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Light At The End
A stunning debut novella that severs the heart with horror and sutures it with hope.
Gordon would give anything to have Wyatt back. He'd risk and sacrifice all he holds sacred to hear his child's voice again. Nothing will bring that voice back. The dead are dead and they do not speak...
But they listen. They hear. And sometimes... they heed the call.
The dead cannot touch, but they can guide. They cannot ask, but they can answer. They have no voice... but they can lie.
Wyatt's restless spirit returns to point the way to his killer. Gordon failed his son. He can't bring him back, but he can bring him justice. Whatever it takes, whatever the cost, he'll pay it. Anything for his boy. Anything.
“Light at the End is a bloody tale of vengeance that transcends life and death. Henry Jones has crafted a unique blend of James Ellroy and Don Winslow, with achingly real characters driven by heartbreaking loss towards the hope for redemption and forgiveness."
—Graham McNeill, New York Times bestselling author of A Thousand Sons
"Henry Jones has taken one of the hardest subjects any writer can face—endangered children—and written a story as heartfelt as it is breathtaking and inventive. Light At The End will astonish you as it wrings you out."
—Smith Henderson, author of Fourth of July Creek
"Light At The End is a powerful debut, both wrenching and thrilling. Henry Jones has crafted a harrowing tale that blends action and phantasm which will break your heart and mend it again."
—Ivy Pochoda, author of Visitation Street
"Light at The End is an old-school crime noir, and my favorite kind of ghost story, too. It is, at turns, loving, terrifying and heartbreaking. I couldn't ask for anything more."
—Geoff Herbach, author of Stupid Fast and Hooper
“A genre-bending gut punch of revenge and redemption. Jones wields a sentence like a meat cleaver, cutting to the emotional bone. A must read for fans of crime drama and the supernatural.”
—Steven S. DeKnight, Executive Producer, Spartacus & Marvel’s Daredevil
"To be a writer you have to have a God complex. But you also have to have a Satan one. Because the devil is in the details. And Henry Jones has just served up a piece of fugitive-style noir so detailed, so impressive and insightful and plotted, that the title, Light At The End, well, you just hope hope hope hope it’s true. No matter what you’ve done. If you like crime, and I do. Probably too much. If you love stories that matter, and they’re the only ones I care about, then read this. You’ll thank me every time you do. And Zach Brunner’s illustrations are pitch perfect. Pitch black perfect."
—Jim Krueger, Eisner Award Winning writer of Earth X, Justice and Foot Soldiers
About the author
HENRY’s written for film, television, video games, commercials, some other things he forgot, and he made up fake reviews for a dining app. This is his first novella. Lucky you. If he wanted you to know more about him, he'd have penned an autobiography.
About the illustrator
ZACH is a New York-based illustrator who has been drawing professionally for the past ten years. His career has spanned from commercial storyboards, to comics, to concept art.
Gordon would give anything to have Wyatt back. He'd risk and sacrifice all he holds sacred to hear his child's voice again. Nothing will bring that voice back. The dead are dead and they do not speak...
But they listen. They hear. And sometimes... they heed the call.
The dead cannot touch, but they can guide. They cannot ask, but they can answer. They have no voice... but they can lie.
Wyatt's restless spirit returns to point the way to his killer. Gordon failed his son. He can't bring him back, but he can bring him justice. Whatever it takes, whatever the cost, he'll pay it. Anything for his boy. Anything.
“Light at the End is a bloody tale of vengeance that transcends life and death. Henry Jones has crafted a unique blend of James Ellroy and Don Winslow, with achingly real characters driven by heartbreaking loss towards the hope for redemption and forgiveness."
—Graham McNeill, New York Times bestselling author of A Thousand Sons
"Henry Jones has taken one of the hardest subjects any writer can face—endangered children—and written a story as heartfelt as it is breathtaking and inventive. Light At The End will astonish you as it wrings you out."
—Smith Henderson, author of Fourth of July Creek
"Light At The End is a powerful debut, both wrenching and thrilling. Henry Jones has crafted a harrowing tale that blends action and phantasm which will break your heart and mend it again."
—Ivy Pochoda, author of Visitation Street
"Light at The End is an old-school crime noir, and my favorite kind of ghost story, too. It is, at turns, loving, terrifying and heartbreaking. I couldn't ask for anything more."
—Geoff Herbach, author of Stupid Fast and Hooper
“A genre-bending gut punch of revenge and redemption. Jones wields a sentence like a meat cleaver, cutting to the emotional bone. A must read for fans of crime drama and the supernatural.”
—Steven S. DeKnight, Executive Producer, Spartacus & Marvel’s Daredevil
"To be a writer you have to have a God complex. But you also have to have a Satan one. Because the devil is in the details. And Henry Jones has just served up a piece of fugitive-style noir so detailed, so impressive and insightful and plotted, that the title, Light At The End, well, you just hope hope hope hope it’s true. No matter what you’ve done. If you like crime, and I do. Probably too much. If you love stories that matter, and they’re the only ones I care about, then read this. You’ll thank me every time you do. And Zach Brunner’s illustrations are pitch perfect. Pitch black perfect."
—Jim Krueger, Eisner Award Winning writer of Earth X, Justice and Foot Soldiers
About the author
HENRY’s written for film, television, video games, commercials, some other things he forgot, and he made up fake reviews for a dining app. This is his first novella. Lucky you. If he wanted you to know more about him, he'd have penned an autobiography.
About the illustrator
ZACH is a New York-based illustrator who has been drawing professionally for the past ten years. His career has spanned from commercial storyboards, to comics, to concept art.
138 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 16, 2021
5 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
March 6, 2022
Rating: 4.5/5.0
“Light At The End” is smart and riveting.
Read full review in the 2022 March issue of InD'tale Magazine.
“Light At The End” is smart and riveting.
Read full review in the 2022 March issue of InD'tale Magazine.
November 25, 2021
Henry writes like a demon. But a sweet demon, one that will give you good recipes before tearing out your heart
September 1, 2022
It's funny, given that one of the best stories I think I've written is Drawn In (a short novel about soul collection), that I often struggle with books and films where things slip into the supernatural. Or at least I think I do. I suppose it's down to the way it's handled by the author or director as to whether I buy into it or not. Perhaps the key is that it's just understood from the off that this is the way it is and that attempts to explain the rules of the realm are kept to a minimum.
On reflection, I can think immediately of work I've really enjoyed: The Sixth Sense, Blackbirds by Chuck Wendig, Stephen Blackmore's Eric Carter books, A Christmas Carol.
Another key factor in enjoying such titles is the journey of the central character. If it's exciting enough, packs an emotional punch, holds their feet to the flames and forces them to come to terms with something they struggle to accept, then I'm probably in.
Light At The End ticks all of the important boxes.
Gordon's doing his son's dirty work. It's not something he enjoys, but he believes that in following Wyatt's instructions that he might somehow fix things and settle his own conscience. Wyatt, directing his father to avenge terrible acts against children, is driven to make the world a better place and is also dead, something I accepted from the off because it was introduced so quickly and clearly that it just became the way it was. Besides, there was much more going on in the story to keep me from giving the supernatural element a second thought.
While Gordon is clearing the world of scumbags, the police are chasing down a killer who seems to have an uncanny way of uncovering horrible events that were previously hidden. How is the killer getting their information and how come the police are always a step or two behind?
The relationship between father and son is terrific. The police work is handled with energy and tension. There are action scenes and those that will have you thinking. On top of an excellent plot, already layered with conflict, you have to factor in writing that's tight and effective throughout- words aren't wasted, there's no fluff or fill, and each step accelerates forward to a conclusion that really could go in a number of directions.
In short, a fantastic story that's brilliantly told.
Loved it.
On reflection, I can think immediately of work I've really enjoyed: The Sixth Sense, Blackbirds by Chuck Wendig, Stephen Blackmore's Eric Carter books, A Christmas Carol.
Another key factor in enjoying such titles is the journey of the central character. If it's exciting enough, packs an emotional punch, holds their feet to the flames and forces them to come to terms with something they struggle to accept, then I'm probably in.
Light At The End ticks all of the important boxes.
Gordon's doing his son's dirty work. It's not something he enjoys, but he believes that in following Wyatt's instructions that he might somehow fix things and settle his own conscience. Wyatt, directing his father to avenge terrible acts against children, is driven to make the world a better place and is also dead, something I accepted from the off because it was introduced so quickly and clearly that it just became the way it was. Besides, there was much more going on in the story to keep me from giving the supernatural element a second thought.
While Gordon is clearing the world of scumbags, the police are chasing down a killer who seems to have an uncanny way of uncovering horrible events that were previously hidden. How is the killer getting their information and how come the police are always a step or two behind?
The relationship between father and son is terrific. The police work is handled with energy and tension. There are action scenes and those that will have you thinking. On top of an excellent plot, already layered with conflict, you have to factor in writing that's tight and effective throughout- words aren't wasted, there's no fluff or fill, and each step accelerates forward to a conclusion that really could go in a number of directions.
In short, a fantastic story that's brilliantly told.
Loved it.
March 7, 2022
March 2022 InD’tale review:
https://indtale.com/reviews/suspense-...
https://indtale.com/reviews/suspense-...
April 24, 2024
Taut and effective
January 7, 2022
Great read!
Do you love a good story? Then read this story if will blow you away. Great writers do not always come along often, don’t miss this one
Do you love a good story? Then read this story if will blow you away. Great writers do not always come along often, don’t miss this one
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews