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The Newport Curse #1
The Cursed Among Us
It has been twenty years since the serial killer known as The Black Heart Killer terrorized the town of Newport in 1979. Life mostly returned to normal after the killer was captured. All the townspeople have to do is stay out of the woods where the bodies were abandoned—their chests ripped open, and their hearts torn out...
Howie Burke and his friends decide rules are meant to be broken. That’s what fifteen-year-old kids do. On a beautiful fall day, they decide to go out in the woods to film a horror movie when they stumble across a mysterious grave. What they don’t know is that they are about to release an evil on the town unlike anything in their home-made movies. They will soon uncover the secrets of the Black Heart Killer, and what it truly means to be cursed.
Howie Burke and his friends decide rules are meant to be broken. That’s what fifteen-year-old kids do. On a beautiful fall day, they decide to go out in the woods to film a horror movie when they stumble across a mysterious grave. What they don’t know is that they are about to release an evil on the town unlike anything in their home-made movies. They will soon uncover the secrets of the Black Heart Killer, and what it truly means to be cursed.
254 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 3, 2022
438 people are currently reading
4201 people want to read
About the author
John Durgin
27 books593 followersJohn Durgin is a proud active HWA member and lifelong horror fan. Growing up in New Hampshire, he discovered Stephen King much younger than most probably should have, reading IT before he reached high school—and knew from that moment on he wanted to write horror. He had his first story accepted in the summer of 2021 in the Beach Bodies anthology through DarkLit Press. His debut novel, The Cursed Among Us was released June 3, 2022, and went on to become an Amazon bestseller. Next up, his sophomore novel titled Inside The Devil’s Nest, released in January of 2023, followed by his debut collection, Sleeping In The Fire in June of 2023. In 2024 he released two more novels, Kosa and Consumed by Evil through Crystal Lake Publishing.
Twitter- @jdurgin1084
Website- www.johndurginauthor.com
Instagram- @durginpencildrawings
TikTok- @johndurgin_author
Twitter- @jdurgin1084
Website- www.johndurginauthor.com
Instagram- @durginpencildrawings
TikTok- @johndurgin_author
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 455 reviews
February 14, 2023
I wrote it, so my review may be swayed 😁. But hey, I read through it 5 times and need to get that good reads count up right? I hope you all enjoy the book!
January 20, 2023
The book started strong with a couple of friends being fond of shooting horror films themselves within a film class. Then there is a legend about a serial killer in Newport. Was it the husband or his wife Jessica black who did the killings? Soon Todd, one of the youths, seems to be taken over by a strange force. Is it the ghost of Jessica Black? Nice horror novels with lots of references to classics like Scream, Blair Witch, Jason, Terminator and many more. The kids characters are well done. But somehow the story became a bit tedious along the pages with its premonitions and predictable action. Even a real eerie evil entity couldn't fully bring the spark to a flame. Maybe the plot was a bit too worn out overall for a long time horror reader like me... I had expected a bit more. For beginners in horror definitely worth a peek though.
April 1, 2023
What horror trope scares you more than any other? My answer is books about the occult, demons, possession—in short, this book. Being raised Catholic, I learned at a very young age you just don't go messing around with demons or anything that could invite them into your life.
In the small quiet town of Newport, New Hampshire, some never seemed to have learned this lesson. Evil is on the loose in Newport. The entire town is at risk and it's up to a small band of high school friends to save it.
The characters in The Cursed Among Us are so well written. I adored all the main characters. They each had their own inner struggle besides the primary evil of the story. This led to tough decisions for the boys along the story arc. Do they tell the adults what's going on or not? And there's also that age-old question: will the adults even listen to them if they tried to tell? We're even given a glimpse into the backstory of some of the supporting characters. It added more humanity to the story. I found that refreshing for a blood-soaked horror story.
The story was intense throughout. I kept turning pages to see what was going to happen next, despite the scenes that left me trying to read between my fingers as I covered my eyes because of fear or gore. This was a fun and nostalgic read for me. I give it all the stars (five of them) and can't wait to read my next Durgin book!
In the small quiet town of Newport, New Hampshire, some never seemed to have learned this lesson. Evil is on the loose in Newport. The entire town is at risk and it's up to a small band of high school friends to save it.
The characters in The Cursed Among Us are so well written. I adored all the main characters. They each had their own inner struggle besides the primary evil of the story. This led to tough decisions for the boys along the story arc. Do they tell the adults what's going on or not? And there's also that age-old question: will the adults even listen to them if they tried to tell? We're even given a glimpse into the backstory of some of the supporting characters. It added more humanity to the story. I found that refreshing for a blood-soaked horror story.
The story was intense throughout. I kept turning pages to see what was going to happen next, despite the scenes that left me trying to read between my fingers as I covered my eyes because of fear or gore. This was a fun and nostalgic read for me. I give it all the stars (five of them) and can't wait to read my next Durgin book!
March 21, 2023
Creepy Grave!
Small backstory:
In the small town of Newport mystery surrounds a killing that took place 20 years before when one of the town's own went on a killing spree, but things are not always what they seem as something evil lies within a lone grave out in the woods of the town.
When friends Howie, Ryan, Todd, and Cory stumble across a grave while they are out filming for their school film class is when everything goes south as they uncover a grave that has some kind of ritual stones over the top of it. The friends do not realize that what they have discovered could lead to the death of the town as the evil being lying within the grave is a witch and she is about to bring her evil might down on the town of Newport with a vengeance!
Thoughts:
This was my first time reading this author and I was impressed by how quick I was drawn right into the story! The writing style just flows along and slowly drew me into the story bringing the small town and all its happenings alive on the pages! I loved all the characters as I felt that I could just see them in my mind's eye as everyone went through the happenings within the town.
The story never slowed down once as in fact the pace picked up as the story started to escalate once the friends discovered the grave out in the woods. The last half of the book I stayed up late into the night reading it as the story kept getting faster with more things going on and I just could not sleep as I kept wanting to see what would happen next!
Looking forward to reading more by this author as I have another one of his books on my kindle that is simmering and I will be stepping into it soon. Giving this book five "Wicked Witch" stars!
Small backstory:
In the small town of Newport mystery surrounds a killing that took place 20 years before when one of the town's own went on a killing spree, but things are not always what they seem as something evil lies within a lone grave out in the woods of the town.
When friends Howie, Ryan, Todd, and Cory stumble across a grave while they are out filming for their school film class is when everything goes south as they uncover a grave that has some kind of ritual stones over the top of it. The friends do not realize that what they have discovered could lead to the death of the town as the evil being lying within the grave is a witch and she is about to bring her evil might down on the town of Newport with a vengeance!
Thoughts:
This was my first time reading this author and I was impressed by how quick I was drawn right into the story! The writing style just flows along and slowly drew me into the story bringing the small town and all its happenings alive on the pages! I loved all the characters as I felt that I could just see them in my mind's eye as everyone went through the happenings within the town.
The story never slowed down once as in fact the pace picked up as the story started to escalate once the friends discovered the grave out in the woods. The last half of the book I stayed up late into the night reading it as the story kept getting faster with more things going on and I just could not sleep as I kept wanting to see what would happen next!
Looking forward to reading more by this author as I have another one of his books on my kindle that is simmering and I will be stepping into it soon. Giving this book five "Wicked Witch" stars!
December 20, 2022
Recently, I had the pleasure of reading a short story of John’s in the ‘Beach Bodies: A Beach Vacation Horror Anthology.’ It was a really fun story and I was interested in seeing what John would be releasing in the future.
Now, I know. Durgin arrives with his debut novel ‘The Cursed Among Us, and I think this one will make a splash with the dark fiction readers out there.
Reading this one, I was super impressed to see just how much John’s prose had improved since the short story. I have no idea of the timeline around when what was written when, but the short story was good and the writing solid, but this was such a joy to read and see. I personally love seeing authors improve and I think this is a prime example of just that.
What I liked: The story takes place in a very small town, twenty years after a horrendous murder rocked the peaceful place. Now, a group of teens filming a movie for a class, end up unexpectedly releasing an entity and trying to figure out how to destroy it.
Durgin does a great job of creating a band of kids you want to root for, even when they fight and bicker, you want to see them patch things up. The coming-of-age aspect might be a turn off for some readers, but this was really well done and the survive-together parts were possibly my favorite moments throughout.
There is a lot for dark fiction fans to like in this one, and Durgin does a great job of creating this setting and using it to his advantage by making things go dark and darker when needed, but also infusing some hope and light moments to lessen the oncoming deluge.
The ending was a ton of fun. It felt like the climactic moment in movies when all of the good guys battle all of the bad guys and we see who truly makes it to the very end. Not to say there isn’t a lot of collateral damage throughout, but it really did work to finish the story off.
What I didn’t like: I did find some of the small-town characters a tad cliched, especially a few of the parents. It didn’t take away from it much, but some of the dialogue was a little too expected.
The other aspect I found odd was a teacher who seemed to be playing a large role to only have that role snuffed out quickly early on. It felt odd considering his back story and reason for being there. I won’t discuss more due to spoiler territory, but I found it odd.
Why you should buy this: As debut releases go, Durgin delivers an incredibly engaging read with a great cast of characters. He does them all justice and ultimately the entire story is lifted up even more because of that. This was a coming-of-age, small-town horror blast, one that I think a lot of people will really enjoy.
Now, I know. Durgin arrives with his debut novel ‘The Cursed Among Us, and I think this one will make a splash with the dark fiction readers out there.
Reading this one, I was super impressed to see just how much John’s prose had improved since the short story. I have no idea of the timeline around when what was written when, but the short story was good and the writing solid, but this was such a joy to read and see. I personally love seeing authors improve and I think this is a prime example of just that.
What I liked: The story takes place in a very small town, twenty years after a horrendous murder rocked the peaceful place. Now, a group of teens filming a movie for a class, end up unexpectedly releasing an entity and trying to figure out how to destroy it.
Durgin does a great job of creating a band of kids you want to root for, even when they fight and bicker, you want to see them patch things up. The coming-of-age aspect might be a turn off for some readers, but this was really well done and the survive-together parts were possibly my favorite moments throughout.
There is a lot for dark fiction fans to like in this one, and Durgin does a great job of creating this setting and using it to his advantage by making things go dark and darker when needed, but also infusing some hope and light moments to lessen the oncoming deluge.
The ending was a ton of fun. It felt like the climactic moment in movies when all of the good guys battle all of the bad guys and we see who truly makes it to the very end. Not to say there isn’t a lot of collateral damage throughout, but it really did work to finish the story off.
What I didn’t like: I did find some of the small-town characters a tad cliched, especially a few of the parents. It didn’t take away from it much, but some of the dialogue was a little too expected.
The other aspect I found odd was a teacher who seemed to be playing a large role to only have that role snuffed out quickly early on. It felt odd considering his back story and reason for being there. I won’t discuss more due to spoiler territory, but I found it odd.
Why you should buy this: As debut releases go, Durgin delivers an incredibly engaging read with a great cast of characters. He does them all justice and ultimately the entire story is lifted up even more because of that. This was a coming-of-age, small-town horror blast, one that I think a lot of people will really enjoy.
May 3, 2023
A pretty good debut novel from John Durgin.
'He turned back to stare at the woods in front of him and the trees were bending and shifting. Loud cracking sounds escaped the branches as they broke and snapped. Twisted tree limbs reached down, grasping thin air.'
Before I start picking this book apart, I need to say that this was by no means a bad book. It just lacked the correct ingredients to make it into something that stands out for me.
This is the story of a bunch of teenagers who unwittingly disturb the grave of an evil entity and unleash it upon the unsuspecting residents of their small and isolated town.
In some ways, this reads as a coming-of-age novel but also has huge elements of some of my all-time favourite horror movies. In fact, that was one of my biggest bugbears regarding this book, it was too much of a collection of influences, one minute it had huge parallels with A Nightmare on Elm Street, and the next it would be a scene from Scream and then a huge similarity to Super 8, this then continues throughout this story. To me, these elements didn't really gel together well and, for the most part, contributed to an overall lack of atmosphere for me.
The writing was enjoyable, if not a little too simplistic for me. I tend to enjoy really in-depth descriptions, which enable me to be able to envisage the settings and characters within my mind. It is all a matter of taste, as with everything else in life.
I'm going to leave it at that, I don't want to pick this book apart. I did enjoy it and I'm sure many others will love it to pieces.
'“Rest easy, Bongkey Kong,” he said, while making the sign of the cross on his chest.'
I'm intrigued to see what comes next from this author.
'He turned back to stare at the woods in front of him and the trees were bending and shifting. Loud cracking sounds escaped the branches as they broke and snapped. Twisted tree limbs reached down, grasping thin air.'
Before I start picking this book apart, I need to say that this was by no means a bad book. It just lacked the correct ingredients to make it into something that stands out for me.
This is the story of a bunch of teenagers who unwittingly disturb the grave of an evil entity and unleash it upon the unsuspecting residents of their small and isolated town.
In some ways, this reads as a coming-of-age novel but also has huge elements of some of my all-time favourite horror movies. In fact, that was one of my biggest bugbears regarding this book, it was too much of a collection of influences, one minute it had huge parallels with A Nightmare on Elm Street, and the next it would be a scene from Scream and then a huge similarity to Super 8, this then continues throughout this story. To me, these elements didn't really gel together well and, for the most part, contributed to an overall lack of atmosphere for me.
The writing was enjoyable, if not a little too simplistic for me. I tend to enjoy really in-depth descriptions, which enable me to be able to envisage the settings and characters within my mind. It is all a matter of taste, as with everything else in life.
I'm going to leave it at that, I don't want to pick this book apart. I did enjoy it and I'm sure many others will love it to pieces.
'“Rest easy, Bongkey Kong,” he said, while making the sign of the cross on his chest.'
I'm intrigued to see what comes next from this author.
June 29, 2022
This is a great first novel by John Durgin. He writes the four main boys with such familiarity and I was reminiscing about my own childhood reading this watching horror movies, having sleepovers and getting up to mischief. I felt a connection with them in the opening chapters and then all the death and bloodshed starts! John describes the scenes very well and I could visually feel how putrid Jessica looked at how well he wrote. This has a YA feel to it but its not a YA novel. For a first time writer this was alot of fun will definately check out his future releases.
July 17, 2022
An excellent, entertaining debut! Loved the 90s nostalgia feel, the unique, twisted spin on the coming-of-age-versus-old-evil trope, and the craftmanship of Durgin's prose. The plot and prose flowed more like a fourth or fifth novel than a first. I felt connected to his characters early on, as if I was part of the gang, and thoroughly enjoyed journeying with them. Will be first in line to throw down my money on whatever Durgin churns out next. Highly recommended!
January 18, 2025
In 1980, a serial killer terrorized the small town of Newport, the victims bodies appearing to be torn open by claws, their hearts removed. The killer, infamous Henry Black, branded The Black Heart Killer, refuses to tell police the location of his latest victim, that body being none other than his wife, Jennifer. He says "the world remained a better place without her." He also claims the killings aren't his fault. He says Jennifer controlled him, via a voice in his head, infesting his mind and telling him what to do and who to kill, for months "like a sadistic puppet-master."
In 1999, horror-loving Howie Burke and his three best friends, Cory, Ryan and Todd are out in the woods behind the cemetery, filming their very own horror movie. During one scene, Howie discovers something strange, covered up with branches and rocks, covered in strange symbols - which Ryan says looks like a grave.
Todd touches the grave and right after disturbing it, they hear a screech and Howie swears he sees a figure standing there watching them. They waste no time quickly running from the woods - the woods their parents all forbid them to enter in the first place - for everyone from the time of The Black Heart Killer 20 years ago, knows not to set foot in this particular place.
The next day, Todd feels funny and complains of a terrible headache that refuses to relent. He also hears a distant voice in his head, although he can't quite make out what it says to him. He also has terrible dreams of killing his friends, then he wakes to hear scratching on his wall, with the voice urging him to join her - it is definitely a female voice, after all - and to stop resisting. He sees a decaying woman at his bedroom window, with glowing eyes, urging him to come with her.
Howie and Ryan soon turn to their favorite teacher, Mr. B, who tells them the symbols they found around the grave are called sigils - used in witchcraft for protection. He then tells the boys that Henry Black was not The Black Heart Killer, but rather his wife, Jennifer, who had gotten involved with a coven in town. Mr. B believes something went wrong while Jessica was practicing this occult activity, and that somewhere along the line, she was possessed by a demon.
Meanwhile, the voice continues to plague Todd, demanding he return to the woods to remove the remaining sigils and set her free. She tells him to do as she says, if he wants his family to live. He eventually gives in, just wanting this otherworldly tormentor to leave him alone. He goes to the woods, removes the rest of the stones and begins digging her out. Suddenly, two decaying hands break free from the soil, along with a monstrous scream, then, she bursts from the grave, running past Todd into the night. He is terrified of what he just released, but what choice did he have? He couldn't take the constant voice in his head along with the agonizing headache. But who knew a demon wouldn't keep its promise to leave him alone?
The next day at school, Howie is devasted to overhear their principal talking about Mr. B's sudden resignation. He was the only one who could help them! Now the four teenagers have to fight this demon witch all alone - but how? How do you kill someone that's already dead? The only advice they have left to go on, was Mr. B telling them he believes cutting off her head and burning the body would get rid of the demon. The four friends must now band together and try to find a way to stop the Black Heart Killer all over again - before she turns the town into a bloodbath once more.
----------------------------
This is now right up there with Brian Keene's Ghoul when it comes to my favorite coming-of-age horror book. I really loved this one and I didn't want it to end. I don't have time to re-read books with my TBR pile being as huge as it is, but I do make some exceptions, and this will definitely be one of them. I'm very very excited to start his other novel and short story collections ASAP.
In 1999, horror-loving Howie Burke and his three best friends, Cory, Ryan and Todd are out in the woods behind the cemetery, filming their very own horror movie. During one scene, Howie discovers something strange, covered up with branches and rocks, covered in strange symbols - which Ryan says looks like a grave.
Todd touches the grave and right after disturbing it, they hear a screech and Howie swears he sees a figure standing there watching them. They waste no time quickly running from the woods - the woods their parents all forbid them to enter in the first place - for everyone from the time of The Black Heart Killer 20 years ago, knows not to set foot in this particular place.
The next day, Todd feels funny and complains of a terrible headache that refuses to relent. He also hears a distant voice in his head, although he can't quite make out what it says to him. He also has terrible dreams of killing his friends, then he wakes to hear scratching on his wall, with the voice urging him to join her - it is definitely a female voice, after all - and to stop resisting. He sees a decaying woman at his bedroom window, with glowing eyes, urging him to come with her.
Howie and Ryan soon turn to their favorite teacher, Mr. B, who tells them the symbols they found around the grave are called sigils - used in witchcraft for protection. He then tells the boys that Henry Black was not The Black Heart Killer, but rather his wife, Jennifer, who had gotten involved with a coven in town. Mr. B believes something went wrong while Jessica was practicing this occult activity, and that somewhere along the line, she was possessed by a demon.
Meanwhile, the voice continues to plague Todd, demanding he return to the woods to remove the remaining sigils and set her free. She tells him to do as she says, if he wants his family to live. He eventually gives in, just wanting this otherworldly tormentor to leave him alone. He goes to the woods, removes the rest of the stones and begins digging her out. Suddenly, two decaying hands break free from the soil, along with a monstrous scream, then, she bursts from the grave, running past Todd into the night. He is terrified of what he just released, but what choice did he have? He couldn't take the constant voice in his head along with the agonizing headache. But who knew a demon wouldn't keep its promise to leave him alone?
The next day at school, Howie is devasted to overhear their principal talking about Mr. B's sudden resignation. He was the only one who could help them! Now the four teenagers have to fight this demon witch all alone - but how? How do you kill someone that's already dead? The only advice they have left to go on, was Mr. B telling them he believes cutting off her head and burning the body would get rid of the demon. The four friends must now band together and try to find a way to stop the Black Heart Killer all over again - before she turns the town into a bloodbath once more.
----------------------------
This is now right up there with Brian Keene's Ghoul when it comes to my favorite coming-of-age horror book. I really loved this one and I didn't want it to end. I don't have time to re-read books with my TBR pile being as huge as it is, but I do make some exceptions, and this will definitely be one of them. I'm very very excited to start his other novel and short story collections ASAP.
August 26, 2023
2.5
The writing was too simplistic for my liking.
The writing was too simplistic for my liking.
June 8, 2022
An Outstanding Debut!
THE CURSED AMONG US would have impressed me for a tenth novel; for a first, it's phenomenal. Durgin can write, to be sure, but he also knows how to tell a story. Fans of Brian Keene, Robert McCammon, and Stephen King will love this. Highly recommended!
THE CURSED AMONG US would have impressed me for a tenth novel; for a first, it's phenomenal. Durgin can write, to be sure, but he also knows how to tell a story. Fans of Brian Keene, Robert McCammon, and Stephen King will love this. Highly recommended!
August 31, 2022
Absolutely cannot understand all these four-star plus reviews, love the premise but it was an extremely tired trope and written like it was a first year lit students homework assignment. Am I saying I can do better? Hell no, am I saying I can read better? Definitely.
April 30, 2023
Nostalgia, witches, demons.. John Durgin's The Cursed Among Us has them all. I've been wanting to read this one for awhile and I finally found an opening in my pile for it, and boy am I glad I did! What a fun read this was!
I loved the rag tag bunch of kids who could be any of us, or indeed our own childhood friends. Newport is your typical small town, where popularity and politics mean everything. But do the residents of the small forest town know more about witches and demons than they're letting on? Pull on your JNCO jeans, grab a slasher movie mask and join Howie, Cory and co as they delve into the history of what haunts their town. Some things don't want to stay buried in the past!
I loved the rag tag bunch of kids who could be any of us, or indeed our own childhood friends. Newport is your typical small town, where popularity and politics mean everything. But do the residents of the small forest town know more about witches and demons than they're letting on? Pull on your JNCO jeans, grab a slasher movie mask and join Howie, Cory and co as they delve into the history of what haunts their town. Some things don't want to stay buried in the past!
June 5, 2023
What a sad and sweet group of kids who just want to make their very own horror movie and wind up living in one instead! This one has a great pace and keeps you practically reading through your fingers as this town is ripped apart by demonic forces from beyond the grave! 🖤
January 6, 2023
This book is absolutely phenomenal!! Prepare to not stop reading once you crack it open 😆
“There’s little good in sedentary small towns. Mostly indifference spiced with an occasional vapid evil—or worse, a conscious one.” Stephen King
I experienced a rollercoaster of emotions while exploring the pages of The Cursed Among Us. From fear to sadness to shock.
It was reminiscent of some of Stephen King’s coming of age novels, but a faster pace and easier to digest.
“Dude… some crazy flying chick came out of nowhere and started… eating people or something.”
The witch was terrifying, especially during the school rampage. I was having heart palpitations as the boys tried to defeat her!
The ending is left somewhat open, and I hope there’s a second book in the works. Hopefully Howie is able to overcome his family dynamics and the coven itself are explored in a second novel.
If you’ve been waiting on reading this one…. DO IT!!!!
“There’s little good in sedentary small towns. Mostly indifference spiced with an occasional vapid evil—or worse, a conscious one.” Stephen King
I experienced a rollercoaster of emotions while exploring the pages of The Cursed Among Us. From fear to sadness to shock.
It was reminiscent of some of Stephen King’s coming of age novels, but a faster pace and easier to digest.
“Dude… some crazy flying chick came out of nowhere and started… eating people or something.”
The witch was terrifying, especially during the school rampage. I was having heart palpitations as the boys tried to defeat her!
The ending is left somewhat open, and I hope there’s a second book in the works. Hopefully Howie is able to overcome his family dynamics and the coven itself are explored in a second novel.
If you’ve been waiting on reading this one…. DO IT!!!!
May 24, 2022
Fans of horror, especially those who love slashers, even more, most especially those who spend September and October watching every horror movie they can find - will *love* this book. In fact, I would highly recommend this book to start off the Fall/Halloween season. It's perfect to set the mood for the season.
John Durgin's debut novel, The Cursed Among Us has one of my all-time favorite tropes...well, a couple of them actually: kids filming their own movie AND it's a slasher. Well, I'm calling it a slasher - it fits the formula and I'm sticking by it. These things along with the fact that there was a serial killer loose in this little town years previous are what had me picking this one up. I was also delighted to revisit the 90s as it was in New Hampshire - honestly, it had me at Starter jackets and JNCOs...lol!
We have a group of friends, teenagers, who are film students making their own slasher film for class. They're out by the woods to catch a few chase scenes in the waning light...the woods that are off limits due to it being the burial site of a serial killer from a couple decades prior. (Even though the killer was caught) The group gets caught up in getting the scene, only to accidentally find themselves way outside the limit of where they should have gone....and when they end up scaring themselves and fleeing....well, they're not exactly alone.
I will say I appreciated the author giving these kids common sense. When the proverbial pewp hits the fan, the kids talk to parents/adults and seek help. Seems like in all the movies, the kids try and handle everything themselves (and pay for it with their lives) and never talk to someone who might could actually help them. It made this story seem more realistic and plausible. Well, to the extent a slasher can anyway. :)
This story could so easily be a movie. It played out in my mind's eye just like it was one and it's one I'd love to see adapted.
John Durgin's debut novel, The Cursed Among Us has one of my all-time favorite tropes...well, a couple of them actually: kids filming their own movie AND it's a slasher. Well, I'm calling it a slasher - it fits the formula and I'm sticking by it. These things along with the fact that there was a serial killer loose in this little town years previous are what had me picking this one up. I was also delighted to revisit the 90s as it was in New Hampshire - honestly, it had me at Starter jackets and JNCOs...lol!
We have a group of friends, teenagers, who are film students making their own slasher film for class. They're out by the woods to catch a few chase scenes in the waning light...the woods that are off limits due to it being the burial site of a serial killer from a couple decades prior. (Even though the killer was caught) The group gets caught up in getting the scene, only to accidentally find themselves way outside the limit of where they should have gone....and when they end up scaring themselves and fleeing....well, they're not exactly alone.
I will say I appreciated the author giving these kids common sense. When the proverbial pewp hits the fan, the kids talk to parents/adults and seek help. Seems like in all the movies, the kids try and handle everything themselves (and pay for it with their lives) and never talk to someone who might could actually help them. It made this story seem more realistic and plausible. Well, to the extent a slasher can anyway. :)
This story could so easily be a movie. It played out in my mind's eye just like it was one and it's one I'd love to see adapted.
August 24, 2022
Howie Burke and his friends are obsessed with horror movies. There’s not much to do in the small town of Newport, but they love their horror movies, and they love their film class at their local high school. Now that they’re filming their latest mini horror movie, they’re finding themselves inching closer and closer to the woods that the town has banned everyone from entering. The Black Heart Killer who terrorized the town twenty years ago made those woods the hiding place for his victims, and the town just wants to forget all about it and those woods. One night, Howie and his friends venture deep into the woods to film and stumble upon the grave of someone. They will soon learn why the town banned everyone from entering those woods…
My best friend and I were looking for a thrilling mystery to read together when we stumbled upon this book. While this is not a thriller, we were pulled in by the paranormal aspects and overall compelling summary. It sounded like it’d be a pretty good read, so we both got a copy and dove in. We follow Howie and his small group of friends, Cory, Todd, and Ryan through each of their perspectives all book long. Each of these teenagers have their own private horror stories they carry with them, whether it’s in their personal lives, their social lives being peppered with bullies, or the curse that is about to be unleashed on them by accident. We mainly follow Howie, but we do jump around to each of his friends as well as the occasional short lived random character. Out of the group of four friends, I think we got to know Cory the least.
One of the things that I like about this book is that we spend some time getting to know the core cast before the paranormal shenanigans really get rolling. I liked the core plot, but I think we’re missing some information because I was left with a lot of questions. While I can ask the silly ones, like why fight a demon with a stapler when you’re a core member of a coven, I really just want to know what the town’s coven had been up to for the last twenty years. No one bothered to look for the grave in the forest and no one prepped for if someone were to accidentally release the demon. Even those facing the demon who knew what it took to face them did nothing but run around like chickens with their heads cut off. The whole coven aspect of the story ended up being one giant plot hole leaving me with a bunch of questions and no answers.
That said, I did like the story. Howie, Cory, Todd, and Ryan were very realistic characters. I feel bad for all of them. Howie goes home to an abusive home life, Todd is anxiety riddled, Ryan has always been a target for bullying, and Cory is just the semi-weird kid pining after Bethany. Don’t even get me started on Bethany, though. We rarely see her and her entire purpose is to be Cory’s prize if he survives accidentally rereleasing a demon on the town. As far as characterization goes, it was interesting to see the group of friends be jealous of different aspects of each other’s lives. For example, Howie is jealous of Ryan for having really sweet and loving parents while poor Ryan is just desperately trying to make friends and keep them.
Plus, the book is extremely fast paced and a surprisingly fast read. I was confused by the way time worked since it’d be night but then there was daylight before it was night again. I didn’t mind having information dumped on me, but sometimes it was done at the most random times or in strange ways. Some of the character building on characters who were about to push up daisies was done in the same way and that was kind of odd too. However, I think the author had something good going here and I think they have a lot of potential. I’m looking forward to checking out some of their future works because I think they’re someone who is going to continue to improve and eventually put out a lot of really good and solid novels sometime in the future.
My best friend and I were looking for a thrilling mystery to read together when we stumbled upon this book. While this is not a thriller, we were pulled in by the paranormal aspects and overall compelling summary. It sounded like it’d be a pretty good read, so we both got a copy and dove in. We follow Howie and his small group of friends, Cory, Todd, and Ryan through each of their perspectives all book long. Each of these teenagers have their own private horror stories they carry with them, whether it’s in their personal lives, their social lives being peppered with bullies, or the curse that is about to be unleashed on them by accident. We mainly follow Howie, but we do jump around to each of his friends as well as the occasional short lived random character. Out of the group of four friends, I think we got to know Cory the least.
One of the things that I like about this book is that we spend some time getting to know the core cast before the paranormal shenanigans really get rolling. I liked the core plot, but I think we’re missing some information because I was left with a lot of questions. While I can ask the silly ones, like why fight a demon with a stapler when you’re a core member of a coven, I really just want to know what the town’s coven had been up to for the last twenty years. No one bothered to look for the grave in the forest and no one prepped for if someone were to accidentally release the demon. Even those facing the demon who knew what it took to face them did nothing but run around like chickens with their heads cut off. The whole coven aspect of the story ended up being one giant plot hole leaving me with a bunch of questions and no answers.
That said, I did like the story. Howie, Cory, Todd, and Ryan were very realistic characters. I feel bad for all of them. Howie goes home to an abusive home life, Todd is anxiety riddled, Ryan has always been a target for bullying, and Cory is just the semi-weird kid pining after Bethany. Don’t even get me started on Bethany, though. We rarely see her and her entire purpose is to be Cory’s prize if he survives accidentally rereleasing a demon on the town. As far as characterization goes, it was interesting to see the group of friends be jealous of different aspects of each other’s lives. For example, Howie is jealous of Ryan for having really sweet and loving parents while poor Ryan is just desperately trying to make friends and keep them.
Plus, the book is extremely fast paced and a surprisingly fast read. I was confused by the way time worked since it’d be night but then there was daylight before it was night again. I didn’t mind having information dumped on me, but sometimes it was done at the most random times or in strange ways. Some of the character building on characters who were about to push up daisies was done in the same way and that was kind of odd too. However, I think the author had something good going here and I think they have a lot of potential. I’m looking forward to checking out some of their future works because I think they’re someone who is going to continue to improve and eventually put out a lot of really good and solid novels sometime in the future.
March 4, 2025
4.5 ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
What an interesting horror novel, which was violent [indeed]. Am I partial because it takes place right before Halloween [yes], but what’s not to enjoy about that?
The story begins with teenagers, and I’m not opposed to that because I read my share of YA novels. There is some backstory that is explained in the beginning, but not entirely, as that would give the entire book and its secrets away.
Leave to the townspeople to accept the confession of a would-be killer …The Black Heart Killer, who terrorized the town of Newport back in 1979. Adults would say, “Stay out of the woods,” but since when have teenagers listened to anything?
Howie and his friends would suffer the consequences of ignoring that warning, when they stumble on what appears to be a gravesite. A supernatural presence would be awakened, and the killings begin. The Black Heart Killer would [once again] wreak havoc among the town seeking revenge.
The people of this town got it [all] wrong, but where have we seen this before? Adults ignore the obvious clues, and their kids, whom I will say have a pretty good grasp of what’s happening. There is always one sensible adult, but their mortality [usually] hangs in the balance depending on how much they know.
There are no jump scares, no second guessing. This is action by way of killing …sweet and straightforward. It’s [by far] the goriest 🔪 🩸 title I’ve read this year, and it’s a quick, cringy, audible listen that will have you twisting in your seat.
What an interesting horror novel, which was violent [indeed]. Am I partial because it takes place right before Halloween [yes], but what’s not to enjoy about that?
The story begins with teenagers, and I’m not opposed to that because I read my share of YA novels. There is some backstory that is explained in the beginning, but not entirely, as that would give the entire book and its secrets away.
Leave to the townspeople to accept the confession of a would-be killer …The Black Heart Killer, who terrorized the town of Newport back in 1979. Adults would say, “Stay out of the woods,” but since when have teenagers listened to anything?
Howie and his friends would suffer the consequences of ignoring that warning, when they stumble on what appears to be a gravesite. A supernatural presence would be awakened, and the killings begin. The Black Heart Killer would [once again] wreak havoc among the town seeking revenge.
The people of this town got it [all] wrong, but where have we seen this before? Adults ignore the obvious clues, and their kids, whom I will say have a pretty good grasp of what’s happening. There is always one sensible adult, but their mortality [usually] hangs in the balance depending on how much they know.
There are no jump scares, no second guessing. This is action by way of killing …sweet and straightforward. It’s [by far] the goriest 🔪 🩸 title I’ve read this year, and it’s a quick, cringy, audible listen that will have you twisting in your seat.
August 7, 2022
The author had a good idea with this book but the
writing style is juvenile and corny. It reads like a
high school creative writing assignment. If the
prose was a bit more mature, I would give this a 4,
maybe even a 4.5 star rating. Unfortunately, the
young/naive writing style is a bit of a turn off for
me.
writing style is juvenile and corny. It reads like a
high school creative writing assignment. If the
prose was a bit more mature, I would give this a 4,
maybe even a 4.5 star rating. Unfortunately, the
young/naive writing style is a bit of a turn off for
me.
April 8, 2023
This was a fun read! It felt like an 80's or early 90's style horror film. At first, I wasn't sure how violent or gory this book was going to get, but it got there and didn't let up. Durgin has a really great writing style that made it easy to get drawn into the book and hold my attention for the full ride. I would definitely read more titles by this guy again.
May 4, 2023
This book right here!! First off the character development was top notch! Really brought you into their feelings and emotions! Also the story itself was so well drawn for you with such a oh snap it felt like it was really happening! Atmosphere description made me feel like I was watching a movie. If you haven't read this tale, do yourself a favor and read it. If you have read it again, so flipping good! Hands down 5 stars!
March 26, 2024
This book was chock full of 80s/90s nostalgia demonic serial killer genre. It kept me on the edge of my seat biting my nails the whole time. I really love reading this authors novels because he inundates the reader in this menacing and ominous setting with a great cast of characters. I can’t wait to read the second book!!📚
November 5, 2025
Well this was a creepy nugget of fun except for the abuse that Howie suffers at the hands of his father. The book before I read this dealt with the same issue. Thank goodness, that was not the main thing going on here. We have a creepy little town in the backwoods of New Hampshire that has been covering up a secret for almost 2 decades until 4 teenage boys go where they are not supposed to go and accidently unleash the fury of this long ago hidden thing. Lot's of yuckiness happens while the boys try and figure out how to stop what is going on.
I think this book would have been awesome to listen to on Audio or done as a movie. The creepy factor is there, but if you are a long time horror reader, it takes quite a bit to freak you the hell out and scare you to the point where you need to put the book down or turn on all the lights. Although creepy, I was not scared enough to do either one of those things. New horror readers, yeah, I think that might happen.
I think this book would have been awesome to listen to on Audio or done as a movie. The creepy factor is there, but if you are a long time horror reader, it takes quite a bit to freak you the hell out and scare you to the point where you need to put the book down or turn on all the lights. Although creepy, I was not scared enough to do either one of those things. New horror readers, yeah, I think that might happen.
October 9, 2024
“𝐈 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐧 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝟏𝟐 - 𝐉𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐬, 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮?”~𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐠, "𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐨𝐝𝐲"
Do you love slasher movies and stories that have the nostalgia of early King and Stranger Things? THE CURSED AMONG US should be your next read.
I grew up a Southern Baptist but have always had a curiosity for black magic and witchcraft. I found it terrifying, maybe because it was forbidden, but nonetheless, I read every book the school library had on the subject. I grew up to love the television show Supernatural, and I finally understood my obsession...it's always been good vs. evil, and I always wanted the good to win.
For a debut novel, this story was insanely good. He captured that magical feeling of friendship that I haven't seen since IT. The characters will get under your skin, and be forewarned, you will become attached to them. I don't want to give too much detail about the storyline, but if you're looking for a good coming-of-age horror story brimming with nostalgia, this should be your next read.
Do you love slasher movies and stories that have the nostalgia of early King and Stranger Things? THE CURSED AMONG US should be your next read.
I grew up a Southern Baptist but have always had a curiosity for black magic and witchcraft. I found it terrifying, maybe because it was forbidden, but nonetheless, I read every book the school library had on the subject. I grew up to love the television show Supernatural, and I finally understood my obsession...it's always been good vs. evil, and I always wanted the good to win.
For a debut novel, this story was insanely good. He captured that magical feeling of friendship that I haven't seen since IT. The characters will get under your skin, and be forewarned, you will become attached to them. I don't want to give too much detail about the storyline, but if you're looking for a good coming-of-age horror story brimming with nostalgia, this should be your next read.
March 18, 2022
Right away, author John Durgin pulls us in to a black-magic narrative.
Four friends are out in the woods filming a horror movie when they stumble upon a dark secret. It won't be long before they realize they have set free an evil, once again, on a town that is still recovering from the wounds of a serial killer.
This story is riveting. Durgin easily pulls you in and doesn't let you go until the last sentence. Throughout the story, Durgin conjured enough emotion, to have me care what happens to the kids. There is suspense and gore; and even the awkward moments all high school students face every day. He also took the time to address what was popular in the late 90's..such as the old movie store Blockbuster!
While I was reading, I was captivated in what happens next. It is a story that flows well and had my attention the entire time.
I hope to see more from John Durgin, this is a great start!!
Four friends are out in the woods filming a horror movie when they stumble upon a dark secret. It won't be long before they realize they have set free an evil, once again, on a town that is still recovering from the wounds of a serial killer.
This story is riveting. Durgin easily pulls you in and doesn't let you go until the last sentence. Throughout the story, Durgin conjured enough emotion, to have me care what happens to the kids. There is suspense and gore; and even the awkward moments all high school students face every day. He also took the time to address what was popular in the late 90's..such as the old movie store Blockbuster!
While I was reading, I was captivated in what happens next. It is a story that flows well and had my attention the entire time.
I hope to see more from John Durgin, this is a great start!!
September 28, 2023
Kids don’t speak like this. As someone else pointed out, the lack of contractions is really distracting. The dialogue seems totally unrealistic. Could not finish.
May 18, 2023
Great story about friendship and how families can be more terrifying than monsters. Ready for the sequel!
April 17, 2022
This story was action-packed and played in my head like a movie. With Stranger Things and Goosebumps vibes, it takes off running from page 1 and kept me interested until the very last page. John Durgin does a great job describing the action scenes and the monster was super creepy. It definitely would have had some jump scares if it were a movie.
My only issue was the character development. It was hard to distinguish who was who just by personality. I would only know the difference because of their family dynamic, which was talked about in the book, but there was really no reason to know about it. In addition, the boys were 15, but seemed a lot younger.
I really enjoyed this book and found myself forcing myself to stay awake at night so I could continue reading. It had the right amount of action, creepiness, and gore. Really looking forward to the next one!
My only issue was the character development. It was hard to distinguish who was who just by personality. I would only know the difference because of their family dynamic, which was talked about in the book, but there was really no reason to know about it. In addition, the boys were 15, but seemed a lot younger.
I really enjoyed this book and found myself forcing myself to stay awake at night so I could continue reading. It had the right amount of action, creepiness, and gore. Really looking forward to the next one!
February 10, 2025
The Cursed Among Us by John Durgin is a horror-thriller that is packed with action, terror, and gore! But among all the blood and violence is a wonderful friend group that will do anything in their power to save their town.
The format of this book has two of my all time favorite things with horror stories; one, an opening that dives right into a terrifying scene before we jump to a different scene to slow things down before they ramp up again, and two, an ending that made me jump up and say, “WAIT, WHAT?!”
I was totally hooked from the very first sentence of this book. I mean, John kicked things off with: Henry Black trekked through the dense forest as dawn approached, dragging the girl’s body behind him. How could you not want to know more immediately?!
If you’re looking for a horror-thriller that will totally sink it’s claws in you, then look no further.
From start to finish, I absolutely loved this book! As this was John’s debut novel, I already cannot wait to see what he does next!
Check out my full review here:
https://www.ericarobynreads.com/book-...
***** 2/4/25 - I listened to the audiobook of this to prepare to dive into Consumed By Evil and oh my gosh!! The narrator does a KILLER job!
The format of this book has two of my all time favorite things with horror stories; one, an opening that dives right into a terrifying scene before we jump to a different scene to slow things down before they ramp up again, and two, an ending that made me jump up and say, “WAIT, WHAT?!”
I was totally hooked from the very first sentence of this book. I mean, John kicked things off with: Henry Black trekked through the dense forest as dawn approached, dragging the girl’s body behind him. How could you not want to know more immediately?!
If you’re looking for a horror-thriller that will totally sink it’s claws in you, then look no further.
From start to finish, I absolutely loved this book! As this was John’s debut novel, I already cannot wait to see what he does next!
Check out my full review here:
https://www.ericarobynreads.com/book-...
***** 2/4/25 - I listened to the audiobook of this to prepare to dive into Consumed By Evil and oh my gosh!! The narrator does a KILLER job!
April 14, 2023
This book is a classic set up with a few curveballs throw in that moves at break neck speed. Small town, check. Discovery of a cursed burial sight, check. Bloody, machete wielding killers, check. The Cursed Among Us is a mash up of your favorite 80s / 90s horror tropes. If you dig throwbacks to that era you’re going to have a fun ride with John’s book. Get it on Amazon, or read it on Unlimited like I did! You’ll breeze through.
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