The Band

by David Duane Kummer

Because of Johnny, I went with the band. Because of Kate, I stayed. They played anywhere, all through Appalachia. They were the best show for miles around. But even I didn’t expect Oakville to be the end.

Oakville, WV. It was supposed to be a quiet to catch our breaths, to fall in love. It was a chance to know each other completely. As long as Johnny didn’t find out.

It would also be the last show they ever played.

In a foggy Appalachian town, one of us wouldn’t make it home. And everyone else would never be the same.

337 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 4, 2025

About the author

My name is David Kummer. I'm a young writer who leans towards horror, mystery, thrillers, and young adult fiction. My books are fast-paced, easy-to-read, with shocking twists and unpredictable endings.

My new series is The House on the Hill, a new type of haunted house trilogy focusing on one family and the small town under attack. It's creepy enough for horror readers, but character-focused and plot-driven, so it's perfect for anyone who enjoys a good mystery novel.

I grew up in Madison, Indiana, a small town on the Ohio River, with lots of history and settings around here that influence my books. Now I live in New Albany with my fantastic wife. When I'm not writing, I'm a full-time English teacher for 9th graders and I enjoy spending as much time as possible outdoors.

You may have read some great authors before and some fascinating books, but this is the first time you've had an experience like this. Try something and let me convince you.

Email: davidkummer7@gmail.com

Twitter @DavidKummer7
Facebook: @davidduanekummer
Instagram: @davidkummer3

Get a free book and sign up for my newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/bPgy4n

Reviews

[Foxy Vixen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Takes place in Oakville, WV
I should say upfront that I don’t enjoy Horror genre.
But, in my opinion, this book is nothing but 5 people on a long high with alcohol thrown in the mix. Really didn’t enjoy any part of this book. There are a couple surprising event’s among the blood and gore.

[Rosie Amber · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

The Band is a conventional story with a mild horror theme.

Set during the last weeks of the band’s summer tour, this tale is told from the point of view of Aiden, the sound man. The group of five young adults—Johnny, River, Pistol, Echo and Aiden— are all running away from their own problems, but the band gives them a focus and a reason to live their lives. They travel in a big van and get by in a hand-to-mouth way, camping or living cheaply and passing through small towns performing where they can.

We meet the band when their situation is getting desperate; they’re fed up with camping, have little money and are always on the move. Summer is fading and they are all concerned about how much longer they can go on. Band leader Johnny persuades them to stop in Oakville, where he promises to find accommodation and a gig, however, his headstrong and unpredictable nature is beginning to worry the others.

While the majority of the narrative is from Aiden, there are a couple of chapters that relate to sinister events from a different narrator; Oakville has its own history of unsolved crimes and Aiden hears stories old and new while he hangs out in town. There is a creepy, dark element to this tale which silently inches in like a fog rolling into the valley.

[Renee Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This author’s writing will capture your soul and take you on a deep dive into the minds and hearts of the shattered, the lonely, the lost, and the hopeful. His characters are explosive and his storytelling is brilliant. The Band is a journey. A motley crew of musicians trying to escape life and find meaning at the same time. Much like any band, each character plays an integral role and their personal stories make their music come to life. It’s beyond just the performances. It’s trying to learn, grow, and cope with what life hands them, as well as find their own tunes…hope, humanity, and love.

[V.M. Sang · Rating 4 out of 5]

An exciting story, with lots of tension.

THE BAND by DAVID KUMMER

OVERVIEW

An exciting tale of violence and mystery.

STORY

This is a tale told in the first person. The protagonist is a young man, Aiden, who is the sound engineer with a band that is trying to break into the big time.
The band have left their homes in Tennessee to travel around getting gigs wherever they can.
They all have problems and reasons for wanting to spend the summer away from their families.
Tensions abound between the band members, but when they reach the small town of Oakville, things come to a head.
They play an impromptu gig outside the Courthouse one hot afternoon, which leads to a Saturday night gig in one of two bars in the town.
They find a week’s lodging in a run-down basement flat belonging to a mysterious old lady.
Then some gruesome murders take place. Rumour has it the old lady had killed three husbands and buried them in her garden.
Who has been killing the teenagers? Was it the old lady? Sam, a young man who appears to be following the band around? One of a biker gang, who the Band had an argument with?
Nothing more shall be said by me as I don't want to write a spoiler.

CHARACTERS

Aiden is the sound man for the Band. He has joined them because of problems at home. Like others in the Band, he's running away from a dysfunctional family.
He has a thing for the only female in the band, but is lacking in confidence, so says nothing.

Johnny is the leader of the band. He is a very mixed up kid. With his family background making him crave attention, he is easily pushed into jealous outbursts if someone appears to be getting more than what he considers their correct amount.
He's a bit of a loner, and often goes off on his own.

Kate, otherwise known as Echo, when in the Band, is a young woman who is an amazing singer. It's she who ensures the Saturday night gig in Oakville. Whenever she sings, the place comes alive with her energy.
She enjoys nature and walking and often persuaded Aiden to go with her on her rambles. Sometimes she seems to reciprocate Aiden’s feelings, and at others she appears to think of him as just a friend.

River is a very good looking young man. The girls all fall over themselves for his attention, and he enjoys this aspect of being in the Band.
He is the most talented guitarist of them all, and also has a superb voice. He has his share of solos.

Finally, Bobby. He is known as Pistol in the band, and is the drummer. He always wears a cowboy hat, and Aiden thinks he sounds ‘country’ when singing. He has ambitions to play guitar, but Johnny tells him he's not good enough, so he sticks to the drums.
He seems to be about the most ‘normal’ of the band.

The characters are all well-drawn and fully rounded, having both positive and negative traits. I'm not going to go into the others or this will never finish.

WRITING

David Kummer does an excellent job of building up the tension in this book. There are several places where I couldn't have put it down if asked.
He uses the setting well to add to the tension. Hot sultry weather, sudden rain, rickety bridges etc
There are a few typos, and some grammatical errors, but not enough to make me stop reading.
I did, however, get a bit irritated when he used ‘lay’ every time when it should be ‘lie. But as this is a very common error, I don't suppose it would annoy most people.’

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Band feels like a blend of thriller and horror, but I can’t quite put my finger on what it is. There are threads that are introduced that never really seem to go anywhere; they’re just there to add to the mystery and suspense, and the dark atmosphere that rolls over everyone and everything, making it feel like it’s suffocating everyone but no one is quite able to move. It’s an odd feeling I had while reading it, but I did find this to be compelling and unputdownable. Overall, this felt more like a love story wrapped up in the drama of a band trying to make it in some way with some dark and horrifying elements hovering right at the edges.

Aiden is just the sound guy, dutifully following the band as they tour Appalachia one summer, trying to be something but ultimately finding that goal unattainable. The lead singer and guitarist, Johnny, is terrifying and unpredictable, acting like a jokester one moment and like a monster another. Kate, whose stage name is Echo, also sings and plays guitar but is far more talented than Johnny, who is weirdly possessive of her. Then there’s River, the most talented of all of them, but he’s young and seems to prefer womanizing. Bobby, with the stage name Pistol, is the drummer and driver, who tries to get women’s attention and fails miserably. And yet they all meld together to make a functional band. They’re chugging along, keeping busy for the summer, when they end up in Oakville, West Virginia, where they decide to stay for a week. As things build up to one big show at the end of the week, the cracks start to show, and some mysterious deaths hang over the town and the people, including the band.

The Band has a really gritty feel to it, one that really complimented the story in the best way. While I wasn’t keen on all the drinking and smoking, it just added to the atmosphere and made the cracks that much more evident. Ultimately, I’m not quite sure what to make of this novel; it’s kind of outside what I usually read, but I found it to be oddly addictive.

At its core, this feels like the story of a band, one that’s good but not great, one where most of the members are longtime friends, one that’s tied together by a guy who is far more unhinged than any of them ever thought. There’s something terrifying about the things these characters encounter and live through, and yet they’re mostly drunk or high for most of the novel. While they appear mostly close-knit, the seams are fraying, and Oakville feels like it might make or break them as a group. Woven alongside the drama of this band is a sweet love story. Aiden and Kate always felt like they belonged together, from the very beginning, but it’s quite a long journey they have before them. They dance around each other a lot, mostly because Aiden is so sweetly self-conscious and is desperate to not drive off the woman he’s in love with. Their story was adorable. But, hovering over everything, are dark circumstances. There have been some mysterious deaths in Oakville, and the band’s landlady seems more than a little crazy. There are secrets tucked in here and there, and I was disappointed the story didn’t offer more answers or explanations.

The stars here are the characters. Aiden is the one telling most of the story. I thought it was a fantastic way to approach the story, telling it from the eyes of an outsider who is also an important part of the band. I really loved watching the band from his eyes, but also found that the scenes where they were playing often felt overly long. While there are these dark, scary, mysterious things going on, there’s just so much focus on Aiden watching the band perform. It made the focus of The Band a little all over the board. I couldn’t quite tell if this was meant to be a thriller or a story revealing the drama of small bands trying to make it or even just a sweet love story. I quite liked the drama, so the darker elements didn’t really have much of a place in the story to me, but I did like the way they clashed in the end. But it was really fun to get to know the band members and see them on and off the stage.

While Aiden was wonderfully characterized, The Band is clearly focused on the personalities of the band members. Aiden’s kind of along for the ride, kind of a scapegoat whenever Johnny needs one, a guy who plays whatever role the band needs. Even he focuses more on the band than on himself, unless it’s about Kate. I did really like Kate. She’s sweet and fun, and kind of felt like she was trying to be the mother in the group. I liked how she always tried to take care of everyone, and sometimes it got to be too much for her. Johnny is unhinged and possessive, and there’s something dark and scary about him, and yet everyone needs him because he’s the leader of the band. I loved how delightfully crazy he is, but it was also terrifying. River and Bobby were shoved more into the background, constantly shoved off to find women to try to spend the night with. There wasn’t really much to them, but they were fun when they were on the page. I liked that they were distinct from everyone else and each other. The relationships between these five were also fun, because there were thorns and, really, they’re just a bunch of young adults spending a summer having fun.

Oakville proved to be the perfect place for everyone and everything to unravel. It felt secluded and haunted. I felt this place really come alive in my mind, and there was this film of forbidding gray over it all, which I really liked. Oakville has so many secrets, few of which we get to know. I wasn’t so keen on the few chapters told by some of the local residents. While they furthered the story of some being killing some of the residents while also helping to build this haunting town, they were too few and far between to really add much more than an ominous atmosphere. I would have loved it if they had been woven in more frequently, with maybe more characters, just to really home in on a thriller feel. It felt like it was teased before pulling back, making me feel this is supposed to be a thriller. But it pulls way back, switching back to the band and brightening Oakville to dispel any lingering shadows.

I’m not quite sure what The Band is supposed to be, but it’s certainly centered on the band in question. It was fun getting to know all of them, and I loved the love story between Aiden and Kate. There’s a haunting darkness over this story, but it mostly felt like it was being teased around the edges. It would have been delightful if the story had really committed to that path as the bits and pieces felt like they weren’t enough, leaving me torn about whether this is about the band and its cracks or about some unhinged thing scaring Oakville. Fortunately, the writing is lovely and gritty, and it really pulled me in.

Thank you to the author for a review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Jillian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for the copy of the book to review for Rosie’s Book Reviews.

I really wanted to like this book. The premise intrigued me and I was hopeful as I began reading it. Unfortunately, it didn’t hold my attention like I would’ve wanted it to. It was a bit disjointed and somewhat difficult to get into. It took me over a month and a half to finish it reading in short sessions. It didn’t help that the formatting was terrible. I tried to overlook that as it was an ARC copy, but it made for hard reading.

The protagonist was somewhat likable but not enough for me to want to cheer for him to prevail in the situation he found himself in. When I read a book, I like to have someone to root for. A couple of the minor characters in the band were okay, but they didn’t get to do much in the plot and they thus were one-dimensional.

There were no explanations of a lot of the things that happened in the plot. There were places that motivations were hinted at, but this reader needed more than vague allusions to why certain characters acted the way they did.

Several chapters had unknown characters interacting or having horrific things happening to them and, as someone who reads a lot of suspense and horror, I presumed those would be tied in and explained before the book ended. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen.

The ultimate showdown near the end of the book was particularly dissatisfying in that many characters acted in ways that defied logic. I don’t want to put in any spoilers, but running toward danger continuously when there are opportunities to escape made no sense to this reader.

Overall, the author has a great imagination and this story has a lot of potential, but it didn’t quite live up to the expectations of this reader. It might be right up someone else’s alley, but it just didn’t do it for me.

[Uilleam Whitedale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Did you ever see that old movie Eddie and the Cruisers? THE BAND has the same sort of vibe. This book is primarily about, you guessed it, a band, on the road looking for gigs, and the author does a beautiful job of describing the travails, victories, and interpersonal relationships and conflicts experienced by the members. If it were only about the band, it would have been a good read, in and of itself. Kummer's descriptions are soulful and vivid, and the characters are well-developed. But, throughout, there is something else going on, something dark, peaking in every now and again, waiting to break through - murder. While I would not categorize this book as horror, per se, it turns into a psychological thriller. There may be some supernatural overtones, but they're never made concrete. The hints of what's to come are scattered throughout, though they never manage to overcome "the band" as the main plot, which had me confused for quite some time but became clear through a natural progression that I did not quite expect. My criticisms would be that, sometimes, the dialogue, which reads as realistic, gets a little hard to follow, and I'm still not exactly sure how Tionna played into the band's storyline, as the Prologue sets up an entirely different story that, by the end, didn't connect. I would have liked to have seen the darkness build earlier, as, a few times, I forgot about the murders and got lost in the band's interplay. And, lastly, I was slightly disappointed with how it ended. What happened needed to happen, but it fell a little flat for me. All in all, Kummer is a good writer and this book is worth the read. I would have given it 5 stars based solely upon the band's storyline.

[Beth DeLong · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one! It was a good, easy read with a good story. David's storytelling pulled me in as I could easily visualize what was going on, but there was also a soulfulness and depth to his writing that made it easy to keep going.

I read the book for the horror. A story about the dynamics of a traveling band wouldn't usually be my cup of tea. But the story of the band took up the bulk of the book, and I still enjoyed it because of how it was written.

I would say this is more thriller than horror. There were a few gruesome details, but they were minimal. The horror/thriller vibes reminded me of the classic horror movies from the 90s and early 2000s, which I really liked! It starts off with horror/thriller, then becomes a slow-burn, setting the stage (pun intended) for the characters' personalities and the climax, with a few thriller scenes thrown in the middle.

If you like your endings neatly tied with a bow and all loose ends resolved, you may not enjoy the ending. There's a bit of ambiguity at the end. But I actually found this added to the thriller vibes of the book. It certainly left me pondering how some of the pieces fit together and left me thinking about the book hours afterward, so bravo to David on that! And the loose ends don't take away from the story, more so they allow the reader to play detective.

⚠️ Cursing, including f
🌶 Brief open-door scene, minimal detail
🩸 Mild gore


Thanks so much, David, for the chance to ARC read for you!
I am leaving this review voluntarily with no expectation of a positive review.

[Heather Barksdale · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The Band” follows a band as they finish their summer tour in Oakville, WV. Told mostly through the POV of one of their bandmates, Aiden, the rest of the band is made up of Johnny, River, Bobby (Pistol) and Kate (Echo).

Overall, I was a bit torn on this tale. In the beginning, the story appears to have two distinct main storylines and POVs. It’s hard to find any interaction between the two until about a third of a way in. The first POV is from Aiden, the band’s newest member and sound guy. He’s the only “non-musical” one of the group and he finds himself an outsider. Find the full blog post at heatherlbarksdale.com

I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.

[Douglas J. Muenzer · Rating 1 out of 5]

I tried to read this book and I could not get past the 50% mark. It was that bad. It seemed like it was written by a teenager. I usually will put a book down if not interested after about 25% of it is read, I gave this book twice that and it did not get any better. The dialogue was pathetic and unimaginative. Aiden's teenage crush on Kate (Echo) was sickening to constantly have to read about. The overall band members were totally not believable. The book went no where after 200 pages. No thanks, I couldn't finish it. It was not interesting in the slightest. Sorry Mr. Kummer, but this was a big fail as far I was concerned.

[Katie Meyers · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Band is an atmospheric and haunting story about music, friendship, and the tragedy that changes everything. The band played anywhere through Appalachia, the best show for miles around, but Oakville, West Virginia, was supposed to be a quiet place to catch their breath and fall in love. It would also be the last show they ever played. In a foggy Appalachian town, one of them wouldn't make it home, and everyone else would never be the same. The sense of impending tragedy is palpable, and the characters feel achingly real. A beautifully crafted and emotionally resonant read. Perfect for fans of literary fiction and stories about loss and memory. Highly recommended.

[Pamela Blackwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Band by David Kummer was Fabulous. I'm a big David Kummer fan, and will read anything he writes, because I know it will be great. The Band did not disappoint, wonderful read and keep my mind wondering, trying to figure out who will survive and who is killing. Not a clue, very suspenseful and interesting. The Band has it all, the love of friendship, love of music and murder. I had trouble putting this book down for just a second. This is a must read. I Highly Recommend it. I know you, will be glad you read it.

[Theresa Jacobs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Live vicariously through the eyes of young Aiden as he travels with the band. Life on the road is better and yet not easy for any of the band members, who are all fighting their own demons, but is one of those demons real? Through good and bad days, love, lust, and hatred, The Band finds more than they bargained for in Oakville.

[Sharron Grodzinsky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting portrayal of band members

Most of this story was interesting and characters were well developed but the underlying mystery seemed fractured. There was a lot of repetition of one character expressing his love for the girl singer and how good she was. That got boring.
The ending was flat for me. This author has a lot of potential but needs to tighten up his writing.

[Juliana Kummer · Rating 5 out of 5]

one of my favorites by this author! touching love story with some horror aspect.