Ghost Canyon

John Decker #7

by Anthony M. Strong, Jet Malakai (Narrator)

In the darkness they wait, patient, hungry…

They are found huddled together in a frontier mineshaft. Three mummified corpses sitting near a vein of gold so rich it would have made them wealthy. Yet they never tried to leave. Instead, they sat down and starved to death rather than walk out.

When Robyn Miller inherits her father's share of an old ghost town in Nevada that has been in the family for generations, she decides to pack up and make a new life by creating a one-of-a-kind wedding venue and tourist attraction.

Eager to put her plans into action, she hires a trio of geologists to survey the crumbling gold mine so that she can start offering tours. But only one of them makes it out alive, and he brings with him a tale of mummified corpses and seams of gold.

He also tells of a creature deep in the tunnels. A beast with glowing red eyes that attacked them, killing his companions and almost murdering him.

The local police, unable to find answers, call in the FBI, who in turn ask CUSP for help. When John Decker arrives in the remote mining town he finds a terrifying adversary that dates all the way back to the Gold Rush, and an ancient legend come to life.

This is book seven in the John Decker series, but it can be enjoyed as a standalone novel.

Genres: Horror, Thriller, Supernatural, Mystery Thriller, Action, Mystery, Adventure

Audible Audio

First published May 7, 2021

Reviews

[Sammie Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was another fun horror read from the king of quick scares! It’s even better now since I’m reading the series with my dad and he loves it! We travel to Las Vegas in this installment and meet a scary Native American bone zombie that haunts the halls of an abandoned gold mine. They’re both relics from the 1800s, and when the mine is opened once more the horror is unleashed.

John Decker is sent from CUSP to discover the creature and hopefully put an end to its reign of terror and murder, and he’s aided by two men from the FBI, an adorable dog, a pretty new innkeeper, and a pissy old man with a penchant for liquor and crankiness. What could go wrong?

[myreadingescapism · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahhh I love Las Vegas and this reminded me of Jeeper's Creepers.

Honestly, I'm just in my creature feature era.

[Donna Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

An adventure in a haunted ghost canyon mining town. What's not to love? Each book in this series has such a fun and unique setting, along with being creepy and atmospheric. These stories never disappoint and this one is no exception. The pace is quick and the action non-stop. I especially enjoyed this one, with its nod to Native American folklore and legend. This book, and every book in this series, are a pure joy to read.

***I received an ARC from the author. My review is strictly voluntary.***

[Sudasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This installment in the John Decker adventures was really good; I don't know why, but all books and movies with anything cave-related really freaks me out, and this book was no exception. We also got to see a little more of John's character development with Nancy, and I appreciated this, as it's something I've wanted for a while.

[Cat B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was very excited to get my copy of GHOST CANYON. I am completely in love with this series and again was delighted with the story. The author writes a seamless tale of greed and murder and dips you into the horror at the heart of the tale. Once again , John Decker is brought in when a monster hunter is called for and takes us along for the ride. As the story goes along, separate threads of the tale are woven together until the whole story is laid before you ... and it's a good one.
Although not the first in the series, enjoying this read is not contingent upon reading the previous
novels, but why would you not? You will gain a better perspective of Decker and his previous experience as a monster hunter and hours more of enjoyment.

I received a complimentary copy of this book and this is my honest and unbiased review.

[John Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really enjoyable dark adventure mystery, thrills and spills galore and a good old fashioned monster to boot. Native American folklore and spiritual mysticism were at the core of this tale. A nineteenth century gold prospector hits the jackpot and he and his mixed race companion seem made for life. In order to protect their mine they employ a native form of black magic to keep other claimants away. However, the prospector is a greedy man and murders his partner. Big mistake, as his partner is the only person alive who is able to successfully lift the curse. Spring forward to the 21st century and the old mine is to be reopened as a tourist attraction. Unfortunately, the curse is still operational and all Hell is about to break loose. An enjoyable adventure thriller and one I can highly recommend.

[Lawrence · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this one. Its not amazing but it is a good read. Fast moving. Good characters. Good storyline. Makes you want to keep reading.

[Shawn Deal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Continue to love everything about this series.

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Addictive Reading!!

John Decker is sent on another Supernatural adventure to a mine in Vegas where people have been mutilated also three mummified corpses was found in the old mineshaft, sitting as if they were waiting near treasure which would of made them wealthy beyond there dreams. So why didn't they leave or couldn't they leave they just starved. This authors writing is intriguing and you end up saying to yourself one more chapter just one more.

This book has horror and gore elements and supernatural for any horror reader loves.

As soon as I finish the book I am gutted due to I dont want the story to end leaving me thirsty and hungry for the next John Decker instalment into the unknown.

The John Decker series is addictive once you read one you'll want to devour them all.

[Michael Hunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

The latest adventure of John Decker does not disappoint. The storyline is strong and moves at a great pace keeping you engaged and wondering what comes next. Anthony M Armstrong is a master of storytelling, knowing how to use additional characters to enhance the enjoyment of reading. This book can be read as a standalone story. I highly recommend this book, a must read.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Julie Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for leaving an honest review.
Very entertaining, edge of your seat reading. A ruthless creature lives in old abandoned mine-shafts. This is probably the most graphic horror-suspense yet, within this series. As always, though, you don't have to have read the other books to make sense of this one . A brilliant tale of how both greed and meddling with supernatural forces results in death and disaster. Loved it.

[Billie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and action with wonderful world building.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.

I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.

[Emily Haynes · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Decker is sent to a ghost town near Vegas after several people are killed by a creature in a old gold mine. No fights the creature. There's a curse on this mine can he figure out how to stop it. Fast paced thriller. Keeps you wanting more.

[Zac Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Decker and Strong hit one out of the park again! In our last episode our intrepid monster hunter was at the bottom of the ocean and now he is all dried out in the desert. When a young entrepreneur begins renovation on a run down old hotel in an old west ghost town she unknowingly releases an ancient evil. A great story with interesting and well thought out characters. Strong never settles for any old monster and this story is no exception. Drawing on Native American folklore to come up with a terrifying creature from your darkest nightmares this may be Decker's scariest foe yet! Read this story and then do a google search for it. The Wendigo has nothing on this thing! We also get a peek inside "The Zoo" where the creatures caught by Decker's mysterious employers are kept, I sure hope to see more of it in the books to come! Top it all off with a crotchety old geezer and a four legged hero and well, this just isn't a book to pass up! I volunteered to review a complimentary copy of this book but I truly recommend it!

[Boomer · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took a while for the John Decker series to grow on me but I'm glad I stuck with it because I've really enjoyed the last few entries. For those new to the series the best way I can describe this is like a printed version of the X files with each book having former cop turned Monster Hunter John Decker encountering some supernatural beast that is wreaking havoc in some corner of the globe. Decker is part of a secret organization responsible for the capture and containment of these creatures and this is being expanded on more and more.

Despite each books monster being responsible for multiple fatalities this is a overall a very light hearted series. There's no profanity, sex, and not much in the way of gruesome murder details, so people looking for a explicit gory horror story will likely be disappointed. I'm OK with that - this series fits the bill nicely when I'm looking for a quick and entertaining story. I'd actually classify this series as more young adult then anything, but I still really enjoy them!

[Cattie Whaley · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Decker just keeps getting better

Another John Decker thriller by Anthony M. Strong. This time John is sent to a ghost town just outside of Las Vegas at the request of the FBI to investigate an incident in a newly reopened mine. What he runs into is the stuff of nightmares! I love that John never really has a plan as to what he's going to do to remedy the situation. He flies by the seat of his pants (like many of us do in tough situations) and it doesn't always work out just as planned. Loved the cantankerous old Uncle Carleton. What a character! Now I have to wait for his next book to come out so I think I'll check out his stand alone books. I feel like I can't go wrong reading anything by Mr. Strong! Highly recommend!

[Calvin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another boring entry

For a series that should be exciting and riveting, I'm dumbfounded by how boring it is. The creature is interesting but it takes 75% of the book before Decker tries to even fully investigate it. The dialogue is clunky and robotic. No normal person talks like this. The characters flip flop between unrealistic leaps in logic to being downright stupid and bad investigators. This entire series is the novel equivalent of a SyFy channel B movie, but even those are entertaining. These books are a bore to get through

[Mary Brannian · Rating 5 out of 5]

"To the Ojibwe people who inhabited the Great Lakes region, it was the Baykok, or Bakaak, which meant bones draped in skin. The Algonquin called it the Pakak. To the men who collected the disgraced warrior’s bones, and summoned the creature to guard their gold, it was a means to an end. But to all who encountered it, the creature was death." - Author Anthony Strong

Another nail biting grab on tight take that will give you noise bumps and leave you looking over your shoulder at every unexpected nose! Shiver worthy indeed!

[Darwin L. Andoe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great entry in a very interesting series. The author keeps the reader entertained by juggling several threads that at first might not seem related to each other. Excellent descriptions of Nevada history both past and present. A very enjoyable book. It helps if you have read the series in order, but the book can stand alone. I enjoyed the story very much. Highly recommended.

[GERALDINMILLERE · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone. The storyline had me hooked from the beginning. I could hardly put it down, the characters are engaging and well developed. The scene setting amazing. Just be warned as usual with an Anthony Strong book you won't get much sleep once you start reading it. Already waiting for next one in the series.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great thriller from Anthony Strong. In this outing, CUSP's resident monster hunter, John Decker, is out in the Nevada desert investigating some murderous happenings at an old ghost town.
The mix of adventure, horror and folklore is what makes this book (and all of Strong's John Decker thrillers) shine.

[D Thatcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do not normally search for supernatural thrillers, and I previously have not read any of Anthony's books. That will now change. I received this book as an "advance reader," and I take my advance reader status very seriously. So I jumped in. AND I COULDN'T JUMP BACK OUT! The book grabbed me, fascinated me, and turned me into a fan. Now I've got to buy all his others.

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anthony M. Strong does it again!

Wonderful book, fantastic plot, believable characters, lots of action, and a dog. What could be better? John Decker and companions up against a supernatural being from Native American mythology leads to a nail- biting adventure that I definitely recommend to readers of this genre!

[Regina Kurtz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a big fan of Anthony M. Strong’s novels, and this latest installment in the John Decker series did not disappoint. John Decker is the man to call when the police are in over their heads. If you like the rugged terrain of Nevada, a ghost town, and a paranormal being on the prowl, you will enjoy Ghost Canyon. You won’t be disappointed!

[John OBrien · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an awesome book. I could not put it down

This is an awesome book, riveting, I don’t know how Mr. strong gets better and better at is John decker series, I wish Hollywood would get his act together and make movies instead of all these reboot, fast and furious 99 come on come on make Vin Diesel John Decker.

[Terry and dog · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another awesome John Decker adventure. I loved the setting and mystery. Always love the way the characters are written and there is sure to be bad guys that you want to get what's coming to them,. The cave is a claustrophobic thing in it's own right, but it was great finding out what it is that's causing the deaths. The whole freakin John Decker series is so good. Just really enjoyable.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Best so far

I have enjoyed most of the John Decker series and Ghost Canyon is my favourite so far. The entity was scary and the setting was really creepy, just made for an all around good read. Still wondering what Shilah did that was so bad though... Wish they had given more of a back story on him, seems like a missed opportunity.

[Sabrina Bright · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good Decker adventure!

I like this series, it is fun and exciting! I really like that they bring in the past and different mythology‘s and stories into their next storyline. This one was no different! I really enjoyed the Native American aspects of this novel. This was a good book!

[Sharon Baris · Rating 5 out of 5]

More fun.

Just finished book 7 and it was as much fun as the first six. The pace is a bit slower, the ending was predictable, but still fun. I found the proofreading lacking; there are errors that appear to be a spell-check and autocorrect mixup. These were not terribly distracting, relegated to “eye-roll” status.

[Donna Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such an awesome book, I couldn’t put it down till the last page. It scared the bejeebers out of me! The John Decker Series is a series that you want to keep to read over and over! Can’t wait for the next book!!