What do you think?
Rate this book
Boy in the Box
Ten years ago a mysterious and tragic hunting accident deep in the Adirondack Mountains left a boy buried in a storied piece of land known as Coombs' Gulch and four friends with a terrible secret. Now, Jonathan Hollis and brothers Michael and Conner Braddick must return to the place that changed their lives forever in order to keep their secret buried. What they don't realize is that they are walking into a trap - one set decades earlier by a supernatural being who is not confined by time or place: a demon that demands a sacrifice.
Flame Tree Press is the new fiction imprint of Flame Tree Publishing. Launched in 2018 the list brings together brilliant new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices.
Flame Tree Press is the new fiction imprint of Flame Tree Publishing. Launched in 2018 the list brings together brilliant new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices.
240 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 23, 2020
47 people are currently reading
220 people want to read
About the author
Marc E. Fitch
26 books41 followersMarc E. Fitch is the author of the novels Dead Ends, Boy in the Box and Paradise Burns, among others, as well as the books Paranormal Nation: Why America Needs Ghosts, UFOs and Bigfoot and Shmexperts: How Power Politics and Ideology are Disguised as Science. His short fiction has appeared in numerous publications and anthologies, including Best Horror of the Year vol 10.
Marc received his Master of Fine Arts degree from Western Connecticut State University and has worked as a bartender, psychiatric technician for in-patient behavioral health hospitals, and most recently as an investigative reporter. He was the recipient of the 2014 Robert Novak Journalism Fellowship and the Leslie Leeds Poetry Prize. He is the father of four children and lives and works in Connecticut.
Marc received his Master of Fine Arts degree from Western Connecticut State University and has worked as a bartender, psychiatric technician for in-patient behavioral health hospitals, and most recently as an investigative reporter. He was the recipient of the 2014 Robert Novak Journalism Fellowship and the Leslie Leeds Poetry Prize. He is the father of four children and lives and works in Connecticut.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
May 13, 2020
Boy in the Box
is a dark and haunting story, diving deep into the recesses of the human mind. Described as a horror novel, it is much deeper than a horror story, but where the horror is much more psychological than supernatural. The story combines a psychological thriller with supernatural elements to weave an atmospheric horror story.
After a tragic hunting accident, deep in the Adirondack Mountains, four friends are left hiding a terrible secret. Now after a decade, Jonathan and brothers; Michael and Conner, must return to the place that changed their lives forever in order to keep their secret buried. What they don't realize is that they are inadvertently walking into a trap- Is it a supernatural demon or demons in their own mind?
The story builds slowly but gathers momentum around the halfway mark. The writing flows smoothly. Fitch uses vivid imagery to create an eerie wilderness, both creepy and atmospheric. The description of the haunted terrain, the constant feeling of being hunted and someone out to get you keeps you on the edge. The storytelling is excellent and the entire second half is immensely readable. More than supernatural thrills, the story relies on heightening tension between the characters and unraveling of their minds, which makes you question everything you read.
The story lacked some strong characters, apart from Jonathan. The story gets overly descriptive at times like the random descriptions of work and daily life, their lives, their work, or their families and conversations that had no relevance to the story. While the intention was to create the character's backstory, it really slowed down the pace of the novel. Maybe the book could have been around 20% shorter because the story remains immensely interesting when it is focused on the friends and the forest.
Overall, This is a solid read for fans of the horror genre. If you like a creepy horror story with lots of mystery and tension, you will enjoy this book. 3.5 stars out of 5.
Many thanks to the publishers Flame Tree Press and Netgalley for the ARC.
After a tragic hunting accident, deep in the Adirondack Mountains, four friends are left hiding a terrible secret. Now after a decade, Jonathan and brothers; Michael and Conner, must return to the place that changed their lives forever in order to keep their secret buried. What they don't realize is that they are inadvertently walking into a trap- Is it a supernatural demon or demons in their own mind?
The story builds slowly but gathers momentum around the halfway mark. The writing flows smoothly. Fitch uses vivid imagery to create an eerie wilderness, both creepy and atmospheric. The description of the haunted terrain, the constant feeling of being hunted and someone out to get you keeps you on the edge. The storytelling is excellent and the entire second half is immensely readable. More than supernatural thrills, the story relies on heightening tension between the characters and unraveling of their minds, which makes you question everything you read.
The story lacked some strong characters, apart from Jonathan. The story gets overly descriptive at times like the random descriptions of work and daily life, their lives, their work, or their families and conversations that had no relevance to the story. While the intention was to create the character's backstory, it really slowed down the pace of the novel. Maybe the book could have been around 20% shorter because the story remains immensely interesting when it is focused on the friends and the forest.
Overall, This is a solid read for fans of the horror genre. If you like a creepy horror story with lots of mystery and tension, you will enjoy this book. 3.5 stars out of 5.
Many thanks to the publishers Flame Tree Press and Netgalley for the ARC.
May 16, 2023
My thanks to Flame Tree Press, Mr. Fitch and Netgalley. This book broke my heart. It began with a hunting death of a child, and a cover-up. The middle was at times hard to deal with, but more often than not just a muddled mess. I don't mind characters thinking so much, as long as it leads to a truth or revelation. The ending? Well, that was even more muddled than I expected! This was "weirdly" the second book in a row that I'd read where friends tried to cover up a death. I hope to not read anything like this again for awhile! I don't believe that I'm different than anyone else when I say that I'd rather confess than live with the guilt! Ask anyone who knows me! I confess to everything! I've actually spent a few very pleasant days in jail, because I find it so difficult to lie! Actually, that was kind of a locked in vacation! The only reason I kept reading this book is because I knew there were supernatural aspects to come. I wish, oh, crikey! I do wish that I had d.n.f.d, this story! The whole damn book was sad. They didn't murder the child. It was an accident. Kind of a supernatural accident, but still. They not only ruined their lives, but their family and friends lives. All for a stupid cover-up. Worst thing of all? That poor dead child was never buried properly, and his family had no closure. All so these great white hunters wouldn't have to spend a few years in prison. Again. This book broke my cold miserable heart! Much as I really hated this book? I couldn't stop reading. I tried and I tried. No joy. Yeah, just for that alone, and for all the feels? 4 stars. Clean it up. Edit and a polish. It's easily 5. Only with some polishing!
June 13, 2020
I received an advance reading copy of Boy in the Box in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank Marc E. Fitch and Flame Tree Press.
A decade ago four friends decided to go hunting in Coomb's Gulch as their way of celebrating for a stag weekend. Jonathan was getting married and for this getaway, he was accompanied by his friends Conner, Michael and Gene. Lots of relaxing, drinking and hunting ensued and the group were having an excellent time. That was until one drunken evening when they decided to hunt after dark and instead of shooting an almighty stag, they killed a young child who for some reason was alone in the forest that night. Faced with the almighty dilemma of what to do, and not wanting this unfortunate freak accident to ruin their lives, the friends bury the boy in a box, leaving his body hidden in the Adirondack Mountains.
They vow not to speak of this incident to anyone. For the main character Jonathan, guilt and regret have slowly taken hold of his existence. The same can be said for Gene who around the ten-year anniversary mark of the event took his own life. Following Gene's tragic death and a revelation that a road is going to be constructed through Coomb's Gulch where the child is buried, Jonathan, Conner and Michael decide to return to the scene of the crime. They are determined to make sure that their secret remains just that but, as the back of the novel says... "they are walking into a trap - one laid for them long ago by something that has watched them for years - haunting, plotting, slowly working to take control of their lives. And it demands a sacrifice."
Boy in the Box was the first novel of Marc E. Fitch's that I have read if I had to summarise the story in one word then that word would simply be: dark. It is a creepy and chilling horror tale with a hauntingly foreboding atmosphere that incorporates elements of the paranormal. I read a lot of violent and gritty novels, play brutal and extreme video games, and adore twisted and surreal Asian horror films. Because of this, I believe that my emotions may have hardened and many things that should be sick or shocking have no effect on me. That being said, reading Boy in the Box did certain things to me and I can't actually remember the last time a book affected me this way. Even typing this whilst thinking about it my skin is starting to go prickly, tingly and raising into goosebumps. Boy in the Box had a hypnotic descriptive manner with poetic delivery, and when I was reading it I often felt as just discussed. I'm dramatically aware that when reading it, in certain sections, the pace of my heartbeat changed. Boy in the Box raised many emotions from my stone heart and led me to truly think about what was happening.
Although it may seem to have a simple premise, Boy in the Box is multi-layered and deep. It's an intelligent novel. Some parts were a tad too clever for me as I didn't understand them completely but I think that is part of what is intoxicating. The meaning is just behind the veil, under the surface, behind the curtain and I'm nearly there, nearly getting it but not quite. This is synonymous with certain themes presented in the narrative. I'd love to know what Fitch's inspiration was for Boy in the Box and how it got so emotive, dark and full of despair and what, if any, personal demons influenced his writing leading to the harrowing finished product. Fitch is a gifted wordsmith and he has admirable deftness for crafting sinister imagery.
To conclude, Boy in the Box is a very good novel but did I enjoy reading it? I really don't know. My mind really hasn't quite computed what happened to it when reading this story. I can safely say though that Boy in the Box is something both unique and special.
A decade ago four friends decided to go hunting in Coomb's Gulch as their way of celebrating for a stag weekend. Jonathan was getting married and for this getaway, he was accompanied by his friends Conner, Michael and Gene. Lots of relaxing, drinking and hunting ensued and the group were having an excellent time. That was until one drunken evening when they decided to hunt after dark and instead of shooting an almighty stag, they killed a young child who for some reason was alone in the forest that night. Faced with the almighty dilemma of what to do, and not wanting this unfortunate freak accident to ruin their lives, the friends bury the boy in a box, leaving his body hidden in the Adirondack Mountains.
They vow not to speak of this incident to anyone. For the main character Jonathan, guilt and regret have slowly taken hold of his existence. The same can be said for Gene who around the ten-year anniversary mark of the event took his own life. Following Gene's tragic death and a revelation that a road is going to be constructed through Coomb's Gulch where the child is buried, Jonathan, Conner and Michael decide to return to the scene of the crime. They are determined to make sure that their secret remains just that but, as the back of the novel says... "they are walking into a trap - one laid for them long ago by something that has watched them for years - haunting, plotting, slowly working to take control of their lives. And it demands a sacrifice."
Boy in the Box was the first novel of Marc E. Fitch's that I have read if I had to summarise the story in one word then that word would simply be: dark. It is a creepy and chilling horror tale with a hauntingly foreboding atmosphere that incorporates elements of the paranormal. I read a lot of violent and gritty novels, play brutal and extreme video games, and adore twisted and surreal Asian horror films. Because of this, I believe that my emotions may have hardened and many things that should be sick or shocking have no effect on me. That being said, reading Boy in the Box did certain things to me and I can't actually remember the last time a book affected me this way. Even typing this whilst thinking about it my skin is starting to go prickly, tingly and raising into goosebumps. Boy in the Box had a hypnotic descriptive manner with poetic delivery, and when I was reading it I often felt as just discussed. I'm dramatically aware that when reading it, in certain sections, the pace of my heartbeat changed. Boy in the Box raised many emotions from my stone heart and led me to truly think about what was happening.
Although it may seem to have a simple premise, Boy in the Box is multi-layered and deep. It's an intelligent novel. Some parts were a tad too clever for me as I didn't understand them completely but I think that is part of what is intoxicating. The meaning is just behind the veil, under the surface, behind the curtain and I'm nearly there, nearly getting it but not quite. This is synonymous with certain themes presented in the narrative. I'd love to know what Fitch's inspiration was for Boy in the Box and how it got so emotive, dark and full of despair and what, if any, personal demons influenced his writing leading to the harrowing finished product. Fitch is a gifted wordsmith and he has admirable deftness for crafting sinister imagery.
To conclude, Boy in the Box is a very good novel but did I enjoy reading it? I really don't know. My mind really hasn't quite computed what happened to it when reading this story. I can safely say though that Boy in the Box is something both unique and special.
April 23, 2020
Haunting, Eerie And Plenty Of Creepy Tension!
The funeral of a lifelong pal brings Johnathan and Connor and his brother together again after a separation of many years due to lifestyle changes but more importantly was an accident that the four of them were involved in and and how they have been haunted by their actions from that tragic moment in their lives. But now the past is calling to them to revisit that time again before the rest of the world discovers what really happened that dire night when four young men went on an innocent bachelor weekend hunting trip and caused their lives to never be the same again.
This was a very dark and haunting story of how a good person's conscience can never let one rest if they choose what may be an evil deed. The story brings in supernatural elements aside from imagination so there is always a threat of the unknown hovering in every chapter. The writing flows effortlessly and I was on this dark ride with these men who I really felt for, especially Jonathan who the book really centers around and has been on steady decline with his entire life side that fateful night. The storytelling and characterization is excellent and eerie and the horror elements are extremely creepy. This is a great read for any horror reader who enjoys suspenseful and atmospheric tales.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will be looking for other stories by Mark E. Fitch.
I want to thank the publisher "Flame Tree Press" and Netgalley for this terrific ARC and any opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!
I have given this book a rating of 4 1/2 Haunting 🌟🌟🌟🌟✴
The funeral of a lifelong pal brings Johnathan and Connor and his brother together again after a separation of many years due to lifestyle changes but more importantly was an accident that the four of them were involved in and and how they have been haunted by their actions from that tragic moment in their lives. But now the past is calling to them to revisit that time again before the rest of the world discovers what really happened that dire night when four young men went on an innocent bachelor weekend hunting trip and caused their lives to never be the same again.
This was a very dark and haunting story of how a good person's conscience can never let one rest if they choose what may be an evil deed. The story brings in supernatural elements aside from imagination so there is always a threat of the unknown hovering in every chapter. The writing flows effortlessly and I was on this dark ride with these men who I really felt for, especially Jonathan who the book really centers around and has been on steady decline with his entire life side that fateful night. The storytelling and characterization is excellent and eerie and the horror elements are extremely creepy. This is a great read for any horror reader who enjoys suspenseful and atmospheric tales.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will be looking for other stories by Mark E. Fitch.
I want to thank the publisher "Flame Tree Press" and Netgalley for this terrific ARC and any opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!
I have given this book a rating of 4 1/2 Haunting 🌟🌟🌟🌟✴
April 17, 2020
Haunting, Eerie And Plenty Of Creepy Tension!
A funeral of a lifelong pal brings Jonathan and Connor and his brother together again after a separation of many years due to lifestyle changes but more importantly was an accident that the four of them were involved in and and how they have been haunted by their actions from that tragic moment in their lives. But now the past is calling to them to revisit that time again before the rest of the world discovers what really happened that dire night when four young men went on an innocent bachelor weekend hunting trip and caused their lives to never be the same again.
This was a very dark and haunting story of how a good person's conscience can never let one rest if they choose what may be an evil deed. The story brings in supernatural elements aside from imagination so there is always a threat of the unknown hovering in every chapter. The writing flows effortlessly and I was on this dark ride with these men who I really felt for, especially Jonathan who the book really centers around and has been on steady decline with his entire life since that fateful night. The storytelling and characterization is excellent and eerie and the horror elements are extremely creepy. This is a great read for any horror reader who enjoys suspenseful and atmospheric tales.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will be looking for other stories by Mark E. Fitch.
I want to thank the publisher "Flame Tree Press" and Netgalley for this terrific ARC and any opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!
I have given this book a rating of 4 1/2 Haunting 🌟🌟🌟🌟✴
A funeral of a lifelong pal brings Jonathan and Connor and his brother together again after a separation of many years due to lifestyle changes but more importantly was an accident that the four of them were involved in and and how they have been haunted by their actions from that tragic moment in their lives. But now the past is calling to them to revisit that time again before the rest of the world discovers what really happened that dire night when four young men went on an innocent bachelor weekend hunting trip and caused their lives to never be the same again.
This was a very dark and haunting story of how a good person's conscience can never let one rest if they choose what may be an evil deed. The story brings in supernatural elements aside from imagination so there is always a threat of the unknown hovering in every chapter. The writing flows effortlessly and I was on this dark ride with these men who I really felt for, especially Jonathan who the book really centers around and has been on steady decline with his entire life since that fateful night. The storytelling and characterization is excellent and eerie and the horror elements are extremely creepy. This is a great read for any horror reader who enjoys suspenseful and atmospheric tales.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will be looking for other stories by Mark E. Fitch.
I want to thank the publisher "Flame Tree Press" and Netgalley for this terrific ARC and any opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!
I have given this book a rating of 4 1/2 Haunting 🌟🌟🌟🌟✴
April 26, 2020
Four friends. A dark, hidden secret. For 10 years, Jonathan and his friends haven't breathed a word about what happened on their hunting trip to the Adirondacks. It was Jonathan's bachelor weekend at a remote cabin...a time to let loose, hunt in the forest, be men, be free one last time..... Things went horribly wrong, haunting them all for years. Then they decide to go back to the cabin in the woods.
Mistake.
Something is waiting for them....
What a creepy story! I loved it! I think everyone has a moment in their lives that they wish they could go back and erase. Most aren't quite as bad as the event that ruins these men's lives. The event they have to hide..... I can't even imagine the horror, the guilt, the worry. It would never go away. Then add in some evil....and a very remote, wild, yet beautiful place....Yikes!
The slow build and suspense are perfect. The characters painfully normal. It just shows that normal people can do abnormal things....make huge mistakes....ruin their lives in the blink of an eye. It makes for a very realistic, very scary story! Perfect read for a chilly, rainy spring day!
This is the first book by Marc Fitch that I've read. I'm definitely going to read more! This story was awesomely dark!
**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Flame Tree Press. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
Mistake.
Something is waiting for them....
What a creepy story! I loved it! I think everyone has a moment in their lives that they wish they could go back and erase. Most aren't quite as bad as the event that ruins these men's lives. The event they have to hide..... I can't even imagine the horror, the guilt, the worry. It would never go away. Then add in some evil....and a very remote, wild, yet beautiful place....Yikes!
The slow build and suspense are perfect. The characters painfully normal. It just shows that normal people can do abnormal things....make huge mistakes....ruin their lives in the blink of an eye. It makes for a very realistic, very scary story! Perfect read for a chilly, rainy spring day!
This is the first book by Marc Fitch that I've read. I'm definitely going to read more! This story was awesomely dark!
**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Flame Tree Press. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
April 20, 2020
** Edited as review is now live on Kendall Reviews! **
Thanks to Netgalley and Flametree Press for letting me check this one out.
The cover and the synopsis intrigued me when I requested this one. Then some time went by and when I dove in, I’d almost completely forgotten what this one was even about.
This thing is a demented showcase of why I love manic stories set in the woods. For me, personally, there is no creepier place than uninhabited, unexplored densely wooded areas.
The majority of this story is set in Coombs Gulch and boy was the wilderness a character all on its own.
What I liked: This book had so much of everything I love in a horror story. Heart, soul, shock, creeps and downright scary sections. The book opens with four adult males, going on a hunting trip. During that trip they can feel that something isn’t quite right with the area, but they drink and have fun and enjoy their time together. Of course, this wouldn’t be the book it becomes if they didn’t decide to go hunting at night and something horrible happens.
It’s from here that Fitch begins to have the group unravel. I loved how realistic it felt. The weight of guilt and sorrow eating and festering at each of the men’s minds. Trying to be husbands, fathers, colleagues, when all the while their minds are miles away, thinking of something they buried in Coombs Gulch.
This story had some of the most unnerving moments I’ve read in some time. It’s really hard to not gush about those moments specifically without playing total spoiler jerk, but wow, Fitch has a whole other level of making you think twice about reading this book late at night.
What I didn’t like: The only reason this wasn’t a five star read for me was the moments of excess. There are a number of areas where it just felt like the random descriptions of work and daily life went on and on. Too much extra. If those were tightened up then it would have been a five star. When the story centres on the men and when they are in the forest, it’s a page-turner and you feel like you have to remind yourself to breathe. When it’s describing money issues or work difficulties, it was tough to stay engaged.
Why you should buy this: Again, some of this is impossible to fully state without playing spoilers, but as the story unravels and things tie back around and get connected, it just hummed along. If you like super creepy wooded horror with creatures, bumps in the night and psychological unravelling, you’re in for a treat. I suspect many people may compare this to The Ritual by Nevill, and while I’ve seen the movie but still haven’t read the book (I know!), I would say the comparison is close but different. Similar feelings at times, but most books will have that when set in the woods.
Overall, I had a blast with this one. This appears to be Fitch’s debut novel and if it’s any indication of what we are in for in the coming years, I can’t wait to buy my ticket for this ride.
Thanks to Netgalley and Flametree Press for letting me check this one out.
The cover and the synopsis intrigued me when I requested this one. Then some time went by and when I dove in, I’d almost completely forgotten what this one was even about.
This thing is a demented showcase of why I love manic stories set in the woods. For me, personally, there is no creepier place than uninhabited, unexplored densely wooded areas.
The majority of this story is set in Coombs Gulch and boy was the wilderness a character all on its own.
What I liked: This book had so much of everything I love in a horror story. Heart, soul, shock, creeps and downright scary sections. The book opens with four adult males, going on a hunting trip. During that trip they can feel that something isn’t quite right with the area, but they drink and have fun and enjoy their time together. Of course, this wouldn’t be the book it becomes if they didn’t decide to go hunting at night and something horrible happens.
It’s from here that Fitch begins to have the group unravel. I loved how realistic it felt. The weight of guilt and sorrow eating and festering at each of the men’s minds. Trying to be husbands, fathers, colleagues, when all the while their minds are miles away, thinking of something they buried in Coombs Gulch.
This story had some of the most unnerving moments I’ve read in some time. It’s really hard to not gush about those moments specifically without playing total spoiler jerk, but wow, Fitch has a whole other level of making you think twice about reading this book late at night.
What I didn’t like: The only reason this wasn’t a five star read for me was the moments of excess. There are a number of areas where it just felt like the random descriptions of work and daily life went on and on. Too much extra. If those were tightened up then it would have been a five star. When the story centres on the men and when they are in the forest, it’s a page-turner and you feel like you have to remind yourself to breathe. When it’s describing money issues or work difficulties, it was tough to stay engaged.
Why you should buy this: Again, some of this is impossible to fully state without playing spoilers, but as the story unravels and things tie back around and get connected, it just hummed along. If you like super creepy wooded horror with creatures, bumps in the night and psychological unravelling, you’re in for a treat. I suspect many people may compare this to The Ritual by Nevill, and while I’ve seen the movie but still haven’t read the book (I know!), I would say the comparison is close but different. Similar feelings at times, but most books will have that when set in the woods.
Overall, I had a blast with this one. This appears to be Fitch’s debut novel and if it’s any indication of what we are in for in the coming years, I can’t wait to buy my ticket for this ride.
February 23, 2020
'Boy in the Box' by Marc E. Fitch is an original horror story about the repercussions of the mistakes one has to deal with, guilt, oh yeah, and a crazy cult and insidious creature. All of this taking place in a desolate frozen wasteland. Sounds like a great start to an even greater novel. Unfortunately, the author's anxiousness to what seemed to be to make the book longer than needed, and poor editing, make this a tedious and predictable odd tale.
'Boy in the Box' starts out on a heartbreaking note, with 3 friends reunited by the suicide of their mutual friend. We soon learn that the suicide was brought on by the guilt of the friend for an event that happened 10 years ago. Flashback 10 years and these four friends are out on a drunken bachelor weekend hunting trip. What the man believes to be a deer he shot, turns out to be a little boy instead, wandering about in the frozen wilderness. As strange as it seems as to why the boy was out there, the men panic and put the boy's dead body in a box and bury it out in the middle of nowhere. Fast forward 10 years and the remaining 3 men are brought together, not only to mourn their friend's untimely death, but the urgency to go find the box and rebury it before developers find him first. But returning to the woods brings about the boy's real identity and his horrific reason for being in the woods in the first place.
I was very optimistic when I started 'Boy in the Box' by Marc E. Fitch. But my high hopes quickly faded about a quarter of the way into the book. The author got very wordy and overly descriptive in areas where there didn't be and conversations that had no relevance to the story. This really slowed down the pace of the novel.
The characterization was severely lacking. The only character I felt the author put any time into was Jonathan. The other two men, Michael and Connor, seemed to be written as secondary characters, if that.
The description of the terrain was done very well. Fitch used very vivid imagery to create this wilderness that comes off as creepy and atmospheric. The descriptions gave me a chill down my spine- no pun intended.
The plot was authentic, but also completely predictable. The “bad guy” showing up wasn't shocking in the least, and was actually a welcome character, a new entity that I hoped was more interesting than the other three characters. It's also very easy to predict why this new “thing” shows up in the first place.
With a lot of editing, I believe that Marc E. Fitch's 'Boy in the Box' might actually have some hope. The predictability lessened the scare factor and the lack of characterization gives the reader no one to root for. Rooting for the antagonist, I'm sure, was not the author's intent, yet it happened anyway. The lush and disturbing descriptions of the wilderness are not enough to save this story. A thorough edit would be a warm welcome.
April 30, 2020
*edit to add review *
I love a good horror, one that will either keep me awake or dreaming of when I do sleep. The Boy in the Box did exactly that for me! Its been a long time since a book has given me nightmares, but thats what I get for reading this in the wee small hours in the dark!
This is more than horror though, it also is a psychological thriller with the unravelling of our characters mind whilst in the wilderness of Coombs' Gultch. Jonathan Hollis and brothers Michael and Conner Braddick return to Coomb's Gultch to bury a secret they have held on to for 10 years even deeper! With the threat of construction happening in the area and their lives on the line following their friend Gene's funeral they make the journey. What happened all those years ago has impacted all their lives and shrouded them in a darkness if you like, we know it was an accident, they know it was an accident but chose to cover it up rather than deal with the consequences.
The setting of Coombs' Gultch is eerie and atmospheric, paving way to how fragile the mind really is, it moves at a rather slow pace with the tension and atmosphere building to a crescendo.
I am fan of slow horror so this one is a 5 stars for me!
I love a good horror, one that will either keep me awake or dreaming of when I do sleep. The Boy in the Box did exactly that for me! Its been a long time since a book has given me nightmares, but thats what I get for reading this in the wee small hours in the dark!
This is more than horror though, it also is a psychological thriller with the unravelling of our characters mind whilst in the wilderness of Coombs' Gultch. Jonathan Hollis and brothers Michael and Conner Braddick return to Coomb's Gultch to bury a secret they have held on to for 10 years even deeper! With the threat of construction happening in the area and their lives on the line following their friend Gene's funeral they make the journey. What happened all those years ago has impacted all their lives and shrouded them in a darkness if you like, we know it was an accident, they know it was an accident but chose to cover it up rather than deal with the consequences.
The setting of Coombs' Gultch is eerie and atmospheric, paving way to how fragile the mind really is, it moves at a rather slow pace with the tension and atmosphere building to a crescendo.
I am fan of slow horror so this one is a 5 stars for me!
April 28, 2020
Jonathan, Gene, Michael and Conner had a boys weekend away, with laughs, drinking and hunting. But, by accident a young boy is shot, panicking and not thinking straight they decide to bury the body in a box in the woods. Who was this boy and why was he alone in the woods?
For 10 years the guilt has eaten at them all, Gene couldn’t take it any more and took his own life. At the funeral, the other three talk as they’ve found out developers are about to start digging. So they return to the woods planning on digging up and re- burying the boy’s body.
But while they are in the woods, things start to get creepy, is something there with them? The tension builds as the men begin to unravel.
This is full of tension and atmosphere, in a dark psychological horror that’s gripping with some real goosebumpy moments. Not one to read at night……Brilliant.
Thank you to The author, the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this for free. This is my honest, unbiased review.
For 10 years the guilt has eaten at them all, Gene couldn’t take it any more and took his own life. At the funeral, the other three talk as they’ve found out developers are about to start digging. So they return to the woods planning on digging up and re- burying the boy’s body.
But while they are in the woods, things start to get creepy, is something there with them? The tension builds as the men begin to unravel.
This is full of tension and atmosphere, in a dark psychological horror that’s gripping with some real goosebumpy moments. Not one to read at night……Brilliant.
Thank you to The author, the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this for free. This is my honest, unbiased review.
April 24, 2020
Boy in the Box by Marc E. Fitch is a slow-burning tale of horror. Centered around a group of adults who are haunted by the mistakes of their past in more ways than one, this is one you’ll want to read with a stiff drink!
Full disclosure: I was sent an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my rating in any way.
This story begins at a funeral. Our main character, Jonathan, is mourning the loss of his friend, Gene. However, the very first line is, Gene Hendrickson was not a good man,” so the dark tone had been set right then and there. From that very first page, it’s very clear that something is wrong… Something is haunting this group of men.
As the tale continues, we learn about an episode out in the woods when the group had rented a cabin to go hunting for Jonathan’s bachelor party. What happens out there in the woods changes their lives forever.
Though the men returned to their lives and tried as hard as they could to forget the incident, they receive news years later that force them to go back to the cabin. Their group of four had already been brought down to three. Would all three men make it back out of the woods alive?
I have to admit right off the bat, that I’m not a huge fan of slow-burning tales. During this COVID situation, my attention span is extra finicky. So while reading this book, I unfortunately kept losing attention as my mind would stray and think about something random. Many times, I had to flip back and page and re-read. There were just so many sections that were about the characters and their lives, their work, or their families that popped up suddenly. I know it was to help build the characters backstory a bit more, but they seemed so random and they were so drawn out that I didn’t care much for them.
I really enjoyed the authors use of description. I found myself both in awe and frustrated by how the use of description kept slowing the story down. On one hand, I loved how elaborate the description was especially when it came to the scenery. But on the other hand, I just wanted to get to the action! Though I will say that the description, whether done purposefully or not, actually added to the suspense for me!
There were many phrases or thoughts that the main character had that seemed pretty repetitive to me. But to put myself in the MC’s shoes, I would definitely be thinking the same thoughts over and over again, so it made sense! I just wish it had happened a bit less frequently to stay more focused on the plot.
This book overall made me feel very unsettled. I mean, to be out in the middle of uninhabited densely wooded areas with no one else around for miles and miles? Spooky!
There were many situations where the main characters felt that they were being watched and that made it really tense. I kept waiting for something to jump out at them or for something to attack them, but the fact that this “thing” was just something that was always on the periphery made it that much more suspenseful!
There were a few very haunting scenes that I LOVED. But I will let you discover those for yourself if you give this one a read. Let me just say… the one scene at the lake… that sends a chill down my spine just thinking about it!
My Favorite Passages
It wasn’t just hunters who shoot to kill; courts and newspapers can sometimes do worse than a gun.
A tree falling in the forest may or may not make a sound, but the death of a child reverberates the world over with or without a witness.
Conner was speaking in platitudes, Johnathan thought. Ripping lines he’d heard countless times in made-for-television movies or paperback thrillers. It made the whole notion of it more unreal, as if it were all scripted and they were just reading their lines. He had no choice but to continue.
The forest had retaken and everything, covered every previous step and trail, twisted and rearranged the landscape like a puzzle put together all wrong.
My Final Thoughts
I’m personally not a huge fan of slow horror, so this one wasn’t a major hit for me. When it all comes down to it, I wish that the story had focused more on the surrounding area and the supernatural beings in the woods. That was such an interesting element, but I felt that it was kind of buried under all of the characters and their repeated thoughts of regrets, their fears, and the dramas of their everyday lives.
That being said, I would still definitely recommend this one to fans of slow-burn novels with elements of the supernatural! Especially if you’re looking to read something unsettling!
Full disclosure: I was sent an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my rating in any way.
This story begins at a funeral. Our main character, Jonathan, is mourning the loss of his friend, Gene. However, the very first line is, Gene Hendrickson was not a good man,” so the dark tone had been set right then and there. From that very first page, it’s very clear that something is wrong… Something is haunting this group of men.
As the tale continues, we learn about an episode out in the woods when the group had rented a cabin to go hunting for Jonathan’s bachelor party. What happens out there in the woods changes their lives forever.
Though the men returned to their lives and tried as hard as they could to forget the incident, they receive news years later that force them to go back to the cabin. Their group of four had already been brought down to three. Would all three men make it back out of the woods alive?
I have to admit right off the bat, that I’m not a huge fan of slow-burning tales. During this COVID situation, my attention span is extra finicky. So while reading this book, I unfortunately kept losing attention as my mind would stray and think about something random. Many times, I had to flip back and page and re-read. There were just so many sections that were about the characters and their lives, their work, or their families that popped up suddenly. I know it was to help build the characters backstory a bit more, but they seemed so random and they were so drawn out that I didn’t care much for them.
I really enjoyed the authors use of description. I found myself both in awe and frustrated by how the use of description kept slowing the story down. On one hand, I loved how elaborate the description was especially when it came to the scenery. But on the other hand, I just wanted to get to the action! Though I will say that the description, whether done purposefully or not, actually added to the suspense for me!
There were many phrases or thoughts that the main character had that seemed pretty repetitive to me. But to put myself in the MC’s shoes, I would definitely be thinking the same thoughts over and over again, so it made sense! I just wish it had happened a bit less frequently to stay more focused on the plot.
This book overall made me feel very unsettled. I mean, to be out in the middle of uninhabited densely wooded areas with no one else around for miles and miles? Spooky!
There were many situations where the main characters felt that they were being watched and that made it really tense. I kept waiting for something to jump out at them or for something to attack them, but the fact that this “thing” was just something that was always on the periphery made it that much more suspenseful!
There were a few very haunting scenes that I LOVED. But I will let you discover those for yourself if you give this one a read. Let me just say… the one scene at the lake… that sends a chill down my spine just thinking about it!
My Favorite Passages
It wasn’t just hunters who shoot to kill; courts and newspapers can sometimes do worse than a gun.
A tree falling in the forest may or may not make a sound, but the death of a child reverberates the world over with or without a witness.
Conner was speaking in platitudes, Johnathan thought. Ripping lines he’d heard countless times in made-for-television movies or paperback thrillers. It made the whole notion of it more unreal, as if it were all scripted and they were just reading their lines. He had no choice but to continue.
The forest had retaken and everything, covered every previous step and trail, twisted and rearranged the landscape like a puzzle put together all wrong.
My Final Thoughts
I’m personally not a huge fan of slow horror, so this one wasn’t a major hit for me. When it all comes down to it, I wish that the story had focused more on the surrounding area and the supernatural beings in the woods. That was such an interesting element, but I felt that it was kind of buried under all of the characters and their repeated thoughts of regrets, their fears, and the dramas of their everyday lives.
That being said, I would still definitely recommend this one to fans of slow-burn novels with elements of the supernatural! Especially if you’re looking to read something unsettling!
April 27, 2020
Boy In The Box fills your soul with eerie silence. It infiltrates your senses, pumps through your bloodstream and possesses you with an endless silent scream you cannot escape from. This book came along at precisely the right moment. As a huge horror fiction fan, it was everything I was looking for in such a changed world we seem to be living in. it gave me an escape, it enraptured my heart and I too became lost in the mountains. The only difference between me and the main characters was; I wasn’t sure if ever wanted to leave.
There is nothing quite like picking up a new horror novel and feel its pulse drum a threatening beat. The cover took me hostage and sung a terrifying song – one I couldn’t resist! The book called to me and as soon as that first chapter was under my belt, I was done for. Boy In The Box was the medicine that I required, and I was forever lost in Fitch’s skilful and haunting tales that I have probably ever read.
Closing this book will not give you the warm and fuzzy feeling, this book with all intents and purposes is meant to unseat you. The narrative has you looking over your shoulder at key moments, wiping the sweat from your brow and making sure both the windows and the doors are firmly locked. Rising feeling of nausea – check. Spine stiffened – check. Never wanting to camp ever again – Double check. Not for the weak of heart – a truly terrifying story that examines the long-lasting effects of a black mark upon a person’s psyche.
Boy In The Box is oozing fear and emotional pain. Fitch has weaved an inexplicable narrative of claustrophobic dread. This formula is an immediate recipe for success and I just couldn’t stop reading. Nothing was going to pull me away and the pages and chapters just melded into one. It became more addictive when things started to get out of control and I was in for a hell of a ride.
The funeral of long-term friend, brings Johnathon, Connor and Michael back together once more. They haven’t really had any contact in ten long years. They all have wives/children and their lives are just different. That and the minute detail that they never were going to be the same after a hunting accident ten years ago – the last time they were altogether. Johnathon has never been the same again. Despite his marriage to his wife Mary, despite the birth of his only child, Joshua. Life holds no joy for him anymore. His marriage is held together by the cracks and his best friend is the bottom of a bottle. Future events out with their control lead them to revisit that bleak day ten years ago. The reader discovers what exactly went down and the implications that opening Pandora’s box will undoubtedly have on all parties involved.
Thanks to Anne Cater @Random Things Tours for my spot on the blog tour.
Boy In The Box is shrouded in an inescapable atmosphere that projects the protagonists into their own personal hell. Fitch has created a narrative more addictive than cake. The narrative pushes down a deserted path that can only lead to trouble and is utterly compulsive that you just can’t say no to.
There is nothing quite like picking up a new horror novel and feel its pulse drum a threatening beat. The cover took me hostage and sung a terrifying song – one I couldn’t resist! The book called to me and as soon as that first chapter was under my belt, I was done for. Boy In The Box was the medicine that I required, and I was forever lost in Fitch’s skilful and haunting tales that I have probably ever read.
Closing this book will not give you the warm and fuzzy feeling, this book with all intents and purposes is meant to unseat you. The narrative has you looking over your shoulder at key moments, wiping the sweat from your brow and making sure both the windows and the doors are firmly locked. Rising feeling of nausea – check. Spine stiffened – check. Never wanting to camp ever again – Double check. Not for the weak of heart – a truly terrifying story that examines the long-lasting effects of a black mark upon a person’s psyche.
Boy In The Box is oozing fear and emotional pain. Fitch has weaved an inexplicable narrative of claustrophobic dread. This formula is an immediate recipe for success and I just couldn’t stop reading. Nothing was going to pull me away and the pages and chapters just melded into one. It became more addictive when things started to get out of control and I was in for a hell of a ride.
The funeral of long-term friend, brings Johnathon, Connor and Michael back together once more. They haven’t really had any contact in ten long years. They all have wives/children and their lives are just different. That and the minute detail that they never were going to be the same after a hunting accident ten years ago – the last time they were altogether. Johnathon has never been the same again. Despite his marriage to his wife Mary, despite the birth of his only child, Joshua. Life holds no joy for him anymore. His marriage is held together by the cracks and his best friend is the bottom of a bottle. Future events out with their control lead them to revisit that bleak day ten years ago. The reader discovers what exactly went down and the implications that opening Pandora’s box will undoubtedly have on all parties involved.
Thanks to Anne Cater @Random Things Tours for my spot on the blog tour.
Boy In The Box is shrouded in an inescapable atmosphere that projects the protagonists into their own personal hell. Fitch has created a narrative more addictive than cake. The narrative pushes down a deserted path that can only lead to trouble and is utterly compulsive that you just can’t say no to.
June 28, 2022
Omg what a read. A brilliant piece of horror, scary as hell, atmospheric and crawls under the readers skin. Ten years ago something happened in the woods, when four friends went on a hunting trip and it changed their lives forever. As I said before a tale of horror but SO much more. An insight into their lives as they dealt with the loneliness, despair and guilt of what they did. How one man did something so abhorrent and heartbraking to save the lives of those he loves. At first this book had me intrigued but the more I read the more engrossed I became. A well deserved five stars and highly recommended.
February 4, 2020
I seem to be the first person to review this one and that always kind of makes me wish I loved the book, but in this case it was more of an appreciation sort of thing. Which is to say objectively speaking this is a very decent work of dark psychological fiction. And subjectively speaking it didn’t quite work for me. The decent lays with the overall quality, the writing was uniformly good, the character development was well done, which is good because this was very much a character driven story, the wilderness was rendered appropriately atmospheric and eerie. The story is one of those familiar fictional scenarios where a past comes back to haunt the present, in this case a tragic death of a young boy and a hunting party of four responsible requires revisiting ten years later when the land where they buried the boy gets sold and the body needs to be relocated. Mind you, this hasn’t been an easy ten years for the four friends, in fact the book begins with a funeral, the shooter himself, no longer able to cope with the guilt, commits suicide. Now it’s up to the other three friends to take care of the situation so that nothing disrupts the fairly orderly lives they have built for themselves since, guilt or not. But this time the trip to the woods doesn’t quite go as planned, actually it goes complexly off the rails. Turns out the area has some pretty dark and creepy past (think cults, occult, etc.), turns out there’s a corpse waiting for them when they get there, turns out there are things in the woods, things best left alone. And so slowly, too slowly some might say, the trip turns into a living nightmare, once from which there may not be any waking up. It sounds intriguing, doesn’t it. Not especially original, maybe, more like a slightly different arrangement of familiar scenarios, but still. One of those descent into madness stories. But…but…some descents are slower than others, and here it’s almost in slo mo. Maybe the main reason it didn’t work for me is the pacing, so very measured, which is kind of a polite way of saying lagging, leaden, positively ponderous at times, the characters may be weighed down by their guilt, but the story seems to be weighed down by its own heavy load. It’s starkly bleak, which is of course perfectly appropriate for a story about guilt, but it’s almost exclusively starkly bleak, there’s barely any tonal diversity to it. Kind of exhausting in its own way. And something really ought to be mentioned about the toxic masculinity that drives the characters to pursue the idiotic rituals of stag parties and then shooting stags, among other things. To hunt, perchance to kill seems like an endemic aspect of their personalities, the need to go out and shoot defenseless animals some sort of a yardstick with which they measure...well, themselves. The final word in male camaraderie, the seemingly only way to be one with the world and nature. It just seems...anachronistic, at best, almost atavistic, even. Such mindless violence for the sake of egos and, I don't know what...pride, maybe. Just sad. And no small surprise when violence turns up to collect its due. So in the end…despite all of the book’s numerous good qualities, the pacing sinks the ship. Or the boat. You know, like if someone puts too many heavy stones in a dingy and…say…get rid of a body. Ok, ok, that’s going to far. If you’re in a mood for some dark psychological scares, this just might do the trick, it’s plenty disturbing, especially the epilogue. Just make sure to wear your patient pants, because this ride goes slowly. Oh, and the lights never come on. Read if you dare, read if you care, judge for yourself. Thanks Netgalley.
May 12, 2020
The story begins with a funeral, and though it is literal I also took it as a symbol of the death of a friendship that never quite survived the events that occurred a decade earlier. Four best friends had set out for a last hurrah, before one of them tied the knot. They returned forever changed. Now the four best friends are merely three. Three who struggle to live with the secret and yet will do whatever it takes to make sure it stays hidden. It is with this goal that they set out to Coomb's Gulch, a forsaken and desolate area where they once hunted but which now holds less of nature and more of the supernatural. These earlier pages moved a bit slow for my taste but once we passed the heavy atmosphere of the road trip and reached the destination the fear factor kicked up several notches and I was hooked. You can't go to Coomb's Gulch and expect to live happily ever after, but God help you if you get out the first time and go back for more.
I received an advance copy for review.
I received an advance copy for review.
May 1, 2020
You feel as if you are being watched. You hear something rustle through the dense undergrowth. You catch a glimpse of a shadow passing behind the trees. Is it all in your mind, or is it something more sinister lurking within the wilderness of the Adirondack Mountains?
This was my first experience reading Marc E. Fitch and I believe this is his debut novel. Up front this was one of my favorite books that I have read from Flame Tree Press so far.
We follow Jonathan Hollis as he and his friends embark upon a hunting trip for Jonathan's bachelor party. Tragedy strikes and the four friends decide to bury a terrible secret in the woods and never speak of it again.
This secret plants a seed within their souls and affects all of the men differently once they return to their everyday lives. Within Jonathan this seed takes root and slowly begins to rot and fester. Tainting his once happy life with regret, grief, guilt and the horrific images from that awful night.
Years later the men return to Coombs Gultch to face their haunting past and dig up their long buried secret before it is unearthed and revealed to the world.
My absolute favorite part of this book was the setting that was a character unto itself. This ancient, primordial forest with towering trees that blocked out the last rays of hope. Our characters are off the grid, utterly alone out in the uninhabited wilds. There is something eerie about these woods which leaves the men unnerved and unsettled.
As the story progresses and the characters spend more time within the forest their minds seem to start to spiral into madness. They are seeing and hearing things that couldn't possibly exist. We have to ask ourselves are their minds truly fracturing or is there a darker, more ancient evil at work here?
Boy in the Box is a bleak tale of how one moment in time, one decision, one action can have a ripple effect and instantly alter the course of the rest of your life. Creepy and foreboding. This story will leave you with a lingering sense of dread and no desire to venture out into the woods anytime soon. Who knows what may be lurking within the shadows just out of sight?
I received a digital ARC of this book from the publisher through Netgalley for review consideration.
Video review: https://youtu.be/5qxCN8tM6Gk
This was my first experience reading Marc E. Fitch and I believe this is his debut novel. Up front this was one of my favorite books that I have read from Flame Tree Press so far.
We follow Jonathan Hollis as he and his friends embark upon a hunting trip for Jonathan's bachelor party. Tragedy strikes and the four friends decide to bury a terrible secret in the woods and never speak of it again.
This secret plants a seed within their souls and affects all of the men differently once they return to their everyday lives. Within Jonathan this seed takes root and slowly begins to rot and fester. Tainting his once happy life with regret, grief, guilt and the horrific images from that awful night.
Years later the men return to Coombs Gultch to face their haunting past and dig up their long buried secret before it is unearthed and revealed to the world.
My absolute favorite part of this book was the setting that was a character unto itself. This ancient, primordial forest with towering trees that blocked out the last rays of hope. Our characters are off the grid, utterly alone out in the uninhabited wilds. There is something eerie about these woods which leaves the men unnerved and unsettled.
As the story progresses and the characters spend more time within the forest their minds seem to start to spiral into madness. They are seeing and hearing things that couldn't possibly exist. We have to ask ourselves are their minds truly fracturing or is there a darker, more ancient evil at work here?
Boy in the Box is a bleak tale of how one moment in time, one decision, one action can have a ripple effect and instantly alter the course of the rest of your life. Creepy and foreboding. This story will leave you with a lingering sense of dread and no desire to venture out into the woods anytime soon. Who knows what may be lurking within the shadows just out of sight?
I received a digital ARC of this book from the publisher through Netgalley for review consideration.
Video review: https://youtu.be/5qxCN8tM6Gk
August 30, 2020
4.5 stars rounded up to 5. Best book I've read in a while!
May 8, 2020
Hey guys!
Before I start my review for Boy In The Box I want to take this moment to thank Anne and Flame Tree Press for sending me a copy of the book which lead to this review. This having been sent to me does not affect my review and anything I have to say is my own honest opinion.
As per usual, Flame Tree Press published another great book that I very much enjoyed. It was a bit of a slow read but the author did this in such a way that you don’t really notice it. The story was engaging, extremely creepy and very atmospheric. I found the writing to be descriptive at times but it definitely fit the plot and gave it a cinematic approach.
I found the characters to be well thought out. They each have realistic every day problems and they try to live their lives to the best of their ability in order to block out the guilt caused by the past. Jonathan seems to be the most affected by this dark secret. He let the guilt follow him and ruin his life and affect his marriage. Michael and Conner have made successful lives in spite of this secret. They know what they did was wrong but they feel that they should not dread too much on the past in order to keep their lives as normal as possible. I really liked the relationship they tried to rebuild but very much failed to have.
As I said earlier, the story is very atmospheric. The atmosphere was one of my favorite things about Boy In The Box. The author did a great job describing the surroundings and even the weather. As I read, I could get the sense of how cold the forest was and the stress a long hike can put on your body. I really admired how the writing had the ability to do this. It also had a lot of cool, creepy parts that scared the crap out of me. The darkness and omg, the descriptions of certain things definitely made this an eerie book.
Overall, I found this to be an eerie, dark and entertaining read. Although the ending threw me off a little, the book did it’s job (Jonathan!!!! Why?). I recommend this to anyone that likes the paranormal with topics such as demons and ghosts. If you are a fan of Stephen king or Brian Kirk, you may find yourself liking this book and the style of writing. In the end I rated this 4 Nat stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. I hope you find yourself picking this up now or in the near future. It has already been released and should be available at your local bookstore. Thanks again for giving my review a read.
Happy Reading!
Before I start my review for Boy In The Box I want to take this moment to thank Anne and Flame Tree Press for sending me a copy of the book which lead to this review. This having been sent to me does not affect my review and anything I have to say is my own honest opinion.
As per usual, Flame Tree Press published another great book that I very much enjoyed. It was a bit of a slow read but the author did this in such a way that you don’t really notice it. The story was engaging, extremely creepy and very atmospheric. I found the writing to be descriptive at times but it definitely fit the plot and gave it a cinematic approach.
I found the characters to be well thought out. They each have realistic every day problems and they try to live their lives to the best of their ability in order to block out the guilt caused by the past. Jonathan seems to be the most affected by this dark secret. He let the guilt follow him and ruin his life and affect his marriage. Michael and Conner have made successful lives in spite of this secret. They know what they did was wrong but they feel that they should not dread too much on the past in order to keep their lives as normal as possible. I really liked the relationship they tried to rebuild but very much failed to have.
As I said earlier, the story is very atmospheric. The atmosphere was one of my favorite things about Boy In The Box. The author did a great job describing the surroundings and even the weather. As I read, I could get the sense of how cold the forest was and the stress a long hike can put on your body. I really admired how the writing had the ability to do this. It also had a lot of cool, creepy parts that scared the crap out of me. The darkness and omg, the descriptions of certain things definitely made this an eerie book.
Overall, I found this to be an eerie, dark and entertaining read. Although the ending threw me off a little, the book did it’s job (Jonathan!!!! Why?). I recommend this to anyone that likes the paranormal with topics such as demons and ghosts. If you are a fan of Stephen king or Brian Kirk, you may find yourself liking this book and the style of writing. In the end I rated this 4 Nat stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. I hope you find yourself picking this up now or in the near future. It has already been released and should be available at your local bookstore. Thanks again for giving my review a read.
Happy Reading!
March 6, 2020
Fitch’s The Boy In The Box is a difficult read not due to narrative text nor by the excellent way it is written but more to do with the emotional anguish of death and guilt and aluminates off the pages. This is an excellent novel and shows how Flame Tree Press really have their finger on the pulse of unique and interesting novel.
Opening on a fateful accident that had to be covered up, we deal with how this affects four men and the ten years that follows. This is exceptionally done and although it seems that they are getting on with their lives, the guilt is holding them back. Fitch has written a character study that is richly woven around the tragedy and how this affects them down to the minute fractions of their life.
The plot moves at its own pace and though this may seem like a slow read for some readers, it is full of details and nuances that lift this to another plateau. There is a creeping factor that ebbs and flows through the text to get into the heart of the matter. The lead up to the revisiting of old crimes works extremely well and the conclusion, let’s just say it is not an easy read and is a haunting tale that will leave the reader cold but works within the confines of the story.
The characters are very strong and three dimensional. Reading like an Aaron Neville story, which is a good thing to be compared to, the characters each have their own personalities and act with the constructs of these. We spend most of the story with Jonathan but we do get glimpses and narrative text that deeply delves into the rest of the characters in equal measures. Each character is fleshed out wonderfully and adds to the mythos of the story involved.
Overall, this is an excellent book and although I am not familiar with Fitch’s work to date, this has given me an invested interest in this author. Richly woven tale that works on a psychological level but, at the same time, rewards the reader of horror on an equal footing. Strong characters who stay truthful to their constructs and with a rewarding payoff. This is a book that will haunt the reader long after they read the final words. This is a must read for all lovers of psychological horror and hauntings. A strong five star rating.
Opening on a fateful accident that had to be covered up, we deal with how this affects four men and the ten years that follows. This is exceptionally done and although it seems that they are getting on with their lives, the guilt is holding them back. Fitch has written a character study that is richly woven around the tragedy and how this affects them down to the minute fractions of their life.
The plot moves at its own pace and though this may seem like a slow read for some readers, it is full of details and nuances that lift this to another plateau. There is a creeping factor that ebbs and flows through the text to get into the heart of the matter. The lead up to the revisiting of old crimes works extremely well and the conclusion, let’s just say it is not an easy read and is a haunting tale that will leave the reader cold but works within the confines of the story.
The characters are very strong and three dimensional. Reading like an Aaron Neville story, which is a good thing to be compared to, the characters each have their own personalities and act with the constructs of these. We spend most of the story with Jonathan but we do get glimpses and narrative text that deeply delves into the rest of the characters in equal measures. Each character is fleshed out wonderfully and adds to the mythos of the story involved.
Overall, this is an excellent book and although I am not familiar with Fitch’s work to date, this has given me an invested interest in this author. Richly woven tale that works on a psychological level but, at the same time, rewards the reader of horror on an equal footing. Strong characters who stay truthful to their constructs and with a rewarding payoff. This is a book that will haunt the reader long after they read the final words. This is a must read for all lovers of psychological horror and hauntings. A strong five star rating.
May 27, 2020
3.5/5.0
‘Ten years ago, a mysterious and tragic hunting accident deep in the Adirondack Mountains left a boy buried in a storied piece of land known as Coombs’ Gulch and four friends with a terrible secret.’
Having not read the synopsis for BOY IN THE BOX by Marc E. Fitch, I was uncertain, in the beginning, how the story would play out, though I quickly picked up on the direction it was going to take—with a supernatural twist that was awesome!
The main issue I have with the book is the number of weighted scenes that spend a significant amount of time in the mindset of the characters and their backstories, which felt repetitive at times and slowed down pacing to a point I had difficulty staying engaged.
I can't wait to see what Marc E. Fitch comes up with next!
Thank you, NetGalley and Flame Tree Press, for loaning me an advance eBook of BOY IN THE BOX in exchange for an honest review.
‘Ten years ago, a mysterious and tragic hunting accident deep in the Adirondack Mountains left a boy buried in a storied piece of land known as Coombs’ Gulch and four friends with a terrible secret.’
Having not read the synopsis for BOY IN THE BOX by Marc E. Fitch, I was uncertain, in the beginning, how the story would play out, though I quickly picked up on the direction it was going to take—with a supernatural twist that was awesome!
The main issue I have with the book is the number of weighted scenes that spend a significant amount of time in the mindset of the characters and their backstories, which felt repetitive at times and slowed down pacing to a point I had difficulty staying engaged.
I can't wait to see what Marc E. Fitch comes up with next!
Thank you, NetGalley and Flame Tree Press, for loaning me an advance eBook of BOY IN THE BOX in exchange for an honest review.
April 13, 2020
Super cool horror novel in which the "coming of age" trope is applied, not to boys of 13 or 10, but to adult males, lifelong friends and neighbors, who really ought to "know better," but instead are overruled by their Ids, by their cultural expectations, and very possibly by a Supernatural force beyond their comprehension or control.
My only complaint about this very engrossing story is that off and on there is an excess of "Woe is me" and reiteration of the guilt, the pressure, the stress, especially concerning protagonist Jonathan. Yet that was no more than a mild critical note as my intrigue continued unabated.
My only complaint about this very engrossing story is that off and on there is an excess of "Woe is me" and reiteration of the guilt, the pressure, the stress, especially concerning protagonist Jonathan. Yet that was no more than a mild critical note as my intrigue continued unabated.
December 31, 2019
3.5 stars
Review pending
Review pending
May 4, 2020
10 years ago 4 friends were on a hunting trip when a tragic accident led to the death and burial (in the box of the title) of a young boy.
10 years later they have told nobody and the guilt is eating away at them - to the point one of them takes his own life.
The remaining friends find out that developers are going to start digging up the burial site and surrounding area so decide they have to go back and move the body.
On their return to the woods they feel they are being followed (or maybe stalked!) and what was a nervy horror story turns the dial up to 11 to become a full blown psychological terror-fest.
I can safely say this is one of the best genre books of recent years for me. The kind of book that got me reading horror (I made the mistake of reading part of it when I woke at 3:30 one morning - in the dark with just the light of my kindle and my imagination - and freaky dreams followed that)
A solid 4/5 stars
10 years later they have told nobody and the guilt is eating away at them - to the point one of them takes his own life.
The remaining friends find out that developers are going to start digging up the burial site and surrounding area so decide they have to go back and move the body.
On their return to the woods they feel they are being followed (or maybe stalked!) and what was a nervy horror story turns the dial up to 11 to become a full blown psychological terror-fest.
I can safely say this is one of the best genre books of recent years for me. The kind of book that got me reading horror (I made the mistake of reading part of it when I woke at 3:30 one morning - in the dark with just the light of my kindle and my imagination - and freaky dreams followed that)
A solid 4/5 stars
April 30, 2020
https://donnasbookblog.wordpress.com/...
I was really intrigued by the blurb for this book and couldn’t want to get started when my copy arrived!
I really liked the way that the story was written, the story has several main characters and they all worked really well together, their interaction was spot on and it really helped build up the suspense as you are guessing as to where the story is going to head, and how it will all end.
I thought that the story was well developed and it was well written too, there was plenty to keep me on the edge of my seat when I was reading it!
It is 4 stars from me for this one, I thought it was a well-developed story and it was thoroughly enjoyable – highly recommended!
I was really intrigued by the blurb for this book and couldn’t want to get started when my copy arrived!
I really liked the way that the story was written, the story has several main characters and they all worked really well together, their interaction was spot on and it really helped build up the suspense as you are guessing as to where the story is going to head, and how it will all end.
I thought that the story was well developed and it was well written too, there was plenty to keep me on the edge of my seat when I was reading it!
It is 4 stars from me for this one, I thought it was a well-developed story and it was thoroughly enjoyable – highly recommended!
May 18, 2020
Another scary read which caused me to shake in my boots which had paranormal tinged of it. The author's writing made the story come alive. It was so true that our conscience did act as a guide and guilt never faded. An accident happened years ago caused a secret to be buried in a box...
Brilliant characters and smooth flow of the story with creepy demon added the fear to the ambiance of the book. I had to read it in the day and forget it at night.
Until the world crisis ends, I think I would stay away from the horrors.
Brilliant characters and smooth flow of the story with creepy demon added the fear to the ambiance of the book. I had to read it in the day and forget it at night.
Until the world crisis ends, I think I would stay away from the horrors.
April 26, 2020
Boy in the Box tells the story of a fateful accident that destroys the lives of a group of friends. While on a hunting trip in the Adirondack Mountains for a bachelor party, one of the friends accidentally shoots and kills a young child. In a panicked effort to save themselves, they devise a plan to bury the boy and never speak of it again. Despite seemingly getting away with their crime, the men spend the next decade in guilt-ridden stress. When a new development is set to begin digging in the area where the body was buried, the group must return to that fateful mountain to ensure that their dark secret won’t be uncovered. Along the way, they begin to realize that they aren’t alone in the woods, and that just maybe there is more at play than they understand.
While at first, Boy in the Box seems to follow a pretty straight forward storyline of murder, cover-ups and intrigue, there is far more to be found here. From the start, Fitch builds a sense of foreboding and dread. The scenes set in the dark woods are nerve-racking, with a looming sense of primal terror. This mounting fear of things stalking in the night is expertly crafted. Fitch sets an uneasy scene and pumps in tension to the bursting point. The narrative strolls along with nail-bitingly charged lulls punctuated by heart-racing climaxes. The effect is a slowly increasing sense of madness. As the atmosphere built and the situation became more and more desperate, I found myself racing along, lost in the story. I detest spoilers and usually have good self-control, but there were times while reading Boy in the Box that I had to actively keep my eyes from wandering down the page to see what happens. That is very rare for me and speaks highly of the atmosphere and tension Fitch was able to create.
The story is told mainly through the eyes of Johnathan, who’s bachelor party started the whole chain of events. Jonathan has spent the last ten years stricken with guilt and paranoia, to the point of ruining his marriage. Perhaps it is just Jonathan’s personality, but I did find some of the exposition to be rather verbose. Fitch’s prose is colorful and well crafted, ripe with similes and metaphors and all manner of thorough description. This is not, by default, a bad thing. There were, however, moments which seemed to drag on due to Fitch’s wordiness. I will say that I believe this writing style aids in the building of that ever-important atmosphere and sense of madness.
Perhaps the weakest point of Boy in the Box lies with the main characters. Jonathan, Conner, Michael and Gene are all well constructed, fleshed-out characters with unique personalities, and motivations. There just isn’t much growth to be found. Other than some notable plot points, the characters are largely unchanged as the story progresses. For some reason, I just found it a bit hard to care about them. Maybe it’s because right from the beginning of the tale, we know that they’ve done something terrible. Maybe it’s because we view the world through the lense of Jonathan’s thoughts; guilty, self-loathing and grim. For whatever reason, I just had a difficult time connecting with these characters.
I always like to dedicate some time during a review to discuss a story’s antagonist. Simply put, Fitch knocked this one out of the park. The dark forces in Boy in the Box were not at all what I expected going in, and Fitch keeps things shadowy throughout. We slowly learn more about what is happening, but there is never a full reveal. What we do find out is equal parts fascinating and utterly horrifying. Horror works best when it can make the reader imagine themself and their loved ones in the situation at hand. In the case of Fitch’s evils, that thought alone is enough to run my blood cold.
Boy in the Box is a masterpiece of suspense, with major overtones of hopelessness and dread. Fitch cites Adam Nevill’s The Ritual as a major influence, and I can definitely see that. Fans of dark, atmospheric, and psychological horror will be right at home here. If action, violence and gore is more your speed, perhaps this isn’t quite the read for you. Despite my personal inability to connect with the characters, they are well written, and the story itself is incredibly immersive. If you’re okay with a slow burn that’ll have you looking over your shoulder, pick up Marc E. Fitch’s Boy in the Box.
While at first, Boy in the Box seems to follow a pretty straight forward storyline of murder, cover-ups and intrigue, there is far more to be found here. From the start, Fitch builds a sense of foreboding and dread. The scenes set in the dark woods are nerve-racking, with a looming sense of primal terror. This mounting fear of things stalking in the night is expertly crafted. Fitch sets an uneasy scene and pumps in tension to the bursting point. The narrative strolls along with nail-bitingly charged lulls punctuated by heart-racing climaxes. The effect is a slowly increasing sense of madness. As the atmosphere built and the situation became more and more desperate, I found myself racing along, lost in the story. I detest spoilers and usually have good self-control, but there were times while reading Boy in the Box that I had to actively keep my eyes from wandering down the page to see what happens. That is very rare for me and speaks highly of the atmosphere and tension Fitch was able to create.
The story is told mainly through the eyes of Johnathan, who’s bachelor party started the whole chain of events. Jonathan has spent the last ten years stricken with guilt and paranoia, to the point of ruining his marriage. Perhaps it is just Jonathan’s personality, but I did find some of the exposition to be rather verbose. Fitch’s prose is colorful and well crafted, ripe with similes and metaphors and all manner of thorough description. This is not, by default, a bad thing. There were, however, moments which seemed to drag on due to Fitch’s wordiness. I will say that I believe this writing style aids in the building of that ever-important atmosphere and sense of madness.
Perhaps the weakest point of Boy in the Box lies with the main characters. Jonathan, Conner, Michael and Gene are all well constructed, fleshed-out characters with unique personalities, and motivations. There just isn’t much growth to be found. Other than some notable plot points, the characters are largely unchanged as the story progresses. For some reason, I just found it a bit hard to care about them. Maybe it’s because right from the beginning of the tale, we know that they’ve done something terrible. Maybe it’s because we view the world through the lense of Jonathan’s thoughts; guilty, self-loathing and grim. For whatever reason, I just had a difficult time connecting with these characters.
I always like to dedicate some time during a review to discuss a story’s antagonist. Simply put, Fitch knocked this one out of the park. The dark forces in Boy in the Box were not at all what I expected going in, and Fitch keeps things shadowy throughout. We slowly learn more about what is happening, but there is never a full reveal. What we do find out is equal parts fascinating and utterly horrifying. Horror works best when it can make the reader imagine themself and their loved ones in the situation at hand. In the case of Fitch’s evils, that thought alone is enough to run my blood cold.
Boy in the Box is a masterpiece of suspense, with major overtones of hopelessness and dread. Fitch cites Adam Nevill’s The Ritual as a major influence, and I can definitely see that. Fans of dark, atmospheric, and psychological horror will be right at home here. If action, violence and gore is more your speed, perhaps this isn’t quite the read for you. Despite my personal inability to connect with the characters, they are well written, and the story itself is incredibly immersive. If you’re okay with a slow burn that’ll have you looking over your shoulder, pick up Marc E. Fitch’s Boy in the Box.
May 18, 2020
This review was first published by Sublime Horror 18/05/2020 https://www.sublimehorror.com
Boy In The Box opens with the main protagonist, Jonathan Hollis, waiting in line to kneel before the coffin of his former friend, Gene Hendrickson. Two other mourners, the Braddock brothers, share a dark secret with Jonathan, one which leads Gene to take his own life. The four men, friends since childhood, lost touch with each other following a hunting trip a decade earlier. A trip intended to be a stag party turned into something altogether darker, ending in tragedy and leaving each of them haunted in their own separate ways by memories and overwhelming guilt. Now the three survivors must return to the Gulch or their deed a decade ago will be discovered, destroying each of their lives and families futures forever.
Jonathan doesn’t want to go back and argues to leave things as they are. Against his better judgement, he is persuaded to return to the cabin in the woods and recover the thing that has laid buried for the last ten years. The trip does not start well and rapidly goes from bad to worse. Even so, what none of the friends realise is something waits for them in the forest.
Personally, I find something inherently sinister about woods and Fitch describes this vividly, building up a sense of unease in the characters and reader from the start of the novel. What waits between the tall trees is unknown but is gradually revealed as the novel progresses, the sense of dread growing with each chapter.
The description and atmosphere it creates, are the great strengths of this book. The forest is alive with hidden dark horrors and the sheer vastness of the wilderness is overwhelming to the men trekking through it with the Box and its dreadful contents. The isolation is palpable and a scene in a lake is so visual it has stayed with me days after reading the final pages. The time in the woods is sharply drawn and well contrasted with the safe and comfortable lives back home each man is trying so hard to protect.
For much of the novel, the tension was taut and I found myself reading swiftly, turning pages, keen to find out where the story was going but there are periods when the narrative tension and drive flagged, the description slowed the story a little too much and was repetitive at times. The writing throughout out is excellent but for me got in the way of the story in places.
Each character has suffered and coped with what happened in their own different way; guilt a far heavier burden and more troubling for some to bear than others. Gene failed to move on, the events of the first trip leading directly to his demise. Jonathan is a well-developed character and I understood his fear and horror during the story. His troubled conscience never lets him rest, eating away at him, his marriage, every aspect of his life as the years pass by. He is a family man and cares deeply for his young son. The family dynamics and relationship with his wife and son are not given much room in the story although Jonathan thinks of them often. Greater direct interaction would have enabled better development between characters and investment in what Jonathan stands to lose. This would perhaps have had a far greater impact on the reader at the end of the story.
The horror the men have been running from for so long comes together in a satisfying ending that is both disturbing and fitting to the story as a whole. This is a horror story for readers who enjoy suspense and creeping dread. The writing is strong and flows beautifully but at times this slowed things down a little too much. Overall though, an unsettling read which stays with you after the last page is turned. There is much for the horror reader to enjoy in Boy In The Box.
Boy In The Box opens with the main protagonist, Jonathan Hollis, waiting in line to kneel before the coffin of his former friend, Gene Hendrickson. Two other mourners, the Braddock brothers, share a dark secret with Jonathan, one which leads Gene to take his own life. The four men, friends since childhood, lost touch with each other following a hunting trip a decade earlier. A trip intended to be a stag party turned into something altogether darker, ending in tragedy and leaving each of them haunted in their own separate ways by memories and overwhelming guilt. Now the three survivors must return to the Gulch or their deed a decade ago will be discovered, destroying each of their lives and families futures forever.
Jonathan doesn’t want to go back and argues to leave things as they are. Against his better judgement, he is persuaded to return to the cabin in the woods and recover the thing that has laid buried for the last ten years. The trip does not start well and rapidly goes from bad to worse. Even so, what none of the friends realise is something waits for them in the forest.
Personally, I find something inherently sinister about woods and Fitch describes this vividly, building up a sense of unease in the characters and reader from the start of the novel. What waits between the tall trees is unknown but is gradually revealed as the novel progresses, the sense of dread growing with each chapter.
The description and atmosphere it creates, are the great strengths of this book. The forest is alive with hidden dark horrors and the sheer vastness of the wilderness is overwhelming to the men trekking through it with the Box and its dreadful contents. The isolation is palpable and a scene in a lake is so visual it has stayed with me days after reading the final pages. The time in the woods is sharply drawn and well contrasted with the safe and comfortable lives back home each man is trying so hard to protect.
For much of the novel, the tension was taut and I found myself reading swiftly, turning pages, keen to find out where the story was going but there are periods when the narrative tension and drive flagged, the description slowed the story a little too much and was repetitive at times. The writing throughout out is excellent but for me got in the way of the story in places.
Each character has suffered and coped with what happened in their own different way; guilt a far heavier burden and more troubling for some to bear than others. Gene failed to move on, the events of the first trip leading directly to his demise. Jonathan is a well-developed character and I understood his fear and horror during the story. His troubled conscience never lets him rest, eating away at him, his marriage, every aspect of his life as the years pass by. He is a family man and cares deeply for his young son. The family dynamics and relationship with his wife and son are not given much room in the story although Jonathan thinks of them often. Greater direct interaction would have enabled better development between characters and investment in what Jonathan stands to lose. This would perhaps have had a far greater impact on the reader at the end of the story.
The horror the men have been running from for so long comes together in a satisfying ending that is both disturbing and fitting to the story as a whole. This is a horror story for readers who enjoy suspense and creeping dread. The writing is strong and flows beautifully but at times this slowed things down a little too much. Overall though, an unsettling read which stays with you after the last page is turned. There is much for the horror reader to enjoy in Boy In The Box.
May 4, 2020
Ten years ago, a mysterious and tragic hunting accident deep in the Adirondack Mountains left a boy buried in a storied piece of land known as Coombs' Gulch and four friends with a terrible secret. Now, Jonathan Hollis and brothers Michael and Conner Braddick must return to the place that changed their lives forever in order to keep their secret buried. What they don't realise is that they are walking into a trap - one set decades earlier by a supernatural being who is not confined by time or place: a demon that demands a sacrifice.
‘Boy In The Box’ tells the story of four friends; Jonathan, Michael, Connor and Gene, who lose touch after a tragic accident which happens during a hunting trip they had organised for Jonathan’s stag party. Unable to live with the guilt, for the last ten years their lives have been haunted by the memory of the boy they left behind in the mountains. The stress, anxiety and grief have tainted not only their relationships with each other, but have also made it impossible for them to lead normal lives with their families. Despite all of the pressure to come clean about the events of that fateful night, the decision they made to keep quiet for the benefit of themselves and their families still seems like the right thing to do. But now their secret is at risk of being uncovered and the friends are forced to revisit the awful memories and go back to Coombs' Gulch with devastating consequences.
Boy in the Box is described as a horror / thriller / suspense novel but it was actually much deeper than most horror books I have read. It was an exploration of grief and the ways in which four friends struggle to maintain normal, happy and healthy relationships after the tragic events that took place. The story builds at quite a slow pace but it has a very creepy atmosphere and I really enjoyed the way that the story made me question what was real and what was a manifestation of the grief they were all suffering. Interestingly for me, I actually preferred the exploration into the characters than some of the horror aspects. If you enjoy thrillers that have elements of the occult, or Native American culture and rituals, then this is the perfect choice, and the ending is one that will haunt me and stay in the back of my mind for a long time.
‘Boy In The Box’ tells the story of four friends; Jonathan, Michael, Connor and Gene, who lose touch after a tragic accident which happens during a hunting trip they had organised for Jonathan’s stag party. Unable to live with the guilt, for the last ten years their lives have been haunted by the memory of the boy they left behind in the mountains. The stress, anxiety and grief have tainted not only their relationships with each other, but have also made it impossible for them to lead normal lives with their families. Despite all of the pressure to come clean about the events of that fateful night, the decision they made to keep quiet for the benefit of themselves and their families still seems like the right thing to do. But now their secret is at risk of being uncovered and the friends are forced to revisit the awful memories and go back to Coombs' Gulch with devastating consequences.
Boy in the Box is described as a horror / thriller / suspense novel but it was actually much deeper than most horror books I have read. It was an exploration of grief and the ways in which four friends struggle to maintain normal, happy and healthy relationships after the tragic events that took place. The story builds at quite a slow pace but it has a very creepy atmosphere and I really enjoyed the way that the story made me question what was real and what was a manifestation of the grief they were all suffering. Interestingly for me, I actually preferred the exploration into the characters than some of the horror aspects. If you enjoy thrillers that have elements of the occult, or Native American culture and rituals, then this is the perfect choice, and the ending is one that will haunt me and stay in the back of my mind for a long time.
May 3, 2020
When Gene, Jonathan, Conner and his brother Michael travel up to an isolated cabin in the Adirondack Mountains to celebrate the upcoming nuptials of one of them, the plan is to hunt and spend his last moments of single freedom with his mates and doing manly things without any distractions.
Things don't go exactly as planned and the four of them leave with the kind of secret that burdens the soul and psyche. Killing a child and burying him in the forest isn't really something you can just get over, right? Well, some of them seem to deal with it better than others.
It becomes necessary to return to the forest to remove the clues of their crime, which thrusts the men back into the nightmare that has been following them around for years.
It's a tense horror read that creeps and swirls like a malignant fog. Fitch lets the more sinister side of this story seep in gradually, as if the demon were playing a game of distraction. Is this a story about a murder, about deviants trying to kidnap children or something more nefarious? The misdirection is actually what makes the story so compelling, because you don't actually put all of the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle together until the end.
Talking of the end - it throws up this horrific moral dilemma, which gives the book and the reader this last hefty slap of evil. It's an interesting walk on a very fine line between the instability of minds burdened by guilt, the supernatural and a darkness that exists all around us.
*Received a copy via NetGalley*
Things don't go exactly as planned and the four of them leave with the kind of secret that burdens the soul and psyche. Killing a child and burying him in the forest isn't really something you can just get over, right? Well, some of them seem to deal with it better than others.
It becomes necessary to return to the forest to remove the clues of their crime, which thrusts the men back into the nightmare that has been following them around for years.
It's a tense horror read that creeps and swirls like a malignant fog. Fitch lets the more sinister side of this story seep in gradually, as if the demon were playing a game of distraction. Is this a story about a murder, about deviants trying to kidnap children or something more nefarious? The misdirection is actually what makes the story so compelling, because you don't actually put all of the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle together until the end.
Talking of the end - it throws up this horrific moral dilemma, which gives the book and the reader this last hefty slap of evil. It's an interesting walk on a very fine line between the instability of minds burdened by guilt, the supernatural and a darkness that exists all around us.
*Received a copy via NetGalley*
April 18, 2020
It took me a while to really get into this novel. Not because it isn't fantastic, the current world situation sucked up some of my reading motivation. Once I really forced myself to sit down and get into this I absolutely loved it!
I'm always an easy win over when it comes to horror set in the wilderness, and Boy In The Box gives us exactly that.
Three former friends return to the forest to move the body of a child they murdered years before. Buried in the wilderness, all have suffered the guilt and trauma of their decision throughout their lives and now discover a planned redevelopment may uncover their mistake.
I didn't find any of the men particularly likeable, but in this story I didn't think it a necessity.
Told mostly through the perspective of main character Jonathan with additions from his son and friend Michael, we join them on a terrifying journey through the snow, but they aren't alone...
Maybe it was just my current temperament, or maybe the pacing does start out a little slow. Either way the tension ratchets up as the novel takes a surprising supernatural turn.
Perfect for fans of Nevill's The Ritual.
I'm always an easy win over when it comes to horror set in the wilderness, and Boy In The Box gives us exactly that.
Three former friends return to the forest to move the body of a child they murdered years before. Buried in the wilderness, all have suffered the guilt and trauma of their decision throughout their lives and now discover a planned redevelopment may uncover their mistake.
I didn't find any of the men particularly likeable, but in this story I didn't think it a necessity.
Told mostly through the perspective of main character Jonathan with additions from his son and friend Michael, we join them on a terrifying journey through the snow, but they aren't alone...
Maybe it was just my current temperament, or maybe the pacing does start out a little slow. Either way the tension ratchets up as the novel takes a surprising supernatural turn.
Perfect for fans of Nevill's The Ritual.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews