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A Monster in a Diner
The Freeway Stop Diner is open for business, offering hot food, endless refills of freshly brewed coffee, and a place to shelter while a terrible winter storm ravages outside. However, be warned: things are about to take a bone-chilling turn.
A loud, earth-shaking crash in the woods behind the diner quickly brings about questions, suspicion and strange, unexplainable phenomena. And soon, the eight strangers that are all trapped by the icy, snowy hell outside begin to suspect that one of them is not who they claim to be.
Then, when someone turns up dead, not only is it clear that a cold-blooded killer is amongst them, but he — or she — may not even be of this earth…
Zone of Terror is a new series from indie author, Scott Donnelly (Mothman: Return to Point Pleasant, Sea Devil, The Whool, Cheater, Cheater, The Terror from Beyond the Void) which blends science fiction, horror, mystery and fantasy elements. Its inspirational roots can be credited to the original run of The Twilight Zone, but subverts expectations by weaving old ideas into new and original narratives with chilling twists. The first book in the Zone of Terror, due out in early 2024, is titled “A Monster in a Diner". A sequel is currently being planned for 2025.
A loud, earth-shaking crash in the woods behind the diner quickly brings about questions, suspicion and strange, unexplainable phenomena. And soon, the eight strangers that are all trapped by the icy, snowy hell outside begin to suspect that one of them is not who they claim to be.
Then, when someone turns up dead, not only is it clear that a cold-blooded killer is amongst them, but he — or she — may not even be of this earth…
Zone of Terror is a new series from indie author, Scott Donnelly (Mothman: Return to Point Pleasant, Sea Devil, The Whool, Cheater, Cheater, The Terror from Beyond the Void) which blends science fiction, horror, mystery and fantasy elements. Its inspirational roots can be credited to the original run of The Twilight Zone, but subverts expectations by weaving old ideas into new and original narratives with chilling twists. The first book in the Zone of Terror, due out in early 2024, is titled “A Monster in a Diner". A sequel is currently being planned for 2025.
- GenresHorror
151 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2024
4 people are currently reading
28 people want to read
About the author
Scott Donnelly
81 books44 followersScott Donnelly is an indie author based in Grove City, Ohio, where he lives with his wife and three children. Scott is best known for his horror titles "Mothman: Return to Point Pleasant", “Sea Devil”, “A Monster in a Diner”, “Where it’s Always Spooky Season” (which won a 2023 Pen Craft Book Award) and "Cheater, Cheater" (which is receiving a 2024 film adaptation from writer/director Del Kary and distribution from SRS Cinema). Scott is also the creator and head writer of Micro Terrors: Scary Stories for Kids, a horror podcast geared towards kids 8 and up. In addition to writing fiction, Scott also freelances for Weird Darkness Publishing as an editor and cover designer.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
December 29, 2024
This was short, snappy, and entertaining. If you’re looking for a quick horror read with a fun and slightly nostalgic edge, try this out. Looking forward to more in the series!
Energy: Animated. Amusing. Creative.
🐩 Tail Wags: That it’s a fun, quirky horror without grief-riddled backstories or personal tragedies. The pacing. Cinematic writing style. The character perspectives were distinct and easy to follow.
Scene: 🇺🇸 Set in Courtland County (I think in New York state).
Perspectives: We follow multiple perspectives including a line cook fresh out of high school, the owner/manager of the diner, some of the customers, a special law enforcement agent, and a non-human, after a snowstorm strands seven strangers at a highway pit stop diner.
Timeline: Current (2010s? I’m guessing it takes place before Uber was a thing)
🔥 Fuel: How did each person get to the diner? What was that huge crash? Is there an imposter among them? If so, will they evade capture or be caught?
📖 Cred: Supernatural realism
Mood Reading Match-Up:
Sleet. Christmas lights. Beehive hairstyle. Blistering air. NASA. Illusory gambit. Unexplained lights and sounds. Communication device. Knee high snow.
• They walk among us
• Finding the imposter
• Alien creature feature
• Secret government agencies
• Moments of memory loss
• Cinematic, atmospheric settings
• Snowbound isolation
• Locked room murder mysteries
• Race against time to solve-the-mystery
• Twilight Zone-esque perspective shifts in the morally grey
• Body jumping
• Men in Black meets The X-Files meets Goosebumps
• Third person, narrator giving us background and letting us in on character thoughts
Content Heads-Up: Nicotine (cigarette, brief). Vaping (brief). Blood. Murder.
Rep: American. Cis. Hetero. Ambiguous skin tones.
📚 Format: Kindle Unlimited
My musings 💖 powered by puppy snuggles 🐶
Energy: Animated. Amusing. Creative.
🐩 Tail Wags: That it’s a fun, quirky horror without grief-riddled backstories or personal tragedies. The pacing. Cinematic writing style. The character perspectives were distinct and easy to follow.
Scene: 🇺🇸 Set in Courtland County (I think in New York state).
Perspectives: We follow multiple perspectives including a line cook fresh out of high school, the owner/manager of the diner, some of the customers, a special law enforcement agent, and a non-human, after a snowstorm strands seven strangers at a highway pit stop diner.
Timeline: Current (2010s? I’m guessing it takes place before Uber was a thing)
🔥 Fuel: How did each person get to the diner? What was that huge crash? Is there an imposter among them? If so, will they evade capture or be caught?
📖 Cred: Supernatural realism
Mood Reading Match-Up:
Sleet. Christmas lights. Beehive hairstyle. Blistering air. NASA. Illusory gambit. Unexplained lights and sounds. Communication device. Knee high snow.
• They walk among us
• Finding the imposter
• Alien creature feature
• Secret government agencies
• Moments of memory loss
• Cinematic, atmospheric settings
• Snowbound isolation
• Locked room murder mysteries
• Race against time to solve-the-mystery
• Twilight Zone-esque perspective shifts in the morally grey
• Body jumping
• Men in Black meets The X-Files meets Goosebumps
• Third person, narrator giving us background and letting us in on character thoughts
Content Heads-Up: Nicotine (cigarette, brief). Vaping (brief). Blood. Murder.
Rep: American. Cis. Hetero. Ambiguous skin tones.
📚 Format: Kindle Unlimited
My musings 💖 powered by puppy snuggles 🐶
June 4, 2024
A Monster in a Diner
by Scott Donnelly is a gripping science fiction/horror novella set in the Freeway Stop Diner during a winter storm, where eight strangers find themselves stranded amidst mysterious and chilling circumstances. When a loud crash echoes from the nearby woods, and footprints are discovered heading towards the diner, it becomes apparent that at least one of the strangers is not who they seem to be. The story progresses as each character's history, qualities, and motives reveal themselves, leading to an atmosphere of escalating doubt and fear within the group. As eerie phenomena escalate and an unexpected murder occurs, the true nature of fear and identity comes to light.
Donnelly skillfully develops each character, showcasing their vulnerabilities and hidden agendas as they grapple with the looming presence of an otherworldly killer among them. The escalating tension within the group underscores themes of identity and fear as each individual is forced to confront their true self under duress. The fear of betrayal from both human and supernatural sources drives the characters' actions, ultimately culminating in a chilling revelation that tests their resilience.
The first book in Scott Donnelly's Zone of Terror series, A Monster in a Diner , is a concise novella brimming with mystery and suspense that gut-punches you straight into the heart of the story. A Monster in a Diner is the first book I've read by Scott Donnelly, and I knew after the first chapter that I didn't want it to end. As short as this book may be, it deeply satisfied my sci-fi/horror-loving mind. I am eagerly anticipating the release of his next book from the Zone of Terror series.
(Thank you, Scott Donnelly, for sending me a copy in exchange for my honest review!)
Donnelly skillfully develops each character, showcasing their vulnerabilities and hidden agendas as they grapple with the looming presence of an otherworldly killer among them. The escalating tension within the group underscores themes of identity and fear as each individual is forced to confront their true self under duress. The fear of betrayal from both human and supernatural sources drives the characters' actions, ultimately culminating in a chilling revelation that tests their resilience.
The first book in Scott Donnelly's Zone of Terror series, A Monster in a Diner , is a concise novella brimming with mystery and suspense that gut-punches you straight into the heart of the story. A Monster in a Diner is the first book I've read by Scott Donnelly, and I knew after the first chapter that I didn't want it to end. As short as this book may be, it deeply satisfied my sci-fi/horror-loving mind. I am eagerly anticipating the release of his next book from the Zone of Terror series.
(Thank you, Scott Donnelly, for sending me a copy in exchange for my honest review!)
January 21, 2024
Once again Scott Donnelly has written a novella that gets to the heart (and guts) of the subject while still giving a narrative that you get lost in. He's really good at creating these worlds and scenarios and I'm always happy to come along for the ride.
This one is set in a diner where a handful of people are snowed in during a massive snowstorm. When something crashes in the woods nearby, it soon becomes apparent that one or more of these people are not who they appear to be. Two men from a secret government organisation are also at the diner after tracking a signal from a creature that escaped a facility earlier.
This alien has the ability to present itself as human, hiding in plain site. Now the question is, who is wearing a human skin suit?
This novella is about aliens but it's part Independence Day meets Men In Black with a bloody twist. I always appreciate a good alien story. This is the second book I've read from the author that deals with the subject and each is vastly different. Both manage to be engaging to the reader and delivering the action, scares, and twists without getting bogged down with excessive detail.
You'll be guessing who the intruder is right along with the story but a revelation partway through is going to change things up and put a new a whole new spin on things. I'm also happy to see that this is a first book in a series so we'll get to spend more time in this world.
I highly recommend this book and you don't want to miss out.
This one is set in a diner where a handful of people are snowed in during a massive snowstorm. When something crashes in the woods nearby, it soon becomes apparent that one or more of these people are not who they appear to be. Two men from a secret government organisation are also at the diner after tracking a signal from a creature that escaped a facility earlier.
This alien has the ability to present itself as human, hiding in plain site. Now the question is, who is wearing a human skin suit?
This novella is about aliens but it's part Independence Day meets Men In Black with a bloody twist. I always appreciate a good alien story. This is the second book I've read from the author that deals with the subject and each is vastly different. Both manage to be engaging to the reader and delivering the action, scares, and twists without getting bogged down with excessive detail.
You'll be guessing who the intruder is right along with the story but a revelation partway through is going to change things up and put a new a whole new spin on things. I'm also happy to see that this is a first book in a series so we'll get to spend more time in this world.
I highly recommend this book and you don't want to miss out.
December 31, 2024
As a winter storm rages outside, a group of disparate strangers takes shelter within the confines of the Freeway Stop Diner, completely unaware that they are already under surveillance by a team of private investigators tasked with recovering an escaped fugitive. Normally, this would be the stuff of ‘Breaking News,’ but this is no ordinary fugitive. This one originates from another planet, and keeping things under wraps is a matter of national security. Best laid plans go out the window when the area is shaken by an enormous explosion in the nearby woods. Eyewitness reports of space debris crashing to Earth fill the airwaves, and it soon becomes readily apparent that one of the diners may not be one of us.
But which one?
Fast-paced sci-fi actioner plays out like a loving homage to ‘The Twilight Zone’ and John Carpenter’s ‘The Thing.’ Donnelly has always had a terrific knack for tapping into the feel of vintage horror, and this quick read is no different. If you think you’ve got the players figured out, hang tight—there’s a piece of the story you haven’t been given quite yet that changes everything.
Perfect to read by the campfire or—OOO!—on a dark and stormy winter night!
But which one?
Fast-paced sci-fi actioner plays out like a loving homage to ‘The Twilight Zone’ and John Carpenter’s ‘The Thing.’ Donnelly has always had a terrific knack for tapping into the feel of vintage horror, and this quick read is no different. If you think you’ve got the players figured out, hang tight—there’s a piece of the story you haven’t been given quite yet that changes everything.
Perfect to read by the campfire or—OOO!—on a dark and stormy winter night!
January 26, 2024
I loved this story! It’s got aliens, mystery and even a little gore. Plus the cover is pretty dope.
This is the first book in the new Zone of Terror series which is a nice blend of horror, mystery and science-fiction with just a hint of fantasy. The series will draw some inspiration from The Twilight Zone which is a favorite of mine so it’s safe to say I’m extremely excited to see what the next book has to offer!
This is the first book in the new Zone of Terror series which is a nice blend of horror, mystery and science-fiction with just a hint of fantasy. The series will draw some inspiration from The Twilight Zone which is a favorite of mine so it’s safe to say I’m extremely excited to see what the next book has to offer!
February 17, 2024
A very good, fast read! I really loved the location for this story and the storm put it right at the top of my perfect setting wish list. The monster and people in here were well written and easy to picture. I liked the ending too. I enjoyed this. The only drawback for me, was when it would go back in time to previous events, it tends to take me out of the mood and flow of the story, although I can see why it was done at least one of the times.
October 14, 2024
Fun story worth the read
This was a cool story. I appreciate the slow and mysterious start to it before everything was fast and crazy. There were some cool twists in there also. Great how the storm isolated the world of the story into the setting of the diner. Nicely done and I’m looking forward to more of this author’s books!
This was a cool story. I appreciate the slow and mysterious start to it before everything was fast and crazy. There were some cool twists in there also. Great how the storm isolated the world of the story into the setting of the diner. Nicely done and I’m looking forward to more of this author’s books!
November 25, 2024
(I read half the book and finished it on audible)
This was fantastic. The story was easy to follow. It was extremely thrilling, and It had plenty of gore that wasn't over the top! The plot was well played out! Loved the atmosphere that was created, we got a wide array of characters, and I'm definitely checking out more of Scott's work!
This was fantastic. The story was easy to follow. It was extremely thrilling, and It had plenty of gore that wasn't over the top! The plot was well played out! Loved the atmosphere that was created, we got a wide array of characters, and I'm definitely checking out more of Scott's work!
March 5, 2025
Book was weak, audiobook reader was the worst I’ve ever heard
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews