What do you think?
Rate this book
Deadlock
Charlie Petty is a man known for having ice water in this veins. He never backs down and is never shaken but unfortunately stirred up into the wrong crowd. As a degenerate gambler, his luck has run out and his debt has now come due.
Charlie is offered a chance to clear his simply stay alone on a ship overnight to prove to its owner and potential crew that it’s not cursed nor haunted. Never mind the ship’s history of suicide, violence, mutiny and murder. Or how the ship’s past crews have gone missing or insane. The fact that no one has set foot on deck in darkness for years doesn’t phase Charlie one bit. It sounds like easy money to bust up a superstition or two.
Charlie thinks his luck is returning. Little does he know it’s about to run out completely.
Charlie is offered a chance to clear his simply stay alone on a ship overnight to prove to its owner and potential crew that it’s not cursed nor haunted. Never mind the ship’s history of suicide, violence, mutiny and murder. Or how the ship’s past crews have gone missing or insane. The fact that no one has set foot on deck in darkness for years doesn’t phase Charlie one bit. It sounds like easy money to bust up a superstition or two.
Charlie thinks his luck is returning. Little does he know it’s about to run out completely.
97 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 1, 2014
16 people are currently reading
517 people want to read
About the author
Tim Curran
149 books596 followersTim Curran lives in Michigan and is the author of the novels Skin Medicine, Hive, Dead Sea, Resurrection, The Devil Next Door, and Biohazard, as well as the novella The Corpse King. His short stories have appeared in such magazines as City Slab, Flesh&Blood, Book of Dark Wisdom, and Inhuman, and anthologies such as Shivers IV, High Seas Cthulhu, and Vile Things.
For DarkFuse and its imprints, he has written the bestselling The Underdwelling, the Readers Choice-Nominated novella Fear Me, Puppet Graveyard as well as Long Black Coffin.
Find him on the web at: www.corpseking.com.
For DarkFuse and its imprints, he has written the bestselling The Underdwelling, the Readers Choice-Nominated novella Fear Me, Puppet Graveyard as well as Long Black Coffin.
Find him on the web at: www.corpseking.com.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
May 20, 2017
Damn, this was a creepy novella.
Charlie Petty owes fifty grand to Arturo; due to a gambling debt. Luckily, Arturo presents an offer to Charlie - an offer that doesn't result in him taking a bullet to the head. All he has to do is spend one night on a six hundred foot bulk freighter (Yvonne Addams); which is situated at pier number five. If he can spend one whole night on the ship without leaving - then his debt will be eliminated - as opposed to him. Sounds easy enough, right?
At first, Charlie thinks it's a joke, but Arturo assures him that's all he has to do. Charlie is Arturo's ticket to proving the ship isn't haunted: as its got a bit of a history. A bad history. Arturo can't find a crew that is willing to sail her - and it's costing him money: and as Charlie is renowned for not backing down from anything, and having balls of steel; he's the perfect person for the job. He accepts.
On the way to the freighter, Arturo points to a van with two sailors inside. They're there to make sure he doesn't leave the ship.
Both men board the ship and have a little chit-chat, then Arturo leaves Charlie on his own - as it's getting dark and a dense fog is rolling in.
A couple of minutes alone on the ship and Charlie's imagination is flying through the stratosphere - and to add further fuel to his paranoia, he reminisces about the times he's been banging Arturo's wife - going at it like a pair of Chihuahuas: he's wondering if this is some sort of payback. If Arturo has somehow found out. Arturo is an amusing character. He had some witty lines.
Anyway, this is an incredibly creepy book, that almost shattered my resolve - and the ending, that was something. I didn't see that coming. I just wish the book was longer.
Charlie Petty owes fifty grand to Arturo; due to a gambling debt. Luckily, Arturo presents an offer to Charlie - an offer that doesn't result in him taking a bullet to the head. All he has to do is spend one night on a six hundred foot bulk freighter (Yvonne Addams); which is situated at pier number five. If he can spend one whole night on the ship without leaving - then his debt will be eliminated - as opposed to him. Sounds easy enough, right?
At first, Charlie thinks it's a joke, but Arturo assures him that's all he has to do. Charlie is Arturo's ticket to proving the ship isn't haunted: as its got a bit of a history. A bad history. Arturo can't find a crew that is willing to sail her - and it's costing him money: and as Charlie is renowned for not backing down from anything, and having balls of steel; he's the perfect person for the job. He accepts.
On the way to the freighter, Arturo points to a van with two sailors inside. They're there to make sure he doesn't leave the ship.
Both men board the ship and have a little chit-chat, then Arturo leaves Charlie on his own - as it's getting dark and a dense fog is rolling in.
A couple of minutes alone on the ship and Charlie's imagination is flying through the stratosphere - and to add further fuel to his paranoia, he reminisces about the times he's been banging Arturo's wife - going at it like a pair of Chihuahuas: he's wondering if this is some sort of payback. If Arturo has somehow found out. Arturo is an amusing character. He had some witty lines.
Anyway, this is an incredibly creepy book, that almost shattered my resolve - and the ending, that was something. I didn't see that coming. I just wish the book was longer.
May 6, 2017
In the book "Dead Lock" Tim Curran does what he does best. Scare the crap out of us.
Mr. Curran manages to perform this decent into terror by actually utilizing a minimal cast of characters, and delving into the mind of our P.O.V. characters journey into insanity through fear and a hollucinic breakdown of environment and normality.
It has always been my opinion that Tim Curran is at his best in sea stories. What can better build the framework of fear than a man alone on a ship. Especially a haunted ship.
Denial of events and the paranoia of the unknown cruse through the thoughts of Charlie. He is fifty thousand dollars in gambling debt and now has the ability to clear away this monkey on his back by spending one night alone on a supposed haunted freighter.
This sounds like a sure thing and easy money to Charlie who is thinking that his luck is back on the upswing. He could not be more wrong.
Another excellent addition to Mr. Currans cannon.
Mr. Curran manages to perform this decent into terror by actually utilizing a minimal cast of characters, and delving into the mind of our P.O.V. characters journey into insanity through fear and a hollucinic breakdown of environment and normality.
It has always been my opinion that Tim Curran is at his best in sea stories. What can better build the framework of fear than a man alone on a ship. Especially a haunted ship.
Denial of events and the paranoia of the unknown cruse through the thoughts of Charlie. He is fifty thousand dollars in gambling debt and now has the ability to clear away this monkey on his back by spending one night alone on a supposed haunted freighter.
This sounds like a sure thing and easy money to Charlie who is thinking that his luck is back on the upswing. He could not be more wrong.
Another excellent addition to Mr. Currans cannon.
June 2, 2014
Unbelievable tension and physchological horror right from the very beginning! With all the "haunted ship" stories out there, I wasn't sure what to expect from this one. However, being a long-time fan of Curran's, I knew that it would be unique and a stand-out among the others.
I was not disappointed.
Charlie owes a lot of money to a very ruthless "business man", who gives him the chance to wipe his slate clean--all Charlie has to do is spend one night on a haunted ship, to prove to others that there is nothing wrong with it. Simple, right?
This novella was positively alive with atmosphere and pulsating with fear that I felt throughout its pages. Curran weaves a mind-numbing tale of madness and horror that left me guessing the entire way through. Ending on a positively perfect note, there isn't much more I can say other than to pick up this novella and read it for yourself. Another 5 star addition to the DarkFuse novella line.
Highly recommended!
I was not disappointed.
Charlie owes a lot of money to a very ruthless "business man", who gives him the chance to wipe his slate clean--all Charlie has to do is spend one night on a haunted ship, to prove to others that there is nothing wrong with it. Simple, right?
This novella was positively alive with atmosphere and pulsating with fear that I felt throughout its pages. Curran weaves a mind-numbing tale of madness and horror that left me guessing the entire way through. Ending on a positively perfect note, there isn't much more I can say other than to pick up this novella and read it for yourself. Another 5 star addition to the DarkFuse novella line.
Highly recommended!
March 10, 2014
When presented with an opportunity to have a $50,000 gambling debt wiped out in exchange for spending the night on an allegedly haunted ship, Charlie Petty jumps at the chance. Will Charlie Petty survive the night or will the violent history of the ship catch up with him?
I got this from DarkFuse via Netgalley.
Every time I read a Tim Curran book, he rises a couple notches in my esteem. Deadlock is no different.
I have to say that I wasn't overly impressed with Deadlock at first. A haunted ship? Big whoop. Then the Curran magic kicked in. Charlie starts getting more and more paranoid as his night goes on and he learns more about the horrible things that happened on the ship in the past. For most of the book, the horror was strictly atmospheric.
Things really took off around the 70% mark and the book was impossible to put down after that. Lots of revolting things happened and I almost gagged a few times. By the end, Tim Curran's talent was affirmed once again. And the last line was one last kick to the groin.
Deadlock is a delightful horror novella that isn't for the squeamish. Four out of five stars.
I got this from DarkFuse via Netgalley.
Every time I read a Tim Curran book, he rises a couple notches in my esteem. Deadlock is no different.
I have to say that I wasn't overly impressed with Deadlock at first. A haunted ship? Big whoop. Then the Curran magic kicked in. Charlie starts getting more and more paranoid as his night goes on and he learns more about the horrible things that happened on the ship in the past. For most of the book, the horror was strictly atmospheric.
Things really took off around the 70% mark and the book was impossible to put down after that. Lots of revolting things happened and I almost gagged a few times. By the end, Tim Curran's talent was affirmed once again. And the last line was one last kick to the groin.
Deadlock is a delightful horror novella that isn't for the squeamish. Four out of five stars.
December 12, 2014
(I beta read this novella back in January and I have been thinking about it ever since. I originally rated it 4.5 stars, but after constantly thinking about it, I raised my rating to a full 5 stars.)
This novella was excellent!
One man. One night on a ship. Seems easy enough right? But this is no ordinary ship and Tim Curran is no ordinary author. If this premise sounds interesting to you, buy this novella. You won't be sorry!
This novella was excellent!
One man. One night on a ship. Seems easy enough right? But this is no ordinary ship and Tim Curran is no ordinary author. If this premise sounds interesting to you, buy this novella. You won't be sorry!
February 17, 2025
Fast becoming a fan of Tim Curran’s unique, no holds barred, in media res, storytelling style.
Four stars for sheer force of momentum and terror
Four stars for sheer force of momentum and terror
July 4, 2022
I read this short novel in one sitting at the beach, keeping one eye on my Kindle and the other on my kids digging a harbor out of the sand. Despite the meager length, it managed to be quite repetitious, though in the end, it was a fun little read.
Charlie is a spunky card shark who owes a bookie 50 grand. Arturo, the bookie, owns a freight ship that no crew will sail because it is supposed to be cursed, so he's losing money too. Arturo offers to forgive Charlie's debt if he will spend the night alone on the ship which has been kept in harbor dock. Arturo hopes that this will prove to the superstitious sailors that the ship is harmless. Charlie has never been afraid of anything in his life, so takes the job.
The story reminds me of Stephen King's "1408," only on a ship rather than a hotel. It takes inspiration from the classic haunted room tales from the weird fiction, like H.G. Wells' "Red Room" and Edward Bulmer Lytton's "The Haunters and the Haunted." And perhaps that's what leads it to feel repetitious, as we are left predominantly with the character's own thoughts while alone in a spooky environment. And the character doesn't have much to say.
He just keeps saying over and over again that he isn't afraid, and that he thinks Arturo is just trying to scare him to get revenge for the money he owes (and also Charlie has been cuckolding his wife). Every time something freaky happens to him, or even nothing at all, he's constantly trying to convince himself he's cool. He "has balls." He was "drop-forged from iron."
"He knew fear. He understood fear. He had faced it down again and again. This was no different. He had to get a handle on it. He forced himself to regulate his breathing before he began to hyperventilate. Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe out."
Half way through the book, I was talking to myself too. "We get it already!"
But when the book does actually deliver the goods, it's quite a wild ride. And Curran's journeyman prose is quite elegant despite the apparent simplicity, making the book a joy to read for the mind's eye.
The story wasn't what I was expecting at all, but it was a perfectly serviceable slice of modern weird fiction. Most horror fans will find it well worth the short investment of time.
Charlie is a spunky card shark who owes a bookie 50 grand. Arturo, the bookie, owns a freight ship that no crew will sail because it is supposed to be cursed, so he's losing money too. Arturo offers to forgive Charlie's debt if he will spend the night alone on the ship which has been kept in harbor dock. Arturo hopes that this will prove to the superstitious sailors that the ship is harmless. Charlie has never been afraid of anything in his life, so takes the job.
The story reminds me of Stephen King's "1408," only on a ship rather than a hotel. It takes inspiration from the classic haunted room tales from the weird fiction, like H.G. Wells' "Red Room" and Edward Bulmer Lytton's "The Haunters and the Haunted." And perhaps that's what leads it to feel repetitious, as we are left predominantly with the character's own thoughts while alone in a spooky environment. And the character doesn't have much to say.
He just keeps saying over and over again that he isn't afraid, and that he thinks Arturo is just trying to scare him to get revenge for the money he owes (and also Charlie has been cuckolding his wife). Every time something freaky happens to him, or even nothing at all, he's constantly trying to convince himself he's cool. He "has balls." He was "drop-forged from iron."
"He knew fear. He understood fear. He had faced it down again and again. This was no different. He had to get a handle on it. He forced himself to regulate his breathing before he began to hyperventilate. Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe out."
Half way through the book, I was talking to myself too. "We get it already!"
But when the book does actually deliver the goods, it's quite a wild ride. And Curran's journeyman prose is quite elegant despite the apparent simplicity, making the book a joy to read for the mind's eye.
The story wasn't what I was expecting at all, but it was a perfectly serviceable slice of modern weird fiction. Most horror fans will find it well worth the short investment of time.
June 12, 2014
Deadlock is a fairly simple story plot wise, Charlie Petty is a man renowned for having steel in his veins, so when the opportunity to wipe out his debts by spending a night on a so-called haunted ship is offered, he just can’t say no.
This is the perfect blueprint to creating a suspense fuelled story, what Charlie encounters would have most hightailing it almost immediately but the man can’t run, won’t run and it’s going to be his downfall.
The author expertly creates a wonderfully chilling atmosphere, the kind that comes from acute awareness of the thing that fucks with your mind the most and on top of that he meticulously builds that intense feeling of dread, like knowing someone is there watching you in the darkness and leaving you waiting, waiting for the shit to hit the fan.
Another stunning Tim Curran novella, that’s all there is too say.
This is the perfect blueprint to creating a suspense fuelled story, what Charlie encounters would have most hightailing it almost immediately but the man can’t run, won’t run and it’s going to be his downfall.
The author expertly creates a wonderfully chilling atmosphere, the kind that comes from acute awareness of the thing that fucks with your mind the most and on top of that he meticulously builds that intense feeling of dread, like knowing someone is there watching you in the darkness and leaving you waiting, waiting for the shit to hit the fan.
Another stunning Tim Curran novella, that’s all there is too say.
December 11, 2014
Charlie Petty accepts an offer from a man he owes money to to spend the night on a ship the man recently bought. It would be enough to prove to the superstitious that nothing is wrong with it even with its horrible history of madness, suicides, disappearances and murders. Oh, and it would cancel Charlie's debt. Sweet and easy, right?
Tim Curran doesn't disappoint. The whole story takes place on a ship and mostly in one room. The claustrophobic feeling is intensified by horrible and disgusting imagery that Curran is so good at. Even if it uses one of the themes I loathe, the story is great, and since it doesn't beat you over the head with that particular trope, it works very well here.
Tim Curran doesn't disappoint. The whole story takes place on a ship and mostly in one room. The claustrophobic feeling is intensified by horrible and disgusting imagery that Curran is so good at. Even if it uses one of the themes I loathe, the story is great, and since it doesn't beat you over the head with that particular trope, it works very well here.
October 25, 2017
This was an ARC from NetGalley.
At first glance, it may appear that the author is treading familiar ground in this tale concerning a man forced to spend the night aboard an allegedly haunted freighter. When dealing with the imagination of Tim Curran, appearances can be deceiving. This is no quiet ghost story. It is a mind shattering, sanity shredding tale that unravels with the implacable logic of a nightmare. A sleep stealing excursion into the unexpected, with an ending that will knock you out of your chair and leave you shaking.
Highly recommended.
Publication Date: May 27, 2014
At first glance, it may appear that the author is treading familiar ground in this tale concerning a man forced to spend the night aboard an allegedly haunted freighter. When dealing with the imagination of Tim Curran, appearances can be deceiving. This is no quiet ghost story. It is a mind shattering, sanity shredding tale that unravels with the implacable logic of a nightmare. A sleep stealing excursion into the unexpected, with an ending that will knock you out of your chair and leave you shaking.
Highly recommended.
Publication Date: May 27, 2014
December 14, 2014
Would you stay aboard a haunted ship (by yourself) for one night for $50k?........not me, no way, but Charlie Petty agrees to do just that to erase a gambling debt owed a big-time loansharking "businessman" gangster.
The eerie book cover/ghost story drew me in on this one, and I just had to get it in before year end. At only 190 pages, this novella is a fast read that first throws scary psychological mind games at you until the real "harry" stuff with claws comes out of the woodwork....so to speak.
3 Stars for me with a full star round up to 4 reflective of the power of the (hehehe) last sentence!
May 22, 2014
Tim Curran is fast headed onto my short list of great horror writers. His novel titled Nightcrawlers took the theme of mutated Lovecraftian creatures and turned it into a non-stop terror fest. In Deadlock, he visits an old war horse, the ghost ship. What starts out like a variation of the "man spend the night on a haunted house" (in this case boat) becomes something else entirely. Tim Curran is not the type of writer who deals with cliches. He actually want to scare the panties off you. In this no sentence wasted short novel, our protagonist is an over confident man who never backs down in fear. He is also in debt to a crime figure for gambling debts worth $50,000. He is given the chance to repay by spending the night in a haunted ship. The crime boss who owns the ship wants to prove to his superstitious crew that the ship isn't really haunted. If you think that sounds too simple and pat, you're right. The author has plenty of nerve racking surprises, not to mention a gorgeous final twist nicely delivered in one last sentence. Tim Curran, based on the two books I've read, seems destined to be my go-to guy for creepy creatures and monsters. He has a sure hand for the grotesque and gruesome. An astute mind for action and suspense doesn't hurt either. Even though I liked Nightcrawlers a little better, Deadlock shows that the author can take one character and make him real enough, and in this case terrified enough, to carry the entire book. So far, I have Nightcrawlers on my list for one of the best horror novels in 2014 and Deadlock comes awfully close to joining the list.
May 28, 2014
If you haven't read Tim Curran, you're missing out on one of the most original voices in modern horror fiction. And this latest release from Darkfuse does not disappoint. Charlie Petty owes a shady businessman, Arturo, a lot of money, fifty grand worth of gambling debt. But Arturo has a proposition for him: spend one night aboard a supposed haunted freighter, the Yvonne Addams, and if he didn't go crazy his debt would be wiped clean. Charlie agrees to this task, figuring Arturo would make good on the deal, despite gruesome stories surrounding the cargo ship, past crew members going on murderous rampages and entire crews abandoning ship, never to be seen again. But Charlie doesn't believe the stories, Charlie being a hardcase and packing a .45. But Charlie Petty is about to experience a terror beyond imagination.
Part haunted house story (on a ship), part surreal mindfuck that notches things up to phantasmagoric weirdness that only Tim Curran can conjure. Highly recommended! I received a digital copy of this for an honest review.
Part haunted house story (on a ship), part surreal mindfuck that notches things up to phantasmagoric weirdness that only Tim Curran can conjure. Highly recommended! I received a digital copy of this for an honest review.
December 11, 2014
Once again, Tim Curran proves what a master he is with suspense and horror. He quickly sets the stage with a creepy atmosphere - a supposedly haunted ship - and keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout the whole book. I won't give any of the plot away but this isn't your same old book about a haunted ship. Curran uses very original ideas that will unsettle you for quite some time after reading it. While reading it, I quickly became immersed in the story and during the many times that Curran left me gasping for breath, I would put the book down and walk around a bit to clear my head, see other people and try to convince myself that it's just a work of fiction. It's a great story that will suck you right in until the heart pounding ending!
Highest recommendation!
Highest recommendation!
December 15, 2015
I enjoyed this one. Typical good and nasty Curran novella (I like him best in novella format) with a surprise ending that brought a smile.
Check it out. Another great novella from Darkfuse.
Check it out. Another great novella from Darkfuse.
July 28, 2014
Though initially reminiscent of a shockingly effective scene in his previous novel, Dead Sea, Tim Curran soon proves he is capable of more than a haunted ship tale with Deadlock. To say I was completely surprised by where this novella went would be an understatement. And truth be told, the ending redeemed this one for me, as it felt overly repetitive through its first two-thirds. I know Charlie's rationale for staying on the ship had to be reinforced, but I got tired of reading about his "big balls" and how integral they were to him and his "career" trajectory.
Hmm. I seem to be on a run of disagreeing with the general positive consensus about some highly rated reads. Not sure what that says about me, but I do know this: If you are a fan of Tim Curran's, this one is definitely worth a read. Even a mediocre Curran book is better than most of what you'll find hiding, slithering through the dark corners of the horror genre's landscape, slime-coated tentacles probing, lamprey-like mouths pulsating, biding its time, circling ever closer, intent upon ...?
3 Brass Balls for Deadlock.
Hmm. I seem to be on a run of disagreeing with the general positive consensus about some highly rated reads. Not sure what that says about me, but I do know this: If you are a fan of Tim Curran's, this one is definitely worth a read. Even a mediocre Curran book is better than most of what you'll find hiding, slithering through the dark corners of the horror genre's landscape, slime-coated tentacles probing, lamprey-like mouths pulsating, biding its time, circling ever closer, intent upon ...?
3 Brass Balls for Deadlock.
August 30, 2021
Well, this couldn't have been 190 pages. Seemed more like 80. And that's okay.
Once again my horror itch flared up and Tim Curran is my go-to for fun creepiness.
And, once again he gave me a good scratch.
The story is simple enough. A gambler with ice in his veins is in debt to a heavyweight to the tune of fifty large. There is an easy way he can pay off the debt, though. Spend one full night aboard a haunted freighter.
As always, Curran wastes no time getting to the meat of the story. There was plenty of unsettlement to be had and a few parts had me squirming.
The ending was great.
Tim Curran should be much more famous than he is now. Dead Sea remains one of the best horror novels I've read with one scene that still bothers me years after reading it.
Deadlock was a fun way to spend an afternoon.
Once again my horror itch flared up and Tim Curran is my go-to for fun creepiness.
And, once again he gave me a good scratch.
The story is simple enough. A gambler with ice in his veins is in debt to a heavyweight to the tune of fifty large. There is an easy way he can pay off the debt, though. Spend one full night aboard a haunted freighter.
As always, Curran wastes no time getting to the meat of the story. There was plenty of unsettlement to be had and a few parts had me squirming.
The ending was great.
Tim Curran should be much more famous than he is now. Dead Sea remains one of the best horror novels I've read with one scene that still bothers me years after reading it.
Deadlock was a fun way to spend an afternoon.
July 26, 2014
Another 'spend the night alone in the haunted house', in this case ship? Hell No ! This is a great read that builds and builds to a satisfying end. The intensity of the descent into a tale of oppressive, atmospheric terror will leave you squirming. This is an ambiguous novella and the question of whether this is a ghost or monster story or psychological nightmare makes it even more entertaining. Worth reading - just remember to breathe !
July 6, 2014
Tim Curran never disappoints! Another fantastic read. It definitely reminded me of Dead Sea. That's all I could think about while reading it. With the same creepy atmosphere, I knew this wud be a winner. It basically was one mans trippy descent into madness...or was it? Arturo knew what he was doing, but did he? You be the judge. I always look forward to Tim's work. Keep pumping them out!
August 12, 2023
A very interesting and well made ghost/ (more a creature) novella. I`m not a big fan of the haunted places idea, but this writer knows his job.
He doesn`t loose any time and so we`re very fast immersed in the story. Also, the first person of the character adds depth and tension to the plot.
Overall a good effort and an intense work and, as usual, not recommended to the ones that don`t have the stomach to read horror stories.
Because, I assure you, he means serious business!
He doesn`t loose any time and so we`re very fast immersed in the story. Also, the first person of the character adds depth and tension to the plot.
Overall a good effort and an intense work and, as usual, not recommended to the ones that don`t have the stomach to read horror stories.
Because, I assure you, he means serious business!
October 13, 2024
Boring to the point that I couldn't read all of it
Eventually I skipped to the last chapter and discovered the only interesting thing about the entire story.
Eventually I skipped to the last chapter and discovered the only interesting thing about the entire story.
August 12, 2016
Charlie has some major gambling debt. It is time to pay up. One night alone, on a ghost ship. Debt forgiven. Easy.
Curran amps up the suspense in this one as Charlie quickly learns that relieving his debt may not be as easy as he thought, and the things he does not believe in, certainly believe in him. All he has to do is make it until morning.
Tim Curran is truly a master of horror and he does not disappoint with Deadlock. His pacing is quick and his descriptive prose remains unparalleled. Nobody can set the table like Timmy when it comes to creating a dark and overwhelmingly sinister atmosphere.
Curran amps up the suspense in this one as Charlie quickly learns that relieving his debt may not be as easy as he thought, and the things he does not believe in, certainly believe in him. All he has to do is make it until morning.
Tim Curran is truly a master of horror and he does not disappoint with Deadlock. His pacing is quick and his descriptive prose remains unparalleled. Nobody can set the table like Timmy when it comes to creating a dark and overwhelmingly sinister atmosphere.
June 30, 2024
Charlie owes a hefty debt to Arturo and decides to accept a deal with Arturo to settle things. He just has to stay the night on a ship. Easy, right? Wrong. This ship is rumored to be haunted and something always happens to the crew. It’s up to Charlie to find out what’s really going on.
The book cover drew me into this one. It was so creepy I had to check it out. Curran did a fantastic job of creating an intense and highly disturbing atmosphere in this book. It was literally kicking up my anxiety. I could hear the ship noises the author describes and the overall eerie vibe of being on the ship. Watching Charlie fall deeper and deeper into despair and madness was chilling, and it almost shreds your sanity right along with his. Based on this alone, I would read more from this author. Deadlock was my intro to his work, and I’m not disappointed. When you can make me feel this uncomfortable, I’m sold!
The book cover drew me into this one. It was so creepy I had to check it out. Curran did a fantastic job of creating an intense and highly disturbing atmosphere in this book. It was literally kicking up my anxiety. I could hear the ship noises the author describes and the overall eerie vibe of being on the ship. Watching Charlie fall deeper and deeper into despair and madness was chilling, and it almost shreds your sanity right along with his. Based on this alone, I would read more from this author. Deadlock was my intro to his work, and I’m not disappointed. When you can make me feel this uncomfortable, I’m sold!
October 27, 2014
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thinking of that one thing that truly gets under your skin, how far would you go to take care of the problem? I will admit that my limit is the actual law. I can’t see myself breaking the law to solve a problem, unless it was self-defense (which is not technically against the law). This short story (79 pages) had a lot of potential, plus I wasn’t really sure what to expect going in. The synopsis made it sound like it could be something supernatural, but I wasn’t sure if that would include ghosts, creatures or a croatoan incident. The author’s suspense-filled build up to Charlie’s ultimate fate was well-done. It was very detailed and pretty gory (I wish I hadn’t been eating lunch while reading it). But it was far from perfect. There was a lot of what I deemed unnecessary swearing; it didn’t help make a point or add to the story at all. There was also a lot of repetition. If the author were repeating something because it was an important point that the reader needed to remember it would have been fine, but this was repetition for the sake of it or for making Deadlock seem longer. My biggest problem was a lack of resolution to the entire story. If it were part of a continuing series and ended on a cliffhanger, fine. Not the case here. I was actually pretty irritated that after getting to the end, I still have no clue what was haunting the freaking ship! I think Deadlock could be a full length novel, with more background on Charlie and his life decisions leading up to his decision to stay on the ship. Flashback accounts on the ship could also be added. Overall I did like this short story, I just thought it could be better. If you’re hardcore into thriller stories, I may recommend Deadlock to you, but it would be on an individual basis when I know what you prefer to read.
For more reviews, check out reviewsinapinch.wordpress.com today!
For more reviews, check out reviewsinapinch.wordpress.com today!
September 3, 2019
A fun, fast and haunting horror ride. This boat may never set sail, but being on a boat at night floating on a chamber horrors is enough without adding in actual creepy sea life.
The plot is basic and straight-forward, and it reminds me a bit of the short story from King's movie Cat's Eye where an addicted gambler is forced out on the ledge to solve his issues and save his life. In this case, a gambler who owes a major debt is offered the chance to pay it off by staying alive on a large freighter.
Charlie doesn't trust the mobster in charge, but the chance to squeeze out of a fifty thousand dollar debt and keep his dignity intact makes the risk tempting - I'll let you read it for yourself to see if this gamble paid off.
The one has an almost hallucinogenic quality as Charlie lets him imagination run away with him, mixed in memories and unrealities. The villain Arturo is kind of funny and made memorable lines and moments considered he’s the big-bad of the shipyard.
The ending is a satisfying “so there!” moment. You get creepiness, a suitable end, a worthy premise, and a bizarre ship. Tim Curran is a talented writer who penned a worthy tale. It’s not maritime horror since the boat stays docked, but the claustrophobic setting rocks for this type of story.
It’s relatively short at 190 pages and can be had for a cheap price of 2.99 e-book --- recommended.
The plot is basic and straight-forward, and it reminds me a bit of the short story from King's movie Cat's Eye where an addicted gambler is forced out on the ledge to solve his issues and save his life. In this case, a gambler who owes a major debt is offered the chance to pay it off by staying alive on a large freighter.
Charlie doesn't trust the mobster in charge, but the chance to squeeze out of a fifty thousand dollar debt and keep his dignity intact makes the risk tempting - I'll let you read it for yourself to see if this gamble paid off.
The one has an almost hallucinogenic quality as Charlie lets him imagination run away with him, mixed in memories and unrealities. The villain Arturo is kind of funny and made memorable lines and moments considered he’s the big-bad of the shipyard.
The ending is a satisfying “so there!” moment. You get creepiness, a suitable end, a worthy premise, and a bizarre ship. Tim Curran is a talented writer who penned a worthy tale. It’s not maritime horror since the boat stays docked, but the claustrophobic setting rocks for this type of story.
It’s relatively short at 190 pages and can be had for a cheap price of 2.99 e-book --- recommended.
May 30, 2014
The story's main character is Charlie, who owes 50 thousand dollars to a man named Arturo. Arturo owns a 600 ft. bulk freighter named Yvonne Addams. So Arturo tells him all he has to do is stay the night on the ship and his debt is paid. This is the only way the crew he hired will board the ship and they will be watching him from a car by the dock. He tells Charlie about the stories of crews coming up missing, suicides and strange things happening on the ship. Charlie is a man who is not afraid of anything, so to clear his debt he will stay the night on the ship. The story was well written and had a spooky dark atmosphere to it. Another very good story by Tim. I gave Deadlock 4 stars.
March 21, 2016
Not bad if you're looking for something quick to read.
October 6, 2015
Solid. Great length. Definitely not my favorite of Curran's stuff though
May 7, 2020
So close, and yet so far. There was a point where this novella was almost scary and then right when it hit that point, it kept going and broke the tension. For me, the more we find out about The Thing In The Ship, the less frightening it became. For me, it went from feeling like a ghost to feeling more like a supernatural creature feature with heavy sexual imagery. At that point, I felt less discomfort or horror and more "Bruv, the fuck are you on". Additionally, early on I started thinking that Arturo probably does believe in the ship being supernaturally unsafe and isnt actually looking to sell it so much as hes using it as a place to send people to die and to see the last chapter being two pages just for that twist was like bruv thats predictable as fuck, I am disappointed. I would give this a lower rating, but there was that brief and fleeting moment where The Thing That Creeps was still unknown and ambiguous at which point the book was at its eeriest, and I'll give it two stars for accomplishing that.
There's also a lot of mentions of Balls which start to be referred to more frequently as Guts when the book's descriptions have become more visceral, but it doesn't have any effect in my mind beyond having made me wonder if the author has a fixation on balls.
There's also a lot of mentions of Balls which start to be referred to more frequently as Guts when the book's descriptions have become more visceral, but it doesn't have any effect in my mind beyond having made me wonder if the author has a fixation on balls.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews