What do you think?
Rate this book
The Highwayman #1
Blood Alley
Buckle up for a high-octane, pulse-pounding thrill ride...
Could you survive a haunted highway?
Blood Alley is the deadliest road in America.
Some call it a death trap. Others say it's haunted. Only the locals know the truth...
Blood Alley belongs to the Highwayman, a vengeful phantom who drives his ghost car at night to claim the souls of all who cross him.
A group of teens on their way to a funeral get delayed by engine trouble and ignore the warnings:
Don't drive Blood Alley at night!
Four teenagers hit the road at sunset.
Will any survive to see the dawn?
Could you survive a haunted highway?
Blood Alley is the deadliest road in America.
Some call it a death trap. Others say it's haunted. Only the locals know the truth...
Blood Alley belongs to the Highwayman, a vengeful phantom who drives his ghost car at night to claim the souls of all who cross him.
A group of teens on their way to a funeral get delayed by engine trouble and ignore the warnings:
Don't drive Blood Alley at night!
Four teenagers hit the road at sunset.
Will any survive to see the dawn?
227 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 3, 2013
38 people are currently reading
335 people want to read
About the author
David Wisehart
18 books38 followersDavid Wisehart directed the upcoming feature film The Bride from Outer Space. He wrote, directed, and produced the short film Bang, Virginia City: the musical, Endgame: a play in one act, the one-act opera The Other Wise Man, and Valentino: a play in verse. He produced James Cameron's Titanic Explorer, The Simpsons Wrestling, and other video games for Fox Interactive. For Philips Media he wrote four documentaries: The French Impressionists, The Art of the Czars: St. Petersburg and the Treasures of the Hermitage, Dutch Masters of the 17th Century, and Flight: The Universal Dream. He was a research assistant for The Aerospace Corporation. He received his B.A. in Film and Television from UCLA, and was the Review Editor for the UCLA Daily Bruin. During high school he programmed computers for NASA.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
January 1, 2015
Legend has it that Blood Alley belongs to the Highwayman. During a lunar eclipse the Highwayman seek revenge on all the souls that dare to deify him. A group of teenagers are on their way to a funeral in Cedarville, they have a set back. Their car dies not to far from a gas station and they have to push it there. The mechanic tells the group that it could take up to four hours before he has the car running again. The group heads to a near by diner for some food. It will be dark before they can get back on the road again. Ignoring a warning from a trucker who survived a night in hell on Blood Alley, they choose to move on. Once they hit the highway, there is no turning back. This could be there last trip together if the Highwayman has his way. This will be one hell of a roller coaster ride with no holds barred. If you are looking for a fast paced supernatural thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat, look no further! I highly recommend this book!
July 24, 2013
*I received a free copy of this book from the author through Making Connections in exchange for an honest review*
The Highwayman comes out when the moon turns red, intent on killing those who venture onto his road that night, the road that locals call Blood Alley. Now a group of teenagers with car trouble find themselves on that road with The Highwayman in pursuit.
This was a good classic creepy horror story. The plot was interesting and the body count was high as the road claims its victims. There was an interesting adoption sub plot that becomes important to the story. There was just enough about the characters to keep you informed but nothing in depth. To be honest, horror tales like this don't need a massive amount of character development. Most characters turn out to be nothing more than corpses-to-be so no need to waste time on developing them. The writing style is uncomplicated and the story moves on at a good pace. I think the length was about right.
Random niggles? I didn't find anything wrong with the way the author presented or told the story. My only niggle was getting annoyed with Claire at times. When they needed to find help and get off the road to safety, she was determined to go chasing for information. I wanted to slap her and say 'you can come back in daylight to search for what you need, you stupid...'...!!! But it's not really fair to complain about that when what she was doing was part of the plot! So no real issues with the book. If I was being very picky, maybe the ending felt a little hurried in comparison to the rest of it but very enjoyable anyway.
I'd certainly look at other works by this author if the plot appreals to me. Minor sexual references, a few bloody descriptions of corpses so pretty much what you expect in a horror novel. Should appeal to most horror and some thriller fans.
The Highwayman comes out when the moon turns red, intent on killing those who venture onto his road that night, the road that locals call Blood Alley. Now a group of teenagers with car trouble find themselves on that road with The Highwayman in pursuit.
This was a good classic creepy horror story. The plot was interesting and the body count was high as the road claims its victims. There was an interesting adoption sub plot that becomes important to the story. There was just enough about the characters to keep you informed but nothing in depth. To be honest, horror tales like this don't need a massive amount of character development. Most characters turn out to be nothing more than corpses-to-be so no need to waste time on developing them. The writing style is uncomplicated and the story moves on at a good pace. I think the length was about right.
Random niggles? I didn't find anything wrong with the way the author presented or told the story. My only niggle was getting annoyed with Claire at times. When they needed to find help and get off the road to safety, she was determined to go chasing for information. I wanted to slap her and say 'you can come back in daylight to search for what you need, you stupid...'...!!! But it's not really fair to complain about that when what she was doing was part of the plot! So no real issues with the book. If I was being very picky, maybe the ending felt a little hurried in comparison to the rest of it but very enjoyable anyway.
I'd certainly look at other works by this author if the plot appreals to me. Minor sexual references, a few bloody descriptions of corpses so pretty much what you expect in a horror novel. Should appeal to most horror and some thriller fans.
July 8, 2013
Blood Alley, a stretch of highway in the Mojave desert, is the site of countless "accidents." At the Last Stop Car Hop, news clippings with photos of crumpled steel and tarp-covered corpses hang on the wall. The novel opens with a prologue, telling the tragic story of the diner's builder, teen idol Frankie Lamarque, whose hit song, "The Last Stop Car Hop" gave it its name.
A group of young friends wind up at the diner on the way to Cedarville. Claire, adopted and trying to come to terms with who she really is, has to make it to her uncle's funeral. Along for the ride are her boyfriend Trevor, a jock and popular man about campus, Trevor's sister Dakota (hot, always fiddling with her phone), and Ethan, Dakota's introverted boyfriend.
They are warned off driving on Blood Alley during a lunar eclipse by an old trucker named Joshua. Crippled and burned, he is one of the road's few survivors. “The road is dry and thirsty,” he tells them. “It drinks blood.” From Joshua and others, they hear the legend of the Highwayman, who malevolent spirit who haunts Blood Alley and is responsible for all the carnage. Claire is spooked and Dakota wants to go back, but Trevor and Ethan dismiss the story. Since they need to drive all night to make the funeral, the group votes to continue on. Besides making it to her uncle's funeral, Claire has her own reasons for going on - the old, ruined Fowler farmhouse on the way, which may hold the key to her mysterious past. Thus begins a game of cat and mouse with the Highwayman on Blood Alley.
The Highwayman is an urban legend come to life. He is truly frightening, with is dark coat, slouch hat, glowing green eyes and supernatural powers. But we also see things from his point of view and discover what drives him to kill. The other characters are also well-rounded and likable, with their own hopes, fears and agendas, rather than being generic victims of the Highwayman's wrath. There's one small exception, a scene in which Trevor pulls over to pick up a hitchhiker. After Dakota and Claire express fear that it may be the Highwayman, Trevor shrugs and floors it, just as the man reaches the vehicle. Instead of feeling bad about it, Trevor and Ethan fist bump and Ethan shouts, "That was awesome!" This scene made me lose sympathy for otherwise likable characters, leading me to feel that, like the victims in so many dead teenager movies, they have it coming.
David Wisehart does an excellent job of weaving together mystery and suspense. Scenes of terror on the highway are blended seamlessly those in which the protagonists piece together the secrets of the Highwayman and of Claire's dark past. Blood Alley is a page-turner, with the action accelerating as the novel races towards its exciting conclusion. You'll never drive through the desert again without checking your rear view mirror for the Highwayman.
A group of young friends wind up at the diner on the way to Cedarville. Claire, adopted and trying to come to terms with who she really is, has to make it to her uncle's funeral. Along for the ride are her boyfriend Trevor, a jock and popular man about campus, Trevor's sister Dakota (hot, always fiddling with her phone), and Ethan, Dakota's introverted boyfriend.
They are warned off driving on Blood Alley during a lunar eclipse by an old trucker named Joshua. Crippled and burned, he is one of the road's few survivors. “The road is dry and thirsty,” he tells them. “It drinks blood.” From Joshua and others, they hear the legend of the Highwayman, who malevolent spirit who haunts Blood Alley and is responsible for all the carnage. Claire is spooked and Dakota wants to go back, but Trevor and Ethan dismiss the story. Since they need to drive all night to make the funeral, the group votes to continue on. Besides making it to her uncle's funeral, Claire has her own reasons for going on - the old, ruined Fowler farmhouse on the way, which may hold the key to her mysterious past. Thus begins a game of cat and mouse with the Highwayman on Blood Alley.
The Highwayman is an urban legend come to life. He is truly frightening, with is dark coat, slouch hat, glowing green eyes and supernatural powers. But we also see things from his point of view and discover what drives him to kill. The other characters are also well-rounded and likable, with their own hopes, fears and agendas, rather than being generic victims of the Highwayman's wrath. There's one small exception, a scene in which Trevor pulls over to pick up a hitchhiker. After Dakota and Claire express fear that it may be the Highwayman, Trevor shrugs and floors it, just as the man reaches the vehicle. Instead of feeling bad about it, Trevor and Ethan fist bump and Ethan shouts, "That was awesome!" This scene made me lose sympathy for otherwise likable characters, leading me to feel that, like the victims in so many dead teenager movies, they have it coming.
David Wisehart does an excellent job of weaving together mystery and suspense. Scenes of terror on the highway are blended seamlessly those in which the protagonists piece together the secrets of the Highwayman and of Claire's dark past. Blood Alley is a page-turner, with the action accelerating as the novel races towards its exciting conclusion. You'll never drive through the desert again without checking your rear view mirror for the Highwayman.
August 4, 2013
This book has more twists and turns than the road depicted in "Blood Alley". On several occasions, I caught myself second-guessing and thinking that I had the answer to solve this riddle about the many deaths on this stretch of highway, wondering what is real and what is not. Then BOOM, the story goes in a different direction and new perils for the group of teenagers.
Four teens are forced to spend most of the day at a restaurant / gas station while their vehicle is repaired. It sits by itself in the middle of nowhere and marks the beginning of the famed haunted highway. Newspaper clippings on the wall held articles and pictures about the many accidents and deaths of travelers during the last sixty years. Most people feel the stories about a ghost haunting this 50-mile stretch of highway in the Mojave desert are old wives tales, created to instill fear in passing tourists. The locals plead with the foursome to stay at a nearby hotel for the night, the moon is full tonight as a warning for others to keep off the road after dark. The group is en route to a family member's funeral on the following morning - the day-long delay has already put them behind schedule. There is no choice and they drive out onto that fabled stretch of road at dusk.
It doesn't take long for this group to start believing in the stories...it doesn't take long before the ghost notices them. Unknown to the others, one of the four, a girl who was adopted early in her life, has a special agenda: She believes that she is related, somehow, to a family that once lived nearby. They were all killed by the father, who was then killed by policemen that were sent to evict him from his property. The government bought him out, but he didn't want to sell and fought to stay there. That was sixty years ago!
Could he be the ghost? Why is he haunting and killing what he refers to as "trespassers" on the highway? Is the ghost related to one of the teenagers? Do any of them survive?
David, this book kept me on the edge of my seat and would not let me put it down. I am thankful for starting it during the early afternoon because it afforded me enough time to finish it later that night. I had no choice...there wasn't a good place anywhere in the book to set it aside until the next day. Too many questions remained unanswered and the ghost was on a war path...I would never have been able to fall asleep unless I finished it!
Blood Alley is highly recommended as are David's other books which I've also read. Great job! Keep them coming!
John Podlaski, author
Cherries - A Vietnam War Novel
Four teens are forced to spend most of the day at a restaurant / gas station while their vehicle is repaired. It sits by itself in the middle of nowhere and marks the beginning of the famed haunted highway. Newspaper clippings on the wall held articles and pictures about the many accidents and deaths of travelers during the last sixty years. Most people feel the stories about a ghost haunting this 50-mile stretch of highway in the Mojave desert are old wives tales, created to instill fear in passing tourists. The locals plead with the foursome to stay at a nearby hotel for the night, the moon is full tonight as a warning for others to keep off the road after dark. The group is en route to a family member's funeral on the following morning - the day-long delay has already put them behind schedule. There is no choice and they drive out onto that fabled stretch of road at dusk.
It doesn't take long for this group to start believing in the stories...it doesn't take long before the ghost notices them. Unknown to the others, one of the four, a girl who was adopted early in her life, has a special agenda: She believes that she is related, somehow, to a family that once lived nearby. They were all killed by the father, who was then killed by policemen that were sent to evict him from his property. The government bought him out, but he didn't want to sell and fought to stay there. That was sixty years ago!
Could he be the ghost? Why is he haunting and killing what he refers to as "trespassers" on the highway? Is the ghost related to one of the teenagers? Do any of them survive?
David, this book kept me on the edge of my seat and would not let me put it down. I am thankful for starting it during the early afternoon because it afforded me enough time to finish it later that night. I had no choice...there wasn't a good place anywhere in the book to set it aside until the next day. Too many questions remained unanswered and the ghost was on a war path...I would never have been able to fall asleep unless I finished it!
Blood Alley is highly recommended as are David's other books which I've also read. Great job! Keep them coming!
John Podlaski, author
Cherries - A Vietnam War Novel
December 28, 2013
Well, let me start by saying that thanks to Stephen King, I stopped reading horror stories as soon as I started as a teenager. I don't remember the title of the story but it was about a Polaroid camera and a ferocious dog coming out of each picture that the camera "took." I know that was many moons ago, but it goes to show that Stephen King is a good writer. And the story was very impressionable on teenage girl.
With that said, I was hesitant to embark on new horror novel, Blood Alley, written by David Wisehart. However, I thought I'd give the horror genre another shot. I'm not an impressionable teenage girl anymore, so what did I have to lose?
Let me tell you, I'm glad that I did. The Highwayman series is off to a good start, with Blood Alley as its opening novel.
Blood Alley is about a malevolent spirit who terrorizes and kills trespassers on "his" highway. The book opens with a prologue of the story of a 1950s popular singer and his drummer who drag race on Blood Alley on a night when the Highwayman awakens. The first chapter begins in the present and focuses on a group of teenagers. Of course, the teenagers encounter car trouble and the terror begins.
Whew! I really enjoyed Blood Alley. The action scenes were spectacularly written. There were times when I actually sitting on the edge of my seat and gripping my Kindle tighter than necessary. OMG! I think a few times, I was actually holding my breath. There wasn't a lot of gore for the sake of gore. Mr. Wisehart did an excellent job of building the tension sequences and driving home the action. Let's just say I won't be driving across the deserted highway at night. And I definitely won't stop at the boarded-up farmhouse on same deserted highway.
Blood Alley was a definite page turner. I'll be adding The Highwayman series to my reading list.
Overall grade for Blood Alley: B+
With that said, I was hesitant to embark on new horror novel, Blood Alley, written by David Wisehart. However, I thought I'd give the horror genre another shot. I'm not an impressionable teenage girl anymore, so what did I have to lose?
Let me tell you, I'm glad that I did. The Highwayman series is off to a good start, with Blood Alley as its opening novel.
Blood Alley is about a malevolent spirit who terrorizes and kills trespassers on "his" highway. The book opens with a prologue of the story of a 1950s popular singer and his drummer who drag race on Blood Alley on a night when the Highwayman awakens. The first chapter begins in the present and focuses on a group of teenagers. Of course, the teenagers encounter car trouble and the terror begins.
Whew! I really enjoyed Blood Alley. The action scenes were spectacularly written. There were times when I actually sitting on the edge of my seat and gripping my Kindle tighter than necessary. OMG! I think a few times, I was actually holding my breath. There wasn't a lot of gore for the sake of gore. Mr. Wisehart did an excellent job of building the tension sequences and driving home the action. Let's just say I won't be driving across the deserted highway at night. And I definitely won't stop at the boarded-up farmhouse on same deserted highway.
Blood Alley was a definite page turner. I'll be adding The Highwayman series to my reading list.
Overall grade for Blood Alley: B+
July 17, 2013
I want to thank David for letting me read and review his book. I loved this story it's unique and creepy and will make you cringe on the side of your seat while reading this awesome horror story. Okay this story is about a spirit who controls a highway (the spirit considers it his highway) This spirit tortures and haunts you while your on"his highway". This story has suspension, making you want to finish so you can find out what happens! I loved this story and don't want to ruin it for those who haven't read it. Thank you again I Loved it!
July 21, 2013
I had read Devil's Lair some time ago and recognized David Wisehart's name so I decided to give this novel a try. I am so glad I did. This book was filled with excitement from the beginning. The story never slowed down. It is a gripping horror novel and a great read. You might just find you hesitate when you chance upon a lonely stretch of road. Watch out for the Highwayman.
I highly recommend this novel.
I highly recommend this novel.
October 31, 2014
Well, let me start by saying that thanks to Stephen King, I stopped reading horror stories as soon as I started as a teenager. I don't remember the title of the story but it was about a Polaroid camera and a ferocious dog coming out of each picture that the camera "took." I know that was many moons ago, but it goes to show that Stephen King is a good writer. And the story was very impressionable on teenage girl.
With that said, I was hesitant to embark on new horror novel, Blood Alley, written by David Wisehart. However, I thought I'd give the horror genre another shot. I'm not an impressionable teenage girl anymore, so what did I have to lose?
Let me tell you, I'm glad that I did. The Highwayman series is off to a good start, with Blood Alley as its opening novel.
Blood Alley is about a malevolent spirit who terrorizes and kills trespassers on "his" highway. The book opens with a prologue of the story of a 1950s popular singer and his drummer who drag race on Blood Alley on a night when the Highwayman awakens. The first chapter begins in the present and focuses on a group of teenagers. Of course, the teenagers encounter car trouble and the terror begins.
Whew! I really enjoyed Blood Alley. The action scenes were spectacularly written. There were times when I actually sitting on the edge of my seat and gripping my Kindle tighter than necessary. OMG! I think a few times, I was actually holding my breath. There wasn't a lot of gore for the sake of gore. Mr. Wisehart did an excellent job of building the tension sequences and driving home the action. Let's just say I won't be driving across the deserted highway at night. And I definitely won't stop at the boarded-up farmhouse on same deserted highway.
Blood Alley was a definite page turner. I'll be adding The Highwayman series to my reading list.
Overall grade for Blood Alley: B+
With that said, I was hesitant to embark on new horror novel, Blood Alley, written by David Wisehart. However, I thought I'd give the horror genre another shot. I'm not an impressionable teenage girl anymore, so what did I have to lose?
Let me tell you, I'm glad that I did. The Highwayman series is off to a good start, with Blood Alley as its opening novel.
Blood Alley is about a malevolent spirit who terrorizes and kills trespassers on "his" highway. The book opens with a prologue of the story of a 1950s popular singer and his drummer who drag race on Blood Alley on a night when the Highwayman awakens. The first chapter begins in the present and focuses on a group of teenagers. Of course, the teenagers encounter car trouble and the terror begins.
Whew! I really enjoyed Blood Alley. The action scenes were spectacularly written. There were times when I actually sitting on the edge of my seat and gripping my Kindle tighter than necessary. OMG! I think a few times, I was actually holding my breath. There wasn't a lot of gore for the sake of gore. Mr. Wisehart did an excellent job of building the tension sequences and driving home the action. Let's just say I won't be driving across the deserted highway at night. And I definitely won't stop at the boarded-up farmhouse on same deserted highway.
Blood Alley was a definite page turner. I'll be adding The Highwayman series to my reading list.
Overall grade for Blood Alley: B+
December 24, 2013
What a fun ride this was. Haunted highway is a great premise and David Wisehart does it justice. The writing is solid, the pacing moves along like a high pursuit car chase, the backstory is developed, plenty of action and slaughter, vehicular and otherwise, burning rubber and exsanguinating at 110 mph. Even the teenagers aren't annoying, which is pretty incredible for the genre. You wouldn't want to drive this stretch of a highway during a lunar eclipse, but it's certainly makes for a wildly entertaining very quick read. Recommended.
July 27, 2013
If you are looking for a fast-paced, edge of your seat, paranormal thriller - look no further. The author does a great job reeling you in from page one. Thou feel like you can't read it fast enough. Looking forward to reading more from the author.
*I was given this book in exchange for an honest review*
*I was given this book in exchange for an honest review*
November 27, 2013
A fun page-turner in the tradition of Stephen King, I'll admit when I first started reading Blood Alley I was afraid this would be nothing more than an homage to books like Christine and the Dark Tower. However, Wisehart exerts his own voice rather quickly and in the process spins a delightfully creepy tale. I'm looking forward to the next installment.
July 26, 2013
Once you start reading this book, you probably won't be able to stop. The characters are silly teenagers and the plot is quite predictable, but the writing is very good and the action scenes will set your pulse pounding. The story simply pulls you along. Overall, a good read.
November 28, 2015
Driving dangerously
I had this book since July of 2013 I just now finished reading this book and it was great action packed and lots of driving. I loved the back story with blood alley. A great read will be looking for more books from this author.
I had this book since July of 2013 I just now finished reading this book and it was great action packed and lots of driving. I loved the back story with blood alley. A great read will be looking for more books from this author.
July 24, 2013
Fast easy read. Page turner. Ending ok.
September 26, 2013
This story kept up a great pace with visceral and descriptive scenes I was fascinated by the storyline and have searched everywhere for the next book!
July 21, 2013
A classic example of a chasing ghost story.
July 31, 2013
This was a fast read. Took me about 3 hours. There wasn't anything terrible about this book, but there wasn't anything spectacular either....
August 1, 2013
Excellent supernatural thriller from a master of fiction.
August 7, 2013
Loved it! Kept me on the edge of my seat. Great plot and wonderful thrills !
August 4, 2013
Good story line, but one incident brings it close to over the top...overall, a good, fast read!
August 13, 2013
From start to finish, a great classic horror story. I will definitely be reading the second book in this series.
August 5, 2017
Good book
You people should just read this book yourselves and write your own review on this novel yourself and I really enjoyed reading this book very much so. Shelley MA
You people should just read this book yourselves and write your own review on this novel yourself and I really enjoyed reading this book very much so. Shelley MA
April 20, 2014
First, my apologies to the author for not reading and rating this book sooner.
This was one wild ride! Whew! Well written and fast paced ghost story that just kept getting faster and more weird. I really enjoyed the pace, and starting out in the 50's to help set the tone was a nice touch. This was like a Tales from the Crypt or Creepshow type story, just creepy atmosphere with a very, very creepy ghost. Living in a desert and having been down roads at night rather similar, well, I could relate to the chills and thrills this story packed in. I hate night driving and now I will be MORE than aware of red moons and dark desert roads! (yikes, gulp)
My only complaints are that there were a few inconsistencies. The main one being once Claire took the wheel and then Trevor thinking he couldn't take over and drive and had to let her. But, earlier when he was driving and they were trying to rescue Ethan, he and Dakota switched places. There was another but now I forgot...Guess it's not that important!
Still, this was at times breathtaking and I do enjoy a good ghost story!
This was one wild ride! Whew! Well written and fast paced ghost story that just kept getting faster and more weird. I really enjoyed the pace, and starting out in the 50's to help set the tone was a nice touch. This was like a Tales from the Crypt or Creepshow type story, just creepy atmosphere with a very, very creepy ghost. Living in a desert and having been down roads at night rather similar, well, I could relate to the chills and thrills this story packed in. I hate night driving and now I will be MORE than aware of red moons and dark desert roads! (yikes, gulp)
My only complaints are that there were a few inconsistencies. The main one being once Claire took the wheel and then Trevor thinking he couldn't take over and drive and had to let her. But, earlier when he was driving and they were trying to rescue Ethan, he and Dakota switched places. There was another but now I forgot...Guess it's not that important!
Still, this was at times breathtaking and I do enjoy a good ghost story!
October 30, 2013
Should have been a compelling story, but it didn't really hold me. I didn't feel any attachment to any of the characters, in fact, other than Ethan, I didn't like any of them. I also don't like that so many authors now are just taking it for granted that all teenagers are having sex. I know a lot of them are, but can we hear about some of the ones who aren't, for once? They are out there. Claire was the main character, but she was so wishy washy, I couldn't stand her. Then, near the end, when she is driving and they are hoping they might actually get away from the Highwayman, she's worried about getting a ticket and thinks they should pull over for the cop, even after everything they have just seen and gone through. Right. Not interested in what happens next.
One thing I did like is that while the boys (including the boys from the 50s), started out as d-bags, they did manage to redeem themselves. Their actions surprised me, given the way they had been before. And, if you like the blood and guts kind of thing, you might like it.
One thing I did like is that while the boys (including the boys from the 50s), started out as d-bags, they did manage to redeem themselves. Their actions surprised me, given the way they had been before. And, if you like the blood and guts kind of thing, you might like it.
January 22, 2014
When I began to read Blood Alley, I thought I was watching a James Dean movie...
The action takes place in the desert, and the protagonists are teenagers who like to hang around at a diners and play it cool amongst boys and girls. Then one boy tries to flirt with another guy's sweetheart and the two wish to win the lucky girl's heart over a car race. The typical way it used to be in the 1950's.
Of course, the race will end in the expected way, because there is supposedly some unknown persona that haunts the road in the vicinity of the diners…
The writing is OK, with some spelling errors that would be easily corrected if the author simply re-read his manuscript. This type of mystery story usually gets to me, but this one somehow failed to really grab me by my insides. What partially threw me off is the ending… the type of ending that doesn’t end… you know? Just hoping to get you to buy the next book, kind of ending. Sometimes it works, but this time it failed. Sorry.
The action takes place in the desert, and the protagonists are teenagers who like to hang around at a diners and play it cool amongst boys and girls. Then one boy tries to flirt with another guy's sweetheart and the two wish to win the lucky girl's heart over a car race. The typical way it used to be in the 1950's.
Of course, the race will end in the expected way, because there is supposedly some unknown persona that haunts the road in the vicinity of the diners…
The writing is OK, with some spelling errors that would be easily corrected if the author simply re-read his manuscript. This type of mystery story usually gets to me, but this one somehow failed to really grab me by my insides. What partially threw me off is the ending… the type of ending that doesn’t end… you know? Just hoping to get you to buy the next book, kind of ending. Sometimes it works, but this time it failed. Sorry.
August 25, 2013
Well, while starting this book I was actually almost at giving up reading it, because it was too gore to my taste. But, then there was this independent story intertwined in the book, which made me read the novel until the end. It was the uncovering of the reasons why Claire wanted so much to take this trip. What was the secret of the Highwayman and what did it have to do with Claire? If it wasn't for that added mystery, I wouldn't have continued reading. But, I won't read the next novels, as I was disappointed with the ending of the book! And next time I should choose my books more wisely, because horror stories are really not my cup of tea.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 23, 2014
The Highwayman comes out when the moon turns red at the lunar eclipse, intent on killing those who venture onto his road that night, the road that locals call Blood Alley. Now a group of teenagers with car trouble find themselves on that road with The Highwayman in pursuit. It was well written with a sub plot which wove its way throughout. One thing which spoilt it for me was that compared to the rest of the book the ending seemed a little hurried and disjointed. This is the type of book which will appeal to both fans of the horror genre and those who prefer thrillers, the pace of the novel was about right apart from the ending.
August 28, 2013
*Did a buddy read on this one with Doreen & Kerry**
Not horrible writing at all. The story was a good idea but I think the presentation of it lacked suspense. It seemed like it was getting very repetetive with the same things happening on Blood Alley, just to different people.
I thought this would have more thrill and gore but sadly, it did not.
Not horrible writing at all. The story was a good idea but I think the presentation of it lacked suspense. It seemed like it was getting very repetetive with the same things happening on Blood Alley, just to different people.
I thought this would have more thrill and gore but sadly, it did not.
August 2, 2013
For some reason I was not thrilled with this one. The story was just okay but did not engage me like other novels. It was easy reading, the chapters on Kindle were short and the last 12 chapters contain the most action with detailed gore and violent deaths. It is highly ranked in Amazon and as they say different strokes for different folks but I did not like it that much.
September 9, 2013
This started out with a bang, then really fizzled for me. :(
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews