The Stack

by C.C. Luckey

Fans of retro horror movies and dark humor will enjoy this inventive new haunted house novel!


It's 1979, and single father Max Braun is being evicted from his apartment. If he can't find a new place right away, he could lose custody of his daughter, Penny. Just when his situation is becoming desperate, he receives a letter in the mail saying he is the grand prize winner in a contest for a new home.


But Max doesn't remember entering a contest, and after moving into the house he begins to suspect everything is not as it seems. As wild animals frighten Penny and a horrific accident occurs on the property, Max wonders if the free house was really such a great deal after all. No threats from ghosts, the undead, or even his ex-wife will stop him from saving his daughter and his home-even if he must descend into the bowels of Hell itself.

216 pages, Paperback

Published October 24, 2020

About the author

C.C. Luckey writes imaginative and eerie stories influenced by a combination of her unique life experiences and her studies for her Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy. Prior to writing Leadlights and The Desert in the Glass, she spent many years working as a costumer for a variety of productions ranging from volunteer theater troupes to Hollywood feature films. As a multi-talented actor and musician she has had many extraordinary adventures including performing on stage to sold-out Los Angeles amphitheaters, working on extensive cross-country tours, and playing live music to an audience of millions on national television. She lives in Long Beach, California in a 103-year-old house with her husband and two corgi dogs, and plays accordion in a dinosaur-themed rock band in her spare time. C.C. Luckey can be found on Facebook @ccluckey and Twitter @CCLuckey_Author

Reviews

[Ian Martyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love a good haunted or possessed house story, and C.C. Luckey has provided a really fresh take on the house horror story. I had just read House on Haunted Hill by Shirley Jackson earlier this year, so I was definitely eager for more house creepiness, especially since the books I've read otherwise this year have mostly been first contact hard sci-fi. Even though halloween is over, it's never too late for a good horror story, and this one is definitely riveting. I had a really hard time putting it down, and I had to force myself to pace myself so I didn't finish it in one sitting.

I really appreciated the titular concept as it is used in the story, and it's one that I haven't encountered before in horror media. I won't spoil what it is, but I really appreciated that Luckey had found something to vary a concept that could have easily could have succumbed to cliches in the hands of a less competent author. As usual for Luckey, her protagonists, Max and Penny, are very compelling, and I found myself truly caring about their wellbeings as the story progressed. In addition, Luckey also does an excellent job of portraying mountain living in the 1970s, encapsulating what I've only been able to experience through pictures and other writing.

I think it's also interesting to see Luckey gravitating towards certain themes that run through both of her novels and her short stories. I really appreciate that she is able to find a new way to incorporate ideas such as repeating events, ancient concepts, and near-past history into this book in a way that is distinctly C.C. Luckey. It's nice to see these parallels in theme between The Stack and The Desert in the Glass.