Dirty Spirits

by Sawney Hatton

"The author puts a great twist on the ghost story. Add a family with some strange rituals, some body horror, dark humor and you've got yourself a great read!" -Audrey's Vault of Horror

They say you can't choose who you fall in love with, and Doug believed it.

He didn't expect to fall in love with an addict. Once he did, he knew the relationship would be challenging. He knew sometimes it would blow chunks and rain shit. He expected it. He prepared for it. But there are some things you can never imagine happening, crazy stuff you can never prepare for no matter how hard you try. All Doug can do now is hang on and hope the love of his life isn't dragged back into hell by her ex-fiancé who can't move on.

Because while Liam Fowlington may be dead... he's far from departed.

"DIRTY SPIRITS is a creepy blend of addiction, the supernatural, and Sawney Hatton's dark humor." -Russ Colchamiro, author of the Angela Hardwicke sci-fi thrillers

Genres: Horror

299 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 15, 2024

About the author

Sawney Hatton is an author, editor, and screenwriter who has long loved taking trips to the dark side.

Weaned on a steady diet of paranormal horror and creature features, he quickly developed an appetite for all things macabre and monstrous. With early literary influences as tonally disparate as Stephen King’s PET SEMATARY, Evelyn Waugh’s THE LOVED ONE, and Marquis de Sade’s THE 120 DAYS OF SODOM, he enjoys fusing the sinister with the satirical, the abominable with the absurd.

Other incarnations of Sawney have produced marketing videos, attended all-night film fests, and played the banjo and sousaphone (not at the same time).

As of this writing he is still very much alive.

Reviews

[Lady MacDeath · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first thing which drew my attention to this book, is the brilliant cover, and I knew it was the kind of book which I wanted to read…I mean, who could resist?!

Michelle meets Liam in rehab, both trying to kick their alcohol and drug addictions. The relationship fizzles out, and she meets Doug. She soon finds out that Liam has died trying to get clean, and is invited, with Doug, to the funeral…

I’m not going to say too much about this book, as the synopsis, says it all. But I had a really good time reading it. One thing, which did let it down for me though, were that most of the chapters were super long (some 45 minutes), which made the story drag somewhat, but long chapters are not for me, though that’s just my opinion. Because of this, I found my mind wandering elsewhere. I recommend the book, though the long chapters let it down, for me, unfortunately.

Thanks to the author and BookSirens for providing me with this free ARC, of which I leave this voluntary review.

3.5 ⭐️

[Ga.selle (Semi-hiatus) Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Some sinking ships you cannot save, no matter how much water you bail from it or how many holes you patch up. And it’s hard—brutally, heartbreakingly hard—to watch someone you care about drown."


Some vows are forever.

Crazy, creepy and chaotic.
Ghosts, possessions, family mystic rituals and unorthodox beliefs, bonding sigils and more.
A fresh spin on a ghost story and dealing with addiction (laced with supernatural/paranormal and dark humour.)
I've had my eye on this one since last year. The cover art is striking and made me all the more curious and intrigued. Funny the protruding face doesn't fail to remind me of 'the substance' near the end part of the film. Iykyn.
This is more than just a ghost or possession story. It's actually inspired by the author's personal experience about being emotionally and romantically involved with someone with a substance abuse problem. He portrays experiences with addiction as accurately as possible (at least from a non-addict’s perspective) so as not to trivialize or misrepresent the ruinous effects addiction has on the addict and the relationship.


Big thanks to the publisher, Booksirens for the arc. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.🖤

4.45✨

[Roz Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has a really interesting take on addiction and the demons that plague those who are trying to recover. 

We follow Michelle, Liam, and Doug. Michelle and Liam start out as recovering addicts who seemingly have turned their life around and appear to have it all... until the call of addiction takes over again. Michelle finds the strength to leave and forms a new relationship with Doug. Life looks good until she hears Liam has died from his addiction.

Michelle and Doug travel to Liam's family home, and things take a sinister turn. Liam's family asks Michelle for a very unconventional and macabre favour. If she goes ahead, it will change all of their lives forever.

The story portrayed the challenges of addiction in a realistic way, and this was cleverly used to intertwine with the more horrifying aspects of the book. It made me make think about how far you would go to try to save someone from their own demons and if a person is ever beyond help.

My only negative is that I wanted more detail about Liam's family, as I really enjoyed the characters and was left wanting to know more about their own motivations... particularly Liam's sister Bethany. She is definitely strange!

Overall, it's an enjoyable and entertaining read.

Thanks to Henry Roi PR and Black Tide Book Tours for a copy of this book for an honest review!

[Dutchess · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this because of the cover art. Though the cover implies some weird shit is gonna go down (which does indeed go down), the first half of this book is surprisingly normal, and personal, as you experience the life of a recovering alcoholic and how she has affected those close to her. I typically enjoy when stories derail into the absurd, but I think I enjoyed the buildup far more than the whack events themselves.

One of my cousins recently died due to his alcoholism, while in his 30s, and though I was never close with him, I can only imagine what his parents and siblings went through. This novel shed some insight on a matter that I've never had to experience myself, and hopefully never will.

[Brenda Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Michelle learns Liam, her ex-fiancé who she’d met in rehab, has died battling his addiction, there’s a lot to process. But with her new beau Doug by her side, she’s ready to face it head on, beginning with his funeral. The problem is Liam isn’t ready to let go.

This was such a strange and interesting premise, I knew I had to read it. Liam’s family is off the charts creepy and have a completely different way of dealing with loss; they clearly don’t have Michelle’s best interest at heart. As Liam takes hold, Doug watches the love of his life begin to spiral and make some of the same bad decisions of her past.

Addiction is absolutely gut wrenching for anyone in its path, but the way Hatton infuses his dark humor is perfection. The characters are realistic and emotions are raw. The story has so much darkness, but the light shines through. Hatton embraces the depths of both despair and love in such a creative way, with all the cult read vibes I love.

Thank you Henry Roi PR and Black Coffee Tours for the ARC and the opportunity to be on this tour.

[Vickiec192 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, toxic love at it's most toxic! When Doug starts dating Michelle, a recovering addict, he thinks his biggest problem will be what to do if she has a relapse. How to help her keep sober. He does not expect her ex fiancé to be the one who comes between them...mainly because he is dead.

This is such a great read. Creepy, atmospheric and some great twists. There is no bombardment of unnecessary characters and the plot is really concise and packs a huge punch. On the subject of the plot, it's one hell of a concept! love, betrayal and loss, you'll feel all the emotions!

Beware the in laws!!!!

[Kat M · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had enjoyed the idea of this book and loved the cover with this story. The characters felt like they were supposed to be there, it had that supernatural horror that I wanted. Liam Fowlington was a interesting character and worked with what I was looking for as a ghost. It had a great overall feel for a ghost story and the horror worked with the story. I enjoyed the way Sawney Hatton writes and can't wait to read more.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Tara Parker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe closer to a 4.25. Not quite the story I was expecting. I expected a little more humor, and while there were moments, I actually found this to be about as serious as a book with the premise can be. The book is fairly short, so I didn’t expect to bond with the characters as much as I did, but I really felt myself pulling for Doug and Michelle. The ending actually had me in my feels. If you’re into cults and ghosts, this will be right up your alley.

[Joan Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you, Sawney Hatton

I really enjoyed this super creepy story.

You don't choose who you fall in love with. However, you do choose if they stay or go.

I have heard of this vintage tradition. I really was motivated to turn the pages to find out what situations were coming next. I loved the twist at the end.

[Marie Czupinski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny, and culty, and strange...I loved it

I ran across this author at a horror book fair, and I've been hooked ever since.
He is a wonderful author and charming individual who excels at pacing and character development.

[Jupiter Spook · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great story! This was creepy, weird, and gut wrenching, the added addiction premise made it so much more heartbreaking. I truly loved this!

We do recover ❤️

[JWo1855 · Rating 4 out of 5]

The premise of the author falling in love with an addict, without really knowing what all that would entail, combined with the cover art had me hooked.

When Michelle’s ex-fiancée dies, Doug offers to go to the funeral with her. He was all in on helping her stay sober, little did he know that other forces would stand in his way.

Dirty Spirits is a good mixture of introspection (of dating an addict), fun storytelling with a heavy sprinkle of humor-horror included.

But the cover art already told you that didn’t it?

***
I received this book as a Goodreads Giveaway, but the review is my own.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to come.

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a dark, raw, gritty side of addictions with some supernatural aspects added to really send the message home. I really didn't think I could finish this when I was halfway through. I saw no light at the end of the tunnel. Just repetitions of bad decisions and dragging others down with you on the way to the bottom again! This angered me so much. People trying to help got the dirty end of the stick , while perpetrators were obliviously high to the damages they wreaked. Maybe Liam's family had it right when they wanted to eradicate the plague with fire, but they got the wrong one, and I'm more mad at that!!!!

Take a step into the darkness. I voluntarily read a free copy of this book provided by book sirens and am giving an honest opinion.

[J.A. Barrios · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sawney Hatton has a nice blend of humor to balance this tragic tale of addiction and love. What is addiction? What is love? And- are they just the same thing? One will drive you raving mad, exceeding limits beyond imagination to secure what you desperately want most. The other is addiction, altering what an individual perceives as vitally necessary to live, despite how much it may kill them.

Dirty Spirits follows a couple, Doug and Michelle, and their very uncomfortable journey to the lavish estate of Michelle's former future in-laws for the funeral of her once fiancé, Liam. The former spouses-to-be were raging alcoholics, neglecting their jobs and running down their savings to nothing as they drank themselves silly every day. Both went through rehab and got better, but as these things tend to go the sobriety was only temporary.

The former couple get engaged and Liam brings Michelle to his family home to perform a ritual that will bind them eternally and supposedly save them from their liquid demons. Michelle doesn't believe the latter as they continue to binge drink leaving Michelle feeling like crap again and again. Finally she gave up on him and moved on.

I believe it had been about a year since Michelle last seen Liam when she gets the call of his passing. She now lives with her current partner, Doug, who is nothing but supportive. Supportive of Michelle's alcoholic past, supportive of her well-earned sobriety, and he even joins her for the memorial.

Once at the Fowlington's estate, nefarious plans lie hidden beneath the surface of the memorial. Liam's parents wish for Michelle to perform a "mock wedding" with their son to consecrate the ceremony that never happened.

At this point I realized I was halfway through the book and the "story" was just now starting. I like a slow burn, but I know this might be a thing that discourages some other readers. There are plenty of strange and weird moments leading up to this point that kept me wondering what was going to happen, so I was definitely intrigued! The scene at the motel when Doug encounters the other couple... that was tough, tragic.

As a person who struggled for the better part of a decade with addiction, I really appreciated the authentic portrayal from a non-addict's perspective. The first half being especially believable. The second half was when things get bizarre. Michelle struggles to find the right way to decline the Fowlington's request, which despite them talking it down there is no way no how that you can spin a mock wedding with your dead ex as anything but invasive and downright messed up! But rich folk do have their eccentricities which is what lowers Michelle's guard. That and her own guilt for leaving Liam to drown in his addiction while she cleaned herself up.

Survivor's guilt is real and it absolutely sucks. I've brought myself to the brink of death many times in the hopes to be close to the loved ones who have passed. So maybe I too might have thought the idea of this freakazoid wedding would be more cathartic than toxic. Doug on the other hand, actually has his wits about him. Although Michelle had already agreed, Doug convinces her just how messed up of a request that is. However, when she goes to take back her word it becomes obvious that this wasn't a request.

This story has very interesting occult and ghost themes and touches on the Fowlington's afterlife beliefs of how existence continues on with the spirit. There were some scenes that made me feel very uncomfortable, especially anything with Bethany (Liam's sister) as she very forwardly continues to hit on Doug... even when he is paralyzed and drugged! There is nothing more violating than waking up to find a person you are repulsed by doing stuff to you... To those who can't take SA, she at least never actually does anything to him, thank Bukani!

Doug is awesome and goes to great lengths to stop the sadistic ritual of the crazed aristocrats, making sure everyone gets what they deserve. I do enjoy a satisfying ending when the antagonists gets what's coming to them, but by the end of this story I was not nearly as satisfied. It is a great metaphor for how one's addiction can be more harmful to the supporting loved ones than to the addict themselves, but I was definitely sad. And the final final ending for Michelle is wrapped in a little Christian bow, which just feels like a copout and an even more disappointing ending. But I guess that is the narrative they force feed addicts in rehab, so it's fitting in that sense.

I found it fun that the book contains 12 chapters, like the 12 steps to recovery. Although, most of the chapters felt unnecessarily long and with a couple of much shorter chapters that kind of threw me off, but upon seeing that final 12th chapter it all made sense.

[Horror Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book about addiction told with a supernatural narrative that will captivate your emotions. The author realistically portrays addiction through the characters giving it a down to earth feel while also bringing a creepy family full of rituals and secrets to terrify. Combined with a bittersweet ending that tugs on the ol' heart strings and you have a fantastic novel you don't want to miss.

Michelle is a recovering addict. She was engaged to a fellow addict, Liam, before she left him. Doug is her new boyfriend and he supports her emotionally and mentally through her tough times of recovery. But when Liam dies, she and Doug decide to attend the funeral to perhaps close that chapter of her life.

Liam's family is rich, old money rich, and though his parents accepted Michelle as family, things are going to take a horrifying turn at their mansion during the "funeral". Because Liam may be dead but his spirit still loves Michelle and they will stop at nothing to make sure they are together forever.

The rituals and dark traditions of the family are mysterious and just creepy as hell. Doug immediately feels uncomfortable around them as they seem to pull Michelle away from him, convincing her to perform one last "favor" for the memory of Liam. And, yeah, it's NOT a good idea and even seems to be a bit macabre. The results will change everything.

Doug and Michelle are sympathetic characters and you'll easily be involved along with them as the story progresses. They're not perfect nor are they perfectly good. But they're written realistically especially with Michelle's addiction and how it has not only affected her but how it's also affecting Doug. They're good together and you want to see them succeed. This emotional involvement really hits home once the horrors begin!

Great dialogue, awesome characters (even the "bad" ones), and a supernatural narrative that gives you goosebumps. I highly recommend this.

[Abby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance copy for free provided by the author, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I read this entire book in one sitting. I wasn’t sure what to expect from this story, but I absolutely enjoyed it. It depicts the severity of addiction and toxicity in several ways. It is not the typical “boo” caught you kind of horror story, which is why I enjoyed it so much.

This is a fairly short story, and easy to follow along. In the synopsis we meet our FMC, Michelle who is a recovering addict. She then meets one of our MMC, Liam who is also in rehab. Long story short, their relationship does not last long, and they part ways. Michelle moves on and is now in a new, healthier relationship, with of our other MMC, Doug. They later find out Liam has passed, and Michelle decides to attend his funeral. She explains to Doug what her past was like with Liam, and why she feels the need to attend.

I truly wanted to know where this was all going. The moment that Michelle kept pushing Doug, and dragging him along to go with her to the funeral, it almost felt completely questionable. I had so many doubts and questions in my head. Even if this wasn’t a horror story, I definitely had my own opinions, had this been just a normal situation. I definitely had a few eye rolling moments! I felt bad for Doug many times! I do wish that the story was a bit longer. That way there was more information and background to Doug’s backstory. I am also curious to know why Liam’s sister kept coming up, but there really wasn’t too much of a backstory about her in the middle or in the end. She kind of was just there?

I can really see how the use of toxicity and addiction was written and used in this story. I’m sure this storyline can resonate with many people, minus the whole “horror” aspect. I am sure that it is not easy to deal with addiction, and this story depicts a lot of the struggles many families and relationships deal with.

I enjoyed this book very much, and it’s a book I would read again.

[Bethany Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dirty Spirits is not like anything I've ever read before. It is full of really interesting and unique body horror without straying too far into splatterpunk/extreme horror territory, and is a brilliant example of high personal stakes. I firmly believe that all good horror has a bit of surrealism mixed in, but I've found more modern novels lacking. Dirty Spirits absolutely hit the spot for me.

The novel has a really interesting narrative structure to it. Despite the story focusing mostly on Michelle and her struggles with both addiction and her ex-fiancé Liam, her new partner Doug is our focal point. While this does make for an intriguing story, I felt it left the text itself a little unbalanced. Most of our flashbacks are from Michelle's point of view, so those little interludes into Doug's narration ended up being a bit disjointed from the rest of the story.

Despite this, I cannot fault the writing. The tension is tight, the pacing is amazing, and I was kept on edge the entire time. The book is very reminiscent of Jordan Peele's Get Out, but with more of the paranormal mixed in. One of the most understated scenes is the motel scene - I won't say much else to avoid spoiling it, but definitely give this book a look at.

I was gifted a copy and asked to post my thoughts.

[I'mogén · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Henry Roi Pr for sending a digital copy and for a spot on the book tour. All opinions remain 100% genuine.


This was a whirl wind of emotion and adventure. I've not had any personal connections with addiction but the way it was discussed in this story was harrowing and emotional. I felt for our characters that kept getting sucked back into the vicious routine, even when they were trying so badly to get clean.


I really enjoyed the way this went in terms of dark rituals. It went all Midsommar near the end and I enjoyed the dramatics of it.


I wish we had a bit more depth to the lore of the founder of this family's richness and beliefs... Also was totally waiting for the Bukkake joke to hit, I was hoping it would be more of a punch!


All the thing the Fowlington's did was so unhinged... I can't fathom how Michelle began to convince herself that some of it was just for closure... I guess when you spend long enough around some far out ideas and intense influence, you may start to think like them.


There were some slow spots but overall I enjoyed this one!


Pick it up, give to a go and enjoy!

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded up to 5

I just want to say, I highly recommend reading the introduction, it will give you a little peek into Hatton’s mind, and set you up for the story to follow. Now that that’s out of the way, let’s move on to the story. The characters feel real, and believable. The struggles with addiction, the way it affects those around them, all of it. Some characters you’ll love, and you’ll find it hard to forget them after you reach the last page. I have to applaud Hatton for not shying away from the darker sides of the characters and their struggles. The story itself moves along pretty smoothly, and we get to see the present day as well as the past unfold. There were some bits where the phrasing felt a little awkward, but I can’t quite put my finger on why. While the chapters are long, many of them have mini-breaks indicated by dividers (but makes it difficult to commit to just one more chapter and get to bed at a decent hour). I will say it’s hard to stop reading once you start. If you’re looking for a dark and spooky read, that will give you chills and occasionally make you smile, then you’ll want to grab this!

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a good dysfunctional family … and man, this book did not disappoint in that category! The book follows the main characters of Michelle and Doug, as they navigate Michelle’s ex fiancés wickedly deranged family; weaving in a story of addiction, unwavering (and toxic) love and tradition. The characters were well developed – each with big personalities. I liked having the POV go between Doug and Michelle, because at many times I was asking myself “WHAT ARE YOU THINKING??!?!” This was a great, spooky read and I look forward to reading more by Sawney Hatton!

I received this book for free from goodreads and am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Janel · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Dirty Spirits” by Sawney Hatton

Addiction with supernatural elements thrown in makes for a wild read!
Michelle and Liam, both recovering addicts, were engaged until she left him. Michelle starts seeing Doug who is very supportive of her. When Liam dies, both Doug and Michelle attend his funeral being held within his family’s home. Little do they know that Liam’s family want Michelle to be with his spirit forever…and let the occult rituals begin!
Just enough dark horror without crossing the line of extreme horror. I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

[Red Book Review · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book drew me in by the creepy cover and then was turning pages until the very end. The author was new to me but I can not wait to read more books by the author. This was written really well and I liked how the author portrayed the challenges of addication. Overall this was a creepy read with some great twists. I highly enjoyed this book and would recommend this one to any reader but especially to readers who love a good offbeat occult ghost story or horror. I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Carola Schmidt · Rating 5 out of 5]

A disquieting fast-paced read where the supernatural meets the grit of addiction. The main character, Doug, finds himself ensnared by an unexpected love for an addict, setting the stage for a relationship fraught with darkness and devotion. As the story unfolds, the author masterfully mixes occult elements with his signature dark humor. The book challenges perceptions of love and dependency. The plot is really creative, and the writting is unique.

[Kristy Kloster · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wild horror story packed with ghosts, addiction, and a whole lot of suspense. It follows Michelle, who's trying to move past her turbulent relationship with Liam, her ex who's not quite out of the picture—even after his death. The book jumps between their troubled past and intense present, which makes Dirty Spirits a page-turner. It's a gritty look at how the past can haunt you. Five stars!

[Ronita · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was so close to the finish line with this one, but it took me forever to read. It started off great but towards the end it just got weird and like super awkward and unrealistically weird (in the book’s defence, most horror stories are unrealistic but I think this one takes the cake). I simply had no desire to go through this anymore.

[Russ Colchamiro · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great book. Spooky and creepy in all the best ways, especially if you like supernatural tales. It hooked me from the first page and never let go. I had a great time with Dirty Spirits. Well worth it!

[Alana K. Drex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michelle has luggage that Doug, her current and very besotted bf, knows not the dastardly scope of. He knows she is a recovering alcoholic--knows she always will be and he doesn't mind being a support for her. But when her ex-fiance dies of his alcoholism and he offers to go to his funeral, he will be thrown into a plot more horrifying than he could imagine.

Michelle and Liam were bonded in this twisted ritual pulled off by her parents on their large estate. And now with Liam dead, Michelle doesn't seem the same. There's something off--or extra?-- about her.

Can Doug save her from herself and the twisted plan her ex-fiance's parents have put in motion. So, sidenote, but the ex-fiance's sister is a creepy as hell minion type character that had me rolling on the floor with laughter and twitching with unease.

This book is full of chills and it is the epitome of the term "tainted love". But Doug's steadfastness to Michelle was heartwarming.

[Audrey Annotates · Rating 4 out of 5]

As soon as I saw the cover, I knew I had to read this book! The author puts a great twist on the ghost story. Add a family with some strange rituals, some body horror, dark humor and you've got yourself a great read!