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Graveyard: Classified #1
The Dark Man
Ford Atticus Ford, former host of the hit ghost-hunting reality show Graveyard: Classified, has more than a few regrets—especially after young Chelsea Hopper was attacked by a demon.
Assisting police departments by conducting paranormal investigations and uncovering buried clues now provides Ford with an ounce of redemption, but it will never be enough.
What occurred on that long-ago Halloween night was unforgivable, and Ford, chasing ratings and stardom, let it happen. With Graveyard cancelled and his reputation destroyed, Ford sets out to avenge little Chelsea, and to save his own soul—if he can.
264 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 7, 2015
801 people are currently reading
1562 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 192 reviews
September 7, 2017
The Dark Man (The Graveyard #1) by Desmond Doane is a good scary story that had me hooked right away. I read this book and started in with book two. This book is about a guy that had a paranormal show on TV until he let a five year old be in a show and she got hurt. The show was cancelled. The demon that hurt the girl two years ago is back and now is contacting him through other means, creepy means...through a demon in a house that he is helping a detective with. He calls his friend, who hasn't spoke to him since that day he let the little girl get hurt, to help him with the demon. Together, they plan to get the demon out of the house. That was the plan. It is so scary and creepy and full of twists. It was so good, I finished it and had to get book two!
February 27, 2018
Not too long ago I was approved for two books by Kobo Writing Life publishers, whoever they are, on Netgalley. Just thought to try out some new genre authors. The first of these was a lackluster AI story made practically unreadable by the horrid formatting. Needless to say that didn’t go a long way in convincing to try the other book, in fact it was an almost pass. This longwinded introduction is to say how glad I am, against initial misgivings, to have given this book a go. Because it was tons of fun. No idea who Ernie Lindsey is, the man behind the much fancier superhero alliterative Desmond Doane moniker, but he can write. This was a pro job through and through, none of that amateur crap these random genre series sometimes (quite often) turn out to be. I’m not even that into paranormal reality all that much, might have seen a few movies, heard of tv shows, but never felt any desire to watch them…and yet reading about one was kinda awesome. Ford Atticus Ford, the improbably named protagonist, is a disgraced man. Once a star of Graveyard Classified, 10 years long high rated show with all the accompanying fame and fortune, he’s now a man adrift. Having pushed too far on live television, causing a tragedy, annihilating his career and great many years of friendship with his ghost hunting partner in crime, now 2 years, many lawsuits and one divorce later, Ford is on a personal redemption mission helping out the police around the country with unsolved and/or complicate cases. Relatively easy going life, until, of course he comes across a game changer of a case, one that might require revisiting some old connections. Anyway, that’s the basic premise, supernatural spookiness with a built in murder mystery to boot. Very nicely done. Just a fun story with an enjoyable humorous narrative, some genuine eerie atmospheric thrills and even an ending twist. Normally I’m not the one for series, but I wouldn’t be averse to checking out more of the Ford and Mike’s adventures. Maybe they’ll magically appear on Netgalley one day. These guys aren’t just ghostbusting, they are demonhunting, serious business. And crazy entertaining too. Thanks Netgalley.
November 1, 2015
Ernie Lindsey, writing here under the pseudonym of Desmond Doane, takes his first steps into the horror genre with The Dark Man, and it's, mostly, pretty darn effective.
The premise revolves around a disgraced reality show ghost-hunter, Ford Atticus Ford, working to atone for his past sins. Two years ago, during a live Halloween special, Ford put the life of a five year old in incredible danger, squaring off against a supernatural threat in the Most Haunted House in America. His career was quickly canned and he's now a bit of a wandering ghost-hunter, attempting to track down the demon that changed his life forever while doing police consultancy on the side.
Ford himself is a dynamic character and Lindsey gives him a solid bit of development and personality. Ford is, in short, kind of an a-hole. While he carries around a solid dose of guilt over endangering the life of a child, he also pines to resurrect his TV career and rebound bigger and better than before. His personal life is in shambles, as his friends and crewmates from the cancelled Graveyard: Classified want nothing to do with him, and his ex-wife isn't too thrilled with him either.
Lindsey's foray into the paranormal brings with it a certain measure of authenticity, and I can't help but wonder just how many episodes of certain SyFy and Travel Channel reality TV shows he's consumed to help give Graveyard: Classified the sort-of 'behind the scenes' vibe. Regardless, it's an aspect of the story that works quite well.
More importantly, he nails the creep-factor nicely and had me completely sold on the book's premise and invested in the outcome. There's a scene early on when Ford is investigating a haunted house and Lindsey gives readers their first taste of the otherworldly that raised the hair on the back of my neck and got me grinning.
For much of its length, The Dark Man rockets along with the rapid-fire pace of an action story with splashes of humor, evoking shades of television's Supernatural. However, my main complaint is that the story fizzles out toward the end and lacks sufficient resolution. While the central murder mystery gets wrapped up, the overarching paranormal story is shelved for exploration in future installments. There's a strange shifting of gears in the novel's final chapters, with so much build-up leading toward the finish line and then...nothing. It's a rather anti-climactic finish to an otherwise well-told ghost story.
That issue aside, I'm certainly game to see what comes of Ford Atticus Ford and his ghost-hunting partners in future installments, and am game for book two whenever it releases. See you on the other side!
The premise revolves around a disgraced reality show ghost-hunter, Ford Atticus Ford, working to atone for his past sins. Two years ago, during a live Halloween special, Ford put the life of a five year old in incredible danger, squaring off against a supernatural threat in the Most Haunted House in America. His career was quickly canned and he's now a bit of a wandering ghost-hunter, attempting to track down the demon that changed his life forever while doing police consultancy on the side.
Ford himself is a dynamic character and Lindsey gives him a solid bit of development and personality. Ford is, in short, kind of an a-hole. While he carries around a solid dose of guilt over endangering the life of a child, he also pines to resurrect his TV career and rebound bigger and better than before. His personal life is in shambles, as his friends and crewmates from the cancelled Graveyard: Classified want nothing to do with him, and his ex-wife isn't too thrilled with him either.
Lindsey's foray into the paranormal brings with it a certain measure of authenticity, and I can't help but wonder just how many episodes of certain SyFy and Travel Channel reality TV shows he's consumed to help give Graveyard: Classified the sort-of 'behind the scenes' vibe. Regardless, it's an aspect of the story that works quite well.
More importantly, he nails the creep-factor nicely and had me completely sold on the book's premise and invested in the outcome. There's a scene early on when Ford is investigating a haunted house and Lindsey gives readers their first taste of the otherworldly that raised the hair on the back of my neck and got me grinning.
For much of its length, The Dark Man rockets along with the rapid-fire pace of an action story with splashes of humor, evoking shades of television's Supernatural. However, my main complaint is that the story fizzles out toward the end and lacks sufficient resolution. While the central murder mystery gets wrapped up, the overarching paranormal story is shelved for exploration in future installments. There's a strange shifting of gears in the novel's final chapters, with so much build-up leading toward the finish line and then...nothing. It's a rather anti-climactic finish to an otherwise well-told ghost story.
That issue aside, I'm certainly game to see what comes of Ford Atticus Ford and his ghost-hunting partners in future installments, and am game for book two whenever it releases. See you on the other side!
January 27, 2025
Always up for a paranormal book. Wish there was a bit more action but I’m sure it’s spread out throughout the series. Definitely agree with the ‘invisible universe juice’ theory.
December 29, 2017
It’s always a good thing when I grab a free book and wind up really enjoying it. This is one of those books.
I like a good ghost haunt. Or in this case, a demon one. Ford Atticus Ford did one thing. One very big thing. Live. On television. And it ruined him. The famous paranormal investigation show was cancelled. His marriage fell apart. And his best friend will never forgive him.
Now, Ford does private investigations. Working with police departments to delve into cases and maybe find those answers they can’t get in conventional ways. When he comes across a particularly dangerous haunting, he begs his best friend, Mike Long, to help him just this one time. But getting rid of a top tier demon is no mean feat and if they aren’t careful, they could become possessed or the demon could latch on to them, bringing danger home to their loved ones. That’s if they don’t die trying to send it back to Hell.
The story starts out with the event that destroyed Ford. Then moves forward to his present situation. I was a fly on the wall, wishing I could yell at Ford, “Don’t do it!” Yet, he risked a little girls life and sanity, and he was lucky she wasn’t killed. I felt outrage and disgust for his actions, understood it when many, along with his best friend, shunned him. But I also came to know Ford, and he won me over. I ended up hoping he’d find his way back to favor.
I particularly enjoyed it when Ford’s friend, Mike, grudgingly agrees to help him. He has a very interesting way of accepting, much to Ford’s discomfort and pain. Yet, Ford takes it in stride. As they work the case, despite their best efforts, they quickly fall back into old routines, and find themselves enjoying it. Desmond did such a great job of making his character’s genuine and often laughable.
And the author has a talent for writing scenes that chill you, fill you with foreboding, and down right scare you. He gives a satisfying ending to this case while adding curiosity about the next one, plus leaves you wondering when Atticus will finally face his demon.
Feel like going ghost hunting? I recommend you give this a go. And the other two books in the series are already released, so no waiting when you finish this one.
I like a good ghost haunt. Or in this case, a demon one. Ford Atticus Ford did one thing. One very big thing. Live. On television. And it ruined him. The famous paranormal investigation show was cancelled. His marriage fell apart. And his best friend will never forgive him.
Now, Ford does private investigations. Working with police departments to delve into cases and maybe find those answers they can’t get in conventional ways. When he comes across a particularly dangerous haunting, he begs his best friend, Mike Long, to help him just this one time. But getting rid of a top tier demon is no mean feat and if they aren’t careful, they could become possessed or the demon could latch on to them, bringing danger home to their loved ones. That’s if they don’t die trying to send it back to Hell.
The story starts out with the event that destroyed Ford. Then moves forward to his present situation. I was a fly on the wall, wishing I could yell at Ford, “Don’t do it!” Yet, he risked a little girls life and sanity, and he was lucky she wasn’t killed. I felt outrage and disgust for his actions, understood it when many, along with his best friend, shunned him. But I also came to know Ford, and he won me over. I ended up hoping he’d find his way back to favor.
I particularly enjoyed it when Ford’s friend, Mike, grudgingly agrees to help him. He has a very interesting way of accepting, much to Ford’s discomfort and pain. Yet, Ford takes it in stride. As they work the case, despite their best efforts, they quickly fall back into old routines, and find themselves enjoying it. Desmond did such a great job of making his character’s genuine and often laughable.
And the author has a talent for writing scenes that chill you, fill you with foreboding, and down right scare you. He gives a satisfying ending to this case while adding curiosity about the next one, plus leaves you wondering when Atticus will finally face his demon.
Feel like going ghost hunting? I recommend you give this a go. And the other two books in the series are already released, so no waiting when you finish this one.
February 29, 2016
This is a cliche piece of trash that I'm forcing myself to finish because I don't like walking away from a book, just in case it has at least one redeeming quality ... I'll keep looking but my hopes aren't high, especially when he's got gems like, 'I'm a poet and I know it' floating around the pages. Yikes! Also, this is a perfect example of work that tells instead of shows. Also, we have an adult protagonist trying to be 'cool' by being immature which I'm afraid might be the normal state of the author. Then I get the distinct impression that since the author has no clue how to make this story interesting or longer than the publishers description of the book, he chooses to take a mental dump, unleashing everything he has learned in life in general and ghost chasing in particular (from watching reruns of Ghost Hunters or Ghost Adventures and he repeats himself, of course) so that he could fill in where a story is lacking ... as in, everywhere. This is awful! I find myself frequently wondering why I buy into Amazon Kindle Unlimited monthly just to get new selections and series of untested authors/stories ... not seeing the value anymore ...
April 24, 2021
The Graveyard Series
#1 The Dark Man
Rating : 4.3 ✨
The Dark Man a horror thriller / paranormal investigation novel from the graveyard series written by Desmond Doane, is all about paranormal investigations of Ford , a former lead Ghost hunter, on the top paranormal reality show Graveyard: Classified. His one big mistake, that changed his life. "Young Chelsea Hopper's" case still makes him regret, that one small decision, it was a big one!! And it haunts him even after years.with Graveyard cancelled and his reputation destroyed, Ford chooses a different path for the time being until he is ready for his big come back.
👉The style of writing and flow of story is impressive.
👉The horror elements were apt situation wise.
👉The book ended with a curiosity, which indicated that there will be scope for a new paranormal investigation soon.
👉The plot was good even though paranormal investigation
was an already explored topic.
👉The ending could have been much better.
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#thedarkman #thegraveyardclassified #book1 #ghoststory #horror #supernatural #fiction #horrorfiction #occult #paranormal #paranormalinvestingation #show #redemption #demons #reader #reviewer #readerssnapshot #darkman #darkfiction #fantasy #supernaturalfantasy #desmonddoane #thriller #thrillerseries #readingcommunity
#1 The Dark Man
Rating : 4.3 ✨
The Dark Man a horror thriller / paranormal investigation novel from the graveyard series written by Desmond Doane, is all about paranormal investigations of Ford , a former lead Ghost hunter, on the top paranormal reality show Graveyard: Classified. His one big mistake, that changed his life. "Young Chelsea Hopper's" case still makes him regret, that one small decision, it was a big one!! And it haunts him even after years.with Graveyard cancelled and his reputation destroyed, Ford chooses a different path for the time being until he is ready for his big come back.
👉The style of writing and flow of story is impressive.
👉The horror elements were apt situation wise.
👉The book ended with a curiosity, which indicated that there will be scope for a new paranormal investigation soon.
👉The plot was good even though paranormal investigation
was an already explored topic.
👉The ending could have been much better.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#thedarkman #thegraveyardclassified #book1 #ghoststory #horror #supernatural #fiction #horrorfiction #occult #paranormal #paranormalinvestingation #show #redemption #demons #reader #reviewer #readerssnapshot #darkman #darkfiction #fantasy #supernaturalfantasy #desmonddoane #thriller #thrillerseries #readingcommunity
December 31, 2018
What a great way to end the year! This book checked all my boxes.
Great plot
Non-perfect, engaging characters
Perfect amount of description
Realistic dialogue
If you want a gripping story about a ghost hunter that has a few surprises along the way, this is for you. Although there were a few tropes, they were done in a realistic way and enforced the idea that demons do exist and act in particular ways, rather than make it tedious. I'll leave you with a few of my favorite quotes from the book.
{His} grandmother might have been as scary as a spare bedroom in hell.
The voice is coated in thousands of years of soot and has been charred by the fires of hell.
Great plot
Non-perfect, engaging characters
Perfect amount of description
Realistic dialogue
If you want a gripping story about a ghost hunter that has a few surprises along the way, this is for you. Although there were a few tropes, they were done in a realistic way and enforced the idea that demons do exist and act in particular ways, rather than make it tedious. I'll leave you with a few of my favorite quotes from the book.
{His} grandmother might have been as scary as a spare bedroom in hell.
The voice is coated in thousands of years of soot and has been charred by the fires of hell.
June 17, 2020
A fun read. Enough creepiness to be good horror with a main character who has a lot of personality. Looking forward to reading #2.
May 15, 2016
The Dark Man is an interesting take on the paranormal genre, following the charismatic Ford Atticus Ford, former reality TV rockstar who had his own ghostbusters-type series going. The backstories of Ford and ex-partner Mike, as well as the reason their series was cancelled (with the missteps of their handling 5-yr old Chelsea's case) are what really kept this going for me. Doane (or Ernie Lindsey) certainly has a talent for creating drama through the present colliding with the past. I did feel the handling of the paranormal aspects of the novel (exorcisms, etc) felt a little one-dimensional. Characters that are clearly flawed and "unworthy" battling demons thru typical Christian tropes just didn't ring as true as I would have liked, considering the originality of the story. Excluding that, however, this was a fun and quick read. Not so much horror but popcorn paranormal.
July 1, 2015
Review: THE DARK MAN by Desmond Doane
[THE GRAVEYARD: CLASSIFIED PARANORMAL SERIES BOOK 1]
Is it astonishing to call a paranormal novel both scary and heartwarming? Both in-your-face horrifying and also touching? That's my view of THE DARK MAN. I lapped up the horror (top-grade demons, oh my!) and simultaneously enjoyed the fully-fleshed characters, the insights into their lives and integrity, their reasons and rationales, their fears and wishes. Thankfully this will be an ongoing series. After all, there's numerous hauntings to investigate, and plenty of demon posterior to kick.
18+ for language and occasional graphic violence
[THE GRAVEYARD: CLASSIFIED PARANORMAL SERIES BOOK 1]
Is it astonishing to call a paranormal novel both scary and heartwarming? Both in-your-face horrifying and also touching? That's my view of THE DARK MAN. I lapped up the horror (top-grade demons, oh my!) and simultaneously enjoyed the fully-fleshed characters, the insights into their lives and integrity, their reasons and rationales, their fears and wishes. Thankfully this will be an ongoing series. After all, there's numerous hauntings to investigate, and plenty of demon posterior to kick.
18+ for language and occasional graphic violence
July 12, 2015
I voted for Dark Man on Kindle Scout and was excited when the book was completed. Doane did not disappoint me. I am not a fan of TV "ghost hunting" programs and I liked this book for all the reasons I don't like the TV shows. So many vectors, good vs evil, man vs himself... I felt like I was there with them, listening, peering into corners, wanting to run but sticking it out. I felt the evil. Great job Ernie (I mean Desmond).
It sounds cliche, but I am really anxiously waiting for the next book in the series.
It sounds cliche, but I am really anxiously waiting for the next book in the series.
June 13, 2016
This was a decent ghost hunting/paranormal mystery. I enjoyed the characters and the plot flowed fast. I was a bit disappointed upon closure. There seemed to be a lot left unresolved. I doubt I will personally continue this series. I am glad it was offered as a kindleunlimited.
July 4, 2015
Wow. Let me just say I love paranormal and supernatural in general. I don't get creeped out much but the author had me literally on the edge of my seat with this novel. Amazing.
to-read-own
February 19, 20162/19/16 $2.00 for Kindle.
November 27, 2016
I loved everything about this book. The spooky part, the not-so-perfect but very likeable characters, the friendship between Ford and Mike. I will definitely read the next book in the series. =)
March 21, 2018
**FTC DISCLAIMER: I RECEIVED AN E-ARC FROM NETGALLEY IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW. RECEIPT OF THIS BOOK IN THIS MANNER DOES NOT AFFECT MY OPINION OF THE BOOK OR THE CONTENT OF MY REVIEW.**
Ford Atticus Ford, the former host of the hit ghost hunting show Graveyard: Classified, has more than a few regrets, many of which center around five year old Chelsea Hopper being attacked by a demon on live television. But, it’s never enough. What occurred when Ford chose chasing ratings and stardom cloud his judgement on that fateful Halloween night was unforgivable, and a child paid the price. Graveyard was canceled, his relationship with his cohost and best friend was destroyed, and his reputation and personal life were decimated. Ford now seeks a bit of redemption, and perhaps a measure of self forgiveness and peace, by conducting paranormal investigations to uncover buried clues to assist police departments. Ford accepts an invitation to assist an investigation in the hopes of uncovering the identity of the person who murdered Dave Craghorn’s wife and finds himself up against an incredibly strong demon, one rivaling the one that attacked Chelsea. Recognizing that he can’t do this alone, he calls in reinforcements, his former cohost and best friend, Mike Long, and they set out to avenge Chelsea, and hopefully emerge victorious, this time.
This was the first book that I’ve read by this author and it definitely won’t be the last. In fact, I’m already needing to read the next book in the series. The story grabbed my attention and refused to let go and I really didn’t want to put it down. But the imagery was so vivid, that I found myself having to read something else before bed so I’d be able to even fall asleep. I found myself genuinely creeped out in a few places. Really, the entire book played out in my mind like a movie and it takes a talented author to manage that. I really thought the characters were well written. They were vibrant and conflicted and just damaged. You can see how guilty Ford truly feels for not listening to Mike and his own conscience about what happened to Chelsea. You can almost feel how hard he’s trying to make up for it. And, with Mike, you can sense his guilt for not being able to stop Ford and his anger at both himself and Ford. The friendship/partnership between them was just so well written. I can’t wait to read more, especially since it looks like book 2 goes into more detail about the Chelsea incident.
Ford Atticus Ford, the former host of the hit ghost hunting show Graveyard: Classified, has more than a few regrets, many of which center around five year old Chelsea Hopper being attacked by a demon on live television. But, it’s never enough. What occurred when Ford chose chasing ratings and stardom cloud his judgement on that fateful Halloween night was unforgivable, and a child paid the price. Graveyard was canceled, his relationship with his cohost and best friend was destroyed, and his reputation and personal life were decimated. Ford now seeks a bit of redemption, and perhaps a measure of self forgiveness and peace, by conducting paranormal investigations to uncover buried clues to assist police departments. Ford accepts an invitation to assist an investigation in the hopes of uncovering the identity of the person who murdered Dave Craghorn’s wife and finds himself up against an incredibly strong demon, one rivaling the one that attacked Chelsea. Recognizing that he can’t do this alone, he calls in reinforcements, his former cohost and best friend, Mike Long, and they set out to avenge Chelsea, and hopefully emerge victorious, this time.
This was the first book that I’ve read by this author and it definitely won’t be the last. In fact, I’m already needing to read the next book in the series. The story grabbed my attention and refused to let go and I really didn’t want to put it down. But the imagery was so vivid, that I found myself having to read something else before bed so I’d be able to even fall asleep. I found myself genuinely creeped out in a few places. Really, the entire book played out in my mind like a movie and it takes a talented author to manage that. I really thought the characters were well written. They were vibrant and conflicted and just damaged. You can see how guilty Ford truly feels for not listening to Mike and his own conscience about what happened to Chelsea. You can almost feel how hard he’s trying to make up for it. And, with Mike, you can sense his guilt for not being able to stop Ford and his anger at both himself and Ford. The friendship/partnership between them was just so well written. I can’t wait to read more, especially since it looks like book 2 goes into more detail about the Chelsea incident.
January 14, 2020
Once, Ford Atticus Ford was the star of a famous TV show named 'Graveyard Classified' where he and his partner Mike investigated paranormal activities live on camera. But after one show gone horribly wrong, leaving a little girl named Chelsea mutilated, the show was cancelled. Now, Ford sometimes takes on a job as paranormal investigator for the police, when they can't resolve a case. Only this time, he seems to be in over his head with a very powerful demo-, and thus calls for help from Mike, who still holds a grudge against him for putting Chelsea in danger. However, working on this case reanimates their old friendship, and together they make a stand against the evil force possessing a house, which is connected to the murder of a woman. But soon Ford realizes that the demon who hurt Chelsea might have just come back for a visit...and now it's after him!
While the plot was entertaining enough, Ford's extensive narrations - the story is told from his POV - about the good old times of 'Graveyard, Classified', his regrets about the unfortunate last show and Chelsea's mutilation, his friendship with Mike and his former wife started getting on my nerves. More than once I wanted to shout 'just shut up and get on with the case' and I found my mind wandering off. While I had my problems with Ford's aka the author's extensive narrative style, which IMHO added some unnecessary weight to the story, I still enjoyed the idea behind this promising pilot for a new paranormal series.
(Thanks to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for a copy of the book, all opinions are my own)
While the plot was entertaining enough, Ford's extensive narrations - the story is told from his POV - about the good old times of 'Graveyard, Classified', his regrets about the unfortunate last show and Chelsea's mutilation, his friendship with Mike and his former wife started getting on my nerves. More than once I wanted to shout 'just shut up and get on with the case' and I found my mind wandering off. While I had my problems with Ford's aka the author's extensive narrative style, which IMHO added some unnecessary weight to the story, I still enjoyed the idea behind this promising pilot for a new paranormal series.
(Thanks to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for a copy of the book, all opinions are my own)
March 16, 2024
Rating - 2.5 Stars!
Though it started well, the ending left me quite disappointed. I really enjoyed the first half of the story but Ford's attitude while amusing at first got very irritating for me after awhile. The dialogues were very cheesy and too many metaphors were used which are funny no doubt but for a horror book it ruined my mood and kept the truly scary scenes from feeling actually scary. For me the whole part involving the investigation of the haunted house read more like a parody of a true haunted house tale because of the excessive use of inappropriate jokes, humorous metaphors and especially Ford's immature inner monologue. Though the characters kept saying that they're terrified all the time but their childish and joking behavior shows that nothing life threatening is going on which for me ruins a horror book. I love humor in my stories but not in horror because it ruins the scare factor for me.
Though it started well, the ending left me quite disappointed. I really enjoyed the first half of the story but Ford's attitude while amusing at first got very irritating for me after awhile. The dialogues were very cheesy and too many metaphors were used which are funny no doubt but for a horror book it ruined my mood and kept the truly scary scenes from feeling actually scary. For me the whole part involving the investigation of the haunted house read more like a parody of a true haunted house tale because of the excessive use of inappropriate jokes, humorous metaphors and especially Ford's immature inner monologue. Though the characters kept saying that they're terrified all the time but their childish and joking behavior shows that nothing life threatening is going on which for me ruins a horror book. I love humor in my stories but not in horror because it ruins the scare factor for me.
July 16, 2025
this hooked me right in
August 22, 2021
3.5/5; a fun, quick read
December 28, 2020
Two years ago, Ford Atticus Ford lost everything over a terrible decision to allow a five-year-old girl to be put in danger on his hit television show, Graveyard Classified. He literally encouraged her to confront a demon by herself on live television and she was clawed bloody by the monster. His misjudgment (and doesn’t that seem like a very understated way to describe what he did) destroyed his life, but he has slowly put it back together by seeking redemption through doing low profile, mostly pro bono, work for police departments across the country who have run into dead ends and need a miracle to advance their investigations. Part of the genius of this story is that Ford is a very sympathetic character and Doane makes him that way by making Ford very honest with himself—even when he doesn’t fully understand why he made the choices he did that led to the little girl being injured.
The novel revolves around Ford’s latest bit of police work, but it never strays far from the event that wrecked his life. A woman either committed suicide or was murdered years earlier and her diary has surfaced heating up a cold case. The problem—the investigating detective has a terrifying supernatural encounter in the woman’s house and calls Ford for help. That investigation is creepy and fascinating and we get to see how Ford took his fascination with the supernatural and made a television show out of it. We also realize very quickly that ghosts, demons, etc. are very real.
When the supernatural threat proves to be much more serious than Ford at first suspected, he reaches out to his former best friend, Mike, who won’t speak to him because of what happened to the little girl. Again, Doane shows his strength as an author. Mike had been the voice of reason and caution who didn’t do everything he could have to stop the danger to little Chelsea, but certainly looked to be the one with the stronger moral compass. Except—now that he’s broke as a result of some bad investments and his marriage has collapsed, Mike wants Ford to do a follow up Graveyard Classified movie to finish the investigation that broke the show. He wants to take advantage of Chelsea again, as do the girl’s parents, because their princely court-awarded damages have run out. It’s all utterly fascinating. The man the world vilifies for his callousness is the only one actually worried about the little girl.
Despite their badly damaged friendship, Ford and Mike have to figure out how to pull it all together if they are to defeat the new demon and save it’s intended victim. This would have been a great story in and of itself, but be warned, Doane has larger plans for Ford and Mike. There problems don’t end with this book.
If you liked this review, you can find more at www.gilbertstack.com/reviews.
The novel revolves around Ford’s latest bit of police work, but it never strays far from the event that wrecked his life. A woman either committed suicide or was murdered years earlier and her diary has surfaced heating up a cold case. The problem—the investigating detective has a terrifying supernatural encounter in the woman’s house and calls Ford for help. That investigation is creepy and fascinating and we get to see how Ford took his fascination with the supernatural and made a television show out of it. We also realize very quickly that ghosts, demons, etc. are very real.
When the supernatural threat proves to be much more serious than Ford at first suspected, he reaches out to his former best friend, Mike, who won’t speak to him because of what happened to the little girl. Again, Doane shows his strength as an author. Mike had been the voice of reason and caution who didn’t do everything he could have to stop the danger to little Chelsea, but certainly looked to be the one with the stronger moral compass. Except—now that he’s broke as a result of some bad investments and his marriage has collapsed, Mike wants Ford to do a follow up Graveyard Classified movie to finish the investigation that broke the show. He wants to take advantage of Chelsea again, as do the girl’s parents, because their princely court-awarded damages have run out. It’s all utterly fascinating. The man the world vilifies for his callousness is the only one actually worried about the little girl.
Despite their badly damaged friendship, Ford and Mike have to figure out how to pull it all together if they are to defeat the new demon and save it’s intended victim. This would have been a great story in and of itself, but be warned, Doane has larger plans for Ford and Mike. There problems don’t end with this book.
If you liked this review, you can find more at www.gilbertstack.com/reviews.
August 28, 2015
3.5 stars.
Color me impressed. I've been bingeing on horror lately and have been disappointed with the offerings I've found, but The Dark Man by Desmond Doane is actually modern horror done quite well, with a few caveats.
First, the good things. Very compelling story. It's capitalizing off of a "Ghost Hunters" trend going on in other forms of horror media right now, most notably movies that end up on my Netflix stream ("Grave Encounters," among others, have done the same). Much of what Doane writes about is unique, or at least spun uniquely enough to make it seem so. While I wasn't terrified, I was definitely creeped out, especially reading this book after midnight and in the dark (on my Kindle, of course).
That being said, Doane does tend to overwrite a little and beats us over the head with things empathetic readers will completely understand. Ford feels bad about what happened two years ago. We get that. It doesn't need to be brought up every other paragraph. Also, Ford is an asshole, which is fine, but driving home that point a little too much makes him borderline unrelateable. Mike is a fair character, someone I'm interested in seeing more of, and the mystery, while unresolved, is an interesting one.
Now I'm going to pick on Doane a little because after all this good stuff, he falls into a trap that the horror genre seems to have become re-obsessed with, as of late:
Women are almost entirely absent in his novels.
Or, more to the point: when they aren't, they fall into one of three categories.
1. Sex object/love interest/motivation for the male characters.
2. Victim/cannon fodder/motivation for the male characters.
3. Evil/motivation for the male characters.
Which is frustrating to read, and a little boring. Representation matters. And it's predictable to find this in horror now, where the female characters don't matter except in relation to the males, who are the ones we're rooting for while the women are pieces of the puzzle, the prizes to be won, the bodies stuck in the fridge.
Unfortunately, this aspect gets no better in the second book, White Night. But Doane does improve in other areas, which I'll get to in that review.
Long story short: I enjoyed this book, and the next in the series, but it's still falling a little short of what I'd hoped for.
Color me impressed. I've been bingeing on horror lately and have been disappointed with the offerings I've found, but The Dark Man by Desmond Doane is actually modern horror done quite well, with a few caveats.
First, the good things. Very compelling story. It's capitalizing off of a "Ghost Hunters" trend going on in other forms of horror media right now, most notably movies that end up on my Netflix stream ("Grave Encounters," among others, have done the same). Much of what Doane writes about is unique, or at least spun uniquely enough to make it seem so. While I wasn't terrified, I was definitely creeped out, especially reading this book after midnight and in the dark (on my Kindle, of course).
That being said, Doane does tend to overwrite a little and beats us over the head with things empathetic readers will completely understand. Ford feels bad about what happened two years ago. We get that. It doesn't need to be brought up every other paragraph. Also, Ford is an asshole, which is fine, but driving home that point a little too much makes him borderline unrelateable. Mike is a fair character, someone I'm interested in seeing more of, and the mystery, while unresolved, is an interesting one.
Now I'm going to pick on Doane a little because after all this good stuff, he falls into a trap that the horror genre seems to have become re-obsessed with, as of late:
Women are almost entirely absent in his novels.
Or, more to the point: when they aren't, they fall into one of three categories.
1. Sex object/love interest/motivation for the male characters.
2. Victim/cannon fodder/motivation for the male characters.
3. Evil/motivation for the male characters.
Which is frustrating to read, and a little boring. Representation matters. And it's predictable to find this in horror now, where the female characters don't matter except in relation to the males, who are the ones we're rooting for while the women are pieces of the puzzle, the prizes to be won, the bodies stuck in the fridge.
Unfortunately, this aspect gets no better in the second book, White Night. But Doane does improve in other areas, which I'll get to in that review.
Long story short: I enjoyed this book, and the next in the series, but it's still falling a little short of what I'd hoped for.
February 3, 2017
I'm a sucker for a paranormal/supernatural story that makes me question every creak of my floorboards, and this book delivers on that level of edginess. We venture into the world of spirits and demons, cross over into demonic possession, and open doors to all sorts of hidden possibilities. The author handles these aspects well, making it all feel believable.
The pacing is steady and kept me engaged throughout. Ford is the only developed character, but it works out fine because the book is written in first person. We experience things as he sees them, and we get to know other characters from his perspective.
The major flaw, for me, is the way the ending fizzles out and almost everything is left hanging for the next book. Much of this story revolves around a past incident with Chelsea Hopper. We spend a lot of time with Ford dwelling on her and the demon that attacked her, to the point where the present timeline often feels overshadowed. We have a lot of buildup as things intertwine, and then... the book ends. Nothing is resolved. I felt cheated, having spent all this time invested in a story with no closure. A dangling thread to pull for the next book would have been fine, but here the book ends right when events approach the height of tension. To fully enjoy this book, you'll have to read the next (and maybe beyond). While I love the concept for this series, I prefer each book in any series to be self-contained and enjoyable on its own.
The pacing is steady and kept me engaged throughout. Ford is the only developed character, but it works out fine because the book is written in first person. We experience things as he sees them, and we get to know other characters from his perspective.
The major flaw, for me, is the way the ending fizzles out and almost everything is left hanging for the next book. Much of this story revolves around a past incident with Chelsea Hopper. We spend a lot of time with Ford dwelling on her and the demon that attacked her, to the point where the present timeline often feels overshadowed. We have a lot of buildup as things intertwine, and then... the book ends. Nothing is resolved. I felt cheated, having spent all this time invested in a story with no closure. A dangling thread to pull for the next book would have been fine, but here the book ends right when events approach the height of tension. To fully enjoy this book, you'll have to read the next (and maybe beyond). While I love the concept for this series, I prefer each book in any series to be self-contained and enjoyable on its own.
June 28, 2015
New Beginnings
Ford attitude Ford and Mike Long once had a ghost-hunting reality show on cable TV. An incident recounted in alternating chapters early in the book tells how it all went wrong and caused innumerable lawsuits.
Actually, it was mostly Ford and an ego that drove him, a fact that he regrets two years later. He gets his chance and his friend Mike back in this opening chapter of a new series.
Very promising beginning.
Highly recommended.
Ford attitude Ford and Mike Long once had a ghost-hunting reality show on cable TV. An incident recounted in alternating chapters early in the book tells how it all went wrong and caused innumerable lawsuits.
Actually, it was mostly Ford and an ego that drove him, a fact that he regrets two years later. He gets his chance and his friend Mike back in this opening chapter of a new series.
Very promising beginning.
Highly recommended.
June 2, 2016
Cool take on the paranormal "normal" story
I enjoyed this book immensely!! Like the premise of being a former reality TV star trying to make up for past wrongs and finds out he has a follower that isn't a fan that he would appreciate. Won't spoil for those who haven't read it. So glad there's another book in the series (maybe more, haven't researched it yet) because I blew through this in a few hours & don't want it to end so soon.
I enjoyed this book immensely!! Like the premise of being a former reality TV star trying to make up for past wrongs and finds out he has a follower that isn't a fan that he would appreciate. Won't spoil for those who haven't read it. So glad there's another book in the series (maybe more, haven't researched it yet) because I blew through this in a few hours & don't want it to end so soon.
September 6, 2015
A FANTASTIC BOOK TO START A G R E A T SERIES. ! ! !
OK I'm on board..great reading..The Dark Man is a great read, keep turning the pages, meet the main
Scary thing..it will get your attention..
Already have book two...LOVE this new series..KEEP the books coming.
OK I'm on board..great reading..The Dark Man is a great read, keep turning the pages, meet the main
Scary thing..it will get your attention..
Already have book two...LOVE this new series..KEEP the books coming.
November 18, 2015
Not bad, not great. Probably deserves more like 2.5 stars.
It ends up leaving you hanging a bit more than it should, and the genuinely creepy parts have been seen a hundred times before.
It ends up leaving you hanging a bit more than it should, and the genuinely creepy parts have been seen a hundred times before.
August 7, 2017
Ever watched one of those ghost-hunter reality shows? You know the ones; where creeped-out participants scare themselves delirious in confined and draughty corners? Startled senseless by every creak and nudge?
Bulging eyes magnified under night vision cameras … you know the set-up.
If so, then you’ll recognise the premise of Desmond Doane’s The Dark Man, in which the preposterously named Ford Atticus Ford, ghost-hunter extraordinaire, battles demons, both inner and outer.
We find the former TV host of Graveyard: Classified atoning for a collapse in judgement that killed his career and left a 5-year-old girl scarred by a demon. It was a ratings thing – prime time TV no less. Only, the quest for ratings sometimes leads to that deep, festering hole filled with slippery scrapings of moral decline, egotistical grunge and utterly public damnation. Cast from our screens as surely as Satan from heaven in Paradise Lost – and probably a whole lot sooner – Ford finds some redemption through behind-the-scenes workings in paranormal investigation, without the cameras rolling.
Enter Detective Thomas, who seeks Ford’s help with an unsolved murder.
Now you may, as I did, suspect a number of clichés at work by this point and, indeed, you wouldn’t be far wrong. The Dark Man is riddled with them. Infested almost. From stereotypical characterisation through to the occasional exchange of corny dialogue, there are more well-worn threads here than in a big box of smelly old sweaters. However – and it’s a BIG however – the reading was just so much FUN! I couldn’t stop. The words glued to my eyeballs. No way could I put it down.
And in many ways – at the risk of sounding as though I’m making excuses for Doane here – the clichéd style really works in encapsulating Ford’s ‘media personality’ status. It’s all ego and self-pity most of the time, but likeable nonetheless. Truly, I was gripped. That’s because we see the other characters and paranormal events entirely through the filter of ol’ Ford’s eyes, bringing us much closer to the action. And if some of those perceptions are somewhat one-sided? Well, that’s the way Ford sees them. Cue a number of shocking revelations along the way.
There are enough gripping twists and turns to keep you reading right up to the end, but don’t expect everything resolved in one hit. Wracked with guilt over young Chelsea Hopper’s diabolical encounter – and the part he himself played in it – Ford reproaches himself continuously, replaying the terrible events of Halloween night, 2012, over and over again. True, those events form the central motivation for much of everything else that follows, but I tend to agree with a number of other reviewers of this book that perhaps it’s just a little too often. It starts to grind, you know, all that self-deprecation, especially when tinged with Ford’s hopes of resurrecting a lost career. Fortunately, this is somewhat balanced by the character of Mike Long, Ford’s former co-presenter, technical guy and moral compass on Graveyard: Classified. Together, they’re a formidable ghostbusting team, even if Mike is going to take some convincing.
It’s pulp, but addictive pulp that you’re probably going to want more of. Thankfully, Mr Doane (or should I say, Ernie Lindsey) currently has a further two books in this series, The White Night and The Belly of the Beast. Personally, I can’t wait to indulge in what has now become my most pressing guilty secret.
Hang on, Ford! I’m coming …….!
Will appeal to: fans of tongue-in-cheek paranormal horror.
Bulging eyes magnified under night vision cameras … you know the set-up.
If so, then you’ll recognise the premise of Desmond Doane’s The Dark Man, in which the preposterously named Ford Atticus Ford, ghost-hunter extraordinaire, battles demons, both inner and outer.
We find the former TV host of Graveyard: Classified atoning for a collapse in judgement that killed his career and left a 5-year-old girl scarred by a demon. It was a ratings thing – prime time TV no less. Only, the quest for ratings sometimes leads to that deep, festering hole filled with slippery scrapings of moral decline, egotistical grunge and utterly public damnation. Cast from our screens as surely as Satan from heaven in Paradise Lost – and probably a whole lot sooner – Ford finds some redemption through behind-the-scenes workings in paranormal investigation, without the cameras rolling.
Enter Detective Thomas, who seeks Ford’s help with an unsolved murder.
Now you may, as I did, suspect a number of clichés at work by this point and, indeed, you wouldn’t be far wrong. The Dark Man is riddled with them. Infested almost. From stereotypical characterisation through to the occasional exchange of corny dialogue, there are more well-worn threads here than in a big box of smelly old sweaters. However – and it’s a BIG however – the reading was just so much FUN! I couldn’t stop. The words glued to my eyeballs. No way could I put it down.
And in many ways – at the risk of sounding as though I’m making excuses for Doane here – the clichéd style really works in encapsulating Ford’s ‘media personality’ status. It’s all ego and self-pity most of the time, but likeable nonetheless. Truly, I was gripped. That’s because we see the other characters and paranormal events entirely through the filter of ol’ Ford’s eyes, bringing us much closer to the action. And if some of those perceptions are somewhat one-sided? Well, that’s the way Ford sees them. Cue a number of shocking revelations along the way.
There are enough gripping twists and turns to keep you reading right up to the end, but don’t expect everything resolved in one hit. Wracked with guilt over young Chelsea Hopper’s diabolical encounter – and the part he himself played in it – Ford reproaches himself continuously, replaying the terrible events of Halloween night, 2012, over and over again. True, those events form the central motivation for much of everything else that follows, but I tend to agree with a number of other reviewers of this book that perhaps it’s just a little too often. It starts to grind, you know, all that self-deprecation, especially when tinged with Ford’s hopes of resurrecting a lost career. Fortunately, this is somewhat balanced by the character of Mike Long, Ford’s former co-presenter, technical guy and moral compass on Graveyard: Classified. Together, they’re a formidable ghostbusting team, even if Mike is going to take some convincing.
It’s pulp, but addictive pulp that you’re probably going to want more of. Thankfully, Mr Doane (or should I say, Ernie Lindsey) currently has a further two books in this series, The White Night and The Belly of the Beast. Personally, I can’t wait to indulge in what has now become my most pressing guilty secret.
Hang on, Ford! I’m coming …….!
Will appeal to: fans of tongue-in-cheek paranormal horror.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 192 reviews