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The Guardians
From acclaimed author Andrew Pyper, a gripping novel of psychological suspense about four men haunted by a secret from childhood.
There's no such thing as an empty house...
Trevor, Randy, Ben and Carl grew up together in the small town of Grimshaw as many boys do — playing hockey and forging friendships that run deep. Twenty-four years later, when Ben commits suicide, the three remaining friends gather once again in their hometown. But going home means going back, and that's not always easy. The three men are forced to confront their memories of a sinister crime that happened in an abandoned house in their neighbourhood — a crime that claws its way into the present, leaving its indelible mark on everyone.
There's no such thing as an empty house...
Trevor, Randy, Ben and Carl grew up together in the small town of Grimshaw as many boys do — playing hockey and forging friendships that run deep. Twenty-four years later, when Ben commits suicide, the three remaining friends gather once again in their hometown. But going home means going back, and that's not always easy. The three men are forced to confront their memories of a sinister crime that happened in an abandoned house in their neighbourhood — a crime that claws its way into the present, leaving its indelible mark on everyone.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2011
32 people are currently reading
1856 people want to read
About the author
Andrew Pyper
39 books1,119 followersAndrew Pyper was a Canadian author. He published over ten fictional books, including The Demonologist, which won the International Thriller Writers Award, and Lost Girls, which was a New York Times bestseller and Notable Book of the Year.
Pyper also published under the name of Mason Coile.
Pyper also published under the name of Mason Coile.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 189 reviews
August 30, 2013
I had first heard of this book by reading a glowing review for it in a newspaper, perhaps The Globe and Mail.
So I got on to Goodreads and added it to my to-read list.
Where it stayed for about two years. Every time I was deciding what to read next, I would come to this and be cooled by the 3.52 rating. It almost got to the point where I was going to take it off my list altogether.
What a mistake that would have been. I am shocked at the average rating of this book. I had only glazed over reviews, only because I wanted to avoid the chance of spoilers (generally negative reviews tend to be rife with them), but from what I can gather, some people have called this a knock off of Stephen King's IT or The Body.
Well, I guess if Pyper can be accused of anything, it would be a wonderful portrayal of four young friends in a creepy setting, and a revisit of the town's Bad Thing in their adult years.
GUILTY AS CHARGED!
This book was outstanding. Like King, he writes kids great, and also writes them great as adults. He also creeped the hell out of me. This morning as I was nearing the finish, I was lying on the couch where the telephone is over my head. Alone in the house, of course. Yes, the phone has to ring
and scare the bejeezus out of me.
Pyper is a hell of a writer. There are so many turns of phrases that I found so wonderful and unique that I would love to share them here, but I hate putting quotes in reviews out of context. They are best discovered as they are served.
Excellent read, and well deserving of the King comparisons. Five easy stars.
So I got on to Goodreads and added it to my to-read list.
Where it stayed for about two years. Every time I was deciding what to read next, I would come to this and be cooled by the 3.52 rating. It almost got to the point where I was going to take it off my list altogether.
What a mistake that would have been. I am shocked at the average rating of this book. I had only glazed over reviews, only because I wanted to avoid the chance of spoilers (generally negative reviews tend to be rife with them), but from what I can gather, some people have called this a knock off of Stephen King's IT or The Body.
Well, I guess if Pyper can be accused of anything, it would be a wonderful portrayal of four young friends in a creepy setting, and a revisit of the town's Bad Thing in their adult years.
GUILTY AS CHARGED!
This book was outstanding. Like King, he writes kids great, and also writes them great as adults. He also creeped the hell out of me. This morning as I was nearing the finish, I was lying on the couch where the telephone is over my head. Alone in the house, of course. Yes, the phone has to ring
and scare the bejeezus out of me.
Pyper is a hell of a writer. There are so many turns of phrases that I found so wonderful and unique that I would love to share them here, but I hate putting quotes in reviews out of context. They are best discovered as they are served.
Excellent read, and well deserving of the King comparisons. Five easy stars.
January 5, 2012
Another fantastic book from Pyper. Probably the best haunted house story I have ever read. He is such an amazing writer that the words just come to life and suck you right into the story. Plot and charecterization are terrific as always and the ending is truly scary and satisfying. If you like ghosts and haunted houses in a well-written setting, this one's for you.
March 14, 2020
Trevor, Randy, Ben and Carl grew up together playing hockey in their small, Canadian town, forging their friendship with ice hockey, mischief and the House Across the Street. The Thurman house has always been seen as “haunted” by locals, the house abandoned years before that now sits vacant, visible from Ben’s bedroom window. Twenty-four years later, Trevor, Randy and Carl return to Grimshaw, after the suicide of their friend, Ben. Of the four of them, Ben was the only one to remain in Grimshaw, serving as the “guardian” of the Thurman house, making sure no one goes in….or gets out. When a young woman goes missing and Trevor starts seeing things in the dark from Ben’s window, he begins to wonder if the Thurman house is back to his old tricks.
Taut and suspenseful, “The Guardians” by Andrew Pyper takes a coming-of-age tale, and turns it on its head, with the addition of haunted houses, buried secrets, and dark shadows in the night.
Pyper is my favourite Canadian horror author by far, labeled as “the Canadian Stephen King” (and not being far off in that comparison I might add!) . His stories always take place in Canada, and he makes it obvious, which is likely something that will hinder his notoriety, and yet he does it anyway. Mucho props for that, Pyper.
“The Guardians” does horror right, with damaged but hopeful characters. All four of the main protagonists are likable and honest, dysfunctional and broken but still willing to keep their secrets from childhood, reuniting after a long absence as if nothing had changed. The decrepit Thurman house is everything you want a haunted house to be; as Pyper says – “Every town has one”.
As the story unfolds, and secrets are revealed, there are a few unexpected twists which I thoroughly enjoyed. “The Guardians” held my attention throughout, and I was in its grasp until the very last page.
Taut and suspenseful, “The Guardians” by Andrew Pyper takes a coming-of-age tale, and turns it on its head, with the addition of haunted houses, buried secrets, and dark shadows in the night.
Pyper is my favourite Canadian horror author by far, labeled as “the Canadian Stephen King” (and not being far off in that comparison I might add!) . His stories always take place in Canada, and he makes it obvious, which is likely something that will hinder his notoriety, and yet he does it anyway. Mucho props for that, Pyper.
“The Guardians” does horror right, with damaged but hopeful characters. All four of the main protagonists are likable and honest, dysfunctional and broken but still willing to keep their secrets from childhood, reuniting after a long absence as if nothing had changed. The decrepit Thurman house is everything you want a haunted house to be; as Pyper says – “Every town has one”.
As the story unfolds, and secrets are revealed, there are a few unexpected twists which I thoroughly enjoyed. “The Guardians” held my attention throughout, and I was in its grasp until the very last page.
November 29, 2022
Was definitely a very good read.
When I picked up this book, I didn't realize that it had a supernatural element to it. I thought it was just a regular murder mystery thriller. But I loved it nonetheless. I really enjoyed Mr Pyper's writing so much that I took my own sweet time to finish it because I enjoy reading each and every word and sentence. Will definitely look into the other books he has written.
When I picked up this book, I didn't realize that it had a supernatural element to it. I thought it was just a regular murder mystery thriller. But I loved it nonetheless. I really enjoyed Mr Pyper's writing so much that I took my own sweet time to finish it because I enjoy reading each and every word and sentence. Will definitely look into the other books he has written.
December 4, 2011
Part of what we share is the knowledge that every small town has a second heart, smaller and darker than the one that pumps the blood of good intentions. We alone know that the picture of home cooking and oak trees and harmlessness is false. This is the secret that binds us. Along with the friends who share its weight.What is not to love about this book? It is a coming of age story about friendship. It is a story of ghosts and secrets. It is a tale of damaged men who discover the past cannot be outrun, but must be faced head on if one is to survive it. Best of all, The Guardians is a crystalline snapshot portrait of small town life wrapped in gorgeous prose that will scare the living bejeebers out of you.
~The Guardians
The creep factor buried in its pages is huge and unrelenting. The story starts off subtle and small, like a soft tapping sound on your window at night, but by the end it has you by the throat and is screaming in your face. This is a genuine, honest to goodness haunted house story with teeth and I loved every minute of it.
I want to thank Sue for bringing this book to my attention. She promised epic heebie jeebies and she did not lie. How people live in houses with earthen cellars I do not know.
December 2, 2022
‘When we were young, the future was so bright
The old neighborhood was so alive
And every kid on the whole damn street
Was gonna make it big and not be beat’
Those opening lyrics from The Offspring song ‘The Kids Aren’t Alright’ (minus the woah-oh’s) always hit me every time I listen to them. There’s a few things you probably already know about me, if you’ve read my reviews, any of my interviews or read any of my work. The first, is that I am from a very small town in British Columbia, Canada. The second is that I often write about themes of isolation, the struggle to find where we belong, and that I am a massive Andrew Pyper fan.
I first read this novel back in March of 2020. Back then, in my review, in my ‘what I didn’t like’ section, I wrote this; It’s hard to sum up, but what I didn’t like was the main character Trevor and how much he reminded me of myself. Trevor left small town Grimshaw and owned a night club and was a big deal, according to him. He doesn’t want to go back, but he knows he must for his friend and to try and put closure on what happened all those years ago. I did a similar thing. For me, I longed and desired to leave where I grew up as fast as I could and for many, many years, I had my nose raised at those that stayed behind and never left. But who am I to judge? If they are happy, great. It’s their life. It took me many years to let myself let go of my snobbish views. So, reading how Trevor was acting and reacting reminded me a lot of my younger self. Uncomfortably so.
Honestly, now having finished this for a second time, that sentiment has been driven home even more.
For this re-read, I did something a little different. I put out a post seeing if any one else would like to join me in a read along! I’ve previously only done two read along’s – each just with a buddy. It was a ton of fun, and when five other folks signed up, I was over the moon. It lead to some fantastic discussions and it was neat to see that the one thing we all agreed upon was how compulsive Andrew’s prose is. I’ve often said that when I read Andrew’s work, it is as though he’s written the story just for me, that I fall into his words and get carried along and it was neat to see others respond that way and want to race ahead and finish the book.
What I liked: The novel follows 40-year-old Trevor, recently diagnosed with Parkinson’s, who has sold his night club and wants to live a sheltered life away from people seeing his shakes and difficulties. That possibility is shattered when he gets a phone call late at night from one of his old high school friends, letting him know that Ben, one of their best friends, has taken his own life.
From there, Andrew jumps between past and present, between how things used to be between the four friends with their entire lives and dreams ahead of them, and how things turned out. How one is an addict, one is a failed actor, one is dealing with a neurological disease and one took their own life. A life that was spent watching out of his attic bedroom window at the old Thurman house, a house that holds a dark place in their respective histories.
Once again, I felt drawn into this read. This was a coming-of-age story that hit a number of high notes and as I’m a 40-year-old male from a small town, really connected. I’ve often wondered if I might need to look into speaking to a counsellor or therapist regarding some of my feelings about my upbringing and where I came from. About how ‘that place’ has left an indelible mark on my character and mannerisms and how I not only miss so much about where I came from, but also how much I detest and have anger towards things. It’s a lot to unpack, but some sentences Andrew includes throughout really hit the bullseye and a few times I was left in tears. I don’t know if Andrew reads my reviews of his work (maybe if he reads this, he’ll send me a DM or message that says ‘Leafs Rule!’ ha!) but once again, I’m left wondering how much of this book was an autobiographical approach to personal catharsis through the veil of a ghost story. Funny enough – I just messaged that exact sentiment to the group chat!
The ending of this one was, as Andrew has been known to occasionally do (looking at you The Demonologist) vague and open to interpretation. I personally loved seeing how Trevor subtly changed, but I wanted to have a firmer grip on how his high school love, Sarah, and his relationship progressed. She was the perfect foil to his immaturity towards settling down and being with someone that loved him and I think a bit more to that would’ve been nice.
‘Now the neighborhood’s cracked and torn
The kids are grown up, but their lives are worn
How can one little street swallow so many lives?’
What I didn’t like: As with the last time, what I didn’t like was very much how poignantly personal this one rang home. It reinforced that I still have work to do with my own journey of trying to understand where I came from and how I got to where I am today.
I will say, for other readers, this one is very much a small-town, coming-of-age in Canada story, so for some readers, this just may not connect. It is very male-centric, which also may cause some readers to not connect as much with it as I did.
Why you should read this: Written about a decade before Craig Davidson’s fantastic ‘The Saturday Night Ghost Club,’ fans of that book will definitely want to dive into this one. I would be interested to know if Craig was influenced at all by this one. ‘The Guardians’ is another great example of Andrew’s ‘Literary Dark Fiction,’ how he writes like a master craftsman who (deservedly so) publishes with a Big Five publisher, but remains rooted in the horror world, in the spooky and unnerving and has those indie author leanings towards gore and graphic moments.
It should be no surprise to anyone that I loved this one and if you’re looking for a Canadian high school, small town, ghost story, look no further.
The old neighborhood was so alive
And every kid on the whole damn street
Was gonna make it big and not be beat’
Those opening lyrics from The Offspring song ‘The Kids Aren’t Alright’ (minus the woah-oh’s) always hit me every time I listen to them. There’s a few things you probably already know about me, if you’ve read my reviews, any of my interviews or read any of my work. The first, is that I am from a very small town in British Columbia, Canada. The second is that I often write about themes of isolation, the struggle to find where we belong, and that I am a massive Andrew Pyper fan.
I first read this novel back in March of 2020. Back then, in my review, in my ‘what I didn’t like’ section, I wrote this; It’s hard to sum up, but what I didn’t like was the main character Trevor and how much he reminded me of myself. Trevor left small town Grimshaw and owned a night club and was a big deal, according to him. He doesn’t want to go back, but he knows he must for his friend and to try and put closure on what happened all those years ago. I did a similar thing. For me, I longed and desired to leave where I grew up as fast as I could and for many, many years, I had my nose raised at those that stayed behind and never left. But who am I to judge? If they are happy, great. It’s their life. It took me many years to let myself let go of my snobbish views. So, reading how Trevor was acting and reacting reminded me a lot of my younger self. Uncomfortably so.
Honestly, now having finished this for a second time, that sentiment has been driven home even more.
For this re-read, I did something a little different. I put out a post seeing if any one else would like to join me in a read along! I’ve previously only done two read along’s – each just with a buddy. It was a ton of fun, and when five other folks signed up, I was over the moon. It lead to some fantastic discussions and it was neat to see that the one thing we all agreed upon was how compulsive Andrew’s prose is. I’ve often said that when I read Andrew’s work, it is as though he’s written the story just for me, that I fall into his words and get carried along and it was neat to see others respond that way and want to race ahead and finish the book.
What I liked: The novel follows 40-year-old Trevor, recently diagnosed with Parkinson’s, who has sold his night club and wants to live a sheltered life away from people seeing his shakes and difficulties. That possibility is shattered when he gets a phone call late at night from one of his old high school friends, letting him know that Ben, one of their best friends, has taken his own life.
From there, Andrew jumps between past and present, between how things used to be between the four friends with their entire lives and dreams ahead of them, and how things turned out. How one is an addict, one is a failed actor, one is dealing with a neurological disease and one took their own life. A life that was spent watching out of his attic bedroom window at the old Thurman house, a house that holds a dark place in their respective histories.
Once again, I felt drawn into this read. This was a coming-of-age story that hit a number of high notes and as I’m a 40-year-old male from a small town, really connected. I’ve often wondered if I might need to look into speaking to a counsellor or therapist regarding some of my feelings about my upbringing and where I came from. About how ‘that place’ has left an indelible mark on my character and mannerisms and how I not only miss so much about where I came from, but also how much I detest and have anger towards things. It’s a lot to unpack, but some sentences Andrew includes throughout really hit the bullseye and a few times I was left in tears. I don’t know if Andrew reads my reviews of his work (maybe if he reads this, he’ll send me a DM or message that says ‘Leafs Rule!’ ha!) but once again, I’m left wondering how much of this book was an autobiographical approach to personal catharsis through the veil of a ghost story. Funny enough – I just messaged that exact sentiment to the group chat!
The ending of this one was, as Andrew has been known to occasionally do (looking at you The Demonologist) vague and open to interpretation. I personally loved seeing how Trevor subtly changed, but I wanted to have a firmer grip on how his high school love, Sarah, and his relationship progressed. She was the perfect foil to his immaturity towards settling down and being with someone that loved him and I think a bit more to that would’ve been nice.
‘Now the neighborhood’s cracked and torn
The kids are grown up, but their lives are worn
How can one little street swallow so many lives?’
What I didn’t like: As with the last time, what I didn’t like was very much how poignantly personal this one rang home. It reinforced that I still have work to do with my own journey of trying to understand where I came from and how I got to where I am today.
I will say, for other readers, this one is very much a small-town, coming-of-age in Canada story, so for some readers, this just may not connect. It is very male-centric, which also may cause some readers to not connect as much with it as I did.
Why you should read this: Written about a decade before Craig Davidson’s fantastic ‘The Saturday Night Ghost Club,’ fans of that book will definitely want to dive into this one. I would be interested to know if Craig was influenced at all by this one. ‘The Guardians’ is another great example of Andrew’s ‘Literary Dark Fiction,’ how he writes like a master craftsman who (deservedly so) publishes with a Big Five publisher, but remains rooted in the horror world, in the spooky and unnerving and has those indie author leanings towards gore and graphic moments.
It should be no surprise to anyone that I loved this one and if you’re looking for a Canadian high school, small town, ghost story, look no further.
January 5, 2011
The Good Stuff
* Extremely suspenseful and delightfully creepy at times
* It's got a Haunted House and I LOVE haunted house stories!!!!!
* Set in small town Ontario -- so it is very familiar to me -- even been to Grimshaw
* Canadian and not depressing - who would have thought
* Lots of twists and turns and surprises that you don't see coming
* Very wise commentary on youth and loss of innocense
* Did I mention Ghosts and Haunted Houses - what's not to love
* Will definitely be looking for other books by author -- love it when I find a good Canadian fiction author -- that doesn't depress the crap out of me or write about the frickin prairies
* It reminded me a little of "good" Stephen King stories like The Body, It and Bag of Bones without the icky stuff that King sometimes goes overboard with (Love you Stevie but still haven't totally forgiven you for Pet Cemetary)
* Heard that this book is under option to be made into a movie -- with the right director I think it would make an awesome flick
The Not so Good Stuff
* Some dry humour present, but would have liked a little more
* Small town Ontario isn't as bad as he makes it sound at times ; )
* Must go hug my two little boys and pray that nothing shitty happens like it does to the boys in the book
* Hmm might be discouraging Jesse about playing Hockey
* Prefer the cover of the Orion version -- more spooky looking -- although this cover is pretty good too
Favorite Quotes/Passages
"My father, not known for his wisdom (though he took runs at it on the nights he hit the sauce harder than usual), once told me something that has proven consistent with my experience; while a man can accumulate any number of acquaintances over his life, his only true friends are the ones he makes in his youth."
"But to me, there is something chilling in all the broken-down bastions of the divine, as though it will be here, and not in the indifferent, thrumming city, that the final wrestling of goods and evils will take place. And it won't be as showy as Revelation promised either; no beast rising from the sea, no serpent to tell seductive lies. When the reckoning takes place it will be quiet. And like all the bad done in Grimshaw, it will be known by many but spoken by none."
What I Learned
* Grimshaw sucks ; )
* Boyhood friends are friends for life-- must pay closer attention to Jake and Jesse's friends LOL
Who should/shouldn't read
* Fans of Stephen King will probably enjoy (I know I did & I love King's good stuff)
* Lovers of Ghost and Haunted House stories will really enjoy
* Actually think this would be a good one for everyone -- absolutely perfect read for a Cold Canadian winters night
4.5 Dewey's
I received this from Random House of Canada in exchange for an honest review -- Thanks guys for bringing my attention to a good Canadian fiction author
* Extremely suspenseful and delightfully creepy at times
* It's got a Haunted House and I LOVE haunted house stories!!!!!
* Set in small town Ontario -- so it is very familiar to me -- even been to Grimshaw
* Canadian and not depressing - who would have thought
* Lots of twists and turns and surprises that you don't see coming
* Very wise commentary on youth and loss of innocense
* Did I mention Ghosts and Haunted Houses - what's not to love
* Will definitely be looking for other books by author -- love it when I find a good Canadian fiction author -- that doesn't depress the crap out of me or write about the frickin prairies
* It reminded me a little of "good" Stephen King stories like The Body, It and Bag of Bones without the icky stuff that King sometimes goes overboard with (Love you Stevie but still haven't totally forgiven you for Pet Cemetary)
* Heard that this book is under option to be made into a movie -- with the right director I think it would make an awesome flick
The Not so Good Stuff
* Some dry humour present, but would have liked a little more
* Small town Ontario isn't as bad as he makes it sound at times ; )
* Must go hug my two little boys and pray that nothing shitty happens like it does to the boys in the book
* Hmm might be discouraging Jesse about playing Hockey
* Prefer the cover of the Orion version -- more spooky looking -- although this cover is pretty good too
Favorite Quotes/Passages
"My father, not known for his wisdom (though he took runs at it on the nights he hit the sauce harder than usual), once told me something that has proven consistent with my experience; while a man can accumulate any number of acquaintances over his life, his only true friends are the ones he makes in his youth."
"But to me, there is something chilling in all the broken-down bastions of the divine, as though it will be here, and not in the indifferent, thrumming city, that the final wrestling of goods and evils will take place. And it won't be as showy as Revelation promised either; no beast rising from the sea, no serpent to tell seductive lies. When the reckoning takes place it will be quiet. And like all the bad done in Grimshaw, it will be known by many but spoken by none."
What I Learned
* Grimshaw sucks ; )
* Boyhood friends are friends for life-- must pay closer attention to Jake and Jesse's friends LOL
Who should/shouldn't read
* Fans of Stephen King will probably enjoy (I know I did & I love King's good stuff)
* Lovers of Ghost and Haunted House stories will really enjoy
* Actually think this would be a good one for everyone -- absolutely perfect read for a Cold Canadian winters night
4.5 Dewey's
I received this from Random House of Canada in exchange for an honest review -- Thanks guys for bringing my attention to a good Canadian fiction author
July 13, 2011
I have loved Andrew Pyper darkly, seductive novels, all of them are very different on the surface but underneath they all have similar characteristics, human anxieties and secrets and misgivings.
'The Guardians' has shades of Stephen King's IT and The Body in this coming of age 'supernatural' thriller but there is nothing wrong with that and Pyper doesn't put a foot wrong!
The local haunted house has become part of urban mythology and the Thurman House in the Guardians represents that old abandoned spooky house in our town that we all ran past as children.
Trevor, Randy, Ben and Carl were boyhood friends until, looking for a missing person, they went into the Thurman House and what they found there changed them forever. They are bound by a vow of silence about what they found and the terrible things that happened in the house. Years later Trevor returns to Grimshaw for the funeral of Ben, the only one who stayed behind 'to watch the house' and to makes sure whatever was in there didn't escape. He committed suicide...Accompanied by Randy, Trevor arrives in Grimshaw, Carl joins them for the tragic reunion to find history has a nasty habit of repeating itself and once again, they are forced to venture into the malevolent Thurman House.
The author uses a wonderful duel narrative from Trevor, present day and the past, his 'Memory Diary' using a Dictaphone on which he records episodes from his childhood. The pacing is superb, giving the reader precious little time to contemplate events before hurtling you into the next incident. The story has a perfect balance between the believable and the paranormal and Pyper's imagery is vivid and visceral full of compelling menace
Of course it really is all about friendship, rite of passage, what it is to become a man, and to be a man but as someone said it is a terrifying and breathless and as a midnight dare to run through your local graveyard...
'The Guardians' has shades of Stephen King's IT and The Body in this coming of age 'supernatural' thriller but there is nothing wrong with that and Pyper doesn't put a foot wrong!
The local haunted house has become part of urban mythology and the Thurman House in the Guardians represents that old abandoned spooky house in our town that we all ran past as children.
Trevor, Randy, Ben and Carl were boyhood friends until, looking for a missing person, they went into the Thurman House and what they found there changed them forever. They are bound by a vow of silence about what they found and the terrible things that happened in the house. Years later Trevor returns to Grimshaw for the funeral of Ben, the only one who stayed behind 'to watch the house' and to makes sure whatever was in there didn't escape. He committed suicide...Accompanied by Randy, Trevor arrives in Grimshaw, Carl joins them for the tragic reunion to find history has a nasty habit of repeating itself and once again, they are forced to venture into the malevolent Thurman House.
The author uses a wonderful duel narrative from Trevor, present day and the past, his 'Memory Diary' using a Dictaphone on which he records episodes from his childhood. The pacing is superb, giving the reader precious little time to contemplate events before hurtling you into the next incident. The story has a perfect balance between the believable and the paranormal and Pyper's imagery is vivid and visceral full of compelling menace
Of course it really is all about friendship, rite of passage, what it is to become a man, and to be a man but as someone said it is a terrifying and breathless and as a midnight dare to run through your local graveyard...
January 21, 2012
I didn't love the book, but I didn't hate it either. I loved Pyper's prose and enjoyed reading the story, I just don't know that I loved the whole story. Maybe it's just that I didn't buy the personification of the house - you know, no matter what else is going on, a house doesn't have a gaze, or feelings, or wants and needs. Funny that it wasn't the ghost that I didn't buy, but there it is.
I also thought that there were some loose ends . I liked that the main protagonist had Parkinson's, and that it was acknowledged but didn't have too much emphasis put on it.
I don't know that I can put my finger on why I didn't love it exactly: could have been that I didn't buy Ben's character, nor the coach's, could have been the love interest, could have been the loose ends. Likely a combination of all of the above. For a book club book though, it was a good choice.
**Elly's book club pick
I also thought that there were some loose ends . I liked that the main protagonist had Parkinson's, and that it was acknowledged but didn't have too much emphasis put on it.
I don't know that I can put my finger on why I didn't love it exactly: could have been that I didn't buy Ben's character, nor the coach's, could have been the love interest, could have been the loose ends. Likely a combination of all of the above. For a book club book though, it was a good choice.
**Elly's book club pick
March 2, 2015
REVIEW: THE GUARDIANS by Andrew Pyper
This is only my second Andrew Pyper novel; I was fortunate to read an ARC of his upcoming novel THE DAMNED (publication February 2015) and so loved it I immediately became a devoted fan. THE GUARDIANS is set in small-town Ontario, a community.where high school hockey rules and everybody knows everything about everyone else. It's a good place to grow up, a good place to raise children, a fertile ground to form lifelong friendships. But every tasty apple might conceal a worm; for the small close-knit community of Grimshaw, that worm coils at 321 Caledonia Street, beside the hill leading to the hospital and nurses' residence, across the street from the home where adolescent hockey player Ben McAuliffe lives with his widowed mother. Known as the Thurman House for its owners in the 1940's, it's decaying, long-uninhabited, and harboring a bloody history: some forgotten, some always remembered.
This is only my second Andrew Pyper novel; I was fortunate to read an ARC of his upcoming novel THE DAMNED (publication February 2015) and so loved it I immediately became a devoted fan. THE GUARDIANS is set in small-town Ontario, a community.where high school hockey rules and everybody knows everything about everyone else. It's a good place to grow up, a good place to raise children, a fertile ground to form lifelong friendships. But every tasty apple might conceal a worm; for the small close-knit community of Grimshaw, that worm coils at 321 Caledonia Street, beside the hill leading to the hospital and nurses' residence, across the street from the home where adolescent hockey player Ben McAuliffe lives with his widowed mother. Known as the Thurman House for its owners in the 1940's, it's decaying, long-uninhabited, and harboring a bloody history: some forgotten, some always remembered.
January 9, 2023
As a reader, I absolutely loved this book. As an author, it inspired me to write better in the way only my favorite authors can. I can't wait to dive into Pyper's other titles. highly recommend!
November 18, 2011
HOLY CRAP!!!!!!
I still get the heebee jeebies when I think of this book ....... and I really do want to stop thinking about this book. I just give thanks that I'm not living alone so I don't have to worry about needlessly scaring the sh*t out of myself everytime I turn around. Although, it won't make me turn off the lights. And I'm first in bed so I don't have to walk through the dark. (It's all about strategies people!)
This was a really great -classic- haunted house horror story. Small town, abandoned big old house that has a history, young peoples pranks and unexplained, disturbing disappearances. It's also a story of friendship and faith. Four young men, team mates, whose friendship is forever altered and ultimately cemented by the history of the house - past and present ...... and future. How their mutual experience sealed their fates as they grew into manhood until they reunited to complete what was started so many years before.
I really loved the format of how the author presents the story. It's told through both the past and the present, weaving back and forth between the 'once was' and the 'is now' - the recollected history and the present day . You get to read the diary of the past - bit by bit, each entry preceding the actual chapter of the present day, to you get totally engrossed with those 16 year old boys and the horror they uncover. And you really get engrossed. The book doesn't even number the pages (genius!) - you just get lost in the time.
I won't give anything away - the book is too good to give up the ghost (PUN!) on. I give it the highest recommendations. Read it at your peril!! (and leave the lights on!!).
I still get the heebee jeebies when I think of this book ....... and I really do want to stop thinking about this book. I just give thanks that I'm not living alone so I don't have to worry about needlessly scaring the sh*t out of myself everytime I turn around. Although, it won't make me turn off the lights. And I'm first in bed so I don't have to walk through the dark. (It's all about strategies people!)
This was a really great -classic- haunted house horror story. Small town, abandoned big old house that has a history, young peoples pranks and unexplained, disturbing disappearances. It's also a story of friendship and faith. Four young men, team mates, whose friendship is forever altered and ultimately cemented by the history of the house - past and present ...... and future. How their mutual experience sealed their fates as they grew into manhood until they reunited to complete what was started so many years before.
I really loved the format of how the author presents the story. It's told through both the past and the present, weaving back and forth between the 'once was' and the 'is now' - the recollected history and the present day . You get to read the diary of the past - bit by bit, each entry preceding the actual chapter of the present day, to you get totally engrossed with those 16 year old boys and the horror they uncover. And you really get engrossed. The book doesn't even number the pages (genius!) - you just get lost in the time.
I won't give anything away - the book is too good to give up the ghost (PUN!) on. I give it the highest recommendations. Read it at your peril!! (and leave the lights on!!).
June 1, 2019
The grunginess of this story is palpable as it crawls under your skin. You can feel all the misery of the story seeping off the pages. This has been my favorite of Pyper's works to date.
August 27, 2011
The Guardians by Andrew Pyper is one of those books I found myself stealing time to read and I must admit that I haven’t read a “thriller” in twenty years or more. I even pulled the book out after dark, which I had promised myself I was not going to do. It’s a nightmare thing with me. Creepy images stay with me. I don’t like practical jokes that are designed to scare people, and I have never watched a horror film since someone took me on a date to see The Omen about a million years ago.
My interest in Andrew Pyper’s work came from listening to an interesing chat he had with Shelagh Rogers on CBC radio’s “The Last Chapter”. I was intrigued with Andrew’s take on the special friendships of boys growing into a type of brotherhood as they grow into men. I also liked the idea the story was set in small town Ontario. I found myself thinking, “too bad this is a spooky story otherwise I might read it”. I kept coming across articles praising the book, as well as eye-popping comments on FB from people describing their experiences reading it. Damn it. I’d have to read the thing and figure out how to do it without needing therapy at the other end.
After careful preparations, and having the book on my shelf (NOT my nightstand) for several weeks I finally felt ready to give it a go. It was no small thing for me truck out to the beach and settle down in blistering daylight to finally open “The Guardians”.
Pyper carefully spins a wide and easy web as he introduces characters who are immediately likeable. As a reader, you can sit on the edge and stay far from the danger. Perfect. I thought, if this is horror fiction, I’ve been missing out.
Pyper delivers. Quick paced dialogue, the engaging world of teenage boys, the curious world of grown men thinking about what their lives have become as they enter “middle age.” I could handle that. But I knew it was unlikely my comfort would last. I was prepared for that too. My plan was to cut and run the moment I started having nightmares, but there was nothing to worry about. Okay, a couple of heart pounding scenes, but nothing too far out of my comfort zone. I was able to bring the book indoors, and read in the afternoon comfort of my sunny living room. I have dogs. They bark at everything. I would be safe from Andrew’s imagination. Soon I was so caught up in the story, I was compelled to throw caution to the wind and open the pages after dark, now drawn into the tight circle of the world of the Guardians, a spectator from afar no longer. My heart ached for Trev having to shoulder his great burden. How did he get to that point in his life? What had happened to those boys? What had happened in that house? There was no putting the book down, even in the wee hours in the middle of the night, the prose driving my fright at every reflection in every window, the hair rising on my neck at every sound in the yard.
Andrew Pyper’s gift for taking us inside his characters with a compelling story, sharp insights, and one-drip-of-blood-at-a-time suspense makes this an excellent, and dare I suggest, “haunting” read. The ideal summer thriller for the chicken-hearted.
My interest in Andrew Pyper’s work came from listening to an interesing chat he had with Shelagh Rogers on CBC radio’s “The Last Chapter”. I was intrigued with Andrew’s take on the special friendships of boys growing into a type of brotherhood as they grow into men. I also liked the idea the story was set in small town Ontario. I found myself thinking, “too bad this is a spooky story otherwise I might read it”. I kept coming across articles praising the book, as well as eye-popping comments on FB from people describing their experiences reading it. Damn it. I’d have to read the thing and figure out how to do it without needing therapy at the other end.
After careful preparations, and having the book on my shelf (NOT my nightstand) for several weeks I finally felt ready to give it a go. It was no small thing for me truck out to the beach and settle down in blistering daylight to finally open “The Guardians”.
Pyper carefully spins a wide and easy web as he introduces characters who are immediately likeable. As a reader, you can sit on the edge and stay far from the danger. Perfect. I thought, if this is horror fiction, I’ve been missing out.
Pyper delivers. Quick paced dialogue, the engaging world of teenage boys, the curious world of grown men thinking about what their lives have become as they enter “middle age.” I could handle that. But I knew it was unlikely my comfort would last. I was prepared for that too. My plan was to cut and run the moment I started having nightmares, but there was nothing to worry about. Okay, a couple of heart pounding scenes, but nothing too far out of my comfort zone. I was able to bring the book indoors, and read in the afternoon comfort of my sunny living room. I have dogs. They bark at everything. I would be safe from Andrew’s imagination. Soon I was so caught up in the story, I was compelled to throw caution to the wind and open the pages after dark, now drawn into the tight circle of the world of the Guardians, a spectator from afar no longer. My heart ached for Trev having to shoulder his great burden. How did he get to that point in his life? What had happened to those boys? What had happened in that house? There was no putting the book down, even in the wee hours in the middle of the night, the prose driving my fright at every reflection in every window, the hair rising on my neck at every sound in the yard.
Andrew Pyper’s gift for taking us inside his characters with a compelling story, sharp insights, and one-drip-of-blood-at-a-time suspense makes this an excellent, and dare I suggest, “haunting” read. The ideal summer thriller for the chicken-hearted.
May 31, 2019
I’ve noticed before how much Andrew Pyper’s novels were influenced by Stephen King. The influence is much more than obvious in this one; at times it almost feels like a composite of various of Mr. King’s works. The typical elements, such as a remote decaying town with its spooky secrets and a group of four male schoolfriends make it seem like a mix of “Salem’s Lot” and “The Body” (which was filmed as “Stand By Me”). The only main difference is the location. The aptly named Grimshaw being in southern Ontario near the shore of Lake Huron, rather than in New England.
In all, it’s a well-written and engaging enough novel, although I can’t help but mark it down because of its lack of originality.
In all, it’s a well-written and engaging enough novel, although I can’t help but mark it down because of its lack of originality.
September 14, 2014
I'm torn.
Because on the one hand I really enjoyed this book. It was beautifully written and unlike so many of the ghost stories I've read recently it was actually a bit scary.
On the other hand, however, I am so fed up of books that explore the love between male friends and murder women to create manpain. They can be perfectly good books, but there are so many of them.
So, three stars. Unfair? Yep! Irrational? Double-Yep!
Because on the one hand I really enjoyed this book. It was beautifully written and unlike so many of the ghost stories I've read recently it was actually a bit scary.
On the other hand, however, I am so fed up of books that explore the love between male friends and murder women to create manpain. They can be perfectly good books, but there are so many of them.
So, three stars. Unfair? Yep! Irrational? Double-Yep!
August 5, 2017
One of the best books I have ever read! 5 EASY STARS.
April 26, 2019
Was a decent read. Liked the characters and storyline, the house itself gave me the creeps and at times it reminded me of Stephen King's IT. If you get the chance to read it give it a chance.
February 24, 2011
I enjoyed THE GUARDIANS on multiple levels.
First, the novel is set in small-town Ontario, and is about three forty-something men, all ex-players of the hometown hockey team "The Guardians" who come together after the death of a dear friend they haven't seen in years. Having grown up in a small town in Northern Ontario (and one in which hockey was central - three NHL players were born out of Levack, Ontario when I was growing up, one of whom I played alongside in my youth) I recognize how perfectly Pyper has nailed this element of the novel. The town itself is like a character I can quickly and easily relate to.
Pyper describes characters, settings and situations in a small town so perfectly that I, had I not actually been back in my small home town when I was reading it, his novel would have propelled me there.
He also beautifully nails the relationship between men, the unspoken thoughts, the carefully script of "maleness" that dominates and ties the four friends together through a critically important secret all four of them have sworn themselves to which involves the Thurman house, an old, abandoned house that stands across from the bedroom of Ben, one of the friends. Of course, the secret is what brings the three surviving friends together when Ben, the one who stayed behind, to continue to watch the house, to be the remaining guardian of its evil secrets, takes his own life.
THE GUARDIANS wonderfully parallels Stephen King's IT in this manner of a single friend staying behind to keep an eye on the evil that dwells in their small home town. And like the King novel, which is one of my favourites, Pyper's novel jumps back and forth between the present, where the friends come together on their old stomping grounds, and the past, where the secrets the four friends have all kept are slowly unravelled and revealed to the reader.
The main character and narrator, Trevor, who was recently diagnosed with Parkinson's disease is perhaps the walking, living and breathing parallel to The Thurman House, the creepy "haunted house" that is central to the story's plots and secrets. Choosing a life of shallow rewards and relationships, he is ultimately alone and soliatary, just like the house that has stood abandoned and neglected for so many years. Trevor also represents much of the speculation many people have of moments lost, decisions made in haste and wondering what "might have been" had he done things just a little differently.
Pyper unravels the tale with a masterful tightening of tension, one in which the shadows begin to creep, ever so slowly across the ground, making you do a double take to wonder if what you just thought you saw was really there. He also addresses the "don't go into that haunted house" element wonderfully so that each time the boys and men enter the house, you partially wonder why they would do so, but can empathize with what draws them forward.
To sum up my review, this novel keeps me in awe of Pyper's storytelling skills, his Norman Rockwell-like capturing of small-town Ontario, and his masterful tightening of suspense.
First, the novel is set in small-town Ontario, and is about three forty-something men, all ex-players of the hometown hockey team "The Guardians" who come together after the death of a dear friend they haven't seen in years. Having grown up in a small town in Northern Ontario (and one in which hockey was central - three NHL players were born out of Levack, Ontario when I was growing up, one of whom I played alongside in my youth) I recognize how perfectly Pyper has nailed this element of the novel. The town itself is like a character I can quickly and easily relate to.
Pyper describes characters, settings and situations in a small town so perfectly that I, had I not actually been back in my small home town when I was reading it, his novel would have propelled me there.
He also beautifully nails the relationship between men, the unspoken thoughts, the carefully script of "maleness" that dominates and ties the four friends together through a critically important secret all four of them have sworn themselves to which involves the Thurman house, an old, abandoned house that stands across from the bedroom of Ben, one of the friends. Of course, the secret is what brings the three surviving friends together when Ben, the one who stayed behind, to continue to watch the house, to be the remaining guardian of its evil secrets, takes his own life.
THE GUARDIANS wonderfully parallels Stephen King's IT in this manner of a single friend staying behind to keep an eye on the evil that dwells in their small home town. And like the King novel, which is one of my favourites, Pyper's novel jumps back and forth between the present, where the friends come together on their old stomping grounds, and the past, where the secrets the four friends have all kept are slowly unravelled and revealed to the reader.
The main character and narrator, Trevor, who was recently diagnosed with Parkinson's disease is perhaps the walking, living and breathing parallel to The Thurman House, the creepy "haunted house" that is central to the story's plots and secrets. Choosing a life of shallow rewards and relationships, he is ultimately alone and soliatary, just like the house that has stood abandoned and neglected for so many years. Trevor also represents much of the speculation many people have of moments lost, decisions made in haste and wondering what "might have been" had he done things just a little differently.
Pyper unravels the tale with a masterful tightening of tension, one in which the shadows begin to creep, ever so slowly across the ground, making you do a double take to wonder if what you just thought you saw was really there. He also addresses the "don't go into that haunted house" element wonderfully so that each time the boys and men enter the house, you partially wonder why they would do so, but can empathize with what draws them forward.
To sum up my review, this novel keeps me in awe of Pyper's storytelling skills, his Norman Rockwell-like capturing of small-town Ontario, and his masterful tightening of suspense.
July 28, 2024
Rather like a haunted house, I didn't really know what to expect going in. I knew what I wanted though - I wanted a haunted house novel that was actually scary. Well, by crikey, did I get my wish!
This book is an absolute fright-fest from the first page to...well, not the last, but pretty much all of it is creepy AF. There was one part where I put the book down, thinking, 'okay that's enough for tonight.' And the way it builds, it's like from a 'Did you hear that?' whisper to a 'holy shit, run!' scream. Every chapter cranks up the fear factor just a little more and you feel you're standing right beside Trevor, our narrator. You feel it and that's a tricky thing to pull off in a haunted house novel.
So yeah, this book is good. And, like all good - no, great - haunted house stories it works on levels, where the house itself stands not only for something that lurks deep within the psyche - a living, breathing thing that comes alive by showing you what you fear and making you face it - but also dead scary, flat out evil and real.
This is a masterclass in spine tingling horror and reminded me of Stephen King quite a bit, his newer stuff, especially. Not just the story, but the themes of friendship over the years and growing up and growing older and realising everything falls apart in the end and secrets and small towns and claustrophobia and fears but the style, too, the dialogue, pretty much everything. But not in a lame 'in the tradition of...' kind of way because those books are hollow at their core and this has loads of heart and a real presence. Pyper makes the house the main character in a way that a lesser writer wouldn't.
This book is an absolute fright-fest from the first page to...well, not the last, but pretty much all of it is creepy AF. There was one part where I put the book down, thinking, 'okay that's enough for tonight.' And the way it builds, it's like from a 'Did you hear that?' whisper to a 'holy shit, run!' scream. Every chapter cranks up the fear factor just a little more and you feel you're standing right beside Trevor, our narrator. You feel it and that's a tricky thing to pull off in a haunted house novel.
So yeah, this book is good. And, like all good - no, great - haunted house stories it works on levels, where the house itself stands not only for something that lurks deep within the psyche - a living, breathing thing that comes alive by showing you what you fear and making you face it - but also dead scary, flat out evil and real.
This is a masterclass in spine tingling horror and reminded me of Stephen King quite a bit, his newer stuff, especially. Not just the story, but the themes of friendship over the years and growing up and growing older and realising everything falls apart in the end and secrets and small towns and claustrophobia and fears but the style, too, the dialogue, pretty much everything. But not in a lame 'in the tradition of...' kind of way because those books are hollow at their core and this has loads of heart and a real presence. Pyper makes the house the main character in a way that a lesser writer wouldn't.
March 30, 2018
Of the three books by Andrew Pyper I've read so far, The Guardians is my favourite. The Guardians are Trev, Randy, Carl and Ben, four young men who grow up in the town of Grimshaw. The Guardians is the name of their local hockey team and all four play on it.
The town of Grimshaw has a secret as well. Across the street from Ben is the Thurman house, an empty haunted house. It is the crux of this story.
Their music teacher disappears; the boys see things in the house. Are they related? Is the Coach involved?
The story is told in the past and the present by Trev. Suffering from Parkinson's disease, he starts to dictate a diary of the events of the past and at the same time he is returning to Grimshaw to attend the funeral of Ben, the self-appointed watcher of the Thurman house.
The story moves along nicely, both in the past and present and it is tensely, eerily described. What is in the Thurman House? What does it want?
Well worth reading, a creepy, interesting story with an exciting, satisfying ending. (4 stars)
The town of Grimshaw has a secret as well. Across the street from Ben is the Thurman house, an empty haunted house. It is the crux of this story.
Their music teacher disappears; the boys see things in the house. Are they related? Is the Coach involved?
The story is told in the past and the present by Trev. Suffering from Parkinson's disease, he starts to dictate a diary of the events of the past and at the same time he is returning to Grimshaw to attend the funeral of Ben, the self-appointed watcher of the Thurman house.
The story moves along nicely, both in the past and present and it is tensely, eerily described. What is in the Thurman House? What does it want?
Well worth reading, a creepy, interesting story with an exciting, satisfying ending. (4 stars)
August 9, 2016
The Guardians at times had five star potential and at times it fell flat. The last third of the book was predictable and I felt that the story reached a peak and just stretched out to the conclusion. There were a lot of things I liked about the book. It did give me the creeps. It was also a decent coming of age story about a group of friends and what they wanted to be and how they ended up being based on their choices. The author portrayed the friends in a way you would see in books about soldiers at war. Brotherhood to the end.
At the end of the book there is an analogy where a character puts things in perspective about the things you do when you are young. At times we may look back at those things as "distorted dreams". How we tend to ignore some of those things vs. untangle the past. That there is a price to pay for all decisions in life. -It was a nice touch. The ending note helped place an extra star on my review. A pretty scary ghost story with a moral to wrap it up.
At the end of the book there is an analogy where a character puts things in perspective about the things you do when you are young. At times we may look back at those things as "distorted dreams". How we tend to ignore some of those things vs. untangle the past. That there is a price to pay for all decisions in life. -It was a nice touch. The ending note helped place an extra star on my review. A pretty scary ghost story with a moral to wrap it up.
February 22, 2011
" I spoke to a therapist about it. Once. She was nice - seemed nice, though this may have been only performance, an obligation included i her lawyer-like hourly fee and was ready to see me "all the through what's coming." But I couldn't go back. I just sat... back in her pleasant, fern-filled room and caught a whiff of the coconut exfoliant she'd used that morning to scrub at the liver spots on her arms and knew I would never return. She was the sort of woman in the sort of office giving off the sort of scent designed to provoke confessions. I could have trusted her. And trusting a stranger is against the rules." -from The Guardians
This is a must-read for anybody who is now middle age and looks back at their teenage years in a mid-size town. Especially interesting is the whole "is-it-a-ghost -or -is-it-me-having-a-breakdown" concepts that left me with chills down my spine
This is a must-read for anybody who is now middle age and looks back at their teenage years in a mid-size town. Especially interesting is the whole "is-it-a-ghost -or -is-it-me-having-a-breakdown" concepts that left me with chills down my spine
February 3, 2011
So this is what it's like to have the bejeezes spooked out of you. Yikes! Last I saw them, they were racing west on Jasper Ave. Didn't even look back. Are bejeezes replaceable? Hmmm...
Just finished Andrew Pyper's 'The Guardians' a spectacularly well-written haunted house story. Dark, mysterious and spooky I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. And just when I thought I had it figured out, I hadn't. As always, Pyper's writing is terrific. I've been a fan since 'Lost Girls' and he just keeps getting better. This one is going to stay in my head for a long time.
And a lesson learned, never look in your neighbour's window unless you're prepared for what you might see.
Just finished Andrew Pyper's 'The Guardians' a spectacularly well-written haunted house story. Dark, mysterious and spooky I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. And just when I thought I had it figured out, I hadn't. As always, Pyper's writing is terrific. I've been a fan since 'Lost Girls' and he just keeps getting better. This one is going to stay in my head for a long time.
And a lesson learned, never look in your neighbour's window unless you're prepared for what you might see.
January 12, 2012
This book has been widely and well-reviewed. Dennis Lehane, one of my favourite writers of thrillers, wrote, 'Moves like a bullet. Outstanding in every way.' While I agree with this observation, I found a lot more substance in The Guardians than that comment suggests. It is a story of friendship, loyalty, heartbreak, moral confusion, love, illness, and death, and altho it does move like a bullet, it also moves along at a slow enough pace that the characters come alive, and that I care about what happens to them. It is also a brilliantly creepy ghost story. A very good read indeed!
January 31, 2011
I'm not a big horror/crime fan but I am an Andrew Pyper fan. He writes very well. He often slips effortlessly into a sort of 'stream of consciousness' mode that works quite well in this book. It touches on lots of themes like friendship and moving on but also the way the past is always with us.
No doubt Andrew is a big step above most of the writers of this genre.
No doubt Andrew is a big step above most of the writers of this genre.
December 27, 2015
3.5 stars
I expected more from this, more 'what' I don't know, just more.
Not that it wasn't good, it was, spooky and violent like any good haunted house book should be but it didn't scare me, I wanted it too, I really really did but it felt lacking. Maybe that's still because I don't seem to scare easily anymore no matter how hard I'm trying to find something that will.
I expected more from this, more 'what' I don't know, just more.
Not that it wasn't good, it was, spooky and violent like any good haunted house book should be but it didn't scare me, I wanted it too, I really really did but it felt lacking. Maybe that's still because I don't seem to scare easily anymore no matter how hard I'm trying to find something that will.
May 31, 2015
Read the final 200 pages in one sitting. Absolutely spellbinding haunted house story. Really great.
November 21, 2016
A decent horror story must be the hardest kind of tale to tell successfully. Too much and you have your readers rolling their eyes and laughing, too restrained and the whole endeavor falls flat. I'm not a reader of the genre, generally because my suspension of disbelief is minimal when faced with anything supernatural. A house is a house and I don't jump at things that go bump in the night, even when my SO is out of town. I do lock the doors at night, but walking through an unexplained cold patch just has me putting socks on. I don't read scary stories very often, is what I'm trying to say, but I do end up doing so occasionally, because they've been well reviewed or, more often, because a favorite author has taken a stab at it. I'm usually disappointed.
I've enjoyed Andrew Pyper's books so far. He writes thrillers, with a Canadian flavor; his best ones are set in small towns and are generally well plotted, so that the endings don't feel rushed or implausible. I got my copy of his newest novel, The Guardians, and began it without knowing anything about the plot; had I known it was about an evil-infested haunted house, I would have stuck it on the bottom of my TBR. I'm glad I didn't, though, because The Guardians was both atmospheric and very, very readable.
Four sophomore boys played on the high school hockey team in the small Ontario town of Grimshaw that year and were friends. Then something bad happened, involving a missing teacher, and they all vowed never to tell anyone. Years later, Trevor is coming to terms with his newly diagnosed Parkinson's disease when he returns to Grimshaw to attend the funeral of one of the other boys, Ben, the only one who stayed in Grimshaw, living across the street from the old Thurman house, who has committed suicide. He's determined to keep his stay in his hometown as short as possible, even as he rekindles friendships from decades ago, but then another woman goes missing and he can't help but notice parallels from the incident when he was in high school and it seems he'll have to find out just what is going on in that house.
It's a fairly basic and well-trod set up, but Pyper manages to make it interesting by diving into the lives of small town teen-agers, both the ones who don't see anything but continuing down the paths expected of them and those who dream of escaping the confines of small town life. Pyper evokes life in a small, Canadian town, where the high school hockey players are stars, albeit stars who eventually graduate to manage small stores or work in the construction industry. And the house is creepy. Really creepy. And there's that evil presence from the past thing, but adeptly handled. I never once rolled my eyes.
I've enjoyed Andrew Pyper's books so far. He writes thrillers, with a Canadian flavor; his best ones are set in small towns and are generally well plotted, so that the endings don't feel rushed or implausible. I got my copy of his newest novel, The Guardians, and began it without knowing anything about the plot; had I known it was about an evil-infested haunted house, I would have stuck it on the bottom of my TBR. I'm glad I didn't, though, because The Guardians was both atmospheric and very, very readable.
Four sophomore boys played on the high school hockey team in the small Ontario town of Grimshaw that year and were friends. Then something bad happened, involving a missing teacher, and they all vowed never to tell anyone. Years later, Trevor is coming to terms with his newly diagnosed Parkinson's disease when he returns to Grimshaw to attend the funeral of one of the other boys, Ben, the only one who stayed in Grimshaw, living across the street from the old Thurman house, who has committed suicide. He's determined to keep his stay in his hometown as short as possible, even as he rekindles friendships from decades ago, but then another woman goes missing and he can't help but notice parallels from the incident when he was in high school and it seems he'll have to find out just what is going on in that house.
It's a fairly basic and well-trod set up, but Pyper manages to make it interesting by diving into the lives of small town teen-agers, both the ones who don't see anything but continuing down the paths expected of them and those who dream of escaping the confines of small town life. Pyper evokes life in a small, Canadian town, where the high school hockey players are stars, albeit stars who eventually graduate to manage small stores or work in the construction industry. And the house is creepy. Really creepy. And there's that evil presence from the past thing, but adeptly handled. I never once rolled my eyes.
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