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The Waiting
Evan Tormer is haunted.
His life has been shattered by events beyond his control and regret is his constant companion. His wife is gone, lost to an unbeatable cancer. His son has been mentally and physically handicapped by a tragic accident. He’s been fired for using company funds in a failed attempt to save his wife’s life.
On a whim, Evan accepts an invitation to housesit on a picturesque island in northern Minnesota. At first it seems like the perfect second chance for he and his son to recover and rebuild their life together.
But there is something very, very wrong with the house and all that occupies it. And worst of all, Evan doesn’t know if the house is haunted...
...Or if it’s all in his mind.
His life has been shattered by events beyond his control and regret is his constant companion. His wife is gone, lost to an unbeatable cancer. His son has been mentally and physically handicapped by a tragic accident. He’s been fired for using company funds in a failed attempt to save his wife’s life.
On a whim, Evan accepts an invitation to housesit on a picturesque island in northern Minnesota. At first it seems like the perfect second chance for he and his son to recover and rebuild their life together.
But there is something very, very wrong with the house and all that occupies it. And worst of all, Evan doesn’t know if the house is haunted...
...Or if it’s all in his mind.
254 pages, Paperback
First published November 19, 2013
232 people are currently reading
1234 people want to read
About the author
Joe Hart
52 books1,376 followersJoe Hart is the Edgar Award-winning and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of seventeen novels including The River Is Dark, Obscura, The Last Girl, and Or Else. His work has been optioned for film and translated into eight languages. He lives with his family in Minnesota.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 111 reviews
November 3, 2016
This book is one hell of an emotional rollercoaster - and the ending was something I wasn't expecting.
Evan Tormer is having a really bad day. He's about to get fired for stealing money (which he paid back in full), from the company where he works, as his wife, Elle, was diagnosed with terminal cancer, and he needed the money to pay for unorthodox treatments (medical insurance wouldn't cover it) - which were doing more good than the conventional drugs she was taking. A bit more good, anyway - though she succumbed to the disease in the end. He pleads to keep his job as a writer, to no avail. In the space of about thirty seconds, he manages to commit two offenses/misdemeanours; assault, because some ass-clown escorting him out says something nasty about his son, Shaun - who is mentally disabled; due to a truck crashing into Evans car at an intersection a few years back, when Shaun was three years old. So Colt gets the elbow in the face. Evan also commits blackmail, when the person who just fired him, Christy, reaches for the phone. Luckily, the year before, he caught her on her knees - and she wasn't doing penitence or evening prayers; she was looking for an early promotion, pay rise or employee of the month award. She probably got all three, though her mouth was full at the time, so she didn't notice Evan sneaking out of Tillman's (C E O' s) office. He threatens to tell Tillman's wife.
He leaves the place where he's worked for the last eight years - and meets his friend, Jason, who has a solution to his woes. All he has to do is house-sit on an island, known as the Fin (because it looks like a sharks fin). The house belonged to Jason's grandparents, but is now technically his - and the previous caretaker, Bob, has disappeared. All Evan has to do is take care of the property; do a little light maintenance and he'll also get paid for it. At first he declines; mainly because of his sons medical needs - but Jason tells him there's everything he needs at Mill River, where the island is located.
Anyway, he's not on the island long before things start happening that can't be explained. And the one thing that is central to the story is down in the basement of the property. Mill River is a town with a dark history and a myriad of secrets.
I really liked the main character; he is devoted to caring for his son - who has speech, balance, motor and developmental disabilities. So his life has been an upward struggle since the death of his wife and the accident. He is almost flawless in character; except for a couple of instances where he loses his temper. There's also a bit of a romance going on - which I thought was going in one direction, but had a twist I didn't see coming, to say the least.
I really enjoyed the book. I'll have to check out the authors other novels, sometime.
Evan Tormer is having a really bad day. He's about to get fired for stealing money (which he paid back in full), from the company where he works, as his wife, Elle, was diagnosed with terminal cancer, and he needed the money to pay for unorthodox treatments (medical insurance wouldn't cover it) - which were doing more good than the conventional drugs she was taking. A bit more good, anyway - though she succumbed to the disease in the end. He pleads to keep his job as a writer, to no avail. In the space of about thirty seconds, he manages to commit two offenses/misdemeanours; assault, because some ass-clown escorting him out says something nasty about his son, Shaun - who is mentally disabled; due to a truck crashing into Evans car at an intersection a few years back, when Shaun was three years old. So Colt gets the elbow in the face. Evan also commits blackmail, when the person who just fired him, Christy, reaches for the phone. Luckily, the year before, he caught her on her knees - and she wasn't doing penitence or evening prayers; she was looking for an early promotion, pay rise or employee of the month award. She probably got all three, though her mouth was full at the time, so she didn't notice Evan sneaking out of Tillman's (C E O' s) office. He threatens to tell Tillman's wife.
He leaves the place where he's worked for the last eight years - and meets his friend, Jason, who has a solution to his woes. All he has to do is house-sit on an island, known as the Fin (because it looks like a sharks fin). The house belonged to Jason's grandparents, but is now technically his - and the previous caretaker, Bob, has disappeared. All Evan has to do is take care of the property; do a little light maintenance and he'll also get paid for it. At first he declines; mainly because of his sons medical needs - but Jason tells him there's everything he needs at Mill River, where the island is located.
Anyway, he's not on the island long before things start happening that can't be explained. And the one thing that is central to the story is down in the basement of the property. Mill River is a town with a dark history and a myriad of secrets.
I really liked the main character; he is devoted to caring for his son - who has speech, balance, motor and developmental disabilities. So his life has been an upward struggle since the death of his wife and the accident. He is almost flawless in character; except for a couple of instances where he loses his temper. There's also a bit of a romance going on - which I thought was going in one direction, but had a twist I didn't see coming, to say the least.
I really enjoyed the book. I'll have to check out the authors other novels, sometime.
April 28, 2019
Note- This did not originally post with the app for it froze up.
I give this book 2 stars. Spoilers to explain. I understand that grief is an ugly beast and everyone grieves different. Regardless, the character Evan throughout the book mentions how he would be lost is he did not have his son. Why would Evan take his son that has special needs out to lake where medical care is not near by? In the book it mentions that Evan was so distraught he did not think about ensuring that medical care was not closer( not in those exact words).
I will finish this later this week.
Update: 4/28/2019 10:57 am Eastern Standard Time
I could not enjoy the story because of what I mentioned above. I was going to elaborate. However, I do not feel like it now.
Mahalo
🇺🇸🐾
I give this book 2 stars. Spoilers to explain. I understand that grief is an ugly beast and everyone grieves different. Regardless, the character Evan throughout the book mentions how he would be lost is he did not have his son. Why would Evan take his son that has special needs out to lake where medical care is not near by? In the book it mentions that Evan was so distraught he did not think about ensuring that medical care was not closer( not in those exact words).
I will finish this later this week.
Update: 4/28/2019 10:57 am Eastern Standard Time
I could not enjoy the story because of what I mentioned above. I was going to elaborate. However, I do not feel like it now.
Mahalo
🇺🇸🐾
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 12, 2019
Joe Hart has solid writing chops. The characterization and world-building throughout The Waiting - a supernatural mystery focusing on the trials and tribulations surrounding lone parent Evan Tormer - is first class.
Evan Tormer's world is in pieces: A serious RTA leaves his young son, Shaun, with a debilitating brain injury, and not long after this his wife dies from cancer. Add to this that Evan then loses his job, and you'll appreciate this is a man more than down on his luck - he is beginning to wonder, "What is the point?"
Evan has a lifelong "best friend" named Jason, and Jason suggests a way for Evan to make some money, while at the same time offering a change of scenery from the grind of the city. Jason's grandparents lived in a solitary house on an island at the center of a huge swathe of inland water, and the house - now standing empty - requires a live-in caretaker.
Evan and Shaun soon settle to life on the island, and they build relationships with a number of well drawn characters from the nearby town. But it doesn't take long for events to take a darker turn. A number of odd sightings within the house and surrounding lands, leaves Evan feeling decidedly uncomfortable with the situation.
And then Evan begins trailing an even deeper mystery; it is one that comes with repercussions.
This was definitely a slow burn mystery, but I greatly enjoyed The Waiting. The one downside (at least for me) was the final confrontation with the 'big bad.' After such an intriguing build up, I would have liked things to have played out with more detail; to have learned more about the workings and long-term machinations of the evil they faced.
Evan Tormer's world is in pieces: A serious RTA leaves his young son, Shaun, with a debilitating brain injury, and not long after this his wife dies from cancer. Add to this that Evan then loses his job, and you'll appreciate this is a man more than down on his luck - he is beginning to wonder, "What is the point?"
Evan has a lifelong "best friend" named Jason, and Jason suggests a way for Evan to make some money, while at the same time offering a change of scenery from the grind of the city. Jason's grandparents lived in a solitary house on an island at the center of a huge swathe of inland water, and the house - now standing empty - requires a live-in caretaker.
Evan and Shaun soon settle to life on the island, and they build relationships with a number of well drawn characters from the nearby town. But it doesn't take long for events to take a darker turn. A number of odd sightings within the house and surrounding lands, leaves Evan feeling decidedly uncomfortable with the situation.
And then Evan begins trailing an even deeper mystery; it is one that comes with repercussions.
This was definitely a slow burn mystery, but I greatly enjoyed The Waiting. The one downside (at least for me) was the final confrontation with the 'big bad.' After such an intriguing build up, I would have liked things to have played out with more detail; to have learned more about the workings and long-term machinations of the evil they faced.
February 15, 2014
I received this book through a GoodReads "First Reads" giveaway.
An atmospheric chiller that blends the contemporary haunted house story with the old school "weird tale" to create a powerfully creepy read. Written with pitch-perfect pacing and fully fleshed characters, this novel had the hair on the back of my neck standing up, along with some sleepless nights brought on by the ticking of a clock. It doesn't get much better than that, folks!
Highly recommended!
An atmospheric chiller that blends the contemporary haunted house story with the old school "weird tale" to create a powerfully creepy read. Written with pitch-perfect pacing and fully fleshed characters, this novel had the hair on the back of my neck standing up, along with some sleepless nights brought on by the ticking of a clock. It doesn't get much better than that, folks!
Highly recommended!
March 7, 2019
I listened to the audiobook. Eric did a fantastic job reading this one. The story is really good and entertaining. I had no idea where it was going but that’s ok! I liked that. The characters were great. I loved the ending. I think too few authors are willing to go there so when one does, I applaud them and don’t forget it. This was my first dose of Joe Hart but certainly will not be the last.
March 16, 2019
A fantastic, entertaining read. The Waiting has everything I look for in a scary story. I loved the way the story of Evan and his brain damaged son unfolded, leaf by leaf. The tragic loss of his wife, Elle, was a real heart strings tugger and his struggles to look after his son, while alone and desperate felt so real.
The house cast a sinister shadow right from the start and never let up. The tension and suspense dripped off every page and the cast of characters was both eclectic and intriguing. Evan's own battles to hang on to what remained of his sanity meant the reader could never be quite what was real.
The pace was fast, but not so fast that it left you breathless, more the speed where you simply can't wait to find out what happens next. As for the ending? Perfect. Joe Hart is a talented author of horror and I am glad to see I have much more of his work to look forward to.
The house cast a sinister shadow right from the start and never let up. The tension and suspense dripped off every page and the cast of characters was both eclectic and intriguing. Evan's own battles to hang on to what remained of his sanity meant the reader could never be quite what was real.
The pace was fast, but not so fast that it left you breathless, more the speed where you simply can't wait to find out what happens next. As for the ending? Perfect. Joe Hart is a talented author of horror and I am glad to see I have much more of his work to look forward to.
January 28, 2016
Evan Tormer lost his wife to cancer and his son Shaun was in a terrible car accident. The car accident left Shaun with brain damage and lost of his motor skills. Evan, could not afford to pay his wife's medical, so he embezzled money from the company that he work at. Although he paid all the money back, his employer had to let him go. Evan's best friend Jason, comes up with a fantastic idea to help his friend out. Jason tells Evan that he can live at his lakeside cabin, until he gets back on his feet. Jason will pay Evan to be the caretaker of the lakeside cabin. Evan inquired about the last caretaker and was told that one day he left and never came back. For Evan and Shaun, this is a chance to build a new life together. Evan promised his wife before she died, that he would never let anything happen to their son. Evan and Shaun moved in right away and everything goes downhill after that. Evan will find out that the house holds many dark and disturbing secrets. The characters were really well developed but most of all, I enjoyed the relationship between Evan and his son Shaun. Joe Hart is a good writer and a great storyteller. I highly recommend this book!
April 13, 2019
A horror story full of emotion, personal struggle, strong supernatural themes, and an unseen romantic twist that I never saw coming.
I thought that the ending was wrapped up a little to quickly, a little to neatly with cliche visual description, but it takes nothing away from the "real world" base of the story.
A strong 4 stars.
I thought that the ending was wrapped up a little to quickly, a little to neatly with cliche visual description, but it takes nothing away from the "real world" base of the story.
A strong 4 stars.
September 17, 2015
*Audio version*
After his wife succumbs to cancer, Evan and his son Shaun take a sabbatical to recuperate while housesitting at a friend’s place on a small island in Minnesota. Unfortunately, while the seclusion is good for Evan’s writing and for getting some time with his son, they soon realize that they are not entirely alone. Ghosts of the past resurface and have set their sights on Evan and Shaun. With the help of a pretty psychiatrist they will need to track down the history of the place and solve its mysteries before all of them are lost forever.
The narration for this one was very good and the pacing was perfect for the story line and really added to the creepy, dark atmosphere. The characterization was well thought out and the relationship between father and son was spot on. There were also a few twists that I didn’t see coming and I thought they were smartly done and not clichéd as they may have been with a lesser storyteller. A well done supernatural chiller. 3+ Stars
After his wife succumbs to cancer, Evan and his son Shaun take a sabbatical to recuperate while housesitting at a friend’s place on a small island in Minnesota. Unfortunately, while the seclusion is good for Evan’s writing and for getting some time with his son, they soon realize that they are not entirely alone. Ghosts of the past resurface and have set their sights on Evan and Shaun. With the help of a pretty psychiatrist they will need to track down the history of the place and solve its mysteries before all of them are lost forever.
The narration for this one was very good and the pacing was perfect for the story line and really added to the creepy, dark atmosphere. The characterization was well thought out and the relationship between father and son was spot on. There were also a few twists that I didn’t see coming and I thought they were smartly done and not clichéd as they may have been with a lesser storyteller. A well done supernatural chiller. 3+ Stars
April 1, 2019
Evan Tormer is a man haunted by grief. In the space of a few years Evan's wife dies from cancer and his young son is left with brain trauma following a traffic accident. As if things could get worse, Evan then loses his job.
A friend offers him the opportunity to house sit the family's holiday home. A house that has been passed down through the family, it sits on an idyllic island. Things at last appear to be picking up for Evan.
Or not!
This is a really well written story that I enjoyed, with excellent characterization and with some genuinely surprising twists in the tale. But it may not be to everyone's taste as it is something of a slow burn.
If you enjoy the quieter side of horror then I'd suggest giving The Waiting a go.
A friend offers him the opportunity to house sit the family's holiday home. A house that has been passed down through the family, it sits on an idyllic island. Things at last appear to be picking up for Evan.
Or not!
This is a really well written story that I enjoyed, with excellent characterization and with some genuinely surprising twists in the tale. But it may not be to everyone's taste as it is something of a slow burn.
If you enjoy the quieter side of horror then I'd suggest giving The Waiting a go.
March 26, 2019
I really enjoyed this supernatural thriller, but I am not at home and cannot write the review that it deserves at the moment. So-- "I'll be back!" --Jen from Quebec :0)
January 23, 2014
Disclaimer: I received this title through a Goodread first reads giveaways. This is my fair and unbiased review.
I was very impressed with The Waiting. Having never read anything from Joe Hart I wasn't sure exactly how it would be, just that it sounded like a promising book. What I got was a great read that made me think about how certain things might be behind the words written on the page.
The setting and atmosphere of this book were great and something I could properly imagine going on. My favorite part of the book was seeing the relationship between father and son and imaging how it might feel to be in a similar situation. I have some thoughts about the relationship beyond what is spelled out based on how the father communicates with his son, but I won't get into that as I want to avoid any spoilers or anything like that. I will say that it is a creepy read, one that may just give you the chills. I also enjoyed the ending of this one.
I will say that this book could have used more editing, but the editing issues did not take away from the story and were only a very minor distraction at times. There are also no page numbers printed in the copy I received, though that didn't really bother me most of the time as I was just into the story too much to really care about what page I was on.
Overall I give this one 4.25/5
I was very impressed with The Waiting. Having never read anything from Joe Hart I wasn't sure exactly how it would be, just that it sounded like a promising book. What I got was a great read that made me think about how certain things might be behind the words written on the page.
The setting and atmosphere of this book were great and something I could properly imagine going on. My favorite part of the book was seeing the relationship between father and son and imaging how it might feel to be in a similar situation. I have some thoughts about the relationship beyond what is spelled out based on how the father communicates with his son, but I won't get into that as I want to avoid any spoilers or anything like that. I will say that it is a creepy read, one that may just give you the chills. I also enjoyed the ending of this one.
I will say that this book could have used more editing, but the editing issues did not take away from the story and were only a very minor distraction at times. There are also no page numbers printed in the copy I received, though that didn't really bother me most of the time as I was just into the story too much to really care about what page I was on.
Overall I give this one 4.25/5
October 20, 2015
Great new author that Ive discovered!
A supernatural thriller/horror story that totally rocked. Beautifully descriptive and a real page turner.
Synopsis:
Our main character, "Evan", has lost his wife to cancer and he is left to take care of their son who previously had been in a car accident causing the child brain damage. Things are really hard for this now single dad. He is broke, has lost his job because he embezzled money during his wifes cancer treatments and though he did pay the employer back, he is nonetheless let go. Evan's best friend has a great idea and asks Evan to move with his son into a lake home on an island that has been in his family's care for a long time. He can take care of the home whilst being paid to do so and also allowing this withered man some time to try and hold on to some sanity and spend as much time with his son as possible. He desperately needs to get back on his feet.
Things go downhill very quickly as this perfect opportunity is quickly a terrible one. The home is haunted and many secrets remain to be uncovered. Written so well, I found it an addictive read.
A supernatural thriller/horror story that totally rocked. Beautifully descriptive and a real page turner.
Synopsis:
Our main character, "Evan", has lost his wife to cancer and he is left to take care of their son who previously had been in a car accident causing the child brain damage. Things are really hard for this now single dad. He is broke, has lost his job because he embezzled money during his wifes cancer treatments and though he did pay the employer back, he is nonetheless let go. Evan's best friend has a great idea and asks Evan to move with his son into a lake home on an island that has been in his family's care for a long time. He can take care of the home whilst being paid to do so and also allowing this withered man some time to try and hold on to some sanity and spend as much time with his son as possible. He desperately needs to get back on his feet.
Things go downhill very quickly as this perfect opportunity is quickly a terrible one. The home is haunted and many secrets remain to be uncovered. Written so well, I found it an addictive read.
August 7, 2014
I really liked this book. If Evan didn't have bad luck, he would have no luck at all! There was a twist with the "romantic interest" that I didn't see coming and I loved it! The mystery of the clock kept my interest and it made me think of a clock at my parent's house. The ending was great! I would recommend this book.
November 2, 2014
Immediately after reading Joe Hart's The River Is Dark, I read two of his supernatural thriller offerings, The Waiting and Lineage. Both are pretty well done and plot wise quite different from each other though some aspects are the same. The Waiting is actually quite creepy and I think Mr. Hart did an excellent job with his main character, Evan, the unhappy widower father of a profoundly disabled child. As in all 3 of the Joe Hart novels I've read thus far, the editing could be better, and Mr. Hart should probably consult a dictionary when using words like "abhor" and "statuesque". Truly, there is some good raw talent here; Mr. Hart knows scary and in time I could see him taking a seat next to such horror luminaries as the immortal Uncle Stephen and Peter Straub.
January 23, 2018
I had the opportunity to read The Waiting, one of Joe Hart’s earlier novels. This supernatural tale involves a young widower and his disabled son residing on an island in one of the countless lakes of northern Minnesota. There are ghosts aplenty, scary incidents, a creepy backstory and a haunted grandfather clock to propel the story. The early setup is nicely done. Our protagonist, Evan Tormer, is nicely drawn and the geographical setting is an interesting character in its own right. The second quarter of the book meanders a bit with a couple of torpid scare scenes. The action picks up the pace and the storyline gels at around the half-way point. The puzzle pieces start falling into place and momentum builds. There were two or three genuine freaky passages that chilled me and I honestly didn’t see where the plot was going. The ending was nicely handled, too, although the subplot involving a potential love interest didn’t quite achieve the author’s intentions – at least for me. On the other hand, I found the subplot of a single dad raising a disabled child to be a unique addition. The child is portrayed with dignity, so kudos to Mr. Hart on that score.
March 11, 2020
I cannot recommend this book more. This is one of the best books I’ve read in sometime. Joe Hart has a knack for writing real characters. And with this one he has created 2 of the most endearing characters yet.
The Waiting is marketed as a “supernatural thriller”. It is sooo much more.
Evan Tormer is in hell. His wife passed from cancer and his son suffered a traumatic brain injury that leaves him relying on his father. It’s just Evan and his son Shaun as they move to an island home to become its caretaker and hopefully get him writing again.
I’m very careful in writing these reviews because I hate spoilers. So, having said that, I will say that the supernatural aspect of the story starts slowly and builds.
But when Evan discovers a grandfather clock in the basement, the suspense ramps up. See, its not an ordinary grandfather clock. It’s size is massive, its color deep black, and the symbols around the face are certainly not normal numbers. Does it just look monstrous? Or is it actually a monster? I’m not saying. But when you find out what it does, it brings up so many what if’s. And Evan wonders too.
The main 2 characters, Evan & Shaun are so real. The things Evan has to deal with in raising a son with a severe brain injury are just so honest and so real it made me wonder if maybe author Joe Hart has had the opportunity to work with or observe people with traumatic brain injuries. Whatever he did to research that type of injury, he delved deep.
I am not a reader that gets very emotional when reading. I’ve always stated that Robert McCammon’s A Boy’s Life is the only book to make me shed a tear. Well, Joe Hart’s The Waiting, is the 2nd. I fell in love with Evan and Shaun and their everyday struggles as well as the paranormal problems as well. When the shit hits the fan as the book is winding down, the emotions ran high.
I loved this book. I thought the supernatural aspect was perfectly done. Not too much, not too little. Hart set it all up, then slowly knocked ‘em all down.
Joe Hart is one of our great writers and if you’ve read this far I strongly urge you to grab this book.
The Waiting is marketed as a “supernatural thriller”. It is sooo much more.
Evan Tormer is in hell. His wife passed from cancer and his son suffered a traumatic brain injury that leaves him relying on his father. It’s just Evan and his son Shaun as they move to an island home to become its caretaker and hopefully get him writing again.
I’m very careful in writing these reviews because I hate spoilers. So, having said that, I will say that the supernatural aspect of the story starts slowly and builds.
But when Evan discovers a grandfather clock in the basement, the suspense ramps up. See, its not an ordinary grandfather clock. It’s size is massive, its color deep black, and the symbols around the face are certainly not normal numbers. Does it just look monstrous? Or is it actually a monster? I’m not saying. But when you find out what it does, it brings up so many what if’s. And Evan wonders too.
The main 2 characters, Evan & Shaun are so real. The things Evan has to deal with in raising a son with a severe brain injury are just so honest and so real it made me wonder if maybe author Joe Hart has had the opportunity to work with or observe people with traumatic brain injuries. Whatever he did to research that type of injury, he delved deep.
I am not a reader that gets very emotional when reading. I’ve always stated that Robert McCammon’s A Boy’s Life is the only book to make me shed a tear. Well, Joe Hart’s The Waiting, is the 2nd. I fell in love with Evan and Shaun and their everyday struggles as well as the paranormal problems as well. When the shit hits the fan as the book is winding down, the emotions ran high.
I loved this book. I thought the supernatural aspect was perfectly done. Not too much, not too little. Hart set it all up, then slowly knocked ‘em all down.
Joe Hart is one of our great writers and if you’ve read this far I strongly urge you to grab this book.
March 17, 2019
This book is exactly what I like in a horror novel--really creepy and suspenseful, well-written, just a bit of gore and a twist I don't see coming. I will definitely have to check out more books by this author.
July 22, 2015
"The Waiting" by Joe Hart is the third book I've read by this author. "The River is Dark" and "Singularity" both I rated as five star books but I can't do that with this one. The lead character "Evan Torner" for me was not a likable character. I couldn't even feel sorry for him. With all kinds of warning signs he time after time could not read the writing on the wall and left himself and his son and a few others in danger so clear that anyone else would have ran for the hills long before they met their fate. The "evil" in this story wasn't what one would call "first rate" either. It didn't come looking for it's victims they had to come to it like a fly to a spider web but with big bright warning signs saying "Don't go Here" or "Danger,Danger, Turn Back". Of course this is only my take on the book. I say if you like the author read it, if you haven't read anything by this author pick one of his other books.
March 18, 2015
I've been reading a lot of horror novels available on Kindle Unlimited. It's been a gamble. Most are mildly entertaining and a few just feel like amateur creative writing exercises. Joe Hart's The Waiting was the first to really scare me in a long time. I judge a horror novel based on how it makes me feel at night when I turn the light off. Does it make me want to hide under the covers, avoid looking at dark corners, and invite my 90lb mastiff to sleep next to me? The Waiting certainly met all that criteria. Of course, creepy dolls always get me but Mr. Hart did a great job setting the mood of the story and being truly creepy and unsettling. The main characters were very easy to relate to and root for. The story wasn't predictable and I loved the ending. I look forward to reading more of his work.
April 8, 2014
Loved it!
Loved it!
A beautiful end to a nightmare. I think I'll see what else this author has up his sleeve for me.
Loved it!
A beautiful end to a nightmare. I think I'll see what else this author has up his sleeve for me.
March 30, 2014
It's not often I get chills from reading books - but with this one, I did. Three times.
Loved it!
Loved it!
March 17, 2015
Today I’m reviewing another winner from Joe Hart. He is fast becoming a favorite on my author’s list. I thought I had the ending figured out, but I was in for one hell of a surprise. This book did not end the way I expected it to…..it was better, and creepier than I imagined. The scares in this one were not as overt and in your face as they were in The Lineage - you began to wonder if you were seeing things yourself, along with the character. In my opinion that added an even more chilling element, the fact that I wasn’t sure if what I was reading was actually happening, or was in someone’s head. Also I would be remiss if I didn’t mention it, there’s a doll in this story. I hate dolls, and spent most of the book being creeped out by it. There’s a lot of elements that are scary “triggers” in this novel: the isolated house, the creepy basement, strange sounds you can’t explain, that damn doll - all without anything actually jumping out at you and yelling booga booga booga. The creep factor is severely high in this book. I loved every second of it.
When we first meet Evan Tormer, he is in the middle of getting fired from his job. He is getting fired because he stole money from the company to pay for experimental treatments in the desperate hope of curing his wife’s cancer. It was all in vain, his wife Elle died of the cancer, and although he replaced the money from her life insurance, the company lets him go. He considers himself lucky that they didn’t pursue legal prosecution for the theft. His only concern at this point is for his son, Shaun. Shaun has a TBI (traumatic brain injury) due to a car accident when he was three. He has to have physical and speech therapy, and 24 hour assistance. Evan worries that he will have to let his nurse go, and that he will not be able to provide adequate care for Shaun. From the very beginning of this novel the impression that you have of Evan is of a man who loves his son fiercely, but is otherwise unmoored from life, devastated by his wife’s demise. He just doesn’t know what to do with himself.
Evan’s best friend since childhood, Jason, offers him a position as a caretaker at a house that he has up north. He initially refuses, not wanting to take the obvious handout. But after a sleepless night wondering what he should do, he calls Jason back and takes the job. He has done some freelance writing before, and figures he can use the time there to build up a nest egg of both articles and money. The house is on an island that the locals call The Fin, and is accessible only by boat. This gives Evan pause for a moment, but he goes with it. I have to say, for such a small town, they had a surprisingly modern hospital and physical therapy unit, he didn’t have any trouble at all seeing to his son’s therapy needs. The hospital also offers the services of a personal care assistant, if he needs it. I found that surprising for as small of a town as it is described.
Soon we see Evan and Shaun arriving on the Fin, carried out there by Jacob, a likeable crusty character who runs the general store and was close to Jason’s grandparents, the original owners of the house. They get an unpleasant surprise first thing. The former caretaker, Bob, apparently just up and walked out one day, leaving all of his things behind, including all of the food in the fridge. Ugh. After dealing with that mess Evan starts exploring the house. The lights don’t work in the basement, which is already starting to freak him out. He goes down in the dark, tries the lights at the bottom of the stairs (which work) and about shits himself when the first thing he sees is a doll. It’s standing up, so his first thought was that it was a child. What’s creepy is that the doll’s mouth is covered with duct tape. That would freak me out too. He finds a huge unfinished grandfather clock as well, and thinks that the clock itself is scary. It’s very large, with three cases for the pendulums. He comments that the middle case is almost wide enough for a grown man to walk through. He dreams about it that night, thinks he hears it ticking as he goes back to sleep. Next day they go to town, where Evan talks to Jacob, and asks him about the former caretaker. There was a search for him, but nothing was ever found. General consensus is that he just got tired of being there and walked off the job for parts unknown.
Evan makes a connection with Selena Belgaurd - they meet when she loses her paddle from her canoe into the lake near the island and Evan gets it back to her. She has a house on the other side of the lake, and is a psychologist. She brings a pie by to thank them. They share a glass of wine and he tells her about the car accident that caused Shaun’s TBI and that his wife died from cancer, two years later.
She seems interested in Evan, but notices that he is still wearing his ring. Elle died fairly recently, so that’s not a big surprise. That night he is sure that he hears the clock ticking from in the basement. He shines a flashlight down the stairs, sees the doll standing on the landing, and about shits himself again. (It must be one of those life size dolls? And why is there duct tape on the damn thing’s mouth?) He looks again, and doll’s gone, back to where it was. You see what I mean about you don’t know if the creepy things are happening or all in his head? He checks on the clock, and nope, it’s still in pieces.
The creepy occurrences keep happening. One evening he thinks he sees a body floating in the lake, but when he runs out to help no one is there. Shaun has a scare, telling his daddy that he saw a doll while Evan was in the shower. (YIPES the dolls getting out of the basement) Selena makes regular appearances, establishing that she’s going to be the “love interest” in this book, although Evan is so far from being ready for that it’s laughable. He starts obsessing about Bob walking off, wondering why. He’s curious about the clock, and spends some time looking at the diagrams and drawings on the worktable. Jason’s grandad and Bob both spent time working on the clock, and after finding some cryptic messages left by Bob Evan starts to think that the clock had more to do with Bob’s disappearance than any case of cabin fever did. The isolation is starting to get to him, and Evan wonders himself if he’s getting a case of cabin fever as well. He decides that he will find do some research on the mysterious clock, and try to write an article about it. The history that he uncovers is dark, to say the least. The clock originally belonged to a man named Abel Kluge, a supposedly renowned clockmaker from Chicago. Rumor has it that the man was into the occult, there was a mystery surrounding his wife’s death. He and Selena make a date to scout out the Kluge’s abandoned house. On the third floor they find the bedroom that the man’s wife was found dead in, and on the wall is the outline of the clock that’s in Evan’s basement. Evan compares it to the images of people on the walls at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, created by the intense heat of the atomic bomb. The room shows no evidence of being burned. He looks out of the window and notices that all of the grass and plants surrounding the house are dead, almost in a perfect circle. He’s pointed towards a Cecil Fenz for more information, and to my surprise, she actually talks to him. She tells him a harrowing tale of violence and pain, how Abel Kluge and his mistress held sway over Abel’s wife and the servants of the house for years. Abel built the clock, and the night that Allison and his wife died, Abel disappeared off of the face of the earth. Cecil urges Evan to destroy the clock, before it destroys him and all that he holds dear.
Evan winds up dismissing Cecil’s warning, thanks to a tragedy occurring at the house that could have caused his son harm and did eventually cost the life of an innocent nurse. Evan begins to question his sanity, and the motivations of his friend for sending him out to the island. Jason’s grandparent’s death were mysterious as well, adding another facet to the mystery. More and more information comes to light that draws you deeper into the mystery surrounding not just the clock, but Bob’s disappearance, Elle’s death, and the random occurrences happening around the house, which kick up into high gear towards the end of the book. There is much more to learn and speculate on as this book draws closer to it’s heart pounding finale. A finale, I might add, that I did NOT see coming. I thought I had this one figured out, but nope, Joe got me good with this one. (But you do eventually find out what’s up with that doll!) There are more twists in this book than I have room to elaborate on here. Just remember one thing…..nothing is as it seems.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 15, 2020
DRAMATIC AND SPOOKY
*****SPOILER ALERT*****
I loved reading “The Waiting”! This was a terrific novel! There was no point where I was bored or restless to speed read to the end. Mr. Hart’s writing was descriptive and colorful. The main charcter Evan Tormer was very human and very flawed. He was bowed down by the double tradgedy of his wife Elle’s death two years ago from cancer, and his son Shaun’s accident four years ago that left him mentally and physically damaged for the rest of his life. He was fired from his marketing job for embezzling $50,000 to use for some non-covered medical treatment for Elle’s cancer. Although he returned the stolen money, he was still fired. His wife was dead; his son was debilitated by TBI and needed constant care, and Evan needed a place to live. His best friend Jason Price offered him a job to caretake his cabin on an island in Minnesota. This offer would simplify life for Evan and Shaun. Evan would make some extra money and wouldn’t need to worry about eviction. After father and son move, strange things begin to occur within the cabin and island. Evan’s curiosity & the hope of making some extra money from the article he planned to write about the origin of the mysterious clock in the cottage’s basement, spurs his research on.
This novel reminds me of horror stories of Stephan King and Dean Koontz. I was embroiled in this book from beginning to end.
I highly recommend “The Waiting”. Joe Hart wrote an awesome read. For those readers who enjoy horror, the occult and the supernatural, this book is for you.
***(Spoiler Here.)***I couldn’t quite grasp the full meaning of the ending: What on earth happened! Evan, Elle and Shaun are reunited on a beautiful blue, sparkling beach with endless white sand. They were both healthy, happy and whole. Where were they? Were they still in Minnesota or a different dimension? Or, by Evan’s climbing into the clock and vanquishing Abel Kluge’s tappestry of evil, did he accomplish his dream: to go back in time to 2008, before Elle got sick and Shaun had the accident? And, if so, will Elle and Shaun be alive, healthy and whole forever? Or will they eventually drift into their separate tradgedies?
*****SPOILER ALERT*****
I loved reading “The Waiting”! This was a terrific novel! There was no point where I was bored or restless to speed read to the end. Mr. Hart’s writing was descriptive and colorful. The main charcter Evan Tormer was very human and very flawed. He was bowed down by the double tradgedy of his wife Elle’s death two years ago from cancer, and his son Shaun’s accident four years ago that left him mentally and physically damaged for the rest of his life. He was fired from his marketing job for embezzling $50,000 to use for some non-covered medical treatment for Elle’s cancer. Although he returned the stolen money, he was still fired. His wife was dead; his son was debilitated by TBI and needed constant care, and Evan needed a place to live. His best friend Jason Price offered him a job to caretake his cabin on an island in Minnesota. This offer would simplify life for Evan and Shaun. Evan would make some extra money and wouldn’t need to worry about eviction. After father and son move, strange things begin to occur within the cabin and island. Evan’s curiosity & the hope of making some extra money from the article he planned to write about the origin of the mysterious clock in the cottage’s basement, spurs his research on.
This novel reminds me of horror stories of Stephan King and Dean Koontz. I was embroiled in this book from beginning to end.
I highly recommend “The Waiting”. Joe Hart wrote an awesome read. For those readers who enjoy horror, the occult and the supernatural, this book is for you.
***(Spoiler Here.)***I couldn’t quite grasp the full meaning of the ending: What on earth happened! Evan, Elle and Shaun are reunited on a beautiful blue, sparkling beach with endless white sand. They were both healthy, happy and whole. Where were they? Were they still in Minnesota or a different dimension? Or, by Evan’s climbing into the clock and vanquishing Abel Kluge’s tappestry of evil, did he accomplish his dream: to go back in time to 2008, before Elle got sick and Shaun had the accident? And, if so, will Elle and Shaun be alive, healthy and whole forever? Or will they eventually drift into their separate tradgedies?
September 17, 2020
#cookiereads The Waiting by Joe Hart 🕰
Evan Tormer life kinda sucks. His wife died of cancer, his son is disabled, and he just got fired from his job. What’s a man to do? 🕰
His friend Jason offers him a@job to watch his grandfather’s cabin by the lake. It has access to all the medical needs that Evan’s son Shaun needs. Evan accepts. 🕰
But there are strange things afoot in the house. Creepy dolls and an even creepier clock. Even decides to investigate the origins of the clock. What will he find out? 🕰
This books ask this question: if you could turn back time to undo a bad event in your life will you? Evan is grieving over the death of his wife and also about his son’s disability, caused by a car wreck. I was heartbroken about his son and the lengths Evan took to work with him. Evan obviously really loved his son. The ending was very predictable. Overall this plot would make a good #lifetimemovies 🕰
Two paws out of four paws. #hauntedhouses #hauntedclocks #creepydolls #corgireads #dogsreadingbooks #corgisofinstagram #bluemerlecorgi
Evan Tormer life kinda sucks. His wife died of cancer, his son is disabled, and he just got fired from his job. What’s a man to do? 🕰
His friend Jason offers him a@job to watch his grandfather’s cabin by the lake. It has access to all the medical needs that Evan’s son Shaun needs. Evan accepts. 🕰
But there are strange things afoot in the house. Creepy dolls and an even creepier clock. Even decides to investigate the origins of the clock. What will he find out? 🕰
This books ask this question: if you could turn back time to undo a bad event in your life will you? Evan is grieving over the death of his wife and also about his son’s disability, caused by a car wreck. I was heartbroken about his son and the lengths Evan took to work with him. Evan obviously really loved his son. The ending was very predictable. Overall this plot would make a good #lifetimemovies 🕰
Two paws out of four paws. #hauntedhouses #hauntedclocks #creepydolls #corgireads #dogsreadingbooks #corgisofinstagram #bluemerlecorgi
January 17, 2022
Great Story!!
The Waiting by Joe Hart is a great story! Evan has lost so much, his wife died of cancer, his son was in a wreck that caused brain trauma, he lost his job, and on top of everything he is in financial trouble. His best friend offers him a chance to house sit his old grandparents lake house.
Evan and his son move to the lake house and strange things start happening. Although the strangest is the huge grandfather clock in the basement that has an unexplainable energy.
I enjoyed reading this book and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys supernatural thrillers!!
The Waiting by Joe Hart is a great story! Evan has lost so much, his wife died of cancer, his son was in a wreck that caused brain trauma, he lost his job, and on top of everything he is in financial trouble. His best friend offers him a chance to house sit his old grandparents lake house.
Evan and his son move to the lake house and strange things start happening. Although the strangest is the huge grandfather clock in the basement that has an unexplainable energy.
I enjoyed reading this book and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys supernatural thrillers!!
April 30, 2019
Thriller?
A good read and captivating at times. However the ending was a bit off for me. I like even my thrillers to be a bit more realistic. If you go with the author's imagination then you will enjoy it all. I would try at least one more book by this author but maybe not right away. It would make a good scary movie with all the special effects they can do now a days. If you go with the flow of it has a happy ending I guess
A good read and captivating at times. However the ending was a bit off for me. I like even my thrillers to be a bit more realistic. If you go with the author's imagination then you will enjoy it all. I would try at least one more book by this author but maybe not right away. It would make a good scary movie with all the special effects they can do now a days. If you go with the flow of it has a happy ending I guess
January 12, 2020
Great author, great story
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this very different paranormal type story from an author I just happened upon last week. I’m so glad I did as now I’m going to def read more of his books. His attention to detail, character development, and story flow kept me glued to this book. I actually felt emotions of the main character at times! That rarely happens! Anyhow. Like I headlined, great author, great story :)
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this very different paranormal type story from an author I just happened upon last week. I’m so glad I did as now I’m going to def read more of his books. His attention to detail, character development, and story flow kept me glued to this book. I actually felt emotions of the main character at times! That rarely happens! Anyhow. Like I headlined, great author, great story :)
September 26, 2017
Not quite a four star
This is the fourth Joe Hart book that I have read. He writes the way I read and so I keep coming back. Little tidbits and teases keep you turning the page, but became predictable too soon. I was disappointed in the lack of explanation for Selena's part in the final resolution. I'll read more of Mr. Hart, though. I have enjoyed them all.
This is the fourth Joe Hart book that I have read. He writes the way I read and so I keep coming back. Little tidbits and teases keep you turning the page, but became predictable too soon. I was disappointed in the lack of explanation for Selena's part in the final resolution. I'll read more of Mr. Hart, though. I have enjoyed them all.
April 13, 2019
Joe
This was so much fun to read! The ending, never expected so this was a shock. I'm eager to read your other works of art. You brought the characters to life, you could feel their pain, sympathize with their anguish and cheer for their success. Great description, sometimes I felt I was right their staring at that horrid clock. Thank you.
This was so much fun to read! The ending, never expected so this was a shock. I'm eager to read your other works of art. You brought the characters to life, you could feel their pain, sympathize with their anguish and cheer for their success. Great description, sometimes I felt I was right their staring at that horrid clock. Thank you.
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