Working Weekend

by Penelope Hill

Marcus Holland, European Folklore expert and award-winning writer of Horror and Fantasy fiction, is guest of honour at the CoffinCon convention being held in an old gothic mansion-turned-hotel. He’s looking forward to the weekend, as he’s hoping for a break from the pressures of work, the enthusiasm of his agent and the demands of his ex-wife. There’s to be a midnight masque, a Real Ale bar, and the convention committee have even arranged to have a ‘real’ vampire wandering the halls, to help add to the atmosphere.

From the moment Marcus arrives he starts to feel uneasy, but can’t quite put his finger on the reason why. Although he soon comes to realise what is wrong, he knows he can’t broadcast his concerns without being thought insane. Far from being a relaxing break he will be working harder than ever in order to safeguard his friends and fans.

Genres: Horror

Kindle Edition

Published March 6, 2020

Reviews

[Ben Jeapes · Rating 4 out of 5]

A novel by a fan and for fans, but with enough for other readers too. Fans can feel in safe hands when the opening pages include a hotel convention map for Coffin Con VII - a fictitious event, but very true to life - and the bibliography of hero Marcus Holland, who plainly writes fantasy and horror under various names. I felt a little disappointed when all the clues pointing to a vampire being present proved not to be distractions and there was indeed a vampire present. This is not a spoiler as it is very soon obvious to any reader. However the way the vampire story is treated is different to anything I've seen before and I found it very satisfying. In some ways it comes down to a good old traditional "stop the vampire before he gets anyone else" story, but with the heroes limited by the setting and the rules of the game that are explained well enough not to get in the reader's way. I also like the explanation for why vampires don't have reflections. (No spoilers, you'll have to read it.)

[Jill Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this one! It was an original spin on common supernatural themes, offered with a generous dose of humor and a peek behind the curtain at authors, writing, fandom, and the magic that is themed conventions. I found it snarky and funny and just the right amount of dark. I wasn't sure where things were going for a while, and enjoyed the sense of confusion and uncertainty. It built a nice tension that kept me turning pages until things started falling into place. The characters were a great blend of personalities that intermingled tropes and originality in a way I thought perfect for the story - which is, itself, such a melange. It was a cool construct that worked beautifully here.

The writing was solid and the pacing generally quite good, although there were a few spots where I felt like things were hurried along and not as carefully laid out as the earliest bits (the prime example for me being the Big Confrontation at the end). There was a bit of openness at the end that left me cautiously optimistic that we might get to join Marcus in further adventures - a trip I'd definitely sign up for, even with the attendant dangers! All in all it was a highly enjoyable tale and I'd definitely look for more from Penelope Hill.

Thanks to the amazing (and absolutely memorable!) folks at Elsewhen Press for my obligation-free review copy.

[David Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable horror. Attendees of conventions will find familiar elements, which help ground the supernatural elements in reality and thus heighten the horror.

[J.A. Mortimore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent story set at a convention. But is the hotel manager more than he seems?