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Listen to Me Now
After the success of his first novel, John Krik has struggled to come up with a follow up that his fans would eagerly gobble up. On a spur of the moment decision, John leaves his suburban married life to spend six months in an abandoned house in the quiet eerie town of Cafeville, where secrets lurk in every corner.
The town's biggest source of gossip is the Greens who live right next door. As John attempts to put his finger on what it is about the house that has everyone steering clear, he finds himself captivated by the seductively charming Eva Green who is as dangerous as she is irresistible. A gruesome story begins to take form in his mind.
As the lines between fiction and reality become blurred, something sinister emerges from the shadows and demands to be heard...
The town's biggest source of gossip is the Greens who live right next door. As John attempts to put his finger on what it is about the house that has everyone steering clear, he finds himself captivated by the seductively charming Eva Green who is as dangerous as she is irresistible. A gruesome story begins to take form in his mind.
As the lines between fiction and reality become blurred, something sinister emerges from the shadows and demands to be heard...
167 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 27, 2018
302 people are currently reading
85 people want to read
About the author
A.I. Nasser
47 books84 followersAt the age of four, Ahmed I. Nasser’s parents decided that the best way to keep a hyperactive child occupied was to teach him how to read and constantly bombard him with books. Since then, the world of imagination has constantly consumed him. He quickly decided that the only way to feel fulfilled was to spend his time writing one story after the other, even opting out of a career as a pediatrician, despite ten years of struggling through med-school.
Influenced by Stephen King, Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, he has been writing since the age of 12 while travelling the world with his family. Now, finally settled in Egypt, he divides his time between teaching Middle School English Literature and finding the best ways to scare his family and friends.
Instagram:
theainasser
Influenced by Stephen King, Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, he has been writing since the age of 12 while travelling the world with his family. Now, finally settled in Egypt, he divides his time between teaching Middle School English Literature and finding the best ways to scare his family and friends.
Instagram:
theainasser
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
March 28, 2019
Like a great Stephen King novel, this story grabbed my attention from page 1 and I didn't come up for air until the very last page. A very entralling novel and I look forward to reading more books by this author. I thank LibraryThing and A.I. Nasser for the opportunity to read and review this book.
September 19, 2019
Now this was a excellent book. I loved it because It was not so obvious and predictable it took a while to kind of figure out what was it going ...
March 25, 2019
John Krik had a very successful first novel but has been struggling to come up with something since, so his editor tells him to go stay at a house he owns in Cafeville by himself and hopefully get some inspiration. He agrees to spend 6 months there, leaving his wife and son at home, and see what he can write. But the house in Cafeville has some secrets and John is about to find some of them out.
I loved this!! I was a little worried on starting it because a lot of the reviews say that it's confusing, but I was captivated by the story and absolutely loved it. As with a lot of this authors' previous books, this is a slow burner and needs to be savoured to fully enjoy it.
It does take the plot a while to get going, but I found that it just amped up the tension for me. Seeing John and how the lines between reality and the book were blurring for him, and the change in him just made it more suspenseful and the anticipation made me listen to this in one sitting!! When his wife comes to stay with him, it really started getting creepy and I was on the edge of my seat to see what would happen!!
In all, this was awesome and I'm glad I went into it with an open mind because I thoroughly enjoyed this. I liked the characters, I liked the setting and I really liked the story.
Once again, Jake Urry proves himself as a masterful narrator. His voice can really capture a creepy atmosphere and his performance made this book all the more better. He has an amazing array of voices and tones and I highly recommend you check out his work.
I was given this audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review. This in no way affected nor influenced my thoughts.
I loved this!! I was a little worried on starting it because a lot of the reviews say that it's confusing, but I was captivated by the story and absolutely loved it. As with a lot of this authors' previous books, this is a slow burner and needs to be savoured to fully enjoy it.
It does take the plot a while to get going, but I found that it just amped up the tension for me. Seeing John and how the lines between reality and the book were blurring for him, and the change in him just made it more suspenseful and the anticipation made me listen to this in one sitting!! When his wife comes to stay with him, it really started getting creepy and I was on the edge of my seat to see what would happen!!
In all, this was awesome and I'm glad I went into it with an open mind because I thoroughly enjoyed this. I liked the characters, I liked the setting and I really liked the story.
Once again, Jake Urry proves himself as a masterful narrator. His voice can really capture a creepy atmosphere and his performance made this book all the more better. He has an amazing array of voices and tones and I highly recommend you check out his work.
I was given this audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review. This in no way affected nor influenced my thoughts.
January 28, 2019
Awesome horror! Without spoiling it I can tell you its a classic haunting story. It's page grabbing right away. I read it in one long evening. Highly , highly recommend for you haunting lovers!
July 23, 2021
3/5 ⭐️
Definitely a interesting read, had some creepy elements but honestly John just made me mad with the shit he did.
Definitely a interesting read, had some creepy elements but honestly John just made me mad with the shit he did.
March 7, 2019
John Krik, a romance author with a few successes under his belt, finds himself stuck in writing his newest novel. Under the direction of his editor, he retires to the small town of Cafeville into an old Victorian house with a dark secret. As he writes his newest novel, the lines of fiction and reality start to blur, and he finds himself falling under the insidious grasp of the house's history.
The first half of this one failed to really grab my attention. The horror was mostly rote, with flickering lights, banging doors, etc. If bloody writing had appeared on the walls, it would have been a perfect cliche trifecta. Additionally, I found myself getting annoyed with John's internal dialogue, and found myself even more annoyed when it was revealed that it was actually necessary to the plot. I was about ready to write it off when the second half suddenly picked up the pace.
The second half of the book isn't without its dramatic moments, and a lot more action-packed than the first half. John's novel and the reality he's in start to blur, and I found myself more interested in what happened than I was before.
There are still some major issues with the book: for one, the bonus chapters are more confusing than anything, and the use of Dean and Green for the town founding families gets really confusing (why make them rhyme?) as I tried to follow along.
Secondly, while the second half was enough to nudge this one up to three stars for me, the horror ambiance never really worked for me. Most of this was pretty stereotypical, something that would probably work well for a movie, but not so much for a novel; the atmosphere just never felt particularly scary, and nothing happened that was really surprising.
All in all, a decent read, and I enjoyed it well enough, but it wasn't quite the spine-tingling horror book that I was expecting.
Note: This was received in an Early Reviewers program through LibraryThing.
The first half of this one failed to really grab my attention. The horror was mostly rote, with flickering lights, banging doors, etc. If bloody writing had appeared on the walls, it would have been a perfect cliche trifecta. Additionally, I found myself getting annoyed with John's internal dialogue, and found myself even more annoyed when it was revealed that it was actually necessary to the plot. I was about ready to write it off when the second half suddenly picked up the pace.
The second half of the book isn't without its dramatic moments, and a lot more action-packed than the first half. John's novel and the reality he's in start to blur, and I found myself more interested in what happened than I was before.
There are still some major issues with the book: for one, the bonus chapters are more confusing than anything, and the use of Dean and Green for the town founding families gets really confusing (why make them rhyme?) as I tried to follow along.
Secondly, while the second half was enough to nudge this one up to three stars for me, the horror ambiance never really worked for me. Most of this was pretty stereotypical, something that would probably work well for a movie, but not so much for a novel; the atmosphere just never felt particularly scary, and nothing happened that was really surprising.
All in all, a decent read, and I enjoyed it well enough, but it wasn't quite the spine-tingling horror book that I was expecting.
Note: This was received in an Early Reviewers program through LibraryThing.
August 5, 2019
Writing is a struggle. John Krik finds that out firsthand. Going to his second home with the hopes of writing with no distractions, John Krik is in for a ride. His other home has secrets, and he’ll be forced to learn them firsthand.
The beginning of the book is a bit slow, but the ending more than makes up for it. With vivid characters and plenty of suspense, this is a fantastic little chiller.
I’ve listened to several of Jake Urry’s other projects and always found that he has a way of enrapturing the darker theme and tones. Perfect choice for this piece.
This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.
The beginning of the book is a bit slow, but the ending more than makes up for it. With vivid characters and plenty of suspense, this is a fantastic little chiller.
I’ve listened to several of Jake Urry’s other projects and always found that he has a way of enrapturing the darker theme and tones. Perfect choice for this piece.
This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.
March 15, 2019
Read this review and more on my blog at Hey, Roxie Reads.
‘Listen to Me Now’ by A.I. Nasser
⭐️⭐️ 2/5
Finished on March 8, 2019
FREE on Kindle Unlimited | $.99 on Kindle | $14.99 in Paperback | $17.99 on Audiobook
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
John Krik’s first novel was a resounding success, but now he’s struggling to put words on paper. It’s been three years since he wrote anything at all, and if he hopes to keep his contract, he needs to get to work.
He leaves his suburban home, wife, and son to spend a few weeks in an old Victorian house in the small town of Cafeville. He hopes being in a new place will bring the muses to him. Instead, it brings tragedy and horror.
MY REVIEW:
I wanted to like this book. I really did. I felt like the core plot had a lot of potential but, as a whole, it was too disjointed and confusing. Several days after finishing this book and thinking about it, I still don’t fully understand what was going on.
The supernatural elements were creepy, but they also didn’t make much sense. I love nothing more than a good ghost story, but this just didn’t do it for me.
I feel like, if there needs to be “bonus chapters” at the end of a novel, the overlapping stories weren’t integrated well.
I would not recommend this book, and I don’t think I’ll read any more of Nasser’s work in the future.
‘Listen to Me Now’ by A.I. Nasser
⭐️⭐️ 2/5
Finished on March 8, 2019
FREE on Kindle Unlimited | $.99 on Kindle | $14.99 in Paperback | $17.99 on Audiobook
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
John Krik’s first novel was a resounding success, but now he’s struggling to put words on paper. It’s been three years since he wrote anything at all, and if he hopes to keep his contract, he needs to get to work.
He leaves his suburban home, wife, and son to spend a few weeks in an old Victorian house in the small town of Cafeville. He hopes being in a new place will bring the muses to him. Instead, it brings tragedy and horror.
MY REVIEW:
I wanted to like this book. I really did. I felt like the core plot had a lot of potential but, as a whole, it was too disjointed and confusing. Several days after finishing this book and thinking about it, I still don’t fully understand what was going on.
The supernatural elements were creepy, but they also didn’t make much sense. I love nothing more than a good ghost story, but this just didn’t do it for me.
I feel like, if there needs to be “bonus chapters” at the end of a novel, the overlapping stories weren’t integrated well.
I would not recommend this book, and I don’t think I’ll read any more of Nasser’s work in the future.
April 2, 2019
This is the story of John Krik, a romance author who probably has writer's block and with some pressure and at the suggestion of his agent goes away from his wife and son to the small town of Cafeville. John moves into an old Victorian house and we immediately find that there is an odor eminating from the basement, the first sign that there is something wrong with the house. There are noises and beings in the attic as well, but somehow in the process of settling in, John begins to write. The problem is, John is not writing romance, but writing a much different type of novel.
There are other prominent parts of the story played by the seductive next door neighbor Eva Green and eventually, John's wife shows up in Cafeville. You'll have to read the book for yourself to see how it all turns out.
This was a quick read, taking just a little over a day. I must say, though, that it really didn't have the elements of horror that I was expecting. Sure there was the obvious haunted house, but there was no shocking surprises and the supernatural elements were average. The fact that it was an easy read kept me going, the elements of suspense weren't there, though.
There are other prominent parts of the story played by the seductive next door neighbor Eva Green and eventually, John's wife shows up in Cafeville. You'll have to read the book for yourself to see how it all turns out.
This was a quick read, taking just a little over a day. I must say, though, that it really didn't have the elements of horror that I was expecting. Sure there was the obvious haunted house, but there was no shocking surprises and the supernatural elements were average. The fact that it was an easy read kept me going, the elements of suspense weren't there, though.
June 21, 2019
Listen to Me Now is a well written, suitably scary story. John Krik, his wife, Karen, Hank and Jean, The Greens, in fact all the characters are well developed and highly appropriate for the small town setting of Cafeville. I think it was the smell that helped to make this story horrific, very clever really, writing about a smell in such a way that the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. I was thinking about that whilst I was listening; that an author must be very talented to describe a smell so eloquently in words that upon hearing it read, I was quite revolted! Of course the real piece de resistance of this book is the narrator, Jake Urry, who's performance scares the bejeesus out of me before he's got further then the end of the introduction. Mr Urry turns in a performance that is such a perfect fit for the genre of this book it's almost as if they were destined for each other before conception. A slightly shorter listen than I normally like still manages to fit in a great story and some brilliant bonus scenes. Thrilled to recommend this audio book, but my advice is to listen in the daylight. You can thank me later!
March 14, 2019
Well written but not to my taste
It seemed too rushed with not enough explanation. Spoiler Alert: Why would a young and attractive girl immediately develop an infatuation for an aging and married writer? It doesn’t make sense. Very convenient for the narrative.....a little too convenient, if you ask me. Why would such a lively girl stay in the same old town rather than going off to college? They have the money. Why wouldn’t the publisher be aware of the history of his own house when he sent the writer there? The characters actions and reactions did not appear to make sense.
Then the whole story devolves into a killing spree.
It was well written in that there were no spelling or punctuation mistakes. The analogies were sound. However, there were many plot holes.....so many that I had to stop reading the book.
It seemed too rushed with not enough explanation. Spoiler Alert: Why would a young and attractive girl immediately develop an infatuation for an aging and married writer? It doesn’t make sense. Very convenient for the narrative.....a little too convenient, if you ask me. Why would such a lively girl stay in the same old town rather than going off to college? They have the money. Why wouldn’t the publisher be aware of the history of his own house when he sent the writer there? The characters actions and reactions did not appear to make sense.
Then the whole story devolves into a killing spree.
It was well written in that there were no spelling or punctuation mistakes. The analogies were sound. However, there were many plot holes.....so many that I had to stop reading the book.
February 18, 2021
There is nothing original in this story, which I could have overlook if the story itself had caught my attention through its characters. Alas! That didn't happen.
The plot takes a lot of time to get really going, and like every classic haunting story there are banging doors and foul smells (the reason for this particular thing never was explained, which annoys me) and there were no surprises. I never got a sense of real dread or a truly scary atmosphere. It felt... clichéd.
The bonus chapters didn't help; they seem to be deleted scenes that add nothing to the story and solve none of the numerous plot holes.
I finished it, so it has entertainment value but I wouldn't recommend it to a horror fan.
The plot takes a lot of time to get really going, and like every classic haunting story there are banging doors and foul smells (the reason for this particular thing never was explained, which annoys me) and there were no surprises. I never got a sense of real dread or a truly scary atmosphere. It felt... clichéd.
The bonus chapters didn't help; they seem to be deleted scenes that add nothing to the story and solve none of the numerous plot holes.
I finished it, so it has entertainment value but I wouldn't recommend it to a horror fan.
March 30, 2023
This book left me with mixed feelings. The first half felt slow and didn't really have much of a horror factor. The constant "internal dialogue" going on with John was more annoying then anything else. I felt this book could have been so much better. The feuding neighbors in a small town theme got old quick. Bad enough they are fighting to be biggest in town, but they live next door to each other too. The second half picked up with the addition of John's wife, but still just seemed to miss the mark. John's behavior with Eva was deplorable. The bonus chapters at the end just confused me more. I was having a tough time relating how they fit back into the story. Still not sure I figured it all out. Some decent parts, but so many just didn't come across well enough.
February 26, 2019
Kept my attention
The premise was interesting. The characters interesting. However, the main "character" of the book is actually the house. Is a house sometimes just evil or did something else take place in that house that made it seem alive? At the end, that's not answered to my satisfaction and, of course, it could be addressed in a next book. Whether that's the Author's attention - I guess only the Author knows that.
The premise was interesting. The characters interesting. However, the main "character" of the book is actually the house. Is a house sometimes just evil or did something else take place in that house that made it seem alive? At the end, that's not answered to my satisfaction and, of course, it could be addressed in a next book. Whether that's the Author's attention - I guess only the Author knows that.
March 2, 2019
Well it seems I may be in the minority but this one just didn’t do it for me. Nothing particularly new as far as a couple going off the rails in a haunted house. The ending really didn’t pack any punch, and the addition of a whole bunch of “bonus” chapters at the end just made the book seem longer than it actually was and didn’t add anything. If you thought any of them were better you should’ve just put them in! Just not for me, and I’m generally a fan of haunted house stories. Sorry.
May 23, 2019
This book had a lot of potential and really carried itself well for more than half of the novel. It wasn’t until about halfway through that it all started to unraveling nonsensical manner which did the novel a terrible injustice. The ending was no existence which was really upsetting as there had been a lot leading up the the ending and it just fizzled out into nothingness. I would have given it 1 star if the start had not been so strong.
May 11, 2020
This story is well described with believable and interesting characters. You have a smell in the house emulating from the basement, a powerful stench. The smell is never explained. The house is directing and changing the behaviors of the Greens. This book has many twists and turns and will keep you on the edge of your seat guessing until the end. Jake Urry does a great job with the narration. This book is fast paced. Enjoy!
February 28, 2019
Decent story - lots of bloodshed
A good story, but not as scary as I had hoped. I'm still not sure what the stink was (or did I miss that?) At first I thought Karen was just passed at her husband, but it was the house making her into something maniacal causing the kills to come easy. This is a good thriller with paranormal events, and like I said, not really scary.
A good story, but not as scary as I had hoped. I'm still not sure what the stink was (or did I miss that?) At first I thought Karen was just passed at her husband, but it was the house making her into something maniacal causing the kills to come easy. This is a good thriller with paranormal events, and like I said, not really scary.
September 7, 2019
I can honestly say, there was really nothing that I disliked about this book. It has just the right amount of creep factor, with a writing style that complements it. If you’re into haunted houses, this book is for you. I think that the narrator that was chosen was perfect. He also added to the creep factor.
September 21, 2019
This haunted house book is filled with a sense of uneasiness and dread. As a reader you know something bad is going to happen in that house, and I was not disappointed. Once I got into the story I couldn't stop listening, and although I did enjoy the story, this was mainly due to the sublime narration by Jake Urry. His voice is made for this type of book and made it even more creepy and scary.
April 23, 2021
This was a short easy and entertaining read. My first time reading this author and I assume his other books are better. I kept reading waiting on so many things to make sense but was left hanging on many subjects. I will read another of his books because I think there is potential in his story telling.
February 12, 2025
Holy crap the twists and the turns.. just a wild run to this book! Just wild.. I dnd’d the book at first just cause I was ima mood. Yet, once I finally was, picked it up, and ate it up!!! Omg I couldn’t put this book down! What a crazy ride and the fact that there was special chapters at the very good that put it ALL together, loved it!!!
February 17, 2019
Packs a supernatural punch
I started reading this book and realized I had already read it a few years ago when it was released. I liked it then,the story stuck with me and came back to me after reading less than a chapter.
I started reading this book and realized I had already read it a few years ago when it was released. I liked it then,the story stuck with me and came back to me after reading less than a chapter.
February 26, 2019
I am still shaking literally ...
As I think about what I read. Move over Steven King ... This tale kept me reading all night and ... I am still feeling it now ..hours after finishing!
As I think about what I read. Move over Steven King ... This tale kept me reading all night and ... I am still feeling it now ..hours after finishing!
April 3, 2019
Pretty good!
Enjoyable read! Wish there were more to it. Loved the twists, and am a sucker for all things paranormal!!! But seriously wish everything was all folded neatly and done. I need more backstory on the house!!!!!
Enjoyable read! Wish there were more to it. Loved the twists, and am a sucker for all things paranormal!!! But seriously wish everything was all folded neatly and done. I need more backstory on the house!!!!!
January 6, 2021
Starts out promising but devolves into a typical potboiler. The motivations of some characters are never fully explained and there isn't really any suspense to the proceedings. It's a fairly straightforward haunting/ possession story
February 19, 2019
I'm hooked.
I've never really liked ghost stories but I'm hooked. I really loved this one. I was a bit lost on the bonus chapters.
I've never really liked ghost stories but I'm hooked. I really loved this one. I was a bit lost on the bonus chapters.
April 13, 2019
Easy read always waiting to see what's next.
July 7, 2019
A great page turner!
I could not read this book fast enough! I could not put it down. It was a great read! Check it out
I could not read this book fast enough! I could not put it down. It was a great read! Check it out
August 1, 2019
I have become a big fan of A I Nasser, the author keeps me on the edge of my seat with the thrillers and has great twists! This book was wonderfully written!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews