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Once Upon a Nightmare
On the night of October thirteenth, the Hunter's Moon descended upon the quiet town of White Chapel. As Sara Bishop drifted off to sleep under its soft illumination, the full moon seemed to have brought with it something far more sinister than a warm glow. At once, the nightmare started. But this wasn't any ordinary nightmare… This one seemed real ─ as if she could smell it, feel it, taste it. It was one of those dreams ─ one that awakened her witch-like sense ─ a harbinger of heartbreak and now, horror. Together with Rebecca Parker, the only other person who understood her gift, someone who had experienced her own strange senses, Sara hoped to come to terms with this ominous nightmare. But her closest friend and next door neighbor was no where to be found ─ not since the night of October thirteenth. And so it begins. With little help from her skeptical husband or local police, Sara finds herself virtually alone as her grisly dreams crawl from the darkness to become a sick and twisted reality ─ a reality where she has become the ultimate desire of a sadistic serial killer. As images of death, phantoms and shadows surround Sara in this Halloween season, she needs to listen to the whispers in her mind, use her gift, to unmask those around her, for one of them is the man from her nightmare. And he sees her when she's sleeping… He knows when she's awake. When the next full moon descends upon White Chapel, he will reveal himself to her. And under its silvery glow, a new nightmare will be born. Will Sara Bishop have to experience death itself to stop this killer? Or will her nightmare never end?
- GenresHorror
280 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2008
1 person is currently reading
190 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
September 15, 2009
4.5 stars
I jumped on this one as soon as it arrived in my mailbox and honest to goodness I could not put it down. I read it in one sitting, staying up into the wee hours with my heart in my mouth, my hair on end, and a sick feeling of dread in my stomache.
To become completely immersed in evil, caught up in the horror with the characters is a frightening experience & a testament to the talent of the author and the "poop your pants" quality of the story. Lee Moylan's characterisation is excellent, the mystical bond between Sara and her best friend Rebecca was both fascinating & terrifying and I found myself hoping for a miracle or a different outcome for one of my favourite characters while understanding the futility of such hope. While I had an inklng who the killer was part way through the book, my hunch was soon forgotten as the author's writing sent my suspicions off on different tangents. Apart from a minor hiccup with a scene that would have worked as narration rather than dialogue this book seriously blew me away.
Lee Moylan writes evil with such clarity, with a vividness that is too real for comfort. These were some of the best and most graphic and macabre murder scenes I have read in a long time. The author's passion for forensics is evident in her writing, she goes to great lengths to describe the physicality of what happens to the victims of this serial killer and believe me, it is not for the squeamish or faint hearted.
I love a disturbing, intense, chilling horror and Once Upon A Nightmare definitely fits that criteria, giving Lee Moylan entrance to the sacred sanctum of horror writers, joining the ranks of my favourites, Masterton, King, Koontz and Rickman
I jumped on this one as soon as it arrived in my mailbox and honest to goodness I could not put it down. I read it in one sitting, staying up into the wee hours with my heart in my mouth, my hair on end, and a sick feeling of dread in my stomache.
To become completely immersed in evil, caught up in the horror with the characters is a frightening experience & a testament to the talent of the author and the "poop your pants" quality of the story. Lee Moylan's characterisation is excellent, the mystical bond between Sara and her best friend Rebecca was both fascinating & terrifying and I found myself hoping for a miracle or a different outcome for one of my favourite characters while understanding the futility of such hope. While I had an inklng who the killer was part way through the book, my hunch was soon forgotten as the author's writing sent my suspicions off on different tangents. Apart from a minor hiccup with a scene that would have worked as narration rather than dialogue this book seriously blew me away.
Lee Moylan writes evil with such clarity, with a vividness that is too real for comfort. These were some of the best and most graphic and macabre murder scenes I have read in a long time. The author's passion for forensics is evident in her writing, she goes to great lengths to describe the physicality of what happens to the victims of this serial killer and believe me, it is not for the squeamish or faint hearted.
I love a disturbing, intense, chilling horror and Once Upon A Nightmare definitely fits that criteria, giving Lee Moylan entrance to the sacred sanctum of horror writers, joining the ranks of my favourites, Masterton, King, Koontz and Rickman
April 17, 2010
Now this is how to keep readers on the edge of their seat! All through this book I kept saying (out loud no less) "It has to be the husband...no, It has to be the doctor...no, It has to be the art guy...no, it must be the detective .. and I would keep repeating this pattern over and over and gasping out loud, and screaming at the book until I got "the look" from my husband and step-kids.
Granted this book is not for the weak of stomach. Be warned that it is very gory and very sexually explicit, but then again we are talking about a serial killer here, not Mary Poppins.
I still can't believe this book was written by a woman. I have never read a book this gory that wasn't written by a man. I applaud Lee Moylan for digging in and getting her hands dirty because she did a fabulous job.
If you love horror and like to be kept up at night (and don't mind a bit of blood and guts and sex) run out and get this book, it will keep you turning the pages and wondering what the next full moon will bring.
Granted this book is not for the weak of stomach. Be warned that it is very gory and very sexually explicit, but then again we are talking about a serial killer here, not Mary Poppins.
I still can't believe this book was written by a woman. I have never read a book this gory that wasn't written by a man. I applaud Lee Moylan for digging in and getting her hands dirty because she did a fabulous job.
If you love horror and like to be kept up at night (and don't mind a bit of blood and guts and sex) run out and get this book, it will keep you turning the pages and wondering what the next full moon will bring.
October 22, 2012
Reviewed for www.bookchickcity.com
I’m finding it quite hard to summarise what I feel about ONCE UPON A NIGHTMARE. I think it’s easier if I split the book into two parts. The story and plot which really is superb, but then there’s the violence which to be honest is pretty horrific.
Let’s start with the first element. ONCE UPON A NIGHTMARE is a gruesome, frightening murder mystery. Our main heroine is Sara. The book opens with Sara feeling an intense sense of foreboding, followed by a horrendous nightmare where she is raped and murdered. As the plot unravels it soon begins to become apparent that Sara’s nightmares are some sort of clairvoyant gift, as she discovers each of them begin to come true, starting with the murder of someone she loves dearly.
The writing is tight and pacy, the twists of the serial killer plot are brilliant. Moylan throws in several red herrings, by the end I was suspecting everyone, but had no idea who the awful killer was. In fact, I would have put my money on someone else. The scenes were gripping and the sense of terror and escalating horror palpable. It was a complete thrill-ride.
The relationships between the characters were cleverly portrayed and added further depth to the growing tension and horror. Isolation and fear surrounded Sara as the novel progressed. Which only grew worse as she begins to suspect everyone, along with the realisation that the killer is someone close to them all.
But then there’s the violence. To be clear, I read what I believe to be quite a lot of violence in the genres I like to read. I’ve read scenes of gore, torture and rape. But ONCE UPON A NIGHTMARE seemed to take things to the next level. It’s important to state that this book is in no way suitable for younger readers. The violence is abundant, explicit and quite hard to take.
The scenes that were hardest for me were the rape ones. There are scenes of very, very graphic, violent rape. I’m talking the killer keeping his victims awake, raping and mutilating them at the same time. There were a couple of occasions where I had to put the book down, because I felt faintly nauseated and needed a break from the writing.
This is my major criticism of the book, I think the violence could have been taken back a little bit and still have the same impact. But the level of it tipped over to gratuitous. On a personal level, it was just too much for me.
This is what makes this a hard review for me to write. The writing is great, it’s horror and thriller combined brilliantly. The characters are multi-layered, engaging and dark. But violence is shocking. And it’s making it virtually impossible for me to rate this book. The story would be a 4/5, but the violence would be a 2/5, but I don’t think the book deserves a 3, so I have compromised on a 3.5/5.
VERDICT:
A scary, well written thriller for people with stomachs of steel! If you’re not a fan of violence don’t even think about picking it up. If you don’t mind it, then this is great, gory, page-turner.
RATING: 3.5/5
SCARE FACTOR: 4.5/5
I’m finding it quite hard to summarise what I feel about ONCE UPON A NIGHTMARE. I think it’s easier if I split the book into two parts. The story and plot which really is superb, but then there’s the violence which to be honest is pretty horrific.
Let’s start with the first element. ONCE UPON A NIGHTMARE is a gruesome, frightening murder mystery. Our main heroine is Sara. The book opens with Sara feeling an intense sense of foreboding, followed by a horrendous nightmare where she is raped and murdered. As the plot unravels it soon begins to become apparent that Sara’s nightmares are some sort of clairvoyant gift, as she discovers each of them begin to come true, starting with the murder of someone she loves dearly.
The writing is tight and pacy, the twists of the serial killer plot are brilliant. Moylan throws in several red herrings, by the end I was suspecting everyone, but had no idea who the awful killer was. In fact, I would have put my money on someone else. The scenes were gripping and the sense of terror and escalating horror palpable. It was a complete thrill-ride.
The relationships between the characters were cleverly portrayed and added further depth to the growing tension and horror. Isolation and fear surrounded Sara as the novel progressed. Which only grew worse as she begins to suspect everyone, along with the realisation that the killer is someone close to them all.
But then there’s the violence. To be clear, I read what I believe to be quite a lot of violence in the genres I like to read. I’ve read scenes of gore, torture and rape. But ONCE UPON A NIGHTMARE seemed to take things to the next level. It’s important to state that this book is in no way suitable for younger readers. The violence is abundant, explicit and quite hard to take.
The scenes that were hardest for me were the rape ones. There are scenes of very, very graphic, violent rape. I’m talking the killer keeping his victims awake, raping and mutilating them at the same time. There were a couple of occasions where I had to put the book down, because I felt faintly nauseated and needed a break from the writing.
This is my major criticism of the book, I think the violence could have been taken back a little bit and still have the same impact. But the level of it tipped over to gratuitous. On a personal level, it was just too much for me.
This is what makes this a hard review for me to write. The writing is great, it’s horror and thriller combined brilliantly. The characters are multi-layered, engaging and dark. But violence is shocking. And it’s making it virtually impossible for me to rate this book. The story would be a 4/5, but the violence would be a 2/5, but I don’t think the book deserves a 3, so I have compromised on a 3.5/5.
VERDICT:
A scary, well written thriller for people with stomachs of steel! If you’re not a fan of violence don’t even think about picking it up. If you don’t mind it, then this is great, gory, page-turner.
RATING: 3.5/5
SCARE FACTOR: 4.5/5
July 25, 2010
I first heard about author Lee Moylan's thriller Once Upon a Nightmare here in the book blogging community. Teddyree of The Eclectic Reader featured both a review of the book and an interview with Moylan last year. You can read the interview at Teddyree's page.
I also expressed my interest in this book at the Goodreads-site, and earlier this year, Lee Moylan contacted me and was kind enough to offer me a copy of her book, mailed to me all the way from USA. Perhaps it had to do with the fact that Lee Moylan's grandparents were from Copenhagen, where I live myself ;-) Or maybe Lee is just a kind woman!
Her story about poor Sara Bishop is not for the faint of heart though, and it is not a kind story. Now I know from Teddyree's interview with Lee, that the inspiration for this gruesome story came from one of the author's own nightmares. Scary!
Sara, out main character, is content and happy and about to go to bed, when she sees that there is a Hunter's Moon hanging in the night sky. Remembering something her mother used to say about Hunter's Moons, Sara immediately feel something looming, a shift in the atmosphere. Something's not quite right. Combined with Sara's somewhat psychic abilities, things start to go downhill fast, and true enough, she falls asleep only to experience a horrific nightmare.
Her husband doesn't want to hear about those odd feelings Sara has about the nightmare, about her friend Rebecca and the fact, that Rebecca has vanished, not even calling her husband or daughter who are away on business and a weekend with the grandparents. Rebecca was the only one who understood Sara's psychic feelings, having them herself.
Halloween is coming, and soon Sara cannot ignore her feeling of doom and she goes looking for Rebecca herself, only to discover what is yet to be her worst nightmare - only this time it is not a dream, it is for real. Pretty soon we know that a truly sadistic killer is on the loose and that Sara is in grave danger. A scary and grpahic hunt for the killer begins, making the story speed up with each page.
Most of the story consists of dialogue between the characters, which adds to the feeling of urgency through the book. Horrific scene upon horrific scene is described in graphic detail, so watch out, all you crime readers. Rumor also has it that Moylan is cooking up a new book, even more horrific than Once Upon a Nightmare. Read it if you dare.
Thanks once again to Lee Moylan for sending me your book. It was a great read, and I sped through it.
European readers can buy Lee's book from The Book Depository.
I also expressed my interest in this book at the Goodreads-site, and earlier this year, Lee Moylan contacted me and was kind enough to offer me a copy of her book, mailed to me all the way from USA. Perhaps it had to do with the fact that Lee Moylan's grandparents were from Copenhagen, where I live myself ;-) Or maybe Lee is just a kind woman!
Her story about poor Sara Bishop is not for the faint of heart though, and it is not a kind story. Now I know from Teddyree's interview with Lee, that the inspiration for this gruesome story came from one of the author's own nightmares. Scary!
Sara, out main character, is content and happy and about to go to bed, when she sees that there is a Hunter's Moon hanging in the night sky. Remembering something her mother used to say about Hunter's Moons, Sara immediately feel something looming, a shift in the atmosphere. Something's not quite right. Combined with Sara's somewhat psychic abilities, things start to go downhill fast, and true enough, she falls asleep only to experience a horrific nightmare.
Her husband doesn't want to hear about those odd feelings Sara has about the nightmare, about her friend Rebecca and the fact, that Rebecca has vanished, not even calling her husband or daughter who are away on business and a weekend with the grandparents. Rebecca was the only one who understood Sara's psychic feelings, having them herself.
Halloween is coming, and soon Sara cannot ignore her feeling of doom and she goes looking for Rebecca herself, only to discover what is yet to be her worst nightmare - only this time it is not a dream, it is for real. Pretty soon we know that a truly sadistic killer is on the loose and that Sara is in grave danger. A scary and grpahic hunt for the killer begins, making the story speed up with each page.
Most of the story consists of dialogue between the characters, which adds to the feeling of urgency through the book. Horrific scene upon horrific scene is described in graphic detail, so watch out, all you crime readers. Rumor also has it that Moylan is cooking up a new book, even more horrific than Once Upon a Nightmare. Read it if you dare.
Thanks once again to Lee Moylan for sending me your book. It was a great read, and I sped through it.
European readers can buy Lee's book from The Book Depository.
September 20, 2009
Sara Bishop has a terrifying nightmare one night in October; the night of the Hunter’s Moon. This isn’t your typical nightmare either. This one seems far too real to Sara. It doesn’t just frighten her; it seems to wake up her “other” sense. A sense she’s had for as long as she can remember, it has always told her when things were a little off.
The next morning Sara hopes to talk to her best friend and neighbor, Rebecca Parker. Rebecca shares Sara’s gift and is the only one that truly understands what she’s going through. Maybe Rebecca had a similar experience… Maybe Sara’s gift is warning her of something. But Rebecca isn’t answering her door or her phone.
The entire weekend Sara worries about Rebecca and where she can be. Her senses tell her something is terribly wrong. But her husband tells her it’s nothing and Rebecca is surely safe. When Sara can’t take it anymore she marches over to the house. The scene that awaits Sara is bloody and horrific and marks the beginning of a serial killer’s rampage. Little does Sara know that this serial killer now has his eye on her.
I was warned that the book may be graphic and intense by Lee Moylan herself. With that in mind I found scenes that could be highly uncomfortable for some readers, but I thought they were brutally honest and set the tone very well for the book. I was definitely pulled in by the atmosphere of Lee’s writing and the characters she fleshed out. ONCE UPON A NIGHTMARE is a bloody mystery/thriller that I really enjoyed. I was guessing who the killer was the entire time and was still surprised at the end!
It’s easy to see Lee Moylan’s love for forensic science and passion for it in her writing. I think if you’re in search of an intense thriller, you should definitely pick this up. It’ll make you keep flipping through the pages until you find out who the killer is. Be wary if you don’t like gory scenes, otherwise go out and get a copy!
The next morning Sara hopes to talk to her best friend and neighbor, Rebecca Parker. Rebecca shares Sara’s gift and is the only one that truly understands what she’s going through. Maybe Rebecca had a similar experience… Maybe Sara’s gift is warning her of something. But Rebecca isn’t answering her door or her phone.
The entire weekend Sara worries about Rebecca and where she can be. Her senses tell her something is terribly wrong. But her husband tells her it’s nothing and Rebecca is surely safe. When Sara can’t take it anymore she marches over to the house. The scene that awaits Sara is bloody and horrific and marks the beginning of a serial killer’s rampage. Little does Sara know that this serial killer now has his eye on her.
I was warned that the book may be graphic and intense by Lee Moylan herself. With that in mind I found scenes that could be highly uncomfortable for some readers, but I thought they were brutally honest and set the tone very well for the book. I was definitely pulled in by the atmosphere of Lee’s writing and the characters she fleshed out. ONCE UPON A NIGHTMARE is a bloody mystery/thriller that I really enjoyed. I was guessing who the killer was the entire time and was still surprised at the end!
It’s easy to see Lee Moylan’s love for forensic science and passion for it in her writing. I think if you’re in search of an intense thriller, you should definitely pick this up. It’ll make you keep flipping through the pages until you find out who the killer is. Be wary if you don’t like gory scenes, otherwise go out and get a copy!
October 9, 2014
Review 6******
I received a copy of this book from the author in return for an honest review.
OMG! This is a fantastic thriller/horror! I LOVED it!
Sara Bishop is a fantastic character. She is feisty, courageous and quite possibly a witch/psychic. When she has a nightmare on the night of October the 13th, little does she know how much her life will change, and that the real nightmare has just begun.
To be honest, I'm not sure where to start. This book took my breath away! I was completely gripped from the first page! I couldn't put it down, and read it in one sitting until the early hours of the morning.
There are several points of view from various characters, which gave a movie type feel to the story. The suspense and threat was palpable, and gave me the chills! The killer is seriously depraved, masochistic and down right creepy! He makes Jack the Ripper and all other serial killers pale in comparison! There are a few red herrings that lead you down certain paths, and has you (as the reader) suspecting everyone. These scenes are very well written. As this is a horror, there are scenes that are extremely disturbing and graphic. I found myself reading these scenes with a mixture of disgust and fascination. I can most definitely say, that this book is not for the faint of heart!
When I found out who the killer was, I was completely thrown!
The ending of the book has left chills down my back, and makes me wonder if the author has a second book planned.
Lee Moylan has written a fast paced, down-right scary, horror story that wouldn't let me go! I'm adding this author onto my favourite horror writers list. Due to the extremely disturbing scenes, I do not recommend this book for younger readers. However, if you love fantastic thrillers or horror novels, I very highly recommend this book. - Lynn Worton
I received a copy of this book from the author in return for an honest review.
OMG! This is a fantastic thriller/horror! I LOVED it!
Sara Bishop is a fantastic character. She is feisty, courageous and quite possibly a witch/psychic. When she has a nightmare on the night of October the 13th, little does she know how much her life will change, and that the real nightmare has just begun.
To be honest, I'm not sure where to start. This book took my breath away! I was completely gripped from the first page! I couldn't put it down, and read it in one sitting until the early hours of the morning.
There are several points of view from various characters, which gave a movie type feel to the story. The suspense and threat was palpable, and gave me the chills! The killer is seriously depraved, masochistic and down right creepy! He makes Jack the Ripper and all other serial killers pale in comparison! There are a few red herrings that lead you down certain paths, and has you (as the reader) suspecting everyone. These scenes are very well written. As this is a horror, there are scenes that are extremely disturbing and graphic. I found myself reading these scenes with a mixture of disgust and fascination. I can most definitely say, that this book is not for the faint of heart!
When I found out who the killer was, I was completely thrown!
The ending of the book has left chills down my back, and makes me wonder if the author has a second book planned.
Lee Moylan has written a fast paced, down-right scary, horror story that wouldn't let me go! I'm adding this author onto my favourite horror writers list. Due to the extremely disturbing scenes, I do not recommend this book for younger readers. However, if you love fantastic thrillers or horror novels, I very highly recommend this book. - Lynn Worton
February 14, 2009
No one ever imagined that something terrible would happen in the small town of White Chapel, especially Sara Bishop. The night was October thirteenth. The night when the Hunter’s Moon appeared. Rebecca who is Sara’s friend had been calling her all weekend wanting to talk but Sara didn’t have time to talk to her.
Sara wakes up in the middle of the night, having just had a nightmare. The next morning Sara senses something is wrong with Rebecca. She heads over to her house. The scene that awaits Sara is so horrific that it is beyond words. Sara wishes she had answered Rebecca’s cries for help; instead Sara tried to ignore her gift. Sara won’t make that mistake again. This is a good thing as the killer has targeted Sara next.
I really liked Sara because even faced with great adversity, she never backed down. The killer was so sinister that he almost gave me a chill. I have read many psycho serial killer novels. In fact these are my favorite type of books to read. I like the psychoanalytical aspect of getting into the killer’s mind and trying to figure out what triggered the killer to start killing and what made the victims so special. This is exactly the same thing that author Lee Moylan enjoys trying to solve as well. It shows when an author enjoys what they write from their interests. The end result turns out to be an outstanding novel. One that you can’t put down. Once upon a nightmare is a recommended read.
Sara wakes up in the middle of the night, having just had a nightmare. The next morning Sara senses something is wrong with Rebecca. She heads over to her house. The scene that awaits Sara is so horrific that it is beyond words. Sara wishes she had answered Rebecca’s cries for help; instead Sara tried to ignore her gift. Sara won’t make that mistake again. This is a good thing as the killer has targeted Sara next.
I really liked Sara because even faced with great adversity, she never backed down. The killer was so sinister that he almost gave me a chill. I have read many psycho serial killer novels. In fact these are my favorite type of books to read. I like the psychoanalytical aspect of getting into the killer’s mind and trying to figure out what triggered the killer to start killing and what made the victims so special. This is exactly the same thing that author Lee Moylan enjoys trying to solve as well. It shows when an author enjoys what they write from their interests. The end result turns out to be an outstanding novel. One that you can’t put down. Once upon a nightmare is a recommended read.
February 4, 2011
I absolutely loved this book, I practically ate this book from beginning to end, I read it in almost one sitting. Well not quite but let's say I read it in 2 evenings.
It starts out fast and it keeps on going fast up until the end. There is no slowing down ever. So you stand on the edge of your chair right up until the last page. You hold your breath all the way till the killer is revealed.
And then you go oh my God!!!!
This book is deliciously well written.
IT's the story of Sarah a normal woman who has premonition dreams and sees women that are viciously murdered before it even happens. But then her best friends goes missing. She is found murdered 3 days later and Sarah soon realizes it was her in her dream that she had seen. But the dreams don't stop there.
They find another woman brutally murdered.
The dreams come back and Sarah notices that the women all look like her. She feels a presence in her own home, she is so scared.
Could she be in danger?, The police have no clues yet of who it could be, the Serial killer is very smart.
Sarah's boyfriend think she's crazy with her dreams. and she thinks she is losing her mind.
Time is running out.....
Once thing you should know, there some very descriptive murder scene in this book, maybe it's not for weak hearts, so if you are a bit sensitive then maybe this book is not for you.
This is a great read and I give this book a 5 stars.
It starts out fast and it keeps on going fast up until the end. There is no slowing down ever. So you stand on the edge of your chair right up until the last page. You hold your breath all the way till the killer is revealed.
And then you go oh my God!!!!
This book is deliciously well written.
IT's the story of Sarah a normal woman who has premonition dreams and sees women that are viciously murdered before it even happens. But then her best friends goes missing. She is found murdered 3 days later and Sarah soon realizes it was her in her dream that she had seen. But the dreams don't stop there.
They find another woman brutally murdered.
The dreams come back and Sarah notices that the women all look like her. She feels a presence in her own home, she is so scared.
Could she be in danger?, The police have no clues yet of who it could be, the Serial killer is very smart.
Sarah's boyfriend think she's crazy with her dreams. and she thinks she is losing her mind.
Time is running out.....
Once thing you should know, there some very descriptive murder scene in this book, maybe it's not for weak hearts, so if you are a bit sensitive then maybe this book is not for you.
This is a great read and I give this book a 5 stars.
June 11, 2010
Once Upon a Nightmare is the BookWhisperers first attempt at reading a Horror Novel. While I found myself completely horrified at the experience due to the content of the novel, it was an exceptionally written book. This has being a thrilling experience to look into the mind of a serial killer, and a woman that has no choice but to live every experience with the victims. Be forewarned, as I was from the author, this is quite a graphic novel and not intending for the weak stomach or heart. This is a novel truly intended to terrify and capture the reading in a world of fear. The reading dialog caused for some concern at point due to the transitions from characters within chapters, but I found this to be the only constructive criticism that I could muster out of the entire book. Readers will admire the authors ability to create a work of art with such detail and honesty. Even though, you might find yourself checking every room of the house and never answering the door at night for days following. Any reader that enjoys a truly straight forward and scary book should definitely try this book on for size, and in the words of the author directly SWEET DREAMS! [return]
October 26, 2013
Once Upon a Nightmare by Lee Moylan is a horror story that takes place around Halloween. Sara Bishop begins having nightmares that become reality. She starts hearing and seeing things as well. Suddenly, there's a killer on the loose in the small town of White Chapel. Can Sara stop the killer before it's too late?
Oh, this the scariest story I've ever read! And I've read loads of Stephen King, and Dean Koontz. The fact that it takes place around Halloween makes it a great read for the month of October. I have this uneasiness in the pit of my stomach. There are things which you can't unsee after you read this book.
The writing, pace, everything was excellent. I sort of thought Sara was a bit irritating with her "Oh, help me," sob story. But that didn't last long. I rationalized that she is realistic. What would I do if I were seeing, hearing strange things, and no one believed me, plus dealing with a tragedy on top of that? I'd be nuts too!
I even thought I had the story figured out. I was like, "Oh, he definitely did it! Um, maybe he did it. What? No! Oh, really?!" The story leads the reader on quite well. I guarantee you won't know who the killer is!
Oh, this the scariest story I've ever read! And I've read loads of Stephen King, and Dean Koontz. The fact that it takes place around Halloween makes it a great read for the month of October. I have this uneasiness in the pit of my stomach. There are things which you can't unsee after you read this book.
The writing, pace, everything was excellent. I sort of thought Sara was a bit irritating with her "Oh, help me," sob story. But that didn't last long. I rationalized that she is realistic. What would I do if I were seeing, hearing strange things, and no one believed me, plus dealing with a tragedy on top of that? I'd be nuts too!
I even thought I had the story figured out. I was like, "Oh, he definitely did it! Um, maybe he did it. What? No! Oh, really?!" The story leads the reader on quite well. I guarantee you won't know who the killer is!
July 21, 2016
I bought this before I established my "minimum of 1000 reviews on Goodreads" rule of thumb, and this only served to reaffirm that rule is a good decision.
This started out promising enough, but quickly descended into boring and repetitive torture porn. Moylan tries hard to be shocking with her kills, but ends up seeming sophomoric, mostly due to some pretty cringeworthy dialog (primarily consisting of the phrase "Oh my God" in varying combinations of capitalization, italics and exclamation points). Plot holes and convenient mise en scene abound (the killer was extremely lucky to find a full suit of armor complete with a decapitation-ready sword in one house).
When I got to the end of the book, I was kind of surprised that the author was a woman, as there is a bunch of weird and unnecessary degradation of women peppered liberally into the story. I guess that was supposed to establish the killer as some sort of monster, but was only effective in sounding juvenile.
This started out promising enough, but quickly descended into boring and repetitive torture porn. Moylan tries hard to be shocking with her kills, but ends up seeming sophomoric, mostly due to some pretty cringeworthy dialog (primarily consisting of the phrase "Oh my God" in varying combinations of capitalization, italics and exclamation points). Plot holes and convenient mise en scene abound (the killer was extremely lucky to find a full suit of armor complete with a decapitation-ready sword in one house).
When I got to the end of the book, I was kind of surprised that the author was a woman, as there is a bunch of weird and unnecessary degradation of women peppered liberally into the story. I guess that was supposed to establish the killer as some sort of monster, but was only effective in sounding juvenile.
November 15, 2014
Sara Bishop saw a Full Hunter's Moon, glowing bright white, then gold and orange, finally brilliant and bold red--blood on the moon. Sara sensed something very bad was on the way. The nightmare she had that night was horrific, a predator, an attack--her best friend, Rebecca was savagely murdered, then dismembered and disemboweled. This was only the beginning, the nightmares continued, as did the murders, suddenly Sara was next. HE was coming for HER! Moylan does a commanding job describing scenes so vivid you'll swear you are there. Maybe you'll have a nightmare--doesn't everyone?
December 2, 2011
This was definitely more 3 1/2 stars. It was quite the exhilarating story. I was left guessing till close to the end who the killer was. The one thing that kept me from fully engaging was the main character. I just didn't like her enough to fall into the story as much as I would have wished.
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