The Agency is recruiting brave souls to solve the murder of Sara Duncan. This mission has a high probability of vector contact. Survival is not guaranteed, and neither is your sanity. Welcome to the depths of shadow and madness.
The U.S.A. (Unholy Slaying Agency) is hunting down a powerful voodoo priest performing dark rituals, leaving a gaping wound in the etheric layers. The agents must rely on their combat training, knowledge of the occult, and one another as they are led into a dangerous trap.
Ghost Team spearheads the operation, led by Emmerich Steiner. What was meant to be an investigation leads them into a web of terror run by demonically possessed individuals and their willing servants. Em, along with his brothers Badrick and Fredrick, his fiancée and second in command, Callisto, and the rookies Calvin and Evan, battle the forces of darkness in a brutal life or death struggle.
Trigger this novel contains graphic violence, adult language, and sexual situations.
WOW!! My mind is actually blown after reading this from Guy Quintero. I’m actually exhausted after feeling as though I was part of Ghost8Actual, a team of professional soldiers within the USA (Unholy Slaying Agency), who work for the United States Government. They are tasked with protecting humankind from the supernatural monsters, who want to rule Earth.
The Nephilim have been kidnapping children and adults from the streets of L.A and turning them into an army of lycanthropes, ghouls, vampires and zombies, assisted by Edjewale, a powerful voodoo priest, who all seem to be housed within Moorehouse Asylum. Ghost team led by Actual Emmerich Steiner, and his small group of soldiers, including his two brothers, his fiancée, a rookie, and two others, are sent in to MA to investigate, along with Scryer, Elizabeth. From then, all hell breaks loose...
This is one helluva action packed story from start to finish, and I felt as though I was actually inside the story as part of the team myself...I’m that exhausted!!
This is an absolute brilliant book of epic supernatural proportions, and mixed with the author’s real life military training, making it a MUST READ for all fans of horror, and the like.
Thanks to Guy Quintero for sending me this book, in return for an honest review.
Now I need to get my mitts on Book 2 Cannibal Peaks.
This was my first book by Guy, it will not be my last! Despite the fact that it has left me utterly exhausted and feeling like I completed the mission within its pages all by myself!! Guy has very cleverly brought his experiences in the military into this book, together with the supernatural and some very bloody horror! The way he uses the rookie new recruit to explain the military jargon is really cleverly done, educating you, but without you even noticing! 🖤
It all kicks off with a chillingly brutal opening chapter, immediately grabbing my interest and strapping me in tightly for the mission ahead!
First of all, the soldiers in this book are no ordinary soldiers. They are part of an elite team, called Ghost Team, working for the U.S.A or Unholy Slaying Agency!! They deal with the other side of life, the dark, supernatural side, and they are damned good at what they do!
Calvin is on his first assignment with the U.S.A. But what exactly are he and his team hunting? Inside are feral looking children, but outside and on the roof, are clawed, yellow-eyed creatures intent on death and destruction! They need to save the children, before it's too late….
As if Werewolves and Vampires aren't enough, they then move on to deal with The Nephilim, demons, zombies, ghouls, and Voodoo magic! A scryer called Elizabeth joins the team, and quickly becomes invaluable to them, despite her soul being stranded on the other side.
Then, when they head off to investigate the Moorhouse Asylum, things take a decidedly sinister, savage and extremely bloody turn!
We also get more acquainted with Edjewale, the Baron, and together, their disturbing and dark voodoo prowess!
Full of dark voodoo magic and horrific, nightmarish, abhorrent creations, this is a disturbing, foreboding, adrenaline fuelled, bloody, gory, atmospheric, creepy and horrific mission. Like a great action movie or fast paced shooter game! So much action it will literally leave you feeling exhausted!
It's very well written and the narrative flows smoothly, you get a real feel for the characters too, making you feel more attached to some of them, even if it's not for as long as you'd like…. the little life flashbacks were great too, adding even more to the characters story! The excitement builds with every single chapter, keeping you turning the pages with high anticipation! You really do feel a part of the team, a part of the action, the descriptions and imagery are as clear as day and the senses are all triggered! Absolutely chock full of action, high energy and horror that escalates real quickly!! Awesome stuff, I can't wait to jump back into action with the U.S.A!!
Emmerich and his Ghost Team, Ghost8Actual, are part of U.S.A. (Unholy Slaying Agency). This elite team is on the hunt for a powerful voodoo priest who is attempting to bring forth things from the other side.
This book is wall-to-wall action. A military thriller with werewolves, zombies, ghouls, possession, and Nephilim! Not to mention voodoo and demons! Intense, violent, and filled with action. Goes from zero to 100 in two chapters and doesn't let up. If you are looking for something a bit different, definitely check this one out. I definitely want to read more!
This book has the same vibes as Johnathan Maberry's Joe Ledger series. Secret military department with something not so normal going on. With Maberry's it was science gone wrong, with Guy Quinteto's it's supernatural. But like Maberry, Quintero does a great job at combining the two! I'm not normally one to read heavy military books, but this is written in such a way that it makes it interesting and keeps you wanting to read more. The military language isn't something I understand either, but for the most part there are good descriptions to help figure it out. The characters were all written great and the the plot was wonderful. The ending was sad, but also made me so curious about book 2. I would've liked to see more of an investigation into the bad guy(s), but overall I think this is a very successful series beginner and debut. Great job and I'm looking forward to reading more!
What a fantastic debut! Guy Quintero blew me away with A Whisper in the Dark. I snatched it up and read it in one sitting. I’ve been anticipating this one since April when Guy first described it to me.
The story focuses in on Ghost Team, one of several squads of highly trained soldiers that falls under the auspices of the Unholy Slaying Agency, a department within the United States Government. Their job is protecting citizens from supernatural enemies, such as lycanthropes, vampires, ghouls, and zombies. After defeating an alpha lycanthrope and her drones, they head back to headquarters to learn of trouble in Los Angeles. It seems the nephilim are up to no good and have somehow teamed up with a very evil and powerful voodoo priest named Edjewale. Ghost Team is sent in to assess the situation where they learn about Moorehouse Asylum. Given permission to further investigate, Ghost Team is met with an ambush of demonic proportions.
As Ghost Team battles to survive, the reader is given multiple perspectives of the events through the eyes of different characters. Most helpful was Daniel, the rookie, through whose instruction someone like me, with no military background, could understand the lingo and acronyms used. There’s also Elizabeth, a scryer, who has insight into the spiritual realm. Then there is Edjewale and his victims who bring to life the ritualistic acts and reasonings behind the nephilim’s activity. All the main characters in the story have an important part to play and they each become truly dynamic and unique as the story progresses.
What I loved most about this book is although it’s fantastical in nature, I found it completely believable due to the fact that Guy drew from his own knowledge making the conversations more authentic and relevant to the scenes, and he also provides history and background to some of the theories in this world, making them seem more plausible. It is such a fun and action-packed read pulling on different emotions throughout to increase its impact. I am really looking forward to the next installment.
Guy Quintero has done a great job integrating a ton of creatures into this story without making it feel overdone. Nothing is off-limits in this debut novel. The world-building is rich and descriptive, without any unnecessary words. There are a lot of acronyms, but they're easily explained through the rookie's eyes.
The plot focuses on Ghost Team, a badass team of soldiers who work for the USA - Unholy Slaying Agency. It's their job to eliminate supernatural monsters that plague the world. There are Lycanthropes, Ghouls, Zombies, and more – Oh My!
It crosses many genres and has everything you could want in a book. I loved the little Easter eggs he writes into the story, like, Roanoke.
The next in the series is Book Two: The Cannibal Peaks. This title will be released on October 18, 2022.
Very well written! I love that with Guys personal background, he could make the book come to life with realistic type conversations, making the plot even more believable. The story is fluid and is a page turner for sure! Action packed, emotion tugging, making you want more! I love the supernatural aspect of this book, as I love anything supernatural! Fabulous read, well done Guy!
This book was awesome! The action only let up long enough to build suspense. It’s a very cool idea that a government agency tracks down malevolent supernatural beings, and fills them full of led. As a fan of over-the-top 80s action movies and horror flicks, this was right up my alley!
*I'm not going to give you the whole 'what this book is about' blurb - you can read that elsewhere.
1. I’ll be honest and say that occasionally, I found the storyline hard to follow. I’m guessing that’s because I have zero military experience/training, and this book is very heavily military based. Quintero is a former soldier himself, with substantial experience, so even though he did a great job of using both the rookie teammate and internal dialogue to provide additional details and explanations throughout the book, there is still stuff that was just lost on me. That’s completely fine, I understand why it happened, and I still very much enjoyed the storyline; my naivety in military matters did not detract from said enjoyment.
2. Maybe because of point 1, I typically stay away from reading anything military-based. However, in this series, the combat isn’t against other humans, it’s war against other-worldly beings and cryptids. Who doesn’t want to see an entire voodoo zombie underworld fall?!
3. There are some political undertones if you look for them, which I do. It’s not crazy evident nor did it feel like Quintero is taking any soap-box stance on anything, but if you enjoy a little political sprinkling in your reading, you can find the author taking on topics like racism and anti-Asian sentiment post-Covid as a slight undercurrent to parts of the story.
4. Potential Spoiler *Read with caution – You will fall in love with the characters, and Quintero comes in and “Red Weddings” them. It’s straight up Game of Thrones level. I was so angry at Guy for making me feel all the feelings, but I realized it’s war, and that’s just what happens in war. I can’t be mad since these are fictional characters, not real people I’ve been through hell with, unlike what our military men and women experience. That said, I do need a slight break to mourn before going into book 2. I’m very curious to see who/what transpires in the next installment in the ‘Unholy Slaying Agency’ series, especially since I’m guessing it will need to be a whole new crop of characters.
A Whisper In The Dark is a riveting action-packed supernatural horror about a team of special military operatives, appropriately named Ghost Team, that gave me Colonial Marine Corps (Aliens) vibes. Except these operatives aren’t hunting Xenomorphs. Together with Scryers, psychics with an ability to peer into the etheric layer as if it were an open door, they’re hunting every Earthbound and ethereal monster you don’t want under your bed—a Spiritual War.
When Ghost Team, made up of refreshingly diverse characters, is sent on an investigative mission, things go awry when they stumble upon a tear in the etheric layer and their Scryer becomes trapped within the spiritual folds of reality. While there, she is able to witness the horde of evil the antagonist, in league with Demons, is set to unleash on Earth.
Will the Scryer be able to warn Ghost Team of the impending doom or will she merely be an observer as the scale of good and evil is malignantly tipped and she’s forced to watch their mission fail, one scream at a time?
Quintero’s writing reminds me a lot of Tom Wood and James Patterson. He is meticulous in detail and writes his characters so well they read like real people, each with their own individual quirks and nuances. You’re privy to every situation as if they are lived experiences. This makes it easy to fall in line and keep up because this novel is an intense dive into the physicality of spiritual warfare.
A Whisper In The Dark is truly engaging and though you are thrown head first into combat Quintero has a way of mirroring the psychological Kevlar one wears while in fight response. He moves the story along at a fast yet thoughtful pace; unfolding each crucial moment as if mentoring a rookie in the trenches.
Scryers have the ability to see beyond the physical and Quintero offers the reader this same sense of observation with perfectly placed inner dialogue of his characters. These inner musings give you a very intimate perspective into these soldiers, characters that are otherwise geared to operate with a hard exterior.
I highly recommend this novel if you are a fan of superb writing, heart pounding action, purposeful gore and psychological turmoil.
High points: The idea of this book is crazy good. Me being intrigued by all things paranormal, this book's plot and theme had me hook, line and sinker. The monsters and demons in this story are very creative and scary fun to read. And th he battle sequences are written very descriptive. You can definitely see the fight scenes unfold in your mind. The idea of a group of not only military trained soldiers, but also people psychically gifted to fight this "unholy war" is magnificent. I was completely enthralled with Elizabeth. I also really liked the characters Emmerich and Badrick. The U.S.A Ghost Team is badass. Think Sam and Dean Winchester but amped up times 100 with military training and weapons. Speaking of weapons and military, this brings up the first downside of the book for me. The military and weapons jargon was a bit over-the-top, but I understand the decision to use it. For a lay person I couldn't care less, but the author does explain everything so your not completely in the dark with all the code and acronyms. There were also some characters that I couldn't really get into. Callisto (RIP, girl). She was just too "Come at me, Bro" - like at 1,000 the whole book. Everytime I read her lines I mentally said, "Settle down, girl". Plus her overuse of the word "babe" everytime she spoke to Emmerich was a bit....much. Fredrick (bless his heart) annoyed me a bit as well, but I do see that he was comedic relief and also written to where we would see some character development. The story hits the ground running and is basically nonstop battle from page 1 to page 274 (the end). I did enjoy this story, though and I plan on reading the next one, "The Cannibal Peaks". I think Guy Quintero definitely has a creative mind to write good paranormal horror and I really look forward to seeing more of his work.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
The voracious attack on my TBR continues, finally allowing me to get to Guy Quintero’s Whisper in the Dark. This was a decent-sized story but it went so quick because I had to read what happened next. The action was non-stop, but the few seconds of downtime was utilized well with character development that made you care who survived this adrenaline-packed “military horror.”
Quick synopsis: the USA (Unholy Slaying Agency) is a secret military sector that handles the supernatural bestiary that we are told “don’t exist.” Werewolves, zombies, dark voodoo practitioners; all are threatening mankind & it’s their job to “handle them.” Something is turning people into demonic creatures at a growing rate, so the team is sent in to put a lid on it before it’s too late. They are tasked with vanquishing droves of nightmarish foes until they are ultimately led to a sinister uninhabited asylum for an epic final battle.
The story is very well written. The dialogue is spot-on & not forced. The action is dialed in and seems real/plausible & the blood/gore was doled out with a heavy hand. Just how I like it. A thought that came to me while reading this was “there’s so many things he could have got wrong here (and so many do) that Quintero got right.” As negative as that sounds, it isn’t. He got A’s in scenes that we have gotten used to, that are weak C’s at best.
Fans of Resident Evil, Supernatural, and Lumley’s Necroscope will eat this series up. I’m exited to get to the next one to see what happens next. 👀
A team of six military soldiers from The Unholy Slaying Agency (USA), specialize in eliminating dangerous creatures and supernatural threats. Foes in the form of Lycanthropes and Vampires are just some of the few creatures they’ve encountered. But when the team are sent to investigate a massive energy disturbance in L.A that may be caused by someone working with the Nephilim, they’re faced with a much more powerful force that will put all their skills to the test.
This book was a ton of fun! It felt like reading a novelized version of a video game. The world-building is impressive in its complexity and the variety of enemies that range from Zombies, Demons, Ghouls and more had this horror fan squealing with delight! To top it off, the characters are memorable and keep the action going by clearing out threats from different areas using high damage weapons. The author incorporates military terms and acronyms throughout the novel which may confuse some readers who aren’t familiar with them, but luckily the rookie of the group asks these questions for you.
The writing is fantastic and clever with its social commentary on homelessness, organized crime and more. It’s very clear the author put a lot of thought into this story and what came out of it is something truly unique. If I had a small complaint it’s to maybe take a break from all the gunfire and have more time spent in connecting with the characters. We do get a glimpse of their personal lives with a few flashback moments but I wanted more. Especially more on Callisto and Nhi, two badass females that I would totally choose in a video game.
If you’re looking for a military supernatural thriller that’s fast-paced with non-stop action, then look no further! Grab your M4’s, a few M67 grenades and maybe some quartz crystals and get ready for an epic fight!
❗️Research age demographics, CWs, and TWs for these books prior to reading to determine whether or not they're appropriate for you.
4.5 🌟 🌟
A Whisper In The Dark TOTALLY took me by surprise 😮 I'm not gonna lie at 1st I was skeptical but by chapter 2 I was ALL in and couldn't put it down. If Lycanthropes , Zombies & Ghouls combined with some Voodoo doesn't worry you then this is the Book for you.
Guy managed to put the exact amount of Syfy Paranormal with action to keep you on the edge of your seat or in my case my head under the covers 😉
The pages sprang to life as Ghost Team preceeded to try and wipe out some wicked Mayhem going on right under society's nose. I won't spoil it but I had a few tears come about in the end. There are even a couple sentimental moments thrown in.
I can't wait for the next Excursion with these Special Force Operatives.
This was the first book I've read from Guy Quintero. It's not my normal cup of tea having characters from the military only because I never served. However, I followed Guy in his writing and decided to give it a chance. I wasn't disappointed. It's about a force that has to protect the country from supernatural forces.
It's a fun read, albeit was a bit hard to follow in places. Despite that, you can tell that Guy served in the military and did a great job blending his military experience into the story without getting too bogged down in military terminology. I enjoy occult/supernatural stories, this one kept me entertained and even had elements of Voodoo.
You're in for a diamond in the rough as long as you can get through the military jargon. The author indicates that he is a fan of Tom Clancy and there is some evidence in this book as I've read some of Clancy's books.
It's not your normal horror story, but give it a chance and you might be surprised!
A Whisper in the Dark follows the Unholy Slaying Agency, a military outfit battling creatures and the forces of evil. But when a serial killer using voodoo rituals appears, the agency must do battle with more than they have ever faced before.
The story is relentless, sinking its claws into you in the first few pages and never letting go. The action doesn’t stop for a moment, with so many incredible scenes that had my heart racing. The characters are well developed, the violence is shocking and the plot flows incredibly well. The relationships developed between the characters work very well: from brothers in arms to actual brothers, and a really diverse mix of people that you really root for. If you were looking for a story that combines your love of Frankenstein, demons, werewolves, military strategy, ghost hunting, betrayal and zombies: this may be the story for you.
I stepped out of my comfort zone with A Whisper In The Dark and I wasn't disappointed! This was my first book by Guy and it won't be my last. From the brutal opening chapter to the final page, it is nonstop adrenaline. Ghost Team, part of the Unholy Slaying Agency, faces off against werewolves, vampires, demons, zombies, and dark voodoo forces. I was not expecting that and holy smokes!!! It got intense!
I typically shy away from with military related books because of inaccuracies but Guy did a phenomenal job with this. It was perfect! And the rookie character was a smart way to introduce military elements without overwhelming the reader. The pacing is fast and the action feels like a movie. The scenes are detailed, vivid and absolutely gripping. I felt like I was right there on the mission. Fantastic book!
I don't usually go for military ops in reading, BUT the supernatural elements combined with the team was so well done. It opens in mid-action and with a death! It's hardcore. There are lycanthropy, ghouls, zombies, mentions of fae as well as another super dark creature hell bent on taking back the earth! If you want a look at the creatures you think you know from another view-- think the occult/voodoo slant-- you got it here!
I especially loved the use of scrying in this. When Elizabeth joins the team to keep them informed of what is going on in the supernatural plane (there are many etheric layers) she becomes in danger and it is up to the team to take on some intense beings without input from her that would have been a huge help.
From the first to the last page it's non stop action. You barely get a chance to breathe before something else is happening. A full speed ahead adrenaline rush of a story. Military action meets occult horror sprinkled with all kinds of supernatural baddies. The author adds in little bits of comedic relief to give the tiniest of reprieve from the full throttle action. Quintero also built a great cast of characters with Ghost Team. Each member of the team had a way of getting under your skin. I couldn't help getting attached to them. Although this is a fast paced horror, there isn't much gore, no swearing and no sex so I would definitely recommend this to an older teen or someone who doesn't like the more extreme horror.
I think this is the only horror book I have ever read, but I was immediately fascinated by the mixtures of Guy's military background and his knowledge and enthusiasm for the occult.
There are many parts that make you wince and want to cover your eyes 👀, but it is so fascinating and enthralling that you won't want to!
This definitely is Stephen King meets Tom Clancy material. If you are a religion scholar who enjoys studying the apocrypha then this book will be splendid reading!
😱 OMG!!! Guy Quintero hits it out of the park with the first book in his series of the U.S.A. (Unholy Slaying Agency). A team of soldiers fighting supernatural monsters.
This is an action packed adventure filled with horror and comedy. This book is written in such an amazing manner that makes you feel like you're part of the team. You're in the pages of this book cheering them on, feeling their pain and cursing when things don't go right.
I was pulled into the pages of this book and wasn't let go until the very last word and after I was finished I was left wanting more of this amazing story.