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The Lingering
With the pinprick of summer fresh on his skin, a young boy stumbles upon a horrifying secret long buried in the forgotten past of a small midwestern community. Sharing the disturbing discovery with his best friends, the boys set out on the adventure of their young lives, hoping to unravel a mystery over 100 years in the making. One that left a scarred graveyard full of discarded bodies in its wake, and a deep divide between those avoiding history and those unwilling to see it repeated. Without the comfort of an adult they can trust, their terrifying encounter haunts them the rest of their lives. Each blind to the murky darkness it left festering deep inside them.
Haunted by a series of recent and barely believable events, Russell Stander returns to the long-abandoned home of a deceased relative he’d last visited as a child. Hoping to discover a connection between what he’d witnessed there in the past, and freshly unveiled revelations. Enlisting the help of his best friend, retired detective Tom Secrist, Stander painstakingly peels back the layers of time. Searching for any connections, and the abandoned friendships he’d left in his wake.
Four boys, coming-of-age in the 1980s, bound by loyalty and their thirst for adventure. Each tarred with a lingering stain that changed the course of their tattered lives forever.
Haunted by a series of recent and barely believable events, Russell Stander returns to the long-abandoned home of a deceased relative he’d last visited as a child. Hoping to discover a connection between what he’d witnessed there in the past, and freshly unveiled revelations. Enlisting the help of his best friend, retired detective Tom Secrist, Stander painstakingly peels back the layers of time. Searching for any connections, and the abandoned friendships he’d left in his wake.
Four boys, coming-of-age in the 1980s, bound by loyalty and their thirst for adventure. Each tarred with a lingering stain that changed the course of their tattered lives forever.
- GenresHorror
270 pages, Paperback
Published October 10, 2023
1 person is currently reading
753 people want to read
About the author
D.M. Gritzmacher
7 books75 followersDavid M. Gritzmacher spends much of his time unwinding the knots his twisted narratives bind him in. Plotting out his escape (and next dark tale), while cruising along the backroads near his home in Illinois. Married to his high school sweetheart for more than 35 years and with five grown children, he remains baffled by the state of the world around him. Retreating into his own writing where the dark things that slither, creep, haunt, and betray are not merely the folly of man…
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
November 21, 2023
The Lingering is the third installment of DM Gritzmacher's Skulldiggery series. I read the first book in the series, The Relict, last year. I must say that being reintroduced to the characters of Secrist and Stander was like meeting up for drinks with old friends.
Speaking of old friends, The Lingering takes us back in time to the 1980s, where we meet Russ Stander's young group of friends and join their adventures. I got strong Stephen King vibes from these flashbacks. Gritzmacher does a great job writing from the early teens' perspective. The characters come across as relatable and lovable. Oh and the situations he puts them in run the full gamut of emotions! I laughed, I was terrified for them, and just about everything in between.
I saved the most shocking timeline for last. We also travel back to the early 1900s and see the midwest through the eyes of an evil character, the actions of which still leave me chilled. Gritzmacher is generous with the gore throughout this book! I couldn't ask for more. It was written at just about the perfect Theresa-approved level of horror and gore.
I was left wanting to know more about a couple of characters who were touched upon in the book, but I felt a little unresolved. But I have a feeling we'll learn more in the fourth book, The Shroud, which will be released sometime in the spring of 2024. Now I just need to get through this long cold dark winter!
An important note about the order of reading this series. I actually missed Book 2, The Quarry. I will go back and read it next. But I've been assured by the author that the first three books are intended to be read in any order without messing up timelines. Obviously, as with any series, some things make more sense to read in perfect order. But it isn't absolutely necessary. But with that said, if you intend to read The Shroud once it's released, be sure you have the first three read BEFORE you start it. I hear this straight from the author's keyboard!
I had so much fun with this book. It broke a bit of a reading slump I've been in lately. I'm very thankful for that! I'm giving The Lingering five stars. It really was everything I love in a horror book.
Speaking of old friends, The Lingering takes us back in time to the 1980s, where we meet Russ Stander's young group of friends and join their adventures. I got strong Stephen King vibes from these flashbacks. Gritzmacher does a great job writing from the early teens' perspective. The characters come across as relatable and lovable. Oh and the situations he puts them in run the full gamut of emotions! I laughed, I was terrified for them, and just about everything in between.
I saved the most shocking timeline for last. We also travel back to the early 1900s and see the midwest through the eyes of an evil character, the actions of which still leave me chilled. Gritzmacher is generous with the gore throughout this book! I couldn't ask for more. It was written at just about the perfect Theresa-approved level of horror and gore.
I was left wanting to know more about a couple of characters who were touched upon in the book, but I felt a little unresolved. But I have a feeling we'll learn more in the fourth book, The Shroud, which will be released sometime in the spring of 2024. Now I just need to get through this long cold dark winter!
An important note about the order of reading this series. I actually missed Book 2, The Quarry. I will go back and read it next. But I've been assured by the author that the first three books are intended to be read in any order without messing up timelines. Obviously, as with any series, some things make more sense to read in perfect order. But it isn't absolutely necessary. But with that said, if you intend to read The Shroud once it's released, be sure you have the first three read BEFORE you start it. I hear this straight from the author's keyboard!
I had so much fun with this book. It broke a bit of a reading slump I've been in lately. I'm very thankful for that! I'm giving The Lingering five stars. It really was everything I love in a horror book.
November 17, 2023
One of the things that I love about this series is that you can read each of the 3 books as standalones and not be totally lost. Yes, there are some tie-ins to the other books, but they do not take away from the overall story.
In Book 3 of the Skulldiggery Series, The Lingering, we jump between a present day mystery and a coming of age story that drives the story into the present.
It is these trips to the past that are, for me, the best part of this book. You feel as though you are there with the teenage boys in their adventures, which means that the fear you feel when things go off the rails is all the more palpable.
In Book 3 of the Skulldiggery Series, The Lingering, we jump between a present day mystery and a coming of age story that drives the story into the present.
It is these trips to the past that are, for me, the best part of this book. You feel as though you are there with the teenage boys in their adventures, which means that the fear you feel when things go off the rails is all the more palpable.
March 30, 2025
Book 3 in the Skulldiggery series
25 chapters of suspenseful terror. This book was absolutely thrilling. The character development throughout the series just keeps getting better. Stander and Secrist are two of my favorite characters of all time. The story is told in several times, eras... the 1900s, which is absolutely terrifying... 1980s and the present. All very easy to follow, the 1900 chapters will leave you terrified.
"The faceless thing, black as night, sprung from the shadows of dense vegetation..."
I'm looking forward to book 4 in the series.
25 chapters of suspenseful terror. This book was absolutely thrilling. The character development throughout the series just keeps getting better. Stander and Secrist are two of my favorite characters of all time. The story is told in several times, eras... the 1900s, which is absolutely terrifying... 1980s and the present. All very easy to follow, the 1900 chapters will leave you terrified.
"The faceless thing, black as night, sprung from the shadows of dense vegetation..."
I'm looking forward to book 4 in the series.
October 23, 2023
A Horror Bookworm Recommendation
The Lingering by DM Gritzmacher
https://horrorbookwormreviews.com/
Russel Stander returns to his youthful stomping grounds of Almore, Illinois. Not only to research family history but also to lay to rest a terrifying experience that occurred when he was a young boy. What he uncovers is beyond bizarre and incomprehensible to the mortal mind. It’s a return trip that will alter his existence and beliefs forever.
I gotta kick off this review by saying, The Lingering by DM Gritzmacher gave me some serious goosebumps, literally…not kidding. That hasn’t happened to me in a good long while. Be it a nightmarish abandoned graveyard, a plagued farmer’s cornfield or a distant creepy locomotive whistle, Gritzmacher knows how to create an ominous and threatening atmosphere to perfection. With this unique ambiance of high quality writing, the blindsided gut punches of gruesome gore is delivered with unexpected shock.
Although a stand alone, The Lingering is officially Book 3 in Gritzmacher’s Skulldiggery series. I recently read The Quarry, which is Book 2 in the collection and is the reason I’m back for more Skulldiggery.
I loved how the separate time periods are woven together with unforgettable interludes of violent disturbances. Yikes! They were brutal! Gritzmacher knows how to create realistic sights, sounds and smells for the reader. Come to think of it, I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. Ha!
I don’t know why, but when reading this imaginative novel, I kept getting a John Carpenter’s The Thing vibe. I suppose because of the vicious desperation it holds within and not to mention the ending carries a gorrific exclamation point. Enjoy this deviation from the norm. The Lingering’s irregularity is what makes this a must read. A five star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Horror Bookworm Recommendation.
The Lingering by DM Gritzmacher
https://horrorbookwormreviews.com/
Russel Stander returns to his youthful stomping grounds of Almore, Illinois. Not only to research family history but also to lay to rest a terrifying experience that occurred when he was a young boy. What he uncovers is beyond bizarre and incomprehensible to the mortal mind. It’s a return trip that will alter his existence and beliefs forever.
I gotta kick off this review by saying, The Lingering by DM Gritzmacher gave me some serious goosebumps, literally…not kidding. That hasn’t happened to me in a good long while. Be it a nightmarish abandoned graveyard, a plagued farmer’s cornfield or a distant creepy locomotive whistle, Gritzmacher knows how to create an ominous and threatening atmosphere to perfection. With this unique ambiance of high quality writing, the blindsided gut punches of gruesome gore is delivered with unexpected shock.
Although a stand alone, The Lingering is officially Book 3 in Gritzmacher’s Skulldiggery series. I recently read The Quarry, which is Book 2 in the collection and is the reason I’m back for more Skulldiggery.
I loved how the separate time periods are woven together with unforgettable interludes of violent disturbances. Yikes! They were brutal! Gritzmacher knows how to create realistic sights, sounds and smells for the reader. Come to think of it, I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. Ha!
I don’t know why, but when reading this imaginative novel, I kept getting a John Carpenter’s The Thing vibe. I suppose because of the vicious desperation it holds within and not to mention the ending carries a gorrific exclamation point. Enjoy this deviation from the norm. The Lingering’s irregularity is what makes this a must read. A five star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Horror Bookworm Recommendation.
September 30, 2023
**ARC provided for an honest review**
On a midnight train to murder.
Book 3 in the Skulldiggery series is somewhat of a departure from the previous books. There is less horror and more focus on relationships. Our MC Stander goes back to a place where he grew up and does his own digging for the truth of an event that happened to him as a child - but has had serious effects on the rest of his life.
This book has a Stand by Me feel to it as the story follows a group of boys (including Stander) who venture away from their town to see something exciting. The story takes place in Illinois in the past and along a coming-of-age journey, so there is plenty of 80s nostalgia and adventure for those who enjoy.
There are also flashbacks to people riding the rails and committing murders along the way. So, if your favorite things also include railroads, this book is really for you. Plus, we get most of the gore from these flashbacks as the murders are particularly gruesome and may involve some brain-eating. The violent flashbacks contrast with the slower build of the boys' story to meet in an unexpected place. Gritzmacher does a great job tying all the pieces together by the end.
This book is slower than the first two, but a necessary part of the framework that the series rests on. There is more background information here for those readers who have been intrigued by the story so far and the characters who inhabit it. Some questions are answered while creating new interest in other characters.
The overarching theme of the book is friendship. Both the friendship of the boys - along with its effect on all of them throughout their lives. It’s a story of friendship that transcends time and will move even the toughest reader, as there are not many happy endings here. You also see how Stander’s experience as a kid shapes the way his current friendship with retired detective Tom Secrist functions. Clearly a testament to how the importance of friendships we make as children leaves an impression on our lives.
Like the previous books in the series, The Lingering is full of truly interesting authentic historical information that elevates the story beyond the page. The Cahokia Mounds from Collinsville Illinois are referenced. The ancient Native American burial mounds were quite extensive and “Cover 2,200 acres and contain 70 mounds” (enjoyillinois.com).
Their origin and function are shrouded in mystery and lost to time. The Native Americans built complex communities with their own social systems and the mounds represent spaces for their rituals and a place to honor the dead, but little else is known. So much is unknown about these funerary grounds they bring to mind the Pyramids of Egypt. And like the pyramids, they too have many legends of their creation and use.
3.5 Stars
On a midnight train to murder.
Book 3 in the Skulldiggery series is somewhat of a departure from the previous books. There is less horror and more focus on relationships. Our MC Stander goes back to a place where he grew up and does his own digging for the truth of an event that happened to him as a child - but has had serious effects on the rest of his life.
This book has a Stand by Me feel to it as the story follows a group of boys (including Stander) who venture away from their town to see something exciting. The story takes place in Illinois in the past and along a coming-of-age journey, so there is plenty of 80s nostalgia and adventure for those who enjoy.
There are also flashbacks to people riding the rails and committing murders along the way. So, if your favorite things also include railroads, this book is really for you. Plus, we get most of the gore from these flashbacks as the murders are particularly gruesome and may involve some brain-eating. The violent flashbacks contrast with the slower build of the boys' story to meet in an unexpected place. Gritzmacher does a great job tying all the pieces together by the end.
This book is slower than the first two, but a necessary part of the framework that the series rests on. There is more background information here for those readers who have been intrigued by the story so far and the characters who inhabit it. Some questions are answered while creating new interest in other characters.
The overarching theme of the book is friendship. Both the friendship of the boys - along with its effect on all of them throughout their lives. It’s a story of friendship that transcends time and will move even the toughest reader, as there are not many happy endings here. You also see how Stander’s experience as a kid shapes the way his current friendship with retired detective Tom Secrist functions. Clearly a testament to how the importance of friendships we make as children leaves an impression on our lives.
Like the previous books in the series, The Lingering is full of truly interesting authentic historical information that elevates the story beyond the page. The Cahokia Mounds from Collinsville Illinois are referenced. The ancient Native American burial mounds were quite extensive and “Cover 2,200 acres and contain 70 mounds” (enjoyillinois.com).
Their origin and function are shrouded in mystery and lost to time. The Native Americans built complex communities with their own social systems and the mounds represent spaces for their rituals and a place to honor the dead, but little else is known. So much is unknown about these funerary grounds they bring to mind the Pyramids of Egypt. And like the pyramids, they too have many legends of their creation and use.
3.5 Stars
September 28, 2023
**I received this arc in exchange for honest review**
DM has thrown me into a world I never knew I needed to be a part of!!
**While it is book 3 of the Skulldiggery Series, it can absolutely be read as a standalone!**
The Lingering, instead of hitting the highway at 105 mph, slows you down and takes you on that creepy back road detour. Don't take that as this book is just a blah, light read, this book is busy! And will knock you out of your Crocs before you can slide them into sport mode! Right out of the gate, it starts with a tiny glimpse of a mysterious character that you know is going to wreck your world throughout this book.
We then get present day Stander, ( like seriously, can I just have beer with this guy and hang out in his bar?!) who is with his buddy, Secrist, heading back to his aunt’s house that he had not been to in years and years!
It is here where we start getting flashbacks and stories of little Rusty Stander. Super presh! Gave you total Stand by Me vibes kind of, but also was absolutely soo relatable! Maybe its a Midwest thing… but didn't everyone go out to the woods/ corn fields and drink trash beer, and smoke cigarettes while rocking out to 80s rock???
You start to sort of grow with Rusty in his flashbacks, first starting around 10 then preteen, and early teenage years, which I thought was awesome. It just made you understand the character of Russel , you totally connect to him, but you most importantly start getting some answers!
While the flashbacks are going with Stander, you have present day Secrist doing his own present day investigating in the little town trying to figure out what went down all those years ago!
The mysterious shadow character pops up from time to time getting more and more gruesome, violent, gorey, and it’s awesome! In true DM fashion, you catch yourself mumbling aloud at least a time or 2 while reading a gruesome scene! It's Great! Haha!
The end.. Omgod the end! I cannot tell you the last time I was so mad for a book to end! This book is not a cliffhanger, but I need more! Just a general I need more! Now I need Aunt Madaline to have her own book too because now I need more of her!
This book is different from the first 2, in a sense that it tells you more of the whole picture story, but don't for a second assume that it's a boring book because it most definitely is NOT!! I am obsessively invested in the Skulldiggery Universe and cannot wait for more! HA!
DM has thrown me into a world I never knew I needed to be a part of!!
**While it is book 3 of the Skulldiggery Series, it can absolutely be read as a standalone!**
The Lingering, instead of hitting the highway at 105 mph, slows you down and takes you on that creepy back road detour. Don't take that as this book is just a blah, light read, this book is busy! And will knock you out of your Crocs before you can slide them into sport mode! Right out of the gate, it starts with a tiny glimpse of a mysterious character that you know is going to wreck your world throughout this book.
We then get present day Stander, ( like seriously, can I just have beer with this guy and hang out in his bar?!) who is with his buddy, Secrist, heading back to his aunt’s house that he had not been to in years and years!
It is here where we start getting flashbacks and stories of little Rusty Stander. Super presh! Gave you total Stand by Me vibes kind of, but also was absolutely soo relatable! Maybe its a Midwest thing… but didn't everyone go out to the woods/ corn fields and drink trash beer, and smoke cigarettes while rocking out to 80s rock???
You start to sort of grow with Rusty in his flashbacks, first starting around 10 then preteen, and early teenage years, which I thought was awesome. It just made you understand the character of Russel , you totally connect to him, but you most importantly start getting some answers!
While the flashbacks are going with Stander, you have present day Secrist doing his own present day investigating in the little town trying to figure out what went down all those years ago!
The mysterious shadow character pops up from time to time getting more and more gruesome, violent, gorey, and it’s awesome! In true DM fashion, you catch yourself mumbling aloud at least a time or 2 while reading a gruesome scene! It's Great! Haha!
The end.. Omgod the end! I cannot tell you the last time I was so mad for a book to end! This book is not a cliffhanger, but I need more! Just a general I need more! Now I need Aunt Madaline to have her own book too because now I need more of her!
This book is different from the first 2, in a sense that it tells you more of the whole picture story, but don't for a second assume that it's a boring book because it most definitely is NOT!! I am obsessively invested in the Skulldiggery Universe and cannot wait for more! HA!
October 20, 2023
So when Gritzmacher asked me to review his book “The Lingering”, I didn’t know that I was going to be glued to my tablet, sliding page after page to see what will happen next. It’s that good!! This is the 3rd book in the Skulldiggery series, but can be read as a standalone.
Synopsis- Basically, Stander (the MC) never forgot what happened in his past after visiting his great aunt and exploring the fields in the Midwest. Something that he would remember for the rest of his life. 2 years after his findings, he took his 3 friends to see what haunted him. After that, their lives were unfortunately not the same.
We relive the experiences that Russell Stander lived back in the 80’s, with his 3 friends. With the help of his friend Tom Secrist, they slowly unravel what the boys found in the midwestern field by the Mississippi River.
This book was creepy, gross, nostalgic, and suspenseful all wrapped in one. Now I want to go back and read the other books in this series, it was that good!!!
🍿 Movie pairing- Stand By Me
🌭 Food pairing- hot dogs and smores- because who the hell doesn’t want to eat s’mores while going camping with some friends?
Favorite quote- “I’ll never forget this day as long as I live. We go together like spit and sweat. Wolf Pack rules!!”
Thank you so much to @gritzmonster for sending me a free ecopy of this book! You have me hooked!
Synopsis- Basically, Stander (the MC) never forgot what happened in his past after visiting his great aunt and exploring the fields in the Midwest. Something that he would remember for the rest of his life. 2 years after his findings, he took his 3 friends to see what haunted him. After that, their lives were unfortunately not the same.
We relive the experiences that Russell Stander lived back in the 80’s, with his 3 friends. With the help of his friend Tom Secrist, they slowly unravel what the boys found in the midwestern field by the Mississippi River.
This book was creepy, gross, nostalgic, and suspenseful all wrapped in one. Now I want to go back and read the other books in this series, it was that good!!!
🍿 Movie pairing- Stand By Me
🌭 Food pairing- hot dogs and smores- because who the hell doesn’t want to eat s’mores while going camping with some friends?
Favorite quote- “I’ll never forget this day as long as I live. We go together like spit and sweat. Wolf Pack rules!!”
Thank you so much to @gritzmonster for sending me a free ecopy of this book! You have me hooked!
October 24, 2023
Here we are with book 3 of the skulldiggery series and wow did it not disappoint!
Possible spoilers for anyone that has not read ‘The Relict’ or ‘The Quarry’!!!
We are back in the U.S. with Russ. In the last book we finally got some answers about what happened to his mother after she went missing in France and even more questions about what is happening to his family. With the passing of his aunt, he is now coming back to her estate, which lies in the desolate landscape of rural Michigan. Coming along with him is his friend and former law enforcement officer Tom Secrist.
In the 80’s, he used to spend time at his aunt’s as a child and discovered something dark lingering in the forgotten graveyard and forest beyond his aunts estate. A few years later, Russ and his three best friends decide to venture to the graveyard Russ stumbled upon a few years prior. There they find more than they expected and something that would effect them for the rest of their lives.
In the present day, Russ still has his friend Lucas back in France that is still excavating the quarry. Between the items Lucas uncovers in the quarry and what Russ finds in his aunts house, he discovers more evidence that his family tragedies aren’t just isolated incidents and are more connected than he could have imagined.
This book has so many twists and turns that you can’t help but binge read the entire book in one sitting. The creative storyline is unpredictable, in the best way possible, compelling and thrilling. The coming of age story of the boys really reminds me of ’stand by me’ with the kids banter and antics, but their story is way more messed up and terrifying by the end of their journey together.
I highly recommend reading the entire series as this is not a standalone novel. Please check the trigger warning first. Don’t blame the author for reading something you were warned about!
Possible spoilers for anyone that has not read ‘The Relict’ or ‘The Quarry’!!!
We are back in the U.S. with Russ. In the last book we finally got some answers about what happened to his mother after she went missing in France and even more questions about what is happening to his family. With the passing of his aunt, he is now coming back to her estate, which lies in the desolate landscape of rural Michigan. Coming along with him is his friend and former law enforcement officer Tom Secrist.
In the 80’s, he used to spend time at his aunt’s as a child and discovered something dark lingering in the forgotten graveyard and forest beyond his aunts estate. A few years later, Russ and his three best friends decide to venture to the graveyard Russ stumbled upon a few years prior. There they find more than they expected and something that would effect them for the rest of their lives.
In the present day, Russ still has his friend Lucas back in France that is still excavating the quarry. Between the items Lucas uncovers in the quarry and what Russ finds in his aunts house, he discovers more evidence that his family tragedies aren’t just isolated incidents and are more connected than he could have imagined.
This book has so many twists and turns that you can’t help but binge read the entire book in one sitting. The creative storyline is unpredictable, in the best way possible, compelling and thrilling. The coming of age story of the boys really reminds me of ’stand by me’ with the kids banter and antics, but their story is way more messed up and terrifying by the end of their journey together.
I highly recommend reading the entire series as this is not a standalone novel. Please check the trigger warning first. Don’t blame the author for reading something you were warned about!
December 12, 2023
I received this book by the author, but the review is my own honest opinion.
I have not read the first two of the series, and was told this could be read as a standalone with a few brief mentions of the other two books to hopefully entice you to go back and read those. While, technically, he was right...I feel like I would have been impacted more by the story if I had read the series from book one. So, personally, I would recommend you do that even if this CAN be a standalone. Especially before book four; as I have learned there will be a fourth in the series.
Despite that, the book itself was great. Tension steadily built as the book progressed, keeping you intrigued and turning pages to learn more. The writing was solid with lovely descriptive scenes when it called for them - though the parts of the story that unloaded information to bring you up to speed can become a bit of an infodump that bogged down the pacing. I found the mix of history and supernatural very compelling, so much so that I will be going back to read the other two books and wait for the fourth one as the author predicted I'd do.
This reminded me a lot like Stranger Things, especially for the kid parts of the story. The dynamic friend group also reminded me of the kids from IT, but that parallel could be because I'm also reading that book at the same time as this one haha! Of all parts of the story, I honestly liked that part the most. It felt like a story within a story, seeing the kids uncover what they found, that leads to present time with them as adults.
In conclusion, I'd say you should definitely get in on this Skulldiggery series! Though, personally, I'd recommend you start with book one. As I said in the beginning.
I have not read the first two of the series, and was told this could be read as a standalone with a few brief mentions of the other two books to hopefully entice you to go back and read those. While, technically, he was right...I feel like I would have been impacted more by the story if I had read the series from book one. So, personally, I would recommend you do that even if this CAN be a standalone. Especially before book four; as I have learned there will be a fourth in the series.
Despite that, the book itself was great. Tension steadily built as the book progressed, keeping you intrigued and turning pages to learn more. The writing was solid with lovely descriptive scenes when it called for them - though the parts of the story that unloaded information to bring you up to speed can become a bit of an infodump that bogged down the pacing. I found the mix of history and supernatural very compelling, so much so that I will be going back to read the other two books and wait for the fourth one as the author predicted I'd do.
This reminded me a lot like Stranger Things, especially for the kid parts of the story. The dynamic friend group also reminded me of the kids from IT, but that parallel could be because I'm also reading that book at the same time as this one haha! Of all parts of the story, I honestly liked that part the most. It felt like a story within a story, seeing the kids uncover what they found, that leads to present time with them as adults.
In conclusion, I'd say you should definitely get in on this Skulldiggery series! Though, personally, I'd recommend you start with book one. As I said in the beginning.
October 17, 2023
This series is my favorite horror/thriller series I've read so far. There is so much going on, and I can't wait to see how it all connects going forward! A lot of horror books focus 100% on the horror and gore, and lose the plot. But this series has a strong plot that keeps me wanting to keep reading! In fact, I needed to keep reading so badly that I bought the digital book so I could continue reading at work.
This is book 3 in a series. The author does a great job at giving enough details from the previous books to remind readers what happened, without being repetitive. This is super helpful for a reader like me who can't always remember the details of the last book. There are plenty of little hints that the various events the main character has experienced are linked together, but nothing concrete yet.
I'm definitely looking forward to book 4! (And 5, 6, & 7 😂)
This is book 3 in a series. The author does a great job at giving enough details from the previous books to remind readers what happened, without being repetitive. This is super helpful for a reader like me who can't always remember the details of the last book. There are plenty of little hints that the various events the main character has experienced are linked together, but nothing concrete yet.
I'm definitely looking forward to book 4! (And 5, 6, & 7 😂)
October 14, 2023
In the 80’s a 12yr boy shares his discovery of a secret abandoned graveyard in the middle of the Illinois wilderness with his three friends and what they encountered still haunts them. Stander with his best friend and retired detective, Secrist visit the empty rambling mansion of his long dead aunt in an attempt to find answers to not only an archaeological mystery but also the events that changed his life and the lives of his childhood friends all those years ago. Meanwhile a monster stalks the railway lines.
This is a cracking horror mystery with three points of view. The four boys going on an adventure and discovering something horrific in the 80’s, Stander and his friend trying to piece together the past and whether it relates to recent shocking events in his life in present day and a serial killer riding the railways in the 1900’s and leaving behind families annihilated in their beds. It is fast paced and jumps POV’s so you experience events in real time.
This is the third book in the series but can be read as a stand-alone. The travelling serial killer is fascinating as is the two men’s search for answers but the coming of age story of the four boys is the heart of this story. The end of innocence, the deterioration of childhood friendships that we feel will last forever, the search for the source of evil all played out in a brilliantly creepy horror story.
The building tension and atmosphere of fear is palpable, a really great gruesome read!
This is a cracking horror mystery with three points of view. The four boys going on an adventure and discovering something horrific in the 80’s, Stander and his friend trying to piece together the past and whether it relates to recent shocking events in his life in present day and a serial killer riding the railways in the 1900’s and leaving behind families annihilated in their beds. It is fast paced and jumps POV’s so you experience events in real time.
This is the third book in the series but can be read as a stand-alone. The travelling serial killer is fascinating as is the two men’s search for answers but the coming of age story of the four boys is the heart of this story. The end of innocence, the deterioration of childhood friendships that we feel will last forever, the search for the source of evil all played out in a brilliantly creepy horror story.
The building tension and atmosphere of fear is palpable, a really great gruesome read!
December 12, 2023
The Lingering is the second book I've read in D.M. Gritzmacher's Skulldiggery series. I missed reading the series' first book The Relict, and while that really didn't impact me when reading book two, The Quarry, this time I felt slightly lost when events from the first book were referenced. However, I liked this book a lot, even more than The Quarry. With The Lingering, our series MC Russell Stander is present throughout this book but focuses more on his childhood in the '80s with three of his friends. It's this '80s narrative that's the heart of the story, scratching that coming-of-age itch with an engrossing and terrifying chapter of this series.
And it ties well into present-day with Stander and his buddy Secrist as they try to make sense of all these weird events and mystery surrounding Stander and his family. The big reveal that comes late in the book goes heavy on exposition, but there's a lot of mystery that needs unpacking, especially for us (the readers).
Gritzmacher's writing remains stylish and strong with this book. I came away feeling slimy every time he emphasized drool while reading from our villain's perspective, especially because we knew what was coming. There will be another book in the Skulldiggery series coming. I look forward to what Gritzmacher has in store for us.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 out of 5. Fear Nerd says, "Check it out!"
Special thanks to D.M. Gritzmacher for sending me an electronic copy of his book in exchange for this review.
And it ties well into present-day with Stander and his buddy Secrist as they try to make sense of all these weird events and mystery surrounding Stander and his family. The big reveal that comes late in the book goes heavy on exposition, but there's a lot of mystery that needs unpacking, especially for us (the readers).
Gritzmacher's writing remains stylish and strong with this book. I came away feeling slimy every time he emphasized drool while reading from our villain's perspective, especially because we knew what was coming. There will be another book in the Skulldiggery series coming. I look forward to what Gritzmacher has in store for us.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 out of 5. Fear Nerd says, "Check it out!"
Special thanks to D.M. Gritzmacher for sending me an electronic copy of his book in exchange for this review.
November 16, 2023
An early 20th century serial killer. A group of young boys in the 80s who encounter something ominous near the Mississippi. A man on a quest to discover what happened to him as a child. All of these events are tied together. But how?
Set near The Quad Cities along the Mississippi, this is the story of a man's quest to find the truth of what he saw along the River as a young boy. This book immediately grabbed my attention due to its nod to a famous unsolved murder in my home state of Iowa. Told from 3 different times: the early 1900s, the 1980s, and present day, the story slowly unfolds and culminates in a conclusion that makes you long for the next book.
Once again it is great to see a blend of history and mythology. The storyline is believable in the sense of how different cultures, separated by history, create essentially the same gods/demons and only the names change. What if these cultures were all influenced by the same being? Where did that being come from?
This is the 3rd book in the Skulldiggery series. It is helpful to have read the previous 2 books as the main story arc really comes together in this book. It can be read as a stand-alone, but it is more enjoyable if you know what the overall story line is. This is my favorite one so far.
Set near The Quad Cities along the Mississippi, this is the story of a man's quest to find the truth of what he saw along the River as a young boy. This book immediately grabbed my attention due to its nod to a famous unsolved murder in my home state of Iowa. Told from 3 different times: the early 1900s, the 1980s, and present day, the story slowly unfolds and culminates in a conclusion that makes you long for the next book.
Once again it is great to see a blend of history and mythology. The storyline is believable in the sense of how different cultures, separated by history, create essentially the same gods/demons and only the names change. What if these cultures were all influenced by the same being? Where did that being come from?
This is the 3rd book in the Skulldiggery series. It is helpful to have read the previous 2 books as the main story arc really comes together in this book. It can be read as a stand-alone, but it is more enjoyable if you know what the overall story line is. This is my favorite one so far.
October 30, 2023
Y’all know I love my indie authors and here’s one more to add to my list of favorites! If you’ve read the first two books of this series than you know how amazing DM Gritzmacher’s writing is. The Lingering is the third book of the Skulldiggery series and I’m dying to read the first two books asap! Gritzmacher gave just enough details in The Lingering that makes it a perfect standalone but leaves you wanting to go back to the very beginning. I love feeling like I’m a part of the story, seeing what the characters see and feeling what they’re feeling. And DM does just that! You can’t help but connect with Russ! I’m usually not a fan of moving through time periods but he ties everything together seamlessly.
Russ is on a mission to find out more about the life changing events that him and his childhood buddies experienced in the 1980’s. When Russ and his friend Tom go back to their old stomping grounds they discover something just as terrifying now as it was when they were young boys. Nostalgia, a great story and blood and guts always makes me happy and leaves me wanting more from this story!
Russ is on a mission to find out more about the life changing events that him and his childhood buddies experienced in the 1980’s. When Russ and his friend Tom go back to their old stomping grounds they discover something just as terrifying now as it was when they were young boys. Nostalgia, a great story and blood and guts always makes me happy and leaves me wanting more from this story!
October 10, 2023
What a fantastically creepy third installment to the Skulldiggery series! This one fits in perfectly after books 1 & 2, and might even make more sense if you read it in order of Book 2, then Book 2 and then Book 3 The Lingering but either way they can be read as standalones. I highly recommend reading them as a series so you don’t miss the little spooky easter eggs throughout.
Without giving away too much, in The Lingering we continue to follow Stander and Secrist as they continue there search into what this mysterious evil presence is. What I loved the most was getting Stander’s backstory and the little coming of age story we get within a story. That part felt a little reminiscent to IT by Stephen King, but without being too similar.
We continue to have an atmosphere that is full of dread and fear of the unnatural and unknown. There is also a lot of lore in this installment but it’s all tastefully done. All in all, this series is a fantastic bit of horror to give you nightmares and keep you on the edge of your seat! I cannot recommend these books enough.
Without giving away too much, in The Lingering we continue to follow Stander and Secrist as they continue there search into what this mysterious evil presence is. What I loved the most was getting Stander’s backstory and the little coming of age story we get within a story. That part felt a little reminiscent to IT by Stephen King, but without being too similar.
We continue to have an atmosphere that is full of dread and fear of the unnatural and unknown. There is also a lot of lore in this installment but it’s all tastefully done. All in all, this series is a fantastic bit of horror to give you nightmares and keep you on the edge of your seat! I cannot recommend these books enough.
September 28, 2023
This series is addictively HORRIFYING and I can’t get enough!
“Staging the scene of the bloodbath afterwards was cathartic. A creative pleasure.” OH..MY!!
If you have not yet started this series, you are missing out! In Gritzmacher’s third novel of the Skulldiggery series, The Lingering, his imagery, and character development still reign supreme. I couldn’t be more “IN” the story, I can literally see, feel, and sometimes smell the story. I couldn’t care more for this main character, Stander, if I was related to him. I KNOW this character and am attached.
This author leads you along by the nose, letting you “see” only what he wants you to see. This gives you a sense of EXCITEMENT and pulls you in and doesn’t let you go. At times you cannot even breath while you read along quickly to try to find out what will happen next. At the end of this book, I am again left wanting……the next book cannot come quickly enough!
“Staging the scene of the bloodbath afterwards was cathartic. A creative pleasure.” OH..MY!!
If you have not yet started this series, you are missing out! In Gritzmacher’s third novel of the Skulldiggery series, The Lingering, his imagery, and character development still reign supreme. I couldn’t be more “IN” the story, I can literally see, feel, and sometimes smell the story. I couldn’t care more for this main character, Stander, if I was related to him. I KNOW this character and am attached.
This author leads you along by the nose, letting you “see” only what he wants you to see. This gives you a sense of EXCITEMENT and pulls you in and doesn’t let you go. At times you cannot even breath while you read along quickly to try to find out what will happen next. At the end of this book, I am again left wanting……the next book cannot come quickly enough!
October 18, 2023
This is another creepy, gory, and can't put down addition to the Skulldiggery series. "The Lingering" really begins to connect the somewhat disparate plots of "The Relict" and "The Quarry". Stander and Secrist go back to look at the scene of a terrifying experience in Stander's boyhood and find some connections with the unexplained horrors discovered in the previous books.
I really enjoyed the back and forth look a the present along side the trip back in time to Stander and his childhood friend's youth. It made for a coming-of-age story feel within the horror. I also liked getting to know these two characters a bit more. There is a lot of character development in David's work making for an even more enjoyable read as I experience more of this duo. I love the touches of humor scattered throughout as well. In the end things got pretty crazy leaving me flipping pages frantically to reach to the end. Guaranteed to bring a scare while still being a quality piece of work.
I really enjoyed the back and forth look a the present along side the trip back in time to Stander and his childhood friend's youth. It made for a coming-of-age story feel within the horror. I also liked getting to know these two characters a bit more. There is a lot of character development in David's work making for an even more enjoyable read as I experience more of this duo. I love the touches of humor scattered throughout as well. In the end things got pretty crazy leaving me flipping pages frantically to reach to the end. Guaranteed to bring a scare while still being a quality piece of work.
November 14, 2023
Although this is Book 3 in Gritzmacher’s Skulldiggery Series, it is a solid stand-alone horror novel.
Sander and Secrist are old friends and partners investigating an incident that has haunted Sander since his childhood. As a boy, camping with his friends, they were hunted by a monster.
Part National Treasure, part Stand by Me, this book is academic puzzle-solving and coming-of-age adventure. There are three timelines: Sander and his friends at 12, Sander and Secrist investigating his hometown and, in the early 1900s, a pair of monsters murdering and eating brains along the Mississippi.
Fast paced, believable likable characters, engaging dialogue, and a gotdamn horrifying monster.
Gritzmacher peppered in enough hints at Skulldiggery 1 and 2, while laying the groundwork for a 4 based in France, that I am intrigued to learn more about the adventures that Sander and Secrist have been up to.
Sander and Secrist are old friends and partners investigating an incident that has haunted Sander since his childhood. As a boy, camping with his friends, they were hunted by a monster.
Part National Treasure, part Stand by Me, this book is academic puzzle-solving and coming-of-age adventure. There are three timelines: Sander and his friends at 12, Sander and Secrist investigating his hometown and, in the early 1900s, a pair of monsters murdering and eating brains along the Mississippi.
Fast paced, believable likable characters, engaging dialogue, and a gotdamn horrifying monster.
Gritzmacher peppered in enough hints at Skulldiggery 1 and 2, while laying the groundwork for a 4 based in France, that I am intrigued to learn more about the adventures that Sander and Secrist have been up to.
November 10, 2023
After reading his book The Quarry, I thought I knew what to expect with The Lingering, but… I was wrong. I certainly did not.
This one… this one had me on the edge of my seat, and had more gore in it (which I LOVEDDDDD! who doesn’t love gore?!)
It was dark, bleak at times, and broke my heart at some others. I love how detailed he gets, and how he sets the perfect atmosphere for his books. He truly knows how to make his books feel truly terrifying and horrific.
I love the timeline switching from the past to the present. We get to see into Stander’s childhood, and into his present day life, which helps the storyline and helps us see more about what’s going on about this “entity”.
I have to say, he’s done it again as far as I’m concerned. Definitely a book I highly recommend 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
This one… this one had me on the edge of my seat, and had more gore in it (which I LOVEDDDDD! who doesn’t love gore?!)
It was dark, bleak at times, and broke my heart at some others. I love how detailed he gets, and how he sets the perfect atmosphere for his books. He truly knows how to make his books feel truly terrifying and horrific.
I love the timeline switching from the past to the present. We get to see into Stander’s childhood, and into his present day life, which helps the storyline and helps us see more about what’s going on about this “entity”.
I have to say, he’s done it again as far as I’m concerned. Definitely a book I highly recommend 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
November 13, 2023
I picked this one up along with Books 1 & 2 of the Skulldiggery series when I met David at Tomes of Terror last month! I promised him I’d read The Lingering, and I’m so glad that I did!!! 👏
Parts of this story reminded me of Stand By Me! ❤️ It also definitely gave off creepy vibes, and you all know I’m here for that!! 👏👏
Loved this one, though in a way I wish I would have read The Relict and The Quarry first!! Can’t wait to go back and read both of those now!! ❤️🤓 And I heard Book 4 is in the works so I will for sure be snapping that up when it comes out!! 📚
Highly recommend this one! And while this definitely could be read as standalone, I do recommend reading The Relict and The Quarry first!
Parts of this story reminded me of Stand By Me! ❤️ It also definitely gave off creepy vibes, and you all know I’m here for that!! 👏👏
Loved this one, though in a way I wish I would have read The Relict and The Quarry first!! Can’t wait to go back and read both of those now!! ❤️🤓 And I heard Book 4 is in the works so I will for sure be snapping that up when it comes out!! 📚
Highly recommend this one! And while this definitely could be read as standalone, I do recommend reading The Relict and The Quarry first!
February 9, 2024
I’m so obsessed with this cover!
Book 3 in the Skulldiggery series.
There’s a few nods to the previous books in this series but unless you’ve read them you won’t realize it’s anything significant. Much like the first two books, this one can be read as a stand-alone.
DM Gritzmacher is such a brilliant writer. His ability to infuse historical facts into his stories and make them his own so smoothly while still making it a solid page turner is flawless.
This one was a little slower and lighter on the horror aspect which is totally okay. I really enjoyed focusing on the story and the relationships within. We flip-flop between past & present and the 80s storyline really gives you “Stand by Me” vibes.
Book 3 in the Skulldiggery series.
There’s a few nods to the previous books in this series but unless you’ve read them you won’t realize it’s anything significant. Much like the first two books, this one can be read as a stand-alone.
DM Gritzmacher is such a brilliant writer. His ability to infuse historical facts into his stories and make them his own so smoothly while still making it a solid page turner is flawless.
This one was a little slower and lighter on the horror aspect which is totally okay. I really enjoyed focusing on the story and the relationships within. We flip-flop between past & present and the 80s storyline really gives you “Stand by Me” vibes.
October 11, 2023
Once again, DM Gritzmacher does not disappoint. This book is the best of the series to date. So many twists and turns that kept me captivated to the very end. The different time lines and even different countries kept me guessing. Stander is a very down to earth yet unique character. I loved the “following the rail lines” aspect of this book and the end totally took me by surprise but made perfect sense. I cannot wait until the next book.
November 8, 2023
I finished this one last night 🌙
The Lingering Skulldiggery Book #3 by DM Gritzmacher
This book was awesome, super creepy, and addictive. It's one of those books that makes you stay up all night reading because you need to know what's going to happen next.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I haven't read the other books in this series yet, but I'll fix that 😉 I also saw at the end of this one that there is a fourth book in the series coming out I'll definitely be grabbing a copy of that.
The Lingering Skulldiggery Book #3 by DM Gritzmacher
This book was awesome, super creepy, and addictive. It's one of those books that makes you stay up all night reading because you need to know what's going to happen next.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I haven't read the other books in this series yet, but I'll fix that 😉 I also saw at the end of this one that there is a fourth book in the series coming out I'll definitely be grabbing a copy of that.
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