Goodbye John

by Kshitij

Livia’s world falls to pieces when her husband, John, a thriving heart surgeon, mysteriously disappears from a remote motel in Verona on the day of their wedding anniversary. A year has gone by, and it’s the same day again. A hiss in the air, a knock at the door, and a sumptuous cake inside the oven are all promises that John will be back. But what he brings along is a terrifying gift she’d rather not live with.

Goodbye John is an uncanny tale of love, deception, and revenge

65 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 2014

About the author

I love nights, rain storms, coffee, blues, winters and snow. Travelling to distant places always inspire me.

My life is a dark fantasy: I spend my nights writing, and days dreaming about writing.

My characters struggle a lot. Much more than what they really deserve! My books usually involve a supernatural/mystical angle, but that's to enrich the story and to get the best out of my characters.

I hope to write about varied topics in future- about relationships, isolation, love, depression, pain(READ AGONY) and many other facets of human life.

Reviews

[Stefany Rattles · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was surprised to find that this book is not that long. It was a pretty fast paced, short story. However, from the beginning you are engaged as Livia and John try to rekindle their love on their anniversary and that's where the story really starts.

Even though this was a short story, it was definitely a good read! I normally don't read this kind of genre but I decided to give it a try and was pleasantly surprised. This book will keep you at the edge of your seat trying to figure it out, but that's the point!

[James McCormick · Rating 5 out of 5]

With a very tightly edited and well crafted scene structure as one might find in a screenplay for example, I found Goodbye John an extremely, extremely enjoyable read and actually read this short work (thirty nine pages) in one sitting. This is a lean book and by that I mean all the ‘flab’ is cut away to reveal only the best and most gripping bits. There are no superfluous pages of nail biting, hand wringing or melodramatic internal soliloquies which writers sometimes indulge in to showcase their own literary “merit”, rather the author lets the narrative itself carry things forward. I especially liked the E1 and E2 snippets which wrap things up nicely with zero exposition. This perhaps explains why the work is so short but it also makes a very engaging read.

The premise is gripping enough with the eponymous John attempting to rekindle the spark of a fading marriage with a getaway at a hotel. Yet once there he becomes ill, rushes from the room and simply vanishes. Livia, his wife is left alone, that is until a year later when … well, you’ll have to read this for yourselves.

Five stars for this one. I look forward to more in this series. I recommended read for all horror fans.

[Susanne Leist · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book covers many topics including: love, hurt, loss, fear, revenge, and greed. These components help to explain many of the surprising actions taken by the main characters. Livia had been in love with her husband, John. After his disappearance, she was experiencing loss and hurt. At the time of their first year anniversary apart, she soon experiences fear and anger. Is it John's heart in the unknown package? Is she really smelling unusual odors in her apartment? Her husband's partner, Valentine, brings love, greed, and revenge to the mix. Is Valentine in love with Livia or with money and power?
I liked the story but I had some problems with the constant changing points of view in the same sections. At times, I wasn't sure who was speaking or thinking. Besides this and some grammar issues, the book flowed well. It reminded me a little of Edgar Allan Poes' Telltale Heart.

[Tanya Simon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found the story premise to be very exciting. It was part medical thriller and part occult horror, the combination is new and fresh. I was disappointed by the length, there was so much story and just when I was getting settled in the ride was over! Bummer!

Except for a few typos and a few awkward word combos, the story was intriguing. I look forward to future work by the author. I would love to see what he could do with a longer story format. His characters are very interesting and I felt like I was just getting to know them, when their time was done.

All and all it was a read that could have been trite and suddenly took me someplace different than where it looked to be headed. Surprises are always a wonderful thing in a horror novel!

[Pennie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to admit, I love a good creepy read - the spookier, the better and I wasn't disappointed with this one. A suspenseful horror that contains lots of elements with twists and turns galore that lead in many suspenseful directions. The story takes you onto a path of immense imagination with a well lit backdrop and strong character traits.
A couple travel to a hotel to try and give a new beginning to a seemingly unhappy marriage. John suddenly becomes sick, disappears, and Livia believes he had walked out on her... Strange happenings for his wife come into play and the nightmare begins. It keeps you engrossed from beginning to end and I really enjoyed it.

[Doseofbella · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good Bye John By: Kshitij
Pages. 63 Paranormal/Thriller Adult Content
Reviewed By: tk
Copy Courtesy of Author

My overall impression is a good story of revenge, jealousy, murder and magic. If your looking for a fast paranormal read, this is for you.

John is a heart surgeon, and his wife Livia, have been married a few years. Livia is no longer satisfied with the relationship, and feels its time for them to divorce. John on the other hand, is very much in love with his wife. He has suggested a weekend trip, for them to reconnect as a couple. It seems to be working until John steps out for a moment, and never returns.
A year has passed, and still John has not returned. Where is he? Did it has anything to do with his working partner, Valentine, at the hospital? Or John’s sister, Cella is known to be an active member of an occult, and black magic. Someone has to know something. He didn’t just disappear.

The story does need a little polish. The scenes are a bit out of sink. The characters, and the plot are believable, but some things are not. For example: A lit anniversary cake sitting on a bed. Why not a decked out dining table, or even a counter. I just don’t believe that someone would do that. Also the bloody box with the human heart. Why put the box under the couch, and the heart in a bedroom dresser drawer. I don’t think the occult and Cella are really necessary, but maybe I am mistaken. I would like to read others reviews on this story to see what they also think. Just curious.... Once the grammatical, typos, and story line adjusted I think it could be a really good short story.

[Danielle Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a creepy, atmospheric story that was quick and easy to read. Livia's husband, John, disappeared on their last anniversary, and now that it's a year later, some strange occurrences begin to happen. There is a flashback to when he first went missing, and we see how troubled their marriage was, but John was desperately trying to fix it. He was a heart surgeon who had also been busy working on an important project, and as a result, he had neglected his wife. But he did truly love her, and now she is devastated by his disappearance. Livia tries to figure out what happened to her husband and why these bizarre things are taking place.

Despite the short length, the character development was well done. I felt sorry for both John and Livia. It took John too long to realize he was losing his wife, and Livia was a lonely, sad soul. My only complaint is that there were some minor editing issues, but they didn't hinder my enjoyment of the story.

There were some strange twists and turns, which kept me hooked. I wanted to find out what happened to John! And it definitely ended with a punch as all good horror stories usually do. Overall, this was an enjoyable read with the right amount of eeriness mixed in.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was spooky from the beginning. Livia felt her marriage to John was finished. She didn't want it anymore. John loved his wife. On their anniversary, John tried to make Livia remember why they married to begin with. While at the hotel, John gets violently sick, runs out of the room. He's never seen or heard from again. One year later, creepy signs that John may be back begin. This is a horror story and has lots of mystery, so I don't want to say much about what happens... It wasn't something I was able to figure out, like I'd assumed. I was surprised at the different ways this short story could go. I really enjoyed reading this.

[Erik Kratzer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was extremely well written with vivid imagery but the part of the writing that I liked best was the clear and seamless way the interpersonal relationships were so strong. You can feel that there is a relationship there between the characters and the individual ways each perceived their end of the relationship and eventually act on them.

Kudos to the author for understanding and delivering on the need for strong character development and how they interact with each other to bring this psychological thriller home.

[Jamii · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. It was very suspenseful and creepy. The story took a few unexpected twist, which were great. My only complaint was that there were a few mistakes in the writing, either the wrong word used, or a word forgotten, nothing major though. All in all It was a really interesting and good read.

[Emma Jaye · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reminiscent of the Twilight zone of the early sixties, unfortunately it fell flat in many ways, both in the language used and execution of the story. The story wasn’t scary, or even mildly revolting, although I had to admit the way the female character didn’t wash her hands after cuddling a bloody heart was rather icky. Think of the germs.
Many of the word choices are odd, awkward and out of context, the prose is stilted, to the extent that it did not make sense in places. There are missing words, inappropriate tenses, punctuation mishaps, although actual miss-spellings are very rare. Ferreting out the story was a significant challenge, as I had to re-read many sentences to work out what the author was trying to say. I didn’t feel empathy or any particular dislike for any of the one dimensional characters.
The story revolves around a significantly shallow woman, married to a heart surgeon, who also happens to be a ground breaking pharmaceutical researcher. She’s bored, selfish and peeved at the lack of attention she’s receiving while he works on a ‘wonder drug,’ details of which consist of ‘it’s worth a fortune.’ I found myself asking why she didn’t get a job to keep herself occupied instead of hanging around just waiting for him to return.
During what I think was sex scene, but I’m not overly sure what went on apart from her ‘golden tresses disseminated on his face’ and some messy cake eating. He has a problem and ‘frenziedly runs out.’ His haunted, beating heart reappears at her door in a box a year later. I won’t give away the ‘whodunit’ for those that are interested, but I’m afraid I wasn’t.
Not for me, but try the ‘look inside’ on amazon to form your own opinion.
two stars for the effort of writing a book in a language that isn't your own.

[Fanny Savage · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings about this story. In the beginning, it had a kind of nostalgic feel, reminding me of an old Twilight Zone episode. There were moments when it even read like a classic, with great visuals conjuring black and white movies. Then, there were times it fell flat.

I really wanted to like this story, and there was great potential, but the characters where so one dimensional. I couldn't stand the female lead as she was impossible to relate to and so self-absorbed, it becomes tiresome. Delivering a story, as well as fleshed out characters with so few pages is difficult, but I feel it would have added to the story if we'd been given more information.

The overall plot was a great concept, and contained nice twists and turns, even if some were expected. The heart surgeon bit, felt forced, but maybe it was just me... The book did contain a few creepy moments, and a few gross ones as well, that ring true to classic suspense tales.

Did I love it? No. Did I hate it? No. This really fell in the middle for me.

[Matt Abraham · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this quick read for a couple of reasons. First the author does a great job with tone. The overall eeriness permeates the tale and resonates with me. It wasn’t like I was terrified to turn the page (I’m 39), but the writing definitely got my blood pumping with the tension. The second thing I liked was the story itself. Livia and John’s relationship, the strains, the emotions, and the outcomes all hit the right notes. Though sometime the dialogue gets tripped up on grammar I think the overall effect is pleasing, and believable. The last thing I’ll say, and it’s my favorite, is how this story reminds me of old Creepshow/Tales from the Crypt episodes. If you’re old enough to remember catching them on HBO then I think you’ll find the nostalgia factor in Goodbye John sky high. What I mean precisely is that the characters are three dimensional enough to be believed even though their development isn’t the point, the story is cohesive and solid enough even though it’s short, and the twist in the end is perfect.

[K. Kumar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Goodbye John is a short, absorbing story involving the mysterious disappearance of John and his wife, Livia's, attempts to come to terms with this. The two other main characters are John's sister and work partner. The story comes together nicely, and to the author's credit, he builds an intriguing world that adds to the tension and darkness of plot. While the story is not without fault, I found it to be fast paced and I felt invested in the outcome.

The only thing that was a bit distracting (as noted by other reviewers) was the writing style. The characters come off as a bit cartoonish, meaning the way they acted did not seem to make sense for educated scientists. However, this was overcome by the nature of the story, and despite this I still enjoyed the tale. The grammar was also a bit of an issue, but I could look past it.

Overall, I enjoyed Goodbye John and would recommend it to readers interested in a dark, scary story.

[Katrina Hart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Goodbye John Author KSHITIJ

I brought Goodbye John after reading 3Sisters. Goodbye John is very well written and did have my heart pounding by the end. Although this book has a lot of violence between Valentine and Livia they made for interesting and eerie characters.

The story itself was about Livia who had waited for her husband John to return after he disappeared on their anniversary. However, after she gets a gift she is convinced he is dead and she sets out to find out who murdered him. Will she find him dead? Has he been murdered or just ran away? Read this book to find out.

This is another to read over the Halloween month, as this book has enough spooky feeling to last the night away and plenty of eerie characters and a little mystery of what happened to John..

I would recommend this book to adult reader who like a bit of horror and mystery.

[Brittany Deacon · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is very rare to find a good mystery/horror book with compelling characters, but "Goodbye John," fits that bill. The first book in the Dark n Devilry series, "Goodbye John," features a collection of stories that follow the married life of John and his wife Livia. After his mysterious disappearance, Livia goes on a dangerous and sometimes scary journey to figure out John's fate.

The stories are quick and easy to read and by the time you reach the end of the book, you'll want to read the next volume in the series right away. The only flaw I found in the book was the dialogue. Though stilted at times, the book is still an enjoyable read if you are in the mood for a thrilling narrative.

A must-read.

[Rae Wheeler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Livia is married to John, a heart surgeon and researcher, who is bent on developing a sought after drug. John mysteriously vanishes during a trip designed to spark romance back into their already rocky marriage. Livia is catapulted into the throes of grief, in which she finds solace in keeping their home a shrine to John, plus a little hanky-panky on the side with John's colleague, Valentine.

Livia tries to sort out the truth of John's disappearance, while rocked by her grief and slightly fuzzy from some pharmaceuticals.

Throw in John's sister Cella, and her darker than dark side, and you have a tale of mysticism meets science. But it's also a love story.

This is a novella. It reads smooth, and the story resolves itself in the end, which i like.

[A.T. Hicks · Rating 1 out of 5]

Remember those color-by-numbers worksheets? They tell you exactly what color to use and you carefully color within the lines. It's all very neat and pretty at the end, except it lacks something vitally important to a true work of art: passion. This sums up Goodbye, John. The novel is written in a stilted, somewhat disjointed fashion that follows the rules of English, but who cares when the book is boring? The way the characters communicate is not the way people converse in real life. As I was reading, I wondered if English was the writers second language. In the end, I was unable to connect with the characters or the plot.

I always tell folk to make their own choices, but I'd definitely take this book with a huge grain of salt.

[Loren Lockner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Goodbye John depends on mood and tone rather than ‘cheap slasher’ material to set up a truly creepy story. John (a scientist) and his wife Livia struggle to put the zest back into their marriage and travel to a hotel to try and rekindle their love. John is too involved in his work to notice the loneliness his neglected wife feels. Then, something strange happens that builds the suspense! The novella travels into the minds of the characters and shows a ‘black’ underpinning to the seemingly innocent proceedings. For horror fans who like their tension dished up like Edgar Allen Poe, this is a nice offering.

[Niki Livingston · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was impressed by how engaging this story was. I was pulled in from the get go and enjoyed how quickly the story line moved along. The book was finely tuned and kept me guessing to where the story was heading. The best part was the spooky tone and the mystery behind each event that occurred.

The story began with the main character, Livia, preparing for her wedding anniversary. Her husband had disappeared on their anniversary the year before, but she always held out hope he was not dead. The story dives into her fears and mistakes and leads you down a mysterious path of unusual events, with twist and turns to keep you on your toes. I highly recommend this book.

[Stephen Arnott · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story is pretty good and told in a 'modern gothic' style that I like. However, I kept being thrown by the odd phrasing that is scattered throughout the book: 'Let's see who is foul playing you', 'It smashed against the glass and churned into pieces', 'shunning down her only hope.'

Also, much of the narrative is delivered in large chunks of exposition and long speeches that I found hard going.

Despite this, the story builds to a satisfying conclusion that any fan of Edgar Allen Poe will enjoy.

[Christopher Knox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alright so this series now has a new fan. I can't wait to read the rest of the books in this series. The suspense and the tricky turns to the story really kept me on my toes. Kinda spooky if you ask me but the way it was put together gave it a new unique kind of feel to that whole aspect. Good read.

[Sean Kavanagh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Goodbye John has an unusual mix of elements, but it hangs together well. It's both familiar, but has enough of its own character to be recommended.