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The Nightcrawler
Wherever you run…he’s waiting for you! Scott Randall is a corporate VP on top of the world. To celebrate a massive new deal, he’s going to drive from Detroit to LA. But before he leaves, he makes a bad mistake. He cruelly dismisses a homeless panhandler on the street. Along the road, he swears he sees the panhandler again. Then again. And again. Soon he sees the man—who calls himself the Nightcrawler—even in his dreams. No matter how frantically he tries, Scott can’t escape his relentless pursuer. He thought he was going to LA. But the Nightcrawler has a very different destination in mind.
324 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
June 2, 2018
First off, let me say thank you to Glenn Rolfe for providing me with an ARC of The Nightcrawler. Previously published by the now defunct Samhain, Glenn will be reissuing The Nightcrawler this summer under his Alien Agenda imprint.
While I appreciate having had the chance to read Mick Ridgewell's work, it pains me to say that this particular title just did not work for me at all. At it's core, The Nightcrawler has a simple premise - one that is, perhaps, almost too simple. Ridgewell gives us two road-trip narratives with Scott, a rich asshole driving from Detroit to LA in a classic, souped-up Charger, and Roger, a college-age man hiking from Vermont to the Grand Canyon. Scott, mysteriously, is being haunted by a homeless man he encountered in Detroit. Roger, meanwhile, has nightmares of his death. Unfortunately, this is pretty much the be-all, end-all to The Nightcrawler.
With such a one-note narrative, I believe Ridgewell's story would have been better suited for a short story, perhaps even a novella. Padded out to a full-length novel, though, this story really drags and there are frequently long stretches where nothing at all happens. One of the men has a vision or ghostly encounter, then stops to eat at a diner, or go for a swim, or get laid. This happens in virtually every single chapter. There are no scares, no sense of ominous foreboding, and after the first few cycles of this particular pattern it gets really dull. I kept waiting for something, anything, to happen, and found myself repeatedly disappointed. While this is certainly a character-driven novel, there are entire personalities, even entire chapters, that could have been eliminated with zero impact on the overall narrative.
Had the author been willing to trim a lot of this book's fat and given us only the meat, I think The Nightcrawler would have been a lot more satisfying. By the time Scott and Roger's fates grow intertwined, at the 90% mark, I'd lost any reason to care about them or the secrets of the mysterious, and ultimately disappointing, Nightcrawler. As it stands, The Nightcrawler is simply overly long, oftentimes rudderless, and much too bloated, even at less than 300 pages, to be effective.
While I appreciate having had the chance to read Mick Ridgewell's work, it pains me to say that this particular title just did not work for me at all. At it's core, The Nightcrawler has a simple premise - one that is, perhaps, almost too simple. Ridgewell gives us two road-trip narratives with Scott, a rich asshole driving from Detroit to LA in a classic, souped-up Charger, and Roger, a college-age man hiking from Vermont to the Grand Canyon. Scott, mysteriously, is being haunted by a homeless man he encountered in Detroit. Roger, meanwhile, has nightmares of his death. Unfortunately, this is pretty much the be-all, end-all to The Nightcrawler.
With such a one-note narrative, I believe Ridgewell's story would have been better suited for a short story, perhaps even a novella. Padded out to a full-length novel, though, this story really drags and there are frequently long stretches where nothing at all happens. One of the men has a vision or ghostly encounter, then stops to eat at a diner, or go for a swim, or get laid. This happens in virtually every single chapter. There are no scares, no sense of ominous foreboding, and after the first few cycles of this particular pattern it gets really dull. I kept waiting for something, anything, to happen, and found myself repeatedly disappointed. While this is certainly a character-driven novel, there are entire personalities, even entire chapters, that could have been eliminated with zero impact on the overall narrative.
Had the author been willing to trim a lot of this book's fat and given us only the meat, I think The Nightcrawler would have been a lot more satisfying. By the time Scott and Roger's fates grow intertwined, at the 90% mark, I'd lost any reason to care about them or the secrets of the mysterious, and ultimately disappointing, Nightcrawler. As it stands, The Nightcrawler is simply overly long, oftentimes rudderless, and much too bloated, even at less than 300 pages, to be effective.
November 26, 2018
I live in Florida but am originally from Michigan, so I feel right at home…in Detroit. At least, that is where Scott starts from. Familiar territory makes me settle right in.
Scott shows early on what an asshole he is. The more I read, the less I like him. He’s rude, arrogant, and just plain mean. But, he’s driving a red hot Charger. Mick Ridgewell does a fabulous job of describing how it looks and sounds. I can hear it. I love the sound of the old sports cars, the deep growling rumble of the engine.
Roger was hitchhiking from Vermont to the Grand Canyon, enjoying stopping here and there along the way.
As I read of Roger’s nightmare, I can see him and Scott must be on a collision course and it won’t have a happy ending. I am worried about Roger. If his nightmare comes true…well, I don’t want that for him.
When Mick describes the nightcrawlers, their slimy trails on the blacktop like roads on a map, it brought back childhood memories of hunting for them at night as a kid. Then, we would take them to the bait shop up the street and sell them. I love when books have that something extra that I can relate to when reading.
The story is told from two points of view, Scott’s and Roger’s. As we travel to their ultimate destination…we have some fun, meet some people, cross some hurdles, but if you hear anyone say Okie Dokie…RUN!
The smell of the bum is everywhere, haunting Scott.
The red eyed dog lurks in the shadows.
Always the raven watches.
I now see the connection, why both men are being haunted by the past and why the raven is keeping tabs on everyone. There is an aura of menace that permeates the pages. I know something’s going to happen, I just don’t know what or when and I am a bit worried. You see, I have come to like Roger and Beth…a lot…and I would like them to have a future once the trip is over.
Fate, Karma, ghosts. You can run, but you can’t hide.
If you like a story with slow building suspense, where the supernatural steps in to haunt your every step and the past comes back to haunt you, where your karma catches up to you and the price you must pay for the wrongs you committed will not be denied, then Nightcrawlers is for you.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Nightcrawlers by Mick Ridgewell.
See more at fundinmental
Scott shows early on what an asshole he is. The more I read, the less I like him. He’s rude, arrogant, and just plain mean. But, he’s driving a red hot Charger. Mick Ridgewell does a fabulous job of describing how it looks and sounds. I can hear it. I love the sound of the old sports cars, the deep growling rumble of the engine.
Roger was hitchhiking from Vermont to the Grand Canyon, enjoying stopping here and there along the way.
As I read of Roger’s nightmare, I can see him and Scott must be on a collision course and it won’t have a happy ending. I am worried about Roger. If his nightmare comes true…well, I don’t want that for him.
When Mick describes the nightcrawlers, their slimy trails on the blacktop like roads on a map, it brought back childhood memories of hunting for them at night as a kid. Then, we would take them to the bait shop up the street and sell them. I love when books have that something extra that I can relate to when reading.
The story is told from two points of view, Scott’s and Roger’s. As we travel to their ultimate destination…we have some fun, meet some people, cross some hurdles, but if you hear anyone say Okie Dokie…RUN!
The smell of the bum is everywhere, haunting Scott.
The red eyed dog lurks in the shadows.
Always the raven watches.
I now see the connection, why both men are being haunted by the past and why the raven is keeping tabs on everyone. There is an aura of menace that permeates the pages. I know something’s going to happen, I just don’t know what or when and I am a bit worried. You see, I have come to like Roger and Beth…a lot…and I would like them to have a future once the trip is over.
Fate, Karma, ghosts. You can run, but you can’t hide.
If you like a story with slow building suspense, where the supernatural steps in to haunt your every step and the past comes back to haunt you, where your karma catches up to you and the price you must pay for the wrongs you committed will not be denied, then Nightcrawlers is for you.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Nightcrawlers by Mick Ridgewell.
See more at fundinmental
November 9, 2014
The Nightcrawler isnt like a lot of other horror titles out there. It's focus is on character and story instead of the blood and gore. It's an atmospheric, spook-fest of eerie scares as well as good times. I found myself thoroughly enjoying one of the character's adventures, while wondering what was going to happen to the other character. There is a lot to dread along the way with that one. It's a road trip across the country, into the unknown and the unnerving. Mr. Ridgewell's writing is superb and crisp and he paints the images in the reader's mind like a master artist. If you're looking for a great tale that makes you wonder how these two characters will collide, if you like eerie, dark, mysteriousness, and dont need buckets of gore, then The Nightcrawler is for you.
November 28, 2014
Overall, I thought this was an interesting tale of two road trips gone awry and I can definitely see the influence of Stephen King's writing in Mick's work. That said, I think I would have to rewrite the back copy, as a major storyline was left out:
"While a car-loving, oversexed douchebag named Scott leaves Detroit in a borrowed shiny-red Challenger(?), headed for L.A., a loveable, slightly-naive young road-tripper named Roger leaves Vermont, headed for the Grand Canyon, until one fateful day when their lives intersect."
Okay, maybe not exactly that, but definitely something needs to be added to the back cover to include Roger - he's the best part of the book, and half of the story. :)
What I loved: Mick has a way of painting a scene with such vivid, perfect detail that he gets the point across without being too wordy. He also has a way of writing dialogue that seems realistic, and yet is so much more interesting, really capturing the essence of the story and the intent behind the words. (Also, I know any guys who loves hot cars, baseball, rodeos, giggly girls ready to whip off their clothes and jump in the sack at any given moment, and road-tripping would find a perfect ride picking this book up.)
What I didn't love: I would definitely have made some different editing choices, leaving out one chapter near the end altogether, and I would have left out some of the supernatural elements that weren't needed for the book to be great. Although this novel is called the Nightcrawler, I would have changed the way the Nightcrawler's story played out, as I feel his story was secondary to the main stories, and left out the scene with the dude in the woods. If these things were changed, I would have given the novel 4 stars.
"While a car-loving, oversexed douchebag named Scott leaves Detroit in a borrowed shiny-red Challenger(?), headed for L.A., a loveable, slightly-naive young road-tripper named Roger leaves Vermont, headed for the Grand Canyon, until one fateful day when their lives intersect."
Okay, maybe not exactly that, but definitely something needs to be added to the back cover to include Roger - he's the best part of the book, and half of the story. :)
What I loved: Mick has a way of painting a scene with such vivid, perfect detail that he gets the point across without being too wordy. He also has a way of writing dialogue that seems realistic, and yet is so much more interesting, really capturing the essence of the story and the intent behind the words. (Also, I know any guys who loves hot cars, baseball, rodeos, giggly girls ready to whip off their clothes and jump in the sack at any given moment, and road-tripping would find a perfect ride picking this book up.)
What I didn't love: I would definitely have made some different editing choices, leaving out one chapter near the end altogether, and I would have left out some of the supernatural elements that weren't needed for the book to be great. Although this novel is called the Nightcrawler, I would have changed the way the Nightcrawler's story played out, as I feel his story was secondary to the main stories, and left out the scene with the dude in the woods. If these things were changed, I would have given the novel 4 stars.
May 8, 2018
There is a deftness about Mick Ridgewell’s writing that is in full evidence here. In The Nightcrawler, we have essentially two stories running parallel. The central characters have never met but they have more than one thing in common; they are on a journey, out to achieve lifelong ambitions and see a lot of the country at the same time. Scott is a high flying Vice President, used to wearing $600 dollar suits, celebrating his latest success by driving from Detroit to L.A. Roger leaves Vermont, determined to see the Grand Canyon. The characterisations are strong – and that includes those whose paths cross with the two main protagonists who couldn’t be more different.
Then there’s the nightcrawler himself. Scott makes a bad mistake when he disrespects a homeless and distinctly smelly man who asks him for money. From then on, wherever he goes, he sees the same man - and this is no ordinary hobo.
The pacing of this story is a craft in itself. The author draws us into the two men’s stories and paints vivid pictures of their experiences on the road and of their rapidly evolving state of mind. Their confusion, uncertainty and fear transmit themselves so effectively it is difficult to put this book down, even for a few minutes.
Then the nightcrawler appears, taking different forms, but always menacing, always threatening, until the final, nail-biting confrontation.
A new take on the ‘road’ theme, The Nightcrawler gets under your skin, relentlessly worming its way into the imagination and refusing to let go. A triumph of creepy, tension-filled horror.
Then there’s the nightcrawler himself. Scott makes a bad mistake when he disrespects a homeless and distinctly smelly man who asks him for money. From then on, wherever he goes, he sees the same man - and this is no ordinary hobo.
The pacing of this story is a craft in itself. The author draws us into the two men’s stories and paints vivid pictures of their experiences on the road and of their rapidly evolving state of mind. Their confusion, uncertainty and fear transmit themselves so effectively it is difficult to put this book down, even for a few minutes.
Then the nightcrawler appears, taking different forms, but always menacing, always threatening, until the final, nail-biting confrontation.
A new take on the ‘road’ theme, The Nightcrawler gets under your skin, relentlessly worming its way into the imagination and refusing to let go. A triumph of creepy, tension-filled horror.
October 6, 2012
The Nightcrawler is a breath of fresh (or fetid) air. Mick Ridgewell takes the time to build a solid story with strong characters, all of them being visited by a strange homeless man that dogs their every move on a trip across the country. I especially loved the dynamic between Roger and Beth, two lovestruck kids who are polar opposites yet made for one another. And as for the Nightcrawler himself, now that's someone you don't want popping up in your back seat. The Nighcrawler is a hellish cross country trek to the darkness of man's soul. I can't wait to see what Ridgewell dishses out next.
Read
August 30, 2019DNFing at 20%. I just couldn't get into it. I'm not a car guy, so there is no intrigue at all for me about this really minor Chevy (I think it was a Chevy) plot point. I'm already hating this Scott guy, especially with the way he is trying to force the secretary to have dinner with him.
Just not enough here to really keep me motivated.
I purchased this as a thanks to Alien Agenda Publishing for a few free review copies, but that won't stop me from continuing to support Glenn and AAP for sure.
This one's just not my jam.
Just not enough here to really keep me motivated.
I purchased this as a thanks to Alien Agenda Publishing for a few free review copies, but that won't stop me from continuing to support Glenn and AAP for sure.
This one's just not my jam.
July 7, 2018
A really good read from Mick Ridgewell.
You had better watch how you treat homeless people. It might come back to bite you!
Highly recommended
You had better watch how you treat homeless people. It might come back to bite you!
Highly recommended
September 19, 2012
From my first time reading the first few chapters on Authonomy, I knew this was going to be a great book and now that it is print I have to say that it did NOT disappoint. Not only does Mr. Ridgewell produce an interesting and macabre tale, but he also gives you something to think about when it comes to how you treat people. A life lesson well learned and could definitely rank up there with some of the tales Rod Serling introduced in the Twilight Zone. Well played Nightcrawler....well played.
December 6, 2014
Great horror novel - totally enjoyed this book. Well written and good pace. Definitely gets your blood flowing. Ridgewell really owns this one. Highly recommend to anyone who enjoys Steven King type horror.
December 11, 2013
A great story full of twists and turns with an ending that hits the right note a really fun read!!
December 20, 2013
Very much enjoyed Mick's 1st novel. Interesting characters and fast paced creepy road trip. I'll always be sure to never piss off the nightcrawler.
July 30, 2018
The Nightcrawler is an odd little book. It starts off slowly and had me wondering where it was going. I have to say that I didn’t like Scott. He was an asshat of the highest order which made it harder to get into this book than it should have been. On the flip side I was really enjoying the story of Roger and his road trip from Vermont to the Grand Canyon, which kept me reading. I’m so glad it did! While this story doesn’t have the blood and gore I usually look for in a horror novel the supernatural elements along with Roger’s dreams of his death and his sister, plus the strange acting birds and worms give this novel an eerie atmosphere that I thoroughly enjoyed. The ending is entirely satisfying, tying everything up in one spooky package. A highly recommended 4 star read.
September 15, 2018
A totally entertaining read! You can check out my full review here... https://horrornovelreviews.com/2018/0...
March 9, 2016
There is just something about the stories that take you on a road trip. They are gritty, and adventurous and this book is no exception. We are faced with many decisions in life, including whether or not to be kind to those we meet, strangers who may put us off with their appearance at first. After reading this book, I promise you that you will be much nicer to strangers, even those with a dirty appearance, and perhaps that is the moral of the story after all.
January 30, 2013
didn't do it for me. I never give up on a book but I had to really force myself to finish this.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews