Thirteen Days by Sunset Beach

by Ramsey Campbell, Daniel Millar (Narrator)

It’s Ray’s and Sandra’s first family holiday in Greece, on the newly developed island of Vasilema. The family weren’t to know that the skies are cloudier above the island than anywhere else in Greece, and they’re mostly intrigued by the local eccentricities and customs—the lack of mirrors, the outsize beach umbrellas, the saint’s day celebrated with an odd nocturnal ritual. Only why are there islanders who seem to follow the family wherever they go? Why do Sandra and the teenage grandchildren have strangely similar dreams? “I was in this huge place with no light and I didn’t want to see. Something sounded... huge.” And has Sandra been granted a wish she didn’t even know she made? Before their holiday is over, some of the family may learn more than they can bear about the secret that keeps the island alive...

Genres: Horror, Vampires, Fiction, Fantasy

Audiobook

First published September 30, 2015

About the author

Ramsey Campbell is a British writer considered by a number of critics to be one of the great masters of horror fiction. T. E. D. Klein has written that "Campbell reigns supreme in the field today," while S. T. Joshi has said that "future generations will regard him as the leading horror writer of our generation, every bit the equal of Lovecraft or Blackwood."

Reviews

[Vicki Herbert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thirteen Days By Sunset Beach
Felt More Like a Month...

13 DAYS BY SUNSET BEACH
by Ramsey Campbell

2 1/2 stars. This is a horror story that was very hard to get through...

Ray and Sandra Thornton are joining their adult children, their spouses, and assorted grandchildren for 13 days on the Greek island of Teletaiafos...

A sort of family reunion...

The story starts off very interesting, and the reader is quickly transported to an international vacation site complete with tour guides, tickets, luggage, etc...

The couple miss the late afternoon ferry to the island and have to get a taxi to take them to a connection destination...

The taxi driver tells them to be quick... look to the sun... look after the lady and bring her back...

Eventually...

They reach the ferry, and it drops them off at Sunset Beach, where some serious nightlife is already underway on the beach...

Get ready to spend 13 days, which, trust me, will feel like a month with this family on vacation...

First off, let me say that I usually like this author's novels, but this one was very confusing due to the way the story was written... and that style was so unnecessary. It is the author's job to make the reader understand what he is reading about. A reader shouldn't have to reread passages several times to understand the story.

Also, by the book's end, there were so many unanswered questions (one of my pet peeves). Some reviewers didn't like the character Julian. It's true he wasn't very likable, but I have found that on my vacations, there is always some bossy pants know-it-all person in the group, so I found his character to be believable if irritating.

This novel is a crawler without much of a resolution by its end. You've been warned.

[Char · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quiet horror is one of my favorite sub-genres and with that in mind I was looking forward to this release from one of the masters. Admittedly, my expectations for this were high and I'm sorry to report that THIRTEEN DAYS BY SUNSET BEACH didn't meet them.

A man, Ray, takes his wife and extended family on vacation to an island in Greece. It's the first time that the entire family has vacationed together and everyone has been looking forward to it. It's not long, however, before they begin to notice strange things. Why are there no mirrors in their hotel rooms? Why are different members of the family having similar dreams each night? Even more intriguing, why are those same family members displaying bite marks on their bodies? You'll have to read this to find out!

First off, I did like the writing style and quality, and I enjoyed the foreshadowing. (At times, I think the foreshadowing was the only thing that kept me reading.) What brought me down quite a bit was the pacing and some of the characters. I didn't feel much for any of them, other than Ray, the elderly protagonist and Jules, whom I couldn't stand. (Really, I couldn't stand him-a more annoying, fussy, controlling man you couldn't find anywhere.) I hated him enough that I considered quitting this book more than once. Between him and the pacing, I came *this* close. But every time I said to myself "This is it! I'm done!" something happened that kept me going.

Overall, I'm sorry to say that this book didn't work well for me. The writing quality is there though, which is why I'm going with 3 out of 5 stars. What doesn't work for me might work exceedingly well for you, so if the synopsis sounds good, go ahead and give it a shot. Ramsey Campbell is a master of the horror genre after all!

*Thanks to Flame Tree Press via NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it!

[Karl]

This hardcover edition is copy 55 of 100 signed and numbered editions and is signed by Ramsey Campbell.

[Michael Hicks · Rating 2 out of 5]

Family vacations weren't something I looked forward to as a kid. My parents had this weird idea that going out of state to visit malls was somehow a vacation, and so many summers as a youth were spent in various cities, sitting in various chairs inside various Nordstrom's, Sax Fifth Avenue's, and Ann Taylor's, bored out of my mind and either staring off into space trying not to drool on myself, or whiling away too many hours reading while my mother leisurely scoured the clothing racks for the same discounted articles she could have bought at home.

Spending Thirteen Days by Sunset Beach felt rather similar to the family vacations of my childhood. A whole lot of time was spent doing a whole lot of nothing, trying not to drool on myself as my mind wandered, wishing I was somewhere else, doing something else.

Ramsey Campbell is a fine writer; he's won the Lifetime World Fantasy and Bram Stoker Awards, the Grand Master Award of the World Horror Convention, and the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Horror Writers Association. He has an impressive bibliography, make no mistake, and I would be sorely mistaken to besmirch his talents as a professional author. I must admit, however, that Thirteen Days by Sunset Beach is simply not for me.

I'm a bit of an introvert (ha, "a bit." Yeah, right.) and family drama is just one of the many various reasons I have for avoiding as many family get-togethers as I can. Thirteen Days is all about the family drama, although it has some minor, barely-there paranormal aspects that Campbell plays around with, giving us hints of and peeks at. I'm also not one for slow-burn horror stories. Yes, I dig good, three dimensional characters, but I also like my gore and unrelenting terror. I like it fast and dirty, and Campbell plays it slow and clean, far too much so for my tastes.

I found too much of this book to be plodding and excruciating, hoping that each of its next too-long chapters might finally posit an actual event or occurrence. Every time Campbell peels back the curtain, such as during the family's visit to the ruins of a monastery, and I think, "Aha! Finally, we're getting somewhere! Some action, some monsters, something!" the curtain limply and unceremoniously falls back into place. There's no energy here, no tension, no suspense, and worst of all, absolutely no surprises. The horror element, if one can call it that, is about as old and recycled as they come, and the secret reason for this family vacation to Greece will be suspected instantaneously by readers despite how many chapters Campbell drags it out for. Sadly, Thirteen Days never rises above being simply mundane.

While there are interesting thoughts on aging and dying, and the local legends of the island of Vasilema, and the various possibilities of extending one's life in exchange for certain sacrifices, none of it has any real weight and certainly no payoff, particularly in light of how prolonged it all is. We're treated to two or three scenes that demonstrate some real potential for chills and the promise of a better story, and no sooner than that are we whisked away to a trip to another beach, another bus ride, a supermarket, or a taverna to eavesdrop on this family and their arguments over tips, parenting styles, and more than a few dashes of ethnocentrism from the arrogant and insufferable Julian. Dear lord, how many pages and hours I spent waiting and hoping for Julian to meet his grisly end in savagely satisfying ways...

For me, thirteen days is simply too long to spend with this family, and now that our trip together is finally over I'm grateful to be going our separate ways.

[Note: I received an advanced reading copy of this title from the publisher, Flame Tree Press.]

[Matt Cowan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Among the gifts I received from my wonderful wife this Christmas was Ramsey Campbell's new novel, THIRTEEN DAYS BY SUNSET BEACH from P.S. Publishing. After all the holiday craziness finally slowed down, I managed to find the time to give it a read.

The story unfolds from the point of view of Ray, the aging patriarch of a family that's taking a vacation together on a remote island in Greece called Vasilema. All the stresses of an extended vacation are explored, the rush to avoid missing their boat, the panic over misplaced passports, etc. Once they arrive on the island, Ray and his wife Sandra meet up with the rest of the family which brings along the struggles of how to keep a large group of disparate personalities unified and happy. Ray's adult children and their spouses often disagree over their methods of dealing with each other and with their children. There's also the trouble of interpreting the cultural differences of the locals who seem to be trying to subtly warn them against some hidden danger. Ray and his wife are withholding a sombre secret of their own from everyone.

Mutual harmony is threatened by more than just interpersonal conflicts however, after the group notices a pair of gaunt strangers observing them from a distance. Later, Sandra and some of the children begin to experience physical changes, and there are hints that some elusive force may be slipping into their hotel rooms at night. Sunset Beach itself turns out to be a strangely quiet place during the day, but they are repeatedly warned against going there after nightfall when it becomes loud and active. Add to this a grizzly discovery made inside a cave off the beach, the ominous words and actions of the locals, and the family's unsettling exploration of a deserted old monastery cloaked in darkness and surrounded by dead trees, and soon Ray's convinced they are being stalked by some ancient evil that resides on the island.

I very much enjoyed THIRTEEN DAYS BY SUNSET BEACH. Ramsey's ability to convey the persistent impression that terrible things are slinking just beneath the surface of normal, everyday life is masterfully on display here, presented in such a way whereas you understand why the characters experiencing these events don't take off screaming back to the safety of their homes. The protagonists struggle with holding onto the plausible explanations for everything they're experiencing or give into accepting their less-plausible, supernatural alternatives. At only 224 pages, this tale of quiet terror set on an exotic resort island is another classic by a true master of the genre.

[Catherine Cavendish · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ramsey Campbell has won more awards and recognition than any other horror author, and with more than fifty years of writing in the genre, he could surely be forgiven if - now and again - he tended to repeat himself, or return to a safe and familiar comfort zone. Not a bit of it! 'Thirteen Days by Sunset Beach ' - one of his most recent books - is a departure in more ways than one. Most of Ramsey's books - certainly the ones I have read - have been set in his lifelong home, Liverpool. By contrast, this book is set on a Greek island called Vasilema. It centres on three generations of a family who arrive there to enjoy a holiday. It becomes clear early on that Sandra - the grandmother - has not been at all well, but as she spends more time on the island, her appetite returns and something is clearly doing her good here. But all is most certainly not well. Down the road from their hotel is a district called Sunset Beach where life begins when the sun sets and buses will not stop after dark. Passengers cross themselves when they see the family and avert their eyes when they pass the resort. Clouds cover the sun. Sandra and the grandchildren have curiously similar dreams. A cave reveals a grisly secret, and darkness is spreading. Then there is the monastery...

There is so much to love about this book and, for me, it was a compulsive page-turner. Full marks to the author who, at the age of seventy plus can still surprise, delight, entertain and scare us in new and delicously horrific ways.

[exorcismemily · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's going to be tough to do this without spoilers. I loved Thirteen Days by Sunset Beach up until a certain point - suspense builds throughout the first half of the book, and I was intrigued by the mystery. This was my first Ramsey Campbell book, and I was looking forward to checking out his work.

The book is told in chapters for each day. The chapters are long, and sometimes it was frustrating not to be able to find a stopping place. I liked the concept up this book, but toward the end, I was very ready for day thirteen to arrive. This book is a slow burn family drama.

Two characters are introduced in the fist chapter. In chapter two, the rest of the family is introduced - so seven characters are introduced at once, and it's difficult to sort out who is who for a bit. I wish they could have arrived sporadically. I need to say that I fucking hate Julian. He almost made want to quit this book. Is that's what Ramsey Campbell was intending, great job. If not...Julian is the absolute worst & is so annoying.

I feel like a lot of opportunities were missed with this story. This could have been a dark & possibly creepy tale, but all the focus was on the family drama. I was expecting it to be grim & gory, and it wasn't either of those things at all.

I hit a wall around page 200 & was just ready for it to be over. Things started getting repetitive, and very few questions were answered. The ending was so dissatisfying, and the last chunk of the book soured my opinion on everything that came before it.

I would say that this book is a family drama with a slight paranormal twist. If you enjoyed The Hunger by Alma Katsu, you may like Thirteen Days by Sunset Beach.

[Michael Sellars · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ramsey Campbell shows his hand early on in Thirteen Days by Sunset Beach, so that we, the readers, are fully aware of the broad, if not the specific, nature of the threat the characters face. The sense of impending doom that arises from our knowledge and the characters’ ignorance is, at times, close to unbearable, so that the monstrous finale is almost a relief.

As with all of Campbell’s work, this novel is impeccably crafted. Often, a single sentence injects an otherwise normal occurrence or landscape with dreadful significance. The characters are well realised and sympathetic, particularly Ray and Sandra, lifelong companions with the dark cloud of tragedy hanging over them from the very start of the story. Campbell even manages to make us feel some sympathy for Julian, the book’s quotidian tyrant and a man with whom you really wouldn’t want to share a package holiday to the Mediterranean.

Ramsey Campbell continues to the be the master of insidious horror, turning the screw with supernatural patience.

[Stephanie (Books in the Freezer) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received Thirteen Days by Sunset Beach from Flame Tree Press for review.

Thirteen Days by Sunset Beach follows three generations of a family spending a vacation on a mysterious Greek island called Vasilema. The locals are very strange and the family can't quite put their finger on what's going on.

This was a book that had potential going in. My issue with it was mostly the pacing. There are thirteen chapters for the thirteen days, and after a while I noticed that each chapter began the same way, with the family meeting and talking about how they slept the night before and their plans for the next day. These are realistic conversations, but a little too mundane to be the focus of a horror story. It was a little too slow of a story for me. When something actually happened, it was a bit too understated.

[Sarah B · Rating 1 out of 5]

Uggh! Where do I start with this one?! This is without doubt one of the worst books I've read in a long time..there's just way too much wrong with it. And it was annoying me so much I gave up reading it at page 123 as I saw no point in torturing myself to get to the end, especially not when I have other books here that I can read. And I don't give up on books very often.

First of all I'm unsure if I've ever read other books by this author, although I know I've seen his name on lots of books at the library and at book stores. And I had hoped it would be a good story as it did sound very intriguing. But there are just too many flaws so I gave up.

The thing I found the most annoying is the family that is on vacation...the main characters. They seem to be constantly arguing about every little thing and it was driving me nuts. They even scold five-year-old William for imaginary offenses. The poor little boy apparently is not allowed to do anything. Even the meer act of looking at something gets him reprimanded.

Also this family is very large and it's hard keeping track of who is who exactly. Maybe it would not be so bad if these people we're described better but they're not. You just have to remember them based on dialogue! There's nothing unique about any of them. Nothing that makes them stand out from each other, to make them seem like real people. Reading the book is not much different than listening in on some huge family on a phone call..you only have the dialogue. Because there's not much else to go on here. And that's one of the reasons I have such a hard time recalling who is who. Normally I don't have this issue, but other authors describe the characters too. Only thing I know about William is he's five years old and gets scolded often but I have no idea what he looks like or what he's wearing or his hobbies (what toys does he like?), etc.

Another thing is sometimes the actions of the characters make no sense. The teenager girl took photos in the cemetery...she was not supposed to go there...so for punishment they wanted to erase ALL of the photos on her phone, including the ones of her grandmother. I'm sorry but I can't understand that. It's too insane.

Then there's the weird sentence structure. I can understand that the Greek locals are speaking "broken English" as they are using it as a second language to communicate with the tourist. But the family...yes the family from England...is doing it too! This is what a family member said on one page: "May I do so, then." Now does that make any sense to you? There's other cases of this weirdness in the book too. And believe me, I've read books in the past with made-up languages (Clockwork Orange for one) and I gave those good ratings!

Another example of weirdness: the local Greek police wanted to talk to two of the male family members so to arrange the meeting they get a phone call from the British police, in England??! I've never traveled to a foreign country but this makes no sense to me...at all. Would they not call from the local police station?

So here is a brief idea of what the plot is about. It's about a large family that took a trip to a small Greek island and on that island is a place called Sunset Beach. It's a very popular place for nightlife, bars, loud music, young people, etc. The place is deserted during the day except for a few people. The locals act very odd and have superstitious beliefs, like knocking on a door twice before you tell them they can enter. Lots of it seems to follow typical vampire lore but I cannot say if the book is about vampires as I have given up on it because it is too annoying...but think of vampire lore and you can guess the local beliefs. The locals are also trying to warn the family but the family is too dense to understand. It's trying to be mysterious and creepy but it's too frustrating!

Highly recommend you skip this one!

[Keith Chawgo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Campbell’s new novel is a strange journey that doesn’t quite fit within his normal genre and this may cause some dissatisfaction with this novel as it does not fit into the regular tropes. This is a bit of a shame, because within the pages of this story is a rather interesting story about going on holiday with your family and a dark history that embeds itself in the Greek island.

The novel is a very slow burn that deals with issues from family relationships, terminal disease, dark forces and the long term marriage of the protagonist. This is where Campbell shows that he is an extremely talented story writer where he is able to look at the relationships within a family unit and dissect their places within the family. I am pretty sure that the horror within the piece is a family holiday and not the island itself. The characters are so well written that you can identify with each member. As they fall from the page into your subconscious, they become fully realised that this is the trick of the book. A extreme look at a family that is so caught up in their own problems that they really do not notice what is going on around them.

The Greek island has a dark history and the reader is put through the paces as the legend and locals are slowly revealed. As it is so fantastical, the family members outside of one don’t really come to any realisation of what it is nor are they aware that they are victims themselves. This gives the novel and realistic style from a psychological stance, that even when things make sense in hindsight, they don’t really come into view whilst in the eye of the storm.

The novel looks at the family mechanics and how children tend to treat their parents who are in retirement age like children whilst threating their own children in the same vein. This is what really makes this novel tick. It really is an extraordinary novel that keeps the reader involved and entice. The mystery slowly reveals itself and I am sure there are plenty of readers out there that are able to solve it long before the main character does. The story doesn’t hinge on this but more on one character’s emotional strength and dealing with the love of his life terminal illness.

There are some really tender and wonderful moments in the book with the matriarch getting along with her teenage grandchildren and the bond that they developed and the younger grandchild, William and how he is able to put it together long before the adults can. This gives an interesting perspective that even though the dark forces are for evil, good did prevail from the situation.

As this is marketed as a horror genre, mainly because of Campbell’s reputation, some readers will be highly disappointed because this doesn’t have big climatic action sequences nor does it have downright horror but it does simmer on the back burner. We live in an age where everything is in your face and this is a novel that doesn’t play with these rules but instead is a gentle novel that reveals itself in a carefree style .

Personally, this is a thoroughly involving read that kept me entice and though it doesn’t quite fit into any one genre, it is for the better. This is a deeply moving, philosophical book that asks questions and gives very little answers. It does deal with a form of dread that is diluted but is more involved with the family dynamics. It is a winner but there will be a lot of naysayers that will be disappointed due to the storytelling but one that is richer because of it.

[LIsa Noell "Rocking the chutzpah!" · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lordie, lordie! Seriously, I'm not sure whether I just can't handle Mr. Campbell because he's old, or is it because I'm old! I would like to say it's not you, it's me....as if I'm breaking up with him! But in all honesty, it's not me nor him. We've gone our different ways. I get impatient. I need books to move forward at a more brisk pace. Why? Dude, I'm getting old. One day I will die. I have no time for a slow burn. Burn it up, or get the hell outta my way! I hate thinking I've wasted time on a book. A story as obvious as this one, with such bickering family members. "Yes, I'm looking at you, Julian." Still, fer Christ's sake....dude's....Vampire signs are everywhere! I don't like my own family when they all bundle up together...Urgh! Other's? No, nope. No way, Jose. I used to love Mr. Campbell. Still do. But I have no patience for his less than scary books. I loved and would highly recommend his book "Creatures of the Pool." Man, that gave me the willies. This is the last book that I will ever read from Mr. Campbell.

[Tripfiction · Rating 4 out of 5]

A perfect read for Halloween... set on a fictional Greek island



Thirteen Days by Sunset Beach is written by Ramsey Campbell, one of the great horror writers of our time. It is set on the imagined Greek Island of Valisema. The island has recently become popular with tourists, and thousands flock to it each year. A family group of three generations of the same English family – grandparents, children and partners, and grandchildren – arrives on the island. They soon discover there is something strange happening – shadowy figures appear and disappear, the natives are sullen, the tourists on Sunset Beach (near where the family are staying) keep well out of the sun under large umbrellas – and look remarkably pallid. The also sleep a lot during the day (but perhaps that’s not so strange on holiday…). Then there are the bites – three of our group are strangely bitten at night (they know not by what) and these three become even more wary of the holiday sunshine. And what is the connection between a mutilated body found in a cave – and the deserted ruins of an old monastery in the hills above? The grandmother has terminal cancer and she, one of the bitten ones, suddenly begin to feel a great deal better. What is going on?

Horror is not normally my thing, but Thirteen Days by Sunset Beach got under my skin. The atmosphere throughout the book is tense and foreboding. And it certainly makes you think about life and death, and what could be in between. An ideal Halloween read!

[Alan Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

It has been a long time since I read Ramsey Campbell and I am not sure why - on the evidence of 'Thirteen Days by Sunset Beach' Campbell is still a master of chilling horror. 'Thirteen Days...', originally published a couple of years back but now available in ebook, is one of the creepiest stories I have read in a long time, full of foreboding and hair on the back of the neck tension.

Three generations of a family, mildly dysfunctional in that uptight, restrained way peculiar to the English middle-class, holiday together on a Greek island. Unknown to the rest of her family, except her husband Ray, grandmother Sandra is dying and this is likely to be the last time the whole family shares time together. But, from the start, there are signs that the holiday may not be in the ideal location - the island appears to have more cloud than expected and the nearby resort town of Sunset Beach appears strangely quiet during daylight hours, the few people around unnaturally pale for the Mediterranean. Then several of the family experience shared nightmares of nocturnal visitors…

Ramsey Campbell’s prose is descriptive without being florid, the sort of writing you linger over, until you realise the pace is increasing, the feeling of unease is mounting, and there is something there, in the dark… His characters are well-drawn particularly the older couple, Ray and Sandra, and every family has a Julian, the most uptight of the lot, who clearly does not want to be there and whose, seemingly unconscious, bullying of his stepdaughter is painful.

I can’t say that ‘Thirteen Days…’ is a return to form, as I have missed so much, but it certainly made me want to revisit ‘The Doll Who Ate His Mother’ and ‘The Face That Must Die’ and then explore the more recent books that I have neglected.

[Ami Morrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally posted on Creature From the Book Lagoon.

I never like to read book reviews for a book I'm reading until after I have finished the book and have formed my own opinions. When I finished Thirteen Days and looked at the reviews other people had given it, I could understand why so many people were split on this book. It seems people either loved it or hated it. I get it. This was a very unique take on a problem with vampires. An extremely slow burn with mounting tension that sometimes felt like it lead to nowhere. The climax of the story was not a huge all out fight with the villain, but was more like a dog leaving the fight with it's tail between it's legs. The family was really frustratingly blind to what was going on and some of the characters were just down right assholes. To some people, all of that was a real turn off. Like I said, I get it. But for me, I found I actually really enjoyed this book.

First, let me talk a bit about the plot. There is this Greek island that has been infested with an ancient, blood-sucking evil for centuries. The people who live there are desperate to spare their families and town from this horrible evil. What can they do to keep their towns alive? They aren't strong enough to fight it. So what do you do when this dark evil wants to feed on your family? You feed it someone else. The island creates a tourist attraction and becomes a hot new spot for vacationers from all over the world. And the cattle come willingly right on in to the feeding frenzy. I thought that whole set up was just epic win all over. In all these vampire stories, it always feels the same...you have the vampires arrive and then the town fights against them and tries to kill them. Thirteen Days felt like a nice twist on the vampire angle.

So let's talk about the main group of characters, the family. OMFG they were so frustrating. And annoying. There was tension, and arguing and patronizing tones. The teens were kinda bored and the adults just barely tolerated each other. Some characters you just flat out don't like because of what a jerk they are. But see, that's just it... This family, with all their flaws, felt real. It felt like a real group family vacation. There will be tension. There will be that one ass in the family that nobody really likes but everyone just tries to tolerate. There will be things you disagree with and kids and adults not seeing eye to eye. Yes. Many times I wanted to close my book and just slap some of these characters in the face with it. Repeatedly. But families are drama. And this was well written. Also, there was a point for all the tension between the family. With all the internal struggling with each other, it blinded them to all the odd things going on around them. If they hadn't been so caught up in their own drama, maybe they would have noticed what was happening on this island a lot sooner. I thought that was a pretty great commentary on being too wrapped up in your own head with your own problems and not seeing the bigger picture around you, and what kind of price that could cost you.

Next, the slow burn and the climax. So, like I was just saying, the characters were so wrapped up in their bickering that they didn't realize there was something pretty sinister going on through the whole vacation. For about 11 days you just see the family milling about, going from one touristy thing to another, enjoying the sites and the odd culture customs. Sometimes there would be a supernaturally tense moment that would happen and the family just doesn't even realize it or acknowledge it and then the tension would pass. Up and down, up and down, over and over. It was very frustrating that there were clear signs of vampires and the family is just like totally ignorant of it. Again, I wanted to slap more people with my book. But then I would think of my own family. How would they react if this was our vacation. Aside from me yelling "VAMPIRE!!!", flailing my arms and pointing at everything, I realized the rest of my family would be that stupid oblivious and would try to find the benign explanation of whatever was going on, just like the characters in the book. So again, while very frustrating, it felt super realistic. The same can be said for the climax. There really wasn't much of one. Yes, we do eventually see the head evil guy on the island, but don't expect a huge showdown between good and evil or anything else like that. There is no massive death and destruction, no Rambo vs. the vampire moments to be had. It's just a normal family who is on vacation, shit gets weird, and they just want to go home. And then they do. Like I said earlier on, this is not your average vampire story. If you are looking and waiting for Buffy or Van Helsing, you will be disappointed. I really think that is why some of the people who have read this book were so upset with it. It is not a typical vampire story.

Was Thirteen Days frustrating in some ways? Yes. Yes it was. But I was entertained and enjoyed it. I liked that it was a different sort of vampire story and just featured average people who didn't want to fight, they just wanted to survive.

[Curtis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stupid sexy vampires.

[Red Lace Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

A family make their way to the newly developed island of Vasilema, their first ever vacation to Greece. Whilst the elders - Ray and Sandra - share a distressing secret, they attempt to make the most of their time, including getting familiar with the odd customs that dominate the island. If only the nearby nocturnal hotspot of Sunset Beach didn't play on their minds, and odd and questionable happenings didn't interrupt their relaxation.

(WARNING: This review contains minor spoilers.)

I received this book in exchange for an honest review. I thank Flame Tree Press for giving me the opportunity.

Being my first full-length novel by Campbell, my initial impression was a positive one; I found that there was this instant aura of suspense, and that primarily pulled me into the story being constructed. I liked the married couple that I was introduced to, and I was eager to progress and discover the mystery surrounding Sunset Beach. It's unfortunate that my enthusiasm admittedly didn't last long, as once the bulk of characters came into play, I was sent into a downward spiral of frustration that revolved around the near-constant family drama. This was surprising, as I'm someone that can enjoy dysfunctional theatrics, but this was overwhelming, and undoubtedly detrimental to the story that was trying push its way to the forefront. At first, I had a difficult time establishing between the slew of new names, but even when I became familiar with the individuals and their respective relations, they merely appeared to be this blob of unnecessary squabbling. Due to the perpetual state of confrontation and bickering, I felt there was little to no room for character development; it was just more of the same throughout.

This isn't to say I disliked every aspect; from the get-go Campbell's writing style appealed to me. There's no question that he's a good writer, as accomplished as he is, and I could very well see the high standard. In particular, one masterful scene that took place in an abandoned Byzantine monastery was by far the highlight of the entire novel. It depicted a sense of trepidation in its dark and claustrophobic confines; atmospheric doesn't even begin to describe that scene. If only it maintained that brilliancy of subtle yet gratifying horror, but it didn't, and that's my issue. Too much of nothing occurred in-between, and whilst I'm a fan of the slow burn, it just struck me as dead air. One chapter representing a day was just monotonous when nothing happened for the majority of those days. Well, apart from the sea of petty disagreements.

If anyone was sucking the life out of anything, it had to be Julian. He was one of those characters an author tries extra hard to make intolerable; going so far that everything they utter brings about annoyance. He wasn't someone that I loved to hate, he was simply this parasitic nitwit that I wished never existed. I firmly believe that, had he been less aggravating, it would have improved the overall experience for me. As for the others; my opinion of Ray and Sandra didn't change. They were a solid element that were brought down by their clan.

It's a huge shame that it went this way. The Greek Island of Vasilema offered an extensive amount of potential that I felt was wasted. I could have further appreciated the significance of morality and immortality if not for it being overshadowed by my aforementioned complaints. I don't need my horror to have copious amounts of gore and death, but I do need something consistent that peaks my interest long enough for me to feel fully invested.

In conclusion: Whilst the potential was certainly there, it seldom saw the light of day. The focus honed in on the family, their many arguments and parenting differences. Not exactly what I'd call compelling.

Notable Scene:

His terror clarified his thoughts, and he realised he might have a weapon. He thrust his phone at the advancing face, shining the flashlight beam into the eyes. He didn't know he meant to speak until words spilled out of his mouth. "Let us live and we'll let you live."

© Red Lace 2018

Wordpress ~ Twitter

[Caterina · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am always a bit reluctant towards books set in Greece, since most of the times the authors either describe a dreamy place with eccentric inhabitants or they nag about the less idyllic details of life in Greece. Thirteen Days by Sunset Beach combines both! A British family reunites in a recently developed Greek island and soon they begin having strange encounters, notice peculiar things (always knock twice at the door, no mirrors, the icon of St. Titus everywhere they go etc.) First (good) things first, the writing style maintains the high standard quality of a Ramsey Campbell work, the atmosphere recreated here is scary and authentic (see how creepy an abandoned Byzantine monastery can be, or the silent Greek countryside under this strong midday sun which blinds and numbs you) and I could almost say that this book is a fine example of Mediterranean Gothic. And then, nothing happens, or whatever happens, happens too late.

Yes, the pacing is very slow and I get the impression that Mr. Campbell’s hidden intention was to write a pure family drama with some fine thoughts on old age, death and the end of it all. Also, I did spot several inconsistencies with the Greek experience (for example, the police cremating on their own accord the body of a tourist found at a cave before handing it to the relatives – cremation is not legal in Greece, at least not yet, because the Church objects), but then again, this is fiction, you can do whatever you want! The characters of the family members are among the most annoying characters I have ever encountered in a novel, my thoughts go to all the tourism industry workers out there that have to deal with people like these for a (meagre) living…

All in all, a master of the horror genre and a personal favourite, in a not so good book.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Flame Tree Press and Ramsey Campbell for providing a free copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.

[Icy-Cobwebs-Crossing-SpaceTime · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review: THIRTEEN DAYS BY SUNSET BEACH by Ramsey Campbell

A wonderful new novel from a modern horror master, THIRTEEN DAYS BY SUNSET BEACH is a masterpiece of characterization, and deeply emotional. The horror is subtly approached, filtered through the viewpoint of senior citizen Ray, a man who knows full well real-life horror is approaching all too soon. So he sets high hopes on this extended family vacation on the Greek Isles.

Ray, his wife Sandra, adult offspring Doug and Natalie, their partners, and three grandchildren gather on the should-be sun-drenched island of Vasilema, expecting the usual Greek vacation: sight-seeing, tourist-catering restaurants, guided tours, and so forth. Instead, they find cloudy skies, no mirrors, strange disturbing nightmares, and evasive, secretive, locals.

I loved the wry humour and the subtlety of the horror. Mr. Campbell can stage a story with several characters of importance plus a wide cast of background characters, and make them all vibrant. I found in myself much empathy for Ray, Sandra, their son Doug and his wife Pris, and the three grandchildren, ages16, 15, and 5. Not so much for prissy daughter Natalie and second husband Julian. Julian is really a prize (a booby prize). A controlling Narcissist stacked on a deeply unconscious inferiority complex, he finds his purpose in playing Emperor of the Universe, controlling every one's lives and snarking when others inevitably fail to match his impossible standards. Mr. Campbell plays out Julian against the perfect background of his father-in-law Ray and brother-in-law Doug, both men of sterling integrity, high intellect, and good sense. A substantial portion of my delight in this special novel stemmed from watching this combination play out.

[Yolanda Sfetsos · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my fourth Flame Tree Press ARC, and just so happens to be my first Ramsey Campbell book. I know that's a bit weird for someone who loves horror as much as I do, but I kid you not. :)

When Ray and Sandra arrive in Greece ready to enjoy a family holiday, he can't help but be preoccupied with his wife's mood and comfort. And as soon as they arrive on the island of Vasilema things seem a little odd. There are a bunch of traditions the locals adhere to: answering doors after two knocks, mirrors missing from rooms, warnings about staying indoors after dark, and random enigmatic comments.

Things only get stranger when the rest of the family arrive...

Well, this book certainly had an intriguing concept. Coupled with the secrets Ray and Sandra are keeping, as well as the creepy folklore/mythology, I was hooked. At first.

Unfortunately, all my initial excitement and the intrigue that hooked me to the page at the beginning eventually started to slip away. The main reason was how the story developed. Everything starts out great, all the mysterious pieces are slowly revealed and the tension builds. Until it doesn't.

My interest peaked until I hit the middle, because after that I lost interest in the family's vacation. I no longer cared about what was happening on the island.

I really liked Ray, but couldn't help but wonder if I might have liked the story more if we'd glimpsed a bit of the story from Sandra's POV. Everyone else served their purpose, but in the end were quite forgettable. Oh, and there was one truly awful character. Julian was pompous, annoying, cruel and pretty much destroyed every scene he was in.

My favourite thing about this book is the mythology and the location. The island description is vivid, and I got a kick out of the stuff about the mysterious superstitions.

Thirteen Days by Sunset Beach is an interesting story about all the joys of family drama, while other darker things lurk in the shadows of a beautiful island. It also deals with mortality in an intriguing and very peculiar way.

Although I didn't enjoy this ARC as much as the others, it was still a good read.

[Kenneth McKinley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Taking a holiday with your extended family on a Greek island sounds like an idyllic way to spend a couple of weeks in the summer. But there always seem to be one or two in the group that are never happy no matter how great the vacation should be. Ray and Sandra, the grandparents of the extended family, are hoping the vacation will help ease the burden of Sandra’s newfound, and secret, health diagnosis. Thirteen days on the Greek island Vasilema should be just what the doctor ordered. However, besides the island’s beauty, there’s also the nightly party scene at Sunset Beach. The residents of Vasilema warn the family to stay away from the beach, but when pressed, give vague answers hinting that the spot isn’t suitable for families. But there’s something more evil going on at Sunset Beach, and it’s leaking out to the surrounding tourist areas.

Very few people do quiet horror as effectively as Ramsay Campbell. The premise of Thirteen Days By Sunset Beach, on paper, sounded like a prime candidate to satisfy my thirst for the lack of quiet horror lately. Sometimes the drink quenches your thirst. Other times, it feels like drinking sand. Campbell’s smooth writing style held up my hopes. The problem was the characters, in particular, the family. Outside of Ray and Sandra, what a miserable bunch of pains in the ass. Julian, the son-in-law, is a pompous, smug, insufferable prick that needs to be drop-kicked in the balls on an hourly basis until he straightens his shit out. The rest of the family is either ho-hum, couldn’t-care-about boring or a few rungs down the insufferable ladder from Julian. All they do is constantly argue with each other, challenge everything someone else says, or rationalize every shitty thing that comes out of their mouth as an attempt to protect their youngest child, William, whom they feel isn’t capable of handling anything without their guidance. Ugh.

Because of this, Thirteen Days didn’t work for me. It’s possible it could work for you. Campbell is certainly a gifted writer.

2 Pain in the Necks out of 5

[Chris Browning · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely one of Campbell’s best books, with the actual horrors successfully hinted at for the majority of the book. He deploys the more graphic stuff very carefully and the whole book is meticulously plotted. Only Julian feels a bit heavy handed, and for the most part the horror is nicely balanced with the melancholy and the slow, growing sense of unease. Excellent

[Claire Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Normally a big Ramsey Campbell fan, but this one didnt cut it for me. I couldnt get into the story or the characters. 3 stars

[Suzanne Synborski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thirteen Days by Sunset Beach is more than speculative fiction; it is a subtle exploration of how dysfunctional family dynamics can obfuscate signs that warn of impending danger. Perhaps Ramsey Campbell wants readers to open their eyes—especially in the dark.

Readers who lust after blood spatters and airborne body parts should look elsewhere for stimulation. Thirteen Days by Sunset Beach is a book for thinking readers who can analyze subtle clues and symbols and sense what lurks in the shadows that haunt the apparent world.

Ray and his beloved wife Sandra arrive at the island of Vasilema off the coast of Greece. As they wait for the next two generations of their family to arrive, readers come to realize that Sandra does not have long to live. She is specter thin and her bones are palpable. Ray’s tender touches and concerns reveal his love and heartbreaking dread. Perhaps this group vacation will be the last time the extended family will be together.

Vasilema is a strange island shaded by cloudy skies. Quiet in the dusky daytime, the island wakes at sunset, and the beach fills with slim, shadowy revelers who celebrate the dark, take strength from the dark. Ray is warned to stay away from the beach at night. Before long, gaunt shadows begin to visit their room while they sleep, and Sandra wakes with a mark on her neck. Of course, it must only be an insect sting.

When the next two generations of the family arrive, they begin to explore the island. Between bouts of bickering, they investigate an abandoned monastery surrounded by dark trees, learn about the local patron saint who is worshiped at night, and discover symbolic depictions of spiders.

Although locals warn the family to stay away from Sunset Beach, they does not listen. They ignore blessings, nightmares, and secret door knocks that should keep out unwanted visitors.

William, the youngest, begins to see disturbing visitors. The youngsters and Sandra experience frightening dreams that are strikingly similar. But are they dreams or reality? Still, the adults refuse to consider supernatural explanations. They ignore the fact that their phone cameras can only capture wavering images. Not a single photo reads true.

Things change when Ray decides to explore a watery cave. He wades inside to make sure it is safe for William to explore. There, he finds a desiccated body. It is Mr. Ditton, a missing tourist.

Ray finally begins to consider the possibility that something dark lurks beneath the surface of this perplexing island, and Sandra begins to gain weight and shrink from the sun. Ray is driven to find the secret that runs the island.

It could be said that Campbell’s greatest strength is his ability to create an extended mood. Instead of focusing on manifest horror, his mastery of subtlety hints at dark mysteries that will urge readers to lean into the text in search of answers. His prose is smooth and details create clear visuals. The characters are clearly drawn and consistent, true to themselves.

In Thirteen Days by Sunset Beach, the fundamental character is the dark itself. It acts as a living thing that breaths into character’s ears as they sleep. On Vasilema island, the dark is hungry and lusts after victims on which to feed.

True horror is not made by a gruesome monster; instead, it is the monster’s effect on characters that creates horror. Many readers will hope for a sequel to this mesmerizing story. Will Sandra continue to regain strength? Will the darkness follow Ray and his family home?

As the locals say, “Here nothing comes that is not called for.” Does Ray call the darkness?

Thirteen days by Sunset Beach will haunt readers and leave them searching for an elusive truth that dances just out of reach. Unanswered questions will leave them haunted by unsettling possibilities.

“May the night bless you.”

Rougeski Reads

[Tracy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I realize that this is the first book I've read by Campbell; I'd like to think that this enabled me to
come into this story with zero expectations. It started off well, anticipation was built, and then, well then it just didn't "go". There are quite a few characters to keep track of, and I've done that before, but we meet them all at break neck speed even while nothing is really happening in the plot. By the end, there are some good moments, but overall the novel just kind of exists. This was very close to two stars for me; some of the writing and the good scenes just pushed it over the edge. Maybe I'll check it out after publication to see if changes were made.

[Jennifer Collins · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had an incredibly hard time getting into this one, in large part due to the sheer number of characters. The first chapter sucked me in with the elderly couple at the center of the book, but then seven new characters (their newly arrived family) all arrive on the page at once. It was, to be honest, near the halfway point of the book when I was absolutely clear on who everyone was in relation to the others (who was whose father/mother/wife/husband/son/daughter), and while some few of the additional family members had distinct personalities, they were for the most part only defined by age and relationships. This made it tough to get a handle on any of them and keep track or engage with the story at large as it moved forward since, in most scenes, a majority of the main characters were on the page. The elderly couple stayed distinct throughout, although the woman and the other women in the book got very little attention by way of development. Thus, it was left to the plot to pull me along...and by the halfway point, it did, but when I think about the book as a whole, the end result is that this work just wasn't as engaging as the other works I've read for Campbell. I think it could have done with a lot more editing and/or a smaller cast of characters.

Not a bad book, but definitely not one I'd recommend to readers who aren't already fans of Campbell unless they're looking for a very specific sort of read.

[Laura Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was intrigued by the synopsis for this book. Dove in all excited. But I stumbled right out of the gate. The writing felt a bit bumpy and the plot felt slow. I also didn’t care much for the characters. I persevered and got quite a good read after the bumpy start.

While this moved slowly and didn’t really scare me, it had plenty of atmosphere. And once my imagination kicked into gear it had me turning the pages to see if I was correct about what was actually occurring and to see the outcome.

I’m thinking I would have enjoyed this more as a movie.

Did I enjoy this book? Yes, after it got going. Would I read this author again? Yep. Even though it didn’t wow me, I still had a good read.

I received a complimentary copy. My review is voluntarily given.

[Fly · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were a lot of things I liked about this book - protagonist past the prime of life, relationships between children and inlaws, slow burn horror (I went into this book blind, and the slow burn really worked for me because I didn't even know I was reading a horror for a while. It was nicely odd and off-kilter.) - but a lot of it didn't work so well. The first 2/3 of the book tried so hard to be secretive that the language was unnatural, the dialogue stilted. Then boom! Exposition! Exposition! And Ray didn't seem to have a lick of sense... and horror where I can't connect to the main character just isn't as good. There's a problem when you're secretly kinda hoping your protagonist will just die already.

[Orláith · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thirteen Days by Sunset Beach is the first book I have read by Ramsey Campbell and I'm sorry to say that based on this book alone, I am not a fan.

I found it to be utterly tedious to wade through with the family bickering giving me flashbacks to dreadful family events/holidays. That's just not what I'm looking for in a book.

Thank you so much to Flame Tree Press for providing me with a free ARC to review.

[Bert Edens · Rating 3 out of 5]

Via NetGalley, a copy of this ebook was provided to me by Flame Tree Press for the purposes of reading and providing an honest review of the book. While it was provided to me at no cost, I am under no obligation to give a positive review.
When I had the opportunity to read and review a Ramsey Campbell offering I wasn't familiar with, I jumped at it. Campbell is a legend in the horror world and one of the authors I first cut my teeth on when branching into the genre. I had a lot of excitement heading into this book, so there were definitely a lot of high expectations.
The premise of the story is that Ray and Sandra, along with their assorted children and grandchildren, go to the Greek island of Vasilema for a two-week vacation. Along the way, they encounter some oddities: no mirrors in their guest rooms, several family members having similar dreams, guests in a neighboring beach studiously avoiding the sun even when it's mostly overcast, odd treatment and whisperings by the locals, and the appearance of bite marks on Sandra and two of her grandchildren. Will they find out the root cause of the problems? What oddities are going on in Vasilema? Will the family drama associated with the vacation and challenges be ironed out?
I really had high hopes for this book since I am such a fan of Campbell. I'm more of a fan of fast-paced, in your face action, but I also don't mind a slow burn of horror as long as the payoff is well worth the wait. Unfortunately, this book comes off more as a family drama with a slight sub-genre of horror. While there's definitely a local twist to the horror specific to Vasilema, the type of evil was figured out way too early in the book. I kept waiting for the horror to really ramp up, but it never did. I also found myself hoping Ray and Sandra's insufferable son-in-law Julian would be taken by the evil, hit by a bus, choke on a fish bone, something, anything. I found myself disliking him far more than I liked any of the other characters. And when it's only a secondary character evoking that much emotion, it doesn't bode well for the story.
Finally, the biggest disappointment was in the climax, when they finally encounter the root of the evil of Vasilema. In a nutshell it felt, well, anti-climactic. I expected more of a battle than what ensued, especially after the slow burn, but the payoff wasn't there.
Overall, the writing was very good, as Campbell is very polished as an author. It just didn't meet what I expected for a Campbell novel or even a horror piece in general.
Rating: 3 stars (out of 5)