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Route 666: Highway to Hell
“Stephen King meets The Exorcist.” - Page Turners Podcast
Winner of the 2022 American Writing Awards for Horror Fiction
Winner of the 2023 Maincrest Media Book Award for Horror
Ignorance is truly blissful. The more you learn about things, the more you’re going to wish you didn’t know.
It is human nature to dream and plan for an idyllic future. But random twists of fate have caused Jack Aitken’s dreams to be altered, postponed, or abandoned. He’s played by the rules all his life, but living years on the knife’s edge has drained him mentally and spiritually. Now, he has a plan to change the trajectory of his life.
Chasing his dream of becoming an author, Jack completely throws himself into researching Route 666, a road closed by the government due to an unusual number of deadly accidents. Ignoring the warning signs and the pleas of his wife, Amanda, Jack uses an ancient map provided by a suspicious museum curator to search for a previously unknown Native American burial mound.
Instead, he interrupts a satanic ritual and ignites a chain reaction of events that leave him in a life and death struggle with a malevolent being whose power rivals the devil himself.
Route 666 is a wild ride that will leave you breathless as Jack Aitken fights to save his family, his soul, and humanity itself from the essence of pure evil.
About the novel’s thrilling conclusion, editor Emily Marquart stated, “I loved the twists and turns, and I honestly had no idea how it would pan out!”
Get ready to travel Route 666, the Highway to Hell!
Winner of the 2022 American Writing Awards for Horror Fiction
Winner of the 2023 Maincrest Media Book Award for Horror
Ignorance is truly blissful. The more you learn about things, the more you’re going to wish you didn’t know.
It is human nature to dream and plan for an idyllic future. But random twists of fate have caused Jack Aitken’s dreams to be altered, postponed, or abandoned. He’s played by the rules all his life, but living years on the knife’s edge has drained him mentally and spiritually. Now, he has a plan to change the trajectory of his life.
Chasing his dream of becoming an author, Jack completely throws himself into researching Route 666, a road closed by the government due to an unusual number of deadly accidents. Ignoring the warning signs and the pleas of his wife, Amanda, Jack uses an ancient map provided by a suspicious museum curator to search for a previously unknown Native American burial mound.
Instead, he interrupts a satanic ritual and ignites a chain reaction of events that leave him in a life and death struggle with a malevolent being whose power rivals the devil himself.
Route 666 is a wild ride that will leave you breathless as Jack Aitken fights to save his family, his soul, and humanity itself from the essence of pure evil.
About the novel’s thrilling conclusion, editor Emily Marquart stated, “I loved the twists and turns, and I honestly had no idea how it would pan out!”
Get ready to travel Route 666, the Highway to Hell!
- GenresHorrorParanormal
380 pages, Paperback
Published September 8, 2021
233 people are currently reading
157 people want to read
About the author
J.D. Toepfer
6 books12 followersBorn and raised on Long Island, New York, J.D. Toepfer studied political science and history at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. He has lived in Northern Virginia for more than two decades, where he works in risk management, helping others identify threats before they surface.
His fiction explores what happens when danger is ignored, underestimated, or inherited. Writing primarily in horror and paranormal fiction, he is drawn to stories where faith is tested, history refuses to stay buried, and ordinary people are forced to confront forces that do not intend to let go.
The Highway to Hell series began after discovering a real road tied to a local legend on the outskirts of Culpeper, Virginia. That encounter sparked a deeper exploration of how place, belief, and long memory shape the stories we tell, and the ones we survive.
When not writing, J.D. enjoys quieter pursuits, including long walks with his wife, Christina, time with his adult sons, and tending his garden; moments that often give rise to the next story.
His fiction explores what happens when danger is ignored, underestimated, or inherited. Writing primarily in horror and paranormal fiction, he is drawn to stories where faith is tested, history refuses to stay buried, and ordinary people are forced to confront forces that do not intend to let go.
The Highway to Hell series began after discovering a real road tied to a local legend on the outskirts of Culpeper, Virginia. That encounter sparked a deeper exploration of how place, belief, and long memory shape the stories we tell, and the ones we survive.
When not writing, J.D. enjoys quieter pursuits, including long walks with his wife, Christina, time with his adult sons, and tending his garden; moments that often give rise to the next story.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
October 28, 2021
Not a fan of horror. This kept me on the edge of my seat. Wanted to find out what happened so I kept at it. But it scared me. Great plot. Great characters. Highly recommend
November 25, 2021
My Ranking 4 stars
I picked this up because it was around Halloween time, and I wanted something scary. It didn’t scare me but it sure was creepy! J.D Toepfer sure has a way with words. His descriptions of some of the scenes in this book were downright eerie! There’s this one part in the story he is describing this area where the literal gate of Hell is. The description of the surroundings made it sound like hell was trying to burn its way through that part of the earth to be opened. This story was magnificent. I did feel like it was a little wordy in parts but that’s ok. He did a great job describing everything well enough to make you feel like you were there with the MC. Of course, I loved the villain of the story. One thing I did not care for was how heavy on the religious side this book was. I’m non-religious, so that part of things just wasn’t interesting to me. I expected there to be some since it was a hell-centered book. I guess I just expected more demons and less biblical stuff. However, I would still HIGHLY recommend this book to others.
I picked this up because it was around Halloween time, and I wanted something scary. It didn’t scare me but it sure was creepy! J.D Toepfer sure has a way with words. His descriptions of some of the scenes in this book were downright eerie! There’s this one part in the story he is describing this area where the literal gate of Hell is. The description of the surroundings made it sound like hell was trying to burn its way through that part of the earth to be opened. This story was magnificent. I did feel like it was a little wordy in parts but that’s ok. He did a great job describing everything well enough to make you feel like you were there with the MC. Of course, I loved the villain of the story. One thing I did not care for was how heavy on the religious side this book was. I’m non-religious, so that part of things just wasn’t interesting to me. I expected there to be some since it was a hell-centered book. I guess I just expected more demons and less biblical stuff. However, I would still HIGHLY recommend this book to others.
April 6, 2023
Confusing at times but exciting ride.
February 16, 2023
Jack Aitken could have never imagined that the seemingly innocuous idea of penning a book would instead open the door to a nightmare of biblical proportions. Adrift in life and wondering what had happened to all the dreams he once held, Jack found vigor and purpose in his plan to write, throwing himself into research regarding Native American legends, reported odd occurrences, and anything else he could find regarding route 666 in rural Virginia. He soon found that legends often have a basis in truth and that route 666 was indeed on the path to Hell. With the literal balance of good and evil at stake, Jack has to rely on the aid of an old friend, a strength he never knew existed, and faith in a God he had long felt removed from to save life as he knew it.
Route 666: Highway to Hell by J.D. Toepher is an incredible thriller with twists and turns that continue up to the last page. Combining various elements and themes that cover a broad spectrum, Toepher risks overloading his book with too much information and plot lines. However, at no point does the book venture into that territory; each new character and story melds perfectly into the action already in play. Meticulous research was done in the process of writing this book (mirroring Jack’s own journey, but hopefully with better results!) as Toepher places everyone in context, down to the religious rituals and history.
Hopelessness, redemption, the ideas of good and evil, and doing the wrong things for the right reasons are the themes that keep the narrative rolling in this book. Jack is written as a complex character and supplied with enough backstory to truly be a complete and well-rounded character, easy to feel sorry for as he travels his unfortunate path. However, as each layer unravels and every new twist is revealed, it soon becomes obvious that there’s no way to predict what will happen next.
Route 666: Highway to Hell is a suspenseful horror that gives readers bits of historical information, occult and supernatural, all combined into a thrilling read. It is extremely well written, and the ending will leave readers shocked. In addition, the background and history in the book are interesting enough to encourage you to look further into those aspects of it. I hope to see more from Toepher in the future because this was a fantastic thriller!
Route 666: Highway to Hell by J.D. Toepher is an incredible thriller with twists and turns that continue up to the last page. Combining various elements and themes that cover a broad spectrum, Toepher risks overloading his book with too much information and plot lines. However, at no point does the book venture into that territory; each new character and story melds perfectly into the action already in play. Meticulous research was done in the process of writing this book (mirroring Jack’s own journey, but hopefully with better results!) as Toepher places everyone in context, down to the religious rituals and history.
Hopelessness, redemption, the ideas of good and evil, and doing the wrong things for the right reasons are the themes that keep the narrative rolling in this book. Jack is written as a complex character and supplied with enough backstory to truly be a complete and well-rounded character, easy to feel sorry for as he travels his unfortunate path. However, as each layer unravels and every new twist is revealed, it soon becomes obvious that there’s no way to predict what will happen next.
Route 666: Highway to Hell is a suspenseful horror that gives readers bits of historical information, occult and supernatural, all combined into a thrilling read. It is extremely well written, and the ending will leave readers shocked. In addition, the background and history in the book are interesting enough to encourage you to look further into those aspects of it. I hope to see more from Toepher in the future because this was a fantastic thriller!
February 11, 2024
"Route 666: Highway to Hell" kept me on the edge of my seat. There was a lot of just drinking and talking when Jack was telling his story, but it was not boring. The telling of his story built the suspense. When it was time to fight, the reader felt the urgency. I believe that the battle between good and evil is very real, and I felt the emotion of the characters. When the twist came, I was completely thrown. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading book 2.
This book is listed as "horror suspense". I suppose the satanic stuff is why it is considered horror. For me, it really didn't feel like horror, although it was dark. Suspense for sure fits.
This book is listed as "horror suspense". I suppose the satanic stuff is why it is considered horror. For me, it really didn't feel like horror, although it was dark. Suspense for sure fits.
May 15, 2023
Fantastic
Thoroughly enjoyed, could not put it down; will make an amazing film one day, definitely looking forward to rhe next book
Thoroughly enjoyed, could not put it down; will make an amazing film one day, definitely looking forward to rhe next book
September 9, 2023
Gave it up about one quarter of the way through.... Dark, disgusting, and redolent of pure evil. No way was I going to slug through this!
February 23, 2023
Could not get into this one bit. i gave up to early so can't comment.
Life's to short.
Life's to short.
June 4, 2024
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author via Voracious Readers Only in exchange for a review
I really enjoyed this book, the characters and their stories were interesting, very human and relateable. It took a little while to get into the scary part, having said that, I actually enjoyed the lead up to the main event. J.D. Toepfer really knows how to set the scene and make you feel like you're there with the characters and one thing I love in any story is details and Route 666: Highway to Hell has that in spades
I really enjoyed this book, the characters and their stories were interesting, very human and relateable. It took a little while to get into the scary part, having said that, I actually enjoyed the lead up to the main event. J.D. Toepfer really knows how to set the scene and make you feel like you're there with the characters and one thing I love in any story is details and Route 666: Highway to Hell has that in spades
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews