possible that I created a wanderer, and she wanted to walk with someone beside her.”
“ And I couldn’t think of anything good, bent over there, sucking up water that tasted like lime, rust, and copper.”
“Time does not blur or smooth things over with her as it does with us. As I said, it is math, the arithmetic of terror and horror and vengeance and murder.”
-Kara Bright Kilgore
Fiction Editor/Port Cities Review
Aronovitz’s prose is lovely, clear and concise. It was a pleasure to read and I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a gripping ghost story that breaks your heart one minute, then scares you cold the next. Here are some of my favorite quotes:
“ She owned the night wind here, and her voice could ride it like a horse galloping out of the darkness.”
“Maybe death was a long trail, a waterfall bigger and longer and deeper than we could possibly imagine from, well this side or whatever. Maybe when I held her hand, I pulled her out of the current or something. Into Limbo. Maybe it was possible that I created a wanderer, and she wanted to walk with someone beside her.”
“ And I couldn’t think of anything good, bent over there, sucking up water that tasted like lime, rust, and copper.”
“Time does not blur or smooth things over with her as it does with us. As I said, it is math, the arithmetic of terror and horror and vengeance and murder.”
-Kara Bright Kilgore
Fiction Editor/Port Cities Review
July 20, 2014
I always enjoy a good ghost story. The key here is "good". It is not a simple task to tell a ghost story that doesn't feel old, repetitive or worst, cheesy. After all, ghost story telling is as old as civilization itself. The beliefs in the supernatural are even older. Alice Arthur is the type of ghost that both feels new and unexpectedly good. Or should I say evil?
The story is well told. Aronovitz mixes very well the story of a family in the 1970s and the experiences of a teenager boy. The cost and value of friendships, the love of parents and the rebellious nature of teens are all explored in the novel. But in the end, it is about more than that. It is about graveyards, the dead and ghosts. Is about sleepless nights and supernatural dreams. It is about those things you should not have done but did!
The novel has its scary moments that build to an unexpected climax. The character of Mike, our teenage protagonist, is very well done. Telling the story through his eyes seems extremely believable. It gave me flashbacks of my own childhood.
In the end, I enjoyed the story, its scary moments, the unexpected climax and ending. And I can't wait to see if the future holds more stories surrounding Alice Arthur ghost. Read this book for a good ghost story!
The story is well told. Aronovitz mixes very well the story of a family in the 1970s and the experiences of a teenager boy. The cost and value of friendships, the love of parents and the rebellious nature of teens are all explored in the novel. But in the end, it is about more than that. It is about graveyards, the dead and ghosts. Is about sleepless nights and supernatural dreams. It is about those things you should not have done but did!
The novel has its scary moments that build to an unexpected climax. The character of Mike, our teenage protagonist, is very well done. Telling the story through his eyes seems extremely believable. It gave me flashbacks of my own childhood.
In the end, I enjoyed the story, its scary moments, the unexpected climax and ending. And I can't wait to see if the future holds more stories surrounding Alice Arthur ghost. Read this book for a good ghost story!
July 21, 2022
in my opinion, there was too much happening. too many small details here and there that weren’t needed and just took up space.
January 1, 2024
Fantastic coming of age story that drew me in immediately. The main character teels the story from his point of view and is a born storyteller.
I love Mike and his friends stories and what how Mike felt about is parents, in particular his father
A great book foe an evening's read. Highly recommended.
I love Mike and his friends stories and what how Mike felt about is parents, in particular his father
A great book foe an evening's read. Highly recommended.
January 14, 2025
It really is a fine, coming-of-age, nostalgia heavy ghost story. Extremely readable with complex characters. Reminds me of Joe Hill's stuff. I would imagine this would be enjoyed by fans of 'Stranger Things'.
The ending, though great, was done so quickly while opening up so much, I can't help but be a bit disappointed that this wasn't developed into a longer book. Perhaps sequels?
The ending, though great, was done so quickly while opening up so much, I can't help but be a bit disappointed that this wasn't developed into a longer book. Perhaps sequels?
November 21, 2019
Perfect spooky fall reading. Aronovitz demonstrates superior story telling with this excellent contemporary ghost story and bonafide page turner.
November 5, 2014
“Alice Walks” by Michael Aronovitz is an instant classic. It’s the story of Mikey and his friends, set in the 70s. Mikey’s father works in a cemetery, and one day Mikey and his friends visit an opened tomb for a girl that died several years before, Alice Arthur. This fateful event drives the rest of the novel. It has such a great authentic feel, with moments beyond creepy. The 1970s backdrop is the perfect setting for it. In some ways a simpler time, yet in other ways more complex. It’s a tale of growing up, teen angst, and one heck of a great ghost story. Can’t recommend this one enough. Amazing tale.
July 27, 2013
Great ghost story
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews