SummerHome

by Thomas R. Clark

After Maureen Coleman is diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's, her children bring her to live at SummerHome. As her condition deteriorates, siblings Sean Spencer and Meghan Coleman are unsure if they have made the correct decision. They grow concerned when their mother claims to see the ghost of her dead husband, and a series of tragic, unexplained events impact the community. Now, with the residents of SummerHome believing their complex is haunted, the world-famous Para-Hunters come in to investigate. The ghost hunters soon learn this isn't a typical haunting. Because slinking through the shadows is an evil, unleashed from underneath the Mound nearly 300 years ago, and it doesn't want to go back.

Genres: Horror

370 pages, Paperback

Published June 26, 2022

About the author

Thomas R Clark is a musician, writer, and podcast producer & engineer. He is a two-time Splatterpunk Award Nominee for his novella BELLA'S BOYS and the short story Fireflies & Apple Pies (in THE GOD PROVIDES). His books include GOOD BOY, and THE DEATH LIST-published through Stitched Smile Publications, and A PRAYER FROM THE DEAD, THE GOD PROVIDES and SUMMERHOME, from St. Rooster Books. His most recent collection, IMMORAL DILEMMAS, is currently available. Tom's journalism has appeared in Rue Morgue, This Is Infamous, Memento Mori Ink, and House of Stitched Magazine. He lives in Central New York with his wife and their canine companions.

Reviews

[Stitching Ghost · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a strange blend this one was. A mix of folksy horror in a modern setting and irreverent horror comedy, but somehow it worked.

[Corrina Morse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summerhome is a haunted nursing home….
Maureens children move her into Summerhome, where she is unwillingly reacquainted with her husband, her dead husband. She starts having violent outbursts, is it part of her Alzheimers, or something more sinister? Does it run in the family?

This story starts off as a fun, creepy little read and then it just gets darker and more sinister as the book proceeds. It lulls you into a real false sense of security and then throws you right into the hellish deep end, complete with witchcraft, rituals, sacrifice, possession, horrific hallucinations, Fae magic, pensioner porn, dark secrets, a nightmare inducing cat, and the lingering stench of death!

For a debut novel this was a really great read! The deaths were fantastically creative and brutal. There was good character and situation setups from the start. It was jam packed, creepy, brutal, haunting and hilarious. A real, smooth, easy read that was riveting and very addictive! I got Insidious vibes from this one too! 🖤

Tommy is definitely one to watch!

#hauntednursinghome

[Zachary Ashford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heaps of fun. Went places I didn't expect it to. Made me laugh. Kept me turning the page. What but do you want?

[Pan | Book Reviews and Recommendations · Rating 5 out of 5]

The awesome people of St Rooster Press and the master of SplatterFolk horror, Thomas R. Clark, managed to unleash another sublime literary beast in the form of 'SummerHome'.

The events of the story unfold right after Maureen Coleman is diagnosed with early stages of Alzheimer's and her children take her to live at SummerHome.

As her family bares witness to her slow deterioration , concerns arise if they have made the right decision as their mother claims to see the ghost of her dead husband.

The situation becomes a horrifying experience when a series of tragic, unexplained events impact the community and the residents of SummerHome claim their complex is haunted.

Enter Para-Hunters. The world famous ghosts hunters come in to investigate only to find out that what's happening at SummerHome is not a typical haunting.
An ancient evil entity lurks in the shadows, thirsty and eager to claim lives.

Superb in every possible way, deep and dark, complex and yet fast paced with fantaticly penned characters and a plot that will hug you tighter than Cthulhu's tentacles, Thomas R. Clark has achieved creating a true horror gem.

Masterfully blending the aesthetics of 'The Visit', 'The Taking of Deborah Logan' with Paul Tremblay's 'Head Full of Ghosts' and Adam Nevill's 'The Reddening' and 'Cunning Folk' sprinkled brilliantly with some Mark Towse humor and geriatric horrors; This is an altogether unique beast on its own. One that I definitely see in my top 3 novels of the year.

The author produced wonderful horror stories in the form of 'The Death List', 'Bella's Boys', 'Good Boy' and the magnificent (and personal favorite) 'The God Provides', but 'SummerHome' brings everything together and solidifies his fantastic brand of horror.

The story plays in your head like a movie, a thing that makes the events in the book terrifying to the maximum.
Terrifying not only for the horror that happens to the characters but also for the possibility of a condition like Alzheimer's being very close to each and every one of us reading this.

Terrific. Sublime work from an author that I'm eager to see what he has to offer next.
Dare to read this book. It will devastate and terrify you and you will love every sentence and ask for more.

[Nicholas Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was Splatterfolk, by the man who embraces this genre, Thomas R. Clark!

I liked this story, but i’m not going to lie, it fell short for me in the beginning, hence why I dropped a star. Tensions did build and even though the jokes didn’t land at times for me, the story progressed well and the ending was was this story’s saving grace!

There were some brutal scenes, which were awesome! I really did enjoy this one. The writing is fantastic and the monster is one I rarely read about, so that was cool!

Overall, I give this story 4/5 stars. Slow build up, but the ending is worth the wait!

[Lisa Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could write forever about the depth and complexities of the story, but it’s important to first note that it is a good story. It’s entertaining, engaging, evocative. It has laugh-out-loud moments and I-might-hurl moments (seriously, Tom, I was eating during that one scene with … oh, no spoilers). It has moments that are like a knife to the heart and other like a knife to the mind. It has tension, suspense, and diverse characters.

And oh, the characters! This is a truly diverse lot, a realistically diverse representation of real people and real life. They are believable, likeable, unlikeable, and entertaining in their interaction with one another. The O’Connors leave a specific and lasting impression, but I won’t tell you why, that would spoil it.

In addition to the horror and the humor, the suspense and the action and the pure entertainment are the layers of the story itself and all they encompass. Summerhome ties in with and ties together some of Clark’s other books, forming and cementing the bloody and brutal world and mythos he has created, a world where horrors past and present come together in ways otherwise unimaginable.

Summerhome is about our history and our ancestors living within us and around us. Influencing us. Controlling us. It’s about the collision of dark lore and darker contemporary realities. It’s about the confines of old age, Alzheimer’s, addiction, and obligation. It’s a poignant and graphic tale, a combination of folklore and Splatterpunk that grabs you by both the mind and guts and twists them together into balloon animals that will lurk in the shadows of your thoughts for days.

The synopsis does not really do justice to this story. It’s not just a ghost hunter story. The investigators are only a part of the story as a whole. This is a fully fleshed story. Read it because it is horror entertainment or read it because it’s more than that. If you can handle the graphic intensity of the extreme, read it.

[Gina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this. I came across this novel when I attended a vender fair where the author was present, and left with a copy.

Sean is working at a furniture company, where there is an inside joke that the original owners haunt the building. He is kind of annoyed with his sister Meghan, as she tends to call him while he is at work about their mother. However, this time is slightly different, as their mother has supposedly seen the ghost of her dead husband.

The other characters that live in the assisted living home are so vibrant. Despite the fact that many of them were not big in the overall story, they are extremely memorable, and I absolutely love this.

Later on in the novel, we learn that Maureen is a host to spirits of the past, which is made possible by a demon cat? A lot of weird deaths occur at SummerHome, which brings the presence of ghost hunters. Sean and Meghan are originally against this, but later change their minds. When Maureen dies, the spirits enter Meghan against her will and start trying to go after her brother. The spirits need to kill Sean to finish a ritual.

The only thing that can stop them is at Sean's workplace.

There was one scene towards the end that caught me completely off guard, where possessed Meghan is naked for some reason and sexualizes herself? It just came out of nowhere, and had nothing to do with the plot or the characters.

But other than that, I did thoroughly enjoy this book.

[Christina Eleanor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summerhome is a harrowing tale that brings to light the sentiment what we don’t know, will hurt us! Meghan’s Mom is an elderly woman with a lot of secrets. She has recently been diagnosed with Dementia and is going down-hill quickly with a knowledge that she refuses to relinquish. Meghan and her brother decide to put her in Summerhome where she can continue to be as independent as possible but still get help when she needs it. Little do they know, there is darkness in every corner.

Summerhome residents see and feel things that they are not entirely sure is real. Some residents have no idea that something is going on and live their life as they see fit. A paranormal team gets word that the residents are seeing things and weird stuff is happening so they go to investigate. They, along with Meghan and her brother discover what the darkness is and it’s more than they ever imagined!

Clark masterfully wove in character ties to his previous books by letting us see more of the periphery of their lives. If you have not yet read the other books, it is ok as this stands on its own. The background does not detract from the story and Clark skillfully makes it work. But if you have read the other books, you will be pleasantly surprised to see the nuggets and references thrown in. Clark continues to hone SplatterFolk and gets better and better!

This is a horror story, so there are some gruesome scenes. There are some scenes that I as the reader cannot unsee! Clark has figured out how to pull from folk tales, oral and written histories, and legends and make it his own world of chaos! So come and delve in, if you dare!

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t know if this is a particularly Southern thing, but around here when someone’s presented with something like food or a new look/hairstyle that they don’t really like but appreciate the effort put in they say “that’s…interesting!”

That is to say that it turns out Splatterpunk (or in this case Splatterfolk) is not my thing but I do appreciate that it is for some!

The story kept me entertained but oh boy is this sucker gross. Lots of smells, particularly stenches, every bodily function and fluid you can think of (and lots I don’t want to think of), octogenarian titties, et al.

I didn’t find it particularly scary, except for in the ways that old age is specifically terrifying and comes for us all (if we’re lucky) but things I did do were:

- laugh out loud
- say “come on…”
- mutter “what the FUCK”

In conclusion, it was a wild, exceedingly gross ride. I don’t truly know how to rate it because I can’t say I ENJOYED it, but on merit of writing and story I’d say 4/5 stars.

It was…interesting!

[Joan Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank You Thomas R Clarke and Cheryl May

Cheryl May strengthen this story by her voice. I thought the book was very entertaining even tho "Oh that Smell". The smell of Death is throughout this book. There are some comic relief moments to break up the tension. Love Gore with a Bam of Spice added, then read this book. This story adds Class to the extreme Splatterpunk world.

Graphic
Splatterpunk
Supernatural

[Christopher Besonen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story was a bit scattered at times, but felt it was tied up together nicely by the end. I didn't care much for the humor in this one, but that's typical of my feeling when reading Horror. The story itself had some cool concepts, overall pretty enjoyable, I just wish it had focused a bit more on scary aspects.

[Bigbookgeek · Rating 5 out of 5]

I devoured this one! I thought it was so well written and the story was well fleshed out. And such a good cast of characters! It is folk horror, witchy, creepy, ghosty fun! I’m just mad at myself that it took me this long to finally read Thomas R Clark. Yes, I felt it was that good! (And I’ll never see middle earth the same again)

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summerhome is a home for the aged and people with health conditions and that is where Sean and Meghan have put their mother due to her onset of dementia. Things are not however what they seem as their mother has a deep and terrifying secret which will affect the home, staff, residents, the town and definitely Sean and Meghan. Come along on a horrifying ride of ghosts, witchery, times long past and paranormal escapades.

[mikayla kozol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably the weirdest book I have read in a LONG time, but I f*cked w it. In my opinion, definitely a one sitting type of book.

[Elizabeth Ramos · Rating 5 out of 5]

My absolute favorite book by Tommy! Love his work!

[Nat Whiston · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story was a nice change of pace, not your typical haunting. I couldn't agree more, the story had a lot of very human and real elements to it. I loved the way the author focused on this one family and the stress of dealing with a loved one experiencing Dementia. It's a very close topic for me after watching vascular dementia tear through my Grandad. If anything this book helps you understand both Alzheimer's and Dementia. It also shows how it affects the family and the different ways that people cope with learning the diagnosis. I especially loved the mix of Characters in the Summer Home community, from the randy old couple to the war veteran haunted by the spirit of the Nazi he killed. The story held a decent pace, giving you time to process everything rather than rushing through to the supernatural parts. To set the scene beautifully and create a sense of dread whenever Maureen was alone. Combining the Supernatural with the real horrors of getting old, I found it fascinating to read. The spectral cat with an ulterior motive was also a very nice touch, as you follow the tabby cat's movement throughout this tale. The Karaoke scene reminded me a little of Mark Towse's talent show in Nana, but without the gross-out elements. However, Tom's event night had a sweeter and more emotional feel to it, as you start to feel for each character. Though some parts will make you shudder, the unsettling change in Maureen and the other residents' behaviour is one.
When the story brings in the Ghost Hunters it held elements of a film I watched a while back. Tom admitted he had never seen the Taking of Deborah Logan, but that just made this story even more incredible. As this author conjured up something equally as terrifying, especially when it came to Megan. Megan starts to act more erratic and of course, you put this down to stress. Until you realise what is happening, it Also slides in another haunting in-between the main story which was pretty cool about the 'Haunted Mansion.' It's nice to see A horror writer wanting to show more than one type of ghost/haunting.
Tom shows that not all spectral entities carry malicious intent, some genuinely have other reasons they stick around. I loved the spirit who intervenes to provide help to Sean's work colleague when he's injured. It shows not all ghosts want the same thing, with an undertone of saying 'not all people are bad.' But then you have Biddy and Sabhdh, and I won't say anymore because I want you to read it to find out. But the element of another genre is brought into this, that surprised me big time and I freaking loved it.
Thomas R Clark has outdone himself with this one, it is a moving, terrifying and engrossing read. I can't wait to see what is in store for us after the ending he gave this one.

[Dominique Lamssies · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full disclosure: I’ve known Tommy for a few years now. We met in one of Garrett Cook’s writing workshops (which you should 100% take part in if you are a writer. No matter where you’re at in your writing trajectory, Garrett will help you hone your skills and he has a long track record of workshops that produce sellable pieces of fiction. Commercial over) and I adore Tommy as one of the most talented and supportive people I know. So I’m not going to pretend I’m being objective here.

Anyway, I was excited to finally read one of his novels, even if it’s not in my usual wheelhouse. Typically, I’m not a fan of splatter. I am a fan of folk horror though, so when I heard Tommy wrote splatter folk my curiosity was piqued.

SummerHome is the story of Maureen Coleman and her children Sean and Meghan, who put her in an assisted living facility called SummerHome after she is diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s. But mysterious deaths start to wrack up at the complex and the chonky tabby cat strutting through the dark has something to do with it.

Now, straight to the point, if you’re a splatter fan, this book will scratch all the itches. There are creative kills, gross out gags and weird sex galore.

Admittedly, those were not my favorite parts. But I also can’t complain about them because they serve the plot. It’s not always apparent that they will, but those details do come back later, which is more than can be said for some splatter I’ve read (also a heads up that you should be paying attention when you read this one. The details matter here).

My favorite part of SummerHome was the folk horror elements which made good use of some Irish Celtic folklore (with a touch of Native American folklore to compliment it), witch hunting and good, old-fashioned human greed.

And, as I always love in any story, the characters here are fleshed out enough to keep the story heart-centered, so we never lose track of the fact that people are suffering and why they’re suffering and that that’s where the horror stems from.

If I had any complaints about the book, it would be that the family connection to the events that go down should have been worked into the story more consistently throughout. And also that I’d have liked the foreign words translated more clearly. I had to break a couple times to figure out what stuff meant.

Ultimately, though, those are small quibbles in a book that will make you laugh (like, a lot), cry, understand how disease can change lives and have fun doing it. So long as people choking on balls of poop is your idea of fun.

Apropos of nothing, we should all be using the word “feck” more.

[Darren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hey there book lovers! It is your old pal, Ninetoes, coming at you with a review of Thomas Clark’s SummerHome. I have coffee in my system, and my thinking cap on, so let’s do this!

I am a fan of horror, especially from a relatively unknown author. I like the stuff by an up-and-comer, as opposed to a AAA author. I came across Thomas Clark on my social media feeds and looked into his stuff. I had never heard of “Splatterfolk” and it intrigued me. I got SummerHome, and even listed it as Your Weekend Fun Read for this past weekend. Let’s get down to it.

SummerHome is an assisted living facility. Maureen Coleman is their newest resident, put there by her children Sean Spencer and Meghan Coleman (Same mother different fathers), it was not an easy decision for the children but one that is necessary due to her early onset Alzheimer’s disease. Maureen believes she is seeing the ghost of her first husband, and the residents start dying one by one. There is a ghostly cat that is wandering the halls, and when it goes into patients’ rooms, the patients die horribly. Like really horribly, the stuff of Stephen King and Clive Barker’s nightmares kind of horrible. There is a centuries-old entity that needs the patients to die so it can walk the earth again. This entity has ties to the Coleman family, and nothing is ever going to be the same again…Ever.

This book moves fast. Before you know it, you are halfway through, and then the next thing you know you are done. The gore is intense. The manner of patient deaths is creative, like next level, grab a cross and an Ouija board as well as some voodoo spells for protection kind of creative. I read some of the manner of death to my wife and she asked “What the hell are you reading?” I told her with great joy what I was reading.

As good as the book is, there are some misspelled words, and some missing punctuation. This was not glaring enough to take away from the overall enjoyment of the book.

Would I recommend this book to my friends? I already have. Would I recommend it to you? I am.

I give this book 4.5 bookmarks out of 5.

Happy Reading!

[Gabriella Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was fortunate enough to meet the author at a local craft fair and asked him to recommend a book (of his) for me to read! He chose SummerHome and it has been looking pretty on my bookshelf since.

I finally was able to find the time and all I can say is holy.crap. It was so cool to read about local places and visually see the settings from my own personal experiences.

The story follows siblings Meghan Coleman and Sean Spencer as they navigate life with their mother, Maureen, suffering from Alzheimer’s. The two siblings place their mother in a full time care facility called SummerHome. Maureen begins to see the ghost of their dead father. Is it just the advancing stages of the disease or is the nursing home haunted?

Many, many, spooky happenings go on and we even get to see para hunters at work. It is going to be a great read to add to your fall TBR!

**FOUR STARS**

[Alexandra Russell · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

SummerHome by Thomas R Clark

So, I want to tell you about my new favorite book.

This was an absolutely amazing read. The story is so unique and so layered. So many different things are going on with this one, I could not turn the pages fast enough.

Ghosts, lore, the Fae, haunted manors, haunted factories, paranormal investigators....the list goes on.

This novel has so much humor, so much heart, and brings so much enjoyment that I recommend it to everyone who loves a good story. I will be reading many, many more works by Thomas R Clark.

[Ryan Bradley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a big Thomas R. Clarke fan, and this book delivered. It's got references to his other books while also introducing a new team of paranormal hunters, who quickly become the hunted. SummerHome is a chilling ghost story from the master of splatterfolk.

[Mel Bee · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a story! This was so much more than what I anticipated. I loved it! Cheryl’s narration was on point! *balloon boy shout out.

[Karen Oldman · Rating 5 out of 5]

ummerHome was a creative, atmospheric folk horror that kept me hooked from beginning to end. Every time I thought it was safe to question why he dubbed his style "splatterfolk" I was greeted with a scene reminding me just how gruesome Mr. Clark's writing can be. Without losing the storyline.

We follow one family. After siblings, Sean and Meghan, after they have their mother, Maureen placed in a seemingly wonderful assisted living community, post stroke. Quickly, Maureen's condition seems to worsen as the siblings themselves experience strange dreams and occurrences. There is something very wrong at SummerHome and it is not your average haunting.

Chock full of Celtic lore, tension, humor and characters I loved to love and hate, I look forward to reading more of his work