What do you think?
Rate this book
To Bury the Dead
To Bury The DeadPaul Kelly is a good man, a firefighter and paramedic facing death and danger daily, selflessly risking his own safety for the sake of strangers. Paul has seen tragedy a thousand times, but it has never been his own. Until now...A shocking crime. A loved one, brutally murdered. Paul's life is suddenly invaded by police, reporters, and the harsh glare of spotlights on a family's private grief. The killer shows no sorrow, no remorse--a teen sociopath whose dead eyes stare in sullen silence. Paul does not want blood or vengeance. He wants to know why.Paul Kelly was a good man. But his obsession is drawing him into the darkest depths of the human soul. Where a terrible truth luks in the shadows of lies. And a price must be paid...To Bury The Dead
352 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2000
2 people are currently reading
103 people want to read
About the author
Craig Spector
34 books86 followers Author, screenwriter, and musician Craig Spector developed an interest in the macabre at a very early age: he was severely burned in a tragic household accident when he was only ten months old and did drawings of skeletons and severed heads when he was a little boy. Spector graduated cum laude in 1982 with a B.A. in Professional Music from the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts and went on to attend the Atlanta College of Art in Atlanta, Georgia. He moved to New York City and published his first novel "The Light At The End" (co-authored with John Skipp) in 1986.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 13, 2020
This is a very good suspenseful thriller with a compulsive feeling of building tension throughout. The characterization of the fire-fighting protagonist is excellent, particularly for the pre-9/11 time in which it was written, before the public focus on first-responders became prevalent. Many readers were disappointed because they were looking for the splatterpunk kind of story that Spector was best known for prior to this in his collaborations with John Skipp. This isn't that kind of a story, but it's a very good one that I suspect would appeal to a much wider readership.
January 1, 2020
4.3 stars!
Over the years Craig Spector's take on horror matured from ghoulishly fast paced Splatterpunk "gore fest masterpieces" of Terror to character studies in fear and anxiety bordering on Dostoevsky's "Crime and Punishment" like "To Bury the Dead".
Spector's 80's output were all classics. Metered horror poetry/prose. Nobody wrote prose like Spector. If you like the tongue twisting poetry dense horror of Poe and Lovecraft you must delve deep into everything Spector! Terror Treat Deluxe.
My husband is a retired professional firefighter. What's does have to do with anything? Well, Paul Kelly the main protagonist of "To Bury the Dead" is a firefighter and paramedic working the rough side of New Jersey. My husband was completely shocked at the authenticity of the "firefighting culture" in "To Bury the Dead". From the downtime interaction between grizzled vets with rookies, to fire scenes, to vivid EMS on prostitutes at fleabag motels. My husband actually thought Craig Spector had worked as a firefighter. When I told hubby no. He said, " Spector must have researched and lived at fire department for at least 6 months." Even the War Stories firefighters tell each other rang true.
Firefighter Paul Kelly can still kindle the romantic fires with his wife after almost 20 years of marriage. Together they've raised the "apple of their eye" only child, 16 year old daughter Kyra. Spector deftly opens the Kelly household up, showing the reader slices of life which give a depth of character rarely seen in a horror novel. I'd have to resurrect some of the characters from Stephen King's " The Stand" for depth.
One evening Paul Kelly and Rescue One run on a call to an address all to familiar. Someone brutally strangle his daughter Kyra to death. Afterwards Spector shuttles us through the rituals of death. Along with Paul, I felt stunned and emotionally emptied at Kyra's Funeral, the aftermath of friends attempting consolidation, and the devastating effect the loss of a child has on a marriage which Spector explores in anxious agonizing real life reality. Spector had me feeling nervous about my own marriage.
Shortly after Paul Kelly enters into "Crime and Punishment" territory. If you ever read "Crime and Punishment" you know the anxiety, horror, and pain of a man slowly, inexorably sabotaging himself, his wife, his friends... his very soul. Oh the shame! I'll stop right here! To go further would divulge spoilers. Spector delivers horror as literature. "To Bury the Dead" will creep you out. I found myself putting the book down, saying, " No!" Two days later, I'd renege, covered in dread and open the damn book again because...I Had To Know!
Over the years Craig Spector's take on horror matured from ghoulishly fast paced Splatterpunk "gore fest masterpieces" of Terror to character studies in fear and anxiety bordering on Dostoevsky's "Crime and Punishment" like "To Bury the Dead".
Spector's 80's output were all classics. Metered horror poetry/prose. Nobody wrote prose like Spector. If you like the tongue twisting poetry dense horror of Poe and Lovecraft you must delve deep into everything Spector! Terror Treat Deluxe.
My husband is a retired professional firefighter. What's does have to do with anything? Well, Paul Kelly the main protagonist of "To Bury the Dead" is a firefighter and paramedic working the rough side of New Jersey. My husband was completely shocked at the authenticity of the "firefighting culture" in "To Bury the Dead". From the downtime interaction between grizzled vets with rookies, to fire scenes, to vivid EMS on prostitutes at fleabag motels. My husband actually thought Craig Spector had worked as a firefighter. When I told hubby no. He said, " Spector must have researched and lived at fire department for at least 6 months." Even the War Stories firefighters tell each other rang true.
Firefighter Paul Kelly can still kindle the romantic fires with his wife after almost 20 years of marriage. Together they've raised the "apple of their eye" only child, 16 year old daughter Kyra. Spector deftly opens the Kelly household up, showing the reader slices of life which give a depth of character rarely seen in a horror novel. I'd have to resurrect some of the characters from Stephen King's " The Stand" for depth.
One evening Paul Kelly and Rescue One run on a call to an address all to familiar. Someone brutally strangle his daughter Kyra to death. Afterwards Spector shuttles us through the rituals of death. Along with Paul, I felt stunned and emotionally emptied at Kyra's Funeral, the aftermath of friends attempting consolidation, and the devastating effect the loss of a child has on a marriage which Spector explores in anxious agonizing real life reality. Spector had me feeling nervous about my own marriage.
Shortly after Paul Kelly enters into "Crime and Punishment" territory. If you ever read "Crime and Punishment" you know the anxiety, horror, and pain of a man slowly, inexorably sabotaging himself, his wife, his friends... his very soul. Oh the shame! I'll stop right here! To go further would divulge spoilers. Spector delivers horror as literature. "To Bury the Dead" will creep you out. I found myself putting the book down, saying, " No!" Two days later, I'd renege, covered in dread and open the damn book again because...I Had To Know!
January 1, 2020
Over the years Craig Spector's horror matured from ghoulishly, fast paced Splatterpunk "gore fest masterpieces" of Terror to character studies in fear and anxiety, bordering on Dostoevsky's "Crime and Punishment" like "A Question of Will".
Spector's 80's output were all classics. Metered horror poetry/prose. Nobody wrote prose like Spector. If you like the tongue twisting poetry, dense horror of Poe and Lovecraft you must delve deep into everything Spector! "Terror Treat Deluxe".
My husband is a retired professional firefighter. What's does have to do with anything? Well, Paul Kelly, the main protagonist of "A Question of Will" is a firefighter and paramedic working the rough side of New Jersey. My husband was completely shocked at the authenticity of the "firefighting culture" in "A Question of Will". From grizzled vets hazing rookies, to fire scenes, to vivid EMS on prostitutes at fleabag motels. My husband actually thought Craig Spector worked as a firefighter. When I told hubby no. He said, " Spector must have researched and lived at fire department for at least 6 months." Even the "War Stories" firefighters tell each other ring true.
Firefighter Paul Kelly can still kindle romantic fires with his wife after 20 years of marriage. Together they've raised the "apple of their eye", only child, 16 year old daughter Kyra. Spector deftly opens the Kelly household up, showing the reader slices of life which give a depth of character rarely seen in a horror novel. I'd have to resurrect characters from Stephen King's " The Stand" for depth and comparison.
One evening Paul Kelly and Rescue One run on a call to an address all too familiar. Someone brutally strangle his daughter Kyra to death. Afterwards Spector shuttles us through the rituals of death. Along with Paul, I felt stunned and emotionally emptied at Kyra's Funeral, the aftermath of friends attempting consolidation, and the "devastating effect" the loss of a child has on a marriage which Spector explores in anxious, agonizing real life sincerity. Spector had me feeling nervous about my own marriage.
Shortly thereafter, Paul Kelly enters "Crime and Punishment" territory. If you ever read "Crime and Punishment" you know the anxiety, horror, and pain of a man slowly, inexorably sabotaging himself, his wife, his friends... his very soul. Oh the shame! I'll stop right there! To go further would divulge spoilers. Spector delivers horror as literature. "A Question of Will" will creep you out. I found myself putting the book down, saying, " No!" Two days later, I'd renege, covered in dread and open the damn book again because...I Had To Know!
Spector's 80's output were all classics. Metered horror poetry/prose. Nobody wrote prose like Spector. If you like the tongue twisting poetry, dense horror of Poe and Lovecraft you must delve deep into everything Spector! "Terror Treat Deluxe".
My husband is a retired professional firefighter. What's does have to do with anything? Well, Paul Kelly, the main protagonist of "A Question of Will" is a firefighter and paramedic working the rough side of New Jersey. My husband was completely shocked at the authenticity of the "firefighting culture" in "A Question of Will". From grizzled vets hazing rookies, to fire scenes, to vivid EMS on prostitutes at fleabag motels. My husband actually thought Craig Spector worked as a firefighter. When I told hubby no. He said, " Spector must have researched and lived at fire department for at least 6 months." Even the "War Stories" firefighters tell each other ring true.
Firefighter Paul Kelly can still kindle romantic fires with his wife after 20 years of marriage. Together they've raised the "apple of their eye", only child, 16 year old daughter Kyra. Spector deftly opens the Kelly household up, showing the reader slices of life which give a depth of character rarely seen in a horror novel. I'd have to resurrect characters from Stephen King's " The Stand" for depth and comparison.
One evening Paul Kelly and Rescue One run on a call to an address all too familiar. Someone brutally strangle his daughter Kyra to death. Afterwards Spector shuttles us through the rituals of death. Along with Paul, I felt stunned and emotionally emptied at Kyra's Funeral, the aftermath of friends attempting consolidation, and the "devastating effect" the loss of a child has on a marriage which Spector explores in anxious, agonizing real life sincerity. Spector had me feeling nervous about my own marriage.
Shortly thereafter, Paul Kelly enters "Crime and Punishment" territory. If you ever read "Crime and Punishment" you know the anxiety, horror, and pain of a man slowly, inexorably sabotaging himself, his wife, his friends... his very soul. Oh the shame! I'll stop right there! To go further would divulge spoilers. Spector delivers horror as literature. "A Question of Will" will creep you out. I found myself putting the book down, saying, " No!" Two days later, I'd renege, covered in dread and open the damn book again because...I Had To Know!
May 2, 2012
Excellent suspense tale that doesn't take an easy out with its ending. It may frustrate readers who have a black and white view of the world.
March 7, 2022
I’m a big fan of the Skipp and Spector horror novels and stories. On his first solo outing Skipp does not disappoint. Very good storyline with lots of suspense.
The ending was not something I saw coming but it was satisfactory. Highly recommend for good writing and face paced thriller.
The ending was not something I saw coming but it was satisfactory. Highly recommend for good writing and face paced thriller.
March 18, 2021
This is an amazing book. extremely powerful. I recommend everyone to read this.
October 13, 2007
Oh, if only we all had a basement and tourture skills at our disposal...
October 5, 2014
Loved it
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews