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Photographs of October
It's 2003 and Olivia Norwich isn’t bothered by the disappearances in the sleepy university town of Warren, Kansas. As a photography instructor, she’s preoccupied with an impossible deadline for the town’s Harvest Festival at the end of October. Her research for the project takes her back in time to Warren’s tumultuous past, and when ghosts from that era begin to stir, Olivia discovers that the past and
present are more entangled than she ever knew.
It's 1897 and Evelyn Weatherford must navigate the delicate balance of the reality of life on the prairie and her dream of attending the town’s university. Her actions inadvertently land her in the middle of a feud between two families whose bitter rivalry is brought to a head during Evelyn’s lifetime.
A novel about ancestral memory and how choices can echo across the centuries.
present are more entangled than she ever knew.
It's 1897 and Evelyn Weatherford must navigate the delicate balance of the reality of life on the prairie and her dream of attending the town’s university. Her actions inadvertently land her in the middle of a feud between two families whose bitter rivalry is brought to a head during Evelyn’s lifetime.
A novel about ancestral memory and how choices can echo across the centuries.
628 pages, Paperback
Published May 9, 2020
17 people are currently reading
55 people want to read
About the author
M.K. Deppner
2 books16 followersM.K. Deppner lives in Wichita, Kansas with her partner, two stepdaughters, and three cats. Deppner has her M.A. in English and Creative Writing from Kansas State University and has always been inspired by the rich history of the Flint Hills region where Photographs of October is set. She is a multi-genre author and creative entrepreneur who enjoys encouraging and teaching writers.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
May 15, 2020
I loved this book! The characters are compelling and well written and by the end of the story I was left desperately wanting to know what was going to happen to them beyond the pages of the book. It was a book I never wanted to finish and one I couldn't put down at the same time. M.K. Deppner does a fantastic job of setting up this small town Kansas world (small towns are their own worlds, don't let anyone tell you otherwise!)
This book does have some graphic passages so if you are too terribly squeamish you might not like those parts, but don't let those discourage you! The blend of horror and historical fiction comes together magically and while I don't know much about photography, this book has made me look at it in a whole new light.
Ghosts and demons, the past, the present, love, hate and reality are all questioned in this book and every chapter furthers this story beautifully. While this would be a wonderful story to read in the month of October, it is a book I know I will be going back to more than once throughout the year. If you have heard of M.K., check her out. I look forward to her future projects!
#photographsofoctober #divinesecretsofabibliophile #historicalfiction #amreadinghistoricalfiction
This book does have some graphic passages so if you are too terribly squeamish you might not like those parts, but don't let those discourage you! The blend of horror and historical fiction comes together magically and while I don't know much about photography, this book has made me look at it in a whole new light.
Ghosts and demons, the past, the present, love, hate and reality are all questioned in this book and every chapter furthers this story beautifully. While this would be a wonderful story to read in the month of October, it is a book I know I will be going back to more than once throughout the year. If you have heard of M.K., check her out. I look forward to her future projects!
#photographsofoctober #divinesecretsofabibliophile #historicalfiction #amreadinghistoricalfiction
August 28, 2020
The sign of a great storyteller can evoke many different emotions throughout the telling of their story to simply make you feel, infuriate you, mesmerize you, make you laugh, and at times rip your heart out with sorrow. Photographers of October is one such book that hit me on every possible emotion; it is such a beautifully written and elegant epic. Just because I say it is beautiful and elegant doesn’t mean this story doesn’t have its darker side; oh, it does. The town of Warren, Kansas, is overlaid with a dark and evil history. Supernatural occurrences happen quite frequently in this sleepy town. Even stranger events occurred within the macabre history of this tale. M.K. Deppner does such an excellent job telling this story by switching back and forth between present-day and the late 1800s, where she slowly reveals the secrets of what happened between the two time frames; I have to say, they are quite grisly and heart-wrenching. Such an impressive feat to organize and tell this tale and Deppner does it with such ease. This story had everything, from horror to suspense and from romance (I’m a sucker for a great love story) to quick-paced action and the whole tale was carefully woven together with the grand mystery, the grim history surrounding Warren, Kansas. To me, this story had so much of a feeling of nostalgic magic to it (and dark magic as well); it was as though you were reliving distant memories. To say more would give away too much of the story within, which is not for me to do. You have to uncover the Photographs of October and let them reveal their secrets to you. I will remember this story for years to come. I look forward to M.K. Deppner’s next novel.
June 26, 2020
“Did people mature after death, wherever they went?”
Olivia is having a hard time this October, 2003. Between teaching college classes, catching up on a Halloween festival photography project, and dealing with the ghosts both possessing her and her colleague, she couldn’t be more flustered. But in a sleepy town like Warren, filled with a haunted past of scheming and betrayal, what’s one to expect? Evelyn is a woman with aspirations to go to college in the late 1800’s. Unfortunately, she gets caught in the middle of a love affair which destroys her future and her happiness. How can the present reconcile the past?
Let me start off by saying this book is a tome. At 600 pages thick, this book is great for those who like to curl up and get acquainted. The vibes are very Sleepy Hollow in that there is historical paranormal horror yet set in modern day situations. The plot is fascinating - I’ve read the Legend of Sleepy Hollow but have never seen anything twisting the tale into a modern day retelling or a newly set homage. I loved the ghostly mystery, the characters, and the relationships strung between those characters. Very complex but not unrealistic. I also loved the parallel story telling between 2003 and the late 1800’s to get you more invested in the characters and how everything clicks together in the end. Austin Hearth is definitely my favorite character from this book - a rugged, sexy cowboy ghost 😏 But I was also extremely interested in William Monroe’s character - our evil incarnate villain. 😱
That being said, I wish we got to learn more about Monroe and what happened to him. It was difficult to love/hate him because I wasn’t sure what part was truly him and what part was due to possession. There is also a lot of detail and some of it is a bit repetitious. Like I said, this book is long so you better be ready to settle into another world. But that world is a quaint country town during the Halloween season so who wouldn’t be interested?! 👻🎃
Olivia is having a hard time this October, 2003. Between teaching college classes, catching up on a Halloween festival photography project, and dealing with the ghosts both possessing her and her colleague, she couldn’t be more flustered. But in a sleepy town like Warren, filled with a haunted past of scheming and betrayal, what’s one to expect? Evelyn is a woman with aspirations to go to college in the late 1800’s. Unfortunately, she gets caught in the middle of a love affair which destroys her future and her happiness. How can the present reconcile the past?
Let me start off by saying this book is a tome. At 600 pages thick, this book is great for those who like to curl up and get acquainted. The vibes are very Sleepy Hollow in that there is historical paranormal horror yet set in modern day situations. The plot is fascinating - I’ve read the Legend of Sleepy Hollow but have never seen anything twisting the tale into a modern day retelling or a newly set homage. I loved the ghostly mystery, the characters, and the relationships strung between those characters. Very complex but not unrealistic. I also loved the parallel story telling between 2003 and the late 1800’s to get you more invested in the characters and how everything clicks together in the end. Austin Hearth is definitely my favorite character from this book - a rugged, sexy cowboy ghost 😏 But I was also extremely interested in William Monroe’s character - our evil incarnate villain. 😱
That being said, I wish we got to learn more about Monroe and what happened to him. It was difficult to love/hate him because I wasn’t sure what part was truly him and what part was due to possession. There is also a lot of detail and some of it is a bit repetitious. Like I said, this book is long so you better be ready to settle into another world. But that world is a quaint country town during the Halloween season so who wouldn’t be interested?! 👻🎃
October 13, 2020
Every October, I go looking for the perfect Halloween book, and this was almost that book. It's spooky without (mostly) being gory and it has a strong sense of place. But oh boy, this really needed an editor's strong hand. It could've been a terrific 300-page book, instead of the 625 bloated pages it actually is.
There are so many issues here. Whatever magic allows supernatural happenings to occur works in about a hundred different ways in the book. The dead can come back and possess the living. Or maybe they can come back in their own corporeal form, including changing their outfits as desired. Or sometimes they're ghostly looking. Also, there are other weird demon-beasts that might possess a human, including possessing an already-dead human that's possessing a living human. Or maybe murder victims become semi-zombie-like creatures, but they're all trapped in place?
And horses have the power to do pretty much anything.
It would have been nice if the author had pared down the story she wanted to tell. We also don't need to see each scene in flashbacks AND hallucinations AND old journal entries. We get it.
It's too bad, because there's good stuff here. William's charismatic control is very well done; he'd be a much more compelling villain if he were purely a bad person. All of the historical characters read far truer than the modern-day ones. We spend the whole novel with Olivia, but she feels 2-dimensional for most of it. At one point, she talks about loving both teaching and photography, but we rarely see her doing anything but stressing about either. And maybe that's part of the transformation of her the author wants to show, but I just didn't really *like* the character much. We need something to make us care about her besides just the fact that she's the lead!
So... real potential, but nowhere near the 5-stars that some reviewers are bestowing.
There are so many issues here. Whatever magic allows supernatural happenings to occur works in about a hundred different ways in the book. The dead can come back and possess the living. Or maybe they can come back in their own corporeal form, including changing their outfits as desired. Or sometimes they're ghostly looking. Also, there are other weird demon-beasts that might possess a human, including possessing an already-dead human that's possessing a living human. Or maybe murder victims become semi-zombie-like creatures, but they're all trapped in place?
And horses have the power to do pretty much anything.
It would have been nice if the author had pared down the story she wanted to tell. We also don't need to see each scene in flashbacks AND hallucinations AND old journal entries. We get it.
It's too bad, because there's good stuff here. William's charismatic control is very well done; he'd be a much more compelling villain if he were purely a bad person. All of the historical characters read far truer than the modern-day ones. We spend the whole novel with Olivia, but she feels 2-dimensional for most of it. At one point, she talks about loving both teaching and photography, but we rarely see her doing anything but stressing about either. And maybe that's part of the transformation of her the author wants to show, but I just didn't really *like* the character much. We need something to make us care about her besides just the fact that she's the lead!
So... real potential, but nowhere near the 5-stars that some reviewers are bestowing.
October 21, 2021
I went into this book not knowing exactly what to expect and was blown away by it. The synopsis doesn't even begin to scratch the surface. This 600+ page tale is DEEP.
In the year of 1903, in the small prairie town of Warren, Kansas, a tumultuous love triangle ended in horrific and unimaginable tragedy. One hundred years later, the ghosts of that tragedy come to life and the lives of two college professors are altered forever.
This is at once a ghost story, a historical mystery, a love story, and an adventure. Within the first few chapters I realized that this story plays out in the lands around the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, where I have spent many hours. I could picture it all so clearly in my mind.
Fans of Washington Irving will find a familiar figure here, a Headless Horseman plucked from the Hudson River Valley, given a completely new backstory, and dropped onto the prairie.
The story starts out slowly. It took me a whole to get through the first half, but the author dropped just enough interesting breadcrumbs along the way to keep me interested. Once I hit that halfway mark, though...I read the last 350 pages or so in a 24 hour period.
I have one small nitpicky complaint, and that is the fact that the dates don't line up with reality. The present day parts of the story take place in October 2003. I happen to know that October 2003 started on a Wednesday. I know this because I gave birth on Thursday the 2nd. In the story, however, October starts on Thursday. Not a major thing, I know, but it annoyed me.
The story, though, was so good. It's involved, it's well thought out, it pulls in so many people and plotlines but never in a confusing way. I got goosebumps at some points and shed a tear or two at others.
This is just an incredible ghost story, perfect for the spooky October season or any time you want to enjoy an immersive tale of the past, of love and grief and vengeance.
In the year of 1903, in the small prairie town of Warren, Kansas, a tumultuous love triangle ended in horrific and unimaginable tragedy. One hundred years later, the ghosts of that tragedy come to life and the lives of two college professors are altered forever.
This is at once a ghost story, a historical mystery, a love story, and an adventure. Within the first few chapters I realized that this story plays out in the lands around the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, where I have spent many hours. I could picture it all so clearly in my mind.
Fans of Washington Irving will find a familiar figure here, a Headless Horseman plucked from the Hudson River Valley, given a completely new backstory, and dropped onto the prairie.
The story starts out slowly. It took me a whole to get through the first half, but the author dropped just enough interesting breadcrumbs along the way to keep me interested. Once I hit that halfway mark, though...I read the last 350 pages or so in a 24 hour period.
I have one small nitpicky complaint, and that is the fact that the dates don't line up with reality. The present day parts of the story take place in October 2003. I happen to know that October 2003 started on a Wednesday. I know this because I gave birth on Thursday the 2nd. In the story, however, October starts on Thursday. Not a major thing, I know, but it annoyed me.
The story, though, was so good. It's involved, it's well thought out, it pulls in so many people and plotlines but never in a confusing way. I got goosebumps at some points and shed a tear or two at others.
This is just an incredible ghost story, perfect for the spooky October season or any time you want to enjoy an immersive tale of the past, of love and grief and vengeance.
May 18, 2022
Ghost story in the Kansas Flint Hills
Living in Kansas all my life about an hour's drive from the beautiful Flint Hills influenced my decision to read "Photographs of October" by M.K. Deppner and also being a sucker for a good ghost story I'm super glad I did. It was one of those stories I hated to see end. Deppner's love of the area comes through in her writing as she paints visual images of the prairie with its tall waving grasses and wildflowers, hills and cliffs around the town of Warren with its limestone buildings in the 1890's where this story first unfolds.
The author weaves her ghostly and macabre tale between the current time and the late 1890's of a doomed love triangle with all the elements of hate, evil, abuse, greed and murder...plus a demonic being thrown in to keep all involved in both centuries living in the town of Warren terrorized.
I read lots of different genres but thriller and horror tales always seem to be my favorite...maybe it's a defective gene somewhere in my DNA, who knows. Nevertheless, Deppner's storyline with the abuse of the young, newlywed 1890's wife by her "Jeckle & Hyde" husband and the political intrigue in the town of Warren seemed to mirror events in our own time...although the author did find some unique ways of abuse that I've not read before in any book...so be forewarned.
I recommend this book to anyone that appreciates a creative ghostly (and ghastly) story of love and evil surviving through centuries with actual historical tidbits of living in the early 19th century around the Flint Hills of Kansas. Really good read!
Living in Kansas all my life about an hour's drive from the beautiful Flint Hills influenced my decision to read "Photographs of October" by M.K. Deppner and also being a sucker for a good ghost story I'm super glad I did. It was one of those stories I hated to see end. Deppner's love of the area comes through in her writing as she paints visual images of the prairie with its tall waving grasses and wildflowers, hills and cliffs around the town of Warren with its limestone buildings in the 1890's where this story first unfolds.
The author weaves her ghostly and macabre tale between the current time and the late 1890's of a doomed love triangle with all the elements of hate, evil, abuse, greed and murder...plus a demonic being thrown in to keep all involved in both centuries living in the town of Warren terrorized.
I read lots of different genres but thriller and horror tales always seem to be my favorite...maybe it's a defective gene somewhere in my DNA, who knows. Nevertheless, Deppner's storyline with the abuse of the young, newlywed 1890's wife by her "Jeckle & Hyde" husband and the political intrigue in the town of Warren seemed to mirror events in our own time...although the author did find some unique ways of abuse that I've not read before in any book...so be forewarned.
I recommend this book to anyone that appreciates a creative ghostly (and ghastly) story of love and evil surviving through centuries with actual historical tidbits of living in the early 19th century around the Flint Hills of Kansas. Really good read!
October 6, 2023
Great premise with moments of interest
I hate to give three star reviews. To me, either I liked a book, or I didn’t.
I think my problem here is how badly I want to like this book. Unfortunately the sum of its flaws are hard to ignore.
Let’s start with our protagonist- what does she want? This should be one of the first questions an author answers. Unfortunately our main character has no idea. Most of the book is full of stream of conscious, mush mind wondering about that very thing. This, ultimately, causes the ending to suffer. Things happen. There is a conclusion. But without a clear goal to the story, the reader is left deciding for themselves if it’s a satisfactory one.
That was the worst of it. I have a fairly high tolerance for typos and odd grammar. Plot holes were a frustration. There was a somewhat funny moment when the mc swoons after looking at a skeleton because “other than a biology class in high school, she had never seen human bones up close.” It seems the author forgot that quite literally in the previous chapter, the protagonist was poking around in a crypt and examining another skeleton.
As for the good- I love that the author gave her ghosts distinctive personalities. Her description of the possessions was also unique and really well thought out. Again, the premise of this story was thoroughly intriguing.
Where it suffered was the plot. This was so close to being a great book.
I hate to give three star reviews. To me, either I liked a book, or I didn’t.
I think my problem here is how badly I want to like this book. Unfortunately the sum of its flaws are hard to ignore.
Let’s start with our protagonist- what does she want? This should be one of the first questions an author answers. Unfortunately our main character has no idea. Most of the book is full of stream of conscious, mush mind wondering about that very thing. This, ultimately, causes the ending to suffer. Things happen. There is a conclusion. But without a clear goal to the story, the reader is left deciding for themselves if it’s a satisfactory one.
That was the worst of it. I have a fairly high tolerance for typos and odd grammar. Plot holes were a frustration. There was a somewhat funny moment when the mc swoons after looking at a skeleton because “other than a biology class in high school, she had never seen human bones up close.” It seems the author forgot that quite literally in the previous chapter, the protagonist was poking around in a crypt and examining another skeleton.
As for the good- I love that the author gave her ghosts distinctive personalities. Her description of the possessions was also unique and really well thought out. Again, the premise of this story was thoroughly intriguing.
Where it suffered was the plot. This was so close to being a great book.
May 15, 2020
There's something about the candid thought process of the main characters that I really love, and by the time I got a couple chapters in I couldn't put the darn thing down.
Meticulous research, wonderful levels of suspense, thrilling and perfect slaughter...
I thought something with this many words would take me forever and be one of those things that takes a month. No. This took me five days. Five. Days. That's how long it takes me to read something with half as many words. It is really difficult to write a mystery like this and I got lost on one scene...didn't make a difference though. It all came together in a satisfying crescendo whether I absorbed it or not!
As a designer I can't get enough of the fonts used on this book, but I guess I'm not supposed to judge books by their fonts. I dig a good ghost story, I enjoy murder and suspense, looooveee the sounds and smells of the outdoors that are a huge part of this book, and I love historical fiction. I have already recommended this book to something like eight people plus my author page.
**I received an adavanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review**
Meticulous research, wonderful levels of suspense, thrilling and perfect slaughter...
I thought something with this many words would take me forever and be one of those things that takes a month. No. This took me five days. Five. Days. That's how long it takes me to read something with half as many words. It is really difficult to write a mystery like this and I got lost on one scene...didn't make a difference though. It all came together in a satisfying crescendo whether I absorbed it or not!
As a designer I can't get enough of the fonts used on this book, but I guess I'm not supposed to judge books by their fonts. I dig a good ghost story, I enjoy murder and suspense, looooveee the sounds and smells of the outdoors that are a huge part of this book, and I love historical fiction. I have already recommended this book to something like eight people plus my author page.
**I received an adavanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review**
July 16, 2020
An authentic prairie puzzle that chills and charms
No two ways about it:"Photographs of October" is an absolutely smashing read. The fantastic characters seem at once both instantly relatable and wistfully impossible, and the tale they weave is gripping, without running off the rails as so many horror/mystery novels seem to do. The pacing and style will be a match for a broad swathe of readers, from Henry Bemis all the way to Jack Donaghy.
While it's certainly a tome for a debut novel (at over 600 pages), M.K. Deppner has lovingly polished every detail to make certain that the town of Warren, Kansas is firmly cemented in reality. I felt that I barely had time to fall in love with the characters before their adventure(s) had whisked me away.
In short, I would happily recommend this book to armchair historians, horror fans, hopeless romantics, old souls, and prairie folk of all stripes. Simply wonderful.
No two ways about it:"Photographs of October" is an absolutely smashing read. The fantastic characters seem at once both instantly relatable and wistfully impossible, and the tale they weave is gripping, without running off the rails as so many horror/mystery novels seem to do. The pacing and style will be a match for a broad swathe of readers, from Henry Bemis all the way to Jack Donaghy.
While it's certainly a tome for a debut novel (at over 600 pages), M.K. Deppner has lovingly polished every detail to make certain that the town of Warren, Kansas is firmly cemented in reality. I felt that I barely had time to fall in love with the characters before their adventure(s) had whisked me away.
In short, I would happily recommend this book to armchair historians, horror fans, hopeless romantics, old souls, and prairie folk of all stripes. Simply wonderful.
October 19, 2024
This suspenseful tale starts off slowly but builds to a thrilling climax. At first, it can be confusing with its shifting perspectives and timelines, but once you get into the groove, it's easy to follow. The story revolves around three main characters and two different time periods. In the quaint town of Warren, a tragic past haunts the present. Three families, the wealthy Monroe family, the hardworking Weatherfords, and the diligent Hearths, have shaped the town's history. In the past, young Evelyn falls for her best friend, Austin, but then William enters the picture. In the present day, descendants of these families are mysteriously vanishing. Olivia and Simon, working at the local college, find themselves drawn into a web of unexplained events and must uncover the dark secrets of the past. As Halloween approaches, the lines between the living and the dead blur, and Olivia and Simon are pulled into a ghostly quest for justice, where one vengeful spirit seeks retribution.
This novel shows promise as a unique ghost story, but it could benefit from significant editing to tighten the pacing and clarify the plot. Some scenes feel unnecessary, while others could be developed further. The ending leaves several unanswered questions and plot holes. With stronger editing, this novel could potentially earn a rating of 3-4 stars.
This novel shows promise as a unique ghost story, but it could benefit from significant editing to tighten the pacing and clarify the plot. Some scenes feel unnecessary, while others could be developed further. The ending leaves several unanswered questions and plot holes. With stronger editing, this novel could potentially earn a rating of 3-4 stars.
May 8, 2020
*** I received an advance copy for review ***
Photographs of October is a haunting tale. It takes the reader on a gut-wrenching journey through the generational consequences of unfortunate circumstances and personal mistakes.
I found Photographs of October delightfully unsettling and had a hard time putting it down. At every twist and turn, I was so sure I knew what was coming, only to constantly be proven wrong. The interplay between the modern and historical characters never distracted from the plot. The author does a wonderful job of painting a picture of the Kansas prairie with words. The ethereal atmosphere serves only to heighten the touch of the supernatural. Even now, days after finishing, I can’t help but imagine what came next for the characters.
I truly enjoyed reading this novel. It left me wanting more, and I look forward to the author’s future endeavors.
Photographs of October is a haunting tale. It takes the reader on a gut-wrenching journey through the generational consequences of unfortunate circumstances and personal mistakes.
I found Photographs of October delightfully unsettling and had a hard time putting it down. At every twist and turn, I was so sure I knew what was coming, only to constantly be proven wrong. The interplay between the modern and historical characters never distracted from the plot. The author does a wonderful job of painting a picture of the Kansas prairie with words. The ethereal atmosphere serves only to heighten the touch of the supernatural. Even now, days after finishing, I can’t help but imagine what came next for the characters.
I truly enjoyed reading this novel. It left me wanting more, and I look forward to the author’s future endeavors.
May 16, 2020
If I were asked to write a blurb that would grace the cover or first few pages it would be, “Hauntingly beautiful.” Deppner masterfully crafts her tale of love, loss, and memory. The past and present collide when Warren’s past repeats itself in the early 21st century. Olivia Norwich, a photographer and professor at the local college, receives a commission for the annual Fall festival and it’s completion might very well be the death of her. Local historian and professor, Simon Monroe’s life becomes exceedingly complicated as he struggles to remember lost time and navigate his feelings and budding relationship. All the while, something sinister has come to the town of Warren, women of a particular profile begin to go missing. Past and present blend together to reveal a story of opportunities lost, unrequited love, and vengeance on the prairies of Kansas.
August 10, 2020
Photographs of October is a must read for fans of historical paranormal fiction, ghost stories, and the influence of Irving's Sleepy Hollow & Ichabod Crane. This is a perfect October/Halloween read. Grab all those things that make you comfy cozy and settle in for a gripping, creepy ghost story rich with history, vivid imagery, and a turning story that pivots near effortlessly.
The leisurely pace of normal professor life in small city Kansas ramps up into a jog that bolts into a full-blown frenzy. With superbly smooth transitions, you almost don’t see it – that switch from everyday stress to abnormal stress to paranormal stress. And then, that supernatural crazy stress becomes the new "normal" stress, and the cycle starts over, dropping you somewhere wholly not normal, near the eye of the storm where it's calm even though it doesn't seem like it should be…you know there's more to come.
The atmosphere oozed from the pages, swallowing the midsummer night’s heat and ushering in fall smoke. Rusty leaves crinkled and swirled with harvest dust in the crisp bite of October air that so perfectly escorts Halloween’s eerie vibes and whisks in the scents of pumpkin and spice. I wanted to cuddle up with a hot latte under blankets fresh from the dryer with a cat or two on my lap for extra measure. In the morning, it was a shock to see the vibrant greens and cheery sun of mid-July.
Well-developed characters feel real in a realistic world. The headless horseman and ghostly aspects add element of magical realism within the book’s framework. The dual tales of Olivia in the present and Evelyn in the past run both parallel and perpendicular to each other, painting stark contrasts between life now and life then. The innocent naivety of the past is lost in the modern hustle and bustle. The past naturally pauses to admire the beauty of life on the prairie, something many of us rush by without a second thought. Deppner cleverly uses photography to bridge the appreciations of the past with the present. Meanwhile, she also presents complicated relationships and the fact that love is rarely easy—the methods of courtship may have changed, but human behavior is much the same.
The characters and story stuck with me for a while and still pop into my head every now and then. Highly recommended!! Perfect October/Halloween read.
The leisurely pace of normal professor life in small city Kansas ramps up into a jog that bolts into a full-blown frenzy. With superbly smooth transitions, you almost don’t see it – that switch from everyday stress to abnormal stress to paranormal stress. And then, that supernatural crazy stress becomes the new "normal" stress, and the cycle starts over, dropping you somewhere wholly not normal, near the eye of the storm where it's calm even though it doesn't seem like it should be…you know there's more to come.
The atmosphere oozed from the pages, swallowing the midsummer night’s heat and ushering in fall smoke. Rusty leaves crinkled and swirled with harvest dust in the crisp bite of October air that so perfectly escorts Halloween’s eerie vibes and whisks in the scents of pumpkin and spice. I wanted to cuddle up with a hot latte under blankets fresh from the dryer with a cat or two on my lap for extra measure. In the morning, it was a shock to see the vibrant greens and cheery sun of mid-July.
Well-developed characters feel real in a realistic world. The headless horseman and ghostly aspects add element of magical realism within the book’s framework. The dual tales of Olivia in the present and Evelyn in the past run both parallel and perpendicular to each other, painting stark contrasts between life now and life then. The innocent naivety of the past is lost in the modern hustle and bustle. The past naturally pauses to admire the beauty of life on the prairie, something many of us rush by without a second thought. Deppner cleverly uses photography to bridge the appreciations of the past with the present. Meanwhile, she also presents complicated relationships and the fact that love is rarely easy—the methods of courtship may have changed, but human behavior is much the same.
The characters and story stuck with me for a while and still pop into my head every now and then. Highly recommended!! Perfect October/Halloween read.
May 19, 2020
This is a brilliant debut novel that combines elements of history, fantasy, horror, and romance to weave a complex, suspenseful, insightful tale about a young photographer who accepts a new assignment and suddenly finds herself in the midst of a time-traveling story of betrayal, revenge, murder, and a desperate yearning for self-determination. This, in turn, confronts her with strong questions about her own place in the world and how she's been living her life. Highly recommended for those who like the work of Anne Rice, Audrey Niffenegger, and David Mitchell.
June 14, 2020
I read Photographs of October last week at work when we were dead. Normally I love it when my coworkers come in, because I love to chat. I actually got upset when they came in while I was reading this, because it meant I had to put the book down! It is SO very well written, and the story draws you in. I felt like I was right there in the middle of it all the whole time. I truly can’t recommend this book enough! It’s a bit mystery, a bit horror, a bit time-travel/history...you can’t go wrong with it! Take some time and dive into your new favorite read!
December 14, 2022
This attempt at horror/thriller doesn't quite succeed. There are quite a few plot holes, such that I suspect the author did not fully flush out the premise. Even if an author doesn't want to give the reader all the answers or explanations, it is important that the author have them. I don't think this was the case particularly with the main "evil" in the novel. I wasn't sure I was even going to finish this book but I pushed through it, despite an overall lack of development, compelling characters, or understandable premise.
July 6, 2020
I loved the book and had such a hard time putting it down. Each character is well developed and the whole story has you guessing up until the end where things tie together nicely. It is so difficult to pick a favorite character. There is some graphic parts that if you are squeamish that you may not enjoy. Yet despite that fact the story is well written and very difficult to describe with just what is on the back. Fair warning it is a large book with 600 pages but it is worth the read!.
October 13, 2022
I am not generally a fan of ghost stories, but this book kept me reading even with some graphic descriptions that I could have lived without. The characters are very well developed and interesting. The plot is complicated and keeps the reader guessing. The fact that chapters are labeled for time periods helps, but the movement from early 1900's to the present and back again was not always easy to follow.
I did feel that the book is well written and I will try another book by this author.
I did feel that the book is well written and I will try another book by this author.
May 16, 2022
I LOVED THIS BOOK! It's the longest novel I've ever read (not including Harry Potter) and wow. The way the author put this together is incredible. How it rotates from past and present so effortlessly is astonishing. It was creepy but intriguing. I enjoyed this novel very much! 5 Stars without a doubt.
December 1, 2023
Beautiful book
April 23, 2021
I didn’t want to put this book down. There was so much beautiful description and creepy suspense, I wanted to know what happened so badly. I loved the historical aspects the most because those scenes were the most fascinating and clear in my imagination.
There were a few instances when scenes or descriptions were too vague to connect in my mind, possibly by design, as this book had a lot of blurring between realities. I also continued to question why the events had even taken place and would have loved a more concrete answer than the vague understanding the main characters just accepted and worked with. I was hardcore wanting answers with serious ghost hunting explanations haha Maybe I’ve been watching too much Ghost Adventures...
Also, I want to know more about the creepy mirror...
It was a fascinating story idea and I can’t wait to see what else M.K. Deppner comes up with in the future. I will definitely buy her books again.
There were a few instances when scenes or descriptions were too vague to connect in my mind, possibly by design, as this book had a lot of blurring between realities. I also continued to question why the events had even taken place and would have loved a more concrete answer than the vague understanding the main characters just accepted and worked with. I was hardcore wanting answers with serious ghost hunting explanations haha Maybe I’ve been watching too much Ghost Adventures...
Also, I want to know more about the creepy mirror...
It was a fascinating story idea and I can’t wait to see what else M.K. Deppner comes up with in the future. I will definitely buy her books again.
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