Bone White

by Tim McWhorter

New Paris, Ohio has a problem …

Teenage girls are disappearing, leaving panic in the small town. Luke and Garrett, two high school seniors, escape from the growing paranoia with the well-worn routine of a fishing trip. But when their boat breaks down and the storm of the century rolls in, they’re forced into a different sort of refuge …

One that may cost them their lives.

A rivetting tale of terror and perseverance.

Genres: Horror, Mystery, Thriller, Fiction

286 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2013

About the author

Tim McWhorter was born under a waning crescent moon, and while he has no idea what the significance is, he thinks it sounds really cool to say. A graduate of Otterbein College, he is the author of the novella SHADOWS REMAIN, the horror-thrillers, THE OPENING, BONE WHITE, its sequel, BLACKENED, a collection of short stories titled LET THERE BE DARK. Described as "an intelligent thrill ride that presents itself as a love letter to slasher stories," BONE WHITE came in at #11 on HorrorUnderground's Top Books of 2015.

He lives the suburban life just outside of Columbus, OH, with his wife, a handful of children and a few 'family' pets that have somehow become solely his responsibility. He is currently hard at work on another thriller with just enough horror to keep you up at night. He is available for conversation through Twitter (@Tim_McWhorter), Facebook (www.facebook.com/pages/Tim-Mcwhorter-...) or his website (www.timmcwhorter.com).

Reviews

[Jeanne Bufkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where to start??

I knew nothing of this author or of this book when I decided on a whim to buy it from Amazon. Talk about pleasantly surprised! This story is suspense at it's finest. I was completely swept away with the characters and story and couldn't put it down! I actually read it in less than 12 hours, if that says anything about the story and author's writing style.

The story is mostly told from Luke's point of view, with an occasional view into "His Daughter's/Belinda's" frame of mind. I felt like I was with Luke both physically and emotionally the entire time. I felt his fears, his moments of horror, and his brief glimpses of hope.

If you like a fantastic, suspenseful read, look no further than this amazing story. I can't wait to read "Blackened", which is a continuation of this story set a year in the future from the ending of "Bone White".

Definitely giving this one a full 5 stars!

[Marilyn Groves]

from amazon: New Paris, Ohio has a problem. Its teenage girls are starting to disappear. Panic and paranoia have descended on the small community, and its residents are on edge. Two high school seniors, Garrett and Luke, seek refuge from it all by doing some fishing at a nearby lake. But, when their boat breaks down in a remote area, they are forced to seek refuge of a different sort. With a storm rolling in, they set out on a deserted back road in search of shelter. What they find instead could provide answers to the town’s questions and solve the mystery of the missing girls. If they live to tell anyone…

I had a hard time reading this one - it was scary as hell and I don't do horror movies well! The fact that these were typical teenagers made it more difficult - I ended up skipping much of it.

yes it was well written, but I doubt I'll read any more in this genre. And I won't go down any dark basements by myself when I don't know what's there either!!!!

I'm not going to rate this one. It was written well, but I don't feel qualified to rate it.

[Brandi Judd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Omg it's a page turner and the ending....well I won't spoil that.

[Ed Gosney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bone White by Tim McWhorter is definitely not for the squeamish. This is a thrilling yet disturbing tale brought to immediacy through the use of a first person narrator for most of the story. Teenagers Garrett and Luke find themselves in unfamiliar territory during a fishing trip, and when the rain starts coming down hard, they seek shelter in an old church that appears to be abandoned.

Leading up to this, the two friends are more than aware that three female students from their high school have disappeared. This puts them on edge, and Luke wants to stay out of the church. But Garrett leads the way and Luke follows him inside, and from there things go downhill.

If you enjoy nail-biting horror stories that might just keep you up at night, give Bone White a try.

[Tonia Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is everything I love about a more fast-paced horror novel: well-drawn characters, tension that drags you along for the ride, and a satisfying conclusion. I'm adding its sequel to my TBR list. It sort of reminded me of some of the teen scream flicks- or rather, their potential that usually falls flat on the screen. There's very little supernatural in this book, but it's not needed here. The monsters are, as they wont to be in real life, sadistic humans. It's told from first person pov, which is hard for most to pull off, but McWhorter does with lean prose and subtle details.

[Stephanie Beebe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gripped me from the beginning to the end. I couldn't wait to get my hands to the sequel. I even sent my husband to get it for me because I knew that the author was going to be at an event that I could not attend.

My only criticism is that it could have been proofread one more time prior to publication. I'm picky though so that is no reason not to read the book. It hasn't stopped me from reading and enjoying the sequel so far!

[Tim Cook · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fast-paced thrill ride...

Intense and disturbing, this second installment from Ohio writer Tim McWhorter will not disappoint. Fans of Koontz and King will love this book.

[Jeanine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anxiety filled, tense thriller.

[Natasha Bennett · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are two covers available, and the tree is the better of the two as it displays a picture of bleakness and desolation. That being said, it also doesn't fit in very well with the novel, as the majority of the book takes place at night during a storm. But then again, the other cover made even less sense (birds against a white sky) so I can be happy with the tree.

I really enjoyed this book from start to finish. Tim McWhorter does a masterful job of building up description and suspense as Luke and Garrett examine a desolate church after being lost in the forest. Since the author took his time to flesh out the story, you can certainly emphasize better with the characters. For example, the main characters want to explore the church because they had just roughly spent the last twenty pages struggling through a storm. It would have been far less effective if that struggle had been summarized in a paragraph or two.

Luke is a likeable and realistic protagonist, although not quite as interesting as other characters. For me, the far more interesting development was the parallel story between the killer and his daughter, which describes a very twisted relationship. Both stories were strong to the end, and I was eagerly flipping through the pages to find out what was going to happen next.

My two problems with the book are somewhat nitpicky. One is in the actual format of my copy. I know that sounds somewhat strange, but let me try and explain. In all my review copies it is pretty amazing as to what an author believes a book should look like. Some of them are big chapters. Some of them are small. Sometimes the book size is literally 1/8 squished into a bookmark. Almost no two books are the same. Bone White is not 'seriously wonder if my Adobe is broken' type of bad, but it does take a bit of getting used to. The text shifts to the left on one page, then to the right on the next, then back to the left again. In addition, in some cases the chapters are far too short and would have benefitted with a scene break rather than a new chapter. This doesn't change the overall great quality of writing, it is just something the reader needs to adjust to. I also think the story might have been stronger if it had been written entirely in third person, instead of a combination of first and third.

The second nitpicky issue is in the ending. I am not going to spoil it, but the reader is led to believe that something happens, and at the end of the book is a blurb of the sequel which completely spoils the tension the ending was building towards. It's not a bad idea for the author to remind the reader that there is a sequel, but simply having a note would have been far better.

Overall there are a few technical issues here and there, but it's a fun read.

http://www.blackhavenreviews.com

[Tracy DiPaolo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Started this book 2 days ago but was unable to continue reading until today... Could not put it down. Excellent read and excellent writing. I wi recommend to everyone I know!!

[Josef · Rating 4 out of 5]

A truly terrifying thriller with a real and relatable "boy next door" hero. Now, I have to dive into the sequel!

[Jason Beech · Rating 4 out of 5]

An atmospheric chiller where two boys go into the wilderness to fish. They stumble across an old abandoned church which has been blacked out. With the three missing girls from their school on their mind they enter to get out of the storm which hit them.
I really enjoyed the anticipation which creeps up the spine after every chapter in this novel, and the weirdness of the two antagonists, especially the younger one.
It got a little cheesy when the protagonist finds one of the missing girls, but teenage boys are cheesy around girls, so I can get over that.
Well worth reading.

[Terry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad story. I will read the next book in the series.
One thing I noticed in the book that when Luke was
trying to get away from the big guy, numerous times
he said to himself "things are finally looking up for
me." Uh, yeah, ok!

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story

It is a grippingly terrifying story but the ending was frustrating for me. I like neat tied up endings so even the scary bits are finished. While the ending is fitting I dropped a star due to personal preferences.

[CJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author is a master of suspense! Despite the horrific and terrifying happenings throughout this novel, I just couldn't put it down. I had to know what happened next although I was terrified to do so. And the ending!

[Karen Sitts · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was ok...but

It was very good at first. But for me it was way to detailed and wordy. I ended up skipping through paragraphs to just get through the book already. I would love to read the rest but not if they are written like this one.

[em · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can't say that it wasn't suspenseful or without gratifying descriptions of gore, but it wasn't a good book. If I ever have to read the phrase "it was like a movie" again I might lose it. At least it ended quickly.

[Mr Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

absolutely horrifying!

[Karen Pratt · Rating 2 out of 5]

I listened to the audio version. I found myself zoning out a lot, was boring.

[Andy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Awkwardly written, but interesting enough.

[Horror Underground · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review from HorrorUnderground.org

Bone White
Plotforge Ltd.
Author: Tim McWhorter

“For the hour to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe.”

New Paris, Ohio. This quiet, little town is brimming with a dark secret: teenage girls are disappearing. Constantly on the mind of everyone, there is no escaping the dark cloud being cast over the small community. No one knows what happened to them or where they went, but everyone has their own theories. Two high school kids, Luke and Garrett, are out on a fishing trip when a freak storm sneaks up on them and forces them to hastily seek shelter. After getting out of the lake, the two stumble upon an abandoned church along a deserted back road. Not as abandoned as originally thought, or hoped, the two may have inadvertently discovered the whereabouts of the missing New Paris girls.

Originally published in limited form in 2013, Plotforge Ltd. and author Tim McWhorter have reprinted this title along with a first time publication of the sequel, Blackened. Both being released in August of this year, newcomers to this tale are in luck as they will be able to read the continuation without wait. I have not started the sequel yet, but you can be certain that it is on the top of my reading list.

McWhorter does an amazing job of showing the weight of the situation early on. Before we even get into the panic inducing action, dread is established and presented in a way that feels natural, breathing life into the two protagonists. Something as simple as having a fishing line caught on sticks becomes a moment of panic and fear as the characters ponder and wince at the thought of the hook dredging up a dead body. This child like fear is a wonderful example of how fleshed out Luke and Garrett are and how McWhorter uses thoughts and callbacks to experiences and knowledge that make sense for these two characters.

With the action and story being told in an almost real time format, the book starts and concludes in roughly less than 24 hours. While never overtly stated, McWhorter shows this by weaving in nonchalant nods of fatigue and the use of time frame references.The only bits of reprieve from Luke’s first person narrative are unfortunate moments of blacking out and when the perspective switches to that of “his daughter” in small segments. His daughter, the daughter of the madman that is stalking Garrett and Luke, is both tragic and psychotic. Clearly a troubled person, his daughter’s perspective provides us a psychoanalytic look into a case of mental issues and a dash of Stockholm Syndrome. Never short on creeps, these moments are both revealing and disturbing.

“Whoever it was, they were carrying something in one of their hands. Something Garrett hadn’t had. Something long. Something thin. A Machete? Axe?”

With twists and turns and quick pacing, McWhorter’s writing style reminds me of Dean Koontz at his height, or perhaps a stripped down, all killer - no filler version of Stephen King, which is both crazy and exciting to think of considering this is only his second work. Once things kick into high gear, the chase aesthetic forces you to try and out read the book in order to outrun the killer.

Never settling for just a drab story of a madman giving chase to some teens, Bone White stretches your preconceived thoughts on a slasher-psycho-thriller story. The plots is also more than a man on a religious vendetta than you would be led to believe. The deeper plot and backstory is insane and fun. I cannot wait to see where this goes in the sequel. Not that it needs one, the book ends on a very satisfying high note, but I am excited that the narrative has been continued.

With an appreciation for horror, Bone White is an intelligent thrill ride that presents itself as a love letter to slasher stories. Gruesome and intense, there is never a dull moment as the plot unravels and characters struggle. The pacing is a marathon as the reader fights alongside the narrator in a struggle for survival. Seriously, this is one damn good book.

[Samantha Pearson · Rating 3 out of 5]

My rating is purely on my reading genre preferences. I have 100 pages left to go in this book and I just want it to end. Not because the story isn't interesting, not because the writing is awful, but purely because it's going to give me nightmares. I like a good scare and suspense, but if the description of the book had been more accurate I would have skipped this book. It's a gruesome serial killer book that is set in the most cliche creepy environment you could imagine. It's everyone's worst nightmare and emphasizes the importance of every warning we've ever received growing up. If you like that type of book then this is a good pick for you, if you like a scare but not a slasher story steer clear.

[Paula Schumm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Luke comes from a small town in Ohio where three teenage girls recently disappeared. He and Garret, his fishing buddy, take off one evening on the lake to enjoy a weekend fishing and relaxing. Little do they know what is in store for them.
This is an intense thriller that is well written. The middle needs a proper edit (typos and grammar), but I really liked this one. There is a sequel. I'm getting it now! Recommended.

[Reeda Booke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting storyline and plot, but a bit drawn out. I found myself skipping parts, especially during the beginning of the storm when they are wandering around the place. More time was spent on that, than the actual characters. I would have liked to have known more about the villains.

[Stef Ploof · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ugh! This book was so hard to care about but I wanted to know how it ended... And there's a sequel. Not sure I'll be reading that anytime soon. Gruesome, a little scary, but mostly unsuspenseful mundanity. Ugh!

[Greg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably more like a 3 1/2 star book, it has a good hook to reel you in and the pace is fast and full of tension. My only complaint would be that the main protagonist goes a long while without seemingly worrying about his lifelong friend and fellow victim.

[Tim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good thriller. Very tense and captivating. I thought the ending was weak, but overall, the book wasn't too bad.

[Beth Clemons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a good book. Had to download the sequel right away!

[Plotforge, Ltd · Rating 5 out of 5]

An average teen finds himself in the midst of a gripping horror story with the most chilling antagonist we've ever read.

[Kaycee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Awkwardly written, but interesting enough.