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Unmasked
An aging pop star will stop at nothing to preserve her youthful beauty!"Classic horror tale with a fresh twist. Equal parts Friday the 13th, Eyes Without a Face and The Skin I Live In, Unmasked takes familiar ingredients, joyfully mashes them together, and creates something refreshingly new.""PREPARE TO BE SCARED! A Taut, Sexy Page-Turning Gothic Thriller!""It has all the trappings of cult horror, but swims in the realm of a psychological thriller while commenting on the very real (and often dangerous) pursuit of beauty and fame in our media-driven society."The world-renowned pop star, Karla, summons her estranged siblings to engage in intensive therapy at the location of a family a now-abandoned summer camp. When fifty-year-old Karla appears looking more youthful and beautiful than ever, her siblings bitterly chalk it up to good plastic surgery and agree to stick out the month's retreat for a million-dollar bonus. But psychotherapy turns psycho when family members begin to uncover the twisted truth about their famous sister.
- GenresHorror
192 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 19, 2017
17 people are currently reading
712 people want to read
About the author
R. Saint Claire
33 books247 followersRegina writes adult and young adult fiction, but always with a dark flair. Writing honors include a Watty Award for best horror novel and multiple screenwriting awards, including a Webby Honoree. Regina is also the contributing editor of the bestselling Local Haunts: A HorrorTube Anthology. Find Regina, and her alter-ego Batilda, at her BookTube channel, Regina's Haunted Library, and on her blog RSaintClaire.com.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
May 9, 2019
Absolutely brilliant and spellbinding!
Superstar Karla Mancusi has been away from the public’s adoring eyes for the past couple of years but she’s about to make an unexpected appearance to her five siblings. Sending limos for each of them, they are brought to the place where their parents tragically died—what is now an abandoned summer camp. Karla offers them a million dollars each to stay there for a full month while undergoing therapy in hopes of mending their relationships. Though most of them are bitter and leery, they all agree to her terms. But are Karla’s motives truly so benign?
Wow! This book is a true masterpiece. It has all the elements of a perfect thriller: Suspense; action; great characters; psychological tension; a gripping plot; amazing twists and an unforgettable ending. I was truly at the edge of my seat, anxious to know what would happen next. Each surprising development blew me away.
R. Saint Claire is an incredibly talented author with a brilliant imagination. I highly recommend this book.
Superstar Karla Mancusi has been away from the public’s adoring eyes for the past couple of years but she’s about to make an unexpected appearance to her five siblings. Sending limos for each of them, they are brought to the place where their parents tragically died—what is now an abandoned summer camp. Karla offers them a million dollars each to stay there for a full month while undergoing therapy in hopes of mending their relationships. Though most of them are bitter and leery, they all agree to her terms. But are Karla’s motives truly so benign?
Wow! This book is a true masterpiece. It has all the elements of a perfect thriller: Suspense; action; great characters; psychological tension; a gripping plot; amazing twists and an unforgettable ending. I was truly at the edge of my seat, anxious to know what would happen next. Each surprising development blew me away.
R. Saint Claire is an incredibly talented author with a brilliant imagination. I highly recommend this book.
April 10, 2017
Fantastic read! This really was one of the better books I've seen. This is the only book I've seen from the author, which is a shame, because she really has such an imaginative mind and an incredible gift for writing. I can't wait to read more of the work to come.
This book in particular was thrilling, and very quick-moving. In less than 150 pages, the author managed to captivate me and really spin together an enthralling story. I highly recommend this read if you want entertainment at a high quality.
This book in particular was thrilling, and very quick-moving. In less than 150 pages, the author managed to captivate me and really spin together an enthralling story. I highly recommend this read if you want entertainment at a high quality.
July 5, 2022
A good short horror story about a rich, ageing music and movie star and her reunion with her estranged siblings. With a good plot and pacing, it kept me hooked until the very end.
May 10, 2017
First thank you to the author, R. Saint Claire for this book giveaway! It was a well written novel; to which I enjoyed!
The book Unmasked centers around famous pop star singer Karla who summons all of her siblings to their childhood home for a family reunion of sorts. Each family member has a skeleton or two hanging in their closet. Upon arrival, Karla looking young and glamorous as ever, promises 1million to each family member if they attend therapy and follow a healthy regimen by kicking their bad habits. As the story progresses family members begin disappearing one by one. Where are they going? Is something sinister at play? 5 stars for this horrific encounter written by R. Saint Claire!
The book Unmasked centers around famous pop star singer Karla who summons all of her siblings to their childhood home for a family reunion of sorts. Each family member has a skeleton or two hanging in their closet. Upon arrival, Karla looking young and glamorous as ever, promises 1million to each family member if they attend therapy and follow a healthy regimen by kicking their bad habits. As the story progresses family members begin disappearing one by one. Where are they going? Is something sinister at play? 5 stars for this horrific encounter written by R. Saint Claire!
February 15, 2019
Karla, a superstar, invites all her siblings for a family get together in Wolf House. Does she intend to reconcile with them or does she have other reasons? It starts like a society novel but soon turns into an extremely gripping story on a legendary cult named Ostara and on the search for eternal youth. The story soon got nailbiting - with all the ingredients you need: a remote house in the wilderness, no access to civilization, a therapy led by a questionable doctor. What are Karla's motives? Does the story turn out fine for her siblings? Absolute must read. One of those books you can't put down. Promised!
July 29, 2019
Great story!
A good book, very engaging and well written. Thoroughly enjoyed it! I definitely didn’t anticipate the twist at the end!
A good book, very engaging and well written. Thoroughly enjoyed it! I definitely didn’t anticipate the twist at the end!
August 6, 2025
This was great, campy, and sleazy. It reminded me of V.C. Andrews, Friday the 13th, and Lucio Fulci movies. This lady knows how to tell a great story!
April 4, 2019
Loved this chilling tale
Claire is an absolute talent. Her prose is rich, her story chilling, and her characters well-developed. I really enjoyed this suspenseful tale of horror and look forward to more.
Claire is an absolute talent. Her prose is rich, her story chilling, and her characters well-developed. I really enjoyed this suspenseful tale of horror and look forward to more.
September 21, 2021
This was my first book by this author and I absolutely loved it! I look forward to reading more in the future.
May 12, 2019
I read this chilling book in a day and a half! With its twists and turns continualy egging me on I could not stop reading ! R.Saint Clair has held me captive and i am ravenously devouring her books one by one! I can' get enough of her addictive repertoire.
This book has every element of a mysterious and psychological thriller. The characters jump out from the page and take you with them on this story about a family emotionally torn apart by tragedy and the insanity of the insatiable quest for everlasting beauty. It is a must read!
This book has every element of a mysterious and psychological thriller. The characters jump out from the page and take you with them on this story about a family emotionally torn apart by tragedy and the insanity of the insatiable quest for everlasting beauty. It is a must read!
July 15, 2017
Okay just to warn you this book is disturbing to say the least but all in all a very good read. It was creepy, and a fast paced horror suspense thrill ride. It was dark and sexy at the same time. A must read for book lovers everywhere.
July 12, 2017
a little wordy for a psychological horror story, but never the less a gem. Thanks to this book I plan on hiding a wrench there too :D
May 12, 2022
“The best way to predict your future is to create it.” - Abraham Lincoln
I’m a big fan of Regina Saint Claire’s BookTube / HorrorTube channel. When she announced there was a promotion to get her book Unmasked for free, I immediately went to Amazon and downloaded the ebook. Despite getting the novel for free, this is an honest review.
I enjoyed reading this story. I felt strong Sunset Boulevard vibes, which was wonderful. It’s one of those horror novels setup so you think you know what will happen later, but then there are several fun and interesting twists and surprises.
Unmasked would be a great read for fans of both horror and murder mystery since it combines both genres together.
I’m a big fan of Regina Saint Claire’s BookTube / HorrorTube channel. When she announced there was a promotion to get her book Unmasked for free, I immediately went to Amazon and downloaded the ebook. Despite getting the novel for free, this is an honest review.
I enjoyed reading this story. I felt strong Sunset Boulevard vibes, which was wonderful. It’s one of those horror novels setup so you think you know what will happen later, but then there are several fun and interesting twists and surprises.
Unmasked would be a great read for fans of both horror and murder mystery since it combines both genres together.
June 17, 2022
This book kept me guessing the whole time. Its a perfect mix of beautiful, gross, and crazy.
September 24, 2022
Loved it ! Got some Madonna vibes at the beginning.
June 10, 2018
Eternal youth, or the hankering for it, is such a bitch. There is Dorian Gray with his magical portrait, Count Dracula and his modern clownish successors with their vampirism, and there is Karla Mancusi in Regina St Claire’s horror-thriller offering Unmasked - a pop star of Madonna’s ilk (and quite alike in some ways) - with her machinations that keep the reader guessing up to a long time what the secret of her well-preserved looks is. Whether it harks back to the past with the familiar tropes of immortality, or is a new method altogether, the kind that exists outside of fairy tales and skirts the realm of possibility.
Set in a sinister old house with basements and corners apparently laden with layers and cobwebs of mysteries, the story is a slow-burn but manages to sustain an atmosphere pregnant with evil and the anticipation of something bigger and much worse than what a bunch of siblings invited to Wolf House by their oldest sister Karla consider her capable of.
Most characters are decently fleshed out and sound real, although I was somewhat bothered by a streak of meanness that seems to run through the entire family, sounding a bit hard to swallow. The Mancusis bicker, their verbal quivers hardly ever seem to be devoid of barbs, and they are all greedy, but where is the saving grace of the family? Certainly not the gullible youngest sister.
There is enough on the platter to satisfy the gore-hounds. And some steamy scenes to scorch the milieu. After all, why wouldn’t a femme fatale shed some clothing? It defines her.
To sum up, Unmasked is a good package of horror and suspense, told in lush prose and having flashes of classic horror.
Set in a sinister old house with basements and corners apparently laden with layers and cobwebs of mysteries, the story is a slow-burn but manages to sustain an atmosphere pregnant with evil and the anticipation of something bigger and much worse than what a bunch of siblings invited to Wolf House by their oldest sister Karla consider her capable of.
Most characters are decently fleshed out and sound real, although I was somewhat bothered by a streak of meanness that seems to run through the entire family, sounding a bit hard to swallow. The Mancusis bicker, their verbal quivers hardly ever seem to be devoid of barbs, and they are all greedy, but where is the saving grace of the family? Certainly not the gullible youngest sister.
There is enough on the platter to satisfy the gore-hounds. And some steamy scenes to scorch the milieu. After all, why wouldn’t a femme fatale shed some clothing? It defines her.
To sum up, Unmasked is a good package of horror and suspense, told in lush prose and having flashes of classic horror.
May 15, 2017
This is a great story with the famous, rich, beautiful and powerful Karla taking control of her siblings in the old retreat.
Why has Karla summoned them all here when they only have bad feeling and memories about the lodge??
Warren has become famous from writing a story about her sister Karla, are the stories true or has he made them up??
Anne & Mitch the twins both resent Karla for her fame and use drink to compensate for their lives.
Jenna the actress of the family resents Karla because she can't act, but because she is famous can do anything she wants!!!
And Chrissie the baby of the group who will always be treated the same way.
All the characters are brought together with a bang, who will survive???
Why has Karla summoned them all here when they only have bad feeling and memories about the lodge??
Warren has become famous from writing a story about her sister Karla, are the stories true or has he made them up??
Anne & Mitch the twins both resent Karla for her fame and use drink to compensate for their lives.
Jenna the actress of the family resents Karla because she can't act, but because she is famous can do anything she wants!!!
And Chrissie the baby of the group who will always be treated the same way.
All the characters are brought together with a bang, who will survive???
January 2, 2018
The search for eternal youth, monsters of the human kind, twists and turns that you never see coming are in store for you in Unmasked. This book is definitely creepy but exciting in a disturbing way. Highly recommended.
March 21, 2024
4.5 rounded up to 5 ⭐.
EDIT (3/22/24): After letting my thoughts sit, I'm comfortable giving this a 5 ⭐.
EDIT (3/22/24): After letting my thoughts sit, I'm comfortable giving this a 5 ⭐.
January 23, 2021
Unmasked is a fun read that could be much, much better with some editing. It's about a family reunion put together by an aging pop star with an unknown agenda. If you like books with flawed characters then look no further. Not a single person in Unmasked is without fault, a fact made clear early on when we get a bit of backstory for each of them.
Quite a few classic gothic horror elements show up: lightening flashes through the drawn curtains as tense scenes take place in the old, partially-renovated Victorian they all reside in. Secret passages lead to hidden rooms with dark secrets. A shadowy figure stalks the grounds, lights flicker on and off, and screams permeate the night. It's all present, as are elements from Flowers in the Attic, Friday the 13th, and many other classics. The book oozes homage while still telling its own story, which I very much liked.
So why only three stars? Well, Unmasked needs a good bit of editing. There are grammatical errors throughout and some scenes and ideas need to be fleshed out to avoid confusion or taken out as extraneous. Dialogue is, at times, rather silly. Certain plot points felt unnecessary, as if added in just to have that element included. All of this is to say, once more, that with an editor at the helm this book could have been far better. It is still, however, a quick and fun read and I will pick up more from R. Saint Claire, who runs the book-centric channel Regina's Haunted Library on Youtube.
Quite a few classic gothic horror elements show up: lightening flashes through the drawn curtains as tense scenes take place in the old, partially-renovated Victorian they all reside in. Secret passages lead to hidden rooms with dark secrets. A shadowy figure stalks the grounds, lights flicker on and off, and screams permeate the night. It's all present, as are elements from Flowers in the Attic, Friday the 13th, and many other classics. The book oozes homage while still telling its own story, which I very much liked.
So why only three stars? Well, Unmasked needs a good bit of editing. There are grammatical errors throughout and some scenes and ideas need to be fleshed out to avoid confusion or taken out as extraneous. Dialogue is, at times, rather silly. Certain plot points felt unnecessary, as if added in just to have that element included. All of this is to say, once more, that with an editor at the helm this book could have been far better. It is still, however, a quick and fun read and I will pick up more from R. Saint Claire, who runs the book-centric channel Regina's Haunted Library on Youtube.
May 22, 2018
Great read! I sat down Sunday night only anticipating reading a couple chapters before bed, and ended up finishing the entire book! It was a real page turner with entertaining characters and unexpected plot twists. I'd highly recommend this to any fan of horror / thrillers.
The book is a steal for how inexpensive it is on Kindle - what do you have to lose?
The book is a steal for how inexpensive it is on Kindle - what do you have to lose?
November 30, 2019
What the hell did I just read? There were parts of this I liked but honestly I didn't love this one. There were some incestual parts to this that made it all a little icky.
May 30, 2017
Unmasked is a dark dysfunctional family story written by R. Saint Claire. This book is well written and starts of very innocently, but don't be fooled. Of course knowing that you didn't pick up a romance novel, means you have your guards up. There are some nice twists hidden within this book, and I am usually good picking those up but some I didn't see coming. Some you can guess but there are some very well developed ones hidden within. You know there is something there, but you just can't put your finger on it. The plot is sinister and dark and follows a good pace.
The characters are a nice mix, displaying one of your typical dysfunctional rich and famous family, who have over the years started to resent each other over various reasons. They are sadly rather believable and not too far fetched. It is also quite believable that when bad things happen, they will stick up for each other.
This book will definitely give you that creep factor and makes for a fun late night read, if that is your kind of thing. Nice end on it to and definitely one of those tough to put down books.
The characters are a nice mix, displaying one of your typical dysfunctional rich and famous family, who have over the years started to resent each other over various reasons. They are sadly rather believable and not too far fetched. It is also quite believable that when bad things happen, they will stick up for each other.
This book will definitely give you that creep factor and makes for a fun late night read, if that is your kind of thing. Nice end on it to and definitely one of those tough to put down books.
October 1, 2017
The basic plot without giving too much away is a pop star/film star invites the rest of her family for a little get together at White Wolf Creek camp and there’s a murderous rampage about to kick off. But when you read about Karla and the rest of her family you think what the hell’s going on with them. I wasn’t much impressed by this book myself maybe as a film it would have worked better. Please read this book if you like a little shock horror in your reading material - it may be the perfect read for you.
It does hold one or two twists I didn’t see coming so well done to the author for that. Reviewed by Jennifer
It does hold one or two twists I didn’t see coming so well done to the author for that. Reviewed by Jennifer
October 9, 2017
Not having read anything from this author before, I had no idea what to expect. Fast paced with lots of action if you are able to suspend your belief. Once started I could not put down. Finished the book in one reading. Do not try to read ahead. Just go with the flow and you will not be disappointed with the twists and turns of the story. Very enjoyable book especially at Halloween.
April 13, 2017
Sent this one for review by the author.
I had some problems with the plot but overall thought the writing was pretty good. Full review to come.
I had some problems with the plot but overall thought the writing was pretty good. Full review to come.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews