Fireman: An Old Castle Novel

The Old Castle Chronicles

by Jonathan Dunne

This is your baptism of fire ...

Firefighter Max Power makes a chilling discovery in the dark recesses of the sewers below the streets of Old Castle during routine maintenance. He tries to forget the unsettling encounter, but Max finds it hard to shake off the haunting image of the individual he would come to know as Ash Man.

Not long after setting eyes on the strange vagrant in the myriad of passageways, Max's life changes forever when he is called to a blazing house fire...his house.

Stoking the flames of revenge, Max descends once more into the depths of the underground, drawn into a cryptic alliance with the diabolical Ash Man.

And we all burn in this trial by fire.

Genres: Horror, Mystery, Suspense, Occult, Paranormal, Thriller, Gothic

284 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 31, 2024

About the author

Jonathan's next novel will be psychological/supernatural horror Mummy: An Old Castle Novel coming 2026!
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...


Jonathan's supernatural horror The Reek: An Old Castle Novel is slated for release late 2026!
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...


Supernatural horror Halfway House: An Old Castle Novel coming early 2027!
https://tinyurl.com/338zumv8


OUT NOW! Dead Air Vol 2 of The Dead Series in Kindle, paperback, and hardback! Audiobook read by the author.
https://a.co/d/76KU54N


OUT NOW! The Boneyard: Short Fictions of the Morbid and Macabre Vol 2 of short horror collection The Boneyard Series.
https://a.co/d/gnGHpMP


OUT NOW! The Boneyard: Short Fictions of the Morbid and Macabre Vol 1 of short horror collection The Boneyard Series. Keep an eye out for Vol 2 in the coming weeks!
https://a.co/d/2i8iwB9


OUT NOW! Fireman in Kindle, paperback, and hardback! Audiobook read by the author.
https://a.co/d/9PJLr30


Jonathan has an exciting lineup of new horror titles in progress. To stay updated on his latest horror offerings, be sure to follow him on his Amazon author page and Goodreads. Jonathan writes dark fiction and hangs around the local cemetery more often than is healthy, whether in his homeland of Limerick, Ireland or his second home in Toledo, Spain. He will be in the mountains if he isn't at the cemetery. Jonathan holds a BA in Literature.

Jonathan's audiobooks YouTube page (work in progress):
https://www.youtube.com/@JonathanDunn...

Jonathan's Amazon Page:
https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jonatha...
Jonathan's Bookbub Page:
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jonat....

Reviews

[Milica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was sort of fast paced and hectic (in the best way possible), but Dunne still managed to insert some lore into it. His writing is just superb, and narration is impeccable. I can't recommend it enough.

[Ghastly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jonathan Dunne’s *Fireman* delivers a gripping tale with raw emotion and sharp narrative twists. The protagonist's journey is both harrowing and heartfelt, painting a vivid picture of resilience and redemption. Dunne's ability to balance tragedy with hope creates a story that resonates deeply. The prose is evocative, weaving compelling imagery with the weight of its themes. However, at times, the pacing slows, and certain subplots feel underdeveloped. Despite these minor flaws, *Fireman* stands as a powerful exploration of human strength in adversity. It’s a striking blend of drama and introspection that leaves a lasting impression. A solid four-star read.

[Sandra Burns · Rating 5 out of 5]

First time reading this author.

I love the horror genre. This book was amazing. Two firemen, go on a call. End up going underground to the sewer system. Where the homeless people and addicts live sometime.
Unbeknownst to one of the firemen, the other had a souvenir from a previous call.
And the cycle begins. Of spit and stick.

[G · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book over the Christmas holidays and enjoyed it as I do all of Jonathan's work. This one was not quite as enjoyable as the others and I have read all of the others. I can't quite put my finger on what was off about this one. I am now going to pre-order that juicy one coming up, Halfway House. I am hoping I can get it on Kobo. As a Canadian I have cancelled my Amazon account, Prime and everything American. I won't cancel J. Dunne though! : )

[Shelby]

I received this book for free as part of a Goodreads giveaway.

DNF. I gave this the old college try, but I didn’t like the writing. I found it over written. It was excessively wordy with lots of punctuation. The characters didn’t feel like real people either. This book seems highly rated though so it could very well just be a me thing. I was intrigued by the plot at the very least. I’d recommend reading a sample first before you buy this, just to be on the safe side if you’re interested in picking this up.

[Rebecca Morel · Rating 2 out of 5]

This read was not really my cup of tea. My dad was a Fireman for over 30 years, so I thought it would be more about one. However, this entire read was more about 2 Fireman that had something to do with an "Ash" demon. Descriptions were lacking, storyline was awful. Don't waste your time.

[Jackie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book as part of a Goodreads giveaway. I really enjoyed the beginning of the book and it kept my attention. However, I wasn’t a huge fan of the ending. Past the halfway point, I found myself zoning out and found it difficult to finish the book.

[Cierra · Rating 2 out of 5]

I won a digital copy of Fireman through Goodreads giveaways.

2.25 stars for me. The general idea of the story I feel like has a ton of potential but as it is, it fell flat for me, unfortunately. I wonder if I would've felt more strongly towards it in its original short story format. The flow felt a bit disjointed to me, and I didn't get the shock factor that the description/summary sort of promised.

[Kay Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t really read many horror stories. This one was unique and kept my interest. There were twists s and turns in this plot. I’m hoping you will give this book a try as it has a character that you grow to care about and cheer on.

[Dawg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trademark Dunne horror 😱
I will never grow tired of Old Castle.

[Ruthy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Someone needs to turn this into a movie, please.

[Genoa]

Cant wait to read have to finish the last of the court of thorns and than I will be able to leave a review

[Christine Timmo · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was interesting but at times seemed to drag on a bit and I had difficulty focusing. Overall I did like the book though. Thanks goodreads for the giveaway

[Mike Hepp · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like me a good horror tale.. Easy to read, original story, good character development. Give it a read. Thanks to the author Jonathan Dunne and to Goodreads for the Giveaway.

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Different kind of horror! I could feel the heat 🔥

[Sarah Dunne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read. Loved the main characters 👌 Unsettling, dark and unnerving, everything I love about this genre. 5 stars.

[Jess Vanatta · Rating 1 out of 5]

Boring, repetitive, terrible dialog, underwhelming ending