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The Old Castle Chronicles
Billy's Experiment: An Old Castle Novel
A dark tale of mistaken identity...
On the night of a lunar eclipse, park ranger Bill Steward rescues a baby from a strange band of misfits on the misty moors of Old Castle's national park.
Seven autumns later, Bill and his wife, Dorothy, discover a ghastly experiment in a treehouse and a mysterious medical prescription written in a childish scribble.
Bill realises what he'd observed on the moors seven autumns ago wasn't what it seemed. Who was saving who, exactly?
Just as Bill's eclipse is beginning, so, too, is Billy's.
On the night of a lunar eclipse, park ranger Bill Steward rescues a baby from a strange band of misfits on the misty moors of Old Castle's national park.
Seven autumns later, Bill and his wife, Dorothy, discover a ghastly experiment in a treehouse and a mysterious medical prescription written in a childish scribble.
Bill realises what he'd observed on the moors seven autumns ago wasn't what it seemed. Who was saving who, exactly?
Just as Bill's eclipse is beginning, so, too, is Billy's.
420 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 19, 2022
123 people are currently reading
1716 people want to read
About the author
Jonathan Dunne
25 books1,302 followers
Jonathan's next novel will be psychological/supernatural horror Mummy: An Old Castle Novel coming 2026!
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
Jonathan's supernatural horror The Reek: An Old Castle Novel is slated for release late 2026!
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
Supernatural horror Halfway House: An Old Castle Novel coming early 2027!
https://tinyurl.com/338zumv8
OUT NOW! Dead Air Vol 2 of The Dead Series in Kindle, paperback, and hardback! Audiobook read by the author.
https://a.co/d/76KU54N
OUT NOW! The Boneyard: Short Fictions of the Morbid and Macabre Vol 2 of short horror collection The Boneyard Series.
https://a.co/d/gnGHpMP
OUT NOW! The Boneyard: Short Fictions of the Morbid and Macabre Vol 1 of short horror collection The Boneyard Series. Keep an eye out for Vol 2 in the coming weeks!
https://a.co/d/2i8iwB9
OUT NOW! Fireman in Kindle, paperback, and hardback! Audiobook read by the author.
https://a.co/d/9PJLr30
Jonathan has an exciting lineup of new horror titles in progress. To stay updated on his latest horror offerings, be sure to follow him on his Amazon author page and Goodreads. Jonathan writes dark fiction and hangs around the local cemetery more often than is healthy, whether in his homeland of Limerick, Ireland or his second home in Toledo, Spain. He will be in the mountains if he isn't at the cemetery. Jonathan holds a BA in Literature.
Jonathan's audiobooks YouTube page (work in progress):
https://www.youtube.com/@JonathanDunn...
Jonathan's Amazon Page:
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
August 12, 2024
3.25 stars
August 30, 2022
Billy’s Experiment is a uniquely intriguing kind of story. It starts on Halloween night when trick or treating is ongoing. A group of strangely dressed individuals go marching through the town seemingly unconcerned about traffic or other people or any other obstacle. Bill, the park ranger witnesses this group as they march and notices that one of them seems to be carrying a baby – and they are chanting strange meaningless sounds. Bill, thinking it might be some kind of cult that is going to sacrifice the baby or something, rescues the baby, and he and his wife keep him and name him Billy. Billy is a bit of a strange child, but he’s very smart especially when it comes to science. And he is working on an experiment.
It is a different kind of horror novel than the usual ghosts and monsters. I highly recommend it.
It is a different kind of horror novel than the usual ghosts and monsters. I highly recommend it.
October 3, 2022
It’s Halloween night and to top it off it’s the night of a blood moon eclipse. Park ranger Bill Steward is investigating a group of trick or treaters that have entered the park unlawfully after hours. But these people aren’t kids and the costumes are far from normal. They are chanting and one of them is carrying something. It’s a baby! Do they plan to use the child as a sacrifice? Bill somehow manages to save the newborn, wraps it’s cold body in his coat and takes it home. Home!? Shouldn’t the boy baby be turned into authorities to find the baby’s frantic parents? Of course, but Bill who is pretty traumatised isn’t thinking straight. He wants his wife Dorothy to experience the warmth of his little body so he takes the baby home and puts him in the bed between them. You see the Sewards lost their own baby fairly recently to cancer. Bill and Dorothy Seward keep the baby they call Billy and pass him off as their own. It seems no one has reported a missing child. But there are some strange things about the boy, very strange, yet they love him.
Seven years later, Bill and Dorothy, discover a ghastly experiment in a treehouse and a mysterious medical prescription written in a childish scribble.
Bill realises what he’d observed on the moors seven autumns ago wasn’t what it seemed. Who was saving who, exactly?
I felt the text was a little wordy toward the end but the writing here is gripping and creepy, great novel of horror!
Seven years later, Bill and Dorothy, discover a ghastly experiment in a treehouse and a mysterious medical prescription written in a childish scribble.
Bill realises what he’d observed on the moors seven autumns ago wasn’t what it seemed. Who was saving who, exactly?
I felt the text was a little wordy toward the end but the writing here is gripping and creepy, great novel of horror!
September 20, 2022
Enjoyable read.
Definitely not the same old story line was a nice change of pace. Will make sure to read more by this author.
Definitely not the same old story line was a nice change of pace. Will make sure to read more by this author.
October 4, 2023
Get ready for a NEW type of horror and way of being scared! You will NEVER think of Halloween night in the same way again! LOVED this horror tale from the other side of the pond!
Mrs. Ganush (if you do NOT know who she is, look her up!) has NOTHING on Old Hag Mrs. Downes! This book ruined Halloween for me forever, and then terrified me over and over again right up until the last devastating page! Highly recommended for anyone who loves Halloween night, and a great scary horror tale.....but be ready this deals with losing a small child.
Bill and Dorothy Steward are losing their 3 year old son to cancer. If that is not bad enough he passes on Halloween night.
A year later.
Halloween Night.
Bill witnesses a sight that he is NOT soon to ever forget.....an infant being held upside down by its ankle by a cult member who is getting ready to sacrifice it. What Bill does is something that will forever stay in my mind and will change Halloween for me for a Lonnnnnggggg time! This begins the horror novel "Billys Experiment" by Jonathan Dunne. Thanks for scaring the shit out of me AGAIN in such a completely different way than I have ever been scared before. Clever and phenomenal writer, and his technique for writing horror and narrating his own books are the BEST.
5 SCREAMS all the way!
Mrs. Ganush (if you do NOT know who she is, look her up!) has NOTHING on Old Hag Mrs. Downes! This book ruined Halloween for me forever, and then terrified me over and over again right up until the last devastating page! Highly recommended for anyone who loves Halloween night, and a great scary horror tale.....but be ready this deals with losing a small child.
Bill and Dorothy Steward are losing their 3 year old son to cancer. If that is not bad enough he passes on Halloween night.
A year later.
Halloween Night.
Bill witnesses a sight that he is NOT soon to ever forget.....an infant being held upside down by its ankle by a cult member who is getting ready to sacrifice it. What Bill does is something that will forever stay in my mind and will change Halloween for me for a Lonnnnnggggg time! This begins the horror novel "Billys Experiment" by Jonathan Dunne. Thanks for scaring the shit out of me AGAIN in such a completely different way than I have ever been scared before. Clever and phenomenal writer, and his technique for writing horror and narrating his own books are the BEST.
5 SCREAMS all the way!
September 2, 2022
Page turner but gruesome subject. Not my genre.
September 6, 2023
This book was AMAZING!! It was something like I’ve never read before and I highly recommend it! 🤩
July 23, 2022
There is just something about the way the author writes. A creepy and foreboding atmosphere starting from page one and I felt I was a part of the story. Relatable characters and a great ambiguous ending!
November 26, 2024
Odd Billy really grew on me... A bit like black mold.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 21, 2022
Disclaimer: I received this book in return for a review.
Billy's Experiment with the main character in the hospital holding vigil over his young child who is dying of cancer. Later, on Halloween, a group of strange looking adult trick or treaters is seen walking through town and into the nearby national park. The main character, a park ranger, confronts them when he sees them with a baby, and what appears to be some kind of ritual involving the baby. He gets the child away from them and, for some reason, instead of turning it over to the police, hides it from them and takes it home, where he and his wife raise it as their own, naming him Billy. Then things get weird. Most of the action occurs 7 years later, and their very strange child starts to exhibit an incredible genius for chemical biology. I'm not going to say any more, since you should absolutely read this and discover it for yourself. I found this story to be very engaging, filled with horrific and disturbing imagery. If you like horror stories, you definitely want to read this.
Billy's Experiment with the main character in the hospital holding vigil over his young child who is dying of cancer. Later, on Halloween, a group of strange looking adult trick or treaters is seen walking through town and into the nearby national park. The main character, a park ranger, confronts them when he sees them with a baby, and what appears to be some kind of ritual involving the baby. He gets the child away from them and, for some reason, instead of turning it over to the police, hides it from them and takes it home, where he and his wife raise it as their own, naming him Billy. Then things get weird. Most of the action occurs 7 years later, and their very strange child starts to exhibit an incredible genius for chemical biology. I'm not going to say any more, since you should absolutely read this and discover it for yourself. I found this story to be very engaging, filled with horrific and disturbing imagery. If you like horror stories, you definitely want to read this.
February 6, 2023
What an unusual tale
I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway
This is an incredibly creative book. I can honestly say I've never read one even close to this as far as it's unusual nature.
I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway
This is an incredibly creative book. I can honestly say I've never read one even close to this as far as it's unusual nature.
August 4, 2022
My kind of creepy! Enjoyed this book!
August 5, 2022
Should be a movie
August 10, 2022
Now THIS is a classy horror story. Pure tension amd suspense from the first page. And a superb ending. A classoc feel about it.
August 28, 2022
I really loved this Horror, definitely up there with the best of them!
November 17, 2022
Awesome book!
Billy's Experiment was an awesome book. I enjoyed the book a lot and couldn't stop reading it I recommend this book. 😀
Billy's Experiment was an awesome book. I enjoyed the book a lot and couldn't stop reading it I recommend this book. 😀
March 5, 2023
Mould,,Mold
Mould will get a hold of you, Damp caves ,basement s, or in a casket or in a damp mouldy house.Your pick if you even have a choice,,,, dutch
Mould will get a hold of you, Damp caves ,basement s, or in a casket or in a damp mouldy house.Your pick if you even have a choice,,,, dutch
March 14, 2023
The story was excellent. I was surprised by the ending. I didn't expect that.
July 22, 2022
Read this in one day! 10 hours. Couldn't put it down! And what about that ending! OMG, didn't see it coming!
July 20, 2023
Solo hay cuatro audiolibros en Scribd, pero espero encontrar más, los cuatro me han parecido muy, muy disfrutables (la narración del autor suma también).
October 6, 2023
Unsettling and gripping. Great conclusion. Everything I like in a horror book.
August 7, 2022
Billy's Experiment by Jonathan Dunne hooked me in from the beginning. This is a tale of horror, a thriller and a mystery all wrapped up into one. It has been many years since I've dug into the horror genre and boy did I strike gold with this one. Billy's Experiment is well written, has fantastic characters an flows along never losing momentum. Jonathan Dunne has created a tale that's both creepy and suspenseful and keeps your mind guessing. I highly recommend Billy's Experiment and hope to read more from this author!
I won a copy of Billy's Experiment from Goodreads Giveaways.
I won a copy of Billy's Experiment from Goodreads Giveaways.
August 1, 2022
Fasten Your Seatbelt
Excellent story! I was there, hanging on at every turn. This story conjures up every emotion known to man and keeps you frantically turning pages to glimpse what's coming at you. Just awesome. Thank you again Mr. Dunne.
Excellent story! I was there, hanging on at every turn. This story conjures up every emotion known to man and keeps you frantically turning pages to glimpse what's coming at you. Just awesome. Thank you again Mr. Dunne.
December 5, 2024
I really liked this book! It surprised me. I thought it was going one way, then about halfway in it went a very different direction. Probably 4.25 stars from me!
February 20, 2023
What an Insane Read!!
Bill Steward is a park ranger and he's having a crazy Halloween night. He saves a baby from the clutches of what seems to have been some type of cult.
But does he take the baby to the police dept.? No. Why? Because Bill and his wife Dorothy lost their son a year ago to cancer and through their shared grief they decide to keep the baby as their own in the hopes that no one else is missing their child.
But this is no ordinary child, that doesn't have a belly button, and the Stewards are about to realize a bigger picture is in play that could change the entire world.
Enjoyed this very much!! Very different and original!! Will be reading more of this guy!!
Bill Steward is a park ranger and he's having a crazy Halloween night. He saves a baby from the clutches of what seems to have been some type of cult.
But does he take the baby to the police dept.? No. Why? Because Bill and his wife Dorothy lost their son a year ago to cancer and through their shared grief they decide to keep the baby as their own in the hopes that no one else is missing their child.
But this is no ordinary child, that doesn't have a belly button, and the Stewards are about to realize a bigger picture is in play that could change the entire world.
Enjoyed this very much!! Very different and original!! Will be reading more of this guy!!
April 17, 2023
La la ma mould
A different type of horror story, to be sure. The descriptions were vivid and frightening and the story line an original concept. I had the impression, though, that English wasn't the author's first language because of some of the phrasing. It wasn't necessarily wrong, but slightly off, like a piano out of tune. All in all, a good read.
A different type of horror story, to be sure. The descriptions were vivid and frightening and the story line an original concept. I had the impression, though, that English wasn't the author's first language because of some of the phrasing. It wasn't necessarily wrong, but slightly off, like a piano out of tune. All in all, a good read.
July 24, 2022
Original and great horror story!
July 25, 2022
Love this! Steadily building crescendo of madness!
August 24, 2022
OMG, creepy, funny, mystery, horror. I want more!
June 3, 2023
Billy's experiment
This book was something different, beautiful, horrible, at moments so funny and equally so sad. The ending was not the one i was hoping for, and still, I wasn't surprised by it. It's a long, beautiful story about a boy who wasn't a boy at all. I don't regret a minute of reading it.
This book was something different, beautiful, horrible, at moments so funny and equally so sad. The ending was not the one i was hoping for, and still, I wasn't surprised by it. It's a long, beautiful story about a boy who wasn't a boy at all. I don't regret a minute of reading it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews