Moonfall

by Tamara Thorne

Sara Hawthorne returns to her hometown of Moonfall, a picturesque community in the Southern California mountains and a town haunted by a series of mysterious deaths, and stumbles upon the hellish secret of St. Gertrude's Home for Girls

Genres: Horror, Fiction, Halloween, Thriller, Ebooks, Witches, Paranormal

432 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Tamara Thorne has collected ghost stories, true and fictional, since she saw her first Twilight Zone as a tot, and continues to this day. In addition to writing novels and stories of the paranormal, she also writes non-fiction and is an active ghost hunter. She makes her home in southern California with her husband and their feline family and when she’s not writing, can be found haunting ghost towns, phantom-filled hotel rooms, and other spooky places. Tamara loves to hear from her readers. Whether you have questions or comments or would like to share your own ghostly experience,come visit her at her website www.tamarathorne.com.

Reviews

[Phil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thorne's second novel, first published by Zebra in 1996 (with a great lurid cover!) takes place in the small town of Moonfall, somewhere in Southern California. Moonfall is known for its apple orchards and not much else. There is a 'Catholic' orphanage school for girls, but the nuns and girls keep a very low profile. Just because it is a small town does not mean, however, that death is a stranger.

The story starts of during Halloween in 1972, with a bunch of boys planning to sneak over to the girls school (St. Gertrude's Home for Girls), but known by all as St. Gruesomes, hopefully to see some naked girls. The boys awake in the nearby forest the next morning, all with headaches and one little boy floating dead in the local swimming hole. The boy that died was the young brother of John, and they have no idea how it came about.

Flash forward 24 years and the real story begins. John is now the sheriff (just like his dad before him) and he is called about a 'floater' in the same swimming hole; this time, a young teacher from St. Gruesomes. It looks like a suicide, but why she jumped in the lake after starting to cut herself in her room remains a question. Meanwhile, the replacement teacher (Sara) arrives on the scene. She was a former student of St. Gruesomes, but ran away when she was 16 after her roommate apparently killed herself (she is convinced it was murder, however). Upon arrival, Sara visits John and asks about her dead roommate, but much to his chagrin, can find nothing whatsoever about it in the files...

I think to enjoy Thorne, you have to be on the same page as her quirky humor, and I surely am. Her later work has more bawdy, erotic scenes to be sure, but she can really tell a story. I would place this in 'Thorneverse', e.g., her 'haunted' SoCal universe, populated with Celtic mythos and in this case, 'witches' (please call me a healer) both good and evil. So what is really going on at St. Gruesomes? Who is the 'witch' that lives in the woods and has scared generations of kids in town? What is the deal with all the hideous gargoyles that populate the school's grounds? You will have lots of fun finding out. Another winner from Thorne! 4 witchy stars.

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Creepy and Spooky!

Small backstory:

The small town of Moonfall is known for bringing the Halloween experience to an all time fun escapade with their Halloween Haunt that takes place every year, but something happens in the town of Moonfall in 1972 on Halloween that brings tragedy to the Lawson family. Then 24 years later it seems that once again tragedy stalks the small town as a murder has taken place that almost drives the town apart!

What is happening in the town of Moonfall? What was the tragedy that took place on Halloween in 1972? No spoilers here as you will need to read the book!

Thoughts:

This was a great novel about Halloween and all things spooky! There were quite a few characters to keep track of in this story which each one has their own story to tell but that is not the only thing this story has going for it as the author gives descriptive details of the town itself bringing the atmosphere of the town to life on the pages of this book.

The flow of the story moves along at a steady pace as the author took me deep into the town of Moonfall - the characters of the story just pull you into their world and make you experience everything that they go through as the mystery of Moonfall deepens into the spooky zone!

Looking forward to stepping into more books by this author as I have a few more simmering on my kindle that I need to read by her. Giving this book five "Halloween Horrors" stars!

[El · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recently started working at a Catholic university, which amuses everyone, including myself, because I am in no way religious, let alone Catholic. Not that this should matter to them because I'm still a good kid and all.

As the weather turns a little cooler, and I've becoming alive in that way I only seem to do every October, I've been walking around the small (and it's very small) campus and finding nice little corners to sit in to read during my lunch and otherwise hide from everyone. This was the perfect book to take into one of those corners, and it has contributed to me looking carefully at the sisters on the campus because obviously there's some shady shit going down, right.

The sisters in this book are shit-balls crazy, they don't serve who you think they serve, considering they're nuns and all, but therein lies the fun of this story. The abbey, a school of orphaned girls called St. Gertrude's, is creepy in and of itself and is known throughout the local town of Moonfall as St. Gruesome's. The architecture involves gargoyles, like any good abbey should, and I am carefully looking for them on the campus but haven't found any yet. Though maybe they're out and about, and I should spend more time on campus after dark...

There's a sheriff who had a traumatic adolescence when his younger brother died on Halloween in the early 1970s. He has a son of his own now. There's a former student of the abbey's who has come back to teach there to try to solve a mystery of a death that occurred while she matriculated there, some spooky-ass nuns (as previously stated), a neighborhood witch, a town full of questions without answers, a scary forest, and a sinister doctor who wants in girls' pants.

Back in the 1990s I used to read a lot of these sorts of books, and Pinnacle books are the absolute best. I used to pick them up for cheap on family vacations and read during our road trips, so reading this one reminded me of those occasions. It's the perfect time of the year, with the leaves changing colors, the weather cooling, and just a couple weeks out from Halloween. I recommend it to anyone who likes a good, chilling read. It's not perfect, but fun to read if you're already into scary reads.

[Heather ~*dread mushrooms*~]

DNF @ 23%

I'm bowing out of this buddy-read with Nenia. I do think it's an interesting story, but the writing and the characters aren't grabbing me.

[Alex (The Bookubus) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Jonathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished Moonfall today, the second book which I have read by Tamara Thorne (the first was Haunted and it was the best haunted house story I ever read). Haunted was so good, I moved on to Moonfall immediately after. It was delightfully a little darker (Haunted had a bit more humor entwined within the pages than Moonfall did). It’s basically a story about an evil convent of nuns and the rituals which they have practiced in the town of Moonfall. Most legitimate nuns “don’t get nun” (which I in my juvenile thinking always thought was the reason they were called “nuns”). These nuns are of a different ilk. The story starts with a tragedy experienced by a young boy and his friends 24 years ago. They can’t seem to remember the details. The young boy has grown up and is the sheriff of Moonfall with a young son of his own, and as events begin to repeat themselves he has to confront and overcome his past to fight the events of present. It was extremely well written and thought out, and a complete page turner. It had a totally creepy vibe around St. Gertrude’s, which is the name of the school/convent/freakshow where the nuns educate the orphans, if educate is the right word. These nuns and their live-in doctor, Dr. Dashwood, really pissed me off. The characters were very well developed, and I felt anxious when reading it about what was going on. One thing I’ve noticed about Ms. Thorne’s work is that she is a master of the end game. She has a great talent for endings, which are often surprising, but when you think back on them, you realize that “yeah, that was the only way that should have ended.” I was 90% finished this book when I reached my car today after a subway ride, and for the first time in a very long time, I sat in my car and read to the end because I just had to know what was going to happen and to hell with what time I got home. I highly recommend this book to anyone, not just horror fans, as it has elements (relationships, parental love, avoidance, guilt, and so many other manner of emotions) that capture your imagination so vividly that I found myself looking forward to every time I could pick the book back up again and continue the adventure. Read this. You will love it.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolute 5 star read!
I truly loved this book. This is the first book I have read by this author and I am now a fan. She spun this tale so perfectly, it had the right dose of everything needed to be a movie quality story. Seriously, I cant say enough about how people should get their hands on a copy of this. I am surprised it hasn't been noticed by Hollywood.
It had so many unique characteristics to buildings, forests, the people. Its the best Ive read this year.
A perfect tale for October with ghosts, spooks, gargoyles, nuns, historical events, erotic scenes, witchcraft, I could go on and on. This is a good length of story too. You'll be hooked from page one and by the time you notice your already finished with the book. It did take me 3 days however, as life does go on.
I recommend everyone try and read this for a great horror for this Halloween. It is tastefully done, there is no cheese. Go get it...NOW!

[David Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was first introduced to Tamara through an interview on horrorworld.org. In the interview, Tamara mentioned that for easter she was planning on painting some mice to look like Easter eggs, so her cats could enjoy the holiday also. I liked her sense of humor and ran out and bought her book Moonfall. Moonfall was written in 1996 and is centered around Sara Hawthorne and John Lawson.

Sara Hawthorne has been away from the small town of Moonfall for a long time. She was a student at Saint Gertrude’s school for girls but left town after the suicide of her best friend. She has now returned to teach at St. Gertrude’s or St Gruesome’s as the townspeople call it; but not all is well in Moonfall. There have been quite a few unusual deaths and suicides lately and some of the bodies are being found on the grounds of the school.

Certainly the priests and nuns at the school couldn’t be involved in the murders, or could they? The local sheriff: John Hawthorne is investigating the murders and he has experienced some tragedy at St. Gertrude’s himself. On Halloween night as a child, 24 years ago John and his friends made an after hours trip to the school to spy on the girls. No one knows for sure what happened that night, but one of the boys was found dead at the bottom of witch falls and the rest were scarred for life. This school may not be what everyone thinks it is, and those gargoyles around the school might not be stone after all.

Its been a long time since I’ve read Moonfall but I remember thinking it was a little like Dario Argento’s Susperia with a few laughs and some good sex scenes thrown in just to mix it up a bit. The book also has a couple of good love stories going on and I remember liking how the witch’s masses were depicted in the book. The story deals a lot with the occult and it was interesting to see how the school mixed pagan and christian beliefs without either one overpowering the other.

[Gabriel Turro · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's not a literary masterpiece but if it isn't fun then I don't know what is.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay, you know how when some people get overwhelmed and stressed they have little relaxation habits? Well, my habit is to sleep. As soon as I even think of the entire task that needs to be done, I’m halfway through counting sheep. So with the job of packing, moving and unpacking I felt myself start to drift and quickly grabbed Thorne’s book. I can now honestly say the woman cured my narcolepsy, but raised the one simple question I plan to ask should I ever meet her, How does she sleep?

Reminiscent of Satan’s School for Girls, the plot intentionally revels in cliché’s. Aware of the path that’s being treaded upon, Thorne accepts what has been and swiftly makes it her own. Taking what could easily be seen as an urban legend, the story delicately moves away from the norm, embarking on forbidden territory. Perfect!

Thorne’s style of writing is fearless. With little concern for what is expected, she writes what intrigues her and that passion shows through. The pace in the book is concise, moving you along at a fluid, yet terrifying speed. I never even felt the need to shout once to hurry it along, a miracle in and of itself. The atmosphere in the book is murky and, at times, foul. The air is constantly changing, leaving impressions that crisscross between the smell of fresh baked sugar cookies and expired meat left in the summer sun. The only problem with the story and style is that there was more description than dialogue.

The characters in the book were about as interesting as the State of Address, another problem. The romance felt pushed, the evil nuns banal, and the players trivial. Granted, I could still read and enjoy, but I did so resentfully. Had Ms. Throne spent a little more time on her characters and a little less on her descriptions of the gargoyles, these characters might have been memorable.

My rating? I give it a 3 . Even though the characters fell flat, this book is still worth reading and definitely worth buying. Buy it used and see what Halloween is really about!

-As reviewed for Horror-Web.com

[Erika · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've never been a fan of horror novels since I scare easily but I do find Tamara Thorne's writing entertaining. It's not frightening so if you're looking for something to spook yourself with then I suggest you look someplace else. However, this book is a real page turner and an overall good read.

[Kellie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this book because it was on sale and I was in a hurry. I have to say that I enjoyed it. I thought the fact that there was a character in this book with my exact name! That was kind of fun...lol

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nicely sinister and perfect for the Halloween season. Thorne is a better writer than I had expected.

[Chester · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one is not scary at all but it's really entertaining and a page-turner. One of my favorite books!

[Jenny Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of her better novels.

[Dixie · Rating 4 out of 5]

another great read by a favorite author. Read her, you won't regret

[Alistair Cross · Rating 5 out of 5]

Moonfall, Tamara Thorne, 1996

My favorite quote: “Midnight. A dark, moonless shroud of midnight that closed in around Minerva Payne, starving her lungs, chilling her soul with its blackness.”

Notable characters: Sara Hawthorne, a woman returning home; Minerva Payne, a mysterious local with mysterious abilities; St. Gertrude’s, aka, St. Gruesome’s, a girl’s school run by sinister nuns; and, of course, Moonfall itself, a picturesque community that really gets into the Halloween spirit (I know those last two aren’t TECHNICALLY characters, but in this case, they are -- Tamara Thorne has a way of making places as real as the people)

Most memorable scene: The shower scene. Spooky stuff …

Greatest strengths: Atmosphere first, because no one paints a spooky picture like Tamara Thorne, and in Moonfall, she’s in fine, fine form. Running a close second to that, however, is the character development -- another of Tamara Thorne’s strengths

Standout achievements: The Halloween vibe it gives off. Seriously. Moonfall is THE perfect Halloween read. It makes me long for the Octobers of my childhood

Fun Facts: Because Moonfall was such an influence on me as a young, budding writer, I wanted to pay homage to it in my own work. That said, Gremory Jones, my demon salesman in Dream Reaper, hails from the town of Moonfall — with Tamara Thorne’s permission, of course. Also, in my paranormal murder mystery, Sleep Savannah Sleep, my main character, Jason Crandall, is seen reading Moonfall

Other media: N/A

What it taught me: No other author has taught me more about creating atmosphere than Tamara Thorne, and Moonfall is a solid example of her abilities

How it inspired me: For me, Moonfall is the book that started it all. For the longer version of that story, see below

Additional thoughts: Moonfall is the first Tamara Thorne novel I read. I saw it on a shelf in the library when I was in my late teens. It sounds odd — almost supernatural — to admit that it was the name “Tamara Thorne” that jumped out at me and not the title Moonfall, but it’s the truth. I checked the book out, loved it, and continued looking for more. I found Tamara Thorne online and since there wasn’t really any social media at that time, I just kind of stalked her website. Fast forward a few years. I got my first book published and realized I didn’t even know any other people in my field. So I set out to meet other authors. By now, Facebook was a thing, so I immediately friended Tamara Thorne there and private messaged her, asking if she’d be interested in doing a interview on my blog. She said yes, one thing led to another, and currently, she is my collaborator of 10 years and counting. As Thorne & Cross, we are simultaneously working on our 9th and 10th novels together, and this, to me, is proof that dreams come true and that you should always, always meet your heroes

Hit or miss: Hit

Haunt me: alistaircross.com

Read Moonfall: https://tinyurl.com/4e7a7wrf

[A_Place_In The_Orchard · Rating 5 out of 5]

The small town of Moonfall has a secret. In fact, it has a lot of secrets. The only problem is, nobody knows them. No-one apart from the witch who runs a local store; and, of course, the cult of Satanic nuns who occupy the convent on the far side of the woods, and are responsible for just about every secret in town.

Secrets like... why do so many people die violent deaths at the local beauty spot? What are those weird birds... the locals call them "night hawks"... that screech above the rooftops at night? And what exactly do the nuns put in the mincemeat pies that they sell to tourists at their own picturesque little store?

Moonfall is a story that spans generations of one family, without ever leaving the present day... 1972 in the early pages, and twenty-four years later elsewhere. And remember that number, because it will turn out to be significant. Unless, of course, you're the local sheriff, John Lawson, who... no, no spoilers. Suffice to say, there's not much real action in Moonfall, so you can excuse him being a little slow off the mark when things really start to happen.

And they do happen. Thorne is an incredibly engaging writer, surely one of the best in the entire modern horror genre. Eminently capable of creating believable communities, she also possesses the remarkable ability of blindsiding your expectations, time and time again. Imagine she's conducting you on a leisurely drive... taking the scenic route, if you like... while she points out the areas of local interest.

Sure there are a few little potholes to jolt your reverie evero so often. But it's calm, it's relaxing, you're having a wonderful time.. Then you hit the hill. Then she announces the brakes have failed. Then she tells you that the engine's overheated. The steering's gone, as well. And just when you think things can't get any worse... they do.

Moonfall is a breathless spiral into darkness, and while I swore to myself long ago that I will never binge read an author again, this is my third Thorne book in under three weeks. And now I'm eyeing up a fourth.... Watch this space.

[Indieterror13 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Moonfall by Tamara Thorne is about a group of wayward Catholic nuns who run an orphange for girls and a town that finds itself with the loss of a young boy in only one family every 24 years. There is a good witch, as well, and a town that suffers but doesn't open their eyes to what is happening.
It took me way longer than it should have to get through this book. I was VERY interested in the storyline itself, which is why I pushed through. I wanted to know where it went to get to where it finally got.
There are a few characters that needed a little bit more backstory development; it would have created more feeling for them that should have been there but felt lacking. The background of the actual happening itself also didn't fully make sense and could use some expansion. The ending wrapped up just a bit too quickly and neatly.
That said, this book is not edited in any way. It needs a significant overhaul. For me, the egregious errors made it difficult to focus on the content. I know I very well could have DNFd, but I don't have that gene or bone in my body. I just can't do it. And I really did want to know how it went. It was just hard to get through.
💀💀 from me bc I mostly liked the story. I think this book could be really great if it got that edit.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I became a fan of Tamara Thorne's after reading Bad Things. The last few pages of Moonfall had me racing to see who would survive.
John is a sheriff in a small town. Like his father before him. His younger brother Greg drowned 24 years prior. His memory of that night is hazy. The friends he was with as well. They all grew apart after that horrible night. Still, he has an aversion to the nuns and the school for girls that they run. There are a lot of tales of the school being haunted. The gargoyle statues that decorate it coming alive at night. Weird practices and chanting.
John is raising his son Mark solo. Then a pretty teacher comes to town (an alumni of the school) with a story that seems almost unbelievable. Almost. But the past comes back in a horrible way. Everyone is in danger if they don't stop the nuns and their plan.
4 stars for Minerva and the other great characters.
The book was published in 1996 and 1992 was supposed to have been 24 years prior.
I don't know about the timeline seeming very timely. It wasn't what I expected. But it was a good, solid creepy read regardless.

[Marci · Rating 4 out of 5]

EXCELLENT BUT BAD SPELLING ERRORS

I gave this 4 Stars, it could have received 5 but the spelling errors were so numerous they were exasperating. What a great mind the author has as far as horror story telling. I just read my first novel by the author and it was such a pleasant and great read. I think it was her last book and I read it first. So now I think the author relied on computer auto-spell which made the spelling errors ten-fold and now for this latest book she could finally afford to spend money on a proofreader or took the time to do it herself. Either way, try her books, you should be pleasantly surprised as I would. The novel that was best before I read this one was titled, "BAD THINGS". Thank you Ms. Thorne and don't be upset by my criticism. I think you are on your way to being almost as good as King!!!!

[Thaydra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall I enjoyed this book. That said, it felt like it was written by your typical person who has grown up with the Christian background -not necessarily a church going person- who has just recently discovered paganism and is excited about it. Which is not a bad thing!

I just had a difficult time throughout the majority of the book with the way pagans and Satanism were co-mingled. Towards the end, it didn't necessarily explain it, but it sort of made more sense... but I had to get through most of the book to get there.

I found the overall story-line entertaining. The characters were interesting enough, even when they were exasperating. There was enough mystery and intrigue to keep me engage. I wanted to know what happened.

3.5 / 5 stars

[BookNerdsBrainDump · Rating 4 out of 5]

[Snack-Size Review] Moonfall, by Tamara Thorne

Quick Bite: I was SURE this was a 1980’s Zebra paperback.

What It’s About: When Sheriff John Lawson was a kid, his 12 year old brother drowned in an apparent accident near St. Gertrude’s School For Girls, which the locals jokingly call St. Gruesome’s. But now Halloween is approaching and strange things are happening in the town of Moonfall again. And this time, John’s son Mark is the target.

A Word From The Nerd: Seriously, this one hits all the Paperbacks From Hell sweet spots. Small town! Satanic Nuns! Witchcraft! Main characters who fall madly in love after spending about 20 minutes together! If you can embrace the cheesiness, it’s great fun.

The Nerd’s Rating: FOUR HAPPY NEURONS (and a cheese danish, no apple.)

[Tammy Bulcao · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spine tingling!💜

This was a fantastically creepy story. Some aspects seemed a little predictable, but it didn’t take away the goosebumps or general horror I felt while reading/listening to this story.
Witches, Nuns, Gargoyles, Ghosts and more this book had it all. Not to mention it was centered around... you guessed it, Halloween. The narration was wonderful. I wasn’t sure at first, but quickly realized that Jamison Walker has the perfect voice for this genre. Well done!
I highly recommend this book.

Sisters Spotlight 💜

[Mary Dean · Rating 5 out of 5]

This quickly became one of my favorite books. I loved every element of it: the mystery, the horror aspect, the small town connection... This is about the town of Moonfall. But specifically, it's about the mystery of St. Gertrude's Home for Girls. There are unexplained deaths that many don't question. That is until the mystery is too close for a sheriff who grew up in the town and an orphan who comes back. I was hooked from the first page and on the edge of my seat the whole time. I guarantee you won't see what's coming. A must read for horror and paranormal mystery fans!

[Wendy Shores · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am blow away by this author and am currently devouring everything I can find that she has ever wrote. Her style is gripping and keeps me glued to the book from start to finish. If you are looking for a writer that really knows how to keep you entertained, this is your girl!
Moonfall is a dark story of evil that takes the Lawson family on a ride centuries long. Gargoyles, evil priests and nuns and a dark, monastery that is everything but what it seems. Great read, great characters, great plot... what more can I say? Tamara Thorne reminds me a lot of Stephen King... I just love her style!

[Jason Kazlauskas · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book just for the setting. I was hungry for a small town horror with little weird nuances about the neighborhood or the people living there and this book accomplished what I needed it for.

However, a further analysis of the plot and themes left much to be desired. There was nothing unique about the villains' in this tale. More than half way through I lost interest in the characters and the ending was quite predictable.

[Kristine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of those gems you find at the used bookstore. I absolutely loved it. It's got creepy nuns at a creepy catholic girls school, mysterious deaths, satan worshipers, gargoyles, as well as that small town feel so many of us horror fans love along with the good ol' small town sheriff. It may not be an award winning book (or maybe it is?), but i wasn't bored for a single page.

[Randy · Rating 4 out of 5]

While the book started a little slow, I'm really glad I stuck with it! A good horror novel. Religious / satanic tones. I felt like the book told an original story within the classic mindset of the church vs the devil.

[Madeleine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first book by this author and I really enjoyed it. This book was not scary at all. The way the story was narrated, makes you feel like you are right there watching it as it was unfolding. I look forward to more books by this author.