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Oxrun Station #2
The Sound of Midnight
Fiery lights are seen in the the small town of Oxrun Station. A series of strange murders, a group of odd, apparently possessed children terrorizing the adults of the town, all serve to make things interesting in the Chinese sense for toy store owner Dale, and her beau Vic, who find themselves drawn into a web of ancient intrigue, pitted against powers that were old when the New World was a big, empty garden. The second novel in the famous Oxrun Station series.
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1978
7 people are currently reading
541 people want to read
About the author
Charles L. Grant
309 books263 followersCharles Lewis Grant was a novelist and short story writer specializing in what he called "dark fantasy" and "quiet horror." He also wrote under the pseudonyms of Geoffrey Marsh, Lionel Fenn, Simon Lake, Felicia Andrews, and Deborah Lewis.
Grant won a World Fantasy Award for his novella collection Nightmare Seasons, a Nebula Award in 1976 for his short story "A Crowd of Shadows", and another Nebula Award in 1978 for his novella "A Glow of Candles, a Unicorn's Eye," the latter telling of an actor's dilemma in a post-literate future. Grant also edited the award winning Shadows anthology, running eleven volumes from 1978-1991. Contributors include Stephen King, Ramsey Campbell, R.A. Lafferty, Avram Davidson, and Steve Rasnic and Melanie Tem. Grant was a former Executive Secretary and Eastern Regional Director of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America and president of the Horror Writers Association.
Grant won a World Fantasy Award for his novella collection Nightmare Seasons, a Nebula Award in 1976 for his short story "A Crowd of Shadows", and another Nebula Award in 1978 for his novella "A Glow of Candles, a Unicorn's Eye," the latter telling of an actor's dilemma in a post-literate future. Grant also edited the award winning Shadows anthology, running eleven volumes from 1978-1991. Contributors include Stephen King, Ramsey Campbell, R.A. Lafferty, Avram Davidson, and Steve Rasnic and Melanie Tem. Grant was a former Executive Secretary and Eastern Regional Director of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America and president of the Horror Writers Association.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
October 13, 2013
There are towns in fiction that are synonymous with horror. Arkham. Innsmouth. 'Salem's Lot. And then there is Oxrun Station. Horror doesn't happen here. This is where horror lives. From the quiet fear that caresses the back of one's neck to the stark raving terror that leaves insanity in it's wake, this is where you'll find it, on the streets of this quiet little town where nothing is what it seems, and the shadows themselves can prove to be far deadlier than what hides within them. Come visit Oxrun Station. You can leave any time you like. But it will never let you go.
March 17, 2015
I introduced myself to Charles Grant's writing a little over a year ago. I started reading his novels in chronological order and The Sound of Midnight is his 2nd in a series that takes place in his twisted little town of Oxrun Station. For those of you that haven't discovered Grant yet, think of Stephen King's Derry where strange things always seem to happen. The Sound of Midnight was published in 1978 and his writing was progressively getting better with each novel. His atmospheric dread or "quiet horror", if you will, was always there. However, the problem that I have had with his writing, up until now, has been the helpless, dim-witted female characters and the annoying, chauvenistic male characters. Charles Grant's The Curse was a perfect example. His "Hour of the Oxrun Dead" still had it, but was better. With The Sound of Midnight, the female character is better yet, but the male character still holds on to some of those annoying characteristics.
With that out of the way, The Sound of Midnight is an eerie tale of mystery. Dale's parents were killed and left her a mom & pop toy store in Oxrun Station. Her boyfriend is a teacher at the local HS. One day, Dale is sitting by a pond in the park and is thunked in the head with a rock. She comes to and finds that one of the boys that frequents her toy store is face down in the pond with a few of his classmates looking on. This begins a string of strange deaths that take place and that involve fire and water. Dale and her boyfriend Vic find themselves in the middle of it and the local police chief isn't liking it. With no one to turn to and not knowing who they can trust, its up to the two to find out what is going on and what it has to do with the town's children before Dale and Vic end up being next.
As I've said, The Sound of Midnight is full of atmosphere that builds up in almost a hazy, dreamlike way. The characters still hold on to a little of those annoying characteristics that seem to be prevelent in many of the novels from the 1970s - helpless females that want to run away from every problem, chavenistic males that try to be way too funny and cute in everything they say, etc. But, to be fair, not nearly as much as Grant's earlier works. This helps the reader to be able to focus on the story and it is Grant's best one up to this point. I look forward to seeing his further progression as I go through his catalog of Oxrun tales.
3.5 out of 5 stars
You can also follow my reviews at the following links:
https://kenmckinley.wordpress.com
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5...
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TWITTER - @KenMcKinley5
With that out of the way, The Sound of Midnight is an eerie tale of mystery. Dale's parents were killed and left her a mom & pop toy store in Oxrun Station. Her boyfriend is a teacher at the local HS. One day, Dale is sitting by a pond in the park and is thunked in the head with a rock. She comes to and finds that one of the boys that frequents her toy store is face down in the pond with a few of his classmates looking on. This begins a string of strange deaths that take place and that involve fire and water. Dale and her boyfriend Vic find themselves in the middle of it and the local police chief isn't liking it. With no one to turn to and not knowing who they can trust, its up to the two to find out what is going on and what it has to do with the town's children before Dale and Vic end up being next.
As I've said, The Sound of Midnight is full of atmosphere that builds up in almost a hazy, dreamlike way. The characters still hold on to a little of those annoying characteristics that seem to be prevelent in many of the novels from the 1970s - helpless females that want to run away from every problem, chavenistic males that try to be way too funny and cute in everything they say, etc. But, to be fair, not nearly as much as Grant's earlier works. This helps the reader to be able to focus on the story and it is Grant's best one up to this point. I look forward to seeing his further progression as I go through his catalog of Oxrun tales.
3.5 out of 5 stars
You can also follow my reviews at the following links:
https://kenmckinley.wordpress.com
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5...
http://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/A2J1...
TWITTER - @KenMcKinley5
October 12, 2013
Oxrun Station--this is the second book in Charles Grant's Oxrun series. Right from the beginning, the atmosphere grabs you with an intensity so sadly lacking in many stories today. Grant's horror is certainly subtle by today's standards. You won't find much in the way of "in-your-face" guts and gore, but what you WILL find is a seductive darkness of chilling intensity. The suspense just builds and builds, relentlessly bringing you forward to face the final outcome. About 3/4 of the way into this novel, I was actually dreading the end--because I didn't WANT for it to be over. The story was so well written and mentally intense that it has made its way onto my "favorites" shelf. A perfect Halloween read!
May 5, 2024
A little slower build, with the stomach dropping you-thought-you-were-safe-but-HA! ending, but still so good....
March 5, 2023
Dale es dueña de una juguetería de Oxrun Station, dentro de todo lo que vende se encuentran unas singulares piezas de ajedrez, las cuales se hallan estrechamente relacionadas a la mitología celta.
¿Qué tendrán de especiales tan preciadas piezas?
Y lo que es más importante: ¿tendrán relación con las extrañas muertes que están ocurriendo en el pueblo?
Un libro que me pareció lento, una trama simple pero interesante que en mí opinión, pudo haberse aprovechado más. Por lo que sé el libro está considerado como literatura de terror, pero a mí no me lo pareció, creo que es misterio.
Los personajes se me hicieron algo lejanos, si bien tenían potencial, no llegué a conectar del todo con ninguno.
Me hubiera gustado que el autor jugara más con la mitología, o que profundizara un poco más en ella. Pero la acción y lo interesante se concentra más en la última parte del libro, por lo que hubo momentos en los que la historia carecía de interés para mí.
Un punto a favor del libro es la atmósfera, las descripciones son precisas y logran hacerte sentir en Oxrun Station con todo el halo de misterio que lo rodea.
Me encantó cómo terminó la historia, todo indicaba que sería un final típico y redondo, pero no fue el caso, me tomó por sorpresa y me dejó con una buena sensación.
Es un libro del que esperaba un poco más, no llega a ser malo, pero me faltó más acción.
¿Qué tendrán de especiales tan preciadas piezas?
Y lo que es más importante: ¿tendrán relación con las extrañas muertes que están ocurriendo en el pueblo?
Un libro que me pareció lento, una trama simple pero interesante que en mí opinión, pudo haberse aprovechado más. Por lo que sé el libro está considerado como literatura de terror, pero a mí no me lo pareció, creo que es misterio.
Los personajes se me hicieron algo lejanos, si bien tenían potencial, no llegué a conectar del todo con ninguno.
Me hubiera gustado que el autor jugara más con la mitología, o que profundizara un poco más en ella. Pero la acción y lo interesante se concentra más en la última parte del libro, por lo que hubo momentos en los que la historia carecía de interés para mí.
Un punto a favor del libro es la atmósfera, las descripciones son precisas y logran hacerte sentir en Oxrun Station con todo el halo de misterio que lo rodea.
Me encantó cómo terminó la historia, todo indicaba que sería un final típico y redondo, pero no fue el caso, me tomó por sorpresa y me dejó con una buena sensación.
Es un libro del que esperaba un poco más, no llega a ser malo, pero me faltó más acción.
May 27, 2015
I'm plugging on through Grant's fiction, in chronological order, and as expected, the stories are improving as I go. They're still similar in tone and style, with his signature "quiet horror" running through all of them, but the narrative and structure is coming along more to what I expect out of standard fiction. Where the first two books of his ended rather abruptly, The Sound of Midnight gives us a little more resolution after the final battle has been fought. If nothing else, it gives us a little more time to understand and respond to the ending.
This time around, the story is about Dale and Vic, a toystore owner and schoolteacher respectively, trying to understand series of deaths in Oxrun Station while trying not to become two more themselves. Grant wastes no time is giving the story a mysterious, ethereal, otherworldly atmosphere, without taking us too far out of the real world. Oxrun Station is just an odd place, with its own quirks and mysteries not found in other cities, but at the same time, it's a small town with a certain amount of charm. Even though the story lacks modern conveniences like the Internet and cell phones, there's still a timeless feel to the setting; it's not too hard to believe that the town is just an older town that's too far out on its own to have good cellular reception or to bother with that confounded Internet.
It's notable that this is subtitled "An Oxrun Station Novel" instead of being Oxrun Station: Volume II. The stories, as I understand them (I'm only two books into this pseudo-series, but I've read some articles about them), are all stand-alone books with characters from other books popping up in cameos. I wasn't surprised to see Natalie and Marc, but I was pleased to see that Grant wrote an ending for them. The Hour of the Oxrun Dead ended somewhat suddenly, without any closure to the subplot of the relationship, but Grant brings it in here, like a reward for his regular readers. Whether they remain unaffected from the events of that novel, though, is unclear.
Interestingly, of all three Grant novels I've read so far (not counting the stuff from over ten years ago), all of them have had female protagonists, with the events taking place from their points of view. It suggests that Grant was creating progressive characters, but the narrative ultimately proves him wrong. The women aren't stereotypical female horror tropes -- no scream queens or token deaths here -- but there still seems to be some stereotypical behavior there. The women never quite cross over into damsels needing to be rescued, but they do become sentimental over their men at the most inconvenient times. The men suffer, too; they're not presented as burly muscle men misogynists with no sense, but they do come off as ridiculously macho and full of themselves. That was the case with Syd in The Curse and with Marc in The Hour of the Oxrun Dead (though to a much lesser extent), and now he does it again with Vic in The Sound of Midnight, even going so far as to have him make a joke about raping someone. All these novels were written in the late 1970s, which might explain some of the posturing, but it didn't endear them to me at all.
I'm not sure that Grant's style is for everyone. Readers who are used to more action and suspense in their reads will probably find the stories to be too slow and uneventful to stick with them. Folks who don't mind taking their time with stories (and can overlook some of the dated dialogue) and enjoy the slow buildup of tension, though, should definitely check him out.
This time around, the story is about Dale and Vic, a toystore owner and schoolteacher respectively, trying to understand series of deaths in Oxrun Station while trying not to become two more themselves. Grant wastes no time is giving the story a mysterious, ethereal, otherworldly atmosphere, without taking us too far out of the real world. Oxrun Station is just an odd place, with its own quirks and mysteries not found in other cities, but at the same time, it's a small town with a certain amount of charm. Even though the story lacks modern conveniences like the Internet and cell phones, there's still a timeless feel to the setting; it's not too hard to believe that the town is just an older town that's too far out on its own to have good cellular reception or to bother with that confounded Internet.
It's notable that this is subtitled "An Oxrun Station Novel" instead of being Oxrun Station: Volume II. The stories, as I understand them (I'm only two books into this pseudo-series, but I've read some articles about them), are all stand-alone books with characters from other books popping up in cameos. I wasn't surprised to see Natalie and Marc, but I was pleased to see that Grant wrote an ending for them. The Hour of the Oxrun Dead ended somewhat suddenly, without any closure to the subplot of the relationship, but Grant brings it in here, like a reward for his regular readers. Whether they remain unaffected from the events of that novel, though, is unclear.
Interestingly, of all three Grant novels I've read so far (not counting the stuff from over ten years ago), all of them have had female protagonists, with the events taking place from their points of view. It suggests that Grant was creating progressive characters, but the narrative ultimately proves him wrong. The women aren't stereotypical female horror tropes -- no scream queens or token deaths here -- but there still seems to be some stereotypical behavior there. The women never quite cross over into damsels needing to be rescued, but they do become sentimental over their men at the most inconvenient times. The men suffer, too; they're not presented as burly muscle men misogynists with no sense, but they do come off as ridiculously macho and full of themselves. That was the case with Syd in The Curse and with Marc in The Hour of the Oxrun Dead (though to a much lesser extent), and now he does it again with Vic in The Sound of Midnight, even going so far as to have him make a joke about raping someone. All these novels were written in the late 1970s, which might explain some of the posturing, but it didn't endear them to me at all.
I'm not sure that Grant's style is for everyone. Readers who are used to more action and suspense in their reads will probably find the stories to be too slow and uneventful to stick with them. Folks who don't mind taking their time with stories (and can overlook some of the dated dialogue) and enjoy the slow buildup of tension, though, should definitely check him out.
September 1, 2015
This is my second Oxrun Station book by Charles Grant....and I just loved it!
Of course, it is a real slow burner. But so long as you know that going in, and know that Charles Grant will pay off as you go along, it's perfect.
I thought it was better than the first book in the series, The Hour of the Oxrun Dead. This second book in the series, Sound of Midnight, gives a wonderful description of that creepy little town. Grant draws a beautiful bucolic setting that pulls you right in. And sure, there are long passages where Grant introduces you to the characters and develops the relationships...but watch closely and read carefully. In Grant's books, things don't always turn out as they seem!
What I liked best about this book was the setting of the fictional Connecticut town of Oxrun Station. I appreciate the time Grant took to draw the town and fill it with such wonderful characters and relationships.
Of course, it is a real slow burner. But so long as you know that going in, and know that Charles Grant will pay off as you go along, it's perfect.
I thought it was better than the first book in the series, The Hour of the Oxrun Dead. This second book in the series, Sound of Midnight, gives a wonderful description of that creepy little town. Grant draws a beautiful bucolic setting that pulls you right in. And sure, there are long passages where Grant introduces you to the characters and develops the relationships...but watch closely and read carefully. In Grant's books, things don't always turn out as they seem!
What I liked best about this book was the setting of the fictional Connecticut town of Oxrun Station. I appreciate the time Grant took to draw the town and fill it with such wonderful characters and relationships.
December 8, 2025
Decided to pick up the 2nd book in the Oxrun Station series soon after finishing the first…then got swamped with grading. So my reading kinda tanked these last few months, but, as always, I had a wonderful time hanging out in Charles L Grant’s spooky little village.
Whether it was my workload or just reading this Halloween-set mystery out-of-season, Sound of Midnight didn’t grip me as much as the other Oxrun stories I’ve read. It’s another cult book, much like the first, and has me wondering just how many cults are operating in the small Connecticut town and whether or not they all know each other. This cult is mostly made up of little bratty kids who like to read and play with science sets. Give em all cell phones and your problem is solved!
The characters here are super familiar—the two leads are nearly indistinguishable from Ms Librarian and Mr Small Town Journalist from Hour of the Oxrun Dead, except the male lead here goes from kinda charming to real bug annoying creep by the end. Oh yeah, this one’s got the first mention of a Stockton running the police force. Kinda cool seeing all the pieces being laid.
I’m not sure what the third one (Last Call of Mourning[?]) is about, but a Grant book is never really *about* the plot or villains/monsters…but I am hoping for something different than an evil-worshipping cult.
Whether it was my workload or just reading this Halloween-set mystery out-of-season, Sound of Midnight didn’t grip me as much as the other Oxrun stories I’ve read. It’s another cult book, much like the first, and has me wondering just how many cults are operating in the small Connecticut town and whether or not they all know each other. This cult is mostly made up of little bratty kids who like to read and play with science sets. Give em all cell phones and your problem is solved!
The characters here are super familiar—the two leads are nearly indistinguishable from Ms Librarian and Mr Small Town Journalist from Hour of the Oxrun Dead, except the male lead here goes from kinda charming to real bug annoying creep by the end. Oh yeah, this one’s got the first mention of a Stockton running the police force. Kinda cool seeing all the pieces being laid.
I’m not sure what the third one (Last Call of Mourning[?]) is about, but a Grant book is never really *about* the plot or villains/monsters…but I am hoping for something different than an evil-worshipping cult.
July 11, 2022
It's October in July, baby!
Sure, not a lot happens in these books, but the mood is very cozy and enjoyable. I think this ending was a bit better than the first book, but still sudden and kind of absurd for how understated the rest is. But that juxtaposition is fun!
Sure, not a lot happens in these books, but the mood is very cozy and enjoyable. I think this ending was a bit better than the first book, but still sudden and kind of absurd for how understated the rest is. But that juxtaposition is fun!
January 2, 2025
Es un poco aburrido, no habla mucho sobre la mitología que representa el ajedrez y no he llegado a conectar con los personajes ni con la trama. El final un poco apresurado. Mucho rodeo y misterio todo el libro para ese final tan abrupto.
September 7, 2016
This is the second of Charles Grant's Oxrun Station novels and is very much in the same vein, though not quite to the point of repetition. Yes, the same themes are visited, but the specifics are just different enough. Sisters, but not quite twins.
A young woman, who runs a toy store opened by her father, becomes aware of a strange cospiracy after a mysterious death. Strange dreams, old gods, a budding romance, all reminiscent of The Hour of the Oxrun Dead, but the use of children here ups the ante. Also, there are strong setpieces, both horror- and character-based, that make this differ from and equal it's predecessor. Unfortunately, the climax here is abrupt where it could be epic, and the final "Gotcha!" falls flat as well.
Where this book excels is the escalation of tension and it's characters. The lead is a strong, independent woman determined to uncover the forces wreaking havoc, and she is a real person, as likely to be crippled by fear as goaded by it. The other adult characters are also genuine, facing terrible circumstances to the best of their abilities, not always successfully. The children come off as less authentic, but there are reasons for that...
As for suspense, things start getting strange right off the bat, growing more and more sinister as the story progresses. Certain elements are always in play, maintaining tension even when there is no overt action. Te atmosphere is also well-used though not on quite the same level as in the first book.
As a whole, this is a very strong book, almost as good as the one preceding it. The strong characters, atmosphere and story overcome the uneven pacing and weak climax. As well, the setting of the Station is one well worth revisiting, making this novel well worth one's time.
A young woman, who runs a toy store opened by her father, becomes aware of a strange cospiracy after a mysterious death. Strange dreams, old gods, a budding romance, all reminiscent of The Hour of the Oxrun Dead, but the use of children here ups the ante. Also, there are strong setpieces, both horror- and character-based, that make this differ from and equal it's predecessor. Unfortunately, the climax here is abrupt where it could be epic, and the final "Gotcha!" falls flat as well.
Where this book excels is the escalation of tension and it's characters. The lead is a strong, independent woman determined to uncover the forces wreaking havoc, and she is a real person, as likely to be crippled by fear as goaded by it. The other adult characters are also genuine, facing terrible circumstances to the best of their abilities, not always successfully. The children come off as less authentic, but there are reasons for that...
As for suspense, things start getting strange right off the bat, growing more and more sinister as the story progresses. Certain elements are always in play, maintaining tension even when there is no overt action. Te atmosphere is also well-used though not on quite the same level as in the first book.
As a whole, this is a very strong book, almost as good as the one preceding it. The strong characters, atmosphere and story overcome the uneven pacing and weak climax. As well, the setting of the Station is one well worth revisiting, making this novel well worth one's time.
July 18, 2014
I'm a big fan of about half of the Charles Grant books I've read, because I found my last few really disappointing. It was great to finally get a solid volume of his trademark surreal "quiet horror". It made me remember just why I fell in love with this author.
Set in Grant's default small-town setting, Oxrun Station, this is the story of a woman who is attacked and dazed while in the distance a small boy is drowning. This leads from a search for her attacker, to the realization that the boy's death might not have been accidental, to sinister cults within the town, to a wonderfully creepy Children of the Corn vibe.
Grant's writing is really hard to describe. Before the Bad Things start to happen, it's very mundane, almost romance-novel material set in a small town. But then things suddenly shift, without warning and sometimes even mid-paragraph, and things go horribly Wrong.
In the stories where Grant was on his game, his writing will feel like a dazed, delerious state while unspeakable things are happening around you. Like you've been hit over the head, are struggling to remain conscious, and you can't tell if it's your tunnel vision or if those sinister-looking shadows really are moving toward you. Is that just my own breath under the ringing in my ears, or is that ragged breathing getting louder?
Sound of Midnight restored my faith in Grant. My favorites are still the novel Night Songs and the collections The Orchard and The Black Carousel, but I'm sure I'll re-read this one. Good, dreadful stuff.
Set in Grant's default small-town setting, Oxrun Station, this is the story of a woman who is attacked and dazed while in the distance a small boy is drowning. This leads from a search for her attacker, to the realization that the boy's death might not have been accidental, to sinister cults within the town, to a wonderfully creepy Children of the Corn vibe.
Grant's writing is really hard to describe. Before the Bad Things start to happen, it's very mundane, almost romance-novel material set in a small town. But then things suddenly shift, without warning and sometimes even mid-paragraph, and things go horribly Wrong.
In the stories where Grant was on his game, his writing will feel like a dazed, delerious state while unspeakable things are happening around you. Like you've been hit over the head, are struggling to remain conscious, and you can't tell if it's your tunnel vision or if those sinister-looking shadows really are moving toward you. Is that just my own breath under the ringing in my ears, or is that ragged breathing getting louder?
Sound of Midnight restored my faith in Grant. My favorites are still the novel Night Songs and the collections The Orchard and The Black Carousel, but I'm sure I'll re-read this one. Good, dreadful stuff.
June 21, 2021
The second novel in the Oxrun Station series by Charles Grant is an interesting entry in the series. Dale is a young woman who owns a toy store. She is just starting a relationship with Vic a local teacher. Dale discovered that the children are acting suspiciously when she see a young boy named Willy dead in a pond. The other children snigger and stare but show little empathy to the untimely demise of one of their own. This causes Dale to believe all is not right in the sleepy New England town of Oxrun Station. It is place like Castle Rock created by Stephen King, where strange occurrences exist.
Charles Grant has a great sense of narrative drive and keeps you turning the pages fast. However, this second novel followed the same template as Hour of the Oxrun Dead and that novel was scarier. Sound of Midnight took some time to get going. Vic and Dale were both well developed and fleshed out but not really interesting or fun. The ending is very typical of horror novels of the 70's and 80's and offers nothing unique. This felt like a paint by the numbers novel. A funhouse without a final shock at the end,
I still want to read the other novels in the Oxrun series. Sound of Midnight had it moments but was flat and not as fun and lacked the suspense of Hour of the Oxrun Dead.
Charles Grant has a great sense of narrative drive and keeps you turning the pages fast. However, this second novel followed the same template as Hour of the Oxrun Dead and that novel was scarier. Sound of Midnight took some time to get going. Vic and Dale were both well developed and fleshed out but not really interesting or fun. The ending is very typical of horror novels of the 70's and 80's and offers nothing unique. This felt like a paint by the numbers novel. A funhouse without a final shock at the end,
I still want to read the other novels in the Oxrun series. Sound of Midnight had it moments but was flat and not as fun and lacked the suspense of Hour of the Oxrun Dead.
July 1, 2018
A quick read, but not quite as fun as I had been hoping. I have no problem with Grant's brand of "quiet horror", but the characters were just shy of being actual, three-dimensional people. Plot-wise, it reminded me of both the oft-maligned film "Halloween III: Season of the Witch", and the John Blackburn novel "Nothing But the Night". All that said, I would probably return to Oxrun Station, now that my expectations are more on track.
November 8, 2021
This book did not age well--too many rape jokes, and too much dialog that borders on abuse. Once you get past that, the story is a factory-produced horror: Predictable and not very scary.
August 4, 2008
I really like Grant's Oxrun series.
February 11, 2024
”Sell them well,” he said quietly. “A traveler would be best.”
I enjoyed my second visit to Charles Grant’s haunted little town of Oxrun Station more than my first. The second book in the series The Sound of Midnight brings new menace to the community, carved into a diabolical chess set, possessed children, and an increasing pile of dead adults. By now, I’ve gotten almost nostalgic for Grant’s prose, florid as it sometimes is, and the sometimes silly pining between his very chaste protagonists. If I’d ever read a Harlequin romance, I imagine it’s like this … but with shadows.
The plot is actually rather similar to the first book in the series, exchanging the uptight librarian for a toy store proprietor. As in the first book, our doughty heroine – Dale this time – isn’t quite past the coy flirtation stage with her paramour Vic (a teacher this time instead of a reporter) – the stress of death and demons never quite pushing them into the sack. Also, as in the first book, there’s a cult lurking in Oxrun Station, but this one has a bit more depth to it than the one in the first novel. Grant also tamps down on the plot holes so though the theme is similar, the execution is better.
That … and the ending … even as old as this book is … the final twist still works and ends things on a nice little disturbing shiver.
So far, the idea of Oxrun Station has been far better than the stories taking place within it. But I'll continue to give this series a go. While The Sound of Midnight certainly doesn't shake the conventions of horror to a new extreme, I am a little charmed with it as a product of the late 1970s.
November 2, 2025
3.5
Unintentionally perfect timing, as this story takes place during Halloween and ends on November 1st. The first increment, Hour of the Oxrun Dead takes places during Halloween as well, so these were a great choice for this month. All I knew was there was relation to the occult, so this was a great surprise. And finishing the series on the day it ends in the actual book is chefs kiss. It’s always a bonus reading a book on its actual timeline.
Overall I enjoyed them both, but I think I liked the first installment a tad more, in retrospect. It was a much slower burn, and this one was faster paced, but I think I preferred the slow burn and the introduction to the town, as well as the ending and the atmosphere. Together, a solid Samain read.
Unintentionally perfect timing, as this story takes place during Halloween and ends on November 1st. The first increment, Hour of the Oxrun Dead takes places during Halloween as well, so these were a great choice for this month. All I knew was there was relation to the occult, so this was a great surprise. And finishing the series on the day it ends in the actual book is chefs kiss. It’s always a bonus reading a book on its actual timeline.
Overall I enjoyed them both, but I think I liked the first installment a tad more, in retrospect. It was a much slower burn, and this one was faster paced, but I think I preferred the slow burn and the introduction to the town, as well as the ending and the atmosphere. Together, a solid Samain read.
August 13, 2021
🌟🌟🌟🌟 to The Sound of Midnght by Charles L Grant.
A strange series of murders, or at least to the eyes of toy shop owner Dale and her boyfriend Vic, they are murders strike Oxrun Station, a small village where things are not what they seem.
While it’s a story that doesn’t set the world on fire, and that’s not surprising as Grant’s reputation is for ‘quiet horror,’ it is incredibly well told. The atmosphere throughout it is as thick as a Autumn fog, it’s central character Dale is flushed out and easy for a reader to latch on to and it’s steady build of tension kept this reader engaged into the end.
A strange series of murders, or at least to the eyes of toy shop owner Dale and her boyfriend Vic, they are murders strike Oxrun Station, a small village where things are not what they seem.
While it’s a story that doesn’t set the world on fire, and that’s not surprising as Grant’s reputation is for ‘quiet horror,’ it is incredibly well told. The atmosphere throughout it is as thick as a Autumn fog, it’s central character Dale is flushed out and easy for a reader to latch on to and it’s steady build of tension kept this reader engaged into the end.
May 7, 2023
Definitely creepier than the first Oxrun Station book - this one deals with spooky children, seemingly too mature for their age, and the toy shop proprietor who ends up in the middle of an increasingly-bizarre cascade of events that begins when one of those children "accidentally" drowns. Grant does such a great job building atmosphere, making the Station feel completely real and lived in. A bit of a let-down at the end as the book seemed to climax in the same basic way as the previous story; hopefully the third volume doesn't follow the same formula.
March 31, 2020
This was the second book in the Oxrun Station series. Oh boy this was not good. I really wanted to like this book considering how I liked the first. I was enjoying myself until the halfway mark, and then it just fell apart for me. I want to continue the series, but man this was bad. I like subtle horror, totally down with it, but this was more like a cookie cutter t.v. movie for puritanical moms.
May 18, 2021
A typical 1970’s horror novel that leans toward a B grade. I thought there were holes in the plot but then I found out there are other books by this author that take place in the same community. Perhaps if you read the others they tie together.
September 25, 2021
I know, it’s Charles L. Grant, but this novel was dull as dirt.
November 9, 2021
I listened to the audiobook, and I wish I had read the physical book instead. The audiobook's narrator isn't "bad," but their performance isn't quite what I'm looking for in an audiobook.
November 9, 2023
This was my second visit to the village of Oxrun Station and I enjoyed this one more than the first.
A bit shorter and so it seemed to me, easier to read and engage with
A bit shorter and so it seemed to me, easier to read and engage with
May 30, 2024
Small town toy store owner Dale Bartlett is noticing the children are acting unusually in Oxrun Station...
October 18, 2023
An easy-to-digest pulp horror story. Nothing exceptional, but solid for what it is. Has a great 70s horror atmosphere.
Want to read
July 16, 2011Stephen King recommended book. Noted as "important to the genre we have been discussing" from Danse Macabre, published in 1981.
July 5, 2022
Charles L. Grant es muy bueno creando atmósferas y tiene algo que me gusto, pero no sabría como decirlo exactamente, pero me encantó toda la tensión y misterio que había en este pueblo, se nota que es similar a Derry, Shadyside y demás. 🤟
January 17, 2012
I do more drinking than reading over the holidays. That's why it took me a month and a half to read this one. I love Charles L. Grant. As usual, I did not want this "quiet terror" to end...
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