What do you think?
Rate this book
Don't Turn On the Light: Crossing the Line
When Frank discovers a time-travelling occultist living in his basement, he must act fast to save his family from unspeakable evil, but is he already too late?
What readers say about Don’t Turn on the Crossing the
UK Kindle “I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I was going on a trip and wanted something to read. It was so good that I ran my kindle out of juice the first day. Well written, fantastic, interesting concept and fleshed out characters that you really cared about. I’ll definitely be buying his other books. Highly recommend!”
USA Kindle “A very interesting and unusual tale. Good writing. Gratifying and interesting characters. A truly fascinating yarn. Kind of leaves one wondering.”
Australian Kindle “If you like crime and mystery books that don’t follow the run-of-the-mill type blueprint, this book may be for you.”
What readers say about Don’t Turn on the Crossing the
UK Kindle “I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I was going on a trip and wanted something to read. It was so good that I ran my kindle out of juice the first day. Well written, fantastic, interesting concept and fleshed out characters that you really cared about. I’ll definitely be buying his other books. Highly recommend!”
USA Kindle “A very interesting and unusual tale. Good writing. Gratifying and interesting characters. A truly fascinating yarn. Kind of leaves one wondering.”
Australian Kindle “If you like crime and mystery books that don’t follow the run-of-the-mill type blueprint, this book may be for you.”
332 pages, Hardcover
Published September 19, 2022
56 people are currently reading
173 people want to read
About the author
Max China
18 books160 followersMax China is a British author known for crafting gripping tales that blur the line between psychological suspense, crime, and the supernatural. His stories pull readers into intricate plots and richly drawn characters, peeling back the layers of human nature’s darker side while grounding them in sharp realism.
His debut novel, The Sister, earned critical acclaim for its taut narrative and haunting atmosphere, marking him as a master of suspense. Max’s works explore themes of resilience, morality, and the weight of past decisions, delivering stories that linger long after the final page.
With titles like The Night of the Mosquito and The Crane Wife, Max weaves multi-layered narratives that keep readers guessing until the very end. His evocative prose and immersive settings transport readers into worlds that feel both vivid and unsettling.
When not at his desk, Max finds inspiration wandering the British countryside, where history and nature provide fertile ground for his imagination. A storyteller at heart, he strives to create books that challenge, captivate, and resonate deeply with his audience.
Writing from his home in the UK, Max China is hard at work on his next highly anticipated novel.
His debut novel, The Sister, earned critical acclaim for its taut narrative and haunting atmosphere, marking him as a master of suspense. Max’s works explore themes of resilience, morality, and the weight of past decisions, delivering stories that linger long after the final page.
With titles like The Night of the Mosquito and The Crane Wife, Max weaves multi-layered narratives that keep readers guessing until the very end. His evocative prose and immersive settings transport readers into worlds that feel both vivid and unsettling.
When not at his desk, Max finds inspiration wandering the British countryside, where history and nature provide fertile ground for his imagination. A storyteller at heart, he strives to create books that challenge, captivate, and resonate deeply with his audience.
Writing from his home in the UK, Max China is hard at work on his next highly anticipated novel.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
June 6, 2020
Frank felt for the switch and turned on the light.
Don't Turn on The Light: Crossing The Line
by Max China
DON'T TURN ON THE LIGHT!
OK..so my road to reading this one was interesting . This writer wrote a short story entitled simply: "Don't turn on the light". I read it. I loved it. I will write a review of it soon.
Then I found out he'd expanded his short story into a full length book. Since the original short story ended on a cliff hanger, I had to find out what happened. Inquiring mind wanted to know.
I wish my mind had not been so inquiring.
My feeling is this was better as a short story. It just was. I could have also see it as a novella. Not a full length huge book. It did not work for me.
The premise is Frank and Shelley and their kids move into a new home but there is something wrong with the cellar. There is a force down there..The happy couple want to have it torn down.
Until Frank goes down there to check on things, and..ahem..TURNS ON THE LIGHT!!
No Frank..no..do not turn on the light.
But our guy does indeed turn it on. And he finds himself trapped in the cellar.
Nobody can hear him.
Nobody can see him. Not even when his family comes to look for him and are standing inches from him.
Frank is trapped. A Magician has approached him, and uttered some words. "You are one of us now". That seems to mean..Frank's human form is just..gone.
He is in another time periods.
And at the mercy of the wicked magician.
That is the premise of the FIRST book..a wonderful and completely creepy short story.
But the book is just..I don't know..not for me. It is SO long. And it goes into way more detail and goes way to out there for me.
Several reviewers have mentioned it felt like they we re in Science class and I agree. It is all about building a transmitter to communicate with the world in present time. There is so much scientific jargon, I lost interest and skimmed most of the book. Well..I did need to know how it ended.
And there is the problem too. For all those pages and all that stuff we get an ending that lasts..what..a couple of sentences? Not satisfying at all.
I wish this had, from the start, been a novella. Longer then the first. Way shorter than the second. I did not enjoy it but I think this book will appeal to Science junkies who got A pluses on Chemistry and love reading science journals. As for me..sorry but this was not my cup of Tea.
Don't turn on the lights!
Don't Turn on The Light: Crossing The Line
by Max China
DON'T TURN ON THE LIGHT!
OK..so my road to reading this one was interesting . This writer wrote a short story entitled simply: "Don't turn on the light". I read it. I loved it. I will write a review of it soon.
Then I found out he'd expanded his short story into a full length book. Since the original short story ended on a cliff hanger, I had to find out what happened. Inquiring mind wanted to know.
I wish my mind had not been so inquiring.
My feeling is this was better as a short story. It just was. I could have also see it as a novella. Not a full length huge book. It did not work for me.
The premise is Frank and Shelley and their kids move into a new home but there is something wrong with the cellar. There is a force down there..The happy couple want to have it torn down.
Until Frank goes down there to check on things, and..ahem..TURNS ON THE LIGHT!!
No Frank..no..do not turn on the light.
But our guy does indeed turn it on. And he finds himself trapped in the cellar.
Nobody can hear him.
Nobody can see him. Not even when his family comes to look for him and are standing inches from him.
Frank is trapped. A Magician has approached him, and uttered some words. "You are one of us now". That seems to mean..Frank's human form is just..gone.
He is in another time periods.
And at the mercy of the wicked magician.
That is the premise of the FIRST book..a wonderful and completely creepy short story.
But the book is just..I don't know..not for me. It is SO long. And it goes into way more detail and goes way to out there for me.
Several reviewers have mentioned it felt like they we re in Science class and I agree. It is all about building a transmitter to communicate with the world in present time. There is so much scientific jargon, I lost interest and skimmed most of the book. Well..I did need to know how it ended.
And there is the problem too. For all those pages and all that stuff we get an ending that lasts..what..a couple of sentences? Not satisfying at all.
I wish this had, from the start, been a novella. Longer then the first. Way shorter than the second. I did not enjoy it but I think this book will appeal to Science junkies who got A pluses on Chemistry and love reading science journals. As for me..sorry but this was not my cup of Tea.
Don't turn on the lights!
October 13, 2024
The Dark is Scary!
Frank and his wife Shelly have bought a house that has a radio tower on it. Frank bought the house, sight unseen, for a little bit of money.
Shelley hates the radio tower and wants Frank to get rid of it. But he can’t. Get rid of It. The tower. And Shelley doesn’t know this. She has no idea.
The basement door is locked and Frank has no clue as to what is down there. For all he knows the basement could be haunted by a serial killer. That’s right. A serial killer can be living down there.
He picks the lock. Then he goes to investigate. Down the stairs, to the bottom. In the dark. He finds the light button on the wall and turns it on. What does he see?
Four stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Frank and his wife Shelly have bought a house that has a radio tower on it. Frank bought the house, sight unseen, for a little bit of money.
Shelley hates the radio tower and wants Frank to get rid of it. But he can’t. Get rid of It. The tower. And Shelley doesn’t know this. She has no idea.
The basement door is locked and Frank has no clue as to what is down there. For all he knows the basement could be haunted by a serial killer. That’s right. A serial killer can be living down there.
He picks the lock. Then he goes to investigate. Down the stairs, to the bottom. In the dark. He finds the light button on the wall and turns it on. What does he see?
Four stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
February 23, 2016
The way to write a short horror story This was downloaded as a free short read on my kindle and is a good example of how to write a short story with a memorable snappy storyline good characters and perhaps more importantly a great conclusion.
Frank and Shelley and their two children have moved into a big old rambling house. Surprisingly their offer was successful and now is the time to become acquainted with their new surroundings. The structure includes a rusty old radio transmission tower "The structure soared upwards of one hundred feet; the aerial on top seemed to disappear into infinity." There is also a mysterious locked basement where a noisy dynamo emits a light that appears to communicate with the radio tower. Frank decides to investigate the source of noise/light in the hope that he can solve the problem and this means entering the locked basement....
This is certainly the recipe for a good horror story as our hero heads into the dark unknown to discover the mysterious light source and there he encounters "Edward Sparkes and his Amazing Magnetic Magic Show" The author does not disappoint and the ending is quite unexpected concluding what is a fun little horror story and a great way to spend an idle 30 minutes but remember do not go into the basement!
Frank and Shelley and their two children have moved into a big old rambling house. Surprisingly their offer was successful and now is the time to become acquainted with their new surroundings. The structure includes a rusty old radio transmission tower "The structure soared upwards of one hundred feet; the aerial on top seemed to disappear into infinity." There is also a mysterious locked basement where a noisy dynamo emits a light that appears to communicate with the radio tower. Frank decides to investigate the source of noise/light in the hope that he can solve the problem and this means entering the locked basement....
This is certainly the recipe for a good horror story as our hero heads into the dark unknown to discover the mysterious light source and there he encounters "Edward Sparkes and his Amazing Magnetic Magic Show" The author does not disappoint and the ending is quite unexpected concluding what is a fun little horror story and a great way to spend an idle 30 minutes but remember do not go into the basement!
Want to read
April 5, 2020🎁 FREE on Amazon today (4/5/2020)! 🎁
June 18, 2016
This was a kindle freebie that I thought looked interesting, so I gave it a chance.
I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it, either.
Ok, well, I mean I liked it well enough, but found the characterization a bit flat at times. I also found some of the explanations of certain aspects of the plot to be a bit confusing. Also...I discovered one thing late in the story that was flat out contradicted by something said earlier.
That being said, I would be willing to give another book by this author a shot sometime in the future.
I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it, either.
Ok, well, I mean I liked it well enough, but found the characterization a bit flat at times. I also found some of the explanations of certain aspects of the plot to be a bit confusing. Also...I discovered one thing late in the story that was flat out contradicted by something said earlier.
That being said, I would be willing to give another book by this author a shot sometime in the future.
May 16, 2016
The author took his short story, 'Don't Turn On The Light' and turned it into a full novel. After moving into a new home, Frank an electrician goes into the basement to check on the wiring. He ignores a sign that says Don't turn on the light, and disappears. His family is left wondering what happened to him. A novel that has elements of sci-fi, and horror within its pages.
February 28, 2020
Having read two previous books by this author - The sister and The Life and Times of William Boule which were really good, I was excited for this book but sadly it did not have the impact of either of the above. Shellie and Frank and their two children move into an old house that was once inhabited by an odd and evil character who has discovered how to use static electricity to travel through time. Frank and Shellie both have encounters of this character and he almost destroys them. It was an original idea for a story and initially it was an interesting account but as the story progressed it became quite techinical and I felt I was reading a science paper, I understand that the complexities of static electicity was important to explain to a point but I felt at times this over complictaed the storyline and I felt I had to stop reading and wrap my head around the explanations before I could continue. Apart from that it read at a good pace until the last few chapters where the story felt rushed, in contrast to the rest of the book, very little was explained and a couple of really odd, out of place things happened that I felt needed more explanation and then it ended and I have to say I wasn't thrilled with the ending.
June 17, 2023
This is an interesting time travel novel. It has some original spins on that old plot line.
Frank, the hero of the story, is an intelligent, but quite a mild-mannered chap. The villain, Edward Sparks, is quite dastardly in a manner reminiscent of arch fiends of yore.
China manages to create an old-world charm, while at the same time capturing the reader's interest with plot twists and interesting character developments. I found myself liking these characters and hoping that things turned out for the best.
I am happy to award this novel 4 stars
Frank, the hero of the story, is an intelligent, but quite a mild-mannered chap. The villain, Edward Sparks, is quite dastardly in a manner reminiscent of arch fiends of yore.
China manages to create an old-world charm, while at the same time capturing the reader's interest with plot twists and interesting character developments. I found myself liking these characters and hoping that things turned out for the best.
I am happy to award this novel 4 stars
January 6, 2018
Curiosity killed the cat! That was me in reading this book. I felt the storyline being about Time Travel was still most unbelievable at times. Where I am not sorry I read it, I felt it jumped around, started down a path, but didn't finish where it was going, and I was not at all a fan of the ending.
April 28, 2020
After the short story had left me wanting more, I found the longer, full length version. I somewhat enjoyed it, though I disliked how the chapters were all very short and there was constant jumping between characters and events.
December 17, 2022
This was more of a 2.5 star read. This story just was not for me. I tried so hard to get invested but couldn’t. Then after a long, drug out build up of story, the ending come quick was was very meh. 🫤
tbr-freebie-kindle
March 18, 2017This is the kindle synopsis.... sounds pretty good to me :)
On the road to recovery after suffering a nervous breakdown, Frank relocates his family from the city to the English countryside.
Within twenty-four hours of moving in, Frank goes missing.
"Max China has given the concept of something malignant lurking in the cellar of an old house a new and fascinating twist." Source UK Review.
"The author effectively blends love, action, scientific theories and time travel into a complex story full of unforeseen twists and turns." Source USA Review.
"Well written, fantastic interesting concept and fleshed out characters that you really cared about. I'll definitely be buying his other books. Highly recommend!" Source USA Review.
If you like crime and mystery books that don't follow the run-of-the-mill type blueprint, this book may be for you...
August 4, 2017
Very good
Well worth a five star rating. An excellent story by a very good writer. I am looking forward to read more of his work.
Well worth a five star rating. An excellent story by a very good writer. I am looking forward to read more of his work.
April 25, 2018
The light
I thoroughly enjoyed this story. It was hard to put down and i didn't want it to end. Thanks Max!!!😁
I thoroughly enjoyed this story. It was hard to put down and i didn't want it to end. Thanks Max!!!😁
March 22, 2020
An interesting short story. Worth a read
October 4, 2016
Good
Really intense sometimes, really a good read for those who like thriller, suspense and things that go bump in the night.
Really intense sometimes, really a good read for those who like thriller, suspense and things that go bump in the night.
January 11, 2017
Kindle freebie was left wondering.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews