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Gamble's Run
Reeling from the tragic loss of his infant daughter Molly and the disappearance of his wife Melody, Garrett Webb begins a journey that will ultimately bring him to Gamble’s Run, a long-abandoned canal hidden deep in central Florida. If he has any hope of finding his wife, he must penetrate the mysteries surrounding the canal and confront the evil that has festered there for untold centuries. Webb will make deadly enemies, but will also gain steadfast friends and allies, and together they will confront a power that exists beyond time and space. Unearthly forces clash in ancient conflict with a single question hanging in the What dwells beneath the forgotten waters of Gamble’s Run?
395 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 20, 2018
3 people are currently reading
5 people want to read
About the author
David F. Gray
22 books11 followersDavid F. Gray is an award winning television producer and director although his first love has always been writing. He wrote his first short story at age 10 based on the television show Lost In Space and featuring his boyhood crush, Penny Robinson. Three years later he abandoned poor Penny in favor of the more worldly Judy.
He is older and heavier than he would like to be and possesses a sense of humor that has gotten him into trouble on more than one occasion. Contrary to the opinions of his friends and his two adult offspring, he is NOT insane. He is currently working on the sequel to his novel, Gamble's Run, tentatively entitled Darksoul Rising as well as a handful of short stories. He and Heidi, his wife of thirty four years, live happily in Sulphur Springs, Florida, an older Tampa neighborhood where rumors of ghosts are common.
He is older and heavier than he would like to be and possesses a sense of humor that has gotten him into trouble on more than one occasion. Contrary to the opinions of his friends and his two adult offspring, he is NOT insane. He is currently working on the sequel to his novel, Gamble's Run, tentatively entitled Darksoul Rising as well as a handful of short stories. He and Heidi, his wife of thirty four years, live happily in Sulphur Springs, Florida, an older Tampa neighborhood where rumors of ghosts are common.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 24, 2021
Having read David F Gray's outstanding novel, The Vegas Rift, I was looking forward to reading more of his work. Gamble's Run certainly didn't disappoint. As with The Vegas Rift, the plot twists and turns, throwing unexpected scenarios and otherworldly entities into the mix. I'm not sure what I expected before beginning this book but it managed to continuously surprise me and I devoured it over a couple of evenings. Highly recommended.
August 26, 2018
‘Darksoul, laced with a power from beyond the universe, smashed into Garrett.’
Florida author David F. Gray is an award winning television producer and director and writer of short stories. He has published seven books to date and continues to write this possible series of which GAMBLE’S RUN is Book 1. He lives in Sulphur Springs, Florida, ‘an older Tampa neighborhood where rumors of ghosts are common’.
David shares that this story ‘is planted firmly in the horror genre, there is also mystery and action as well as a tragic yet hopeful love story.’ His skills gathered as a television director serve him well in the pacing and character development of this exciting if disturbing new novel. The flavor of this writing is immediately evident from the first chapter – ‘Garrett Webb awoke with a start, his heart pounding. He wiped away the thin sheen of sweat that covered his forehead as he struggled to regain full awareness. The nightmare that had been tormenting him vanished in a dark puff of dream smoke, leaving him with nothing more than a fading impression of being slowly smothered. The only light came from the glowing red numbers of the small clock perched on the nightstand beside his queen-sized bed. He barely had time to see that it was 4:05 a.m. before they winked out. An instant later, his bed lurched sideways and slammed into the wall. His left shoulder struck the wall at an awkward angle, causing him to cry out in both pain and shock. Instinctively, he reached out for the woman sleeping next to him. “Mel? MEL!” An instant later, his wife Melody cried out as she too was brutally dragged back into consciousness. Her arm flailed out, slapping him hard on his stomach. He was shirtless, and her fingernails scraped along his ribs, leaving four thin, bloody scratches. The bed lurched again. “MOLLY,” she screamed. Of course her first thought was for their ten-month-old daughter. On cue, Molly started crying. Husband and wife struggled to get out of bed, but suddenly the floor tilted. The bed slid along the wall, away from Molly's bedroom, and stopped under the window that overlooked the lake just outside their petite home. The lake had dried up during the long drought that gripped central Florida, and all that was left was a hard, cracked bed. “MOLLY,” screamed Melody again. The house answered them with another groan, and suddenly the window shattered. Shards of glass pummeled them. If they had been looking up, they would have been blinded. As it was, they sustained dozens of painful, shallow cuts. “Garrett! What’s happening?” Garrett opened his mouth to say that he had no idea, but suddenly a wall of dirt followed the glass. He covered his eyes and mouth and rolled sideways as the dirt piled onto the bed. Melody screamed again. She scrambled off the bed and fell to the floor. Then she began to crawl toward the bedroom door.’ Now that is a curtain raiser!
The story’s well summarized in the synopsis: ‘Reeling from the tragic loss of his infant daughter Molly and the disappearance of his wife Melody, Garrett Webb begins a journey that will ultimately bring him to Gamble’s Run, a long-abandoned canal hidden deep in central Florida. If he has any hope of finding his wife, he must penetrate the mysteries surrounding the canal and confront the evil that has festered there for untold centuries. Webb will make deadly enemies, but will also gain steadfast friends and allies, and together they will confront a power that exists beyond time and space. Unearthly forces clash in ancient conflict with a single question hanging in the balance: What dwells beneath the forgotten waters of Gamble’s Run?’
Definitely a superb novel on its own but knowing that there is at lest a sequel forthcoming makes us eager to follow the craft and gift of David Gray.
Florida author David F. Gray is an award winning television producer and director and writer of short stories. He has published seven books to date and continues to write this possible series of which GAMBLE’S RUN is Book 1. He lives in Sulphur Springs, Florida, ‘an older Tampa neighborhood where rumors of ghosts are common’.
David shares that this story ‘is planted firmly in the horror genre, there is also mystery and action as well as a tragic yet hopeful love story.’ His skills gathered as a television director serve him well in the pacing and character development of this exciting if disturbing new novel. The flavor of this writing is immediately evident from the first chapter – ‘Garrett Webb awoke with a start, his heart pounding. He wiped away the thin sheen of sweat that covered his forehead as he struggled to regain full awareness. The nightmare that had been tormenting him vanished in a dark puff of dream smoke, leaving him with nothing more than a fading impression of being slowly smothered. The only light came from the glowing red numbers of the small clock perched on the nightstand beside his queen-sized bed. He barely had time to see that it was 4:05 a.m. before they winked out. An instant later, his bed lurched sideways and slammed into the wall. His left shoulder struck the wall at an awkward angle, causing him to cry out in both pain and shock. Instinctively, he reached out for the woman sleeping next to him. “Mel? MEL!” An instant later, his wife Melody cried out as she too was brutally dragged back into consciousness. Her arm flailed out, slapping him hard on his stomach. He was shirtless, and her fingernails scraped along his ribs, leaving four thin, bloody scratches. The bed lurched again. “MOLLY,” she screamed. Of course her first thought was for their ten-month-old daughter. On cue, Molly started crying. Husband and wife struggled to get out of bed, but suddenly the floor tilted. The bed slid along the wall, away from Molly's bedroom, and stopped under the window that overlooked the lake just outside their petite home. The lake had dried up during the long drought that gripped central Florida, and all that was left was a hard, cracked bed. “MOLLY,” screamed Melody again. The house answered them with another groan, and suddenly the window shattered. Shards of glass pummeled them. If they had been looking up, they would have been blinded. As it was, they sustained dozens of painful, shallow cuts. “Garrett! What’s happening?” Garrett opened his mouth to say that he had no idea, but suddenly a wall of dirt followed the glass. He covered his eyes and mouth and rolled sideways as the dirt piled onto the bed. Melody screamed again. She scrambled off the bed and fell to the floor. Then she began to crawl toward the bedroom door.’ Now that is a curtain raiser!
The story’s well summarized in the synopsis: ‘Reeling from the tragic loss of his infant daughter Molly and the disappearance of his wife Melody, Garrett Webb begins a journey that will ultimately bring him to Gamble’s Run, a long-abandoned canal hidden deep in central Florida. If he has any hope of finding his wife, he must penetrate the mysteries surrounding the canal and confront the evil that has festered there for untold centuries. Webb will make deadly enemies, but will also gain steadfast friends and allies, and together they will confront a power that exists beyond time and space. Unearthly forces clash in ancient conflict with a single question hanging in the balance: What dwells beneath the forgotten waters of Gamble’s Run?’
Definitely a superb novel on its own but knowing that there is at lest a sequel forthcoming makes us eager to follow the craft and gift of David Gray.
May 1, 2019
This is the first piece of work I have read by this author and David Gray is a very talented writer. Garrett Webb finds himself on an unearthly mission to save his wife, who has gone missing after the tragic death of their infant daughter. Webb embarks on a journey which leads him to the mysterious, long-abandoned canal of Gamble’s Run.
Gamble’s Run is true horror; fast-paced, filled with mystery, suspense, and nerve-shredding tension. This story isn’t just about good and evil…. It’s out of this world! This is a must read book.
Gamble’s Run is true horror; fast-paced, filled with mystery, suspense, and nerve-shredding tension. This story isn’t just about good and evil…. It’s out of this world! This is a must read book.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews