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Dark Chase #1
Dark Chase
Why are the residents of a remote farm town inexplicably dropping dead? An FBI team has been called to investigate why the population of the seemingly sweet town of Hope, ND appears to be being literally scared to death.
Professor Ryder Chase and his team of paranormal researchers have been assigned to assist with the investigation, much to the bane of no-nonsense FBI Special Agent Devon Jeffers. The oppositional mix of Professor Chase, Agent Jeffers and their respective teams struggle to manage their stark, at times comical, differences. Can they pull together in time to solve the mystery before more people die?
Professor Ryder Chase and his team of paranormal researchers have been assigned to assist with the investigation, much to the bane of no-nonsense FBI Special Agent Devon Jeffers. The oppositional mix of Professor Chase, Agent Jeffers and their respective teams struggle to manage their stark, at times comical, differences. Can they pull together in time to solve the mystery before more people die?
300 pages, Paperback
First published April 19, 2020
2 people are currently reading
20 people want to read
About the author
Seth Sjostrom
36 books24 followersA New England native, Seth had a storybook childhood growing up in Connecticut. He graduated college at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington in 1993 and transplanted himself in the Pacific Northwest soon after.
Immediately falling in love with northwest topography, Seth made the most of it becoming an experienced hiker, whitewater rafting guide, mountain climber (alright, his friends dragged him up a couple of NW peaks) and skier/snowboarder. Seth now resides on Florida's Gulf coast, trying not to be distracted by dolphins and manatees swimming by.
A serial entrepreneur, Seth has created and partnered with several cutting edge healthcare companies and helped launch two magazines.
Seth supports Hire Heroes USA, Christmas is Not Cancelled and the Mel Green Institute to Combat Human Trafficking with his books.
Immediately falling in love with northwest topography, Seth made the most of it becoming an experienced hiker, whitewater rafting guide, mountain climber (alright, his friends dragged him up a couple of NW peaks) and skier/snowboarder. Seth now resides on Florida's Gulf coast, trying not to be distracted by dolphins and manatees swimming by.
A serial entrepreneur, Seth has created and partnered with several cutting edge healthcare companies and helped launch two magazines.
Seth supports Hire Heroes USA, Christmas is Not Cancelled and the Mel Green Institute to Combat Human Trafficking with his books.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
November 24, 2021
Fear haunts the hearts of the town of Hope, North Dakota. Their already small community starts dwindling as citizens drop dead unexpectedly. Heart attacks are not unusual. But in teens? With a fever? Delusions?
Suspicion falls on the long since abandoned Helberg house. A home of misfortune and grief. Not knowing what to do, the town of Hope calls in the experts. The FBI is assigned to the case with Dr. Ryder Chase and his paranormal team in tow. They arrive expecting an easy case of misadventure and ghostly unrest, only to find the house is not all that it may seem. In this paranormal thriller by Seth Sjostrom, Dark Chase will take readers down the paranormal investigative rabbit hole and unearth the mysteries of the afterlife.
It is clear the author has worked very hard to showcase his extensive research and knowledge of ghost hunting. He uses lots of terms and jargon associated with paranormal investigation. For example, Sjostrom refers to the EMF device that picks up paranormal energy in a room often when his characters are investigating the Helberg house.
What most people expect from thrillers is suspense and built-up tension. Dark Chase goes between a mystery story and a thriller novel without committing to either. I think a good mystery story requires little hints dropped here and there, as though the author is scattering rose petals, trailing them up the stairs and into the bedroom where all the answers we have been waiting for are revealed. I feel that this story has a trail that leads all the way to the last chapter of the novel where we finally get some answers to the perplexing mystery, all the while readers will be spinning trying to piece together the mystery at the heart of this curious story.
While I thought the characters were interesting, I felt that at times the actions and words used in dialogue were a bit awkward; like “purge” which is used to mean “throw-up.” But otherwise, the dialogue is sufficient to keep the story moving. In chapter seven the story brings to light the only secondary female character in the novel, describing her as “feminine” and “soft”. This character has been in the background for most of the book but the story suddenly sexualizes her through the eyes of one of the main characters, Dr. Chase, using stereotypical “feminine” qualities to describe agent Sohn. I do not believe this is intended to be sexist; I believe the story is attempting to create a subplot romance between Dr. Chase and Agent Sohn, but I felt that the descriptors and setup could have been handled with more subtlety and literary finesse.
Dark Chase has all the hallmarks and potential to be a very good mystery thriller. With a bit of editing the fascinating ideas contained within this book can really shine. Readers looking for an intriguing paranormal thriller with realistic ghost hunting jargon and procedures will find it in Dark Chase.
Suspicion falls on the long since abandoned Helberg house. A home of misfortune and grief. Not knowing what to do, the town of Hope calls in the experts. The FBI is assigned to the case with Dr. Ryder Chase and his paranormal team in tow. They arrive expecting an easy case of misadventure and ghostly unrest, only to find the house is not all that it may seem. In this paranormal thriller by Seth Sjostrom, Dark Chase will take readers down the paranormal investigative rabbit hole and unearth the mysteries of the afterlife.
It is clear the author has worked very hard to showcase his extensive research and knowledge of ghost hunting. He uses lots of terms and jargon associated with paranormal investigation. For example, Sjostrom refers to the EMF device that picks up paranormal energy in a room often when his characters are investigating the Helberg house.
What most people expect from thrillers is suspense and built-up tension. Dark Chase goes between a mystery story and a thriller novel without committing to either. I think a good mystery story requires little hints dropped here and there, as though the author is scattering rose petals, trailing them up the stairs and into the bedroom where all the answers we have been waiting for are revealed. I feel that this story has a trail that leads all the way to the last chapter of the novel where we finally get some answers to the perplexing mystery, all the while readers will be spinning trying to piece together the mystery at the heart of this curious story.
While I thought the characters were interesting, I felt that at times the actions and words used in dialogue were a bit awkward; like “purge” which is used to mean “throw-up.” But otherwise, the dialogue is sufficient to keep the story moving. In chapter seven the story brings to light the only secondary female character in the novel, describing her as “feminine” and “soft”. This character has been in the background for most of the book but the story suddenly sexualizes her through the eyes of one of the main characters, Dr. Chase, using stereotypical “feminine” qualities to describe agent Sohn. I do not believe this is intended to be sexist; I believe the story is attempting to create a subplot romance between Dr. Chase and Agent Sohn, but I felt that the descriptors and setup could have been handled with more subtlety and literary finesse.
Dark Chase has all the hallmarks and potential to be a very good mystery thriller. With a bit of editing the fascinating ideas contained within this book can really shine. Readers looking for an intriguing paranormal thriller with realistic ghost hunting jargon and procedures will find it in Dark Chase.
January 24, 2025
Some creepy moments that got the heart racing.
Less than halfway through the book I figured out the culprit 🫣 but it was fun to read regardless.
I liked the representation of a group of people banding together to help their neighbors in need.
Also appreciated the lengths the author went to research paranormal investigations. All of the equipment and terminology.
Wished some moments were fleshed out a bit more. I think a few more descriptions and inner dialogue would’ve helped round the characters out a bit, and add to the tension building in the story. Perhaps another round of editing as well to catch errors. 👍
Less than halfway through the book I figured out the culprit 🫣 but it was fun to read regardless.
I liked the representation of a group of people banding together to help their neighbors in need.
Also appreciated the lengths the author went to research paranormal investigations. All of the equipment and terminology.
Wished some moments were fleshed out a bit more. I think a few more descriptions and inner dialogue would’ve helped round the characters out a bit, and add to the tension building in the story. Perhaps another round of editing as well to catch errors. 👍
November 3, 2022
Dark Chase by Seth Sjostrom is a well-written paranormal mystery about a small town and a haunted house that locals suspect is responsible for a string of deaths. The author tells the story well, adding in a few twists to keep the reader engaged. The conclusion of the story is a good one, that will leave readers feeling satisfied and intrigued.
September 11, 2025
Book about an FBI team that pairs up with paranormal investigators to find out why people are dying of cardiac arrest in an old supposedly haunted farmhouse. Turns out it was actually some tainted bramble berry tea that causes folks to hallucinate. Everyone is drinking the suspicious tea the entire book and then falling out after. This book is predictable and boring with too many POV’s and tons of clunky unrealistic dialogue. The author often struggles with his rhetorical devices and this would benefit from a proper edit but the story still wouldn’t be strong enough to stand on its own. So many older white men think they’re special enough to be the next James Patterson or Lee Child and this is a case in point.
August 4, 2024
The story is packed with twists and features engaging characters. The dialogue and suspense align with North Dakota’s sensibilities, making it a gripping read for a broad audience. The opening scene depicts the fate of the victims in the Helberg house in Hope, North Dakota. As the plot unfolds, paranormal investigators and FBI agents join forces to uncover the cause of the mysterious events.
January 24, 2024
Nice Read
I enjoyed this book, though I am not too sure about the Samaritan side track. I think the author did a solid job with the writing. Plus, being from a small town myself, I could relate.
I enjoyed this book, though I am not too sure about the Samaritan side track. I think the author did a solid job with the writing. Plus, being from a small town myself, I could relate.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews