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The Stranger
Something horrible happened eight years ago in the small coastal town of Seal Bay. Six high school girls were killed and dumped into the bay by a man named Lance Puckett. It was a crime which ripped apart a community and left emotional scars that time would never heal.
A calm morning in Seal Bay is shattered by the appearance of a stranger who bears a striking resemblance to Lance. Has he come back to dig up memories from the past, or could this man be a drifter, just passing through? This suspenseful thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat with a twist that will leave you breathless. Who is the stranger?
A calm morning in Seal Bay is shattered by the appearance of a stranger who bears a striking resemblance to Lance. Has he come back to dig up memories from the past, or could this man be a drifter, just passing through? This suspenseful thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat with a twist that will leave you breathless. Who is the stranger?
- GenresThrillerShort Stories
Audible Audio
First published August 1, 2012
50 people are currently reading
107 people want to read
About the author
Chris Martin
8 books217 followersChris Martin has been writing since high school, drawn early to stories that live just beneath the surface of ordinary life. He writes fiction that explores relationships, good and evil, and the quiet moral pressures faced by people who don't see themselves as heroes or villains—just human.
He lives in the mountains of Western North Carolina with his beautiful wife, Jennifer, their two amazing daughters, and a six-year-old pit mix named Milo. When he's not writing, Chris and Jennifer run a wedding videography business, Martin Summit Media, where they spend their days capturing real moments, real emotion, and the unscripted edges of people's lives—an influence that carries naturally into his fiction.
Chris also works full-time as a Client Onboarding Manager with Bride&Groom.video, helping wedding filmmakers build and grow their businesses.
Chris's work is grounded in realism, tension, and psychological depth. His characters are rooted in the familiar: families, marriages, memories, routines. What interests him most is what happens when those familiar structures begin to crack, when truth is buried, when systems protect the wrong people, and when doing the right thing comes at a personal cost.
Why I Write
I write because I'm fascinated by what happens beneath the surface of ordinary lives. I'm drawn to the quiet moments where relationships strain, where good intentions collide with fear, guilt, or love, and where people are forced to make choices they never imagined they'd face.
Writing is how I explore those moments. It's how I examine the way the past lingers, how stories get shaped by power and memory, and how people carry enormous weight without anyone noticing. I don't write to offer easy answers or clean resolutions. I write to sit with the uncomfortable questions, to tell stories that feel honest, human, and just unsettling enough to stay with you after the last page.
He lives in the mountains of Western North Carolina with his beautiful wife, Jennifer, their two amazing daughters, and a six-year-old pit mix named Milo. When he's not writing, Chris and Jennifer run a wedding videography business, Martin Summit Media, where they spend their days capturing real moments, real emotion, and the unscripted edges of people's lives—an influence that carries naturally into his fiction.
Chris also works full-time as a Client Onboarding Manager with Bride&Groom.video, helping wedding filmmakers build and grow their businesses.
Chris's work is grounded in realism, tension, and psychological depth. His characters are rooted in the familiar: families, marriages, memories, routines. What interests him most is what happens when those familiar structures begin to crack, when truth is buried, when systems protect the wrong people, and when doing the right thing comes at a personal cost.
Why I Write
I write because I'm fascinated by what happens beneath the surface of ordinary lives. I'm drawn to the quiet moments where relationships strain, where good intentions collide with fear, guilt, or love, and where people are forced to make choices they never imagined they'd face.
Writing is how I explore those moments. It's how I examine the way the past lingers, how stories get shaped by power and memory, and how people carry enormous weight without anyone noticing. I don't write to offer easy answers or clean resolutions. I write to sit with the uncomfortable questions, to tell stories that feel honest, human, and just unsettling enough to stay with you after the last page.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
April 18, 2016
**** 4 "Mind Games" Stars ****
" The day the stranger came into town was intriguing, to say the least."
A stranger visits your small, close knit town but this is not just any stranger. This stranger is the spitting image of man that murdered 6 young girls not so long ago. It really can't be the man that drew blood and ended lives, but how do explain that his twin sitting in the local cafe.
Dillon, living in this small cozy town his entire life, is asked to go figure this stranger out. Is it really the devil returning to wreck havoc once more?
As Dillon comes face to face with the stranger, he realizes it is in fact Lance Puckett, the man that brought darkness down on this tiny community. But how, he was on death row, waiting for the electric chair. Why has he come back to the town that he almost ruined 8 years ago?
Believe me when I say, this will NOT end how you think it will end.
Mr Martin, you got me good!! I like endings that shock me. I love being led down one path only to be pushed off the cliff at the end!!
***********************************************
This book is a short, fast paced, surprise! The cover grabbed me and the author totally twisted me into this one!!
" The day the stranger came into town was intriguing, to say the least."
A stranger visits your small, close knit town but this is not just any stranger. This stranger is the spitting image of man that murdered 6 young girls not so long ago. It really can't be the man that drew blood and ended lives, but how do explain that his twin sitting in the local cafe.
Dillon, living in this small cozy town his entire life, is asked to go figure this stranger out. Is it really the devil returning to wreck havoc once more?
As Dillon comes face to face with the stranger, he realizes it is in fact Lance Puckett, the man that brought darkness down on this tiny community. But how, he was on death row, waiting for the electric chair. Why has he come back to the town that he almost ruined 8 years ago?
Believe me when I say, this will NOT end how you think it will end.
Mr Martin, you got me good!! I like endings that shock me. I love being led down one path only to be pushed off the cliff at the end!!
***********************************************
This book is a short, fast paced, surprise! The cover grabbed me and the author totally twisted me into this one!!
August 18, 2016
This psychological thriller manages to believably pack several twists into under 100 pages. Had I not opened the book five minutes before I needed to go out to check it had downloaded properly and just read a little I would have read it in a single sitting.
Eight years ago six high-school girls were murdered in Seal Bay. A local, Lance Pluckett, was convicted of the murders and is awaiting execution. The residents have managed to put the events behind them and life seems normal again. However the arrival of a man closely resembling Pluckett reveals not everyone has come to terms with the killings. Over the course of a day Dillon Bledsoe is forced to learn that the killer is not what he seems and that more than one person may be complicit in the killings.
I found the characterisation to be very strong: I had a strong picture of the protagonist within a few paragraphs. Each of the other major characters is similarly swiftly painted.
Set in a sleepy American coastal town with a protagonist scarred by his past this story invites comparison with Stephen King; and the author's voice does bear some similarity. Martin even uses one of King's favourite techniques of having characters refer obliquely to past events to build the feeling of tension; however - unlike King - he does not alienate me by holding back revelation of those events for page after page.
The only jarring note came after a friend of the protagonist unexpectedly appeared at an obscure location just as the protagonist needed someone. Rather than let the explanation emerge naturally Martin provides a description of actions the protagonist performed during a previous scene that the reader was not allowed to notice; while inserting a detailed description at that point would have reduced tension, a hint at the actions I would have satisfied me more than the sudden revelation.
Overall I enjoyed this work. I would recommend it to fans of psychological horror and those who enjoy the works of Stephen King but feel they would be better if they got to the point in under 500 pages.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair review
Eight years ago six high-school girls were murdered in Seal Bay. A local, Lance Pluckett, was convicted of the murders and is awaiting execution. The residents have managed to put the events behind them and life seems normal again. However the arrival of a man closely resembling Pluckett reveals not everyone has come to terms with the killings. Over the course of a day Dillon Bledsoe is forced to learn that the killer is not what he seems and that more than one person may be complicit in the killings.
I found the characterisation to be very strong: I had a strong picture of the protagonist within a few paragraphs. Each of the other major characters is similarly swiftly painted.
Set in a sleepy American coastal town with a protagonist scarred by his past this story invites comparison with Stephen King; and the author's voice does bear some similarity. Martin even uses one of King's favourite techniques of having characters refer obliquely to past events to build the feeling of tension; however - unlike King - he does not alienate me by holding back revelation of those events for page after page.
The only jarring note came after a friend of the protagonist unexpectedly appeared at an obscure location just as the protagonist needed someone. Rather than let the explanation emerge naturally Martin provides a description of actions the protagonist performed during a previous scene that the reader was not allowed to notice; while inserting a detailed description at that point would have reduced tension, a hint at the actions I would have satisfied me more than the sudden revelation.
Overall I enjoyed this work. I would recommend it to fans of psychological horror and those who enjoy the works of Stephen King but feel they would be better if they got to the point in under 500 pages.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair review
October 1, 2017
For those not reading a lot of mystery or thriller type novels, the "tell" may be missed that made this short fairly obvious to this reader. Perhaps many will miss regardless of how much or little they read. I was fully engaged and gripped and then when the meeting took place in the booth - the book was laid out (not specific details mind you) with one obvious sentence that showed me the who of the "mystery." Still, the tale was good and the story will be enjoyed by many. I enjoyed it, just was able to determine too much, too soon based in that one bit.
A fellow returns to a town when it seems impossible he can be there. The tale unfolds in bits and pieces and many will hit the 85% mark and be surprised by a twist in tale. As stated earlier in review, I was not surprised due to a tell. But, overall, the story is still quite good.
Recommend author.
Christine
A fellow returns to a town when it seems impossible he can be there. The tale unfolds in bits and pieces and many will hit the 85% mark and be surprised by a twist in tale. As stated earlier in review, I was not surprised due to a tell. But, overall, the story is still quite good.
Recommend author.
Christine
December 22, 2022
4.5 stars
This novella is a total of 10 chapters and for the first 9 chapters I absolutely loved this book and was sure it was going to end up being a 5 star rating. The book tells a story of a small town in the US which is always quiet and never has any major happenings other than when a few years back 8 young girls were murdered which led to one of the towns own being given a death sentence and what happens when a number of years later someone who is the spit of him turns up in town. The story is very well written and manages to keep you guessing throughout and for the first 9 chapters I absolutely loved the book but when it came to the last chapter and the final twist I felt slightly like it was one twist too far and that it slightly detracted from the story which had grown over the previous 9 chapters. Overall an excellent piece of work and one which is well worth checking out.
This novella is a total of 10 chapters and for the first 9 chapters I absolutely loved this book and was sure it was going to end up being a 5 star rating. The book tells a story of a small town in the US which is always quiet and never has any major happenings other than when a few years back 8 young girls were murdered which led to one of the towns own being given a death sentence and what happens when a number of years later someone who is the spit of him turns up in town. The story is very well written and manages to keep you guessing throughout and for the first 9 chapters I absolutely loved the book but when it came to the last chapter and the final twist I felt slightly like it was one twist too far and that it slightly detracted from the story which had grown over the previous 9 chapters. Overall an excellent piece of work and one which is well worth checking out.
February 25, 2018
Quick Read and Packed with SUSPENSE!
What a ride this little e-book was! I happened to see it FREE and thought? Why not... Glad I did! It is well written, the characters POP, and the storyline? Well, you need to read it as I don't like to spoil a good unique psychological thriller read. A great twists and a surprise ending as well, and deserves 5-stars! And by the way? Lance is really creepy...
All the ingredients are in here to satisfy any mystery/thriller reader...
"Cat Lyon's Reading Den"
What a ride this little e-book was! I happened to see it FREE and thought? Why not... Glad I did! It is well written, the characters POP, and the storyline? Well, you need to read it as I don't like to spoil a good unique psychological thriller read. A great twists and a surprise ending as well, and deserves 5-stars! And by the way? Lance is really creepy...
All the ingredients are in here to satisfy any mystery/thriller reader...
"Cat Lyon's Reading Den"
September 1, 2017
Slow start
Comes on like a sleeper builds as it moves the story, it has several twice and turn to the features as you move along and is well worth reading. Well written has such a surprised ending really makes the story.
Comes on like a sleeper builds as it moves the story, it has several twice and turn to the features as you move along and is well worth reading. Well written has such a surprised ending really makes the story.
April 5, 2014
The Stranger is a short story about Dillon, a young man who lives in Seal Bay. The thriller, mystery storyline was quite interesting, and built quite quickly, but was marred by a few cliche descriptions right at the start.
I didn't feel anything for Dillon, I didn't feel anything for any of the characters, but that didn't mean I wasn't interested in the tale and where it was going. It reminded me a little of a few of the big blockbuster crime/thriller movies that came out in the late 1990s and early 2000s (think Along came a spider, Double Jeopardy and the like) the rather convenient twists occurring to carry the story along.
The writing was quite nice, there was some great visuals provided and generally speaking it drew me into the story. Where I feel it let me down was the ending. There were a few instances of sudden plot changers occurring with no real explanation or realistic reactions. The explanation of actions the characters took earlier in the story after the fact, was a little clunky especially because the reader had no idea what was happening, it was rather surprising and not in a good way.
The revelations at the end, well I felt they were a bit like one of those tacky epilogues that have been tacked onto the end of an otherwise good story. I didn't enjoy the ending, it was a bit too cliche and 'done before'. I'd have liked some other reasoning behind what happened.
Still, this is a quick read, decently written and interesting story. Crime/Horror/Mystery fans would enjoy this.
I didn't feel anything for Dillon, I didn't feel anything for any of the characters, but that didn't mean I wasn't interested in the tale and where it was going. It reminded me a little of a few of the big blockbuster crime/thriller movies that came out in the late 1990s and early 2000s (think Along came a spider, Double Jeopardy and the like) the rather convenient twists occurring to carry the story along.
The writing was quite nice, there was some great visuals provided and generally speaking it drew me into the story. Where I feel it let me down was the ending. There were a few instances of sudden plot changers occurring with no real explanation or realistic reactions. The explanation of actions the characters took earlier in the story after the fact, was a little clunky especially because the reader had no idea what was happening, it was rather surprising and not in a good way.
The revelations at the end, well I felt they were a bit like one of those tacky epilogues that have been tacked onto the end of an otherwise good story. I didn't enjoy the ending, it was a bit too cliche and 'done before'. I'd have liked some other reasoning behind what happened.
Still, this is a quick read, decently written and interesting story. Crime/Horror/Mystery fans would enjoy this.
December 8, 2013
I have never read a book that has kept me more mesmerized and glued to each page as this book. The author is surprisingly gifted in this genre of mystery/murder/mayhem which could be a new genre with his name on it. There are a lot of twists and shocking events in this tale and none that can be told by this reviewer for fear of giving away the ending.
If you want to be kept in suspense with each descriptive word and action then you must read this novella. It is an unforgettable and chillingly shock filled read that you will not soon forget. I look forward to reading many more Chris Martin books. Chris is a truly talented writer with a great future in the suspense genre.
If you want to be kept in suspense with each descriptive word and action then you must read this novella. It is an unforgettable and chillingly shock filled read that you will not soon forget. I look forward to reading many more Chris Martin books. Chris is a truly talented writer with a great future in the suspense genre.
June 12, 2013
This novella by Chris Martin takes the reader down what you believe to be a typical story path but just when I thought I had it all figured out the path twisted and tangled and took me by surprise.
Very pleasing to me is this whole story was told without the use of gory details and swearing. It can be done and Chris did it well.
Very pleasing to me is this whole story was told without the use of gory details and swearing. It can be done and Chris did it well.
June 14, 2014
The writing was suburb, great imagery, fresh wording, very professional. Only beef with it was the ending (hence the 4 stars). I don't prefer books where the ending almost invalidates everything you've been following and feeling throughout the book. It would have been 5 stars if the ending came without the "weird" stuff happening with the doctor in the last few pages.
February 11, 2016
I gave up by. Chapter 6!
I sincerely hope this I the author's FIRST block! Overwritten would be an understatement! This writer NEVER uses a simple, direct description of anything. I just reread his bio and See that he loves to write poetry and song lyrics!! He should stick to THAT. I do not want to sing a mystery book. HORRIBLE!
I sincerely hope this I the author's FIRST block! Overwritten would be an understatement! This writer NEVER uses a simple, direct description of anything. I just reread his bio and See that he loves to write poetry and song lyrics!! He should stick to THAT. I do not want to sing a mystery book. HORRIBLE!
April 15, 2016
Wow and Wow !!
I loved this book, I absolutely did not see this coming. You really have to stay on top of the story sometimes by re-reading to understand what's happening. I didn't see this coming, Wow , fabulous Mr Martin you have a gifted talent, keep writings. I highly recommend.
kozettekaysmith
I loved this book, I absolutely did not see this coming. You really have to stay on top of the story sometimes by re-reading to understand what's happening. I didn't see this coming, Wow , fabulous Mr Martin you have a gifted talent, keep writings. I highly recommend.
kozettekaysmith
April 21, 2016
One of the worst books I've ever read
The plot is contrived and unbelievable. The characters are one dimensional and undeveloped. Overall, unsatisfying. Don't waste time with this book.
The plot is contrived and unbelievable. The characters are one dimensional and undeveloped. Overall, unsatisfying. Don't waste time with this book.
August 20, 2016
Mediocre
I was disappointed with this book. I became impatient waiting for the main character to even look at the newcomer, and the entire book was one cliche after another. It seemed like a first book for a new writer.
I was disappointed with this book. I became impatient waiting for the main character to even look at the newcomer, and the entire book was one cliche after another. It seemed like a first book for a new writer.
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May 18, 2014boaring
January 7, 2016
Intense!
This short read was full of rollercoaster rides. What you think is not always the truth! Definitely worth reading. I was blown away by the ending.
This short read was full of rollercoaster rides. What you think is not always the truth! Definitely worth reading. I was blown away by the ending.
January 24, 2016
Lots of fear in the story. Unexpected ending. This one will hang with you for a while.
September 3, 2024
3.75 stars
March 28, 2016
Good short read s nd had me h going till the end. Like being surprised
Good short read. Had me going till the end. Liked being surprised and not h s going a clue of the end I g.
Good short read. Had me going till the end. Liked being surprised and not h s going a clue of the end I g.
December 24, 2012
Great book!!!
Read it in one sitting. The end is wonderfull. Must read.
Read it in one sitting. The end is wonderfull. Must read.
June 12, 2013
it was a very interesting read.
January 31, 2016
Entertaining short story...kept me on the edge of my seat until the end.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews