What do you think?
Rate this book
Win a free kindle copy of this book!
0 days and 08:26:35
100 copies available
U.S. only
Sentry
Win a free kindle copy of this book!
0 days and 08:26:35
100 copies available
U.S. only
From the writer and director of the hit horror film Countdown comes a chilling debut novel.
While packing up their late father’s home, estranged brothers John and George Lawson unearth John’s childhood comic series SENTRY—a hero he invented as a boy to battle the ghosts only he could see. And at the center of the yellowed pages lurks the Blue Boy, a terrifying, monstrous figure who once terrified John from the darkness beyond his closet door.
As the weathered comics claw open a past full of monsters, long-buried secrets pour out, forcing the brothers to confront the trauma that shattered their family and unravel a deadly mystery thirty years in the making—one where the Blue Boy holds the terrifying truth.
Set against the haunting backdrop of a small New England town, SENTRY is a gripping supernatural thriller that explores the devastating strain mental health can place on a family, and the power of empathy, understanding, and forgiveness to heal even the deepest wounds. At its heart, it’s a story about how family is always there for you, even when you can’t see it.
Perfect for fans of emotional ghost stories, psychological suspense, and literary horror, SENTRY will linger with you long after the final page.
While packing up their late father’s home, estranged brothers John and George Lawson unearth John’s childhood comic series SENTRY—a hero he invented as a boy to battle the ghosts only he could see. And at the center of the yellowed pages lurks the Blue Boy, a terrifying, monstrous figure who once terrified John from the darkness beyond his closet door.
As the weathered comics claw open a past full of monsters, long-buried secrets pour out, forcing the brothers to confront the trauma that shattered their family and unravel a deadly mystery thirty years in the making—one where the Blue Boy holds the terrifying truth.
Set against the haunting backdrop of a small New England town, SENTRY is a gripping supernatural thriller that explores the devastating strain mental health can place on a family, and the power of empathy, understanding, and forgiveness to heal even the deepest wounds. At its heart, it’s a story about how family is always there for you, even when you can’t see it.
Perfect for fans of emotional ghost stories, psychological suspense, and literary horror, SENTRY will linger with you long after the final page.
- GenresHorror
238 pages, Paperback
Published July 26, 2026
About the author
Justin Dec
1 book12 followersDec is a writer and director known for bold, high-concept genre work with a sharp commercial edge. He made his feature debut with Countdown, a Blumhouse-style horror film based on his own short film. Produced for just $6 million, the film grossed over $60 million worldwide and became a breakout hit for STX Films—establishing Justin as a rising voice in modern horror.
Following the success of Countdown, Dec was tapped by Sam Raimi to write and direct an episode of 50 States of Fright. He's currently attached to direct the feature Looking-Glass House, produced by James Swarbrick (The Babadook, Relic, Run Rabbit Run), and is in development on a new original horror film with producer Andrea Bucko (Longlegs, Dead Man's Wire). He’s also writing Countdown 2.0 for STX Films and has just released his debut novel, Sentry.
Dec first broke out with a string of viral, award-winning shorts that lit up festivals worldwide. His accolades include Best Director at the New York Television Festival and honors from the American Advertising Federation and WorldFest Houston. He has been featured in top genre and pop culture outlets like Collider, Fangoria, and Daily Dead, with coverage praising his sharp instincts and fresh voice in horror. He aims to tell stories where ordinary people collide with the extraordinary.
Following the success of Countdown, Dec was tapped by Sam Raimi to write and direct an episode of 50 States of Fright. He's currently attached to direct the feature Looking-Glass House, produced by James Swarbrick (The Babadook, Relic, Run Rabbit Run), and is in development on a new original horror film with producer Andrea Bucko (Longlegs, Dead Man's Wire). He’s also writing Countdown 2.0 for STX Films and has just released his debut novel, Sentry.
Dec first broke out with a string of viral, award-winning shorts that lit up festivals worldwide. His accolades include Best Director at the New York Television Festival and honors from the American Advertising Federation and WorldFest Houston. He has been featured in top genre and pop culture outlets like Collider, Fangoria, and Daily Dead, with coverage praising his sharp instincts and fresh voice in horror. He aims to tell stories where ordinary people collide with the extraordinary.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
September 15, 2026
𝐒𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐲 by Justin Dec is yet another reminder of why I love horror so damn much. Horror isn’t one-dimensional, it’s not just about the scares or the blood. It’s about the stories behind the scares, the characters carrying their own pain, and the emotions that stay long after the frightening moments are over.
𝐒𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐲 is definitely one of those books. I simply could not put it down, despite already having three other current reads. No offense to the other books, but my mind kept wandering back to 𝐒𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐲 and my desperate need to uncover the truth behind John’s troubling past.
And then there’s the blue boy… and the others. I’m keeping this part hush-hush for future readers because you’re just going to have to read the book to find out about them! But yeah, that unsettling little presence added an entirely different layer of creepiness to the story. There’s something about the way appears and creeps and scares the crap out of John that made every scene involving him feel increasingly disturbing. I’m still thinking about him, tbh.
I’m also one of those people who is super empathetic to other people’s emotions. When an animal dies, I cry. When a person in a movie cries, I cry. When something amazing happens to a character in a book, I tear up. That’s just the type of person I am. So, naturally, 𝘑𝘰𝘩𝘯 𝘢𝘣𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦 𝘮𝘦.
John, as a character, is so incredibly broken. Seeing both his childhood self and his present self made my heart ache for him. My heart broke for everything he went through as a child, but also for what he’s going through in the present. His grief, his pain, his trauma, it all felt so heavy, and I found myself feeling every bit of it right alongside him.
This book has everything: grief, sadness, dread, horror, and enough emotional turmoil to make you feel every fucking emotion imaginable. Justin Dec completely pulled me in, and by the time I finished, I felt like this book had put me through an entire emotional workout.
Sometimes you just know a book is going to stick with you, and 𝐒𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐲 is definitely one of those books.
(𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙨𝙤 𝙢𝙪𝙘𝙝, 𝙅𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙣, 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙡𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙙𝙚𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡! 𝙃𝙤𝙡𝙮 𝙢𝙤𝙡𝙮, 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙖𝙗𝙨𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙮 𝙖𝙢𝙖𝙯𝙞𝙣𝙜!)
𝐒𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐲 is definitely one of those books. I simply could not put it down, despite already having three other current reads. No offense to the other books, but my mind kept wandering back to 𝐒𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐲 and my desperate need to uncover the truth behind John’s troubling past.
And then there’s the blue boy… and the others. I’m keeping this part hush-hush for future readers because you’re just going to have to read the book to find out about them! But yeah, that unsettling little presence added an entirely different layer of creepiness to the story. There’s something about the way appears and creeps and scares the crap out of John that made every scene involving him feel increasingly disturbing. I’m still thinking about him, tbh.
I’m also one of those people who is super empathetic to other people’s emotions. When an animal dies, I cry. When a person in a movie cries, I cry. When something amazing happens to a character in a book, I tear up. That’s just the type of person I am. So, naturally, 𝘑𝘰𝘩𝘯 𝘢𝘣𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦 𝘮𝘦.
John, as a character, is so incredibly broken. Seeing both his childhood self and his present self made my heart ache for him. My heart broke for everything he went through as a child, but also for what he’s going through in the present. His grief, his pain, his trauma, it all felt so heavy, and I found myself feeling every bit of it right alongside him.
This book has everything: grief, sadness, dread, horror, and enough emotional turmoil to make you feel every fucking emotion imaginable. Justin Dec completely pulled me in, and by the time I finished, I felt like this book had put me through an entire emotional workout.
Sometimes you just know a book is going to stick with you, and 𝐒𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐲 is definitely one of those books.
(𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙨𝙤 𝙢𝙪𝙘𝙝, 𝙅𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙣, 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙡𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙙𝙚𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡! 𝙃𝙤𝙡𝙮 𝙢𝙤𝙡𝙮, 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙖𝙗𝙨𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙮 𝙖𝙢𝙖𝙯𝙞𝙣𝙜!)
August 17, 2026
Some monsters live in the darkness. Others live inside the memories we spend our lives trying to forget.
This is the kind of book that quietly gets under your skin and then refuses to let go!
Justin Dec does an incredible job blurring the line between supernatural horror and psychological suspense, constantly making you question what is real, what is remembered, and what may be something far more sinister.
The mystery surrounding the Blue Boy kept me turning the pages, but it was the emotional story underneath that truly stayed with me.
SENTRY is a story about family, pain, mental health, and the devastating consequences of not understanding what someone else is going through. Yet beneath all that darkness is something unexpectedly beautiful: empathy, forgiveness, and the possibility of healing.
SENTRY is a chilling and emotionally powerful read that will make you question the things we see, the things we remember, and the people we think we understand.
Some stories scare you while you're reading them.
This is one that follows you after you've finished.
This is the kind of book that quietly gets under your skin and then refuses to let go!
Justin Dec does an incredible job blurring the line between supernatural horror and psychological suspense, constantly making you question what is real, what is remembered, and what may be something far more sinister.
The mystery surrounding the Blue Boy kept me turning the pages, but it was the emotional story underneath that truly stayed with me.
SENTRY is a story about family, pain, mental health, and the devastating consequences of not understanding what someone else is going through. Yet beneath all that darkness is something unexpectedly beautiful: empathy, forgiveness, and the possibility of healing.
SENTRY is a chilling and emotionally powerful read that will make you question the things we see, the things we remember, and the people we think we understand.
Some stories scare you while you're reading them.
This is one that follows you after you've finished.
September 25, 2026
I went into Sentry expecting horror, and I think that expectation is actually what made me struggle with this book in the beginning.
The storyline was interesting and the pacing kept things moving, but I kept waiting for the suspense and tension to build. Even with the supernatural elements, I never really found this book scary or unsettling. Because of that, there were times when I could easily put it down and didn't have that urgency to immediately pick it back up.
Where this book REALLY worked for me was John.
His character was incredibly well written. From very early on, you understand how isolated and misunderstood he feels, and the book does such a good job of putting you inside that loneliness. I felt terrible for him throughout almost the entire story. The more I learned about him, the less I cared about whether the book was going to scare me and the more invested I became in understanding what was actually happening to him.
I also really liked how the supernatural elements tied into John's story. What initially looks like one thing slowly starts to take on a completely different meaning as more of his past is uncovered. There were details from earlier in the book that I didn't think much of at the time that made so much more sense later. I love when a story makes you look back and realize the clues were there—you just didn't understand what you were looking at yet.
The emotional side of the story ended up being much stronger than the horror for me. It explores what years of being misunderstood can do to the way someone sees themselves, their memories, and even the people who loved them. That ended up being far more compelling to me than the supernatural mystery itself.
My biggest criticism, aside from wanting more tension, is one specific choice involving pit bulls. I'll keep this completely spoiler-free, but as a pit bull owner, it really bothered me to see a breed that already carries such a strong stereotype around aggression specifically used in that context. The circumstances surrounding the dogs could contribute to dangerous behavior in any breed, but some readers may simply walk away associating “pit bull” with “aggressive” all over again. That stereotype is already hard enough to fight, and the breed choice really didn't sit right with me. That was ultimately what kept this from being a 5-star read for me.
So while Sentry wasn't the horror experience I expected, the story itself ended up being much more layered and emotional than I anticipated. I wanted more suspense, but John's character, the way his past was slowly recontextualized, and the way everything eventually came together made this a very strong read for me.
The storyline was interesting and the pacing kept things moving, but I kept waiting for the suspense and tension to build. Even with the supernatural elements, I never really found this book scary or unsettling. Because of that, there were times when I could easily put it down and didn't have that urgency to immediately pick it back up.
Where this book REALLY worked for me was John.
His character was incredibly well written. From very early on, you understand how isolated and misunderstood he feels, and the book does such a good job of putting you inside that loneliness. I felt terrible for him throughout almost the entire story. The more I learned about him, the less I cared about whether the book was going to scare me and the more invested I became in understanding what was actually happening to him.
I also really liked how the supernatural elements tied into John's story. What initially looks like one thing slowly starts to take on a completely different meaning as more of his past is uncovered. There were details from earlier in the book that I didn't think much of at the time that made so much more sense later. I love when a story makes you look back and realize the clues were there—you just didn't understand what you were looking at yet.
The emotional side of the story ended up being much stronger than the horror for me. It explores what years of being misunderstood can do to the way someone sees themselves, their memories, and even the people who loved them. That ended up being far more compelling to me than the supernatural mystery itself.
My biggest criticism, aside from wanting more tension, is one specific choice involving pit bulls. I'll keep this completely spoiler-free, but as a pit bull owner, it really bothered me to see a breed that already carries such a strong stereotype around aggression specifically used in that context. The circumstances surrounding the dogs could contribute to dangerous behavior in any breed, but some readers may simply walk away associating “pit bull” with “aggressive” all over again. That stereotype is already hard enough to fight, and the breed choice really didn't sit right with me. That was ultimately what kept this from being a 5-star read for me.
So while Sentry wasn't the horror experience I expected, the story itself ended up being much more layered and emotional than I anticipated. I wanted more suspense, but John's character, the way his past was slowly recontextualized, and the way everything eventually came together made this a very strong read for me.
August 26, 2026
I like when a horror book can freak me out and pull on the heartstrings at the same time. The kind of book where the scary parts are scary but the narrative is about much more than just the terror. This book balances those things perfectly.
John and George are brothers, five years apart in age, when tragedy struck their family. The death of their mother devastated them and their father. John was ten at the time, George was fifteen, but the sibling rivalry was apparent and began deteriorating after their mother passed. A trip to the local aquarium one day provided even more trauma for both. John wound up with a busted skull and the hospital.
That's when John started seeing monsters. The tall man, the milkman, and especially something he called the blue boy. Very real to him while everyone else thought it was in his mind. When he left, he never looked back. Now, twenty years later, the death of his father brings the two brothers together after two decades of no contact. And things are going to take several horrifying turns as these monsters of John ramp up tormenting him while George thinks he just needs to take his meds.
One big question which lingers in the book is whether these monsters are real or the result of John's head trauma from years ago. The reader is left wondering, swaying both ways throughout. Eventually, the truth will come out but not before secrets, forgotten memories, and displaced events come to light. While cleaning out their old home, John comes upon a comic book series he drew when he was young. A series called Sentry. The monsters from his real life are in these comic books and may provide some answers. Or maybe only more nightmares.
The monsters in here are the stuff of bad dreams, each one terrifying to think about. It gives the story an atmospheric dread because they come out of nowhere in John's waking life. The arc of these two brothers is done with a deft touch. Strained and awkward at first, the author resolves certain issues little by little until we can see the love they have for one another later.
Between the past and the present, answers will come to light and they could be much more horrific than we first imagined. There's a twist at the end which is shocking and absolutely memorable. I highly recommend it.
John and George are brothers, five years apart in age, when tragedy struck their family. The death of their mother devastated them and their father. John was ten at the time, George was fifteen, but the sibling rivalry was apparent and began deteriorating after their mother passed. A trip to the local aquarium one day provided even more trauma for both. John wound up with a busted skull and the hospital.
That's when John started seeing monsters. The tall man, the milkman, and especially something he called the blue boy. Very real to him while everyone else thought it was in his mind. When he left, he never looked back. Now, twenty years later, the death of his father brings the two brothers together after two decades of no contact. And things are going to take several horrifying turns as these monsters of John ramp up tormenting him while George thinks he just needs to take his meds.
One big question which lingers in the book is whether these monsters are real or the result of John's head trauma from years ago. The reader is left wondering, swaying both ways throughout. Eventually, the truth will come out but not before secrets, forgotten memories, and displaced events come to light. While cleaning out their old home, John comes upon a comic book series he drew when he was young. A series called Sentry. The monsters from his real life are in these comic books and may provide some answers. Or maybe only more nightmares.
The monsters in here are the stuff of bad dreams, each one terrifying to think about. It gives the story an atmospheric dread because they come out of nowhere in John's waking life. The arc of these two brothers is done with a deft touch. Strained and awkward at first, the author resolves certain issues little by little until we can see the love they have for one another later.
Between the past and the present, answers will come to light and they could be much more horrific than we first imagined. There's a twist at the end which is shocking and absolutely memorable. I highly recommend it.
August 26, 2026
What struck me most is that this isn't simply a supernatural thriller about two brothers confronting something from their childhood. It uses the language of horror to explore something much more personal: what happens when a family spends years misunderstanding the pain one of its members is experiencing.
The discovery of John's childhood comic series immediately creates that bridge between past and present. The fact that SENTRY was created as a way for John to confront ghosts only he could see makes the old comics far more than a plot device. They become evidence of a childhood that his family never fully understood.
The Blue Boy is an especially effective element of the premise. A terrifying figure lurking beyond a child's closet door is instantly recognizable as a childhood fear, but the author has given that fear a deeper purpose by connecting it to the family's buried history.
That creates two mysteries operating at the same time. Readers want to understand what the Blue Boy actually is, but they also want to understand what happened to John, George, and their family thirty years earlier. That combination gives the story emotional stakes that extend beyond simply surviving a supernatural threat.
I was also impressed by the decision to bring the brothers together while they are packing up their late father's home. It naturally forces the characters into a physical space filled with memories, unresolved relationships, and artifacts from their past. The childhood comics then become the mechanism that begins reopening everything they thought they had left behind.
The small New England setting strengthens that atmosphere as well. It gives the story the familiar texture of a classic ghost story while leaving room for the psychological dimension to remain at the center.
SENTRY isn't just a horror novel. It's a novel about the secrets that shatter families and the courage it takes to confront them. It's about how the past never really stays buried and how the truth, no matter how painful, is the only thing that can set us free.
5 stars.
The discovery of John's childhood comic series immediately creates that bridge between past and present. The fact that SENTRY was created as a way for John to confront ghosts only he could see makes the old comics far more than a plot device. They become evidence of a childhood that his family never fully understood.
The Blue Boy is an especially effective element of the premise. A terrifying figure lurking beyond a child's closet door is instantly recognizable as a childhood fear, but the author has given that fear a deeper purpose by connecting it to the family's buried history.
That creates two mysteries operating at the same time. Readers want to understand what the Blue Boy actually is, but they also want to understand what happened to John, George, and their family thirty years earlier. That combination gives the story emotional stakes that extend beyond simply surviving a supernatural threat.
I was also impressed by the decision to bring the brothers together while they are packing up their late father's home. It naturally forces the characters into a physical space filled with memories, unresolved relationships, and artifacts from their past. The childhood comics then become the mechanism that begins reopening everything they thought they had left behind.
The small New England setting strengthens that atmosphere as well. It gives the story the familiar texture of a classic ghost story while leaving room for the psychological dimension to remain at the center.
SENTRY isn't just a horror novel. It's a novel about the secrets that shatter families and the courage it takes to confront them. It's about how the past never really stays buried and how the truth, no matter how painful, is the only thing that can set us free.
5 stars.
October 17, 2026
I read slowly and closely, and Sentry gave me plenty to hold on to.
Two estranged brothers, John and George, return to their late father’s house and find a comic book John drew as a boy, starring a hero he invented to fight the monsters only he could see. It’s a wonderful device. The comic is a way into the past, and a record of how a frightened child tried to make the unbearable manageable.
What impressed me most is how the book handles uncertainty. It never lets you settle on whether the monsters are real or a product of what John went through as a child, and it keeps you swaying between the two right up until the truth arrives. I kept changing my mind, and I loved that. When the answer comes, it is more unsettling than either explanation I had been leaning toward.
The heart of the book, though, is the brothers. They have been rivals since childhood, they lost their mother young, and they have spent years drifting apart. George urging John to take his medication makes him both an obstacle and a lifeline, and that tension felt real to me. Dec lets the relationship thaw slowly, so when the love between them finally surfaces, it feels earned rather than tidy. Behind the horror is an honest look at how grief and mental health strain a family, and how empathy and forgiveness can start to repair it.
It’s a chilling debut with a New England setting that suits it, and the scares serve the story instead of replacing it.
Two estranged brothers, John and George, return to their late father’s house and find a comic book John drew as a boy, starring a hero he invented to fight the monsters only he could see. It’s a wonderful device. The comic is a way into the past, and a record of how a frightened child tried to make the unbearable manageable.
What impressed me most is how the book handles uncertainty. It never lets you settle on whether the monsters are real or a product of what John went through as a child, and it keeps you swaying between the two right up until the truth arrives. I kept changing my mind, and I loved that. When the answer comes, it is more unsettling than either explanation I had been leaning toward.
The heart of the book, though, is the brothers. They have been rivals since childhood, they lost their mother young, and they have spent years drifting apart. George urging John to take his medication makes him both an obstacle and a lifeline, and that tension felt real to me. Dec lets the relationship thaw slowly, so when the love between them finally surfaces, it feels earned rather than tidy. Behind the horror is an honest look at how grief and mental health strain a family, and how empathy and forgiveness can start to repair it.
It’s a chilling debut with a New England setting that suits it, and the scares serve the story instead of replacing it.
August 26, 2026
I haven’t been able to shake this story since finishing it. That rare horror novel that perfectly balances scares, creeping dread, and heart-breaking emotions.
Terrifying one moment. Emotionally devastating the next. Justin Dec creates a lived-in world that would be just as engrossing even if there wasn’t a supernatural element. But fortunately for us, the supernatural is handled with just as much care and detail. Nightmare fuel images creep and haunt our main character. They lingered in my mind long after putting the book down.
Serious issues like mental health and family trauma are wrapped in an entertaining ride that keeps your heart racing while you remain emotional invested. Dec knows when to slow things down, when to let moments breathe, and when to HIT THE GAS. What a thrill to feel like you’re in such good hands.
This will scratch an itch for lovers of New England ghost stories with an emphasis on real relationships. Its power lies in the hauntings we experience every day. In the terror that hides in plain site. Just below the surface in our quiet towns. Can’t wait to read again. And can’t wait to see what he writes next.
Terrifying one moment. Emotionally devastating the next. Justin Dec creates a lived-in world that would be just as engrossing even if there wasn’t a supernatural element. But fortunately for us, the supernatural is handled with just as much care and detail. Nightmare fuel images creep and haunt our main character. They lingered in my mind long after putting the book down.
Serious issues like mental health and family trauma are wrapped in an entertaining ride that keeps your heart racing while you remain emotional invested. Dec knows when to slow things down, when to let moments breathe, and when to HIT THE GAS. What a thrill to feel like you’re in such good hands.
This will scratch an itch for lovers of New England ghost stories with an emphasis on real relationships. Its power lies in the hauntings we experience every day. In the terror that hides in plain site. Just below the surface in our quiet towns. Can’t wait to read again. And can’t wait to see what he writes next.
August 26, 2026
A book that reads like a script for a hit movie but lives in your head like a dream- and that will haunt you like a nightmare.
Justin Dec’s taut tale of estranged brothers forced to reunite to fight the very real demons of their youth resonated more resoundingly with me than I could have ever expected. And I think that’s because of its author’s ability to keep the proceedings grounded in honest family dynamics even- as “Sentry” piles on the fantastical elements and surges inexorably toward a terrifying otherworldly climax.
This book was the surprise literary find of the summer for me- a haunting new breed of New England gothic that seems destined for the screen, but demands to be savored on the page.
Justin Dec’s taut tale of estranged brothers forced to reunite to fight the very real demons of their youth resonated more resoundingly with me than I could have ever expected. And I think that’s because of its author’s ability to keep the proceedings grounded in honest family dynamics even- as “Sentry” piles on the fantastical elements and surges inexorably toward a terrifying otherworldly climax.
This book was the surprise literary find of the summer for me- a haunting new breed of New England gothic that seems destined for the screen, but demands to be savored on the page.
October 28, 2026
Sentry is a medium paced book that'll have you nauseous with all the twist and turns
With sentry it was an interesting concept, it left me feeling like I was right about one thing only to be completely disproven! I wish we had more of a reason as to why George was the way he was and more about what their mom saw, however the plot was good just a little too much twist and turns for me
I found the story to be a little slow at times and I got confused between characters as they didn't really have much depth in my opinion
Overall if you want a decently chill read that you could read in a sitting I'd recommend to give this a go!
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ½
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
With sentry it was an interesting concept, it left me feeling like I was right about one thing only to be completely disproven! I wish we had more of a reason as to why George was the way he was and more about what their mom saw, however the plot was good just a little too much twist and turns for me
I found the story to be a little slow at times and I got confused between characters as they didn't really have much depth in my opinion
Overall if you want a decently chill read that you could read in a sitting I'd recommend to give this a go!
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ½
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
October 13, 2026
Summary: Following the death of their father, brothers John and George come together after 20 years to clear out their old home. John is haunted by the past, the blue boy who would terrify him in his closet. As the brothers clear the home, they can't hide from the secrets of the past, and that an even bigger one might be uncovered in the future.
Review: This is the perfect book for spooky season! Such a creepy, tense atmosphere, with secrets and ghosts. I loved finding out what happened in the past, and where the blue boy came from. This is a must read for horror/spooky fans!
Review: This is the perfect book for spooky season! Such a creepy, tense atmosphere, with secrets and ghosts. I loved finding out what happened in the past, and where the blue boy came from. This is a must read for horror/spooky fans!
September 15, 2026
This was the perfect book to get me into the mood for the upcoming spooky season. At certain points it was able to get under my skin—in a good way—it was creepy at times, but also had a good balance of supernatural, familial grief and mental health. Overall a great read. I did receive this book as an ARC but I am leaving this review willingly and happily.
August 26, 2026
Dark, deeply human, and terrifyingly immersive, Sentry is the kind of novel that reminds us the scariest places aren’t haunted houses, but the shadowy corners of forgotten memories. Dec’s debut novel is both thrilling and visual, the perfect page turner for a rainy day.
October 15, 2026
Such an emotional haunting book. Great read!!!
September 5, 2026
My full review can be found here: https://rottenreads.blog/sentry/
Read
August 13, 20263.5 stars. This book was like The Sixth Sense, with a touch of Hidden Pictures, and a dash of The Haunting of Hill House. Short and easy to read.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews