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Floor Four

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'A loud bang was heard from above, scaring the boys. They shined their lights up the stairwell. The sounds of chains rattling on the floor stirred the dust above. Something or someone was up there. Doug, hiding his fear, took a couple of more steps up. Brandon and Kyle looked at him, their feet locked in place. They had no intention of going any further.' The old, abandoned Saint Vincent Hospital is said to be haunted by the ghost of David Henry Coleman, the notorious serial killer, known as The Mangler. Coleman died on the fourth floor after being shot by police. For the three Jr. High boys, their curiosity gets the best of them as they explore the old hospital, despite 'Old Man' Jake's warning. No one knew of Jake's dark connection to the killer and the hospital. And now, on the anniversary of The Mangler's death, a group of high school kids are planning a private party on the haunted fourth floor. Jake must keep everyone out and protect them from the true evil that lurks on Floor Four.

113 pages, Paperback

First published May 15, 2013

646 people are currently reading
1283 people want to read

About the author

A. Lopez Jr.

31 books75 followers
Born and raised in Texas and now residing in Arizona. I am an avid reader and big Houston Sports Fan. I play chess everyday when I'm not squeezing in a little time for writing. I published my first work Purgatory - 13 Tales of the Macabre and Floor Four - A Novella of Horror, an Amazon Bestseller in Occult Horror. Also completed is Night Dreams, an episodic series in seven parts that can be read separately or in one complete novel. My column, 'Ask AJ', appeared in All Authors Magazine online and I have had short stories published on Dark River Press, The Sirens Call eZine Issue #14 and the anthologies, State of Horror Illinois published by Charon Coin Press and Concordant Vibrancy published by All Authors Publishing. You can connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, and my website, alopezjr.com.

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5 stars
494 (29%)
4 stars
389 (22%)
3 stars
453 (26%)
2 stars
235 (13%)
1 star
131 (7%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 169 reviews
Profile Image for Misty Marie Harms.
559 reviews728 followers
January 11, 2022
A bunch of kids get together at the abandoned Saint Vincent Hospital and throw a party on the fourth floor. Haunted by the ghost of David Henry Coleman, the notorious serial killer known as The Mangler. Coleman died on the fourth floor after being shot by police. Now on the anniversary of his death the teens have come together for a bloody, good time. Furthering my belief that teenagers are dumb. Brandon and his friends have been warned, but it has fell on deaf ears. The Mangler is back and ready for more victims. A pretty solid ghost story.
Profile Image for Zoeytron.
1,036 reviews898 followers
December 12, 2014
After reading horror for well over 40 years, it takes a lot to make my spine tingle. I do not think the author did himself any favors by dubbing the serial killer in his novella as "The Mangler". It was inevitable that it brought to mind the most excellent short story of that name by Stephen King. Now that was a tale to twitch your innards.

Although the freebie download is much appreciated, this one is best left to youngsters who are new to the genre. In my opinion, there is not much here for diehard lovers of horror.
Profile Image for Marie.
1,119 reviews389 followers
September 24, 2023
Spooks and Screams!

Small backstory:

There is an old abandoned asylum named Saint Vincent which is rumored to be haunted by a serial killer named David Henry Coleman a/k/a The Mangler as he had been shot and killed by police on the fourth floor of the asylum.

When three friends (Doug, Kyle and Brandon) decide they want to throw a party in the old asylum as the anniversary of The Mangler's death is soon to happen, they think nothing will happen as The Mangler is just a scary story told by the local townspeople. Brandon and his friends find out the hard way that maybe some stories could be true!

That is about all I can give on a small backstory without giving away spoilers so if you want to know more then go read this book!

Thoughts:

This was my second reread of this story as I wanted to step back into this book so that I could read the sequel that just came out this year and was actually reading both books at once to get the full effect of the storyline which really made this story one scary horror ride! Once again this book took off right from the start and it became scary quick! The pace is fast and it stays fast throughout the whole story! Giving this one five "Scary Shivers" stars!
Profile Image for Peter.
381 reviews27 followers
July 26, 2016
An old man name Jake loved to tell the neighborhood kids scary stories. His favorite one was about the old abandoned Saint Vincent Hospital and the serial killer called the mangler. The mangler died on the 4th floor after being shot by police. It is said that David Henry Coleman(the mangler)haunts the 4th floor of The Saint Vincent. Jake would tell the neighborhood kids to stay away from the hospital. They did not take his warning seriously. The anniversary of the mangler was coming up and a couple of high school seniors wanted to throw a party in the old abandoned hospital on the 4th floor. Kyle, Doug and Brandon found out about the party and want to check it out. Kyle and Doug waited for Brandon but he never showed up. Brandon had second thoughts and decided that he was going to seek out and find his friends. Little did know that this night would turn his life into one hell of a roller coaster ride. This was the first book that I read by this author. This was a quick enjoyable read. I will definitely check out more works by this author.
Profile Image for Ruth.
21 reviews16 followers
April 21, 2015
This was not a bad short story. Kept me interested.
Profile Image for Janie Johnson.
958 reviews172 followers
October 26, 2016
I read this book for the Read Your E-reader read-a-thon. I have had it for a little while and decided it would be great for this. I did not know what to expect since this is a first time read of this author, but knowing it was a horror was a definite plus for me.

Synopsis
'A loud bang was heard from above, scaring the boys. They shined their lights up the stairwell. The sounds of chains rattling on the floor stirred the dust above. Something or someone was up there. Doug, hiding his fear, took a couple of more steps up. Brandon and Kyle looked at him, their feet locked in place. They had no intention of going any further.’

A tale of horror with a twist of the Twilight Zone. The old, abandoned Saint Vincent Hospital is said to be haunted by the ghost of David Henry Coleman, the notorious serial killer, known as The Mangler. Coleman died on the fourth floor after being shot by police. For the three Jr. High boys, their curiosity gets the best of them as they explore the old hospital, despite ‘Old Man’ Jake’s warning. No one knew of Jake’s dark connection to the killer and the hospital. And now, on the anniversary of The Mangler’s death, a group of high school kids are planning a private party on the haunted fourth floor. Jake must keep everyone out and protect them from the true evil that lurks on Floor Four.

I absolutely loved the plot of this story, mainly because it was a horror story that surrounded the death of a serial killer who was pretty much haunting an old abandoned hospital. The writing was not the best I have ever read, but it was doable. It had great pacing so it did flow very well so it made it a very quick read. For the most part it was an interesting tale. There were some creepy parts and also I found it to be somewhat trippy as well, so you did not realize what was actually real and what was not. I think that added to the story, but may be annoying to some readers.

The characters were ok I guess, I did not really relate to any of them. David Henry Coleman otherwise known as 'The Mangler', our serial killer in question was an interesting character, but I didn't really feel like I found out why he was like he was, so that is a big chunk missing to the story. I really wanted to know more about it and just did not get that.

This book is definitely a plot driven book rather than a character driven plot. I feel like the author could have done a lot more with the story. It is worth the read though since there are plenty of creepy parts to the story along with the trippy parts as well.
Profile Image for Book Wyvern.
558 reviews7 followers
May 31, 2015
I’m scared.

This is the first book that I can remember scaring me in a long while. The only other books I can remember scaring me like this are the Goosebumps books I read as a kid. Do not read this book at night unless you’re brave, it will have you looking under the bed and in your closets.

This has a sitting around the camp fire telling ghost stories feel to it and I absolutely love it. I kind of, just a little bit, wish it was longer but, in all honesty, it’s perfect the way it is as a novella. If I were ever to go camping with my friends, I would definitely pull my kindle out and read this story.

It didn’t drag and it was so well written that I didn’t want to put it down, I actually had to force myself to drag it out so I didn’t get cross eyed reading this. This novella is short but, it will mess with your mind in the best way. You won’t know what’s a dream and what’s reality and that’s what makes a good horror story.

Thank you for reading my review.

-Sam
Profile Image for Luciano Bernaroli.
Author 13 books87 followers
January 12, 2021
It's not bad at all.
The ghost of a serial killer haunt the fourth floor of an abandoned hospital.
A group of boys wanna try the fortune to meet the evil killer but they are awarned by the keeper of the hospital itself to not.
Obviously they'll do.
During a sort of halloween teenager party setted right in the creepy fourth floor, everything happens.

After years, something remained in the brain of one of the brave boys that challenged with the fate entering stealthly that damned party.

Somethings remained glued in the soul of the boy and want to come back...

I found it very good and impressive the whole first part of the story.
The ending is quite satisfying and predictable, perhaps it was too predictable from the second quarter to the end the whole tale.
Profile Image for Queen Spades.
Author 41 books55 followers
March 4, 2014
This is actually closer to a 3.5 than a 4.

There are many floors of thought surrounding my take on Floor Four:

Floor One: The author did a wonderful job at establishing the tone of the work. The narration felt more like a conversation at times, which made this work easy to read.

Floor Two: The work did present some characters that were easy to like, such as Jake, and characters you loved to hate, like Doug. In addition, it presented some characters you were on the fence about like Kyle and Brandon, and those elements made me want to find out more.

Side Hallway: I kept wanting to call this work "Fourth Floor."

Now let's go a bit higher.


Floor Three: There was a whole lot of repetition of certain situations and phrases that took some of the swipe out of the sickle--if you will. I picked up that Coleman (aka. The Mangler) was a bad ass from the beginning, and I don't think that element needed to be repeated by characters in the narrative. Let the character act; let the killing do the work. Also, the parts where Doug was desperately seeking truth from Brandon were a bit of overkill.

Floor Four: I was seeking a bit more cohesiveness (depth in plot) in the connection not only between Jake and the Mangler but also with Brandon's interaction with him. For me, just the sight doesn't quite hold full water. I was looking for an additional twist to come out, like way back when, Jake and the Mangler were related or something. Or that the Mangler's interest in Brandon went deeper than the whole bargaining chip angle. It just seemed as if something was really missing. Also, the kills were rather predictable.

Final Sweep:

If you are a person who is looking for very detailed storyline with twists and turns, many instances of blood and gore, great unpredictability and a read that will leave you looking around to see if the killer is in the room with you, I'd have to say "Pass." This work isn't for someone who is seasoned in horror reads or very rich psychological thrillers.

However,

If you are new to horror, like slight mind benders, and not too much gore, then Floor Four will be a pleasing read to you. For me, this work had quite a young adult feel to it, and more mild-psych than anything horror.

Profile Image for Michelle.
42 reviews11 followers
July 26, 2014
Not for seasoned horror readers. Perhaps a good start for pre-teens getting into horror, maybe, but very b grade? In fact it reminded me of something that would have been written by primary school kids with that clichéd setting and clunky and meandering prose that never really captured the suspense or built any atmosphere. Sorry but I didn't enjoy this one at all.
40 reviews1 follower
January 17, 2014
Painfully bad writing takes what could have been a fun little ghost story and turns it into a drudgery. Written in a very passive voice with a handful of spelling and grammatical errors thrown in for good measure, this book is short but seriously poorly executed. Bad. Really and truly bad.
Profile Image for Lora Milton.
620 reviews
August 26, 2020
An old abandoned asylum is boarded up to keep curiosity seekers out because rumor has it that the ghost of a maniacal serial killer who died there still haunts the fourth floor. To add to the urban legends, a workman was found hanging on that floor. A caretaker, with a personal interest in the case, tries to keep teenagers out on the anniversary of the killer's death, but the teenagers are determined to have a party there, assuming safety in numbers. What could go wrong?

This was an interesting concept, but the writing was undeniably amateurish. In it's favor I didn't see a single typo and there was only one editing anomaly in the whole book, but the suspense fell flat, the sentence structure, while technically fine, lacked finesse and the surreal scenes near the end became repetitive to the point of impatience.

Not a bad effort for a beginning writer who might develop his skills by reading some of the greats in the genre.
Profile Image for Doctor Morbid.
41 reviews1 follower
September 28, 2024
An absolutely incredible novel.

Trigger warnings:

-Violence and gore
-Mild profanity
-Self harm
-Mentions of suicide

This book actually scared me. It was very disturbing. The imagery made me uncomfortable, and so did the way the author narrated the declining mental health of one kid was very distressing. Highly recommended.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Rachel.
640 reviews40 followers
April 21, 2025
This starts with some stupid teenagers deciding to throw a party in the fourth floor of an abandoned hospital. Several years ago a serial killer known as The Mangler died there and it is believed that he haunts the fourth floor. The party is held on the anniversary of his death. Then the story follows a younger kid named Brandon after his encounter with The Mangler.

This has some scary moments but the characters are so underdeveloped that I didn't really care when some of them died. One character who I thought would be more important ended up dying. The ending was definitely eerie and unsettling and has made me want to read more of this series.
18 reviews
June 3, 2014
Floor Four was about an old hospital that is haunted by the Mangler. There was a guy named Jake who told kids scary stories about the old hospital and how the Mangler will kill you if you see him. He did this for the kids will not go in the old hospital. Jake knows a lot about the Mangler because the Mangler is out to kill him. Even though the Mangler is dead, his ghost is trying to kill Jake. There were three teenage boys who did not believe Jake. Doug, Kyle, and Brandon wanted to test Jake and went to a party in the old hospital on the fourth floor. The party did not go the way the boys thought it would. The Mangler showed himself and kills two people. During this Brandon watched it all and saw the Mangler. Whoever sees the Mangler must die. That was the Manglers saying. Brandon saw the Mangler. Ever since that night Brandon was haunted by the Mangler. The Mangler teased him by leaving blood everywhere, but Brandon was the only one who could see all the things the Mangler was doing. The Mangler kept haunting Brandon until one night there was a party and Brandon was possessed. Brandon was forced to kill Doug, his best friend, in front of tons of people. Brandon was about to kill Doug and then the Mangler was taken over and Brandon was free. The ending was good. Brandon is still scared of the things that have happened to him. Doug is still alive and Kyle is too.
I would recommend this to ages 14 and up. This book is very graphic and will make you feel like you are one of the characters. If you are older you will understand more of what the book was getting at. It gets really confusing. This is a really good book and I was very interested in it. The book made me want to keep reading and reading. The book never got boring. You would always get the feeling of what is next. What is going to happen to Brandon? It sometimes make you think yelling at the book. Like a scary movie when the characters do something a normal person would not do. Instead of running they open the closet door. This book has a lot of that. Over all I do recommend this book to all people who like horror.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Richard K. Wilson.
750 reviews129 followers
October 27, 2024
Get ready to have your dreams disrupted by 'The Mangler'!

Having read this novella when it first came out....it scared me. Then the other day when I saw it pop up on my audiobooks feed on Everand; I KNEW I had to read it again, so I listened to it this time. I have read this novella version AND the entire novel again when that one came out.....and I can tell you what; the narrator who reads this; Kevin Theis is SO good at creating voices and sound effects for each character, that this audio version is going to be the one that i look up to for all others. Yes, this is narrated THAT good!

Author A. Lopez Jr. has taken the 'old scary mental hospital' story that we all have known since being a kid, and mixed it with the scary serial killer and woven them together in a 2 book (Now both combined in ONE novel....) tale of horror that you are not soon to forget. Brandon is now going to high school in a new town, and when Halloween comes around everyone starts to tell the story of 'The Mangler', a local serial killer who was killed in the old, and now closed, mental asylum/hospital. Rumors are the building is haunted and that you can still hear the mangler looking for new victims and dragging his bloody chains behind him. Now, I know you are automatically going to say: This story has been done SO many times, blah, blah. No, this story is SO unique and perfecly written, that you will never forget serial killer David Henry Coleman....the man they call "The Mangler". Once you read or listen to this....I guarantee you that you are going to want and need to read the entire story. Check this one out...you will not regret it!

5 stabbys AGAIN!!
Profile Image for Bonnie Gleckler Clark.
881 reviews16 followers
February 21, 2015
This novel from the Horror Genre was amazing. It kept me engaged for all 111 pages. David Henry Coleman (The Mangler) has been in a murder spree for years! HIs murder weapons of choice, a sicle and chains. He is finally caught in a small Texas Town, and after being mortally shot, dies in the town's oldest hospital, but not before he makes eye contact with Jack - a maintenance worker at the hospital. From there the story builds and affect the lives of three or four young boys. Most directly affecting Brandon. This is both the story of Coleman's afterlife and the toll it takes on Brandon. I picked up this Kindle Short as a fill-in read before biting of a bigger book - I'm really glad I did.
Profile Image for megHan.
604 reviews86 followers
October 17, 2013
While looking for my next horror book on Amazon, I came across this one for free and thought I would give it a try, especially since I have a thing for haunted houses and buildings.

The creep factor of this book was really good, but at times more like a YA horror. The way the murderer did his murders in the first place was very interesting and the first couple of pages had me hooked. The ending was really good with one of those endings that only happen in horror movies. Definitely a good read.
3 reviews
January 10, 2014
Source of apprehension, mayhem, and terror...

If you're looking for a well-written, on the edge of your seat read, I highly suggest this novel. I gave it five stars, although I did almost consider giving it four. Not based on the content, but the complexity. I found some parts of the story harder to follow than others, however I believe this strongly depends upon the person who is reading. It will make you think. This novel is scary, full of twists, and is sure to keep you guessing!
Profile Image for Alicia Huxtable.
1,901 reviews60 followers
April 19, 2014
This book......well where do I start? I was intrigued from the start and found it hard to put it down. The characters were well thought out and the storyline was very gripping.......definately highly recommended for those who like the crap scared out of them
Profile Image for Doreena.
457 reviews
Read
October 20, 2014
Lots of twists and surprises...

This was a great story. For anyone who has ever been a kid and explored somewhere they shouldn't have, the ambiance will put you right back there again, and give you goosebumps.
Profile Image for Aayesha Haniff.
1 review
November 24, 2014
Best horror book ever

I chose this 5 star rate because it gave me chills while reading this book. If I stopped reading I would remember what I read. And I could imagine/picture what was going on. Heads Up *Don't let little children to read this.
Profile Image for kristen.
1 review
January 18, 2015
This book is a great read!

I chose this review because this book definitely keeps your attention. I kept wanting to read it over and over again. Especially the short stories to follow,purgatory 13.
Profile Image for Hoopz Chick x.
119 reviews1 follower
February 15, 2014
I did enjoy this book. However, I did find it repetitive in places and felt that the ending was a little rushed. It certainly hasn't made me want to seek more books by this author.
Profile Image for Brieanna Magrum.
10 reviews2 followers
March 3, 2014
Great book

this book was will written and it was very good. keep them coming. I will most definitely read another book by him
Profile Image for Amanda DeGrasse.
1 review
October 6, 2014
Very good read

I loved this book. I could not put it down and it kept me very interested. For a free book....just Download it, you won't be sorry.
Profile Image for Lori.
4 reviews
November 18, 2014
Was a good YA book. Good plot and characters. It was a bit repetitive throughout though. All in all a good book with some definite spooky parts.
Profile Image for Jennifer.
65 reviews8 followers
February 21, 2015
What a spooky story! I loved the read it kept me turning pages into the a.m.
8 reviews
May 5, 2016
I think that this is a good book and that other people should read this because it is scary and the floor in the hospital is haunted .Also this book is good because people die
Displaying 1 - 30 of 169 reviews

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