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Wildwood Road
Michael and Jillian Dansky seemed to have it all–a happy marriage, two successful careers, a bright future. But late one October evening, all that changed. Driving home from a Halloween masquerade, Michael momentarily nods off behind the wheel–and wakes to find nothing is the same.Standing by his car is the little girl he came within a breath of running down. She leads Michael to her “home,” an empty house haunted by whispers, and sends him away with a haunting whisper of her own: “come find me.” But in the weeks to follow, it’s clear that someone–or some thing–doesn’t want Michael to find her: ominous figures in grey coats with misshapen faces are following him everywhere. And then Jillian wakes one morning replaced by a cold, cruel, vindictive woman Michael hardly recognizes as his wife. Michael must now search not only for the lost girl, but for a way to find the Jillian he's always loved, and to do so he must return to where the nightmare began. Down an isolated lane where he’ll find them, or die trying.
330 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2005
37 people are currently reading
499 people want to read
About the author
Christopher Golden
798 books2,959 followersCHRISTOPHER GOLDEN is the New York Times bestselling, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of such novels as Road of Bones, Ararat, Snowblind, Of Saints and Shadows, and Red Hands. With Mike Mignola, he is the co-creator of the Outerverse comic book universe, including such series as Baltimore, Joe Golem: Occult Detective, and Lady Baltimore. As an editor, he has worked on the short story anthologies Seize the Night, Dark Cities, and The New Dead, among others, and he has also written and co-written comic books, video games, screenplays, and a network television pilot. Golden co-hosts the podcast Defenders Dialogue with horror author Brian Keene. In 2015 he founded the popular Merrimack Valley Halloween Book Festival. He was born and raised in Massachusetts, where he still lives with his family. His work has been nominated for the British Fantasy Award, the Eisner Award, and multiple Shirley Jackson Awards. For the Bram Stoker Awards, Golden has been nominated ten times in eight different categories. His original novels have been published in more than fifteen languages in countries around the world. Please visit him at www.christophergolden.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
October 27, 2020
This book ultimately can't deliver on a strong setup.
November 8, 2024
My third Christopher Golden book—this is an older one from 2005 or so. I really did enjoy it, and it was filled with hints of the excellent writer Golden would become with books like Road of Bones or All Hallows, but overall there were unfortunately enough flaws where I don’t feel I can rate it more than a 3/5. That said, I really did enjoy this book despite the issues I had, the first half especially. The set up here is five stars—it pulls you in right away, it’s easy to read and entertaining, and it has some really good hooks and mysteries it sets up immediately.
The book starts with a married couple, Michael and Jillian, at a Halloween party, drinking and having a great night. The trouble starts on the way home, when they have a supernatural experience that changes them fundamentally. After this, Michael becomes obsessive, unkempt, and loses interest in just about everything else in his life. Jillian turns into a sadistic and vindictive woman, and begins acting out in some pretty wild ways—these scenes were my favorites of the book. Michael’s “haunting” continues, and things continue to get worse as they barrel towards a climax.
Golden writing was decent, but he still hadn’t reached the level where he’s at nowadays. The dialogue is unfortunately a bit iffy, even cheesy at times. Characters announce what they are about to do or have just done in ways that would realistically be obvious. They profess their love for each other in corny, unrealistic ways. You’ve seen it before I’m sure—you’re reading a book and find yourself thinking that people just don’t talk that way. Golden over explains things that are plenty clear in the narrative unfortunately, but this is a lesson he learned because I haven’t noticed this in his newer books.
It’s clear that Golden has a very creative mind, as the climax of this book is absolutely wild. But unfortunately I do think it’s a bit…too wild. Suspension of disbelief is one thing, but the final chapter of this book almost hits the realm of dark fantasy. I just thought it was a bit too much, but I truly do admire Golden’s imagination, I just don’t know if he had the skills to pull this off just yet.
Regardless, I think this book is easily worth a few bucks at a used bookstore. It’s a quick read and stays entertaining throughout, even if it did lose me a bit in the back half. Cheers!
The book starts with a married couple, Michael and Jillian, at a Halloween party, drinking and having a great night. The trouble starts on the way home, when they have a supernatural experience that changes them fundamentally. After this, Michael becomes obsessive, unkempt, and loses interest in just about everything else in his life. Jillian turns into a sadistic and vindictive woman, and begins acting out in some pretty wild ways—these scenes were my favorites of the book. Michael’s “haunting” continues, and things continue to get worse as they barrel towards a climax.
Golden writing was decent, but he still hadn’t reached the level where he’s at nowadays. The dialogue is unfortunately a bit iffy, even cheesy at times. Characters announce what they are about to do or have just done in ways that would realistically be obvious. They profess their love for each other in corny, unrealistic ways. You’ve seen it before I’m sure—you’re reading a book and find yourself thinking that people just don’t talk that way. Golden over explains things that are plenty clear in the narrative unfortunately, but this is a lesson he learned because I haven’t noticed this in his newer books.
It’s clear that Golden has a very creative mind, as the climax of this book is absolutely wild. But unfortunately I do think it’s a bit…too wild. Suspension of disbelief is one thing, but the final chapter of this book almost hits the realm of dark fantasy. I just thought it was a bit too much, but I truly do admire Golden’s imagination, I just don’t know if he had the skills to pull this off just yet.
Regardless, I think this book is easily worth a few bucks at a used bookstore. It’s a quick read and stays entertaining throughout, even if it did lose me a bit in the back half. Cheers!
July 14, 2019
This was so weird and different it was good. One look at the cover and I was hooked. There's a picture of a little ghost girl standing outside a rundown Victorian Mansion that kinda sorta looks like the one at Disney, aaannnd it has my all time favorite place right in the title,(Wildwood). So I gets to thinking and I thinks, "Chad, this very well could be a book about a haunted mansion in Wildwood, you should get it". So I did and was really surprised by how much I liked it, despite the fact it doesn't take place in Wildwood..
Micheal and Gillian are a young couple that seem to have it all. Promising careers, lots of friends and popularity, wealth, and most importantly, are very much in love. They attend a Halloween party where both of them get a little tipsy and Micheal attempts to drive home after Gillian passes out in the back seat. While fighting the effects of alcohol and fatigue, Micheal almost runs down a little girl standing along the side of a back country road. After he takes her "home" he awakens something that causes him to become obsessed with said little girl,and changes his wife's personality turning her into a cold and vindictive b*itch. Micheal slowly realizes that he must battle an ancient entity, not just to save the little girl he's become obsessed with, but to save and bring back the woman he loves.
Micheal and Gillian are a young couple that seem to have it all. Promising careers, lots of friends and popularity, wealth, and most importantly, are very much in love. They attend a Halloween party where both of them get a little tipsy and Micheal attempts to drive home after Gillian passes out in the back seat. While fighting the effects of alcohol and fatigue, Micheal almost runs down a little girl standing along the side of a back country road. After he takes her "home" he awakens something that causes him to become obsessed with said little girl,and changes his wife's personality turning her into a cold and vindictive b*itch. Micheal slowly realizes that he must battle an ancient entity, not just to save the little girl he's become obsessed with, but to save and bring back the woman he loves.
November 19, 2021
Романът е посветен на Чарлс Л. Грант и е повлиян от неговия стил на писане, но запазва идентичност. Съответно, книгата не е типичен роман, нито за призраци, нито за обитавана къща/зло място, нито за хелоуиин. Вместо това имаме микс от тези три неща и много повече.
Запознайте се с Майкъл и Джилиян Дински - млади, успели и много влюбени и щастливи. След едно хелоуинско парти, където май попрекаляват с питиетата и тръгват да се прибират с кола, Майкъл едва не блъска мистериозно момиченце на пътя. След като я закарва до тях, той влиза в странната ѝ къща, където има почти халюциногенно преживяване.
Скоро образът на момичето и думите ѝ "Намери ме" започват да го обсебват и да му пречат. Има и видение в което някакви дърти чанти правят нещо на жена му и го предупреждават да не се меси. Видение, след което жена му вече не е същата. Единственото, което остава на Майкъл е да открие въпросната къща и разкрие нейните тайни, ако иска да запази брака и разсъдъка си.
Запознайте се с Майкъл и Джилиян Дински - млади, успели и много влюбени и щастливи. След едно хелоуинско парти, където май попрекаляват с питиетата и тръгват да се прибират с кола, Майкъл едва не блъска мистериозно момиченце на пътя. След като я закарва до тях, той влиза в странната ѝ къща, където има почти халюциногенно преживяване.
Скоро образът на момичето и думите ѝ "Намери ме" започват да го обсебват и да му пречат. Има и видение в което някакви дърти чанти правят нещо на жена му и го предупреждават да не се меси. Видение, след което жена му вече не е същата. Единственото, което остава на Майкъл е да открие въпросната къща и разкрие нейните тайни, ако иска да запази брака и разсъдъка си.
May 23, 2011
When I see a new novel written by a guy who's mostly known for doing books based on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, X-Men, Hellboy, JLA, etc., I usually don't get too excited. Especially if I have sampled his work before and found it severely lacking (in this case, the Buffy novel "Immortal"). But Stephen King vouched for this one, so I figured I'd give it a try. I find King's book recommendations to usually be spot-on, though we seriously differ in musical taste and political opinions. So I gave this one a try...and I'm glad I did. Golden takes what initially seems like typical ghost story fare, and then unexpectedly shifts gears into new territory. The premise of the novel is excellent, but Golden fumbles it just a little, enough so that I wish someone like King--or Koontz, even--had written it and thereby maximized its potential. Golden's writing is good, but very workman-like: He knows how to keep his readers turning pages, but isn't quite able to go any deeper than that. It's a quick, easy read--lighter than cotton candy--but not something that is likely to remain memorable to you years on down the road. Therefore, I wouldn't recommend it to people who read just a few books a year, only to those voracious readers who wouldn't feel their time wasted to read the literary equivalent of a B-movie, albeit a darn good one. There's an awful lot here to like; it's just that Golden leaves a few too many questions unanswered at the end, and I don't really buy into the circumstances of the story. It felt too contrived, and therefore I was never able to fully engross myself in what was happening. The main character doesn't seem very competent at how he deals with the events of the story, and I almost felt that it was pure luck (in addition to the baddies being a lot weaker than I was expecting) that got him through to the end. Golden does a great job of mixing tender scenes in with the morbid ones, but overall the book feels a little too long. Still, its merits outweigh its detriments, and I'll likely be reading Golden again in the near future.
July 28, 2014
I've had this book on my shelf for quite a while, and last week I finally decided to give it a try. I've read Strangewood, Straight On 'Til Morning, and The Myth Hunters by Golden, and loved all three of them, which made me wary of reading this one as I wanted it to measure up to those three, but was unsure if it would. It didn't, but it was still quite an enjoyable read.
With Golden's works, one of the thinks I like is that he doesn't let his characters escape from circumstances unscathed. They act in certain ways (whether heroically or not) and there are consequences. Same was true in this story. One character acts out in such a way that made me sorry for him/her, and I felt the emotional pain the actions inflicted on others. And that's why I read dark fantasy/horror--the emotional toll the experience brings to my experiences not just as a reader, but as a husband and father. I find myself asking, "What if that were me? What would I do?" Wildwood Road had me asking that question over and over. If an author can do that, then they've accomplished most of their mission as far as I'm concerned.
Wildwood Road may not be as good as the other Golden books I've mentioned above (you have to read those, if you enjoy your dark fantasy/horror with lots of emotional punch), but it's a heck of a lot better than most of the stuff out there today.
3.5 stars.
Keep up the excellent work, Mr. Golden!
With Golden's works, one of the thinks I like is that he doesn't let his characters escape from circumstances unscathed. They act in certain ways (whether heroically or not) and there are consequences. Same was true in this story. One character acts out in such a way that made me sorry for him/her, and I felt the emotional pain the actions inflicted on others. And that's why I read dark fantasy/horror--the emotional toll the experience brings to my experiences not just as a reader, but as a husband and father. I find myself asking, "What if that were me? What would I do?" Wildwood Road had me asking that question over and over. If an author can do that, then they've accomplished most of their mission as far as I'm concerned.
Wildwood Road may not be as good as the other Golden books I've mentioned above (you have to read those, if you enjoy your dark fantasy/horror with lots of emotional punch), but it's a heck of a lot better than most of the stuff out there today.
3.5 stars.
Keep up the excellent work, Mr. Golden!
May 26, 2020
Not bad, but I had trouble getting into it. Maybe it was just me, because the story really wasn't bad. It definitely had the type of writing that I'm used to from Golden, and the characters were detailed. Although I'm not sure that I actually liked any of them. I didn't dislike them, either. That can be a big problem for me with a book. Indifference is worse than dislike, to me.
The horror of the book, the logic of it, it was all entertaining, I just wasn't all that invested in it. His later stuff like Ararat or Snowblind was much more entertaining.
Like I said, maybe it's just me. Maybe I'm just in a book rut and can't find the joy of reading lately. It's frustrating. Golden is a fairly talented author and I usually enjoy reading his books, especially when you consider his background with writing Buffy novels. This definitely felt like it could have been one of those.
The horror of the book, the logic of it, it was all entertaining, I just wasn't all that invested in it. His later stuff like Ararat or Snowblind was much more entertaining.
Like I said, maybe it's just me. Maybe I'm just in a book rut and can't find the joy of reading lately. It's frustrating. Golden is a fairly talented author and I usually enjoy reading his books, especially when you consider his background with writing Buffy novels. This definitely felt like it could have been one of those.
June 22, 2014
I loved Christopher Golden's prose. He creates great atmosphere, like I was reading some Shirley Jackson. He brings to life on the page a picture of New England. Being from New England myself I may be a little bias. The characters he creates are so memorable. I completely enjoy all his work, and highly recommend his writing.
November 5, 2025
A book where the characters have real life consequences. After so many stories by Dean koontz it was great seeing an author deal with real life. Work. We all work. Koontz always has characters with endless cash or they are writers. This story had real people and it refreshing
March 5, 2008
Michael and Jillian Dansky have a good life. Their careers are on the rise, they have good friends and family. Most importantly, they have a deep and passionate love for each other. They get each other. All of that's about to change...
Driving home from a Halloween party, Michael narrowly misses hitting a little girl. With Jillian sleeping off cocktails in the back seat, Michael drives the little girl home. So why is he seeing her everywhere now? On the side of the road, in his dreams, in the corner of his bedroom at 3am...
Everything's changing. Michael becomes obsessed with his lost girl. Jillian has lost everything good inside her. She's not just cranky, she's vile. The venom she puts forth could cost her a marriage, a job, her political aspirations. So why doesn't she care?
This is a deeply suspensful thriller. Golden describes the downfall of the Danskys with perfect clarity. He spins a mystical web of lost girls and women. The resolution fell a little short for me, but not enough to spoil my enjoyment of the book. My rating: 4/5
Driving home from a Halloween party, Michael narrowly misses hitting a little girl. With Jillian sleeping off cocktails in the back seat, Michael drives the little girl home. So why is he seeing her everywhere now? On the side of the road, in his dreams, in the corner of his bedroom at 3am...
Everything's changing. Michael becomes obsessed with his lost girl. Jillian has lost everything good inside her. She's not just cranky, she's vile. The venom she puts forth could cost her a marriage, a job, her political aspirations. So why doesn't she care?
This is a deeply suspensful thriller. Golden describes the downfall of the Danskys with perfect clarity. He spins a mystical web of lost girls and women. The resolution fell a little short for me, but not enough to spoil my enjoyment of the book. My rating: 4/5
March 7, 2011
2 1/2 stars, I think. The backstory and relationship between the two main characters, Michael and Jillian, is sweetly and vividly drawn. Even the ghost part of the plotline is masterful enough to give you the creeps in the middle of the day. However, when the big reveal happens, and you find out that it's more than just ghosts...well that's sort of where things went downhill. I just didn't understand it. I didn't really understand the connection to Moloch, or whatever weapons our heroes had to combat the evil. It just didn't make sense, which seems ridiculous, because, hey we're talking about ghosts...but there just wasn't enough meat in the story for me to suspend my disbelief. It just wasn't as captivating as Golden's other books.
January 19, 2017
Read this because of Stephen King's endorsement on the cover so maybe my expectations were too high. In the end, I just plain didn't like it. It seemed like it was a good idea for a ghost/haunted house story and the "memory vampires" as bad guys (girls) was unique. But there were still too many strings left untied for me. I also didn't think the characters were highly developed enough for me to really get behind them. Michael's main quality in character is how much he loves his wife... not super defining. And Jillian was nice until her incident with the husks... If you're looking for a great, scary ghost or haunted house story keep looking.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 24, 2007
Most horror books I've read have been pretty silly, even though they did manage to give me the shivers. This was no exception. Perhaps I should have been warned by the fact that the author also writes Buffy fan-fic. Also, character development includes such gems as: "Michael had never thought of her as anything less than sexy, but tonight she was more than that."—which let us in on the impression of "more than less than sexy."
May 17, 2015
This is an excellent novel that blends psychological horror, domestic drama, and supernatural intrigue together quite well. It's a fast-paced story, too, and reminded me of the best of Dean Koontz's work. It all starts on Halloween night... this one's a good old-fashioned chiller!
September 19, 2018
2.5 Stars
Well THAT was odd. Creepy too. And the author did a good job with developing the characters of Michael and Jillian and their relationship. And I did like the haunting part with the little girl (ghostly little girls are always creepy). So props for that. But then it just got strange. It felt like the author started out with two completely separate stories and then, not having enough filler for either, tried to merge them into one. It didn't work, and the end result was something that seemed like it was rigged together with the literary equivalent of dollar store Duct Tape.
In the end, I'm sure if I liked it or not.
Well THAT was odd. Creepy too. And the author did a good job with developing the characters of Michael and Jillian and their relationship. And I did like the haunting part with the little girl (ghostly little girls are always creepy). So props for that. But then it just got strange. It felt like the author started out with two completely separate stories and then, not having enough filler for either, tried to merge them into one. It didn't work, and the end result was something that seemed like it was rigged together with the literary equivalent of dollar store Duct Tape.
In the end, I'm sure if I liked it or not.
September 8, 2025
This was honestly not good. I don’t know where to even begin.
Christopher Golden’s writing style was not my favorite. I much prefer shorter chapters with POV switches - but these chapters were too long and very boring.
The start of the book was good. The middle 1/3 was boring. I struggled to get through the chapters. The final third of the book, started off great, but the ending was just meh.
Christopher Golden’s writing style was not my favorite. I much prefer shorter chapters with POV switches - but these chapters were too long and very boring.
The start of the book was good. The middle 1/3 was boring. I struggled to get through the chapters. The final third of the book, started off great, but the ending was just meh.
July 17, 2025
While I enjoyed this, it’s definitely not in top ten from Golden. This is, however, a great example of an excellent writers growth all the way across the board. The idea here was excellent, and the baddies were both sad and fun for me as a reader, but there was a lot of cheese and lot of over explaining out loud. Still worth reading, and a solid 3 of 5!
August 29, 2022
A very fast read. The author did a good job creating atmosphere and keeping character motives clear. The characters felt a little simplified, but it did help keep the story moving and leave room for the plot points.
April 17, 2023
I'm slowly getting through all Christopher's books and he's fast becoming a favourite. This one isn't his best though, could have done with a bit more background mythology on the (spoilers!!) However a really great idea for a story.
May 22, 2024
When I started reading, I thought book was weird, yet I couldn't put it down.
So, I told myself if I still can't get into after a few chapters, it's a wrap. I started getting into it, once I understood where he was going with it. 👍
So, I told myself if I still can't get into after a few chapters, it's a wrap. I started getting into it, once I understood where he was going with it. 👍
June 9, 2018
Finally quit reading about 2/3 of the way through the book, which is something I rarely do. I kept hoping it would get better...
January 14, 2020
A very original premise: unusual twist on the ghost story theme. The characters are accessible. Also, story is 299 pages, not 352.
April 24, 2023
I love his writing he is better than King but this was so filled with memories that slowed the story I was bored
March 16, 2024
Story was good but rambling.
October 5, 2024
A little too out there for me
June 25, 2024
Not a bad read for pulling it from an old box of books to be donated. Supernatural isn't my preference, but it kept my interest.
May 16, 2015
Michael and Jillian Dansky seem to have it all - a happy marriage, two successful careers, and a bright future. However late one October evening, that changes completely. It's while driving home from a Halloween masquerade that Michael briefly nods off behind the wheel. When he wakes up, he finds a little girl standing beside his car - a little girl who Michael apparently came within a breath of running over.
Shaken by her appearance at such a late hour, and concerned that the child isn't wearing the most appropriate clothing for the frigid weather, Michael tries to help her as much as he can. She leads him to a darkened empty house, filled with shadows and haunted by whispers and sends him away with a whisper of her own: "Come find me." With her curious command echoing in his ears, Michael drives back home.
In the weeks to come, it's clear that someone - or something - doesn't want the girl found. As much as Michael tries to fulfill the girl's request, he just doesn't seem to be having much luck. And when a cold, cruel, vindictive woman awakens in the guise of his once loving and caring wife, Michael's search shifts slightly. Suddenly his quest isn't just for the missing girl, but for the Jillian he loves and may have lost forever...on Wildwood Road.
First of all, let me say that Mareena got this book as a 'just because' gift for herself when she saw that Stephen King had written a blurb for the book, and decided that I could read it as well if I wanted. She knew of Christopher Golden as primarily a young adult author, although she has never read any of his books. So, Mr. Golden is a new author for her to read.
In my opinion, this book was very enjoyable and I'm certainly glad to have read it. The story was quite a different treatment of horror from the books that I usually read, and was interesting enough to hold my attention right until the very end. It was well-written and I appreciated that the plot was constantly moving; the pacing never slowed or deteriorated in any way and this story never became dull or boring; at least for me. Overall, I give this book an A!
Shaken by her appearance at such a late hour, and concerned that the child isn't wearing the most appropriate clothing for the frigid weather, Michael tries to help her as much as he can. She leads him to a darkened empty house, filled with shadows and haunted by whispers and sends him away with a whisper of her own: "Come find me." With her curious command echoing in his ears, Michael drives back home.
In the weeks to come, it's clear that someone - or something - doesn't want the girl found. As much as Michael tries to fulfill the girl's request, he just doesn't seem to be having much luck. And when a cold, cruel, vindictive woman awakens in the guise of his once loving and caring wife, Michael's search shifts slightly. Suddenly his quest isn't just for the missing girl, but for the Jillian he loves and may have lost forever...on Wildwood Road.
First of all, let me say that Mareena got this book as a 'just because' gift for herself when she saw that Stephen King had written a blurb for the book, and decided that I could read it as well if I wanted. She knew of Christopher Golden as primarily a young adult author, although she has never read any of his books. So, Mr. Golden is a new author for her to read.
In my opinion, this book was very enjoyable and I'm certainly glad to have read it. The story was quite a different treatment of horror from the books that I usually read, and was interesting enough to hold my attention right until the very end. It was well-written and I appreciated that the plot was constantly moving; the pacing never slowed or deteriorated in any way and this story never became dull or boring; at least for me. Overall, I give this book an A!
October 1, 2008
Golden skillfully manages to blend haunting supernatural imagery, critical human drama, and distressing psychological horror to create a masterpiece that I guarantee will stay with you months after you’ve put Wildwood Road down.
Taking you on a terrifying journey, the plot will sweep you off your feet. The story is original, intense, and erratic. The minute you think you have it all figured out, Golden throws a curve ball you never saw coming, but you’re damn happy to see where it takes you. Also, even though the tale is very detailed, it’s never weighed down with inconsequential page-filler descriptions. In other words, it is simply divine.
The characters are true-to-life personalities filled with doubts, love, and fear, and maintained in honesty. There are no road signs to help them out of their nightmares, they have to rely on their own instincts and intelligence. And that is what makes them stand-out, because you don’t have to question what you would do, it’s already being played out. Golden’s style of writing is, dare I say it, mischievous. He has this ability to convey both repulsiveness and beauty, light and shadow; alternating between pleasure and pain. He is constantly shifting in narration; one minute he is the observer and the next conspirator. But above all that, he is the storyteller.
Burrowing under your skin, the pace is veiled, but constantly active. At first the suspense begins as a minor itch, hardly noticeable. As you go on, the itching becomes more erratic, more painful. By the time you’ve come to the climax of the story, you’ll be half mad. But don’t be fooled, working hand-in-hand with the pace, the atmosphere is the true danger. Oppressive and hostile, the ambience throughout the book will infect you like a virus. The characters’ emotions seem to leak into the air, contaminating it with their fear, hate, and anguish. And I promise, it will get to you.
-As posted on Horror-Web.
Taking you on a terrifying journey, the plot will sweep you off your feet. The story is original, intense, and erratic. The minute you think you have it all figured out, Golden throws a curve ball you never saw coming, but you’re damn happy to see where it takes you. Also, even though the tale is very detailed, it’s never weighed down with inconsequential page-filler descriptions. In other words, it is simply divine.
The characters are true-to-life personalities filled with doubts, love, and fear, and maintained in honesty. There are no road signs to help them out of their nightmares, they have to rely on their own instincts and intelligence. And that is what makes them stand-out, because you don’t have to question what you would do, it’s already being played out. Golden’s style of writing is, dare I say it, mischievous. He has this ability to convey both repulsiveness and beauty, light and shadow; alternating between pleasure and pain. He is constantly shifting in narration; one minute he is the observer and the next conspirator. But above all that, he is the storyteller.
Burrowing under your skin, the pace is veiled, but constantly active. At first the suspense begins as a minor itch, hardly noticeable. As you go on, the itching becomes more erratic, more painful. By the time you’ve come to the climax of the story, you’ll be half mad. But don’t be fooled, working hand-in-hand with the pace, the atmosphere is the true danger. Oppressive and hostile, the ambience throughout the book will infect you like a virus. The characters’ emotions seem to leak into the air, contaminating it with their fear, hate, and anguish. And I promise, it will get to you.
-As posted on Horror-Web.
February 23, 2017
I really liked how this story was told starting with a masquerade ball and a creepy old house on a Halloween night.
March 2, 2011
I read my first Golden book a few years ago and have been on a slow hunt to read more of his work. This one was a typical supernatural thriller/ghost story and, in my opinion, was a little draggy in parts.
The Dansky's are the perfect couple. They have great jobs, great friends and love each other deeply. However, after the Halloween party all that is about to change. While Jillian is passed out in the backseat, Micheal narrowly misses hitting a little girl. Of course, like any good citizen, he offers her a ride home only to discover that her house is just a bit creepy, just a bit off, just a bit wrong. He has some sort of supernatural encounter but doesn't remember any of it when he and Jillian are awoken the next morning by police tapping on the window of their pulled over car. Now Micheal is seeing the little girl everywhere and Jillian is turning into a not-so nice person leaving Micheal with the burden of trying to figure out what exactly is going on.
Did I like the book? Yes. It was, like I said, a slow read. It wasn't a book that screamed at me to pick it up and finish it now. This was, actually, my most recent "bathroom" read. The overall main plotline was good. The flashbacks of Jillian and Micheal's history together, while I suppose they were important to build their relationship strength, were distracting. I wanted more ghost/supernatural and less mushy 'we're so perfectly in love in our perfect world'.
The entire ghost mystery part was /awsome/. I loved the story behind the how/why. I wish there had been more of that in the book. Overall not a horrible read, but not one I'd likely sit down and read again.
The Dansky's are the perfect couple. They have great jobs, great friends and love each other deeply. However, after the Halloween party all that is about to change. While Jillian is passed out in the backseat, Micheal narrowly misses hitting a little girl. Of course, like any good citizen, he offers her a ride home only to discover that her house is just a bit creepy, just a bit off, just a bit wrong. He has some sort of supernatural encounter but doesn't remember any of it when he and Jillian are awoken the next morning by police tapping on the window of their pulled over car. Now Micheal is seeing the little girl everywhere and Jillian is turning into a not-so nice person leaving Micheal with the burden of trying to figure out what exactly is going on.
Did I like the book? Yes. It was, like I said, a slow read. It wasn't a book that screamed at me to pick it up and finish it now. This was, actually, my most recent "bathroom" read. The overall main plotline was good. The flashbacks of Jillian and Micheal's history together, while I suppose they were important to build their relationship strength, were distracting. I wanted more ghost/supernatural and less mushy 'we're so perfectly in love in our perfect world'.
The entire ghost mystery part was /awsome/. I loved the story behind the how/why. I wish there had been more of that in the book. Overall not a horrible read, but not one I'd likely sit down and read again.
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