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Twin Lakes : Autumn Fires
A campfire in the distance should be a relief to a victim on the run, but instead, it signals darkness and the doorway to evil….
When Liz accepts a ride from a stranger, she ultimately becomes the victim of a heinous crime. After fighting off her attacker, she stumbles towards a campfire in the distance and onto the scene of a violent murder. The terror of discovering a decapitated young woman is only the beginning, as when the shadows begin to move, she finds that this new killer has set his sights on her. He wants her to share in an autumn fire.
Meanwhile local law enforcement, along with a secret group of town founders, are working to solve the murders and end to the autumn fires. Can they stop the perpetrator in time before he gets to Liz? The ancestors have centuries of wisdom on their side, and yet, will it be enough to stop a murderer calling upon the power of demons to guide him? After generations of hiding, will their identity be revealed to the unsuspecting citizens of Twin Lakes?
From the Bram Stoker nominated authors of Mayan Blue comes a new tale woven to introduce you to the creepiest of towns. For fans of Twin Peaks, Wayward Pines, or the new Castle Rock, this one is sure to draw you in.
When Liz accepts a ride from a stranger, she ultimately becomes the victim of a heinous crime. After fighting off her attacker, she stumbles towards a campfire in the distance and onto the scene of a violent murder. The terror of discovering a decapitated young woman is only the beginning, as when the shadows begin to move, she finds that this new killer has set his sights on her. He wants her to share in an autumn fire.
Meanwhile local law enforcement, along with a secret group of town founders, are working to solve the murders and end to the autumn fires. Can they stop the perpetrator in time before he gets to Liz? The ancestors have centuries of wisdom on their side, and yet, will it be enough to stop a murderer calling upon the power of demons to guide him? After generations of hiding, will their identity be revealed to the unsuspecting citizens of Twin Lakes?
From the Bram Stoker nominated authors of Mayan Blue comes a new tale woven to introduce you to the creepiest of towns. For fans of Twin Peaks, Wayward Pines, or the new Castle Rock, this one is sure to draw you in.
238 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 30, 2018
6 people are currently reading
94 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
October 19, 2018
When a young hitchhiker, Liz, is sexually assaulted and abandoned in the middle of nowhere, the sight of a campfire in the distance is a spark of hope.
What she finds is another victim, brutally murdered by another predator. A serial killer.
Brought to the town of Twin Lakes to recover from her injuries, and assist the police, she finds the locals friendly and kind, but she just wants to leave this nightmare behind her.
But some of the locals, under orders of the mysterious town founders, don't want her to leave. They don't want outside help to find their killer. They don't want anyone poking into their business, their secrets. They intend to handle things their way....
The Sisters of Slaughter have written a chilling tale of small town horror that is engaging from the first sentence, hooking the reader and plunging them headfirst into the mystery of Twin Lakes, a town whose secrets hide deeper, darker secrets, no one is who, or what, they appear to be, and the only person you can trust is the one in the mirror.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to Erin Sweet-Al Mehairi for the e-copy of this book.
What she finds is another victim, brutally murdered by another predator. A serial killer.
Brought to the town of Twin Lakes to recover from her injuries, and assist the police, she finds the locals friendly and kind, but she just wants to leave this nightmare behind her.
But some of the locals, under orders of the mysterious town founders, don't want her to leave. They don't want outside help to find their killer. They don't want anyone poking into their business, their secrets. They intend to handle things their way....
The Sisters of Slaughter have written a chilling tale of small town horror that is engaging from the first sentence, hooking the reader and plunging them headfirst into the mystery of Twin Lakes, a town whose secrets hide deeper, darker secrets, no one is who, or what, they appear to be, and the only person you can trust is the one in the mirror.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to Erin Sweet-Al Mehairi for the e-copy of this book.
August 20, 2019
The Sisters of Slaughter have yet to disappoint me, this is the third book of theirs that I've read and once again I absolutely loved it, it hooked me instantly and refused to let go!
The story follows Liz who manages to escape an assailant but finds herself in a much more precarious situation when she stumbles upon a decapitated body in the woods and something from the shadows attacks her. Local Law enforcement alongside the mysterious town founders try to solve the murder and remove the evil taint from their town.
The was a fun yet creepy story in a setting that was so well written it felt familiar yet excitingly new at the same time. I'm hoping that the SoS write more Twin Lakes stories in the future as this book was so much fun - if you like horror at all I suggest you give this a go.
The story follows Liz who manages to escape an assailant but finds herself in a much more precarious situation when she stumbles upon a decapitated body in the woods and something from the shadows attacks her. Local Law enforcement alongside the mysterious town founders try to solve the murder and remove the evil taint from their town.
The was a fun yet creepy story in a setting that was so well written it felt familiar yet excitingly new at the same time. I'm hoping that the SoS write more Twin Lakes stories in the future as this book was so much fun - if you like horror at all I suggest you give this a go.
September 29, 2018
Review: TWIN LAKES: AUTUMN FIRES by Michelle Garza and Melissa Larson
TWIN LAKES: AUTUMN FIRES is EXACTLY the kind of electrifying, breathtaking, heart-pounding, Horror suspense you need for October build up to Halloween reading! From first page to last, I could not relinquish reading, and on finishing, I find myself hungry for the return of these unusual characters and this very exceptional (spooky!) little Pacific Northwest community. Horror, religious persecution, paganism, ritual sacrifice: TWIN LAKES: AUTUMN FIRES is rolling in the good stuff horror aficionados love! If you love and admire the WAYWARD PINES novels, or the series of TWIN PEAKS, BATES MOTEL, and CASTLE ROCK, then this is your next great read!!!
TWIN LAKES: AUTUMN FIRES is EXACTLY the kind of electrifying, breathtaking, heart-pounding, Horror suspense you need for October build up to Halloween reading! From first page to last, I could not relinquish reading, and on finishing, I find myself hungry for the return of these unusual characters and this very exceptional (spooky!) little Pacific Northwest community. Horror, religious persecution, paganism, ritual sacrifice: TWIN LAKES: AUTUMN FIRES is rolling in the good stuff horror aficionados love! If you love and admire the WAYWARD PINES novels, or the series of TWIN PEAKS, BATES MOTEL, and CASTLE ROCK, then this is your next great read!!!
October 12, 2018
October happens to be one of my favorite months. I love everything having to do with Halloween from horror movies to scary stories. So, this month is the perfect time to read some spooky stories and hopefully not scare myself so bad that I sleep with the lights on at night. Okay I am lying I am totally sleeping with the lights on! Yes, I am a scaredy cat!
Twin Lakes: Autumn Fires is the first in a long line of scary stories I have chosen to read this month. Elizabeth “Liz” Troy is backpacking through the Pacific Northwest when she cross paths with a predator. Beaten and bloody she manages to escape, but the campfire she stumbles across is not the cozy kind. Liz walks into a violent murder scene with a decapitated woman’s body. This is not the first murder in the quaint town of Twin Falls, Washington either. Two other headless bodies were found recently and it has local law enforcement stumped. Will Liz manage to escape the clutches of a predator who still has his heart set on her?
Demons, beasts, and mediums. Oh My! Twin Falls is not your average town. The ancients tried to keep the place under the radar from outsiders. The last thing they want is an investigation into their town. When Liz wanders in with a predator hot on her trail it is up to the ancients to figure out who the murderer is before he claims his next victim.
I absolutely love the supernatural part of this story. The ancients have lived for centuries and keep the town in order for the most part, but when a demon shows itself the ancients are left questioning each other. I love how the predator is shrouded in mystery and you really have no idea who it might be for much of the story which really had me guessing. I never figured it out and was surprised when the reveal finally came.
Liz is an interesting character. She is backpacking after the death of her mother and she just gets stuck in this town like none other. Little did she know that its inhabitants. She is scared after her ordeal and she doesn’t know what to make of everyone. All she wants to do is leave and be on her way, but with a demon killer after her, she finds herself helped by the residents and the ancients as they try to keep her safe.
Twin lakes: Autumn Fires surely delivered on the spook from people transforming to scary demons and everything in between. I found myself glued to the pages not wanting this story to end. I highly recommend if you are a fan of the paranormal.
Twin Lakes: Autumn Fires is the first in a long line of scary stories I have chosen to read this month. Elizabeth “Liz” Troy is backpacking through the Pacific Northwest when she cross paths with a predator. Beaten and bloody she manages to escape, but the campfire she stumbles across is not the cozy kind. Liz walks into a violent murder scene with a decapitated woman’s body. This is not the first murder in the quaint town of Twin Falls, Washington either. Two other headless bodies were found recently and it has local law enforcement stumped. Will Liz manage to escape the clutches of a predator who still has his heart set on her?
Demons, beasts, and mediums. Oh My! Twin Falls is not your average town. The ancients tried to keep the place under the radar from outsiders. The last thing they want is an investigation into their town. When Liz wanders in with a predator hot on her trail it is up to the ancients to figure out who the murderer is before he claims his next victim.
I absolutely love the supernatural part of this story. The ancients have lived for centuries and keep the town in order for the most part, but when a demon shows itself the ancients are left questioning each other. I love how the predator is shrouded in mystery and you really have no idea who it might be for much of the story which really had me guessing. I never figured it out and was surprised when the reveal finally came.
Liz is an interesting character. She is backpacking after the death of her mother and she just gets stuck in this town like none other. Little did she know that its inhabitants. She is scared after her ordeal and she doesn’t know what to make of everyone. All she wants to do is leave and be on her way, but with a demon killer after her, she finds herself helped by the residents and the ancients as they try to keep her safe.
Twin lakes: Autumn Fires surely delivered on the spook from people transforming to scary demons and everything in between. I found myself glued to the pages not wanting this story to end. I highly recommend if you are a fan of the paranormal.
November 20, 2018
Twin Lakes: The Autumn Fires is a fun read with some nice, dark imagery along the way. Usually when I read anything with tentacle monsters, I tend to back away from the book as I can never take those types of creatures seriously, but the creepy shadow tentacles and demon are handled so well in this book that I found myself getting more and more intrigued. The demon is nothing to mess around with and he certainly ensures some people meet gruesome endings. I really enjoyed the supernatural and horror elements in this book and think the Sisters of Slaughter have set up an interesting world within the book that they could return to again.
November 24, 2018
Michelle and Melissa, aka The Sisters of Slaughter, are back with a new novel full of blood, horror and lots of secrets.
Having read several short stories by the Sisters of Slaughter (from here on referred to as SOS), this is the first full length novel of theirs I have read. I was not disappointed. They have created a world filled with wonderful and frightening characters. It takes a good writer to make a world that the reader can almost visualize while reading, and here we have 2 authors working seamlessly to give us a great reading experience.
The story plays out like a really demented episode of Twin Peaks. Small town, eccentric and mysterious characters, mystery and secrets. In fact, this story would make a perfect TV show. The way the characters interact and the ever present mystery behind the group called "The Ancestors" that lurk behind the scene; I would tune in every week to watch this. Some TV channel needs to swoop in and pick this story up.
The story grips you from the first sentence and does not slow until the last page. The SOS have created some awesome characters. Some you will love and other you will just love to hate. I think my favorite character had to be the Sheriff. I just loved the personality he was given and his actions throughout the story. The rest of the cast is also well fleshed out. Liz is a strong female lead and holds her own as the only "normal" person in a town full of witches, psychics, monsters and demons.
There is no shortage of blood in this story, and some scenes are down right gruesome. But it is not overdone, each scene connects to the story and is not used for just shock value. It was nice to see that the SOS used restraint in the overuse of blood and gore, and instead concentrated on giving us a great character-driven story.
I sure hope we get to visit the town of Twin Lakes again in the future.
Having read several short stories by the Sisters of Slaughter (from here on referred to as SOS), this is the first full length novel of theirs I have read. I was not disappointed. They have created a world filled with wonderful and frightening characters. It takes a good writer to make a world that the reader can almost visualize while reading, and here we have 2 authors working seamlessly to give us a great reading experience.
The story plays out like a really demented episode of Twin Peaks. Small town, eccentric and mysterious characters, mystery and secrets. In fact, this story would make a perfect TV show. The way the characters interact and the ever present mystery behind the group called "The Ancestors" that lurk behind the scene; I would tune in every week to watch this. Some TV channel needs to swoop in and pick this story up.
The story grips you from the first sentence and does not slow until the last page. The SOS have created some awesome characters. Some you will love and other you will just love to hate. I think my favorite character had to be the Sheriff. I just loved the personality he was given and his actions throughout the story. The rest of the cast is also well fleshed out. Liz is a strong female lead and holds her own as the only "normal" person in a town full of witches, psychics, monsters and demons.
There is no shortage of blood in this story, and some scenes are down right gruesome. But it is not overdone, each scene connects to the story and is not used for just shock value. It was nice to see that the SOS used restraint in the overuse of blood and gore, and instead concentrated on giving us a great character-driven story.
I sure hope we get to visit the town of Twin Lakes again in the future.
January 7, 2019
Originally posted on my blog at http://undivineinterventions.blogspot...
2018 has come and gone, but the books from it remain in my to be read pile. Just a few more to go, and I can get into reading all the great things 2019 will offer...as well as the whole reason I started this blog: unsung classics from the "heyday".
But there's plenty of good stuff being churned out by new authors, that shouldn't go ignored, thus my dedication to covering new material. If we are ever going to see a closeness to the horror fiction glory days, we've gotta take notice of the new, great stuff coming out presently.
Michelle Garza and Melissa Lason, AKA The Sisters of Slaughter, have been strong contenders for being the queens of the forefront of today's horror market since they busted onto the scene with their Stoker-nominated walk through hell of a debut, Mayan Blue, a few years back.
That novel was, on it's surface, a very traditional 'college kids get torn apart by demons' yarn that was elevated tenfold by the sisters incredible attention to detail, namely of the hellscape they built in that story, taking that fairly pedestrian exercise and cultivating greatness by developing such a robust universe for it to take place in.
I loved that book and have paid close attention to each work they've released since.
This, their latest, Twin Lakes: Autumn Fires, takes that same great attention to detail and places it with characters as opposed to backdrop. Where Mayan Blue had every square foot of its setting richly described to the point where one could feel as though they were within the caves with the protagonists, TL:AF pays that attention to fleshing out it's ensemble of characters.
Not a single character in this thing is without some quirk, or supernatural ability or heavy baggage to be explored deeply by the writers. It's this attention that rises their writing to above average stature.
Twin Lakes is a delicious little slice of fantasy horror, with heavy emphasis on the fantasy, that takes a wacky, everything-but-the-kitchen sink approach. And I mean everything.
You've got demonic serial killers, immortal guardians of supernatural proportion protecting a town, werewolves, killer vines, gobs of gore and so much more. It can be a bit much at times, a bit frenzied and angular in it's narrative, but it's always a great time. A great time where this reader popped the question "what the hell did I just read!?", quite a bit.
Indeed I did have to double back and make sure I was following the ensemble cast correctly..."wait, who is the werewolf again?"..."who was it that just got their throat crushed?"..."who is the clairvoyant one again?"... but it all pays off and ties together in the same way something like Twin Peaks does.
TW:AF circles around Liz, a young woman backpacking the country, who is sexually assaulted. Upon fighting off that attack, she stumbles upon even worse, a violent and unrelated murder scene. This ties her up in a supernatural battleground in a small town that has it's fair share of secrets.
I enjoyed this one, but I could have used a breather here and there where things made just a little bit more sense from time to time. I continue to look forward to anything the sisters put out, as I feel they've still got their masterpiece in them, waiting to captivate the horror world.
3/5.

2018 has come and gone, but the books from it remain in my to be read pile. Just a few more to go, and I can get into reading all the great things 2019 will offer...as well as the whole reason I started this blog: unsung classics from the "heyday".
But there's plenty of good stuff being churned out by new authors, that shouldn't go ignored, thus my dedication to covering new material. If we are ever going to see a closeness to the horror fiction glory days, we've gotta take notice of the new, great stuff coming out presently.
Michelle Garza and Melissa Lason, AKA The Sisters of Slaughter, have been strong contenders for being the queens of the forefront of today's horror market since they busted onto the scene with their Stoker-nominated walk through hell of a debut, Mayan Blue, a few years back.
That novel was, on it's surface, a very traditional 'college kids get torn apart by demons' yarn that was elevated tenfold by the sisters incredible attention to detail, namely of the hellscape they built in that story, taking that fairly pedestrian exercise and cultivating greatness by developing such a robust universe for it to take place in.
I loved that book and have paid close attention to each work they've released since.
This, their latest, Twin Lakes: Autumn Fires, takes that same great attention to detail and places it with characters as opposed to backdrop. Where Mayan Blue had every square foot of its setting richly described to the point where one could feel as though they were within the caves with the protagonists, TL:AF pays that attention to fleshing out it's ensemble of characters.
Not a single character in this thing is without some quirk, or supernatural ability or heavy baggage to be explored deeply by the writers. It's this attention that rises their writing to above average stature.
Twin Lakes is a delicious little slice of fantasy horror, with heavy emphasis on the fantasy, that takes a wacky, everything-but-the-kitchen sink approach. And I mean everything.
You've got demonic serial killers, immortal guardians of supernatural proportion protecting a town, werewolves, killer vines, gobs of gore and so much more. It can be a bit much at times, a bit frenzied and angular in it's narrative, but it's always a great time. A great time where this reader popped the question "what the hell did I just read!?", quite a bit.
Indeed I did have to double back and make sure I was following the ensemble cast correctly..."wait, who is the werewolf again?"..."who was it that just got their throat crushed?"..."who is the clairvoyant one again?"... but it all pays off and ties together in the same way something like Twin Peaks does.
TW:AF circles around Liz, a young woman backpacking the country, who is sexually assaulted. Upon fighting off that attack, she stumbles upon even worse, a violent and unrelated murder scene. This ties her up in a supernatural battleground in a small town that has it's fair share of secrets.
I enjoyed this one, but I could have used a breather here and there where things made just a little bit more sense from time to time. I continue to look forward to anything the sisters put out, as I feel they've still got their masterpiece in them, waiting to captivate the horror world.
3/5.

February 25, 2019
3.5
A woman escapes an attack and comes across the body of a decapitated woman near a fire with strange markings on her skin. It turns out this isn't the first instance of this in the town of Twin Lakes. It's a small town with some interesting citizens. I liked the development of the characters that lived in the town. They weren't written off as evil just because they were supernatural / ancient beings. I liked that "things are not as they seem" edge. There was even a benevolent werewolf in the mix! Will be reading more from these authors!
A woman escapes an attack and comes across the body of a decapitated woman near a fire with strange markings on her skin. It turns out this isn't the first instance of this in the town of Twin Lakes. It's a small town with some interesting citizens. I liked the development of the characters that lived in the town. They weren't written off as evil just because they were supernatural / ancient beings. I liked that "things are not as they seem" edge. There was even a benevolent werewolf in the mix! Will be reading more from these authors!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 13, 2021
I tried, but this one just didn't work for me. Too many genres as far as supernatural entities go and I found I just couldn't relate to any of the characters.
Yes I rate DNF's and yes I'm adding it to my mount tbr shelf because I think reading pretty much half the book is a good enough go to do so.
Yes I rate DNF's and yes I'm adding it to my mount tbr shelf because I think reading pretty much half the book is a good enough go to do so.
October 16, 2018
I really love books where the monsters are the good guys! A great read by the awesome Sisters of Slaughter. Their books never fail to be a great read. I recommend this highly.
Oh, did I mention werewolves?
Oh, did I mention werewolves?
March 23, 2019
Review Copy
If you enjoy reading horror as much as I do and if you haven't read anything by the Sisters of Slaughter you're doing yourself a disservice. Real-life sisters, Michelle Garza & Melissa Lason, have always loved the dark side of life. I loved this line from their guest post on yesterday's blog...
"We dressed our cats in doll clothes and pretended they were werewolves attacking our Barbies."
Their first published novel, Mayan Blue, was nominated for the coveted Bram Stoker award. and they show no signs of slowing down. Their latest release, Twin Lakes: Autumn Fires, solidifies their place in the modern day registry of horror writers deserving of your attention.
The opening sequence of this book could not be more timely...
"The breeze carried his cheap aftershave from her bare chest up into her face and vomit rose into her throat. He hadn't succeeded in accomplishing what he planned since he picked her up, but the trauma of his attack wouldn't leave her for the rest of her days."
A serial killer is plaguing the community of Twin Lakes, Washington, a locality with more than a few secrets. It's those very secrets which are keeping the town leaders from bringing in outsiders to aid the investigation.
The occult. monsters, witches, and werewolves. They're all here in this otherwise quiet little town. Seems to me, Twin Lakes could be home to a few more stories, should the Sisters of Slaughter chose to revisit in the future.
While not perfect, Twin Lakes: Autumn Fires makes for some damn fine reading. Recommended.
Published by Sinister Grin Press, Twin Lakes: Autumn Fires is available in both Paperback and for the Kindle. If you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited you can read it at no additional charge. Also, if you are an Amazon Prime member you can read it for FREE using the Kindle Owners Lending Library.
About the authors - Michelle Garza and Melissa Lason are a twin sister writing team from Arizona. They have been writing together since they were little girls and have been dubbed the Sisters of Slaughter for writing a mixture of horror, sci-fi, and fantasy. They’ve been published by Sinister Grin Press, JEA/Wetworks, Thunderstorm Books, Bloodshot Books, Eraserhead Press, and Fireside Press. Their debut novel Mayan Blue was released by Sinister Grin Press, earning a nomination for a Bram Stoker Award. Silverwood: The Door was recently released with Brian Keene, Richard Chizmar, and Stephen Kozeniewski. Silverwood: The Door is a serial horror story put out through Serialbox, the HBO of literature.
If you enjoy reading horror as much as I do and if you haven't read anything by the Sisters of Slaughter you're doing yourself a disservice. Real-life sisters, Michelle Garza & Melissa Lason, have always loved the dark side of life. I loved this line from their guest post on yesterday's blog...
"We dressed our cats in doll clothes and pretended they were werewolves attacking our Barbies."
Their first published novel, Mayan Blue, was nominated for the coveted Bram Stoker award. and they show no signs of slowing down. Their latest release, Twin Lakes: Autumn Fires, solidifies their place in the modern day registry of horror writers deserving of your attention.
The opening sequence of this book could not be more timely...
"The breeze carried his cheap aftershave from her bare chest up into her face and vomit rose into her throat. He hadn't succeeded in accomplishing what he planned since he picked her up, but the trauma of his attack wouldn't leave her for the rest of her days."
A serial killer is plaguing the community of Twin Lakes, Washington, a locality with more than a few secrets. It's those very secrets which are keeping the town leaders from bringing in outsiders to aid the investigation.
The occult. monsters, witches, and werewolves. They're all here in this otherwise quiet little town. Seems to me, Twin Lakes could be home to a few more stories, should the Sisters of Slaughter chose to revisit in the future.
While not perfect, Twin Lakes: Autumn Fires makes for some damn fine reading. Recommended.
Published by Sinister Grin Press, Twin Lakes: Autumn Fires is available in both Paperback and for the Kindle. If you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited you can read it at no additional charge. Also, if you are an Amazon Prime member you can read it for FREE using the Kindle Owners Lending Library.
About the authors - Michelle Garza and Melissa Lason are a twin sister writing team from Arizona. They have been writing together since they were little girls and have been dubbed the Sisters of Slaughter for writing a mixture of horror, sci-fi, and fantasy. They’ve been published by Sinister Grin Press, JEA/Wetworks, Thunderstorm Books, Bloodshot Books, Eraserhead Press, and Fireside Press. Their debut novel Mayan Blue was released by Sinister Grin Press, earning a nomination for a Bram Stoker Award. Silverwood: The Door was recently released with Brian Keene, Richard Chizmar, and Stephen Kozeniewski. Silverwood: The Door is a serial horror story put out through Serialbox, the HBO of literature.
January 17, 2020
Amazing!
I have been wanting to read this boom for awhile based on title and cover and finally picked it up and it did not disappoint! There was so much more than I even imagined to take in here! Amazing setting and characters, a mythology and town to be interested in. I really hope to see more of twin lakes from these two!!
I have been wanting to read this boom for awhile based on title and cover and finally picked it up and it did not disappoint! There was so much more than I even imagined to take in here! Amazing setting and characters, a mythology and town to be interested in. I really hope to see more of twin lakes from these two!!
December 3, 2018
This is the first book I’ve read by the Sisters of Slaughter. In a nutshell, I think that the story is captivating and the characters are lovable (the good guys, anyway!) but I think that some of the characters and scenes lacked depth.
But first off, here are the things I loved about the book.
Some of the main characters were easy to love and get behind. I found myself rooting for them to uncover the true killer and biting my nails when they were in danger. The main three characters are Liz, Linda and Earl. Linda and Earl tirelessly watch over Liz ever since she found her way into town. But I also loved Rosalie, one of the Ancestors whose gifts make her the resident seer and who trains Linda to take her place once she’s gone. Liz and Rosalie have some neat backstories woven throughout the book, but I wished we’d learned more about Linda and Earl.
Speaking of backstories, I really enjoyed the segments detailing the history around the town’s “Ancestors” and the werewolves. Both groups of people must hide their incredible inherited powers from average citizens because they would generally be feared and unaccepted. But both groups have codes by which they can use their white magic (owned by the Ancestors) and their shape-shifting abilities (owned by the werewolves). It would have been neat to learn more about the day-to-day usage of the supernatural powers, but understandably the focus is more on how the powers are being used to try and overcome the dark evil that’s new in town.
While there were definitely elements of mystery and creepiness early on in the book, you get about halfway through and then the grotesque factor ramps up quite a bit. It’s to the point where even I become squeamish. And that’s a compliment! In fact, the evil deeds done by the villain are so bad that there is no room for empathy at all for him. Usually I can find a little sympathy for the villain because there must be a little bit of a good guy in there somewhere...right? Not the case here. Very well done.
Without trying to give anything away, I will say that the ending was left resolved enough so that I wasn’t disappointed in it, but open enough to think that exciting stories will follow. Some of the characters end up with a renewed purpose and I was left wanting to know what they could get caught up with in the future!
There were just a few facets in which I think the book was lacking. I felt like some of the characters were well rounded (Liz, Earl and Linda) but other characters felt flat, like there was no basis to explain why the did the things they did or said the things they said. Some examples are Julie and Deana, who both seem to play a decent role in the plot but I felt like we knew nothing about them. I also felt like more depth should have been given to some of the ancestors, or maybe not mention them at all, because I had a hard time keeping them straight or understanding their roles within the family.
I also felt that some scenes lacked enough detail to help me follow along, and sometimes I’d have to reread just a bit. Many scenes had a great level of detail so that you could follow along with the character or with the plot, whichever was the main focus of the segment, but other scenes were hard to follow. Such scenes felt very rushed and I had a hard time following along because there wasn’t a good balance of action and detail. But other scenes were awesome in their level of detail. If there had been more consistency in the level of detail throughout the book, I feel like the book would have had a better overall flow.
This fantastic writing duo can undoubtedly take the gore level to the maximum, and I love that about their writing. I think that the characters and setting of Twin Lakes: Autumn Fires could set the stage for an awesome series. I definitely hope to read future works from the Sisters of Slaughter!
But first off, here are the things I loved about the book.
Some of the main characters were easy to love and get behind. I found myself rooting for them to uncover the true killer and biting my nails when they were in danger. The main three characters are Liz, Linda and Earl. Linda and Earl tirelessly watch over Liz ever since she found her way into town. But I also loved Rosalie, one of the Ancestors whose gifts make her the resident seer and who trains Linda to take her place once she’s gone. Liz and Rosalie have some neat backstories woven throughout the book, but I wished we’d learned more about Linda and Earl.
Speaking of backstories, I really enjoyed the segments detailing the history around the town’s “Ancestors” and the werewolves. Both groups of people must hide their incredible inherited powers from average citizens because they would generally be feared and unaccepted. But both groups have codes by which they can use their white magic (owned by the Ancestors) and their shape-shifting abilities (owned by the werewolves). It would have been neat to learn more about the day-to-day usage of the supernatural powers, but understandably the focus is more on how the powers are being used to try and overcome the dark evil that’s new in town.
While there were definitely elements of mystery and creepiness early on in the book, you get about halfway through and then the grotesque factor ramps up quite a bit. It’s to the point where even I become squeamish. And that’s a compliment! In fact, the evil deeds done by the villain are so bad that there is no room for empathy at all for him. Usually I can find a little sympathy for the villain because there must be a little bit of a good guy in there somewhere...right? Not the case here. Very well done.
Without trying to give anything away, I will say that the ending was left resolved enough so that I wasn’t disappointed in it, but open enough to think that exciting stories will follow. Some of the characters end up with a renewed purpose and I was left wanting to know what they could get caught up with in the future!
There were just a few facets in which I think the book was lacking. I felt like some of the characters were well rounded (Liz, Earl and Linda) but other characters felt flat, like there was no basis to explain why the did the things they did or said the things they said. Some examples are Julie and Deana, who both seem to play a decent role in the plot but I felt like we knew nothing about them. I also felt like more depth should have been given to some of the ancestors, or maybe not mention them at all, because I had a hard time keeping them straight or understanding their roles within the family.
I also felt that some scenes lacked enough detail to help me follow along, and sometimes I’d have to reread just a bit. Many scenes had a great level of detail so that you could follow along with the character or with the plot, whichever was the main focus of the segment, but other scenes were hard to follow. Such scenes felt very rushed and I had a hard time following along because there wasn’t a good balance of action and detail. But other scenes were awesome in their level of detail. If there had been more consistency in the level of detail throughout the book, I feel like the book would have had a better overall flow.
This fantastic writing duo can undoubtedly take the gore level to the maximum, and I love that about their writing. I think that the characters and setting of Twin Lakes: Autumn Fires could set the stage for an awesome series. I definitely hope to read future works from the Sisters of Slaughter!
March 1, 2019
3.5 My first by this pair of authors.
October 23, 2018
A satisfying departure for the Sisters of Slaughter
When you pick up a book by two authors nicknamed “ The Sisters of Slaughter “ you expect certain, wet , messy things. With their newest book, Twin Lakes, you get those things but not nearly as plentiful.
Instead you getting more fleshed out characters and an expanded scope.
A young girl survives a brutal attack only to stumble on the remains of a demonically influenced serial killer.
The story quickly expands into interesting territories of shapeshifters, white and black magic and clairvoyants among other things.
The authors show restraint in favor of story and their growing confidence shows with each book.
I look forward to see what they have planned next.
When you pick up a book by two authors nicknamed “ The Sisters of Slaughter “ you expect certain, wet , messy things. With their newest book, Twin Lakes, you get those things but not nearly as plentiful.
Instead you getting more fleshed out characters and an expanded scope.
A young girl survives a brutal attack only to stumble on the remains of a demonically influenced serial killer.
The story quickly expands into interesting territories of shapeshifters, white and black magic and clairvoyants among other things.
The authors show restraint in favor of story and their growing confidence shows with each book.
I look forward to see what they have planned next.
November 20, 2018
I’ve loved all the books by the Sisters of Slaughter and this one was no different. It’s felt like a mix of horror with urban fantasy elements. I’m a sucker for these small town and stories so I knew I would be on board with this from the beginning. They fast paced plot mixed with all of the interesting characters made this one a troop page turner. I can’t wait to read more about the citizens of this town. I hope there is more coming. The novel really reminded me of the first episode and a TV series.
December 13, 2018
The Sisters of Slaughter do it again, this time with a small town supernatural thriller that has you flipping pages with growing tension. Witches and werewolves, mediums and monsters, the town of Twin Lakes may seem idyllic to some, but it harbors many dark secrets. A serial killer utilizing occult practices has gained the attention of various factions in the town, and a young woman fleeing an attacker stumbles far too close for anyone’s liking. TW:AF is a frantic dash into terror and brutality, one I definitely recommend.
January 6, 2019
Oh man, where to begin with this one? A poor girl in the wrong place at the wrong time, a demon that delights in torture, a town that is filled with things that are not what they appear, this book has it all! It's super creepy, a lot fun, and filled with the spirit of Fall. I really hope there are more stories about this town because I was not ready to go when it was finished.
October 12, 2018
This was an ok read, I was hoping for more. My review is posted here ---> https://wp.me/p5t5Tf-1HC
October 20, 2018
Awesome! Read it!
March 27, 2019
The language in this book comes across as stiff and stilted; it doesn’t flow naturally. Dialogue often gets cheesy and silly. The others come across as a bunch of cranky, gossipy, catty people rather than a nifty and intriguing society. Most of them also seem to think they’re better than anyone around them, which makes them obnoxious and unlikable. Even major ancestor characters, such as Dr. Michael Aaron, don’t exhibit much personality. The setup with the ancestors is also overly complex, and the lengthy explanations included just derail the pacing.
The climactic battle is a bit confusing. Also, the rhythms of it don’t feel natural. It’s just beat after beat after beat with no ebb and flow. It’s an extension of the stiffness that I noted earlier. I feel like reading this book aloud would pinpoint a lot of the awkwardness involved.
Standard horror novel content warning for some blood and gore; nothing too outlandish. As a standard horror book about demonic influence and serial killing this is maybe average. As an attempt at building up one of those rural horror towns for repeat visits, it fails in my eyes. The town has no real creepy atmosphere to it; the others are just too mundane and annoying. I’m afraid I don’t find myself wanting to make repeat visits to this town.
Consider my rating a 2.5
Original review posted on my blog: http://www.errantdreams.com/2019/03/r...
The climactic battle is a bit confusing. Also, the rhythms of it don’t feel natural. It’s just beat after beat after beat with no ebb and flow. It’s an extension of the stiffness that I noted earlier. I feel like reading this book aloud would pinpoint a lot of the awkwardness involved.
Standard horror novel content warning for some blood and gore; nothing too outlandish. As a standard horror book about demonic influence and serial killing this is maybe average. As an attempt at building up one of those rural horror towns for repeat visits, it fails in my eyes. The town has no real creepy atmosphere to it; the others are just too mundane and annoying. I’m afraid I don’t find myself wanting to make repeat visits to this town.
Consider my rating a 2.5
Original review posted on my blog: http://www.errantdreams.com/2019/03/r...
July 6, 2019
Twin Lakes: Autumn Fires is a book that I first discovered on social media. People seemed to like it, the book has a 4 star GR average and a genuinely awesome premise so I threw it on my TBR. It’s a very short book, around a 150 pages, so it’s perfect for reading in one sitting. I think this is a divisive one, I thought it was OK, which clearly doesn’t align with a lot of other peoples thoughts
Written by “the sisters of slaughter” a twin sister, Bram Stoker nominated writing duo, This novel is the tale of a woman brutally attacked outside of a town called Twin Lakes. Liz survives the attack, only to be thrown into a plot involving supernatural towns people, werewolves and a killer on the loose. Lately I’ve found myself enjoying short books, but this is one I felt needed to be longer. The main players and the town could have used more fleshing out.
In the end, I wanted to like this book more than I did. I’ve heard good things about the sisters of slaughter, so whatever comes next I’ll check out. That being said, I’ll also be approaching the next project with tempered expectations as I believe my own hype killed some of the enjoyment for me. As I mentioned earlier, I seem to be in the minority’s as far as enjoyment of this one goes so if the synopsis sounds intriguing to you, I’d still recommend you check it out, the book is short enough to read in one sitting.
Written by “the sisters of slaughter” a twin sister, Bram Stoker nominated writing duo, This novel is the tale of a woman brutally attacked outside of a town called Twin Lakes. Liz survives the attack, only to be thrown into a plot involving supernatural towns people, werewolves and a killer on the loose. Lately I’ve found myself enjoying short books, but this is one I felt needed to be longer. The main players and the town could have used more fleshing out.
In the end, I wanted to like this book more than I did. I’ve heard good things about the sisters of slaughter, so whatever comes next I’ll check out. That being said, I’ll also be approaching the next project with tempered expectations as I believe my own hype killed some of the enjoyment for me. As I mentioned earlier, I seem to be in the minority’s as far as enjoyment of this one goes so if the synopsis sounds intriguing to you, I’d still recommend you check it out, the book is short enough to read in one sitting.
May 4, 2019
From the very first page I was intrigued. The once peaceful small town of Twin Lakes becomes a place of horrors for the main protagonist Liz and the towns people she meets along the way. Not everything is at it seems and not everyone is whom they appear to be. An evil entity is released within the dense ominous forest of Twin Lakes and is hungry for bloodshed. Very enjoyable and creepy. Give me more Horror narratives like this! I highly recommend this wonderfully gorey story to all horror fans out there.
April 3, 2019
The authors are also known as Sisters of Slaughter. After reading this book I now know why they go by that name. It’s because they slaughter the fuck out of a horror story! These women aren't afraid to get their hands dirty with blood and guts either. I really enjoyed this tale of ritualistic sacrifice, a supernatural detective duo, witches, secrets and so much horror☠️
I recommend this book if you want a solid horror story that dips its toe in fantasy.
Support women in horror!
I recommend this book if you want a solid horror story that dips its toe in fantasy.
Support women in horror!
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May 20, 2021Definitely a fun book, an interesting premise and some rich characterization. Great description as well. I think the book could have benefited from maybe another editing pass but that was pretty minor. I will say that I found the story a touch ambitious for the length and with things moving around so quickly, I had a harder time engaging with it.
April 11, 2021
This novel could be turned into a horror series. Garza and Lason put together a hell of a cast, and a great little town in Twin Lakes.
And there's werewolves! You had me at Arrooooo!
I would definitely recommend this one to all horror fans.
I would definitely revisit this town and its people.
And there's werewolves! You had me at Arrooooo!
I would definitely recommend this one to all horror fans.
I would definitely revisit this town and its people.
March 24, 2019
This is a must-read! Any story that can make me smile and almost gag deserves 5+ stars. This could def turn into a series ... town ... characters ... I would absolutely read another installment!
August 17, 2021
This was a quick and entertaining read. Great three dimensional characters and good story. Let's just say don't hitchhike in small towns.
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March 15, 2019I've enjoyed several stories by The Sisters of Slaughter, and while this one wasn't my favorite, it certainly had some intriguing and entertaining elements. What didn't work for me is that it took me quite a while to figure out what was happening at the beginning- I had to re-read the first part of the book a few times. I also found some of the dialogue disjointed- several of the characters switch between using contractions and more formal speech throughout the book, which took me out of the scene. There were many characters and none too fully developed- it was hard to keep track of the relationship between them all. That being said, there was plenty to enjoy about this story. The town itself, with it's enclave of ancient ancestors, is a captivating setting- I'd like to see more tightly focused stories set in Twin Lakes. The inclusion of cryptid and Lovecraftian creatures brought the gore factor, which added a bit of fun- those passages were rife with fantastically grotesque imagery. There's much potential for further exploration of the world they've created here, and I'd be interested to revisit.
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