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She #1
She
She Watches Always.
Small river towns have always had urban legends and teenage boys who love their sister. Even every city has these. But this legend is different, and Michael is unique.
Michael’s only a typical teenager in this small rivertown. Along with his three friends, he grows up and survives school; he laughs at jokes and gets to know the town around him. But everything changes one night when his sister is taken. Everything is different for him and his friends, as their friendly town begins to feel and look more sinister.
With the help of a detective, they uncover secrets and plots that point towards the only hope for saving his sister.
Together, they will search to the ends of the earth, when in reality the answer is close nearby. In their hometown.
Together, they will face the enemy that threatens their town, their lives, and the future of everyone they love. It is the adversary with many faces and none; the foe that cannot be killed and was never born.
They go together.
She waits alone.
Small river towns have always had urban legends and teenage boys who love their sister. Even every city has these. But this legend is different, and Michael is unique.
Michael’s only a typical teenager in this small rivertown. Along with his three friends, he grows up and survives school; he laughs at jokes and gets to know the town around him. But everything changes one night when his sister is taken. Everything is different for him and his friends, as their friendly town begins to feel and look more sinister.
With the help of a detective, they uncover secrets and plots that point towards the only hope for saving his sister.
Together, they will search to the ends of the earth, when in reality the answer is close nearby. In their hometown.
Together, they will face the enemy that threatens their town, their lives, and the future of everyone they love. It is the adversary with many faces and none; the foe that cannot be killed and was never born.
They go together.
She waits alone.
- GenresHorror
268 pages, Paperback
Published November 8, 2015
39 people are currently reading
388 people want to read
About the author
David Duane Kummer
19 books235 followersMy name is David Kummer. I'm a young writer who leans towards horror, mystery, thrillers, and young adult fiction. My books are fast-paced, easy-to-read, with shocking twists and unpredictable endings.
My new series is The House on the Hill, a new type of haunted house trilogy focusing on one family and the small town under attack. It's creepy enough for horror readers, but character-focused and plot-driven, so it's perfect for anyone who enjoys a good mystery novel.
I grew up in Madison, Indiana, a small town on the Ohio River, with lots of history and settings around here that influence my books. Now I live in New Albany with my fantastic wife. When I'm not writing, I'm a full-time English teacher for 9th graders and I enjoy spending as much time as possible outdoors.
You may have read some great authors before and some fascinating books, but this is the first time you've had an experience like this. Try something and let me convince you.
Email: davidkummer7@gmail.com
Twitter @DavidKummer7
Facebook: @davidduanekummer
Instagram: @davidkummer3
Get a free book and sign up for my newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/bPgy4n
My new series is The House on the Hill, a new type of haunted house trilogy focusing on one family and the small town under attack. It's creepy enough for horror readers, but character-focused and plot-driven, so it's perfect for anyone who enjoys a good mystery novel.
I grew up in Madison, Indiana, a small town on the Ohio River, with lots of history and settings around here that influence my books. Now I live in New Albany with my fantastic wife. When I'm not writing, I'm a full-time English teacher for 9th graders and I enjoy spending as much time as possible outdoors.
You may have read some great authors before and some fascinating books, but this is the first time you've had an experience like this. Try something and let me convince you.
Email: davidkummer7@gmail.com
Twitter @DavidKummer7
Facebook: @davidduanekummer
Instagram: @davidkummer3
Get a free book and sign up for my newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/bPgy4n
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
April 8, 2017
Great book!
It's a great book with some unnerving moments. David does a great job of building his characters and taking us along their journey.
It's a great book with some unnerving moments. David does a great job of building his characters and taking us along their journey.
January 29, 2018
She. It’s a simple word, but knowing it’s the title of a horror novel immediately evokes a feeling of unease. And that’s what David Kummer has accomplished in his novel. The story follows some of your standard horror tropes, a group of kids in the near past battling an unspeakable evil in a small town. Simple, but enjoyable as Kummer slowly builds the tension.
I enjoyed Kummer’s choice to start with two mysterious men meeting in a café in the present, then throwing the story back to the 1990s. Growing up in the 90s myself, this was a fun nostalgic kick for me. Kummer did a good job of throwing in plenty of creepy moments (yeah, not going to look out my windows at the street light anymore…but that’s just asking for trouble anyway). I was challenged a bit by the abundance of description, but this wasn’t a deal breaker for me and the story was well crafted.
I’d recommend She for any of those (crazy) It lovers out there.
I enjoyed Kummer’s choice to start with two mysterious men meeting in a café in the present, then throwing the story back to the 1990s. Growing up in the 90s myself, this was a fun nostalgic kick for me. Kummer did a good job of throwing in plenty of creepy moments (yeah, not going to look out my windows at the street light anymore…but that’s just asking for trouble anyway). I was challenged a bit by the abundance of description, but this wasn’t a deal breaker for me and the story was well crafted.
I’d recommend She for any of those (crazy) It lovers out there.
March 18, 2017
Mysterious and creepy, a great combination
This isn't the first book I've read from Kummer, and each time, I expect a good story, and this definitely did not disappoint. It's creepy and mysterious, and most importantly, it works. There is a dark secret in this small town, and it's darker than anyone could imagine. The title tells me it's a horrible story but the plot gets me intrigued. This is more than just a horror story, which is usually more blood and Gore and less plot, but this is a great attempt of a plot-driven story.
This isn't the first book I've read from Kummer, and each time, I expect a good story, and this definitely did not disappoint. It's creepy and mysterious, and most importantly, it works. There is a dark secret in this small town, and it's darker than anyone could imagine. The title tells me it's a horrible story but the plot gets me intrigued. This is more than just a horror story, which is usually more blood and Gore and less plot, but this is a great attempt of a plot-driven story.
July 24, 2018
When I first discovered that the writer of this book was still in high-school, I was pretty impressed.
The characters were nicely developed, the story was an interesting slow-burn with an increasingly creepy (almost surreal) atmosphere, and the prose was quite mature yet evoked a sort of fairy-tale quality.
However, I found the ending rather weak and unsatisfying, with an epilogue that sets up an (inevitable) sequel.
So, then, I moved on to the sequel...
The characters were nicely developed, the story was an interesting slow-burn with an increasingly creepy (almost surreal) atmosphere, and the prose was quite mature yet evoked a sort of fairy-tale quality.
However, I found the ending rather weak and unsatisfying, with an epilogue that sets up an (inevitable) sequel.
So, then, I moved on to the sequel...
July 29, 2017
Talent is the first thing you notice when you read this horror novel. The author has a knack of pushing the story along and keeping you intrigued. The story revolves around Michael and after his sister is taken, he searches for answers. The ending was a bit unnerving, but overall, the author's imagination is what keeps you reading. Was the novel a bit creepy? Yes, but in a good way. I recommend this read.
June 13, 2017
A Promising Start for a Young Author
“She: A Horror Novel” is the debut full-length novel for David Kummer, an Indiana high school student. The book tells the tale of a series of kidnappings in a small Indiana town. The teenage protagonists drawn into the events eventually learn that the origins of the horror trace back many decades. (As Kummer puts it in his blurb: “Every 20 years, something dark comes out of the forest.”) With little help from the police or other adults, the teens pursue and eventually confront the evildoer in a tragic conclusion. I found the storyline to be quite good, and the writing is competent for a young author. It’s worth a read, and I found it quite enjoyable – in the same way that I enjoy a well-executed high school orchestra concert.
However, I don’t believe Kummer wants his work to be compared with and rated against other high school novelists. Considered in the great, wide world of indie-published fiction, I felt that Kummer’s book has some serious shortcomings. There are a substantial number of spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors that I found very distracting. (I have also found this to be the case for indie authors of all ages, so it’s not just a matter of Kummer’s youth. I would encourage him to work hard on the technical aspects of writing as he continues to pursue his craft.) While many scenes are well written and descriptive, there are also many that suffer from inconsistency or outright confusion. For example, in one scene, Michael is awakened by a telephone call and learns that he has slept until “nearly noon.” Spurred into action by the call, he runs to the site of a horrific occurrence, arriving some half hour later but inexplicably just as the sun is rising. Later, Michael rides his bike back to the same site with his friends, where he proceeds to recover the very same bike he just rode there, supposedly left by the evildoer. In time, Kummer will learn that these sorts of things can creep in during the enthusiasm of writing and need to be corrected by careful editing.
Based on the level of writing, I gave Kummer’s novel a three-star rating. (Looking at his many effusive ratings, it’s apparent that most of his readers aren’t as picky as I am.) I’ll reiterate that “She” is worth a read for the storyline and many well-written scenes, and I’m hoping that Kummer will work hard on overcoming the noted shortcomings in his future writings.
“She: A Horror Novel” is the debut full-length novel for David Kummer, an Indiana high school student. The book tells the tale of a series of kidnappings in a small Indiana town. The teenage protagonists drawn into the events eventually learn that the origins of the horror trace back many decades. (As Kummer puts it in his blurb: “Every 20 years, something dark comes out of the forest.”) With little help from the police or other adults, the teens pursue and eventually confront the evildoer in a tragic conclusion. I found the storyline to be quite good, and the writing is competent for a young author. It’s worth a read, and I found it quite enjoyable – in the same way that I enjoy a well-executed high school orchestra concert.
However, I don’t believe Kummer wants his work to be compared with and rated against other high school novelists. Considered in the great, wide world of indie-published fiction, I felt that Kummer’s book has some serious shortcomings. There are a substantial number of spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors that I found very distracting. (I have also found this to be the case for indie authors of all ages, so it’s not just a matter of Kummer’s youth. I would encourage him to work hard on the technical aspects of writing as he continues to pursue his craft.) While many scenes are well written and descriptive, there are also many that suffer from inconsistency or outright confusion. For example, in one scene, Michael is awakened by a telephone call and learns that he has slept until “nearly noon.” Spurred into action by the call, he runs to the site of a horrific occurrence, arriving some half hour later but inexplicably just as the sun is rising. Later, Michael rides his bike back to the same site with his friends, where he proceeds to recover the very same bike he just rode there, supposedly left by the evildoer. In time, Kummer will learn that these sorts of things can creep in during the enthusiasm of writing and need to be corrected by careful editing.
Based on the level of writing, I gave Kummer’s novel a three-star rating. (Looking at his many effusive ratings, it’s apparent that most of his readers aren’t as picky as I am.) I’ll reiterate that “She” is worth a read for the storyline and many well-written scenes, and I’m hoping that Kummer will work hard on overcoming the noted shortcomings in his future writings.
October 23, 2017
This was definitely an interesting story. I enjoyed the ideas that this author had to create the world for this book. I don't want to delve into the story in this review to avoid spoilers but for people who are interested in thrillers, they may want to give this story a try.
August 23, 2017
I have read horror before, but I must admit it is not necessarily my favorite genre. I don’t like to be scared and that is the purpose of a good horror story. Well She scared me, so much so that I had to close the window in my living room as I read late one night. The foundation of a good horror story is definitely there and David’s writing, if a bit scattered, is very good. A few times I felt the plot was a bit far-fetched, but readers can’t expect a work of fiction to be necessarily true on all accounts. The characters were well developed and I really felt the depth of Michael and Lilly’s relationship.
Grammatical errors were a problem and probably brought this book down to four stars for me. Keep writing David; you have the imagination for it.
Grammatical errors were a problem and probably brought this book down to four stars for me. Keep writing David; you have the imagination for it.
April 15, 2021
A horror story all the way. It keeps you gripped until the very end. Ready for more.
June 17, 2017
captivating
this was, an intresting read .. I never really understood the reasoning behind the old lady but none the less couldn't put the book down . good job David
this was, an intresting read .. I never really understood the reasoning behind the old lady but none the less couldn't put the book down . good job David
April 23, 2018
She is a horror story about a dark secret in a small town. She is a mysterious witch who kidnaps children from their home. Everything changes in this town for Michael when his sister is taken. With the help of his friends and a Detective Michael uncovers secrets and plots that help point toward some hope of saving his sister. The characters are very well developed. With some truly frightening moments. I enjoyed the plot and the story line was well written i look forward to reading more books by this author.
June 3, 2017
Ok, I admit that the idea of a teenager writing a horror story is what drew me to this author and book, in the first place, but after reading his work, I’m a definite fan (at 54)! He has a great talent at storytelling and creating a tense plot that keeps your attention. The characters are very well developed and written like real people. David is a young in age person with a clearly old soul and I can’t wait to watch his work develop over the years. Kudos to whoever taught this young man the elements of English that has developed him into a potentially great writer of horror along the lines of Stephen King, Clive Barker and Dean Koontz. Definitely someone to keep an eye on!
June 3, 2017
Ok, I admit that the idea of a teenager writing a horror story is what drew me to this author and book, in the first place, but after reading his work, I’m a definite fan (at 54)! He has a great talent at storytelling and creating a tense plot that keeps your attention. The characters are very well developed and written like real people. David is a young in age person with a clearly old soul and I can’t wait to watch his work develop over the years. Kudos to whoever taught this young man the elements of English that has developed him into a potentially great writer of horror along the lines of Stephen King, Clive Barker and Dean Koontz. Definitely someone to keep an eye on!
July 10, 2017
She by David Kummer
Promising and imaginative writing.
I found the story line unusual and good, although it does become more difficult to accept at the end.
However, the author must get his work edited before attempting to publish it at a competitive level. Even if he is aiming at teenagers, there are too many grammatical errors and facts that are inconsistent.
I hope this writer persists and accepts constructive criticism, because he could do well.
Promising and imaginative writing.
I found the story line unusual and good, although it does become more difficult to accept at the end.
However, the author must get his work edited before attempting to publish it at a competitive level. Even if he is aiming at teenagers, there are too many grammatical errors and facts that are inconsistent.
I hope this writer persists and accepts constructive criticism, because he could do well.
May 27, 2018
First book of a two book series. I love the inventive plot and sub-plots. A truly terrifying story of teens getting themselves in over their heads because none of the adults around them believe them.
Mr. Kummer would be wise to enlist a competent editor to go over his stories. It is more than just the occasional misused word, the story itself needs tightening.
Having said all that, I could not wait to read the second half of the series.
Mr. Kummer would be wise to enlist a competent editor to go over his stories. It is more than just the occasional misused word, the story itself needs tightening.
Having said all that, I could not wait to read the second half of the series.
January 18, 2018
I enjoyed this book, but was a little frustrated with certain aspects. I kind of wish “She” was explained a bit more in the moment...does she kill the kids? Why were they tied up and hanging? I was confused by the motive of "She". There were some inconsistencies that bothered me. In the beginning, the names Steven and Stephen kept swapping while at the diner. I was slightly confused by that. Was it intentional?
Aside from that, I must say that this novel captivated me. I read it very quickly and felt a sense of “It” meets “Stand by Me” and loved it. As I said, I wish there was more explanation, but that may be 100% on purpose as part of the mystery surrounding her and all the events.
Also, why does Dan think that “She” is coming after him in the epilogue?
Overall, I did enjoy the book. I actually edited my original review because I didn't realize there was a second novel! Can't wait to read it and see if my questions are answered!
Aside from that, I must say that this novel captivated me. I read it very quickly and felt a sense of “It” meets “Stand by Me” and loved it. As I said, I wish there was more explanation, but that may be 100% on purpose as part of the mystery surrounding her and all the events.
Also, why does Dan think that “She” is coming after him in the epilogue?
Overall, I did enjoy the book. I actually edited my original review because I didn't realize there was a second novel! Can't wait to read it and see if my questions are answered!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 2, 2017
The first book wrote by this young author who is off to a promising start.
“She” is a old woman who takes kids every 20 years. Some describe her as a witch. Others look at her as a scary tale to tell the kids. If you see her you can bet your life she’s watching you. Life will never be the same again for a group of friends after they encounter She. I really enjoyed this book it wasn’t in your face horror, more psychological horror - the kind that gives you the creeps. I found myself wanting to find out even more history that concerns She. This book would make a great film or tv drama. Can’t wait until book 2 - this author is someone to keep a eye on.
Reviewed by Jennifer
“She” is a old woman who takes kids every 20 years. Some describe her as a witch. Others look at her as a scary tale to tell the kids. If you see her you can bet your life she’s watching you. Life will never be the same again for a group of friends after they encounter She. I really enjoyed this book it wasn’t in your face horror, more psychological horror - the kind that gives you the creeps. I found myself wanting to find out even more history that concerns She. This book would make a great film or tv drama. Can’t wait until book 2 - this author is someone to keep a eye on.
Reviewed by Jennifer
April 15, 2016
I enjoyed this book.
Very well written, scary, suspenseful and sad. I felt like I was right next to the characters, going along w/what they were experiencing and feeling. Enjoy books that let my imagination, my understanding and my creativity of what I'm reading come out. Thanks, hope to read more of your books.
Very well written, scary, suspenseful and sad. I felt like I was right next to the characters, going along w/what they were experiencing and feeling. Enjoy books that let my imagination, my understanding and my creativity of what I'm reading come out. Thanks, hope to read more of your books.
May 9, 2016
This book was creepy in all the right way! I love it. The ending is still giving me chills. I love it! Can't wait to read more maybe there will be a SHE 2??? * I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*
January 5, 2017
I couldn't stop reading this book! Had great focus on objective and you cared about the characters. What made me on the edge of my seat was that no one is safe! If you want a great book to give you the creeps when you look out your window, get this book!
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June 29, 2024If you haven't read She by David Kummer, you are truly missing out on a wonderful book. This book was excellent! David Kummer had my emotions going every which way with this one and he wrote this book when he was very young. There is so many twists and turns in this book. Not giving anything away, didn't see the ending coming.
DEFINITELY A MUST READ IN MY OPINION
HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!!
DEFINITELY A MUST READ IN MY OPINION
HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!!
January 8, 2017
She: A Horror Novel was a thrilling story. David's words bring his novel to life, and show you detailed images in your mind. His characters are detailed to the point where it is almost like you know them. David brought "She" to life in horrific ways. There were frightening moments in the novel which made the book even more fun to read. I loved the plot and storyline. David certainly knows how to keep you on your toes! She is certainly a five star book.
October 19, 2016
She: A Horror Novel is about the dark secret of a small town no one believes, or takes notice of--until it happens to four friends. This is a story of enduring friendship and courage as four teenagers set out on a quest to try and defeat the being that threatens to destroy their families. I recommend this story to horror readers, and anyone who can identify with being young and having to solve life's serious problems on their own.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews