Empty Hallways

by Andy Lockwood

David Hartlet is a troubled man. His demons are many and his option few. His only hope appears to lie in the care of the skeptical Dr. Schraeder. Schraeder, a scientist and psychologist with a lengthy history of caring for the mentally ill, believed David to be making more of his troubles than are actually there. What Dr. Schraeder, and even David himself, cannot know is that David’s troubles are far beyond his own scope. Many years before David’s visit to St. Marguerite’s Hospital, tragedy struck and left a mark upon the hospital that no amount of time could heal. That mark, deep and scarred over, was ripped open again by David’s own tormented heart. David and the rest of the denizens of St. Marguerite’s have found themselves face to face with the ugly spirit of the hospital, alive and aching for a revenge it believes it is owed. Can David and Dr. Schraeder find a way to stop the spirit? Or will they be forced to relive the dark secret of St. Marguerite’s firsthand?

280 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 26, 2013

About the author

Andy Lockwood is a writer, an artist, and above all: a dreamer. He got his start in screenwriting and filmmaking where he discovered his obsessive love of storytelling.
He is the author of two novels, Empty Hallways and House of Thirteen; a 12-part serial thriller, At Calendar’s End; and is a regular contributor to horror anthologies. He is always working on another piece of writing, whether it is a novel, a story, or something else entirely. When not slaving away at the keyboard, he spends his time buying books he does not have time to read, and delving into mediums he has no time to fully explore, but he dabbles in them anyway.
He lives in mid-Michigan with his amazingly talented and entirely-too-supportive wife, their delightfully boisterous daughter, a brood of cats, and a misguided idea of what it means to be an adult.

Reviews

[Diana Kathryn Penn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Describe this book in just two words.
Hmmm.... Unexpectedly Creepy! Yup, that about covers it.

This is a tantalizing story that takes the reader into different head spaces and different emotionalities simultaneously. Andy takes full advantage of some seductive storytelling techniques to hook you into turning page after page. First, he demands that you question sanity... that of the characters', and your own, too. Then, he drops you into what should be a safe place, only to ramp up the uncomfortableness of it all. You'll learn that sometimes, safety is simply a foil to reality. Then, he he engages you with an old standard, 'Children are often more insightful than the adults'... Yet, how is it that the reader can't understand what they reveal? That should be an easy one, but Andy doesn't make anything easy; and you're thrilled for it. Finally, in an environment where so much time has presented it's secrets, how is it that no one has ever listened long enough to find the alternative solution... or act on it?

This is a story that will keep you on your toes. You won't want to close your eyes, even to rest them in between chapters... don't you dare... you might miss something essential. The layers of characters that live in this book are a wonder to behold. Just when you think you understand the impetus for one's quirks and the motivation for their action... or silence... a new door opens, shoving you headlong into another Empty Hallway you weren't prepared to walk. It's a bit unsettling.... and oh, so rewarding.

Andy Lockwood traverses the edge of spooky just close enough to make you wonder if he'll pull you back to safety in time. When he doesn't, it's a delightful shock to the system. This book is a fascinating study into what might happen if, instead of ending things the way our English teachers taught us, we simply allow the characters to do what they will and take notes to share around the campfire. The comfort in this reading was not found in the delivery of expectations, but in a plot progression I could never have imagined. How nice to discover unsettling creepiness wrapped tightly inside characters I thought I knew.

This is a book I highly recommend!

[Chelsea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Horror fans! If you haven't already given Andy Lockwood a try, quickly get him on your radar!! Empty Hallways was Andy's debut novel and boy was it good! David is devastated by the loss of his wife in a car accident, so much so that he decides to end his life...only to be stopped by his sister-in-law. Certified depressed, he's placed in a clinic under Dr. Shraeder's care. Determined to get out as quickly as possible, David follows the rules and plays the game hoping to obtain that clean bill of health. And he would've...if not for the terrifying figure that keeps appearing to him. She has vacant eyes and makes the walls burn, claiming David is burning too so it has to be him. With the help of a little boy and another teenage patient as well as a friendly nurse, David is determined to uncover the mystery of the hospital and make it out alive and well...or be taken out in a stretcher.

It was a really good book! I flew threw it! Andy Lockwood did an amazing job of building this creepy and unsettling atmosphere that kept me hooked every page. I do not recommend reading it right before bed because my nightlight couldn't be bright enough to hide this ghost from my subconscious! Can't wait to read more from this spooky writer!

[J. Thomas-Like · Rating 4 out of 5]

Andy Lockwood is a gifted writer with the ability to draw you in and keep you turning the pages. While I personally wanted to know more about ALL of the characters, it was clear that this was David's story and Lockwood stayed true to it from beginning to end. Supernatural and eerily compelling, I was on the edge of my seat. Very well written and I look forward to more from this super talented writer.

[J.M. Horn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Empty Hallways by Andy Lockwood is an engaging story that keeps you locked in from the opening chapter. The cast of characters was well-rounded and at times I found myself being drawn wanting to know more about the secondary characters. I do like a few curves thrown at the reader, even more so since I I did not see them coming. If you are a fan of the supernatural or horror, you should add this to your shelf.

[Zachary · Rating 3 out of 5]

On the whole, I enjoyed "Empty Hallways". The writing is often quite evocative and occasionally even poetic. The story was fundamentally a good one. However, I felt many of the characters were not terribly well fleshed out. I didn't find myself empathizing with David because I didn't feel I actually knew or understood him. This seemed to be an issue with a lot of the book. I felt it could have been a good third again longer so there could be more shading and explication of characters, their relationships, the place, and the rules of the universe in which the story was set. (What are the rules for the ghosts? Are they just ghosts? There was one particular passage that hinted at something going on beyond just your typical ghosts, but it wasn't really followed up on. What is going on with the staff that they just so easily share so much with patients?) This came to be an issue as the novel wrapped up because the ghost's story and reason for being didn't ring true, the climax was a bit out of left-field, and the denouement didn't feel earned or satisfying because it was predicated on emotional attachments between characters that hadn't been sufficiently developed during the short time span in which the story took place. There needed to be more foreshadowing and preparation, in other words, and more time with the characters just interacting as human beings in order to set everything up. I chock much of these problems up to this being an early effort. Andy Lockwood is clearly talented, and he has a good sense for an interesting and compelling plot. That is a critical talent for a writer in any genre, particularly in thrillers of any sort. More finesse with mechanics will come with time and experience. The important thing to me is that I found a budding talent in a genre I really enjoy who will grow with time, and the works of whom I will eagerly greet as they come out. In this, he reminds me a lot of Christopher Buehlman and C. Robert Cargill, both of whom are writers who work in a similar vein, and the works of whom keep getting better. The same, I have no doubt, will be true of Mr. Lockwood.

[Samie Sands · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love anything supernatural, horror and thriller so I was very excited to read Empty Hallways. Andy Lockwood captures a creepy atmosphere really well and I was truly spooked whilst reading this book which I think is really hard for an author to achieve! I would recommend this book to anyone who loves horror and wants to try something different, something that's truly scary - this is a standout novel that easily deserves 5*'s.

[Sara-Beth Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a thrilling story that kept my bedroom light on at night! The characters were beautifully crafted into people you could care about. I love ghost stories and this plot drew my interest from the start. I look forward to reading so much more by Lockwood.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fairly solid read overall. Definitely takes a few curves you don't think would be there based on the beginnings of the story, but altogether coherent, well-written, and filled with an interesting and well-realized cast of characters.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the story. Looking forward to more stories by this author.

[J.A. Bullen · Rating 5 out of 5]

My review of Empty Hallways by Andy Lockwood

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"This book makes me wish I wrote horror! Fantastically done. I loved every moment. I wonder what became of some of the characters and smile at the open endings for others. I am inspired to explore more works by the author and hope it influences my own."

[Jordan J. Scavone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lockwood is able to craft an almost Hitchcockian thriller with story beats that nudge you along like a rope to guide from a black cave. This book is not only scary, but engaging from start to finish, packs in some amazing lore, and is genuinely interesting. A book that can be enjoyed by horror/thriller fans and non-fans.