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The Gateway in Apartment 8
Sarah, an Asian-American college student moves into Sunnycrest Apartments because it’s a rare, affordable place. Strange things show up in her closet that don’t belong to her. Stranger still, they seem to come from the past. With the help of her psychiatrist, the girl she’s dating, and the quirky gay boy she met at a restaurant, Sarah realizes that her closet is actually a gateway to another time. Another world. A place where the same apartment belonged to the boyfriend of the final murder victim of a notorious serial killer that was never caught.
Sometimes the doorway takes her to another floor in the building, to the apartment the girl herself—Regina—lived in on the 11th floor, the apartment where the murder actually happened, but it always takes her to 1987. The two people connected to her through the gateway in her closet are the owners of the initials carved into the tree out in front of Sunnycrest.
Sarah’s girlfriend, Felicia, has been at Sunnycrest longer and helps her to understand that the whole building is haunted.
There is something strange about the place they live.
The dead are everywhere and some of them are dangerous. The living are not to be trusted, either. Sarah gets drawn in further and can’t let go. She wants to understand what Regina’s spirit is trying to tell her, what she needs, and how to turn her closet back into a closet. One thing she needs to remember though, is that there is a killer in 1987.
Can he still hurt her? Is any of it even real? Where will the gateway in Apartment 8 actually lead her?
Sometimes the doorway takes her to another floor in the building, to the apartment the girl herself—Regina—lived in on the 11th floor, the apartment where the murder actually happened, but it always takes her to 1987. The two people connected to her through the gateway in her closet are the owners of the initials carved into the tree out in front of Sunnycrest.
Sarah’s girlfriend, Felicia, has been at Sunnycrest longer and helps her to understand that the whole building is haunted.
There is something strange about the place they live.
The dead are everywhere and some of them are dangerous. The living are not to be trusted, either. Sarah gets drawn in further and can’t let go. She wants to understand what Regina’s spirit is trying to tell her, what she needs, and how to turn her closet back into a closet. One thing she needs to remember though, is that there is a killer in 1987.
Can he still hurt her? Is any of it even real? Where will the gateway in Apartment 8 actually lead her?
- GenresHorror
360 pages, Paperback
Published September 14, 2023
3 people are currently reading
140 people want to read
About the author
Chisto Healy
130 books78 followersChisto started writing as a child and it was always his biggest passion, though he is also a musician and artist. When he was forced to quarantine in March 2020 due to the pandemic, he decided to focus on his writing and write full-time and has since had 100 stories accepted to be published, many of which are already out there. He hopes this is only the beginning...
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
January 29, 2025
I was eager to dip into this book due to the facts that I have already enjoyed a novel by Mr. Healy, and the premises written in this book's description. Mr. Healy turns characters into real people that we root for, and this book is no exception. The writing is engaging, and the plot twists are intriguing and nerve-jangling. This was an excellent horror story, imho. I'd like to read some of the books that the author had written earlier, but I can't seem to find them for sale. However, Mr. Healy has many other available creepy books to choose from. Dig in!
October 3, 2023
Wanna be creeped out, grossed out and horrified? Then go rent out Apartment 8 in Sunnycrest, you won't be disappointed….
Mark is a psychiatrist. His latest patient, Sarah, is the third of his patients now to come to him from Sunnycrest Apartments, and that unsettles him a great deal. Sarah has one hell of a story to tell, a story about the doorway in her closet, the strange places it takes her and the strange 'gifts' it leaves behind. But that's only the beginning…
Why do the patients of Sunnycrest keep coming to him, why does he feel drawn to the building, and why does it terrify him so much?
Sarah is new in town and alone, as she starts to make new friends however, the pull on her from Regina in particular, gets stronger and more malevolent. Regina is a woman who not only hates herself, but most other women too, and in the world she's made for herself, things are extremely dark and disturbing. She needs Sarah’s help, and she will do whatever it takes to get it, but what she wants in return is too much, and Sarah is intent on fighting her every step of the way. When Sarah eventually finds out the truth about the woman she is trying to rescue, she is in for one heck of a shock! As was I!!
The Mangler is the elusive serial killer in this story, and Sunnycrest is a strange and eerie place to reside. Does it harbor The Mangler and his impenetrable alibi? Can the dark forces within its walls and beyond be stopped? The killer is even scarier and more dangerous because they believe they are doing what they do for good reason, they don't see the wrong in it, they feel completely justified in their actions. Each victim deserved of the brutally savage punishment meted out to them, and the final victim is a real doozy!! 😲
With so many links all interwoven, this makes for an intense puzzle of story, keeping you guessing and smacking you in the face with the twists and turns along the way! Chisto’s narrative always flows so flawlessly, making his books such easy, moreish reads. The fantastic scene setting brings all your senses to life making this a pretty creepy damn story, one you'll be making sure the lights are on and the closet door is firmly shut!
A great, creepy, mysterious and intriguing atmosphere draws you in straight away, completely gripping moments filled with tense anticipation and a couple of jump scares thrown in there too! Unsettling and haunting, this is a genuine page turner, with references to real-life issues too, such as ADHD, sexuality, homophobia, anxiety, abuse and mental health, all blended into the story well without distracting from anything along the way. Completely immersive and brilliantly dark and chilling!!
Also….I 💜 Leremy!!!
Mark is a psychiatrist. His latest patient, Sarah, is the third of his patients now to come to him from Sunnycrest Apartments, and that unsettles him a great deal. Sarah has one hell of a story to tell, a story about the doorway in her closet, the strange places it takes her and the strange 'gifts' it leaves behind. But that's only the beginning…
Why do the patients of Sunnycrest keep coming to him, why does he feel drawn to the building, and why does it terrify him so much?
Sarah is new in town and alone, as she starts to make new friends however, the pull on her from Regina in particular, gets stronger and more malevolent. Regina is a woman who not only hates herself, but most other women too, and in the world she's made for herself, things are extremely dark and disturbing. She needs Sarah’s help, and she will do whatever it takes to get it, but what she wants in return is too much, and Sarah is intent on fighting her every step of the way. When Sarah eventually finds out the truth about the woman she is trying to rescue, she is in for one heck of a shock! As was I!!
The Mangler is the elusive serial killer in this story, and Sunnycrest is a strange and eerie place to reside. Does it harbor The Mangler and his impenetrable alibi? Can the dark forces within its walls and beyond be stopped? The killer is even scarier and more dangerous because they believe they are doing what they do for good reason, they don't see the wrong in it, they feel completely justified in their actions. Each victim deserved of the brutally savage punishment meted out to them, and the final victim is a real doozy!! 😲
With so many links all interwoven, this makes for an intense puzzle of story, keeping you guessing and smacking you in the face with the twists and turns along the way! Chisto’s narrative always flows so flawlessly, making his books such easy, moreish reads. The fantastic scene setting brings all your senses to life making this a pretty creepy damn story, one you'll be making sure the lights are on and the closet door is firmly shut!
A great, creepy, mysterious and intriguing atmosphere draws you in straight away, completely gripping moments filled with tense anticipation and a couple of jump scares thrown in there too! Unsettling and haunting, this is a genuine page turner, with references to real-life issues too, such as ADHD, sexuality, homophobia, anxiety, abuse and mental health, all blended into the story well without distracting from anything along the way. Completely immersive and brilliantly dark and chilling!!
Also….I 💜 Leremy!!!
December 26, 2023
The Gateway in Apartment 8 was a truly scary good read that reignited a few childhood fears and sparked a few new ones! It's the kind of book that leaves you feeling as if you've woken from a fever dream, scrambling to make sense of the waking world. It was truly alot of fun to read and I'm looking forward to reading more of this author's work.
I highly recommend this one to horror fans who enjoy serial killer themed stories and know better than to sleep with the closet door open. As of the date of this post, it's available on KU, so grab a copy while you can!
I highly recommend this one to horror fans who enjoy serial killer themed stories and know better than to sleep with the closet door open. As of the date of this post, it's available on KU, so grab a copy while you can!
September 23, 2023
I’m always a sucker for haunted apartment complexes, mysterious gateways that leads to another time and place (or in this case the 80s) and creepy serial killers 👻
The Gateway in Apartment 8 absolutely delivers on all fronts and is such a page turner as the mystery of the gateway, and sunnycrest as a whole, is slowly being unraveled. There’s compelling characters with the main character being a queer woman with ADHD and interestingly creepy side characters! Healy doesn’t hold back when describing gory murder scenes and you can’t help but vividly imagine the Manhattan Mangler’s victims in your mind!
I didn’t read the first book in the series, but from what I can understand it’s meant to be a series taking place on the Sunnycrest Apartments where a lot of messed up things happen — I absolutely love this concept and will have to keep an eye out for upcoming books in the series (and to read the first one too!).
My only hope for further books would be more subtlety or contextual clues when describing character’s feelings. I felt a lot of the description of the character’s ADHD symptoms felt more like a google search result, than a naturally recurring thought and that maybe the killer’s motive wouldn’t be so on the nose. I won’t post spoilers, but I didn’t really like the motive much — but honestly, both are very small dislikes when the book overall kept my attention and was generally well written!
// ARC received from the publisher.
The Gateway in Apartment 8 absolutely delivers on all fronts and is such a page turner as the mystery of the gateway, and sunnycrest as a whole, is slowly being unraveled. There’s compelling characters with the main character being a queer woman with ADHD and interestingly creepy side characters! Healy doesn’t hold back when describing gory murder scenes and you can’t help but vividly imagine the Manhattan Mangler’s victims in your mind!
I didn’t read the first book in the series, but from what I can understand it’s meant to be a series taking place on the Sunnycrest Apartments where a lot of messed up things happen — I absolutely love this concept and will have to keep an eye out for upcoming books in the series (and to read the first one too!).
My only hope for further books would be more subtlety or contextual clues when describing character’s feelings. I felt a lot of the description of the character’s ADHD symptoms felt more like a google search result, than a naturally recurring thought and that maybe the killer’s motive wouldn’t be so on the nose. I won’t post spoilers, but I didn’t really like the motive much — but honestly, both are very small dislikes when the book overall kept my attention and was generally well written!
// ARC received from the publisher.
January 15, 2025
The Gateway in Apartment 8 was a truly scary good read that reignited a few childhood fears and sparked a few new ones! It's the kind of book that leaves you feeling as if you've woken from a fever dream, scrambling to make sense of the waking world. It was truly alot of fun to read and I'm looking forward to reading more of this author's work.
I highly recommend this one to horror fans who enjoy serial killer themed stories and know better than to sleep with the closet door open. As of the date of this post, it's available on KU, so grab a copy while you can!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I highly recommend this one to horror fans who enjoy serial killer themed stories and know better than to sleep with the closet door open. As of the date of this post, it's available on KU, so grab a copy while you can!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 21, 2024
Do you enjoy ghost stories or stories about serial killers? The Gateway in Apartment 8 is the perfect book for you and also the perfect read to celebrate PRIDE month!
Sarah is a young, Asian-American, lesbian, female college student that lives in the infamous "Sunnycrest Apartments." She is yet another patient of Mark's that has lived in this apartment complex. Mark is a psychiatrist that appears in "Accidental Murderer in Apt 34" (the first book in the series; although both books can be read as standalones)
Sarah informs him that she not only has a ghost living in her closet but that it is also a portal to 1987. This ghost appears to be pulling Sarah into her dark lingering abyss for help. Her name is Regina. In 1987 there was a serial killer, known as, "The Mangler." This serial killer was who took Regina's life. However, as Sarah discovers more clues to explaining all of these haunting events that have been happening to her, she uncovers something very unexpected. I was SHOCKED by the revelation of these events...
Chisto did a stellar job creating this story. Every detail and event was perfectly executed and his writing style is just so damn enticing. He has quickly become a favorite author of mine and I look forward to reading his books because he comes up with the most original ideas that always throw me in for a loop, leaving me in a whirlwind of emotions. I never know what to expect in his stories and he constantly keeps me guessing up until the very end.
The Gateway in Apartment 8 is the ultimate creepy, mysterious and chilling story when it comes to the paranormal. This was the perfect ghost story. A gripping and immersive read that will be fighting it's way to your top read of the year.
Check it out, you won't be disappointed!
Sarah is a young, Asian-American, lesbian, female college student that lives in the infamous "Sunnycrest Apartments." She is yet another patient of Mark's that has lived in this apartment complex. Mark is a psychiatrist that appears in "Accidental Murderer in Apt 34" (the first book in the series; although both books can be read as standalones)
Sarah informs him that she not only has a ghost living in her closet but that it is also a portal to 1987. This ghost appears to be pulling Sarah into her dark lingering abyss for help. Her name is Regina. In 1987 there was a serial killer, known as, "The Mangler." This serial killer was who took Regina's life. However, as Sarah discovers more clues to explaining all of these haunting events that have been happening to her, she uncovers something very unexpected. I was SHOCKED by the revelation of these events...
Chisto did a stellar job creating this story. Every detail and event was perfectly executed and his writing style is just so damn enticing. He has quickly become a favorite author of mine and I look forward to reading his books because he comes up with the most original ideas that always throw me in for a loop, leaving me in a whirlwind of emotions. I never know what to expect in his stories and he constantly keeps me guessing up until the very end.
The Gateway in Apartment 8 is the ultimate creepy, mysterious and chilling story when it comes to the paranormal. This was the perfect ghost story. A gripping and immersive read that will be fighting it's way to your top read of the year.
Check it out, you won't be disappointed!
September 16, 2023
One of the best ghost stories I've read in a long time! By the second chapter I was completely invested in the story and had to know what was going on. I questioned myself several times while reading because I thought for sure I knew what was happening. Very creepy, some parts gave me chills. And the ending had me in tears. A must read for those who love a ghost story with a mystery.
September 5, 2023
One thing I really loved was a name of a character as it reminded me of someone from the Simpsons!
We have short chapters!
If you enjoy books with haunted apartments and time travel then you might like this.
We have short chapters!
If you enjoy books with haunted apartments and time travel then you might like this.
October 28, 2023
This was my second book from this author and it’s great! It’s got ghosts, time travel, murder and goths! What more could you want?
September 30, 2023
A Horror Bookworm Recommendation
The Gateway In Apartment 8 by Chisto Healy
https://horrorbookwormreviews.com/
Sunnycrest apartment complex holds many mysterious secrets within its walls. Sarah, a tenant, has recently unearthed something sinister that exists within her closet. Upon discovery she ventures into an unknown reality wherein a serial killer known as The Manhattan Mangler exists. Will Sarah find the much needed answers to her life altering questions or will she become the killers next victim.
Author Chisto Healy connects spirits and past sins with present day environments in his most recent novel, The Gateway In Apartment 8. His thirteen floors of the bizarre are frequented by anguish, despair and brutal torment. Within the 1987 overlapping time frames, Chisto cleverly incorporates dark fiction within the concept of being able to time travel into the past.
The Gateway In Apartment 8 is character driven within its ruthless plots of terrifying madness and mayhem. Its multilayered themes of unexplained fears and nightmares is the glue that holds it all together.
You gotta love the loud thumps, haunting sounds of children playing and unexplained door slamming. Establishing these supernatural atmospheres is what makes the long lasting emotional impression exist throughout each and every chapter.
Published by Slashic Horror Press and decorated with a killer cover (no pun intended) this unnerving novel adds up to an eleven on the creepy factor, that’s one creepier than a ten.
While standing at the threshold of extreme paranoia and eeriness, the temptation of twisting that closet doorknob and entering Chisto’s world of ghosts and monsters will be an irresistible compulsion. Beware, something morbid this way comes…a Horror Bookworm Recommendation.
The Gateway In Apartment 8 by Chisto Healy
https://horrorbookwormreviews.com/
Sunnycrest apartment complex holds many mysterious secrets within its walls. Sarah, a tenant, has recently unearthed something sinister that exists within her closet. Upon discovery she ventures into an unknown reality wherein a serial killer known as The Manhattan Mangler exists. Will Sarah find the much needed answers to her life altering questions or will she become the killers next victim.
Author Chisto Healy connects spirits and past sins with present day environments in his most recent novel, The Gateway In Apartment 8. His thirteen floors of the bizarre are frequented by anguish, despair and brutal torment. Within the 1987 overlapping time frames, Chisto cleverly incorporates dark fiction within the concept of being able to time travel into the past.
The Gateway In Apartment 8 is character driven within its ruthless plots of terrifying madness and mayhem. Its multilayered themes of unexplained fears and nightmares is the glue that holds it all together.
You gotta love the loud thumps, haunting sounds of children playing and unexplained door slamming. Establishing these supernatural atmospheres is what makes the long lasting emotional impression exist throughout each and every chapter.
Published by Slashic Horror Press and decorated with a killer cover (no pun intended) this unnerving novel adds up to an eleven on the creepy factor, that’s one creepier than a ten.
While standing at the threshold of extreme paranoia and eeriness, the temptation of twisting that closet doorknob and entering Chisto’s world of ghosts and monsters will be an irresistible compulsion. Beware, something morbid this way comes…a Horror Bookworm Recommendation.
August 26, 2023
I appreciate this opportunity to read and review an ARC copy of "The Gateway in Apartment 8" by Chisto Healy. The real take away for me with this one is that Healy knows how to write people. All of his characters throughout this story are diverse and unique in a way that most authors aren't able to do. His world feels lived in and authentic which adds a layer of believability to the story. I found myself always wanting to turn the page to see what's next even when my eyes were fighting to stay open at 3am! My one criticism is the pacing around the middle building towards the climax could of been better. It started to feel like there were a bunch of threads the author wanted to close off but there wasn't a lot of pay off for those threads considering the time it took to get there. I'm also conflicted here because I feel like this lends to the believability of the world the story is taking place in, which I appreciate, but it started to drag from a reader perspective. All in all this was a fantastic book with a gripping story and incredible world building. I'm excited to read more from this author. 4 spooky stars!
September 22, 2023
A snappy, fast-moving, nonstop, VERY scary read [an implacable horror that no one can escape!] which is guaranteed to keep readers wide awake with the lights on and ready to emergency-dial! Set in the horrendous Sunnycrest Apartments (oh, let there be future stories set in this Horrifying establishment! I want to know about the stairwell children....and yes, expand on Fred! And return Leremy, Felicia, Connor, Kevin, Sarah!) [Those are not spoilers.]
A young college student sensibly rents an inexpensive apartment. Sensible would apply, if the entire building didn't intermittently spit tenants into insane asylums because it is grossly, tremendously, haunted!
Worse for Sarah, her apartment (8) contains portals in the bedroom and living room closets: portals to the 1980's...and they're two-way. Not the only portal apartment in the Sunnycrest, either.
I really enjoyed being terrified by this novel. I appreciated the Pride themes and the depth of characterization. Plus there were several occurrences I couldn't foresee, turning the story on its head (and thoroughly spinning my head)!
A young college student sensibly rents an inexpensive apartment. Sensible would apply, if the entire building didn't intermittently spit tenants into insane asylums because it is grossly, tremendously, haunted!
Worse for Sarah, her apartment (8) contains portals in the bedroom and living room closets: portals to the 1980's...and they're two-way. Not the only portal apartment in the Sunnycrest, either.
I really enjoyed being terrified by this novel. I appreciated the Pride themes and the depth of characterization. Plus there were several occurrences I couldn't foresee, turning the story on its head (and thoroughly spinning my head)!
September 15, 2023
This book shows Chisto Healy's versatility and talent as a writer.
Having read another of Chisto's novels (Two of a Kind) I thought this would be on the same vein, but where the other book excels as a truly bloody, gory, violent affair, "The Gateway in Apartment 8" excels for an entirely different reason. This is a creepy, inventive, dark mystery about a famously haunted apartment building. While the scene's of violence are still there and are still gory, the main focus in this story is the mystery at hand and discovering what's behind the portal that opened inside the protagonist's apartment.
I loved the way characters who live or have lived in the Sunnycrest apartment building just accepted the fact that the supernatural phenomena in the building were happening; It land credence to the creepy atmosphere throughout the novel, and helped focus the story on figuring out what was happening.
An excellent story with a surprising climax.
Definitely recommended.
Having read another of Chisto's novels (Two of a Kind) I thought this would be on the same vein, but where the other book excels as a truly bloody, gory, violent affair, "The Gateway in Apartment 8" excels for an entirely different reason. This is a creepy, inventive, dark mystery about a famously haunted apartment building. While the scene's of violence are still there and are still gory, the main focus in this story is the mystery at hand and discovering what's behind the portal that opened inside the protagonist's apartment.
I loved the way characters who live or have lived in the Sunnycrest apartment building just accepted the fact that the supernatural phenomena in the building were happening; It land credence to the creepy atmosphere throughout the novel, and helped focus the story on figuring out what was happening.
An excellent story with a surprising climax.
Definitely recommended.
August 21, 2023
Thank you @slashichorrorpress for the ARC of The Gateway in Apartment 8.
I read this book in one sitting! I couldn't put it down. It has everything I like in horror, time travel, haunted houses, and serial killers. It was suspenseful and twisty!
When Sarah moves into Sunnycrest Apartments, strange things start happening. She discovers that her closet is a portal to another apartment in 1987 where a murder took place. It was the last murder of a serial killer who has never been caught. Sarah along with her therapist, friend, and girlfriend, Felicity, try to solve the murder while not becoming the killer's next victim.
I read this book in one sitting! I couldn't put it down. It has everything I like in horror, time travel, haunted houses, and serial killers. It was suspenseful and twisty!
When Sarah moves into Sunnycrest Apartments, strange things start happening. She discovers that her closet is a portal to another apartment in 1987 where a murder took place. It was the last murder of a serial killer who has never been caught. Sarah along with her therapist, friend, and girlfriend, Felicity, try to solve the murder while not becoming the killer's next victim.
October 4, 2023
Another solid tale from author Chisto Healy. This book is fantastic for lovers of spooky things as opposed to those looking for something like extreme gore or heavy violence. This tale reads more like a creepy version of the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe only where Narnia is a place that you can die. Chisto will be a huge name in horror one day with all of the quality work he puts out at a rapid-fire pace. If you are looking for a fun, lighthearted read this spooky season... something not too heavy, this one is a lot of fun. While its not the type of horror I am normally into, Healy has a way of making a variety of concepts really entertaining. 4 out of 5.
September 25, 2023
We tend to think of ghosts as something that haunts places, but in the Sunnycrest Apartment building, it is the people who live there that are haunted.
The premise of this book is absolutely fantastic, and it ends up being something completely different from what you might expect. There are definite horror elements, but The Gateway In Apartment 8 plays out like a supernatural murder mystery.
As you would expect from a great mystery novel, there are countless twists and turns along the way, all leading up to a more than satisfying ending.
The premise of this book is absolutely fantastic, and it ends up being something completely different from what you might expect. There are definite horror elements, but The Gateway In Apartment 8 plays out like a supernatural murder mystery.
As you would expect from a great mystery novel, there are countless twists and turns along the way, all leading up to a more than satisfying ending.
September 27, 2023
I have to admit, the cover suckered me in. It reminds me of an '80s horror movie. I tend to love '80s horror, so I had to read this one. It's been a while since I've read a great ghost story and this one fits the bill.
Also, the idea that it took place in a haunted apartment complex was a bonus. I love stories that take place in apartment complexes. I used to work in a lot of them back in NYC.
Overall, it's a thrilling read from beginning to end. Highly recommend!
Also, the idea that it took place in a haunted apartment complex was a bonus. I love stories that take place in apartment complexes. I used to work in a lot of them back in NYC.
Overall, it's a thrilling read from beginning to end. Highly recommend!
October 6, 2023
I was able to receive an ARC of this book and this is my honest review.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The nostalgia was fantastic and the apartment setting was eerie. I truly didn’t expect the twist and it made this story more complex. I would recommend this book if you like time travel, ghosts and murder.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The nostalgia was fantastic and the apartment setting was eerie. I truly didn’t expect the twist and it made this story more complex. I would recommend this book if you like time travel, ghosts and murder.
September 6, 2023
The residents of Sunnycrest keep coming to see Dr. Mark Stephenson. They seem to be drawn to him. Sarah is his new patient she said her closet is a doorway to 1987. What does Sunnycrest want with Mark? Full of surprises.
December 17, 2023
Reads like YA which I wasn’t expecting but it’s a lovely little ghost story with gory accents - good for a rainy day with a pot of tea.
September 5, 2023
Chisto Healy's 'Gateway in Apartment 8' is a riveting character-driven horror novel, set in a haunted multistory building where people may come and go but, once dead, they never leave. This makes for a story full of interesting characters, with every little detail relating to someone's backstory. For such a setting, a single book can never be enough, and indeed, 'Gateway' is part of a series: it's the second, standalone entry in Healy's "Sunnycrest Appartments," a third entry already in the works.
The book is a definite page-turner! I was hooked by the first couple of pages, as it was very easy to appreciate the book's premise: Sarah, who lives in Apartment 8, visits Mark, a psychiatrist, to help her keep her sanity about what she thinks is going on in her apartment. Mark has some knowledge of the strange happenings in Sarah's building (he was in the first book, too) and tries to help her. But the real story of Apartment 8 is far more complicated than it first appears, and very soon Sarah's situation develops into an intricate, multithreaded narrative taking place both in the present and the past. To be precise, in 1987, when a serial killer was active in the area and, in fact, killed Regina who was staying in the building. Apparently Regina, now stuck in the building, wants justice to be done, and wants Sarah's help. But is it really so?
Well, this is a Healy story, so most certainly not! The imagination in this book is astounding: so many stories are brought together, that Healy keeping control of his story throughout is a real achievement. What worried me a bit was that towards the middle, the story dragged, as Sarah tries to deal with every mystery on her own (and fails!); but when everything's cleared up and the horrific reality is revealed, things speed up again and closure is reached swiftly and with a nasty twist in the bargain!
As a matter of fact, the ending was absolutely satisfying, though not what I would have gone for. It took me by surprise, but Healy gave it a terrific spin and convinced me. Looking forward to Book 3!
Many thanks to the publisher for the chance of an early read!
The book is a definite page-turner! I was hooked by the first couple of pages, as it was very easy to appreciate the book's premise: Sarah, who lives in Apartment 8, visits Mark, a psychiatrist, to help her keep her sanity about what she thinks is going on in her apartment. Mark has some knowledge of the strange happenings in Sarah's building (he was in the first book, too) and tries to help her. But the real story of Apartment 8 is far more complicated than it first appears, and very soon Sarah's situation develops into an intricate, multithreaded narrative taking place both in the present and the past. To be precise, in 1987, when a serial killer was active in the area and, in fact, killed Regina who was staying in the building. Apparently Regina, now stuck in the building, wants justice to be done, and wants Sarah's help. But is it really so?
Well, this is a Healy story, so most certainly not! The imagination in this book is astounding: so many stories are brought together, that Healy keeping control of his story throughout is a real achievement. What worried me a bit was that towards the middle, the story dragged, as Sarah tries to deal with every mystery on her own (and fails!); but when everything's cleared up and the horrific reality is revealed, things speed up again and closure is reached swiftly and with a nasty twist in the bargain!
As a matter of fact, the ending was absolutely satisfying, though not what I would have gone for. It took me by surprise, but Healy gave it a terrific spin and convinced me. Looking forward to Book 3!
Many thanks to the publisher for the chance of an early read!
January 27, 2024
Sunnycrest is a veryyy old building. Its walls have seen it all.
Some of those sights repeat over and over. Some are one-offs. Some just vary a bit when they do poke their heads out.
Either way, there's no question that Sunnycrest is haunted.
This series so far has been fan-freakin'-tastic!!! I cannot wait to see whats next!
Some of those sights repeat over and over. Some are one-offs. Some just vary a bit when they do poke their heads out.
Either way, there's no question that Sunnycrest is haunted.
This series so far has been fan-freakin'-tastic!!! I cannot wait to see whats next!
July 9, 2024
Originally posted on Happy Goat Horror:
https://happygoathorror.com/2024/02/0...
Review from our website:
This book starts with a bang and doesn't let up. Housing in cities isn't cheap, so when main character Sarah finds the Sunnycrest Apartments, she is delighted she can afford an apartment. What she doesn't know is she is stepping into a nightmare. Shortly after moving in, Sarah discovers the closet in her apartment acts as a portal back to 1987. Back to when a young lady, Regina, is found murdered at Sunnycrest apartments.
Sarah is unwillingly dragged into Regina's murder and finds the only way to be set free from the cycle is to help Regina by traveling back to the past and questioning current day residents about what happened to the girl. What she doesn't expect is that the secrets that lie hidden at Sunnycrest go much deeper than she originally thought and no one is to be trusted. With the help of her girlfriend and a new friend, Leremy, she meets at a restaurant, Sarah confronts those involved, placing all their lives in danger. Only by uncovering the past and finding out the truth, can Sarah put an end to the secrets haunting the residents in Apt 53 and Apt 8.
This was a quick and intriguing read. Christo's ability to write believable dialogue and relatable characters made it easy to jump right in. Well done!
https://happygoathorror.com/2024/02/0...
Review from our website:
This book starts with a bang and doesn't let up. Housing in cities isn't cheap, so when main character Sarah finds the Sunnycrest Apartments, she is delighted she can afford an apartment. What she doesn't know is she is stepping into a nightmare. Shortly after moving in, Sarah discovers the closet in her apartment acts as a portal back to 1987. Back to when a young lady, Regina, is found murdered at Sunnycrest apartments.
Sarah is unwillingly dragged into Regina's murder and finds the only way to be set free from the cycle is to help Regina by traveling back to the past and questioning current day residents about what happened to the girl. What she doesn't expect is that the secrets that lie hidden at Sunnycrest go much deeper than she originally thought and no one is to be trusted. With the help of her girlfriend and a new friend, Leremy, she meets at a restaurant, Sarah confronts those involved, placing all their lives in danger. Only by uncovering the past and finding out the truth, can Sarah put an end to the secrets haunting the residents in Apt 53 and Apt 8.
This was a quick and intriguing read. Christo's ability to write believable dialogue and relatable characters made it easy to jump right in. Well done!
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