The Trench: Skulldiggery Book 5

by D.M. Gritzmacher

As the First World War rages, a lone assassin navigates sprawling fields of death by secreting himself within the soiled mazes of the ravaged frontlines. The young Native American soldier, Anong, conflicted by loyalties and his place in the world, must cross lands seeded in local superstitions and ancient folklore. When he saves a young boy from a pack of predatory locals, Anong, and the child soon find themselves facing something far more frightening than the horrors of war.

Russell Stander, returning to the same ancient quarry where his mother met her own grisly end decades earlier, helps recover a newly revealed find. Alongside a team of handpicked archeologists, Stander puzzles over what has been unearthed. Desperate to shed light on the scattered and varied pieces of the evolving mystery. But what emerges − voraciously hungry, disturbingly malformed, and shockingly violent – keeps Stander and team cloaked in darkness.

Can any light be found within the trench?

Genres: Horror

274 pages, Paperback

Published October 15, 2024

About the author

David 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…

Reviews

[Theresa (mysteries.and.mayhem) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was asked by the author of The Trench if I would be kind enough to read and review his latest installment of the Skulldiggery series. He warned me going into it that it was likely the most gruesome book of the series. "War is hell," was the warning he gave me, if I remember correctly.

If you've read any of the books in D.M. Gritzmacher's Skulldiggery series, you'll know that Tom Secrist and Russ Stander go back a ways, investigating ancient artifacts and archaeological dig sites that always bring trouble and chaos into their lives. The latest site is in France. Stander is at the site while Secrist remains at home, keeping an eye on Stander's dog, Frazier, and his bar. Secrist is also consumed by his grandfather's journal from World War I, telling of a frightening mission he found himself on in France.

For a while, the journal serves to set the backstory during the war while we get little glimpses into what little Secrist knows about Stander's current situation at the dig site. It isn't looking good. Gritzmacher does a great job of giving backstory through the journal entries and keeping the story moving without causing confusion with the time jumps.

The journal entries end and the final section of the book is completely set in the mines of France. The story kept me on the edge of my seat. I really had no idea if any of our primary characters would survive the ordeal. Let's just say they are not alone in the underground maze of tunnels.

The war scenes are brutal. The struggle in the tunnels is claustrophobic and gory. This was a great read, start to finish. I highly recommend the whole series. You won't be disappointed. I give The Trench 4 out of 5 stars.

[Haly Hoards Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

4☆
Although this is the fifth book in the Sulldiggery series it is not necessary to have read the previous books. I had not read the earlier books but I will be now!

This is a horror story in every sense and there is plenty of gore but not just of the horror novel type. The horror of war, the horror of what man is capable of doing to man and plenty of the evil monster type of horror.

I received an advance review copy (ARC) for free, and I am voluntarily leaving my opinions of this novel. Thank you to the author, publisher and Goodreads for this opportunity.

Gritzmacher paints scenes that take the reader on vivid moments of compassion as well as nightmare. It is the juxtaposition of the two that kept me turning the pages. I admit that Gritzmacher's ability to write touching scenarios and then throw me into utter fear kept me unbalanced, which was a good thing for a horror novel!

[Horror Bookworm Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Horror Bookworm Recommendation
The Trench by DM Gritzmacher
https://horrorbookwormreviews.com/

While taking care of his father’s affairs after his passing, Thomas Secrist discovers his grandfather’s military footlocker from the First World War. When opened, an old diary of bizarre passages and horrid descriptions is found among the belongings. What Secrest discovers, is something not of this time or world.

I have followed the Skulldiggery books for years now and DM Gritzmacher never ceases to amaze me. The Trench allows the reader to unearth a dark anomaly of warfare and archeological horror. It bestows disturbing conditions of diseased soldiers, eerie battlefields and tortured screams that will make you wanna carry a crucifix into battle. Within frightful folklore, The Trench possesses hideous creatures that have an insatiable appetite for draining blood.

Mr. DM Gritzmacher weaves an uncomfortable tale of terror. His spooky subterranean passageways into cryptic fiction is like a building crescendo of despair and anguish with a backdrop of brutality. The claustrophobic tension and clever blindsides will become memorable moments for the reader. The Trench taps into very real situations and common fears that let loose with an abundance of undeniable abhorrence. What Peter Benchley did for the ocean and aquatic life, DM Gritzmacher has done for quarries and archeological relicts.

After reading my first Gritzmacher novel, I thought to myself, “I think I found my new author,” this still holds true today. I also want to leave you with one of my favorite quotes from The Trench, ”there’s something down here with us.” Another five star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Horror Bookworm Recommendation for DM Gritzmacher. And by the way, stay out of ancient quarries, you’ll thank me later.

[Lauren K · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Trench is the fifth installment in D.M. Gritzmacher’s Skulkdiggery series, and it is a beautiful nightmarish return to the quarry from book two. Full of historical war facts from WWI to truly immerse the reader into what it would have been like at the front lines and in no man’s land, mixed with paranormal terror and exquisite gore. Gritzmacher has truly outdone himself and created a masterpiece!

Treat yourself to the outstanding horror of the Skulldiggery series and make sure you read books 1-4 before entering The Trench. Unimaginable horrors await you! 😈

[Dawn Petersen · Rating 5 out of 5]

☠️ The Trench ☠️
The Trench Book 5 of the Skulldiggery series by the absolutely amazing D.M. Gritzmacher was released on 10/15!! I was blessed to read it early and let me apologize for my language, but this story was fucking fantastic!! My favorite of the Skulldiggery series so far!! It was full of creepy as Hell, freakish supernatural beings and sprinkled with a little darkness. These parts were a surprise at first because it’s new from my friend, but welcomed it because I’m a huge fan of extreme horror and splatterpunk. I should have triggers, but I don’t have a single one. This is a horror story, it might freak us out and make us say “EEEWW!”, but if you’re going to read thriller and horror you already know you’re going to read some shit that makes you cringe. Thriller/horror authors shouldn’t have to put trigger warnings in their books… you should already expect the bad stuff to happen 🤷🏻‍♀️
These little dark spots do not make this story.

What was I saying… Oh yes 😆
Stander goes away for a job in France while Tommy stays behind to puppy sit and keep an eye on Stander’s bar. Tommy decides to go through some old boxes his Dad left him when he passed away, and comes across his Grandfather, Anong’s, diary which he wrote while fighting in World War I. And oh my heck, the story Tommy was about to read!! He discovered he has Native American blood, that new knowledge excites him and makes him want to learn more about his heritage. But that’s the only good news he learns from the diary. Everything else blows his mind (and mine)! It’s so wild he doesn’t know whether to believe what he’s reading or not. He takes breaks from the diary, but always finds his way back to it. During this time he and Stander are calling and texting each other with updates on Standers trip. Until communication starts getting wonky. While Tommy’s coming to terms with what he’s reading in the diary, Stander is making massive discoveries of his own in a cave with his brother Chris and a team of excavators. And that’s where the two stories between Seacrist and Stander come together.
Thank you David for inviting me into The Trench early! I’m so excited to read the next book!

[Spooky Little Book Nerd · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book 5 in the Skullduggery series and brings back Stander and Secrist. Stander is exploring an ancient quarry in France. Meanwhile, Secrist is reading through a WWI journal left behind by his sniper grandfather and looking after Stander’s dog.

War is not pretty. The WWI scenes were the hardest to read. They were raw, gory, and gruesome. The author did a great job of showing the true side of it. It was freaking brutal and downright uncomfortable at times. It was also fascinating and we get to learn a lot about Secrist’s grandfather and Secrist in the process.

The scenes in the quarry were creepy, claustrophobic, and gory. It kept me on the edge of my seat. I’ve always been fascinated with archaeology so the process of them discovering and exploring is interesting even when we get to the scary stuff.

I really love how this series is coming together! It’s a great blend of history, horror, and paranormal. Highly recommend!

[Kate | Date With A Thriller · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series just keeps getting better and better!! 👏 The Trench brings us back to the quarry from the second book, only decades later after a mysterious (and terrifying) discovery is made.

I think what I enjoyed the most was the readings from Anong’s journal! As its contents are revealed, we get to make a lot connections between information we acquired previously in the series!! And I loved the Anong character!! ❤️

I seriously cannot wait for book 6, The Shrine!!! 🙌

While many of the previous books in the series can be read as standalones, I highly recommend reading the previous books in the series before reading this one. You won’t regret it!! 🤓

Thank you to @gritzmonster for the opportunity to read the eARC in exchange for my honest review! ❤️

TW: sexual assault, child abuse, animal cruelty/death

[Abby xrd · Rating 5 out of 5]

If The Devil’s Rejects and Creepshow were thrown in a blender .. You’d get the mind of DM Gritzmacher.
Damn you Gritzmacher! I cannot even count how many times that or a more explicit version of it flew out of my mouth reading The Trench! One step into the Skulldiggery World, and you're not coming back the same! With each book of this series you become more and more consumed with the world and don’t want to leave to come back to reality. Each book of the series can be read as a standalone, although HIGHLY suggest you start from the beginning and read them all! You won't be sorry. As the series grows, the Easter Eggs are stocked, and The Trench is a full on Egg Hunt!
The Trench is just brutal! The gore is absolutely supreme, and I am so here for it! We follow 2 different storylines that always magically interweb just like all of the Skulldiggery Series. This book though, is slightly out of the box from previous in the Series, but DM flat out smashed it!! Throughout The Trench, you get glimpses of Stander and Secrist’s family trees and ALLLLL the puzzle pieces start clicking. So much so, that you are left fiending for the next book!
Gritzmacher is an author that has such detail in his writing you can't help but fall into his worlds. Do it. Dive in. You absolutely will not be disappointed.

[Svea Neitzke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this one is my favorite is so far in the series. I love how it not only ties into what Secrist's friend Stander encounters in France (I don’t want to give much away for those who haven't read the other books, but Stander inherits something unusual there) but also into the series as a whole. The take on a classic monster is unique and stomach-turning. I'm excited to see where the series goes and what more ancient terrors are uncovered.

[Brandy Brusseau · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am loving how this how this story is being told and how everything is woven together. Once I started reading this book I had a hard time stopping. Creepy and plenty of violence for horror lovers. Cannot wait for the next read to come out by DM Gritzmacher!

[Rhonda Bobbitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite series. Gritzmacher never disappoints. Book five does have a connection to book two, so I highly recommend you read the series in order fir this one. This one is terrifying and gory. I've said this before if you like reading books by Preston and Child you will fall in love with this series and it's characters.

[Review Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The tops of each {tree} lit brightly like the tips of burning matchsticks. Their long shadows crowding the road as if stretching to comfort the screaming banshee at my back.”

The Trench is a bold new entry into the Skulldiggery series. It is harder, more violent, and dives deeper into the mystery that has been a common thread throughout, while still introducing fresh characters and new villains. I can’t say enough about how well the book is written. The metaphors, the action, finally getting to the meat of the saga, while still combining and explaining elements that have begun in the rest of the series. This felt so satisfying as a series reader.

The focus here is on Secrist's diary, which he found in the last book (Spoilers for the Series). While reading, he sees the tragedy of World War I from the first-person view of his grandfather, a native American named Anong. There are several trigger warnings – child abuse, child sexual abuse, and animal abuse just to name a few. Know going in this will be a dark book, more so than we’ve seen in the series so far.

As the book progresses, Anong sees more and more horrors as he works to complete his mission. Some are from the war, while others are supernatural. I especially enjoyed the entire first half of the book with Anong’s story. I could have read so much more of it.

Meanwhile, Stander is visiting the cave he has been excavating in France where he meets an ancient evil straight out of history and nightmares.

Notice when reading there is a common thread that appears throughout the story. The repeated references to a boy and his dog add another level beyond the surface action. I was impressed with the comparison and continued theme while being left wondering what it all means.

Gritzmacher creates a tableau of families by setting a portion of the story looking into a house that is missing a wall. Against this background, we see multiple lives play out while allowing the story to progress naturally and view many characters at once.

Setting this scene is such a skillful demonstration of the author’s talent and a clever way to add more to the book, without dragging out multiple storylines, and shows how the characters are already connected.

Speaking of writing, The Trench contains so many lines that are both poetic and heartbreaking. I greatly enjoyed the descriptions, like the top line of this review. Somehow the words come together to illustrate such horrible things but in such beautiful prose.

For example, describing a mustard gas attack as: “…a soupy haze obscuring much of my vision. In the air hung a lingering taste that reminded me of horseradish”. He illustrates the scene in such a tangible way you can almost smell it yourself while feeling completely immersed in the story.

I would say even if you’ve never read any of the Skulldiggery series, this is one not to miss. However, I do think having read the others creates a much more satisfying read while allowing you to collect many pieces dropped earlier in past books.

Also, I just wanted to reiterate this is a book about war. There are multiple triggers throughout. If you don’t feel you are in the place to handle those, please give yourself a break and come back to it when you can.

[Andrea B · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book manages to both pick up where we left off in book 4 while also giving a deep dive into the events of book 2. It is starting to connect some of the plot lines that the author has woven into the story.

The primary story teller in this installment is Secrist's grandfather. We follow him through his time in the war and all the atrocities he encountered along the way. During this time he met a few of the characters that play a part in Standler's family history as well, really enforcing their connection to whatever is going on!

There is a lot of gore and violence. I'm not generally a horror reader, so some of it was a lot for me. However, I'm too invested in this plot to stop reading. That's how good the story is. I need answers!!

Definitely anxiously awaiting book six, and anything else DM Gritzmacher writes!

[Deanna Alaniz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing series!! I love this author. I can't wait for the next book.

[lexi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this! Kept me on my toes and under my covers.