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Harvest Moon
You reap what you sow in Beldam Woods.
Once upon a time there was a town called Beldam Woods, where all of the people lived happy, carefree lives and no one wanted for anything. All of the children at the schools studied hard and learned their lessons. All of the adults were true to their spouses and everyone was content.
At least that's what the travel brochures say.
They don't tell you about the puddle of blood found inside the local veterinary clinic, or about the old librarian found torn to pieces inside his house. They don't mention the troubles the police are having with their investigations into local crimes, or about the petty jealousies that have grown between the students attending the local public school and the kids going to the upper crust private academy.
Those brochures fail to mention the odd vegetation growing in the woods not far from the town, or the reasons that everything in the Witch's Hollow is poisonous to eat or even to touch.
None of the literature written about Beldam Woods talks of human sacrifices or the desecration of new graves; there's not a word written down about the monsters that allegedly lived there in the past, or what the townsfolk did to them.
And most importantly, there's no mention of what happens when the monsters come back to put paid to some old debts...
Once upon a time there was a town called Beldam Woods, where all of the people lived happy, carefree lives and no one wanted for anything. All of the children at the schools studied hard and learned their lessons. All of the adults were true to their spouses and everyone was content.
At least that's what the travel brochures say.
They don't tell you about the puddle of blood found inside the local veterinary clinic, or about the old librarian found torn to pieces inside his house. They don't mention the troubles the police are having with their investigations into local crimes, or about the petty jealousies that have grown between the students attending the local public school and the kids going to the upper crust private academy.
Those brochures fail to mention the odd vegetation growing in the woods not far from the town, or the reasons that everything in the Witch's Hollow is poisonous to eat or even to touch.
None of the literature written about Beldam Woods talks of human sacrifices or the desecration of new graves; there's not a word written down about the monsters that allegedly lived there in the past, or what the townsfolk did to them.
And most importantly, there's no mention of what happens when the monsters come back to put paid to some old debts...
328 pages, Hardcover
First published October 25, 2006
34 people are currently reading
282 people want to read
About the author
James A. Moore
231 books766 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
James A. Moore was the award winning author of over forty novels, thrillers, dark fantasy and horror alike, including the critically acclaimed Fireworks, Under The Overtree, Blood Red, the Serenity Falls trilogy (featuring his recurring anti-hero, Jonathan Crowley) and his most recent novels, seven Forges, The Blasted Lands, City of Wonders , The Silent Army and the forthcoming The Gates of The Dead (Book Three in the Tides of War Series) and A Hell Within, co-authored with Charles R. Rutledge.
James A. Moore was the award winning author of over forty novels, thrillers, dark fantasy and horror alike, including the critically acclaimed Fireworks, Under The Overtree, Blood Red, the Serenity Falls trilogy (featuring his recurring anti-hero, Jonathan Crowley) and his most recent novels, seven Forges, The Blasted Lands, City of Wonders , The Silent Army and the forthcoming The Gates of The Dead (Book Three in the Tides of War Series) and A Hell Within, co-authored with Charles R. Rutledge.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
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March 5, 2016This is one of 750 copies signed by James A. Moore.
October 24, 2015
My fourth read of this "Halloween themed" book!
Still a 5 star read in my opinion! Jim Moore takes a small-town legend and turns it into a magnificent story of a Halloween to be remembered. This has everything I could ask for in a memorable book: complex characters, vengeance, family loyalty, and of course--death in various, horrific guises!
Highly recommended!
Still a 5 star read in my opinion! Jim Moore takes a small-town legend and turns it into a magnificent story of a Halloween to be remembered. This has everything I could ask for in a memorable book: complex characters, vengeance, family loyalty, and of course--death in various, horrific guises!
Highly recommended!
December 9, 2013
Horrors abound in Beldam Woods!
The local librarian has now retired but loves to come to the library just prior to Halloween to tell his local tale of Hattie the witch and her sons. It seems that in the past, the town had had enough of Hattie and her brood. Angry town-folk burned her house down and then they drew and quartered her. That should be enough to bring an end to Hattie, right? Unfortunately for the town, it was not. Now, 100 years later, Hattie is still pissed off about it. With the help of her 3 sons (who do not look their age), Hattie plans on returning to Beldam Woods and exacting her revenge.
I enjoyed this "witch seeks revenge in a small town" book. This type of story has been around for a while now, but Moore makes this tale his own. I loved the character of Hattie (whose name is not Hattie), and her sons were unforgettable. They were clearly drawn with their own personalities and gifts. And those gifts were....something else.
Now on to what I did not like...and that was the fact that there was no real protagonist. We skipped around with a few different characters, and other than a few teenage boys with crushes on (or lusting after) teenage girls, there really was no clear good guy (or girl). I usually enjoy stories like that (and I did enjoy this one!), but reflecting on the tale, I would have preferred at least one clear protagonist for whom I could root.
Despite that, I had a good time with this book. It had some great bad guys and the ending was just awesome. I would recommend it for any fans of the traditional "evil in a small town" tale, and also for lovers of stories that take place at Halloween.
The local librarian has now retired but loves to come to the library just prior to Halloween to tell his local tale of Hattie the witch and her sons. It seems that in the past, the town had had enough of Hattie and her brood. Angry town-folk burned her house down and then they drew and quartered her. That should be enough to bring an end to Hattie, right? Unfortunately for the town, it was not. Now, 100 years later, Hattie is still pissed off about it. With the help of her 3 sons (who do not look their age), Hattie plans on returning to Beldam Woods and exacting her revenge.
I enjoyed this "witch seeks revenge in a small town" book. This type of story has been around for a while now, but Moore makes this tale his own. I loved the character of Hattie (whose name is not Hattie), and her sons were unforgettable. They were clearly drawn with their own personalities and gifts. And those gifts were....something else.
Now on to what I did not like...and that was the fact that there was no real protagonist. We skipped around with a few different characters, and other than a few teenage boys with crushes on (or lusting after) teenage girls, there really was no clear good guy (or girl). I usually enjoy stories like that (and I did enjoy this one!), but reflecting on the tale, I would have preferred at least one clear protagonist for whom I could root.
Despite that, I had a good time with this book. It had some great bad guys and the ending was just awesome. I would recommend it for any fans of the traditional "evil in a small town" tale, and also for lovers of stories that take place at Halloween.
October 8, 2015
In the small town of Beldam Woods about a hundred years ago, there was a witch name Hattie, who lived with her sons. The towns folk were angry at Hattie and her crew, so they decided to get rid of them. They burnt her house down and had her drawn and quartered. Now a hundred years later Hattie and her sons are seeking revenge against the town. The author does an excellent job of creating an atmosphere for a great supernatural thriller, with a few twists and turns. This type of story has been around for along time but I always enjoy this type of tale. There were a few unanswered questions but still an enjoyable read. The month of October is an excellent time to read this book. I highly recommend this book!
October 22, 2013
A witch torn apart and burnt. A family destroyed. Three brothers reunite a hundred plus years later to get their momma back. Not good for the people of Bedlam Woods. Mamma is not happy and is looking for revenge…and blood…lots of blood.
I was a little confused (easily done) in parts and the end, pre-epilogue seemed a bit short, but the story still delivers dark October atmosphere and is a solid Halloween time read.
I was a little confused (easily done) in parts and the end, pre-epilogue seemed a bit short, but the story still delivers dark October atmosphere and is a solid Halloween time read.
October 15, 2015
While the underlying story of Alvina the Witch and her three sons Bones, Patches, and Mr. Sticks is pretty darn cool, the plot was too meandering on this one. There was also a lot of telling in place of showing when it came to the town descriptions. And there were a lot of activities that didn't really seem necessary to the end-game at all. Still had some cool spots and nice halloween imagery, but really could use a re-write and some editing.
November 15, 2019
Lots of good, occasionally gory, Halloween fun.
October 31, 2018
With the days growing longer and the veil separating this world from the next growing thinner and thinner, I decided to turn to James A. Moore for some October spookiness. I'm gonna go ahead right now and pat myself on the back for this smart decision.
Right from the outset, Harvest Moon captures the feel of Halloween. As Moore takes us around the small town of Beldam Woods and introduces us to a number of the locals, you can practically feel the crispness of a chill fall wind on your neck and hear the skittering of freshly fallen leaves against pavement. Beldam Woods feels instantly familiar, but where it stands uniquely on its own is in the town's local legends about the wicked witch of the woods and her three grotesque sons. And while the witch was murdered by townsfolk long, long ago, her children still remain, plotting to resurrect her and make the town of Beldam Woods pay dearly for their sins.
Moore introduces us to these small town legends by way of a children's story, but as Harvest Moon progresses it becomes readily apparent that the town's myths have been severely sanitized in their tellings over the years. The true nature of Beldam's horrors are far more serious, and far more deadly, than the kid's fables surrounding them. A series of vicious murders and a spate of seemingly random crimes leaves police officer Craig Gallagher to sort through the mess, all of which points towards the impossible.
The premise behind Harvest Moon is a lot of fun, with plenty of pumpkin pulp horror to spare, and I dug the urban legend vibe that was introduced in the book's opening chapters. There is a certain degree of silliness to the nature of Beldam Woods's threats, particularly in their initial presentation as fodder for children's entertainment, but over the course of the novel Moore does a fine job establishing the villains as legitimate, very adult, horrors.
Although Harvest Moon was published a number of years prior to the television series Sleepy Hollow, the Tom Mison-led Fox TV show is the closest example I can think of to capture the tone and spirit Moore affects here. If you dug Sleepy Hollow, particularly its first season, I suspect you'll be able to find plenty to enjoy in Beldam Woods. While I would have liked a beefier ending and a bit more time spent in the chaotic "final" encounter, I really can't lodge many complaints here. Mostly, I found myself just wanting to spend more time in and around Beldam Woods.
Harvest Moon has its moments of grotesqueness, elements of fantasy and fable, and supernatural threats and monsters the Beldam locals must face, but even in its darker moments there's an overriding sense of fun, an almost comic book-like glee to the mayhem. Perfect fodder, then, for those long, cold nights leading up to Halloween.
Right from the outset, Harvest Moon captures the feel of Halloween. As Moore takes us around the small town of Beldam Woods and introduces us to a number of the locals, you can practically feel the crispness of a chill fall wind on your neck and hear the skittering of freshly fallen leaves against pavement. Beldam Woods feels instantly familiar, but where it stands uniquely on its own is in the town's local legends about the wicked witch of the woods and her three grotesque sons. And while the witch was murdered by townsfolk long, long ago, her children still remain, plotting to resurrect her and make the town of Beldam Woods pay dearly for their sins.
Moore introduces us to these small town legends by way of a children's story, but as Harvest Moon progresses it becomes readily apparent that the town's myths have been severely sanitized in their tellings over the years. The true nature of Beldam's horrors are far more serious, and far more deadly, than the kid's fables surrounding them. A series of vicious murders and a spate of seemingly random crimes leaves police officer Craig Gallagher to sort through the mess, all of which points towards the impossible.
The premise behind Harvest Moon is a lot of fun, with plenty of pumpkin pulp horror to spare, and I dug the urban legend vibe that was introduced in the book's opening chapters. There is a certain degree of silliness to the nature of Beldam Woods's threats, particularly in their initial presentation as fodder for children's entertainment, but over the course of the novel Moore does a fine job establishing the villains as legitimate, very adult, horrors.
Although Harvest Moon was published a number of years prior to the television series Sleepy Hollow, the Tom Mison-led Fox TV show is the closest example I can think of to capture the tone and spirit Moore affects here. If you dug Sleepy Hollow, particularly its first season, I suspect you'll be able to find plenty to enjoy in Beldam Woods. While I would have liked a beefier ending and a bit more time spent in the chaotic "final" encounter, I really can't lodge many complaints here. Mostly, I found myself just wanting to spend more time in and around Beldam Woods.
Harvest Moon has its moments of grotesqueness, elements of fantasy and fable, and supernatural threats and monsters the Beldam locals must face, but even in its darker moments there's an overriding sense of fun, an almost comic book-like glee to the mayhem. Perfect fodder, then, for those long, cold nights leading up to Halloween.
November 12, 2013
I enjoyed this one. It wasn't quite the typical Halloween story but it had a good scare factor. Some of the plot points felt a little odd for the story almost as though they didn't quite fit the tone. All in all a good read though.
January 19, 2014
My review is illuminated at lurid-lit.com.
November 16, 2020
An excellent Halloween read. Moore is always a great read.
October 27, 2013
I really liked the idea for this Halloween novel, but the execution didn't work for me. The writing was good and the small-town setting was perfectly suited to the plot, but there were too many characters with no clear protagonist; the characters lacked a clearly defined goal and most had no idea what the villains were up to, meaning there wasn't a whole lot of character-sourced conflict; and there were too many villains with too many different names. All in all, a promising premise with great potential that was not realized.
March 15, 2017
Rather good creepy with believable characters. As usual with one of James A Moore's books, I found myself rooting for the 'bad' guys as much as the 'good' guys. Not sure how he manages that, but it seems like his 'bad' guys are still people - or at least have understandable motives that I find difficult to discount.
This would be a 4 star rating, but I had trouble keeping all the townsfolk straight and frequently had to refer back to see who someone was.
This would be a 4 star rating, but I had trouble keeping all the townsfolk straight and frequently had to refer back to see who someone was.
January 1, 2015
Tons of characters in a sometimes confusing and convoluted story. The story is over-long really and sometimes quite repetitive - but there are some great ideas at the core here. I really wanted to enjoy it more, as I found the description intriguing and I stayed with it as I had to see how it ended, but where everything in the story dragged, the ending was rather rushed.
October 10, 2021
It is so hard to find a good, scary read that isn't Stephen King. Sadly, Harvest Moon is a complete disappointment. Others have noted, and I completely agree, that what this book needed the most was a good editor. Despite the numerous typos and other errors (e.g., using the wrong name for a character), the narrative is so meandering that it is hard to follow.
The plot is the planned resurrection of the witch of Beldam Woods on Halloween night by her three sons who have so many names that it's not possible to keep them straight - Jack, Patrick, Robert, Mr. Sticks, Old Bones, Patches, Pumpkinhead - pick a name and stick to it! In addition, there are so many characters, none of which are well developed, so the reader simply cannot keep track without taking notes. And who's going to take notes? Another writing tick that drove me nuts was the complicated description of action sequences that I couldn't wrap my brain around. Most of these action sequences involved bodies grappling with each other, but the grappling was described poorly, and in such detail, that it was simply overkill.
If you believe that witches of old were Satan worshippers and deserved their persecution, and if you believe churches are default holy, then you might be scared by this book. But you'd have to try really hard to be scared and, in the end, it's not worth it.
The plot is the planned resurrection of the witch of Beldam Woods on Halloween night by her three sons who have so many names that it's not possible to keep them straight - Jack, Patrick, Robert, Mr. Sticks, Old Bones, Patches, Pumpkinhead - pick a name and stick to it! In addition, there are so many characters, none of which are well developed, so the reader simply cannot keep track without taking notes. And who's going to take notes? Another writing tick that drove me nuts was the complicated description of action sequences that I couldn't wrap my brain around. Most of these action sequences involved bodies grappling with each other, but the grappling was described poorly, and in such detail, that it was simply overkill.
If you believe that witches of old were Satan worshippers and deserved their persecution, and if you believe churches are default holy, then you might be scared by this book. But you'd have to try really hard to be scared and, in the end, it's not worth it.
October 19, 2020
Almost perfect
This was so much fun to read! If only it had been edited more carefully, I would give it 5 stars. Several times I struggled to piece together paragraphs that had somehow been scrambled.
This was so much fun to read! If only it had been edited more carefully, I would give it 5 stars. Several times I struggled to piece together paragraphs that had somehow been scrambled.
October 7, 2022
A family like no other. Very interesting and creepy descriptions of the weird family, the witch and her strange sons. Truly a nasty family that wrecks havoc for Bedlam Woods. Lots of death and destruction. I loved the way that a local legend came back and took over. I think it could have been a little shorter but it was definitely an good Halloween read.
October 21, 2021
A very good Halloween read. Thoroughly enjoyed this return to Beldam Woods, and that it linked and built on a short story in "This is Halloween" by the same author. More a 4.5
September 19, 2023
A fun witchy Halloween tale, fleshed out with interesting monsters.
September 18, 2024
This was underwhelming, my dudes.
Read
October 26, 2024DNF 26%
November 19, 2024
It tries to do so many things and ends up doing nothing. To me it feels like a better Goosebumps book
June 6, 2024
You’ll want to stay inside this Halloween if you happen to live in Beldam Woods. This Halloween town lore comes out to play & exact revenge for old sins. The brutal murder of the old librarian is just the beginning.
-Rich in pulpy gore & a great Halloween read. I loved this trip back into Beldam Woods.
-Rich in pulpy gore & a great Halloween read. I loved this trip back into Beldam Woods.
April 20, 2021
The perfect little Halloween read. Highly recommend it.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews