Dark Entry

by John B. Kachuba

In the 18th century, members of the Dudley family settled in the deep woods of the Dark Entry Forest in northwestern Connecticut. Only a century later, Dudleytown was a ghost town with nothing left in the encroaching forest but cellar holes. Legend has it that the Dudleys were descended from a family in England that came to a bad end and that a curse followed them to America, a curse that drove residents of the settlement to murder and suicide.

In 1989, Sandy Lawrence, fleeing her abusive boyfriend, is given the use of her friend’s house in Dark Entry, one of the few homes in the isolated forest. She is unaware of the legends about Dark Entry but soon discovers the horrifying truth—something evil is alive and well in the deep woods, something intent upon murder. What began as a peaceful retreat from her domestic troubles now becomes a terrifying fight for her life.

Genres: Horror, Paranormal, Mystery, Supernatural, Amazon, Ebooks, Ghosts

Kindle Edition

First published July 24, 2012

About the author

John B. Kachuba is the series editor of America's Haunted Road Trip from Clerisy Press and the author of Ghosthunting Illinois and Ghosthunting Ohio. He has also written other books such as Ghosthunters: On the Trail of Mediums, Dowsers, Spirit Seekers, and Other Investigators of America's Paranormal World, How to Write Funny, and Why is this Job Killing Me? (co-authored with his wife, Mary A. Newman, PhD).

John's short fiction and nonfiction have been widely published and he has received several awards for his fiction, including the 2004 Dogwood Fiction Prize.

He holds advanced degrees in Creative Writing from Antioch University (Yellow Springs, OH) and Ohio University. He has taught writing at both the University of Cincinnati and Ohio University. He is also on the faculty of the Gotham Writers Workshop.

John is a noted conference speaker and presenter and is a sought-after guest on many radio and television programs throughout the country and internationally.

John lives in Cincinnati, Ohio, with his wife Mary.

Reviews

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very creepy book and the suspenseful ghostly atmosphere just wraps itself around you!

Coltsfoot Mountain, Connecticut harbors a secret older than time and only the people of the mountain area know the horror that lurks there.

Sandy Lawrence needs to get far away from her controlling boyfriend and her friend Leslie suggests that the best place to get away is her house in Coltsfoot Mountain. Sandy arrives at the house falling in love with the tranquil setting of the mountain. As she settles into the house, she starts having an eerie feeling penetrate the house and she feels that she is being watched.

Leslie decides to come and stay with her for a couple days so that Sandy is not so lonely up there on the mountain. Leslie tells Sandy a little bit about Dudleytown which was a small town made up of charcoal makers. Sandy also meets Nathan who is a handyman in the area and has helped Leslie in the past with the house. Nathan tells Sandy about the Dudleytown curse including the Spirit Eater and the things that he has seen in the woods behind the house. Sandy is intrigued, but doesn't really believe any of it till things start happening in the house.

The woods and house come alive with noises, cold drafts, feelings of being watched as Sandy tries to come to grips with what is going on around her. When her boyfriend (Kevin) tracks her down and shows up at the house, then things really hit the fan.

I didn't have to leave the lights on, but I could not put the book down and I stayed up a couple of nights late reading it!

This was a new author to me and I will be looking into more of his work as I loved his writing style. The book just flows along capturing the ghostly essence of what really happened in Coltsfoot Mountain and it being based on the true life story of Dudleytown makes this book just a tad more creepy. Four stars for this one.

[Bookworm · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

So, here's the good, the bad and the ugly of my thoughts...
First of all, this book is about a historical coal burning village known as Dudleytown. There is much gossip and speculation about this village, located high upon a mountain. Rumour has it there is a supernatural presence known as the spirit-eater, which haunts this village and kills people. This curse is said to originate from a feud many many years ago. The plot takes place in modern day time. The MC Sandy Lawrence has just left her violent, drug abusing boyfriend and is temporarily staying at her best friend Leslie's cabin in Dudleytown. It is the last remaining cabin on the mountain. A series of grisly and unexplainable events start to happen while Sandy tries to mend her broken heart.

The author is a talented writer. His style is engaging and this is essentially what kept me reading. In particular, Dr. Richards' journal entries from the 1800's provided a compelling paranormal mystery within itself. The gothic horror in these bits was riveting and spinetinging. I wish more of the story involved Dr. Richards.

Where the story fell flat for me was in the plot. It was too superficial, predictable and cliché. As a result, it lacked any emotional depth. I wasn't able to feel the anticipation or tension that should have been a significant part of the story. In the version I have, the POV also jumps around a lot - sometimes within the same chapter - which made the narrative confusing and seem a tad amateurish.

The most disappointing aspect was the shallow character development. There was nothing special about the main characters. Nothing that invited me to connect with them at some level. I didn't like them, I didn't hate them, I didn't sympathize with them....I felt nothing towards them. I was disengaged and apathetic towards their plight. The only character that moved me in any way was Dr. Richards. I wanted more of him.

I think this author has potential to write amazing fiction if he is able to spend more time developing his characters and adding depth to his plot. However, I don't think I would recommend Dark Entry
to others.

[Irene Well Worth A Read · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a quick read, that begins with a horrifying act in the 18th century before our unsuspecting main character heads to a house in these cursed woods to clear her head after an upsetting break up. Sandy doesn't know the stories of the spirit eater that haunts these grounds, an evil ghost that preys on souls. Not long after her arrival, she learns of the local ghost stories but it takes more than folk tales to make her a believer. I love ghost stories set in New England, as a life long resident I have always been interested in the spooky tales that abound in our small towns. Looking at this cover is like looking through my own childhood window at night, so of course I was instantly drawn to this book.

3.75 stars rounded up to 4

I received a complimentary copy for review.

[Bandit · Rating 2 out of 5]

Starting off a reading month with…well if not outright a dud, then something dudish. Thought it would be fun to read something dark and supernatural on a weird cloudy day, alas this one offered no joy. It’s a very much by the numbers supernatural thriller…middle of nowhere location, check, a ravishing damsel alone, check, a handsome male to the rescue, check, a ghost, check, a native American angry spirit, check, etc. It’s actually inspired by a real place in Connecticut and the author is well known for his nonfictional work in the field of supernatural, so it’s an obvious choice, and maybe nonfiction is more of his forte, but as far as fictional work goes, this book leaves a lot to be desired. It’s bland, predictable, much too mild, with clichéd characters and stilted dialogue. It’s very much on par with thousands of similar books out there with quality of an average genre kindle freebie at best. For a seasoned fan of scary stories, this is a disappointment. Maybe it might work for someone with indiscriminate tastes and very low expectations. The best thing about this one, honestly, was how quickly it went by. It’ll certainly be forgotten in the same timely manner. Thanks Netgalley.

[Iris Chacon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rated 5 out of 5 stars by reviewer Iris Chacon. An advance review copy was provided by the publisher without obligation of any kind. This review reflects the honest and voluntary opinion of Iris Chacon.

Are you looking for a captivating, imaginative, literally haunting story? Then, you'll find John Kachuba's DARK ENTRY is just what the doctor ordered (before the doctor was murdered, of course. But I digress.)

What does one do after escaping an abusive boyfriend? Why, hide out at a friend's isolated forest cabin atop a haunted mountain, of course. Naturally, things will go bump in the night. Uninvited visitors will show up -- some of them very dangerous people (or not people). And, you should expect to find surprises of the good, bad, and ugly kinds around every turn. (One character even finds out late in the story that s/he is not what s/he thought s/he was.)

Before Sandy Lawrence arrives at her girlfriend's remote cabin, the reader already knows that things scarier than a mean ex-boyfriend are lurking in the dark mountain woods. You will eagerly follow Sandy's story from page to page to page, growling at anyone or anything that tries to divert you before you've finished reading the book.


DARK ENTRY is perfect for curling up by the fireside on an autumn evening. If you can read it in a cabin in the woods, so much the better!
Check out DARK ENTRY on Amazon [LINK], and take a look at John Kachuba's Amazon author page [LINK] for a look at all of his books.

DARK ENTRY contains brutal murders, domestic violence, and frightening supernatural beings and events. This book is probably too intense for young children, but it does not contain erotica or excessive cursing.

[Cornerofmadness · Rating 3 out of 5]

Got this from the author at a cryptid con and it sounded exciting, the dark woods and a curse. And it wasn't a bad story at all but on the other hand, it didn't offer up much new in the way of storytelling. Content warning: gore, attempted rape, murder, domestic violence

Set in the late 80s, Sandy has walked away from an abusive relationship and her friend Leslie offers up her father's (now hers) cabin in the Connecticut woods on Dark Entry road. They assume Kevin, the abusive ex, won't be able to find her there. This cabin is where Dudsleytown was, a place where charcoal making (a big deal 100 years prior) took place, a toxic occupation. Something made the town abandoned after a string of killings. Adding to the allure is the ruins of this town and adding to the tension, the fact is Leslie's cabin is one of the few in the area.

Sandy is settling in okay with the help of Nathan, Leslie's handyman (and potential love interest for Sandy) but what she doesn't know is there is someone watching her, a young, skittish boy (or so we think at first). The real tension doesn't start to rachet up until Kevin does find her here. and things go badly (points to content warnings above) Sandy ignores Leslie's demands she call the cops thinking it must be something she did.

Okay this infuriated me but I've dealt with enough domestic violence victims to know that so many of them feel this way and like Sandy also fear reprisal when their partner is not kept in jail (because that happens more often than not)

Kevin meets the other entity on the mountain, the one that wants them all dead including the little boy spirit. This is where I wish the author had done something different. I think the intent was to let the Indigenous people get some justice for the things that happened to their tribe but by having the monster appear most often as an Indian (as he's referred to) missed the mark. It felt more like casting Indigenous people as savage (which I don't think was intended but it came across that way) There were so many other possibilities that could have been used here but weren't.

[George1st · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well we certainly have all the basic ingredients of a good supernatural horror tale here what with the house located in dark woods at the end of a twisty turning private road, a New England setting, the previous owner's suicide, the sudden violent deaths over the years of those who have lived in the mountainous vicinity, the old Native American curse and lastly the look of unease by the inhabitants of the local village when mention is made of the house and its surroundings. That very much sets up the parametres of the book and all we need to add is a young woman called Sandy leaving New York to escape her unsympathetic and violent boyfriend to stay at the above stated house owned by her friend and the scene is set for the ensuing clash of good versus evil.

For me anyway it was a fun read with a number of spine tingling moments that was completed comfortably within a day. I did not mind it being formulaic as this is the way with much of such supernatural writing and you know after all what you will be getting The cover aptly conveys the content within. If you are looking for a quick well written traditional supernatural tale then I do not think you will be too disappointed.

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Boy, this was a weird book, but enjoyable. The story is based on the true-life story of Dudleytown, certainly not one if you spook easily.

Sandy leaves her abusive boyfriend Kevin, to have some time out and move forward with him not in her life. Her friend Leslie has a family home in the woods atop Coltsfoot Mountain in Connecticut. The mountains are very dense and this house if the only one in the area, but in the woods are old cellar holes from the 18th century ghost-town called Dudleytown, formerly inhabited by charcoal makers. She initially in relaxed and enjoying the peace and quiet, until her boyfriend finds her.

But she also has a visit from her friend Leslie, and the local woodsman Nathan, friend of Leslie. Sandy discovers old diaries from Leslie's family and also shows her a hidden journal about the history from the 1800's. Nathan tells of a curse that is in the woods. What they don't realise is that the curse is awake and coming for them.

Definitly a good read if you like these spooky stories, a first for me from this author, but I now have more from him on my list.

[Catriona Lovett · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Mounting Suspense Kept Me Turning Pages Like Crazy


There's a lot packed into this book, but it all fit together and flowed well. The author shows considerable skill in grounding the paranormal in a setting that’s naturally both beautiful and disturbing. The climax was wonderfully horrible! I really liked it and hope to see more of the (surviving) characters.

A few vague spoilers ahead:

I loved the integration of Native American lore into the ghost story/horror genre. I was surprised at the use of the pejorative “savage,” but, PC self-censorship aside, the word did appropriately describe the terror.

The female lead was an appealing damsel-in-distress, while her friend provided the backbone. Readers who prefer chaste romance will find it, but may be put off by the scenes of  violence and abuse that were integral to the plot. This will make a great horror movie!

[Nicole Diskin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Dark Entry was a very interesting and intriguing read.
The characters were well fleshed out and the setting was Amazingly atmospheric! The blending of past and present was interesting but at times hard to follow... the mystery, atmosphere and just overall feel of this book gave me definite Stephen King vibes! overall a fun dark and quick read! Well done John B. Kachuba!

[Victoria Bennison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark Entry is exactly what this novel is. It is your entry into a dark world of ancestral revenge, long forgotten spirits, and their ability to return. John Kachuba’s imagination unleashed that world in an unbelieving modern society, and created a story that engages you until the very last page and longer.

[Nichole Sellers · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a little slow going book at first. There’s a good many point of views that can get you confused if u don5 keep up. But other than that I say I would read more from this Aurthor. Scary story with twists.

[Bob · Rating 3 out of 5]

A woman, running away from and abusive relationship, takes refuge in a friend's house in an isolated mountain area. There she gets involved with a local ghost story and her refuge soon becomes just another thing she has to escape from.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this was an excellent ghost story. I got so wrapped up in the story, that I felt like I was actually there on the mountain. I was surprised when sweet-boy snuck up on Sandy and he turned out to be a ghost. I thoroughly enjoyed the story but, I was really sorry for what happened to Leslie.

[Joyce Wagner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scary thriller but good read.

[Honey Hutson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was one of those books I took a chance on and I can’t say I was sorry I did, but there are some things about this book that were a put off.
To start with, I was impressed with the historical aspects as well as the way that the legends of a real place were woven into the work. The characters were pretty consistent with real people, up until very late in the story. There was not unnecessary material or off shoots into nowhere. The plot line and the story itself were good; it kept me reading to the end.
What cost the writer was the distraction of editing issues, a few places that distracted with dialogue that didn’t sound natural and the use of the word upon, over and over again and often in inappropriate places. About one third of the way through the book he also quit using contractions, which is very distracting. Another distraction was not researching a particular medical condition worked into the end when a Doctor pays a personal visit to a remote place. This may be because I work daily with this particular suggested trauma related issue and so I know better through experience. It’s a hot button topic, which is trying to relate to current issues. Done properly it might have worked, done improperly it detracted. Since there are many people dealing with and suffering from this issue as many veterans are returning from overseas with it, there are many out there that it pull out of the story at a critical point.
Had this been a first book, I might have been a little more lenient, however, as a seventh book, not so much.

[Ken B · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author of this book, John B. Kachuba, has written a number of travel books related to ghost hunting in various states. After reading Dark Entry, I think he should spend more time on his fiction. The book was quite good.

Kachuba, draws on his knowledge of ghost hunting lore to build a story around the allegedly cursed and abandoned town of Dudley Town, Connecticut (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dudley_Town). He takes a point-of-view approach of several characters simultaneously and puts together a pretty decent tale.

I was a little surprised to see that this book has a low 3+ star rating on GR. It is quite a bit better than several other books that I have read with higher ratings.


4 STARS

[Barbara Mason · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book had a good basis. You had your evil, your heron and hero. You had your Indian legend. But for me, the book just did not bring it. The first half of the book lagged and could not keep my attention. The second half perked up and gave me hopes but did not follow through. It was a trip down a well walked trail. Isolated cabin, stranded people, evil spirits.
The writing was good as far as very few mistakes, but the story lacked connection. I actually connected more with the Doctor of the diary then the regular characters.
I would read another by this author, I feel he has promise. So maybe the next book will flow better and be fuller of body.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having grown up and spent my entire life in the area, I couldn't help but want to read a story about Dudleytown. I made those daring teenage coming-of-age treks up there, and the Author described the area and the general eerie quietness of those woods perfectly. I enjoyed the story very much, only taking points off for editing/spelling/punctuation errors, and my selfish want for the story to go on longer.

[Ed Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

I noticed the rating on this book was only 3 1/2 stars, but I guess you have to be a believer in the hereafter to enjoy a book like this. I am. I am a follower of Ghost Hunters and shows like that so this book was easy for me to read. Just my opinion, but I sure hope there is something after this.

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Different take on a ghost story, with everyone's point of view. There was a weird relationship between two characters that was never explained and it would have been nice to have it explained. Not bad for a freebie.

[Denise Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

An Amazon free give-away by a self-published author. The characters and the dialogue were pretty flat, so 3 stars may be a bit overly generous, but the idea behind the story was interesting enough to make me want to throw some encouragement to the author.

[Dale Gomez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining, quick read. Good for fun.

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you're looking for a good thriller, this probably isn't it. I thought it was predictable, even though there was one surprise, with a Hollywood ending.

[Katherine Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was a surrealistic ghost story. i loved it!!!!!

[Rachel Hicks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book, it was for sure different and kept my interest!

[Devin Coryell · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Dennese Fulmer-link · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic

I liked this book very much, story had me wanting more, couldn't put it down. Was a love story and ghost story in one. Spirit Eater! Wonderful