Maledicus

The Investigative Paranormal Society #1

by Charles F. French

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." (Edmund Burke) What happens when three retired gentlemen have to confront an ancient demon to save a child?
Roosevelt Theodore Franklin attempts to make it through life day by day. Roosevelt, a retired history professor, is a widower, who lost his beloved wife to cancer, and he has not stopped grieving. He along with his two closest friends, also retired and who have also lost loved ones, form a paranormal investigation group. They hope to find an answer to the is there life after death?

When asked by a local teacher to investigate a possible haunting of her house, the group
discovers an evil beyond anything they could have imagined. This is no mere ghost. Maledicus, who was in life a pimp, torturer, and murderer during Caligula's reign in Rome, in death has become a sociopathic demon that attacks the weak and the innocent. Maledicus threatens a five year old child's life and soul. Terrified by what they have discovered, Roosevelt and his friends must choose to either walk away from this threat , or to do battle with this ancient creature at the potential loss of their sanities, their lives, and their souls.

300 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 5, 2016

Reviews

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

History has tons of lecherous and caustic villains. Author Charles F. French re-introduced me to one in the debut novel, Maledicus: The Investigative Paranormal Society Book I, in his series 'The Investigative Paranormal Society.' Long ago under Roman Emperor Caligula served a man named Maledicus. Is he real or made-up? I'm not sure, but's he scary and wicked, and I don't ever want to meet him. Maledicus has tortured hundreds perhaps thousands, but when Caligula fears the man he once thought of as an ally, Maledicus is tricked into being killed. But he's so horrific, the Underworld refuses to let him truly die and instead, he haunts people for thousands of years. Through an idol of sorts, his spirit is invoked and wrecks havoc on anyone nearby. Fast forward to current day and a young girl being tortured in her dreams... it wasn't enough her entire family died under mysterious circumstances, now what's she gonna do?

French's novel is a page-turner. He doesn't just tell us the story of Maledicus. We learn the stories of several people impacted by him in the 19th and 20th centuries. We also get to know the three investigators who've formed a paranormal club near the end of their regular careers. We become invested in their characters, their pasts, and their suffering. We root for them to overcome what's holding them back... and then we just want them to survive the 're-incarnated' Maledicus. What a thriller! It's a roller coaster of crazy drama across multiple historical periods. I'm certain at times we're not really supposed to know the order in which things happened, too. But that's okay... the plot and details are just great.

French has told a new type of scary story where sometimes we think things will turn out okay, then we're slapped cold and quick. He's highly imaginative and comes up with some great tortures (without being too graphically detailed). Characters are diverse and clear. Timelines are murky but that's okay... it helps build the drama of 'wait... what's really going on here?' so we can find some of the final surprises. I'll leave it up to you to figure out what really happens in the last few chapters.

It's the first in the series... I'm looking forward to more. Kudos to the author for writing us a chilling drama worthy of a few nail-biting moments.

[Didi Oviatt · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is so much going on with this book I don't even know where to start! Maledicus isn't your typical ghost chasing story, it's much deeper and much richer than that. The group of men that are leading up the investigation are very unique. Each one bringing his own special qualities, and past to the table. Charles F. French did more than merely building his characters up with personality and an occasional insight to their past. He actually told each of their back stories in much detail. As the readers, we know everything there is to know about this team. Their loves, families, careers, hobbies, and more deeply their losses. The paranormal investigation team in this book is compiled by awesome individuals. I honestly can't even make up my mind on a favorite as its a toss up between Roosevelt and Patrick.

My favor for Roosevelt completely pools around his deceased wife Sarah. The love that they shared was one of a kind, and written very beautifully. He promised her that he would live his life and not just give up after her death. He's followed through with the promise for years, but every day its a struggle. She's always in his mind and even his dreams. Theirs is kind of a story within a story and its hauntingly beautiful! Even in death she is there for him in his darkest times.

Patrick is my favorite for different reasons. His story is unique in other ways. He had a twin who never really left him when he died. They have this very special afterlife bond and are able to communicate. When Patrick meditates in a certain way, his twin takes control of his subconscious and is able to message him physically. Patrick is out cold yet his hand is busy at work writing hand written messages to himself from his brother. I thought this was such an awesome gift to have and it really made an impact on how the story plays out. I hate spoilers and don't want to give anything away, so lets just say that Patrick and his brother are key to this particular investigation! I love what the bond of these brothers transform into, and I also love the way Charles ties in their background as soldiers at the end.

Now, as for Maledicus, the evil spirit taking control of this entire book. Just WOW!! I can't even tell you how many nightmares this demented soul has given me! He is evil in it's truest form. French couldn't have told his story better had the devil himself possessed him while writing. In ancient Rome Maledicus was a very evil man! He was the right hand to an emperor with his own agenda, and he fed off of the torture and deaths of many many people. No man, woman, or child was safe from his demented ways. In death, Maledicas was watched by demons and ultimately given a gift of collected souls to use at his will, as he himself made the transition to demon. He is transformed into a statue and sent back to the earth to continue reeking havoc and soul consumption on the human race. He does his job well... That is until he crosses paths with this certain paranormal investigative team.

Another awesome quality about this book is that it doesn't only tell about the evil in Maledicus' heart/soul, but it also tells of the horrid things he does in haunting in the statue form. Each ancient collector is plagued with horror and death. Maledicus torments each and every collector in its own way. Not only is he the root of several heinous deaths, but he consumes their souls when he's done with them.

After being passed through the hands of many, the statue of Maledicus winds up in the office of Helen. I love Helen! She's smart, classy, and loves everything antique, especially Victorian. What I love most about Helen, is the way she cares for her niece. After the loss of her sister and brother in law Helen is granted custody of their daughter Helena. It's actually the small girl who is haunted the most by Maledicus. Helen cares too much, and doesn't stand for it. She believes the child, and she can feel the fear inside. She contacts Roosevelt, Patrick, and the rest of the team. The sickness that Helena's haunting transforms into is heart wrenching.

Maledicus's spirit is so strong and so powerful, they are able to make contact with him in their very first attempt at using their equipment. After which the contact made progresses into very intense contact. Maledicus gets into their heads especially toward the end and it is a fight for each of them. The team is very professional, very brave, and very dedicated to their work, yet even they aren't prepared for just how terrible Maledicus actually is. In their defense, how can you be?

The team sets to work. They don't know about the statue at first, they only know that there is most definitely paranormal activity in this home. They can tell right off the bat how evil it truly is. It also doesn't take them long to figure out that Helen's office has something special to offer in the investigation. When Maledicus reveals his name to the men, the research really begins.

I absolutely love how layered this story is! It tales the ins and outs of every single character, offering one life's story after another. The investigation is unique and absolutely bone chilling. It actually took me a long time to read because I'd often got to frightened and would have to take breaks to do wholesome things, in order to keep my mind right. This book is unlike anything I've ever read and it scared the holy living crap out of me. It's the type of horror that I could totally see being a motion picture! Nice work Charles F. French, you're book is officially the scariest horror that I've ever read!

[K.D. Dowdall · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Review of MALEDICUS!
Maledicus is sure to be a literary horror classic. I was amazed to find that this story was not at all what I thought it would be. In this telling of good vs. evil, of bravery and self-sacrifice, we see a portrayal of the most constant of human struggles that death often defies through sheer force of will and therein lies the deeper meaning that brought this novel to life by the author, Charles F. French. Concurrently with the demonic theme is a well-thought out philosophical approach to horror, wrapped in an evocative story that will capture your fear and terrify you. This story is abundant with tantalizing details, unforgettable characters, and words that will not only touch your heart and mind, but also take your breath away. It is a completely riveting story with suspense, mystery, horror, bravery, and a great love that transcends time. You will not be able to forget this one. It will haunt you. And, when you read it, you will know why.

K. D. Dowdall

[Elizabeth Gauffreau · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charles F. French’s debut novel, Maledicus, is the first in The Investigative Paranormal Society series. The Society is comprised of three long-time friends, who couldn’t be more different from one another: Sam, a retired police officer, Jeremy, a retired antiques dealer, and Roosevelt, a retired history professor. Their common bond is a compelling interest in life after death. Each man has lost a loved one before his or her time, so their interest in the paranormal is not idle or academic curiosity. The stakes are high, and they’re very personal.

Before we meet Sam, Jeremy, and Roosevelt, the novel opens in ancient Rome with the introduction of one Lucius Antony Caius, a trusted advisor and procuror for the Emperor Caligula. For his own treachery, debauchery, and torture of innocents, he is known as Maledicus. He will become the evil entity with whom the Investigative Paranormal Society must do battle. And an evil one he is!

My favorite parts of the novel were the scenes set in ancient Rome with Maledicus. Anyone who thinks he could be a match for the evil (and insane) Emperor Caligula immediately has my attention. In addition, these scenes were well-researched and executed (pardon the pun).

I was surprised that Caligula dispatched Maledicus so quickly–although I probably shouldn’t have been, given Caligula’s reputation. However, I would like to have spent a bit more time with Maledicus in his earthly incarnation before he was sent howling into the netherworld.

The Investigative Paranormal Society are brought in when Maledicus sets his sights on the five-year-old niece of a local teacher. He proves an intractable enemy for Sam, Jeremy, and Roosevelt, as well as the people they enlist in their fight. In fact, there were several times I was genuinely shocked by what Maledicus did, which for me was one of the biggest strengths of the novel. Although shocking, the horror was not gratuitous or stomach-churning.

I would recommend Maledicus to readers who enjoy horror, the paranormal, and the question of the difference between an evil person and an evil spirit–which I found a fascinating one as I read the novel. If a person can be truly evil, how can this evil outlive its corporeal existence?

[Robbie Cheadle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maledicus is the right hand man to Caligula, Emperor of the Roman Empire, and they are equally despicable, inhumane and outright evil. Maledicus has plans, great plans, whereby he will ascend to the top position of Emperor but he underestimates the incumbent, Caligula, and his many eyes and ears. Maledicus never achieves his aspirations and is dispatched to the afterlife in an unpleasant and painful way.

In the non world between Heaven and Hell, Maledicus lurks. He is not reconciled to his unnatural death and believes his chance to aspire to greatness will come. He sets about manipulating events and circumstances to achieve his ultimate goals of greatness.

Meanwhile, time has moved on and in the 21st century, three elderly and retired men, Roosevelt, Sam and Jeremy, have formed a ghost-investigating group, with the occasional help and support from Roosevelt's nephew, ex-US Marine, Patrick. They have all suffered personal losses and this is a great way for them to keep themselves mental and physically active and to indulge in an interest in ghosts and the supernatural. When their Investigative Paranormal Society ("IPS") gets its first really legitimate case, they find themselves up against an on-going evil that refuses to die. Can the IPS go up against an ancient and expanding evil and expect anything other than untimely deaths?

I enjoyed the characters of Roosevelt, Sam, Jeremy and Patrick and learning about their individual losses and life experiences, all of which weave together into the fabric of this well planned story.

The idea behind this book is fresh and clever and the ending was superb. I was really impressed by the author's unique and thrilling ending.

[Steve Wiggins · Rating 2 out of 5]

Writers come from all kinds of places. It seems a rite of passage that most have to go to or through New York City to get anywhere. So when the Modern Mrs. Darcy’s reading challenged listed a book by a local author I decided to look to eastern Pennsylvania, outside Philadelphia. In fact, a local author wrote the wonderful novel Night of the Animals, which I read a few years back. I decided to try something I picked up in an independent bookstore, since I feel morally obligated to support them. That was Maledicus by Charles F. French.

I wrote about the military side of this novel elsewhere (Sects and Violence in the Ancient World), so here I’ll focus a bit more on the story. This is the tale of three old friends in a small town in eastern Pennsylvania. Two of them met in the Marines in Vietnam. Now retired, they have formed the Investigative Paranormal Society. Following the lead of reality television ghost chasers, they set up devices in houses thought haunted and try to help families in need. Like TV ghost hunters sometimes do, they run into a demon. Said demon is Maledicus, and he’s a particularly nasty one.

While the story is interesting, the characters didn’t feel completely developed to me. It was like in Ghostbusters 2 when suddenly characters who’d shown up for laughs in the first movie attempted to exude emotional depth. It’s hard to make that kind of shift. As a writer I find delving into the minds of others one of the most difficult aspects of the craft. You can guess what others are thinking, but they do end up thinking like me. World beware! There are many demon-busting novels on the market these days, and it has caught on locally, it seems. We can only hope that there are some good spirits out there to balance the evil ones.

[Kate M. Colby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maledicus: The Investigative Paranormal Society Book I by Charles F. French is a horror novel that mixes elements of paranormal suspense with historical fiction. In the relatively sleepy town of Bethberg, Pennsylvania, the Investigative Paranormal Society (IPS) team (Roosevelt, Sam, and Jeremy) search out strange happenings, then debunk them or dispel disgruntled spirits, as appropriate.

In the series’ debut novel, the IPS faces off against its toughest opponent yet: a demon named Maledicus. Once a proud (and depraved) Roman citizen, Maledicus now delights in bringing terror to the living. When Maledicus targets a young girl and her aunt, the IPS must stop him before he can devour their souls.

Before I dive into my review, I want to add two quick disclaimers. First, as always, I’ll be keeping the content details vague to avoid any spoilers. Second, I’m inclined to note that I received an advance copy of this novel. Therefore, it might have gone through further revision before publication (thus rendering some of my comments moot).

One of my most important concerns for paranormal novels is whether the story follows “the rules of its world.” Maledicus does exactly that. The paranormal content is believable within the story and “the rules” remain consistent throughout. French uses vivid language to bring the paranormal activity and demon Maledicus to life, which makes the scary moments all the more chilling for the reader. Without spoiling anything, the plot follows a clear trajectory, contains a great balance of action and quiet suspense, and reaches a satisfying conclusion.

Though the plot itself remains rather linear, the narrative structure of Maledicus jumps back and forth between different times, locations, and character perspectives. At first, I found this a bit odd to read. Like many classic novels, the narrative often reads more like the author is telling a story, rather than the reader is in the moment with the characters. However, once I adjusted to this style, it did flow rather well.

French offers the readers chapter flashbacks into the human life of the demon Maledicus (which makes him all the more despicable), as well as mini flashbacks within scenes that feature the IPS team. These are clearly given to add depth to the characters and succeed in that goal. However, personally, I would have preferred for the scenes featuring the IPS team members to stay in the present day, with hints at backstory peppered throughout. Of course, this might have just been my impatience to see if/how the evil Maledicus would be defeated!

As for the characters themselves, I found them to be well-rounded and distinct personalities. In particular, appreciated that they are mostly middle-aged to elderly, as I believe literature needs more diverse/fewer stereotypical representations of “older” characters. Roosevelt is the classic gentlemen, while Sam feels every bit the ex-cop (and jokester), and Jeremy perfectly fits his role as the more introverted one of the group. The main side characters are equally well-developed and compelling – I especially liked Helen’s passion for learning, dedication to her family/students, and unwavering bravery.

My only criticisms with the characters are that sometimes the dialogue came off a bit stiff and that I felt they were over-described. Many physical and emotional details were repeated multiple times, and while that is always a writing no-no, it was superfluous with such distinct characters.

Overall, I enjoyed reading Maledicus: The Investigative Paranormal Society Book I. Horror in plot, paranormal/historical in details, and literary in narrative style, it’s a well-crafted debut novel with compelling characters and a nice balance of action and quiet suspense. Recommended for readers who like ghost stories, history, and cozy mystery.

[Maryann Pasda DiEdwardo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exciting Read!

The book is extremely fun to read. The structure designs timelines that are easy to follow with interesting historical references. I love the way we learn about the central evil character to compare him to the good characters who drive the story with understanding of the way humans grieve. We are certainly so lucky to have a writer such as Charles French to enlighten us and entertain as well.

[P.J. Lazos · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun and quirky twist on the regular ghost chaser stories. I could have used more character development -- while Roosevelt was the most fleshed out of the three IPS members, the other two were a bit flat for me. Also, a little more show and a little less tell would have improved the cadence of the story. Stopping to narrate at the point of a reveal slows down the action too much. Overall strong premise that could have used some polishing.

[Kathi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly recommend this book! The author first grabs your attention with his use of local settings and then pulls you in with the wonderful characters. You are kept riveted as the story unfolds and the 'good guys' try to defeat the evil being that is terrorizing a woman and child. A difficult book to put down!!

[D. Peach · Rating 4 out of 5]

This isn’t a typical horror novel that unfolds at breakneck speed, full of suspense, action, and gore. To the contrary, the story is character-driven, and the pace is thoughtful and slow as the author takes the time to dive deeply into each character and his backstory.

The novel is told from an omniscient point of view, frequently visiting the thoughts and histories of minor players as well as the six main characters. The first chapter is expository, introducing the reader to Maledicus, a particularly depraved Roman in the employ of the mad emperor Caligula. Though Maledicus is revisited at intervals throughout the book, the modern-day chapters include more interaction and dialog and are more engaging.

The story focuses on three older men who investigate paranormal activity, their friends, and the woman and child who are under attack from the demon Maledicus. There is significant backstory, and though most of it contributes to the final conclusion, there is a bit of redundancy and some lengthy tangents. For me, the weighty character development overshadowed the horror elements. That’s fine, but not what I expected.

Descriptions are well done, and I had a good sense of visuals – action, settings, and characters. The dialog felt natural to me, and the meticulous attention given to the characters made them thoroughly believable. Recommended for fans of character-driven novels who enjoy a touch of horror and suspense.

[abby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maledicus is more than just "a ghost story." It is a tale of love (of oneself, of friends, between soulmates, and parents to children), bravery, and, of course, good emerging triumphant over evil.

The ending had a similar pace to Stoker's Dracula, and I couldn't put it down during the last third! 10/10 would recommend.

[Suzann Gemelos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intense Ending definitely recommend

Loved this book. It moved a bit slow at the beginning but it led up to one hell of an ending. I truly enjoyed it. The character development was on point and the plot kept me interested the whole way through. Definitely recommend.

[Pamela Morris · Rating 2 out of 5]

Roosevelt, Sam, and Jeremy are retired men living in a small town in eastern Pennsylvania. Each has suffered the tragic and overwhelming loss of a loved one. Together they have formed The Investigative Paranormal Society. The group is called to investigate the home of a local school teacher whose young niece is being frightened by a something in the house. Little do they know this no ordinary haunting, but one powered by a pure, unapologetic evil straight from the depth of Hell known as Maledicus.

I really like the author’s idea of using men of retirement age as his investigative team. I envisioned old wise men, the voices of reason and wisdom, and it seemed they would be a welcome change from the ghost taunting, over-dramatic, everything-bad-is-demonic, youngsters we see on all those ghost hunting shows.

What I got was a rather dry and somewhat academic-tainted story being told to me without a whole lot of emotion. The chapters devoted to the creation and back story of the title character were pretty interesting, but I found it next to impossible to envision or invest anything into what was going on with any of the other characters.

The dialogue doesn’t feel natural. Unnecessary exposition told me things I didn’t need to know nor did I care about it or I was told the same thing numerous times. On meeting the school teacher and her niece, I wanted to see and feel their bond, not just be told about it. Show them doing things together, don’t simply tell me about it and expect me to care. When the aunt is approached by her niece and told that a ‘bad man’ is frightening her, we aren’t shown how. Show me the child’s terror. The ghost hunters don’t even interview the little girl before investigating. Considering the stories we are told about Maledicus and his methods of torturing people while living, he wasn’t very creative in his semi-demon form. He gives the child a mysterious illness. That’s it? C’mon, Mal! You can do better than that!

Point Of View would change and jump around at very odd times. Quite often a section would begin with Character A’s POV, then jump for a paragraph to Character B’s POV, then back to Character A again.

I like a horror story that plunges me into the darkness, despair, terror and HORROR that the character’s experience. Take me down with them and scare me. Make me want to read the next chapter and stay up late doing so to see how they get out of it … if they do! This book did none of that.

Additionally, the font size used was too small and along with numerous typos, did not make for as an enjoyable read as I’d hoped.

[Delia Marrero · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not your typical horror story. This might be more of a love story within a horror setting. Without giving anything away there are two moments in the book where I felt raw emotions for the characters plight and these were very loving moments in the book. There are various depictions of love and loss throughout the book and they are heartfelt moments that left me wanting more of these backstories. The other moment at the end of the book truly tugged at my heartstrings.

I enjoyed the idea of older gentlemen as the main characters of the book. Your heroes stumble through old age fighting to save the life of an innocent. This is not your typical horror story, so throw all your expectations out the window because what you will find is a tale of heroism, love, compassion and heart.