Evil Eye: A Slasher Story

by April A. Taylor

During the eye of a hurricane, evil strikes.

Six strangers get stuck on an island during a roaring hurricane. They have nothing in common, but five of them will have to join forces to survive the night. Meanwhile, the sixth wants nothing more than to kill every single one of them.

Join Annette, Chad, Heather, Spencer, and Kate on the worst night of their lives. Can they survive or will the killer maniacally laugh while eviscerating them? Filled with gore, terror, and the little moments between humans that can make or break their budding friendships.

Grab a copy of the latest terrifying book from the #1 Amazon best-selling author behind Sinkhole and The Haunting of Cabin Green. Evil Eye is a mixture of the classic slasher Halloween and the fun survival horror movie Crawl.

This pre-order will be released on August 3, 2021.


Praise for Sinkhole:

"April A. Taylor's novella SINKHOLE is another fine look at the natural world gone mad--mad, as in angry at us, the failed custodians. A worthy addition to the emerging field of eco-horror." - Alma Katsu, author of The Hunger and The Deep

"Sinkhole is your apocalyptic summer read." - Fangoria

"Not for the faint of heart...Taylor builds both suspense and atmosphere well, with vivid descriptions and heated dialogue that hold tension until just the right moment. Shift[s] the perspective of what a horror novel really has the potential to be...an intelligent and terrifying triumph." - Readers' Favorite

"A very fast-paced, short and punchy adventure horror novel...[it] has an outstanding change of direction halfway through and hurtles toward a controlled but satisfying finish. You will easily read [it] without drawing much of a breath or pause." - Horror DNA

"Sinkhole should be part of every horror fan's TBR pile. Taylor masterfully weaves a lightning fast tale that's ostensibly about an apocalyptic situation but has oh so much more going on." - Medium.com

"A fast-paced apocalyptic nightmare." - Grit Daily

"This was an engaging and fast paced story...Taylor's prose reminded me of Daphne du Maurier's "The Birds" with its oppressive atmosphere and the feeling of dread." - StudioHNH


Praise for The Haunting of Cabin Green:

"Grief is the driving force in The Haunting of Cabin Green. Taylor weaves a haunting tale of a man who can't be sure if the desolate cabin he's staying in is full of ghosts or if his mind is playing tricks on him." - Popsugar, The 13 Most Chilling Horror Books of 2018

"I thought this would be a simple ghost story like Paranormal Activity. It wasn't. Filled with so much grief and craziness that I might need therapy." - BoredPanda

"I will never look at puzzles the same way again. The one is DARK. If you're looking for a happy ending or a more humorous take on the genre, look elsewhere." - Stephanie Rabig, Author of Sink or Swim: The Search for Aveline

"Polarizing and paralyzing." - Medium.com

"Slow-burn claustrophobia." - Grit Daily

"Unique... the author depicts the grieving process amazingly well. The story is claustrophobic... and what an ending. All of the flashbacks and delusions suddenly make sense... [it's a] sucker punch." - HorrorTalk.com

"A spectacular read...absolutely gripping. I couldn't force myself to put it down. Taylor did an excellent and meticulous job creating this story, forming imagery...invoking real emotion on the part of the reader." - The Horror Report

"Takes [the] standard genre template and turns it upside-down...with a literary approach that combines modern and mid-twentieth century techniques." - Inquisitr, The Best Horror Books of 2018

Genres: Horror, Fiction, Adult

173 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 3, 2021

About the author

April A. Taylor is an award-winning, multi-genre author and dark art photographer. Her debut novel, The Haunting of Cabin Green, was featured on:

Popsugar's '13 Most Chilling Horror Books of 2018.'

Inquisitr's 'Best Horror Books of 2018.'

Ranker's '2018's Scariest Horror Books.'

BoredPanda's '7 Books That Scared Me Half to Death.'

BLGM's 'Best Gothic Horror Books.'

Sinkhole: A Horror Story and Missing in Michigan received 5-star ratings from Readers' Favorite. Corvo Hollows was named a 5-Star Must Read Book by Reedsy.

Sinkhole: A Horror Story was featured on:

Grit Daily's 'Horror Continues to Thrive with the Scariest Books of 2019'

Medium.com's 'Celebrate Halloween with These Macabre and Progressive Horror Books'

BuzzFeed Community's '7 New Horror Books That Will Actually Scare You'

The Haunting of Cabin Green was the #1 Amazon best seller in the U.S. New Horror Releases category for three straight weeks. It went on to become a #1 Best-Seller in Gothic, Ghosts, U.S. Horror, and LGBT Horror. Additionally, it was the Top Vote-Getter in the Horror/Suspense category of The Kindle Book Review's 2018 Reader's Choice Awards.

April is a proud member of the Horror Writer's Association. She lives in Michigan with the love of her life and their two cats. If her life was a cartoon, she'd be Lisa Simpson.

Reviews

[CYIReadBooks (Claire) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Evil Eye is a short horror story that focuses on five strangers who end up stranded in an old hotel due to a hurricane.

Because of a series of unfortunate events that plague the five characters — Heather, Spencer, Kate, Chad, and Annette, they are all relegated to spend a night in the hotel that Annette works at. What seems to be an innocuous overnight stay turns out to be their worst nightmare as a killer is stalking them, one by one.

Evil Eye is not a books for the faint at heart. There are several gory moments in the book that may disturb a few readers. To me, however, it just read like a B-movie horror film. The storyline seemed a little “cheesy” because I just knew what would happen next. No surprises and nothing new that hasn’t already been rehashed.

Not much can be said about the characters. It is a horry story after all so there isn’t much of a need to develop all the players.

Overall, Evil Eye is uneventful. Sure there are nuggets of horror and that’s what kept me going. And it’s short enough that it isn’t a drudgery read. Two stars — I guess it was okay if I managed to finish it.

[D.M. Siciliano · Rating 5 out of 5]

Taylor does not disappoint in this fast-paced, gripping tale about murder in the midst of a hurricane.
As if trying to survive a hurricane isn't enough, there's a murderer hunting 5 people who have nothing in common but the bad luck to end up as targets. Taylor does a great job with a breakneck pace, keeping both action intense, and dialog engaging. Even in such a quick read, Taylor succeeds at bringing each character to life, as their lives are threatened at every turn. There is an especially charming bond between two characters from completely different worlds that tugs at the heartstrings and raises the stakes for this thriller.
Just enough gore to get me cringing.
Highly recommend.
"Wicked" fun.

[Olivia · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was nervous we weren’t going to get any character development but then all the characters go around in a circle and say what their favorite season of the year is. Unique premise that neither delivers on the realities of a hurricane (also no city would evacuate for a category 2 hurricane?) or the killer. It seems like there’s supernatural elements to the killer for the first half of the book that are then forgotten about. 2 stars because it was readable until the ending which is a massive cop out for everything that was interesting in the book. Disappointing because I really thought I would like it!

[Karen Oldman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun wild ride. The short, fast paced chapters were like chicken soup for my adhd soul. I read a lot but usually put down even my favorite books multiple times per reading session. This kept me interested and attached without the feeling I needed to digest the information and come back to it.
Great character diversity that didn’t feel inauthentic.
There is some gore, as the title suggests but I wouldn’t call this spatter gore.
Right when I thought I was reading the twist ending there was another twist.
Great hurricane season quick read. I’m definitely looking forward to reading more of her work.

[Dun's · Rating 3 out of 5]

I used to enjoy watching old school slasher films, but this was my first time reading a slasher story. I like the quick pace, the character development, the setting the scene, and the short but gripping chapters. You know you're reading a good thriller when you root for both the killer to get his job done and the target(s) to survive. That said, the final, concluding chapters of this story felt rushed and didn't offer the bang I had hoped for.

It was a good quick read for me. 2.5 stars rounded up to 3. Thanks for the free kindle copy I received through a Goodreads giveaway.

[Ami Morrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally posted on the book blog Creature From the Book Lagoon.

* Thank you to the author, April R. Taylor, for giving me a copy of Evil eye to review*

While slasher horror is not my favorite type of horror, the premise of a slasher story during a hurricane sounded too fun to pass up. What a perfect summer read!

Evil Eye is a very quick book. I absolutely could not put it down. I just had so much fun reading this story. I kept saying “Just one more chapter!” over and over again. From start to finish we had a very creepy atmosphere, an isolated setting and a bad storm brewing. I had a blast hunkering down in bed with the lights off and getting swept away with this book. More then once I thought about turning the lights back on. The novel just has such a great creep factor to it!

I really enjoyed seeing the story from every characters point of view. In some books that can get a little confusing to follow, but I had no problem following along here. The plot flows really well. All the switching between points of view actually felt really natural and with smooth transitions between people. You never had to wonder who was talking now. It was always clear and that made the book fly by.

Some of the characters are great. Some of the characters are not so great. I really enjoyed getting to know each of them. Everyone felt very real. You had a multitude of personalities and reactions and it made everyone feel very normal. We even get to see a little bit from the killer, though he is still kept a big mystery throughout the book. You can’t really even tell for sure if we are dealing with a human bad guy or something supernatural (or both)!

Evil Eye is a highly entertaining story! The setting inside a hurricane was spooky and I enjoyed experiencing the story from everyone’s perspective. You can feel the horror movie homage throughout the book. I had a lot of fun reading this and I definitely want to check out other books by this author now.

[Michelle Hogmire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review originally published here, at Reedsy Discovery: https://reedsy.com/discovery/library/...

An exciting slasher novella about five strangers stuck on a Florida island with a vicious killer during a hurricane.

Welcome to picturesque St. George Island, Florida--a pristine vacation spot with plenty of beaches, hotels, resorts, boat rides, and adult beverages. Only today, the island is getting slammed with a hurricane, and unfortunately the storm isn't even the biggest danger: a killer, stalking in the night, is out for blood.

April A. Taylor's tense, quick-read horror novella "Evil Eye: A Slasher Story" follows five diverse people trapped on the island who are forced together in a terrifying "survive the night" scenario. Our cast is introduced in a fun, fast jump cut cinematic style, similar to the openings of great classic slasher films--Annette, a lesbian hotel worker with a violent past; Chad, a sick employee left behind by his boss; Heather, a fancy resort manager with a drinking problem; Spencer, an older Black worker at the boat pier; and Kate, a thrill-seeker who stayed to see the hurricane. These characters will have to work through their ingrained prejudices and generational differences if they want to handle both horrendous flooding and the psychotic actions of a deranged murderer.

"Evil Eye" would appeal to fans of the slasher genre, with creative gory kills and nods to well-known tropes like the final girl. Taylor's book isn't only pure action, though; there are many moments of clever character development and analysis, especially scenes of characters trying to overcome earlier traumas and smart commentary about media obsession with disturbing crimes. While there are a few plot points that feel underutilized regarding the killer and his motivations, overall Evil Eye is an enjoyable ride with an excellent cliffhanger ending set up for a potential sequel.

[The Horror Report -Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a recent new novel by April Taylor, author of The Haunting of Cabin Green. After reading the summary above, I had to read it. I was not disappointed.

This novel starts off right in the thick of suspense. One of the best aspects of this book is the lack of knowledge about the characters. As we read, we learn more about each person and why they are on this island in this horrible storm. As the story progresses, we find out more details that start to make your mind turn. Soon, you’ll anxiously be turning each page unable to wait to learn the fate of each character.

As always, Taylor fantastically weaves characters and their circumstances together, expertly creating a seamless story flow with edge-of-your-seat thrill and suspense. With deliberate detail and artful accuracy, she pieces together the individual moments of each character plus the experiences they have together all while keeping a watchful eye on our feared and relentless killer. This novel is written well enough that the author easily creates a motion picture playing in your head as you read each paragraph.

This book was an easy, fast read. Taylor used a slightly different format than in her other works I have read. This novel is separated into numerous chapters and subchapter-type sections, each quick-paced, short and easy to read. I point that out because this type of format makes this book easy to pick up and read knowing that each section is small. So, you can either read a lot in one sitting like I did or you can read it a little at a time as you can, either way, you can easily follow the story, keep your place and read at your leisure.

I thought this was a fantastic step into the gorier side of the horror genre for Taylor. I feel she produced an excellent slasher story that is fresh and different but still gives us all the classic horror elements we desire. This would be an excellent read for any horror lover.


RATINGS

5/5 Stars

[Lee Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

An unpredictable fast-paced slasher with plenty of twists and tension as the storm unfolds…

The looming threat of worsening weather combined with a killer on the loose makes for some fun and thrilling reading in a story that could easily be an evening spent at the cinema or at home via Netflix. Here we see a diverse group stranded and united by their will to survive a double whammy of hurricane and deranged killer.

From the very start there’s pace to a story that unfolds just like the hurricane that engulfs those left behind on an island. Soon enough they realise someone is hunting them down and so the real slasher story begins but it’s more than that. Each character has their own complexities and we see things from each of their unique perspectives which then interact with one another – most of the time in these stories it’s easy to pick out who will be taken down first but there’s an unpredictability here making it all the more enjoyable and page turning.

While we are used to our masked but faceless killers being without any dialogue the author carves an original path with her version of evil walking because for some of it he is also talking. As he slowly stalks his prey and throughout it feels as if there is no escape with the hurricane situation heightening that terror. And in this particular situation there is nowhere to run. To some that’s uncomfortable, but to me that’s the perfect storm of horror quite literally.

Although titled as a slasher I’ll happily admit it’s a lot more than that with some nods to modern issues in society and the wider world. Much of the time there’s seems to be a lack of ideas with the ending but for this one, there were a few final twists that capped of a fun read. So come for the slashing but stay for everything else this story is about, you’ll be pleasantly surprised while also being on edge.

[Escape Into Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review can also be found at Read with Me (https://readwithme2018.com/2021/08/03...)

I will be very blunt; I am not a big fan of slasher books (or films, if I am brutally honest). I surprised myself when I agreed to review the book after I had read the blurb. I was in the mood to read something different. And this book was different. A good difference, and I am glad that I read it.

The plotline for Evil Eye was simple. An island in Florida was evacuating due to an incoming hurricane. Once everything was cleared, six people were left on the island and a killer who has plans for them. After herding them together, the killer slowly picks them off, one by one. Who will survive? And why are they being targeted?

Evil Eye had a very fast-moving plotline with no lag. That surprised me. I thought that there would be at least some lag when everyone got together, but the author kept the plotline zipping along. I loved it!!

I will admit that I wished there was more time to introduce the characters and maybe get more background. But, I realized that that wasn’t going to happen pretty early in the book, and I was OK with it.

Because this is a horror book (based on slasher films), there is much gore. It starts pretty early in the book, and the killer is very creative with how he kills his victims.

The author did a great job of keeping who the killer was and why those people were singled out under wraps. There were a couple of twists to that plotline that made me scream when they were revealed!!!

The end of Evil Eye was part of those twists that made me scream. Not only was it a cliffhanger, but there was a big reveal that made me scream (see above). I was taken aback by what was revealed and by the phone call!!

I would recommend Evil Eye to anyone over the age of 21. There is violence, gore, and mild language.

[Cory Chamberlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Perhaps Too Fast Paced Slasher Story

Evil Eye is a fast paced slasher story about a group of strangers trapped on an island during a hurricane. Their collective goal is to not only survive the hurricane, but to survive a killer that wants to pick them off one by one.

Evil Eye delivers on its promise of being a true slasher with a masked killer, a stalk and kill plot line and gore. Unfortunately that’s one of the only things this book delivers on. The book is so fast paced that I never felt an attachment to any of the characters. At times the plot felt underdeveloped with characters jumping to conclusions and solutions too quickly.

I found Evil Eye to be predictable with no twists or plot lines even a mild fan of horror wouldn’t see coming. The conclusion left me wanting more answers. (Perhaps to leave room for a sequel?)

All that being said, Evil Eye is a solid choice if you’re looking for a quick slasher read.

[Jason Andersen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved it! It was a cute short story I read while traveling. Didn’t want to put it down.

For a short story, it definitely did a good job of making each character reasonably fleshed out and memorable. It’s hard to become invested in a lot of short stories, but it does it well. And that’s something you definitely need for horror. Was definitely upset when my favorites didn’t make it!

Honestly, I would love to know more about the killer, who it was, if it was supernatural or not(that felt confusing), and if the MCs were chosen for a reason or just random luck (like the characters all wonder).

[Kayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Evil Eye tells the story of five strangers thrown together in the midst of a hurricane. Stuck on a small island with no way to get to safety, Annette, Spencer, Heather, Kate, and Chad come face to face with a killer.

I LOVED this story. I loved the characters and their background stories made them seem so real. It was a quick read that kept me engaged from the first page. April Taylor knows how to write and play off of some of our deepest fears. The ending...twisted and unexpected for sure. 5/5 stars!

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. The scenes with the characters was endearing, and I appreciate the diversity the author brought to the scene. But the scenes with the killer I couldn’t read. The gore is brutal in this novel and I couldn’t stomach it. I had to skip over parts just to get through it. Very creative premise and a fast read.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun, quick slasher story. The characters were interesting and the killer was definitely someone I'd never want to run into. I thought it was going to end one way, and was pleasantly (?) surprised that it ended in a completely different way. Overall, fun and easy to read quick little slasher novel.

[Brian Bowyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Relentless!

EVIL EYE was an absolute blast to read. The pacing is relentless, and Taylor's writing is smooth, fast, and sharp as a straight razor. The book's vivid characters make the brutal kills all the more hard-hitting. Highly recommended!

[Karen Ingalls · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author does an excellent job of keeping the reader in suspense. The premise of a mass murderer on the loose during a hurricane, isolating the victims, is an imaginative plot. I have loved all of Ms. Taylor's books, and this one is at the top of thrillers. It is not for the light-hearted.
Will there be a sequel? I hope so.

[Susan Whitmarsh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast pace

This was a quick read that kept my interest from start to finish. The characters weren't really developed but that worked for the book. I would recommend if you like frantic killer fiction. And lots of slashing.

[Norman Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this would have been better if we knew more about the killer. The violence was fast and bloody, but I think a few extra pages dedicated to the killer may have improved the story significantly.

[Jessie Bradford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Right to the point

The book was fast paced, which I liked. Being the first book I’ve read by this author I found it to be gruesome enough with the kill scenes. I did feel like the ending was a bit fast like the book just needed to end for some reason but overall I enjoyed it.

[DA · Rating 4 out of 5]

What do you get when you mix a hurricane, 5 people stranded in the storm and a crazed killer? You get a fast paced fight for survival. Great story that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

[LORRIE · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic

This was a fantastic creepy Thriller. I love this book so much and I can't wait to read more from this author.

[Nikki Sowell · Rating 2 out of 5]

Received this book as part of a Goodreads giveaway. I DNF at 25%. The book did not hold my attention.

[Wayde Flowerday · Rating 1 out of 5]

Zero character development. A killer sans motive. Victims picked "for reasons" never explained.

The book was free and I somehow still want a refund.

[Víctor Towfon · Rating 2 out of 5]

A Story with a great setting and a creppy beggining that gets lost once the killer start chassing them. A tepid slasher with lackluster death scenes but entertaining enough.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won a copy of Evil Eye: A Slasher Story by April A: Taylor from a Goodreads Giveaway.

This is a more of a novella as it is only 123 pages, but nonetheless it is still fantastic. I really felt like I was reading the script of a 1980s-1990s slasher film. The characters were very different but they all had important places within the story. I also thought the characters seemed realistic, yet dramatic, just like in a slasher film. I do wish the story was longer or I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a second story!

[Ash · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a short, little slasher that's firmly in the "OK, not bad" zone. I do love the added tension with the storm. While character building was attempted, it fell a little flat for me. All in all, I'm not mad I picked this up. It was good for some light reading.

[Victoria · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't enjoy this book. The pacing was weird. It's pretty short, but felt like a chore to get through. The characters weren't realistic. Things just didn't really make sense.
It also had moments where it was overly gory, which doesn't bother me, but how many mentions of entrails is necessary in one book?