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Chasing Ghosts
The Cobbs were ignorant woods-people that died off and left nothing to fear. Locals in Naples, Maine think they know this story. But are they wrong?
Luke Howard and his mom move to Naples and Luke’s eager to make new friends. When Jason and Davey invite him out to the abandoned Cobb place for a game they call “chasing ghosts,” he’s ready and willing. However, the boys will come to discover that some vacant houses are better left to die alone.
Meanwhile, a punk band set to play in a rented cabin out of town feel eyes upon them. Somebody’s watching, but not their usual audience. When their lead singer strays too far from the group and disappears, his band mates set out in the darkness to find him.
Police Chief Walt Henderson is about to discover that there’s more going on out in the woods of his town than he ever imagined.
Chasing ghosts is more than just some children’s game.
Luke Howard and his mom move to Naples and Luke’s eager to make new friends. When Jason and Davey invite him out to the abandoned Cobb place for a game they call “chasing ghosts,” he’s ready and willing. However, the boys will come to discover that some vacant houses are better left to die alone.
Meanwhile, a punk band set to play in a rented cabin out of town feel eyes upon them. Somebody’s watching, but not their usual audience. When their lead singer strays too far from the group and disappears, his band mates set out in the darkness to find him.
Police Chief Walt Henderson is about to discover that there’s more going on out in the woods of his town than he ever imagined.
Chasing ghosts is more than just some children’s game.
123 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 1, 2016
7 people are currently reading
729 people want to read
About the author
Glenn Rolfe
72 books630 followersGlenn Rolfe is a singer, songwriter, and author of over eighteen books. He has studied Creative Writing at Southern New Hampshire University, toured in a minivan with his punk rock friends, played the Hard Rock Cafe in Denver, hosted a radio show at Bates College, and dreams of surfing in the Pacific Ocean one day with his future pet goat.
He loves the books of Stephen King, Brian Keene, Ronald Malfi, Jack Ketchum, and Richard Laymon, the music of Bruce Springsteen, Oasis, Pre-Reputation Taylor Swift, Kiss, and Billy Joel, and soaking in the sun and eating pier fries at Old Orchard Beach.
His kids love him despite his weirdness, so who could ask for more?
He is hard at work on many more books and songs.
Stay tuned!
He is the author of When the Night Falls, Until Summer Comes Around, August's Eyes, Blood and Rain, The Window, and more. Stay tuned for his next thrilling Maine horror novel, The Siren of Groves Peak (2026)
Richard Chizmar, New York Times and USA Today Best Selling-Author of Gwendy’s Button Box, says of Rolfe’s Blood and Rain: “A wonderful throwback to the fun and bloody days of paperback horror glory!”
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
May 4, 2018
Chasing Ghosts had me chasing down the pages (Ok, I know seriously bad attempt at humor)
Chasing Ghosts begins as three boys (Jesse, Davy & Luke) go venturing off into the woods "Chasing Ghosts". The want to go test their bravery and explore the Cobb family home. The Cobb’s were back woods people who kept to themselves. Rumors about them have been around for ages. When the remaining member of the Cobb family died, the boys decided to go explore the old home. They do not return home.
A punk band is scheduled to play at a secluded cabin in the woods not far from the Cobb family home. There will be booze, music and mayhem. The band members are used to having an audience, but they seem to have captured the attention of someone who would not be on their VIP list. When their lead singer walks off into the woods and does not return, the remaining band members and Jesse's father (what? how did he get there!?!) decide to go looking for him.
The woods in Maine are very beautiful but they can also be deadly. This is a short, fast paced book which had my complete attention for the entirety of the book. There is never any down time for any of the characters or the reader. The action is constant and does not let up. There is no escaping the horror which will be unleashed in the woods. In many ways, this book read like a horror film. That's a compliment by the way. I enjoyed this book, but it is not for the squeamish. Horror fans will most likely enjoy this. It can easily be read in one sitting as it is around 123 pages(on my device). I do wish it had been a little longer as I wanted a little more backstory concerning the family whom the town believed disappeared but, in reality, had been living in the woods along. But other than wanting a little bit more, I found this to be an enjoyable and gory read.
This was my first book by Rolfe but it will not be my last.
Thank you to Sinister Gin Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookpost.com
Chasing Ghosts begins as three boys (Jesse, Davy & Luke) go venturing off into the woods "Chasing Ghosts". The want to go test their bravery and explore the Cobb family home. The Cobb’s were back woods people who kept to themselves. Rumors about them have been around for ages. When the remaining member of the Cobb family died, the boys decided to go explore the old home. They do not return home.
A punk band is scheduled to play at a secluded cabin in the woods not far from the Cobb family home. There will be booze, music and mayhem. The band members are used to having an audience, but they seem to have captured the attention of someone who would not be on their VIP list. When their lead singer walks off into the woods and does not return, the remaining band members and Jesse's father (what? how did he get there!?!) decide to go looking for him.
The woods in Maine are very beautiful but they can also be deadly. This is a short, fast paced book which had my complete attention for the entirety of the book. There is never any down time for any of the characters or the reader. The action is constant and does not let up. There is no escaping the horror which will be unleashed in the woods. In many ways, this book read like a horror film. That's a compliment by the way. I enjoyed this book, but it is not for the squeamish. Horror fans will most likely enjoy this. It can easily be read in one sitting as it is around 123 pages(on my device). I do wish it had been a little longer as I wanted a little more backstory concerning the family whom the town believed disappeared but, in reality, had been living in the woods along. But other than wanting a little bit more, I found this to be an enjoyable and gory read.
This was my first book by Rolfe but it will not be my last.
Thank you to Sinister Gin Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookpost.com
December 19, 2017
Have you ever read Jack Ketchum's OFF SEASON? If you did and you enjoyed it I recommend you give CHASING GHOSTS a go!
This novella flies by with the usual type of horror happenings. A gathering at a cabin with a bunch of hipsters ends up turning out to be something of a snack bar for your local hillbilly cannibals. With people disappearing, (mostly) one by one, and then the same happening to those who go out to look for them, this is not exactly original fare for horror lovers.
What I think made this novella more fun than most, was its fast pace, the new and unique ways of captivity and death, and the likable, (mostly), characters.
CHASING GHOSTS is not perfect, there were just a few punctuation and grammar errors, but not enough to bother me. I've read a few stories from Mr. Rolfe now, and it's my position that he keeps getting better and better.
Enthusiastically recommended, especially for those horror fans that love the work of Jack Ketchum, or love the whole redneck cannibal trope. This one's for you!
You can pick up a copy here: https://www.amazon.com/Chasing-Ghosts...
*I received a free e-copy of this novella in exchange for my honest opinion. This is it.*
This novella flies by with the usual type of horror happenings. A gathering at a cabin with a bunch of hipsters ends up turning out to be something of a snack bar for your local hillbilly cannibals. With people disappearing, (mostly) one by one, and then the same happening to those who go out to look for them, this is not exactly original fare for horror lovers.
What I think made this novella more fun than most, was its fast pace, the new and unique ways of captivity and death, and the likable, (mostly), characters.
CHASING GHOSTS is not perfect, there were just a few punctuation and grammar errors, but not enough to bother me. I've read a few stories from Mr. Rolfe now, and it's my position that he keeps getting better and better.
Enthusiastically recommended, especially for those horror fans that love the work of Jack Ketchum, or love the whole redneck cannibal trope. This one's for you!
You can pick up a copy here: https://www.amazon.com/Chasing-Ghosts...
*I received a free e-copy of this novella in exchange for my honest opinion. This is it.*
June 10, 2020
Wicked and Twisted Terror!
What do you get when you have people going out into unfamiliar woods in the middle of the night? Horrific Trouble! Some friends get together to go exploring the woods and to check out a place called the Cobb house. But what they find is not an adventure, but something far much worse. An in-bred crazy family which some thought had disappeared from that area are very much alive and roaming the woods once again.
In the meantime, a party is kicking off not far from the woods with the arrival of a rock band. The band ends up getting lost in the woods too and they end up meeting the crazies. The crazies are probably thinking "the more, the merrier" which ends up turning into a blood fest for all involved.
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The book is not for the faint of heart as there is quite a bit of gore and torture within its pages!
I was hooked from the first chapter and couldn't lay the book down as I read it in three days! Giving this one five stars.
What do you get when you have people going out into unfamiliar woods in the middle of the night? Horrific Trouble! Some friends get together to go exploring the woods and to check out a place called the Cobb house. But what they find is not an adventure, but something far much worse. An in-bred crazy family which some thought had disappeared from that area are very much alive and roaming the woods once again.
In the meantime, a party is kicking off not far from the woods with the arrival of a rock band. The band ends up getting lost in the woods too and they end up meeting the crazies. The crazies are probably thinking "the more, the merrier" which ends up turning into a blood fest for all involved.
[image error]
The book is not for the faint of heart as there is quite a bit of gore and torture within its pages!
I was hooked from the first chapter and couldn't lay the book down as I read it in three days! Giving this one five stars.
June 9, 2018
4.5 stars
CHASING GHOSTS, by Glenn Rolfe, didn't waste any time in getting the reader into the "creepy atmosphere" and sending them plunging into the depths of a blood-drenched mystery. This fast paced novella put me in mind of some of the works of Jack Ketchum, in terms of unabashed savagery and body count, but with a touch of emotional connection that Rolfe utilizes to play on the readers' sympathies.
We first see young Jesse storming out of his trailer to bike over to meet his friends, Davey, and the new boy in town, Luke. In response to his father, Derek's, question as to where he was going, Jesse replied: "Chasing ghosts. . . "
In a wooded, isolated area that was rumored to be filled with "redneck cannibals"--of course that was where the neighborhood boys went to prove their "courage". It all began with a prank at the house of the reclusive Zachariah Cobb--a house that Jesse knew should have been empty . . .
From there, we get to know a little more about Jesse's parents, Heather and Derek, both falling apart from their son's disappearance. It doesn't take long before they begin chasing ghosts of their own.
Aside from some new characters, the bulk of this story is fueled by adrenaline, murders, and the mystery behind it all. Fans of the genre will find no shortage of gore and horrific mutilations to satisfy themselves. Rolfe gives us just enough to make our skin crawl, and then backs off--leaving us mentally begging for more.
One of the better backwoods stories I've read in quite a while! My only criticism is that, given the characters and scope of this novella, I would have loved to see it expanded into a full-length novel.
". . . knew what happened to . . . He'd finally caught up to all those ghosts."
Highly recommended!
***This is another novella I just re-read in Glenn Rolfe's latest collection, and felt the need to update my individual review on this one. Raising my original rating to a 4.5 to account for the added emotional pull I felt, and the fact that this is definitely "re-read" material.***
CHASING GHOSTS, by Glenn Rolfe, didn't waste any time in getting the reader into the "creepy atmosphere" and sending them plunging into the depths of a blood-drenched mystery. This fast paced novella put me in mind of some of the works of Jack Ketchum, in terms of unabashed savagery and body count, but with a touch of emotional connection that Rolfe utilizes to play on the readers' sympathies.
We first see young Jesse storming out of his trailer to bike over to meet his friends, Davey, and the new boy in town, Luke. In response to his father, Derek's, question as to where he was going, Jesse replied: "Chasing ghosts. . . "
In a wooded, isolated area that was rumored to be filled with "redneck cannibals"--of course that was where the neighborhood boys went to prove their "courage". It all began with a prank at the house of the reclusive Zachariah Cobb--a house that Jesse knew should have been empty . . .
From there, we get to know a little more about Jesse's parents, Heather and Derek, both falling apart from their son's disappearance. It doesn't take long before they begin chasing ghosts of their own.
Aside from some new characters, the bulk of this story is fueled by adrenaline, murders, and the mystery behind it all. Fans of the genre will find no shortage of gore and horrific mutilations to satisfy themselves. Rolfe gives us just enough to make our skin crawl, and then backs off--leaving us mentally begging for more.
One of the better backwoods stories I've read in quite a while! My only criticism is that, given the characters and scope of this novella, I would have loved to see it expanded into a full-length novel.
". . . knew what happened to . . . He'd finally caught up to all those ghosts."
Highly recommended!
***This is another novella I just re-read in Glenn Rolfe's latest collection, and felt the need to update my individual review on this one. Raising my original rating to a 4.5 to account for the added emotional pull I felt, and the fact that this is definitely "re-read" material.***
August 20, 2016
As a reviewer of horror for three years now, I’ve been around just long enough to look upon some of the newer authors in the genre and think to myself “I got in on the ground floor with this one”.
Glenn Rolfe is one such example.
I’ve read most everything he’s put out because I like his ideas, can see the way he is evolving as a writer, and appreciate him as one of the “nice” authors in the field. So when he asked if I would be up for reviewing his latest novella for HAD, I had no hesitation in saying yes. The email from him that said Chasing Ghosts was a “straight forward horror romp in the vein of Richard Laymon” was just icing on the cake.
And for the most part it’s very enjoyable cake.
Rich with gore, baked with deranged backwoods madmen, and topped off with a breakneck pace, Chasing Ghosts manages to not only channel Laymon’s Beast House series, but includes more than passing nods to Jack Ketchum’s Off Season and sequels.
There is barely a superfluous sentence in Chasing Ghosts. It quickly arrests the reader’s attention and does not let go until the final page is turned. The highest compliment I can pay Chasing Ghosts is that I read it in two sittings – the first while settling in for sleep one night, and the next while on my lunch break the next day. I usually have two to three reads on the go at any one time, but in those 14 or so hours between reading sessions, I wasn’t interested in reading anything else.
Perhaps the biggest criticism I have of Chasing Ghosts is its brevity. Some novels really should have been edited down to novellas; some novellas – like this one – should have been allowed to breathe more. Rolfe displays almost a maniacal glee as he dispatches one semi-established character after the next, and I believe these scenes would have been all the more powerful had the reader been given more time to get to know them before they met their (often) grisly fates.
Regardless, if you’re not looking for high art, but you are looking for a blood-soaked good time, Chasing Ghosts is likely to satisfy the vast majority of horror-seeking palates.
3.5 Backwoods Party Invites to Reconsider for Chasing Ghosts.
The preceding was based on an ecopy provided by the author in an exchange for (what remains) this honest review.
Find this review and more like it at Horror After Dark.
Glenn Rolfe is one such example.
I’ve read most everything he’s put out because I like his ideas, can see the way he is evolving as a writer, and appreciate him as one of the “nice” authors in the field. So when he asked if I would be up for reviewing his latest novella for HAD, I had no hesitation in saying yes. The email from him that said Chasing Ghosts was a “straight forward horror romp in the vein of Richard Laymon” was just icing on the cake.
And for the most part it’s very enjoyable cake.
Rich with gore, baked with deranged backwoods madmen, and topped off with a breakneck pace, Chasing Ghosts manages to not only channel Laymon’s Beast House series, but includes more than passing nods to Jack Ketchum’s Off Season and sequels.
There is barely a superfluous sentence in Chasing Ghosts. It quickly arrests the reader’s attention and does not let go until the final page is turned. The highest compliment I can pay Chasing Ghosts is that I read it in two sittings – the first while settling in for sleep one night, and the next while on my lunch break the next day. I usually have two to three reads on the go at any one time, but in those 14 or so hours between reading sessions, I wasn’t interested in reading anything else.
Perhaps the biggest criticism I have of Chasing Ghosts is its brevity. Some novels really should have been edited down to novellas; some novellas – like this one – should have been allowed to breathe more. Rolfe displays almost a maniacal glee as he dispatches one semi-established character after the next, and I believe these scenes would have been all the more powerful had the reader been given more time to get to know them before they met their (often) grisly fates.
Regardless, if you’re not looking for high art, but you are looking for a blood-soaked good time, Chasing Ghosts is likely to satisfy the vast majority of horror-seeking palates.
3.5 Backwoods Party Invites to Reconsider for Chasing Ghosts.
The preceding was based on an ecopy provided by the author in an exchange for (what remains) this honest review.
Find this review and more like it at Horror After Dark.
August 9, 2016
Review copy
If you are a frequent reader of horror you'll likely recognize the names in Glenn Rolfe's dedication for Chasing Ghosts.
Dedicated to Richard Layman, Jack Ketchum, Brian Keene, and Jonathan Janz. For all the guts you guys give me to tear out someone else's.
And then Glenn proceeds to do just that.
Jesse Gerard knows his father is stepping out on his mom, When Jesse storms out of the house, his father asks where he's going. His response is, "Chasing Ghosts." Jesse joins up with his friends Davey and Luke. What follows is not so much about what they find out by the old Zachariah Cobb place, as what finds them.
Chasing Ghosts is a disturbing bloodbath, with some moments of extreme gore, and is an emotionally draining read, but it sure was a nice diversion.
Recommended, but not for the squeamish.
Published by Sinister Grin Press, Chasing Ghosts is available in both paperback and e-book formats.
From Glenn Rolfe's bio - Glenn is an author, singer, and songwriter from the haunted woods of New England. He has studied Creative Writing at Southern New Hampshire University, and continues his education in the world of horror by devouring the works of Stephen King and Richard Laymon.
If you are a frequent reader of horror you'll likely recognize the names in Glenn Rolfe's dedication for Chasing Ghosts.
Dedicated to Richard Layman, Jack Ketchum, Brian Keene, and Jonathan Janz. For all the guts you guys give me to tear out someone else's.
And then Glenn proceeds to do just that.
Jesse Gerard knows his father is stepping out on his mom, When Jesse storms out of the house, his father asks where he's going. His response is, "Chasing Ghosts." Jesse joins up with his friends Davey and Luke. What follows is not so much about what they find out by the old Zachariah Cobb place, as what finds them.
Chasing Ghosts is a disturbing bloodbath, with some moments of extreme gore, and is an emotionally draining read, but it sure was a nice diversion.
Recommended, but not for the squeamish.
Published by Sinister Grin Press, Chasing Ghosts is available in both paperback and e-book formats.
From Glenn Rolfe's bio - Glenn is an author, singer, and songwriter from the haunted woods of New England. He has studied Creative Writing at Southern New Hampshire University, and continues his education in the world of horror by devouring the works of Stephen King and Richard Laymon.
September 28, 2016
The author sent me a copy of this after a brief exchange on our fandom for the horror line from the former Leisure Books. He thought this would fit my interest and he was right. It had all the elements of what I loved about those books, reminding me in particular of Jack Ketchum's Off Season, one of the gold standards of the splatterpunk genre. That should give a good enough indication of whether or not this would be your thing.
I accidentally received a rough draft and was supposed to wait for a final copy this weekend but I had already started and the story had it's hooks in me so I kept reading. Patience is a virtue, just not one of mine. So, yeah, no need to send that final draft, Glenn, and thanks for the opportunity to review this! I had a blast!
I accidentally received a rough draft and was supposed to wait for a final copy this weekend but I had already started and the story had it's hooks in me so I kept reading. Patience is a virtue, just not one of mine. So, yeah, no need to send that final draft, Glenn, and thanks for the opportunity to review this! I had a blast!
July 31, 2016
Chasing Ghosts, the latest horror novella from Glenn Rolfe, is a perfectly good read to while away a few hours with. I suspect, though, that I would have enjoyed it even more if had been expanded into a full-length novel.
The gist of this story is simple, and a common enough trope in horror stories – people getting mauled and killed by backwoods cannibal killers. It’s familiar and doesn’t exactly break new ground, and is essentially a cabin in the woods slasher movie in print form. I can generally accept derivative storytelling as long as it entertains and is at least well written. Thankfully, Chasing Ghosts succeeds in these two elements and provided me with several hours of enjoyment over a Saturday afternoon.
Novellas can be tricky things, though. They’re longer than short stories, but not as long as novels. In my opinion, they work best when the focus is tight and centered on only a few characters in a small setting. There’s an intimacy to novellas in the way they pack a powerful punch in a small package.
Chasing Ghosts, however, often feels like a much larger story struggling to fit into its confines. There’s a lot of characters that we never really get to become deeply familiar with, and we’re told all we’re allowed to know about them almost as soon as they arrive on the page – Derek is a cheating husband, Mike’s a good guy, Walt is the aging sheriff with a bad back, and there’s a trio of punk rockers performing at a backwoods cabin party who are all pretty much interchangeable from one another. We don’t get to know much about what makes these characters tick beyond these brief descriptors, which makes them easy, bland fodder once the killing begins. Unfortunately, we’re given little reason to care. Some of these victims get particularly grisly treatment, and imagining the violence inflicted upon them is hair-raising enough, but I couldn’t quite latch onto anybody in particular to root for or identify with. This book is all about the squirm factor. Characters are dispatched with frightening enough regularity to make George R.R. Martin proud, and the cannibal killers are a potent, if one-dimensional, force.
This review is perhaps overly critical and negative-sounding, although I actually did enjoy the time I spent with Rolfe’s story. There are good ideas here, and glimmers of a larger story that really needed more time and space to develop into something stronger. As far as quick reads with a high body count goes, this fits the bill well enough. Chasing Ghosts is a fun, dirty piece of work that makes for a few hours worth of enjoyable escapism, despite lacking a tight narrative focus or rich enough characters to make a long-lasting impression. Rolfe clearly has talent, though, and he’s an author I’ll be keeping an eye on to see how he develops.
Final verdict: 3 1/2 stars (rounded to 4 stars)
[Note: This review is based on an advanced copy provided by Sinister Grin Press via Hook of a Book Media and Publicity.]
The gist of this story is simple, and a common enough trope in horror stories – people getting mauled and killed by backwoods cannibal killers. It’s familiar and doesn’t exactly break new ground, and is essentially a cabin in the woods slasher movie in print form. I can generally accept derivative storytelling as long as it entertains and is at least well written. Thankfully, Chasing Ghosts succeeds in these two elements and provided me with several hours of enjoyment over a Saturday afternoon.
Novellas can be tricky things, though. They’re longer than short stories, but not as long as novels. In my opinion, they work best when the focus is tight and centered on only a few characters in a small setting. There’s an intimacy to novellas in the way they pack a powerful punch in a small package.
Chasing Ghosts, however, often feels like a much larger story struggling to fit into its confines. There’s a lot of characters that we never really get to become deeply familiar with, and we’re told all we’re allowed to know about them almost as soon as they arrive on the page – Derek is a cheating husband, Mike’s a good guy, Walt is the aging sheriff with a bad back, and there’s a trio of punk rockers performing at a backwoods cabin party who are all pretty much interchangeable from one another. We don’t get to know much about what makes these characters tick beyond these brief descriptors, which makes them easy, bland fodder once the killing begins. Unfortunately, we’re given little reason to care. Some of these victims get particularly grisly treatment, and imagining the violence inflicted upon them is hair-raising enough, but I couldn’t quite latch onto anybody in particular to root for or identify with. This book is all about the squirm factor. Characters are dispatched with frightening enough regularity to make George R.R. Martin proud, and the cannibal killers are a potent, if one-dimensional, force.
This review is perhaps overly critical and negative-sounding, although I actually did enjoy the time I spent with Rolfe’s story. There are good ideas here, and glimmers of a larger story that really needed more time and space to develop into something stronger. As far as quick reads with a high body count goes, this fits the bill well enough. Chasing Ghosts is a fun, dirty piece of work that makes for a few hours worth of enjoyable escapism, despite lacking a tight narrative focus or rich enough characters to make a long-lasting impression. Rolfe clearly has talent, though, and he’s an author I’ll be keeping an eye on to see how he develops.
Final verdict: 3 1/2 stars (rounded to 4 stars)
[Note: This review is based on an advanced copy provided by Sinister Grin Press via Hook of a Book Media and Publicity.]
August 9, 2016
Jason and Davey invite the new kid in town, Luke, to hang out and participate in a little game they call "Chasing Ghosts". On a dare, they ride their bikes way out to the old Cobb place. The Cobb's were a bunch of backwoods inbreds that either died off or left town. At least, that's what the rumor was. What they find is a little than trouble for trespassing. Near there, a band is setting up to play a party at a rented cabin. They were only looking to score some quick cash for playing and having a good time. When the intoxicated lead singer wanders off, the rest of the band are led into the woods to find him. They'll wish they stayed back in the cabin.
When I look at Glenn Rolfe's body of work through the last few years, it makes me smile to see such a talented writer mature in front of our very eyes. With Chasing Ghosts, that trend keeps climbing ever higher. With shades of Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Friday the 13th, Rolfe also summons his inner-Laymon and, in my opinion, outdoes what his predecessor couldn't do. Now before you start rounding up the villagers and handing out pitchforks and torches, let me explain. My complaint with Laymon is that his stories attempted to capture that B-movie magic and fun. The problem has always been that everything that I've read by him falls short. A good story, whether it be on the silver screen or written page, has to have good, realistic characters that you care about. To me, Laymon's characters always felt like cardboard cutouts that became cannon fodder when they behaved unrealistically, their dialogue was borderline moronic, and the whole thing seemed hokie. With Chasing Ghosts, the characters feel like people that we already know facing problems that you can honestly believe - a missing son, infidelity, working stiffs looking to blow off some steam on the weekend. It's all there and done very well by Rolfe. If I have a complaint with the story, it's that the dialogue can be a tad confusing by his lack of identifying who is doing the talking from time to time. Again, it's a minor complaint, but I do think it would help the story. Other than that, I dig it. Now, does he break any new ground with Chasing Ghosts? No. But, I don't think that was ever his intent. What he does is deliver one kickass tale of backwoods bumpkins gone wrong.
4 Billy Bob teeth sunk into your leg out of 5
* This ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review
You can also read my other reviews and author interviews at:
https://kenmckinley.wordpress.com
http://intothemacabre.booklikes.com
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5...
When I look at Glenn Rolfe's body of work through the last few years, it makes me smile to see such a talented writer mature in front of our very eyes. With Chasing Ghosts, that trend keeps climbing ever higher. With shades of Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Friday the 13th, Rolfe also summons his inner-Laymon and, in my opinion, outdoes what his predecessor couldn't do. Now before you start rounding up the villagers and handing out pitchforks and torches, let me explain. My complaint with Laymon is that his stories attempted to capture that B-movie magic and fun. The problem has always been that everything that I've read by him falls short. A good story, whether it be on the silver screen or written page, has to have good, realistic characters that you care about. To me, Laymon's characters always felt like cardboard cutouts that became cannon fodder when they behaved unrealistically, their dialogue was borderline moronic, and the whole thing seemed hokie. With Chasing Ghosts, the characters feel like people that we already know facing problems that you can honestly believe - a missing son, infidelity, working stiffs looking to blow off some steam on the weekend. It's all there and done very well by Rolfe. If I have a complaint with the story, it's that the dialogue can be a tad confusing by his lack of identifying who is doing the talking from time to time. Again, it's a minor complaint, but I do think it would help the story. Other than that, I dig it. Now, does he break any new ground with Chasing Ghosts? No. But, I don't think that was ever his intent. What he does is deliver one kickass tale of backwoods bumpkins gone wrong.
4 Billy Bob teeth sunk into your leg out of 5
* This ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review
You can also read my other reviews and author interviews at:
https://kenmckinley.wordpress.com
http://intothemacabre.booklikes.com
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5...
May 13, 2018
I should have written a review immediately after I finished, when I was still riding the wave.
Now I'm struggling to put into words what I felt that day, because it sounds silly in my head...
Anyway, the atmosphere of this book took me back to a time when I still appreciated the 80's slasher movies, so I'm rating it a very nostalgic four stars.
Now I'm struggling to put into words what I felt that day, because it sounds silly in my head...
Anyway, the atmosphere of this book took me back to a time when I still appreciated the 80's slasher movies, so I'm rating it a very nostalgic four stars.
May 3, 2018
It's pretty obvious this is going to be fun when the dedication reads: "Dedicated to Richard Laymon, Jack Ketchum, Brian Keene, and Jonathan Janz. For all the guts you guys give me to tear out someone else's."
Jesse, Davey and Luke go wandering into the woods "chasing ghosts." They wander to the former residence of Zachariah Cobb. The Cobbs were a bunch of incestuous rednecks, allegedly practicing cannibalism in the woods. Fortunately, they moved on years ago...right? Two weeks later, and the boys still haven't come home from their jaunt into the forest. As for Jesse and Davey, they are never coming home. And as for Luke, well, sometimes you're better off dead.
Not too far from the Cobb shack, lies the Marston cabin - a perennial party shack. Someone has been watching the comings and goings. And he isn't friendly.
What a thrill ride! Having never read Rolfe's work before, I requested to review this book based on my deranged horror friends' reviews. As usual, they did not lead me astray!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Jesse, Davey and Luke go wandering into the woods "chasing ghosts." They wander to the former residence of Zachariah Cobb. The Cobbs were a bunch of incestuous rednecks, allegedly practicing cannibalism in the woods. Fortunately, they moved on years ago...right? Two weeks later, and the boys still haven't come home from their jaunt into the forest. As for Jesse and Davey, they are never coming home. And as for Luke, well, sometimes you're better off dead.
Not too far from the Cobb shack, lies the Marston cabin - a perennial party shack. Someone has been watching the comings and goings. And he isn't friendly.
What a thrill ride! Having never read Rolfe's work before, I requested to review this book based on my deranged horror friends' reviews. As usual, they did not lead me astray!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
June 11, 2017
In this lean novel, Glenn Rolfe channels his inner Laymon and Ketchum, and while this story could've been fleshed out more, it propels along at a tension-filled, breakneck pace. And he pulls no punches.
A grieving father and unfaithful husband searches for his missing son. A punk band arrives at a cabin in the woods to play at a wild party. The town police chief knows about the stories surrounding an inbred and crazy family who dwells deep in the Maine woods just might be true...
Brutal and unrelenting, this novella grabs you by the throat and doesn't let go.
Highly recommended for fans of hardcore horror!
A grieving father and unfaithful husband searches for his missing son. A punk band arrives at a cabin in the woods to play at a wild party. The town police chief knows about the stories surrounding an inbred and crazy family who dwells deep in the Maine woods just might be true...
Brutal and unrelenting, this novella grabs you by the throat and doesn't let go.
Highly recommended for fans of hardcore horror!
August 17, 2016
A great story
Chasing Ghosts is a fast paced horror tale that was a joy to read. From the first page to the last this story moves at a quick pace. I read through this very quickly and was totally hooked throughout. I felt this could have been a novel if it included some focus on the characters backstory but I really loved it in the novella format. Sometimes it is fun just to let the plot and action carry you along. There is a good amount of violence but I always felt it fit the story and was never put in for no reason. The "bad guys" are a type I have read before but I could see definite tips of the hat to Jack Ketchum and Richard Laymon and it always seemed that the author was honoring their work. Overall this story was much fun to read and I highly recommend it.
Chasing Ghosts is a fast paced horror tale that was a joy to read. From the first page to the last this story moves at a quick pace. I read through this very quickly and was totally hooked throughout. I felt this could have been a novel if it included some focus on the characters backstory but I really loved it in the novella format. Sometimes it is fun just to let the plot and action carry you along. There is a good amount of violence but I always felt it fit the story and was never put in for no reason. The "bad guys" are a type I have read before but I could see definite tips of the hat to Jack Ketchum and Richard Laymon and it always seemed that the author was honoring their work. Overall this story was much fun to read and I highly recommend it.
September 19, 2016
"This is also not the way I imagined Glenn Rolfe to continue writing. His books are scary and have plenty of blood and guts in them but at the same time are written in almost a wholesome kind of fashion. Yes, it’s horror but horror you could let your mum read. Chasing Ghosts is one you could really only let her read parts of."
See here for the full review:
Chasing Ghosts
See here for the full review:
Chasing Ghosts
May 6, 2018
If you are into slasher in the woods type horror this one's for you.
There's another party at the Marston cabin in the woods tonight. Everyone is welcome, but be warned, all this loud music and activity has attracted the attention of someone else hiding in the woods. Someone who likes to party in a much deadlier way. This was a quick read and the action starts nearly immediately.
I received an advance copy for review.
There's another party at the Marston cabin in the woods tonight. Everyone is welcome, but be warned, all this loud music and activity has attracted the attention of someone else hiding in the woods. Someone who likes to party in a much deadlier way. This was a quick read and the action starts nearly immediately.
I received an advance copy for review.
September 14, 2016
Jesse and Davey, invited Luke, the new kid in town, to take part in their game of Chasing Ghosts. On a dare the boys ride their bikes out to the old Cobb place. The Cobb's were a bunch of backwards people with strange habits. The locals thought that most of the Cobb's had relocated about twenty years ago but they were dead wrong. Jesse had to prove to his friends, that there was no one in the old shack. Jesse entered through the window and heard something inside. Jesse, turned his back towards the house and Luke froze, when he saw a piece of copper pipe sticking out of Jesse back. Luke tried to keep Davey from going after his best friend but could not. Davey would not make it out of the house alive. Down the road a bit, at the Marston place, a wild party is going on. A rock band was hired to play at this blowout. Before the night is over, much blood will be spilled and many people will die. Chasing Ghosts, is a gory, horrific tale, that leaves you stranded in the woods, with no place to turn. This is the first book that I have read by Glenn Rolfe but it will not be the last. I highly recommend this book.
January 7, 2018
3.5 stars...Another meh, so-so book for me tonight. Hopefully my next pick will be the "one."
April 20, 2021
Another great story from Glenn Rolfe. He writes the coolest characters, and he’s not afraid to kill them.
May 17, 2017
This is the kind of story where you have to stop & catch your breath every once in a while (and in my case, say "Damn!!!").
If you want to be scared, truly horrified, I highly recommend that you grab "Chasing Ghosts" by Glenn Rolfe. When it comes to spooky, creepy, haunted types of stories, the word horrific is often thrown around. However, I assure you-I was truly HORRIFIED multiple times while reading 'Chasing Ghosts'. Rolfe's writing has a way of making one feel as if they are there- in the story, watching the events of the evening unfold-going from bad to the stuff that nightmares are made of.
You know how it's said that some extreme things, once we look at them (even for a second) can never be unseen? The same can be said about 'Chasing Ghosts'. With Rolfe's unique way of writing, he was able to paint images in my mind...things that scared the shit out of me!...things that I will never "un-see". This is work that is both rare and noteworthy. 'Chasing Ghosts' earns every star given.
It's tough to talk about this story w/o giving anything away. To deprive other readers of any shocking surprises would be unfair. I will say that Rolfe grabs your attention from the start & continuously demands it throughout the story until you find yourself on the last page before you know it. Speaking of last pages, the ending could not have been better. Very unpredictable, much like the entire story.
A haunted forest where unbeknownst to the characters-the monsters are still actively as blood thirsty as ever. Yikes! Here we have a few kids daring one another to go near a dead man's condemned place in the woods, a punk band from the city who each get to know these haunted backwoods all too intimately, some emotional pain from fresh loss, a bit of adultery & of course the psychotic inbred salvages that get their kicks by doing unthinkable things to their prey. Rolfe takes all of this & wraps it into a petrifying bloody bow. Rolfe holds nothing back & describes things just as they are which makes the tale very real. I now know that I'm never going to feel quite the same about camping at night ever again.
That's a hell of a talent, to be able to forever change your reader. I'll definitely be devouring much more work by Glenn Rolfe.
If you want to be scared, truly horrified, I highly recommend that you grab "Chasing Ghosts" by Glenn Rolfe. When it comes to spooky, creepy, haunted types of stories, the word horrific is often thrown around. However, I assure you-I was truly HORRIFIED multiple times while reading 'Chasing Ghosts'. Rolfe's writing has a way of making one feel as if they are there- in the story, watching the events of the evening unfold-going from bad to the stuff that nightmares are made of.
You know how it's said that some extreme things, once we look at them (even for a second) can never be unseen? The same can be said about 'Chasing Ghosts'. With Rolfe's unique way of writing, he was able to paint images in my mind...things that scared the shit out of me!...things that I will never "un-see". This is work that is both rare and noteworthy. 'Chasing Ghosts' earns every star given.
It's tough to talk about this story w/o giving anything away. To deprive other readers of any shocking surprises would be unfair. I will say that Rolfe grabs your attention from the start & continuously demands it throughout the story until you find yourself on the last page before you know it. Speaking of last pages, the ending could not have been better. Very unpredictable, much like the entire story.
A haunted forest where unbeknownst to the characters-the monsters are still actively as blood thirsty as ever. Yikes! Here we have a few kids daring one another to go near a dead man's condemned place in the woods, a punk band from the city who each get to know these haunted backwoods all too intimately, some emotional pain from fresh loss, a bit of adultery & of course the psychotic inbred salvages that get their kicks by doing unthinkable things to their prey. Rolfe takes all of this & wraps it into a petrifying bloody bow. Rolfe holds nothing back & describes things just as they are which makes the tale very real. I now know that I'm never going to feel quite the same about camping at night ever again.
That's a hell of a talent, to be able to forever change your reader. I'll definitely be devouring much more work by Glenn Rolfe.
July 18, 2018
When it comes to novellas by Glenn Rolfe, I expect a sense of urgency. That's probably because the first thing I read by him was Becoming, which if you've read my review, you'll know I enjoyed it immensely. In that regard, Chasing Ghosts does not disappoint. Brimming with non-stop action, this short book is akin to settling into your chair for a good slasher flick.
Chasing Ghosts doesn't really bring anything new to the table, which means Rolfe has one hell of a challenge if he's trying to make it stand out. If you've ever seen The Hills Have Eyes, that's what this book reminds me of--though the setting and cast are a bit different, what with your inbred hillbillies and woods versus mutant savages and desert. Fortunately, Rolfe's prose alone is enough to guide the story forward, and I actually devoured this in one sitting.
The novella does fall victim to the same cons most short books do, though. Because of its length, there isn't really any time to grow attached to any of the characters. We know enough about them to recognize them as human, but that's about it. I would personally love to see this as a more in-depth, full-length novel where attachment to the ill-fated players is more likely.
Once again, Glenn Rolfe has sated my desire for gore and bloodshed, further solidifying his place among my list of must-read authors. In fact, I eagerly await the opportunity to read more of his books.
I received a free copy of this book for the purpose of review from NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed above are my own, without bias.
Chasing Ghosts doesn't really bring anything new to the table, which means Rolfe has one hell of a challenge if he's trying to make it stand out. If you've ever seen The Hills Have Eyes, that's what this book reminds me of--though the setting and cast are a bit different, what with your inbred hillbillies and woods versus mutant savages and desert. Fortunately, Rolfe's prose alone is enough to guide the story forward, and I actually devoured this in one sitting.
The novella does fall victim to the same cons most short books do, though. Because of its length, there isn't really any time to grow attached to any of the characters. We know enough about them to recognize them as human, but that's about it. I would personally love to see this as a more in-depth, full-length novel where attachment to the ill-fated players is more likely.
Once again, Glenn Rolfe has sated my desire for gore and bloodshed, further solidifying his place among my list of must-read authors. In fact, I eagerly await the opportunity to read more of his books.
I received a free copy of this book for the purpose of review from NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed above are my own, without bias.
August 5, 2016
When I stop and think that a year ago I had only seen Glenn Rolfe’s name on a couple of books on the Samhain Horror website, I wish I’d taken a chance sooner. Now that I’ve managed to dig into his works, he’s rapidly becoming one of my favorites among the new generation of horror authors. His latest release from Sinister Grin Press, Chasing Ghosts, only helps cement that into place.
I knew I wanted to see what it was all about the second I saw that cover: it manages to be haunting without giving anything away for the plot, leaving the story as a blissful surprise.
Okay, so blissful is probably a bad word choice. Chasing Ghosts is a blistering, mile-a-minute ride into fear, desperation, and depravity. Three boys out snooping in abandoned houses; a cheating husband and his devastated wife mourning the disappearance of their child; the husband’s mistress and the couple’s best friend; and a rock band playing a strange gig in a cabin in the woods. These are the major players here, and as their paths begin to collide, they all learn there’s someone else out there, maybe several someones, folks who the town thought had vanished years ago.
I love the way Rolfe writes about small towns and the people who live in them. It keeps the story cozy and contained, and gives the reader a chance to really build up affection for the folks they’re reading about, even when the story’s not that long. And the people he has living and visiting in this town? Don't even think they're cookie-cutter. Every character on the pages is flawed in some way, just like us, all of them trying to make their way through life as best they can, even before they're thrust into the madness that ensues over the course of the tale. These are folks you could've had a beer with down at the local bar, or seen on the stage there, or - if you're not old enough to be going to bars - could've gone to school with. All of them immediately come to life in your mind, which makes the horrors they encounter all the more heart-wrenching as well.
The villains, the notorious Cobb family, are suitably creepy, with a definite throwback to the near-primitive maniacs found in Richard Laymon’s mountain novels or Jack Ketchum’s cannibalistic ones. Rolfe mentions both in his dedication for Chasing Ghosts, and once you read the sequences with these guys, you’ll feel that dedication was well-warranted.
If there’s a complaint to be had here, it’s that we don’t get enough about those villains. You can see the hints of backstory there, but we're only granted small doses of them and still know next to nothing about them when the story reaches its end. I would have loved to see this be maybe fifty more pages dealing with the monsters, their history and sick motivations. That being said, if those extra pages were there, it would slow the pace considerably, taking away the “pedal to the floor” feel that keeps you turning the pages until there’s no more to turn, so I can respect the balancing act that went into giving us what we needed about them, and keeping the story moving.
Overall, Chasing Ghosts was a fun way to kill a couple of hours, and the hints at a possible prequel (and sequel, maybe?) made me anxious to see what else Glenn has in store for this already troubled little town. Definitely pick up a copy and see for yourself; I promise you won’t be disappointed.
I knew I wanted to see what it was all about the second I saw that cover: it manages to be haunting without giving anything away for the plot, leaving the story as a blissful surprise.
Okay, so blissful is probably a bad word choice. Chasing Ghosts is a blistering, mile-a-minute ride into fear, desperation, and depravity. Three boys out snooping in abandoned houses; a cheating husband and his devastated wife mourning the disappearance of their child; the husband’s mistress and the couple’s best friend; and a rock band playing a strange gig in a cabin in the woods. These are the major players here, and as their paths begin to collide, they all learn there’s someone else out there, maybe several someones, folks who the town thought had vanished years ago.
I love the way Rolfe writes about small towns and the people who live in them. It keeps the story cozy and contained, and gives the reader a chance to really build up affection for the folks they’re reading about, even when the story’s not that long. And the people he has living and visiting in this town? Don't even think they're cookie-cutter. Every character on the pages is flawed in some way, just like us, all of them trying to make their way through life as best they can, even before they're thrust into the madness that ensues over the course of the tale. These are folks you could've had a beer with down at the local bar, or seen on the stage there, or - if you're not old enough to be going to bars - could've gone to school with. All of them immediately come to life in your mind, which makes the horrors they encounter all the more heart-wrenching as well.
The villains, the notorious Cobb family, are suitably creepy, with a definite throwback to the near-primitive maniacs found in Richard Laymon’s mountain novels or Jack Ketchum’s cannibalistic ones. Rolfe mentions both in his dedication for Chasing Ghosts, and once you read the sequences with these guys, you’ll feel that dedication was well-warranted.
If there’s a complaint to be had here, it’s that we don’t get enough about those villains. You can see the hints of backstory there, but we're only granted small doses of them and still know next to nothing about them when the story reaches its end. I would have loved to see this be maybe fifty more pages dealing with the monsters, their history and sick motivations. That being said, if those extra pages were there, it would slow the pace considerably, taking away the “pedal to the floor” feel that keeps you turning the pages until there’s no more to turn, so I can respect the balancing act that went into giving us what we needed about them, and keeping the story moving.
Overall, Chasing Ghosts was a fun way to kill a couple of hours, and the hints at a possible prequel (and sequel, maybe?) made me anxious to see what else Glenn has in store for this already troubled little town. Definitely pick up a copy and see for yourself; I promise you won’t be disappointed.
April 18, 2023
Recently, Glenn Rolfe announced a new novella coming in the Summer of 2023 – called Are We Out of the Woods? I preordered it, because I’m a huge fan of Glenn’s work, but only after preordering it did I see that it said The Cobbs Book 2. I was perplexed. Book 2? Had I missed Book 1? Looking into it, I saw that the first was titled ‘Chasing Ghosts’ AND it had been languishing somewhere on my Kindle since early 2018 when I’d purchased it. Knowing that a sequel was arriving soon, I dove into this, expecting a brutally snappy novella and boy was it ever.
What I liked: To be frank, the characters in this are purely there to head to the woods near the Cobbs cabin and be slaughtered. I could probably just leave this section with that one sentence and people would be racing to read it. This, of course, being a Glenn Rolfe story, has more to it than that, but that is the entire basis of the novella and I suspect the sequel will follow along with the events at the ending – at least I hope so.
After a couple of kids go missing, one being Jesse, his parents world falls apart and issues arise. Tie in a band going to play in a cabin in the woods and a deranged killer wanting to slash and stab any people who disturb his area of the woods and you have a recipe for classic Splatterpunk tale. Glenn holds nothing back and no character is safe.
The ending is a culmination of residents and cops trying to survive while they continue to deal with this figure who won’t die, no matter the damage they give it. This one reads like Rolfe was having a ton of fun while writing it and it really makes me eager for the second novella.
What I didn’t like: The reality is, we don’t get that much character depth so it was hard to connect with a few of them, and when they get ripped to shreds, that does lose some of the emotional impact that otherwise would’ve been there.
Why you should buy this: Splatterpunk fans with love this short, snappy single sitting read. It rips along, we get a ton of carnage and gore and we get the stage nicely set for what’s to come. Another great read from Rolfe who goes from strength to strength with every release.
What I liked: To be frank, the characters in this are purely there to head to the woods near the Cobbs cabin and be slaughtered. I could probably just leave this section with that one sentence and people would be racing to read it. This, of course, being a Glenn Rolfe story, has more to it than that, but that is the entire basis of the novella and I suspect the sequel will follow along with the events at the ending – at least I hope so.
After a couple of kids go missing, one being Jesse, his parents world falls apart and issues arise. Tie in a band going to play in a cabin in the woods and a deranged killer wanting to slash and stab any people who disturb his area of the woods and you have a recipe for classic Splatterpunk tale. Glenn holds nothing back and no character is safe.
The ending is a culmination of residents and cops trying to survive while they continue to deal with this figure who won’t die, no matter the damage they give it. This one reads like Rolfe was having a ton of fun while writing it and it really makes me eager for the second novella.
What I didn’t like: The reality is, we don’t get that much character depth so it was hard to connect with a few of them, and when they get ripped to shreds, that does lose some of the emotional impact that otherwise would’ve been there.
Why you should buy this: Splatterpunk fans with love this short, snappy single sitting read. It rips along, we get a ton of carnage and gore and we get the stage nicely set for what’s to come. Another great read from Rolfe who goes from strength to strength with every release.
September 16, 2016
Living in Naples, Maine meant that you heard the stories of inbred Cobb family living in the woods. When one of the Cobb family who’s shack was nearer to town, Jesse invites his best friend Davey, and new boy in town Luke, to go “chasing ghosts”. When Jesse and his friends start messing around at the Cobb shack,they would have never guessed the devastation their teenage taunting will create.
A travelling punk band have a gig at a cabin in the woods. Pulling up the van when arriving at their destination, Luke and his band mates enter a party at full swing. Joining the party spirit, everything is going great until the lead singer wanders off. Getting to the time the band should play, the rest if the band start searching the woods, but what they found is not what they are looking for.
There are a lot of books and films about scary, backwards people living in the woods. As a subject matter its not the most original. The problem with reading a story like Chasing Ghosts is that it all feels so familiar, giving me a feeling like déjà vu. I’m not in anyway saying that the book is a copy of others with the same subject matter, it’s certainly not, The author, Glenn Rolfe had managed to put his own interesting spin on it.
As a book, Chasing Ghosts is well written. I like Rolfe’s style. This alone will be making me pick up some more of his writing at a later date. I’d like to see how well Rolfe writes when he is looking at a different subject matter. Chasing Ghosts moves fast, mean that it was a quick and enjoyable read. I’ll give Chasing Ghosts a solid 3 stars.
****Disclaimer – I purchased Chasing Ghosts. This is my honest review and all opinions in this review are my own***
A travelling punk band have a gig at a cabin in the woods. Pulling up the van when arriving at their destination, Luke and his band mates enter a party at full swing. Joining the party spirit, everything is going great until the lead singer wanders off. Getting to the time the band should play, the rest if the band start searching the woods, but what they found is not what they are looking for.
There are a lot of books and films about scary, backwards people living in the woods. As a subject matter its not the most original. The problem with reading a story like Chasing Ghosts is that it all feels so familiar, giving me a feeling like déjà vu. I’m not in anyway saying that the book is a copy of others with the same subject matter, it’s certainly not, The author, Glenn Rolfe had managed to put his own interesting spin on it.
As a book, Chasing Ghosts is well written. I like Rolfe’s style. This alone will be making me pick up some more of his writing at a later date. I’d like to see how well Rolfe writes when he is looking at a different subject matter. Chasing Ghosts moves fast, mean that it was a quick and enjoyable read. I’ll give Chasing Ghosts a solid 3 stars.
****Disclaimer – I purchased Chasing Ghosts. This is my honest review and all opinions in this review are my own***
May 2, 2019
I have said it before and I will say it again... Glenn Rolfe is one of those authors who never disappoints me. I always know when I pick up one of his books that it will be a good tale. Chasing Ghosts is no different.
A group of kids invite the new boy in town for a fun romp in the woods called, "chasing ghosts". There are legends about the infamous Cobb family. At the same time, there is a party at a rented cabin complete with a punk band. Then people start disappearing one by one...
I love the style of writing and Glenn Rolfe's ability to make you care about the characters.
A group of kids invite the new boy in town for a fun romp in the woods called, "chasing ghosts". There are legends about the infamous Cobb family. At the same time, there is a party at a rented cabin complete with a punk band. Then people start disappearing one by one...
I love the style of writing and Glenn Rolfe's ability to make you care about the characters.
August 24, 2016
Glenn Rolfe does it again
This was a gory, intense ,fast paced wonder of a book. Cannibals,ghosts of a sort, and not a happy ending. I loved it
This was a gory, intense ,fast paced wonder of a book. Cannibals,ghosts of a sort, and not a happy ending. I loved it
October 12, 2016
Gore galore! You can read my full review here... https://horrornovelreviews.com/2016/1...
July 11, 2017
Full review posted soon
May 2, 2018
Rolfe’s novella, Chasing Ghosts runs at a very fast pace. Although his plot is works and it is a very interesting quick read, there are some limitations to his writing style that brings this off like a young adult fiction.
His overall narrative is well put to good use and he hits all the right marks. Unfortunately, his dialogue does need some work and there seems to be some difficulty to ensure this is realistic and flows. He uses a lot of he said and she said and he said moments that come across as a bit of a first time writer.
Overlooking this, I can say that he is very strong in his descriptive text and he really knows how to formulate an interesting plot that pulls the reader in. The book does have graphic moments but this is true context of the overall arc of the novella.
If you are looking for a horror dark fiction novella that has a strong and interesting plot, then you really can not go wrong with Chasing Ghosts though you may have to overlook a couple of dialogue flaws.
His overall narrative is well put to good use and he hits all the right marks. Unfortunately, his dialogue does need some work and there seems to be some difficulty to ensure this is realistic and flows. He uses a lot of he said and she said and he said moments that come across as a bit of a first time writer.
Overlooking this, I can say that he is very strong in his descriptive text and he really knows how to formulate an interesting plot that pulls the reader in. The book does have graphic moments but this is true context of the overall arc of the novella.
If you are looking for a horror dark fiction novella that has a strong and interesting plot, then you really can not go wrong with Chasing Ghosts though you may have to overlook a couple of dialogue flaws.
November 4, 2016
Any opportunity to get caught up, to get Rolfed, by new Glenn Rolfe fiction is a cause for celebration. All reader bias front and center, stand at attention, Glenn has quickly become one of my favorite authors in the current dark fiction scene. His work taps into everything I love about horror. Not just the splatter and gore, not only chills & thrills, but also the giddy anticipation of being trapped in the spectacle of shadows. It channels everything that captured me as a young lad, as I was cutting my teeth in the genre.
In swaggers Chasing Ghosts, 6’8″ and looking to kill. It is a deceptively titled quick read and Mr. Rolfe’s first release with Sinister Grin Press, a great pairing, if I may say so. The first of many, one can hope.
Chasing Ghosts is a vicious backwoods romp that gives you nary a moment to collect your bearings. The narrative escalates quickly, savagely, maintaining the amped-up speed through to the finale. It’s a blast of a read, especially if you’re a root-for-the-antagonist type of fan.
True to Glenn Rolfe from, Chasing Ghosts is populated with a great cast of entertaining characters, it’s a bit unfortunate that most don’t get to hang out longer, giving us readers more time to form of a connection. But that’s how it goes sometimes. Safety is fleeting at the best of times, an illusion at the worst. And here no one is safe.
Which will be apparent early on. The violence is robust and gnarly, just what I needed to quench my bloodlust.
So if you find yourself craving a bit of moonshine tinged revenge, take Chasing Ghosts for a spin, I think you’ll dig it.
Overall score: 4.5/ 5
Zakk is a big dumb animal!
https://zdubbzattmom.wordpress.com/
**Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author and/ or publisher and I am reviewing it voluntarily. These are my honest, unbiased feelings. I did not receive any sort of compensation.
In swaggers Chasing Ghosts, 6’8″ and looking to kill. It is a deceptively titled quick read and Mr. Rolfe’s first release with Sinister Grin Press, a great pairing, if I may say so. The first of many, one can hope.
Chasing Ghosts is a vicious backwoods romp that gives you nary a moment to collect your bearings. The narrative escalates quickly, savagely, maintaining the amped-up speed through to the finale. It’s a blast of a read, especially if you’re a root-for-the-antagonist type of fan.
True to Glenn Rolfe from, Chasing Ghosts is populated with a great cast of entertaining characters, it’s a bit unfortunate that most don’t get to hang out longer, giving us readers more time to form of a connection. But that’s how it goes sometimes. Safety is fleeting at the best of times, an illusion at the worst. And here no one is safe.
Which will be apparent early on. The violence is robust and gnarly, just what I needed to quench my bloodlust.
So if you find yourself craving a bit of moonshine tinged revenge, take Chasing Ghosts for a spin, I think you’ll dig it.
Overall score: 4.5/ 5
Zakk is a big dumb animal!
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**Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author and/ or publisher and I am reviewing it voluntarily. These are my honest, unbiased feelings. I did not receive any sort of compensation.
March 6, 2017
Really friggin brutal.
That's a compliment by the way.
Glenn Rolfe dedicated this book to Richard Laymon, Jack Ketchum, Brian Keene and Johnathan Janz. Aside from the fact all are superb horror novelists, they also have something else in common in that they've been known to go for the jugular. In other words once they get their teeth in you, they don't let up. Ed Lee, another great horror writer comes to mind as well. And Glenn Rolfe, without a doubt, belongs amongst these names.
While there are allusions to Ketchum's 'Offspring' and 'Off Season', Chasing Ghosts, in my honest opinion, could be mistaken for a lost Laymon story.
I don't like revealing too much of the story, but let's just say the bad guys are really bad guys and unlike a lot of stories, not everyone you expect to make it does indeed make it.
If you enjoy movies like Wrong Turn or The Hills Have Eyes, or you enjoy any of the aforementioned authors, you will be very pleased with Glenn Rolfe's 'Chasing Ghosts'.
That's a compliment by the way.
Glenn Rolfe dedicated this book to Richard Laymon, Jack Ketchum, Brian Keene and Johnathan Janz. Aside from the fact all are superb horror novelists, they also have something else in common in that they've been known to go for the jugular. In other words once they get their teeth in you, they don't let up. Ed Lee, another great horror writer comes to mind as well. And Glenn Rolfe, without a doubt, belongs amongst these names.
While there are allusions to Ketchum's 'Offspring' and 'Off Season', Chasing Ghosts, in my honest opinion, could be mistaken for a lost Laymon story.
I don't like revealing too much of the story, but let's just say the bad guys are really bad guys and unlike a lot of stories, not everyone you expect to make it does indeed make it.
If you enjoy movies like Wrong Turn or The Hills Have Eyes, or you enjoy any of the aforementioned authors, you will be very pleased with Glenn Rolfe's 'Chasing Ghosts'.
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