Shattered: A Vortex of Terror

by Connell J J Chambers, Greta Greta (Illustrations)

A spine chilling story, Shattered, is a psychological thriller based on true facts. A chance introduction and poetry bring the protagonist and antagonist together. Games of deception and intimidation ensue revealing the horror of the stalker's diabolical mind at play. Desire, obsession and rejection accelerate into death threats. A strange unforeseen incident triggers a cataclysmic result.

370 pages, Paperback

First published April 10, 2014

Reviews

[M. Larose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shattered: A Vortex of Terror is a very creepy and atmospheric memoire of a stalking incident in which the victim is a man and the stalker is a woman. One small confusion I had with it at first was that the author neglected to make the time period clear right off the bat, but it becomes apparent that the events occurred in the 1980s or early 1990s, before stalking was recognized as a crime, even by law enforcement.
The author, who is a poet, does a great job of relating events. Although he seems a bit naïve in his early interactions with the soon-to-be-stalker, it is all quite believable as he tries to deny the reality of the stalker's obsession, then finally recognizes the escalating web of threat. I found the scenes where the childhood trauma behind the stalker's mental illness are revealed to be especially creepy.
The story made me feel at times as though I were reading about a supernatural evil, and I raced through to the end, feeling worried for the author and wanting to know how the situation would be resolved. If you like psychological thrillers, you will likely find this a worthwhile read. Although there are some misplaced commas here and there, the story is artfully told.