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Cornwall Novellas #1
Dudleytown
College sophomore Alexander Strauss has one no messing around with straight guys. Especially not his mouthwatering roommate, Shannon. When their ride share drives off the side of a mountain, the two young men find themselves deep in an uninhabited forest searching for their missing friend. Wandering the famously cursed grounds of Dudleytown, Alex figures something truly unholy must be at play, because only insanity could tempt him to break his cardinal rule.
76 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 29, 2010
8 people are currently reading
291 people want to read
About the author
L.B. Gregg
25 books627 followersLB Gregg (Lisabea) writes fun, fast-paced contemporary male/male romances for a variety of publishers including Riptide, Samhain, and Carina Press. Her wildly successful Men of Smithfield books feature hot, hunky men looking for love in small town New England. Find more information about LB, The Men of Smithfield, and her fun series Romano and Albright at www.lbgregg.com.
You can also friend LB on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/lb.gregg.1
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
September 25, 2015
”Nothing good ever happens to the one moron with the flashlight who gets separated from his friends and wanders lost in the woods. That’s like scary movie one-oh-one.”
So what do you do when a tooth-pick chomping copper tells you to “keep to the main roads”? haha….Take the first spooky, dark short cut you see of course!
LB Gregg’s Dudleytown made my horror-juiced heart and soul extremely happy! A tale that had it all—ghost towns, curses, humor, beloved horror movie references, crackling sexual tension, grave sex *waggles eyebrows*, wild animals, woods, and complete and utter darkness in the hills of New England. Oh yeah, did I mention the escaped convicts? Hehe…
Alex, “perfect boy band material” cutie nicknamed Allie, sets off for a long weekend with fellow college students “secret short cut” Ricky and Allie’s roommate Shannon—the man he has been lusting after and crushing on for months. Determined to get home in record time, Ricky ignores the warnings and detours due to a prison transport accident and dives into the back, back roads of Connecticut. But when the trio find themselves stranded, lost, hurt, and hunted in the legendary cursed remains of Dudleytown, the guys must learn to trust and lean on each other to survive the ghost town’s alleged powers of persuasion that make visitors do crazy and deadly things. Will Shannon, Allie, and Ricky survive Dudleytown’s creepy, dark, cursed clutches?
A big piece of this story’s magic was the use and power of the hills, woods, and darkness to create the perfect make-you-jump-out-of-your-skin vibe that captivated me from the very first coyote howl. Ms. Gregg pulled me right into the damp, dark dangers with her words--”the occasional screech of an owl, the noises of the night, bats swooping, the crunch of pine needles, and the snapping of twigs by unseen feet”. The language and descriptions made me shiver and smile. I could smell the pine and feel the cold right down to my bones.
But what better way to warm up and keep the big, bad scary monsters away than getting down and dirty and all sorts of tangled up grinding & cuddling with your hotter than hot Adonis of a roomie? Allie and Shannon bring the action to life with humor, adorableness, and hot “kiss me like you mean it” sexual tension and need. Allie’s fun and feisty porn movie influenced sex fantasies starring Shannon made me laugh, daydream, and make a few plans of my own. :D
”Somehow having him here, right now, became visceral. I needed him. It was my turn to have him. I wanted him.”
Perhaps a night of scares, jumps, dangers, and desire is just what these two needed to bring them even closer together. Allie and Shannon’s night in Dudleytown certainly made their hearts thump, thump, thump a bit faster for all kinds of fun reasons.
This quick, hilarious, sexy tale is a perfect Halloween treat! Nonstop action and smiles with hot M/M fun made this a surprise gem for me.
This was my first LB Gregg story, but it will not be my last! Off to hunt down more.
p.s. Dudleytown is a real place. Field trip anyone? :D
November 15, 2014
3.5 stars
Surprisingly fun short story.
Surprisingly fun short story.
January 12, 2017
This was really fun and I loved the snark.
November 26, 2011
Very good Halloween-themed m/m romance about some college students taking a "shortcut" on their drive home for the weekend. Things go a bit more spectacularly awry than is usual for such shortcuts... Plenty of trademark L.B. humor and insight make for an entertainingly suspenseful read. 4.5 stars.
October 30, 2010
Just in time for Halloween, LB Gregg has written Dudleytown, a short M/M tale that has a great combination of spookiness and comedy. At around 76 pages, Dudleytown is a fast read that takes a few horror movie clichés and spins them quite well. In the middle of nowhere three college aged friends speed down a dark, deserted road where there will be some mind-numbing terror in store for them.
A very unhappy nineteen-year-old college sophomore Alex is sitting in the backseat. The driver Ricky has decided to take a shortcut back to their school. In the passenger seat is Alex’s older roommate Shannon. Alex is fuming at Shannon because he walked in on Shannon getting some oral play from some curvy twit, and on his bed to add to the insult. Alex has it bad for Shannon, and would have loved to be the one to give Shannon such pleasure, but Alex isn’t going to take that chance. Alex has been burned before by guys in his high school who acted straight in public, but wanted fun in the locker room with Alex when no one was looking. So Alex keeps his feelings to himself and stews while Shannon is blissfully unaware.
Alex can’t wait to drink (or smoke up) the entire weekend to get over his heartbreak, and even goes as fat to down a few Bud Lights (woo hoo, my beer of choice!) while Ricky gets them lost and closer to Dudleytown, a supposed haunted ghost town. As they drive along Dark Entry Road, which Alex can’t help but note as being pornographic, they crash into something and hit a tree. Ricky is badly hurt and it’s up to Shannon and Alex to find help. But Ricky hasn’t hit an animal, but a human being. They can’t find the body, they’re all alone miles from nowhere, and may come face-to-face with some dangerous convicts on the loose due to a car accident a few miles back. Alex is ready to pee his pants over the entire situation, while Shannon takes control and tries not to panic. Ricky’s out of commission, but then out of the blue he goes missing. It’s up to Alex and Shannon to keep their heads on straight and get out woods before they end up the victim of a murderer, hungry bear or deadly ghost.
What makes Dudleytown a fun read is of Alex, the narrator. Alex internal monologue had me hooting in laughter. Alex is a bit immature in his thinking, but he is nineteen after all, and LB really excels at showing this. Alex has no qualms about his love of porn and would love nothing more than to act a few of his favorite porn scenes with Shannon. A little Boys and Bears is his porn of choice.(I just can’t get enough of that title and have been saying it non-stop.) At certain points Alex’s bitterness comes through, and it’s mainly because of his fear of being rejected since he thinks Shannon is straight. But then as Shannon and Alex keep low to the ground for purposes better left as a surprise, rolling around in the mud is given new meaning between these two.
LB brings some dirty, hot fun with some suspenseful tension. I don’t know how she made it work, but if I was scared for my life and with the guy I had it bad for, I’m not sure I would be amorous if I thought some masked murderer with an axe was lurking in the shadows. But the way LB sets it up, it does work in a sexy and very humorous way. The mystery element is pretty well done and the ending is so unbelievable perfect. How can you not enjoy a hot steamy shower sex scene with two raunchy men who realize they are perfect for one another?
The one small issue I had was that by the title, I expected Shannon and Alex to stumble into Dudleytown and get the beejuses scared out of them. This in turn would lead to some, “let’s have hot, sweaty sex together before we’re killed by the vengeful ghosts”. But that’s just me.
LB continues to impress me time and again with her books. Dudleytown has the right amount of laughs and enough foreplay and sex to make this one fun read. You may not jump from the bumps in the night that occur in Dudleytown, but you will have a blast seeing how Alex and Shannon rely on one another to face down those things that go bump in the night, as well as working on those bumps in their pants they have for one another.
A very unhappy nineteen-year-old college sophomore Alex is sitting in the backseat. The driver Ricky has decided to take a shortcut back to their school. In the passenger seat is Alex’s older roommate Shannon. Alex is fuming at Shannon because he walked in on Shannon getting some oral play from some curvy twit, and on his bed to add to the insult. Alex has it bad for Shannon, and would have loved to be the one to give Shannon such pleasure, but Alex isn’t going to take that chance. Alex has been burned before by guys in his high school who acted straight in public, but wanted fun in the locker room with Alex when no one was looking. So Alex keeps his feelings to himself and stews while Shannon is blissfully unaware.
Alex can’t wait to drink (or smoke up) the entire weekend to get over his heartbreak, and even goes as fat to down a few Bud Lights (woo hoo, my beer of choice!) while Ricky gets them lost and closer to Dudleytown, a supposed haunted ghost town. As they drive along Dark Entry Road, which Alex can’t help but note as being pornographic, they crash into something and hit a tree. Ricky is badly hurt and it’s up to Shannon and Alex to find help. But Ricky hasn’t hit an animal, but a human being. They can’t find the body, they’re all alone miles from nowhere, and may come face-to-face with some dangerous convicts on the loose due to a car accident a few miles back. Alex is ready to pee his pants over the entire situation, while Shannon takes control and tries not to panic. Ricky’s out of commission, but then out of the blue he goes missing. It’s up to Alex and Shannon to keep their heads on straight and get out woods before they end up the victim of a murderer, hungry bear or deadly ghost.
What makes Dudleytown a fun read is of Alex, the narrator. Alex internal monologue had me hooting in laughter. Alex is a bit immature in his thinking, but he is nineteen after all, and LB really excels at showing this. Alex has no qualms about his love of porn and would love nothing more than to act a few of his favorite porn scenes with Shannon. A little Boys and Bears is his porn of choice.(I just can’t get enough of that title and have been saying it non-stop.) At certain points Alex’s bitterness comes through, and it’s mainly because of his fear of being rejected since he thinks Shannon is straight. But then as Shannon and Alex keep low to the ground for purposes better left as a surprise, rolling around in the mud is given new meaning between these two.
LB brings some dirty, hot fun with some suspenseful tension. I don’t know how she made it work, but if I was scared for my life and with the guy I had it bad for, I’m not sure I would be amorous if I thought some masked murderer with an axe was lurking in the shadows. But the way LB sets it up, it does work in a sexy and very humorous way. The mystery element is pretty well done and the ending is so unbelievable perfect. How can you not enjoy a hot steamy shower sex scene with two raunchy men who realize they are perfect for one another?
The one small issue I had was that by the title, I expected Shannon and Alex to stumble into Dudleytown and get the beejuses scared out of them. This in turn would lead to some, “let’s have hot, sweaty sex together before we’re killed by the vengeful ghosts”. But that’s just me.
LB continues to impress me time and again with her books. Dudleytown has the right amount of laughs and enough foreplay and sex to make this one fun read. You may not jump from the bumps in the night that occur in Dudleytown, but you will have a blast seeing how Alex and Shannon rely on one another to face down those things that go bump in the night, as well as working on those bumps in their pants they have for one another.
March 14, 2016
I honestly bought this because it was L.B. Gregg and I really like her books. Fortunately for me Dudleytown was not an exception to the rule. It was a bit of a spooky/thriller type read with a blossoming romance thrown in.
My only real complaint was that I would have liked it if it was a bit longer and we got to see more of the romance between Alexander and Shannon. However, we were left with the promise of a happy ending for this two young men and who knows maybe the future will bring us another story with these MCs and we'll get to catch up on where life has taken them but for now I'm very happy with the story that was given to me in Dudleytown.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4 here on GR because still no 1/2 stars and I liked this story enough to feel that it deserved to be bumped up and not down.
My only real complaint was that I would have liked it if it was a bit longer and we got to see more of the romance between Alexander and Shannon. However, we were left with the promise of a happy ending for this two young men and who knows maybe the future will bring us another story with these MCs and we'll get to catch up on where life has taken them but for now I'm very happy with the story that was given to me in Dudleytown.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4 here on GR because still no 1/2 stars and I liked this story enough to feel that it deserved to be bumped up and not down.
August 19, 2011
This was a quick read. Very funny and a bit scary. It had me on the edge of my seat. The MC, Alex, is snarky and has a dark sense of humor. He had me chuckling constantly especially with how HORNY he was!
It was definitely a great read. I wouldn't mind reading more about Alex and Shannan. The two together are very cute and funny. Recommended.
It was definitely a great read. I wouldn't mind reading more about Alex and Shannan. The two together are very cute and funny. Recommended.
November 12, 2010
4.5 stars.
I can keep this short: Dudleytown is a joy to read. There’s not much I didn’t enjoy about this sexy, suspenseful Halloween story. I just loved it!
Okay, I’ll tell you a little bit more, but not too much because you definitely have to read it yourself to learn more about it.
The plot is cleverly simple but strong. Three friends are on their way home when they get in an accident in the middle of a dark forest, tumbling down the mountain. One of them has a head injury and gets lost. The other two, Alex and Shannon, go after their friend, trying to find him. Alex and Shannon are roommates and Alex has a crush on Shannon who he assumes is straight. While looking for their friend and dealing with some mysterious events, Alex and Shannon find themselves in some intimate (and scary) situations. The plot is building to a wonderful climax, on more than one level.
Alex is the narrator of his and Shannon’s adventures and his voice is another one of those great LB Gregg voices I adore; it’s funny, ironic and sharp. And full of self-mockery.
Each one of LB’s narrators has his own quirk and Alex’s is his unbelievably broad knowledge of cheesy (horror) movie titles and his 'talent' to compare almost everything he's witnessing with one of these movies. It’s bringing a light, humorous touch into the suspense arc, which makes Dudleytown a fabulous balance between comedy, thriller, drama and erotic romance. For the latter elements Shannon is playing his part wonderfully. He and Alex are a hot couple, not only when hiding in a pot hole under nerve wracking circumstances but also when sharing a sweet, sexy shower.
Before I spoil more I better let you pick it up yourself. It’ll be worth your money, especially when you’re already a fan of LB Gregg’s humor. There was only one thing I didn’t enjoy very much about this novella and that was its length. The (early but otherwise perfect) ending prevented me from being with these characters a little bit longer and left me wondering what would happen to them after the story. And that is a sign of a good book.
http://erotromreader.blogspot.com/201...
I can keep this short: Dudleytown is a joy to read. There’s not much I didn’t enjoy about this sexy, suspenseful Halloween story. I just loved it!
Okay, I’ll tell you a little bit more, but not too much because you definitely have to read it yourself to learn more about it.
The plot is cleverly simple but strong. Three friends are on their way home when they get in an accident in the middle of a dark forest, tumbling down the mountain. One of them has a head injury and gets lost. The other two, Alex and Shannon, go after their friend, trying to find him. Alex and Shannon are roommates and Alex has a crush on Shannon who he assumes is straight. While looking for their friend and dealing with some mysterious events, Alex and Shannon find themselves in some intimate (and scary) situations. The plot is building to a wonderful climax, on more than one level.
Alex is the narrator of his and Shannon’s adventures and his voice is another one of those great LB Gregg voices I adore; it’s funny, ironic and sharp. And full of self-mockery.
Each one of LB’s narrators has his own quirk and Alex’s is his unbelievably broad knowledge of cheesy (horror) movie titles and his 'talent' to compare almost everything he's witnessing with one of these movies. It’s bringing a light, humorous touch into the suspense arc, which makes Dudleytown a fabulous balance between comedy, thriller, drama and erotic romance. For the latter elements Shannon is playing his part wonderfully. He and Alex are a hot couple, not only when hiding in a pot hole under nerve wracking circumstances but also when sharing a sweet, sexy shower.
Before I spoil more I better let you pick it up yourself. It’ll be worth your money, especially when you’re already a fan of LB Gregg’s humor. There was only one thing I didn’t enjoy very much about this novella and that was its length. The (early but otherwise perfect) ending prevented me from being with these characters a little bit longer and left me wondering what would happen to them after the story. And that is a sign of a good book.
http://erotromreader.blogspot.com/201...
October 17, 2013
Pure awesomeness this one was! :-) I love LB's writing and sense of humor. I was having second thoughts about this one because it is a Halloween story and i spook easily, but it was actually quite perfect. The main character who tells the story is likable, funny, sarcastic at times, cute, and brave. I like that not everything is spelled out, yet by the end of the story i felt like i knew this guy. It starts right away with some action, and then more action (of different kinds) happens in the dark woods, but somehow it's just the right amount of everything to keep one captivated. I know this will be a re-read for me.
September 25, 2015
So wow, this one was a surprise. Funny, sweet, and creepy as all hell. I wish I'd known it was gonna be so spooky, I'd have saved it for Halloween.
Fuck it, I'll probably read it again next month, anyway.
Definitely Kept on Kindle.
Fuck it, I'll probably read it again next month, anyway.
Definitely Kept on Kindle.
August 13, 2013
This book came up on my feed today and I'm so glad it did! It introduced me to a new author for me- LB Gregg. It didn't seem as short as the 75 pages it was supposed to be- the main characters Alex and Shannon were well developed, the action fast-paced and the dialogue (both inner and spoken) was fun and heartfelt. I loved it and plan on getting my hands on more from LB Gregg.
March 16, 2012
Spooky scary and a bit bloody!
Three college boys take a shortcut through the woods have a car accident and well it goes downhill from there!
I loved Alex's constant porn and horror movie comparisons and Shannon was a sweetie!
Three college boys take a shortcut through the woods have a car accident and well it goes downhill from there!
I loved Alex's constant porn and horror movie comparisons and Shannon was a sweetie!
June 14, 2013
4,5 stars.
I very much liked this short novella. It had suspense, romance, hotness and a sarcastic 1st person narrator.
I very much liked this short novella. It had suspense, romance, hotness and a sarcastic 1st person narrator.
October 29, 2010
Read full Review Here
Everyone knows that Smokinhotbooks thinks Halloween is spooktacular and that we go a little overboard with the holiday. So when we heard that one of our fav authors, LB Gregg, was releasing a story just in time for Halloween, well this as nice of a treat as Tim Curry singing that he’s just a “sweet transvestite, from Transsexual Transylvania” inch four in heels, diva make-up and a pleather bustier.
Dudelytown tells the tale of three college buddies who set off on a road trip that takes a creepy wrong turn. If horror movies have taught us anything it’s that having sexytime is a surefire way to get that guy in the ski mask to come behead you, and to never, ever, take a short cut through an abandoned town. When people start disappearing, and a dead body goes missing, it’s time to tuck tail and run. However, Alexander, couldn’t have asked for a better protector than hunky Shanoon. Not to worry folks, there be some naughty time in an abandoned grave/hole that would make anyone’s jeeper’s creeper’s take a hiatus.
LB Gregg has a way of combining witty dialogue, funny internal monologues, and sexy scenes.
Dudleytown is another great short story by LB Gregg and you don’t want to miss this one as its the perfect Halloween treat for this year.
4 1/2 Stars!!!
Everyone knows that Smokinhotbooks thinks Halloween is spooktacular and that we go a little overboard with the holiday. So when we heard that one of our fav authors, LB Gregg, was releasing a story just in time for Halloween, well this as nice of a treat as Tim Curry singing that he’s just a “sweet transvestite, from Transsexual Transylvania” inch four in heels, diva make-up and a pleather bustier.
Dudelytown tells the tale of three college buddies who set off on a road trip that takes a creepy wrong turn. If horror movies have taught us anything it’s that having sexytime is a surefire way to get that guy in the ski mask to come behead you, and to never, ever, take a short cut through an abandoned town. When people start disappearing, and a dead body goes missing, it’s time to tuck tail and run. However, Alexander, couldn’t have asked for a better protector than hunky Shanoon. Not to worry folks, there be some naughty time in an abandoned grave/hole that would make anyone’s jeeper’s creeper’s take a hiatus.
LB Gregg has a way of combining witty dialogue, funny internal monologues, and sexy scenes.
Shannon yanked me against his chest. I was too surprised to do anything but dangle there until he led me into the thicket by the hand. He pulled me behind him close enough that my groin snuggled his ass with every step.
Except for the backpack knocking me in the face and the blood on my hands…in any other circumstance, this would have been a dream come true.
Oh, fuck it. This was a dream come true. We were reenacting, a moment straight from on of my favorite porno flick. Boys & Bears.
Dudleytown is another great short story by LB Gregg and you don’t want to miss this one as its the perfect Halloween treat for this year.
4 1/2 Stars!!!
May 31, 2011
4.5 Stars
This book wasn't what I was expecting from the blurb. I read it last night, thinking it would be a good scary, Halloweenish read. *looks outside* Ah, May is as good of time as any. It wasn't, there were no ghosts and goblins, no mummies or things that go bump in the night. There were, however, a few escaped criminals, a couple of college boys and some really disgusting visuals on what may happen when you're half dead under a car and left to wild animals. I know, gross!! For the first half of this story I was checking the genre and thinking "where's the love?" Not that it wasn't enjoyable, in fact, it definitely was, but I was wondering when the romance was going to kick into my romance novella. No worries, it did come (pun intended).
Alex and Shannon are the antithesis of one another. One short, small and hoping to one day be a doctor. The other tall, broad and...straight? Well, ok, maybe not so straight or this wouldn't be an m/m read. I wasn't sure how much I liked Shannon throughout the first part of the book. Sure he was dependable, in charge, courageous and protective, but still, he was straight and in my m/m romance! He did pull through for me though and the ending of this book was sigh-inducing, heart-meltingly sweet. Although, I did have one little nitpick regarding a scenario with a girl at the beginning of the book, but solely because I'm not sure you could really sleep that far into that!
All and all though a fun, fast paced, enjoyable read that I would definitely recommend.
This book wasn't what I was expecting from the blurb. I read it last night, thinking it would be a good scary, Halloweenish read. *looks outside* Ah, May is as good of time as any. It wasn't, there were no ghosts and goblins, no mummies or things that go bump in the night. There were, however, a few escaped criminals, a couple of college boys and some really disgusting visuals on what may happen when you're half dead under a car and left to wild animals. I know, gross!! For the first half of this story I was checking the genre and thinking "where's the love?" Not that it wasn't enjoyable, in fact, it definitely was, but I was wondering when the romance was going to kick into my romance novella. No worries, it did come (pun intended).
Alex and Shannon are the antithesis of one another. One short, small and hoping to one day be a doctor. The other tall, broad and...straight? Well, ok, maybe not so straight or this wouldn't be an m/m read. I wasn't sure how much I liked Shannon throughout the first part of the book. Sure he was dependable, in charge, courageous and protective, but still, he was straight and in my m/m romance! He did pull through for me though and the ending of this book was sigh-inducing, heart-meltingly sweet. Although, I did have one little nitpick regarding a scenario with a girl at the beginning of the book, but solely because I'm not sure you could really sleep that far into that!
All and all though a fun, fast paced, enjoyable read that I would definitely recommend.
August 15, 2012
Alex is hot for his straight roommate Shannon, but he has a rule of not messing with straight guys since they have a tendency to beat the shit out of you or ignore you completely after you get them off. On their way to their respective homes over a holiday weekend, their designated driver, Ricky, decides to take a short cut and they end up in a ditch in the middle of nowhere with Ricky missing and a homicidal convict bent on getting away without leaving witnesses. Now Alex not only needs to find Ricky with Shannon and evade the convict, but he also has to try not to jump Shannon's mouthwatering ass or lose his shit when they find themselves in the middle of a creepy ghost town.
This works mainly because Alex is a pretty decent narrator. He's funny without trying too hard, and his take on both the setting and their predicament is straightforward but still entertaining. He also mentions bad porn and B-horror films and connect them to his situation, which alternately turns him on and scares the shit out of him.
It's also nice that Shannon isn't just a buff eye candy with a huge dong. He's level headed throughout the whole thing, intelligent, and has a lot of respect for Alex. He knows what his strengths are and gets that Alex offers his own set as well.
The dirty, dangerous, spooky setting also works oddly well as background for the romance and the hot man lovin'. Whodathunk frottage in a sinkhole while fearing for your lives would turn out to be pretty hot?
This works mainly because Alex is a pretty decent narrator. He's funny without trying too hard, and his take on both the setting and their predicament is straightforward but still entertaining. He also mentions bad porn and B-horror films and connect them to his situation, which alternately turns him on and scares the shit out of him.
It's also nice that Shannon isn't just a buff eye candy with a huge dong. He's level headed throughout the whole thing, intelligent, and has a lot of respect for Alex. He knows what his strengths are and gets that Alex offers his own set as well.
The dirty, dangerous, spooky setting also works oddly well as background for the romance and the hot man lovin'. Whodathunk frottage in a sinkhole while fearing for your lives would turn out to be pretty hot?
October 1, 2011
I don't usually read short stories as over all I usually find them unsatisfying. However, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It's a great quick read. The pacing is perfect, it delivers the promised suspense, and the relationship aspect of the book is hot and believable.
The setting is tense, dark, just this side of scary. The author's familiarity with the area shines in the descriptions and mood building. You feel you are right there with the characters as events unfold.
The tongue-in-cheek inclusion of B-horror movies, and bad porn choices work well, adding to the feel of the story as well as some amusing insights into the characters.
One of my biggest complaints about books lately is the rushed, tacked on feel of the end. That was not the case with Dudelytown at all, to the contrary, unlike some much longer stories the end of this book did not disappoint. Everything wrapped up well with nothing left unresolved, without feeling contrived or rushed an amazing accomplishment in such a complex short story.
I highly rec Dudleytown for anyone who enjoys an edge of suspense to their stories, and great chemistry between the MC's. This book is eerie and hot, the perfect October read.
The setting is tense, dark, just this side of scary. The author's familiarity with the area shines in the descriptions and mood building. You feel you are right there with the characters as events unfold.
The tongue-in-cheek inclusion of B-horror movies, and bad porn choices work well, adding to the feel of the story as well as some amusing insights into the characters.
One of my biggest complaints about books lately is the rushed, tacked on feel of the end. That was not the case with Dudelytown at all, to the contrary, unlike some much longer stories the end of this book did not disappoint. Everything wrapped up well with nothing left unresolved, without feeling contrived or rushed an amazing accomplishment in such a complex short story.
I highly rec Dudleytown for anyone who enjoys an edge of suspense to their stories, and great chemistry between the MC's. This book is eerie and hot, the perfect October read.
February 19, 2013
This is a nice little "scary night in the woods" story. It is completely and totally and 100% different from the second "Cornwall Novella", Simple Gifts, which surprised me, but that's okay. The only thing both books share (apart from mm romance) is Gregg's intelligent writing -- and that's very much in evidence in both stories.
This novella has everything you need for a scary fireside story. It's got dark woods (and getting lost in them), a prison transport crash, a ghost town, hungry coyotes, bats, bloody bodies, open "graves", Evil Imposters, dying flashlights, you name it, it's in there. Oh, and lots of horror movie (and porn movie) references. And yes, Gregg does intend for you to not take this all too seriously. It's a fun and fast read with a bit of heart thrown in for extra spice.
3.5 stars instead of a full 4, because I don't think the blowjob or college life elements quite meshed with the scary story elements. But rounding up.
This novella has everything you need for a scary fireside story. It's got dark woods (and getting lost in them), a prison transport crash, a ghost town, hungry coyotes, bats, bloody bodies, open "graves", Evil Imposters, dying flashlights, you name it, it's in there. Oh, and lots of horror movie (and porn movie) references. And yes, Gregg does intend for you to not take this all too seriously. It's a fun and fast read with a bit of heart thrown in for extra spice.
3.5 stars instead of a full 4, because I don't think the blowjob or college life elements quite meshed with the scary story elements. But rounding up.
December 9, 2014
Yeah, I really liked this story. The setting was creepy a bit scary. I've actually experienced what these boys did in my youth in rural Ohio where I grew up. Except we didn't wreck. We were shot at though by an unknown person while traveling on obscure dirt paths through heavily wooded areas while drinking beer. Yeah, not fun. So this story really brought back those memories. Had my heart racing a few times. I enjoyed the development of Shannon & Allie's relationship as well.
August 15, 2011
Oooh, I really really liked this story. I love scary stories and this one is really spooky. Its about 3 young college guys lost at night near a ghost town after trying to take a "shortcut". I can't say more without spoiling it, but it also has a little romance. Its really short and will take only about 2 hours to read. Oh, and suggest that sure you read it in the dark!
February 2, 2013
Quick, fun, halloween-style read about three college kids taking a shortcut through dark woods that doesn't turn out as planned. Insert accident, blood, a friend MIA, bad men, and a crush from one roommate to another and you have all the ingredients needed for a suspense short story full of humour and boy/boy-attraction. Recommended!
December 19, 2013
Excessively convoluted plot for a short story.
March 21, 2017
A fun, spooky yet sweet, story.
July 5, 2021
3.5 I enjoyed this! Short, well-written, and very atmospheric. I liked the touches of horror.
February 16, 2025
Would’ve been a three stars, but towards the end, sexual assault is used so flippantly as a thrown away plot device. And that’s just disgusting.
December 18, 2016
Manages to do a lot with a small canvas. Endearing and suspenseful.
August 13, 2012
Rating: B+
This review originally appeared at Brief Encounters Reviews
First an explanatory note: Dudleytown is the first of LB Gregg's Cornwall novellas, but it's a series in the loosest sense of the word as there seems to be no connection between stories other than the location. I recently reviewed the second Cornwall novella, Simple Gifts, here - yes, I'm tackling the series out of order - please don't disown me, Cole! I also should mention that this is a rerelease of a story originally published by Aspen Mountain Press in 2010, so some of you might have read it before. I can't find any information about whether there were substantial changes to this edition, so I'm going to assume there weren't.
On with the review, then. This has been a really interesting read as I had a totally different experience the two times I've read it through. The first time I had my heart in my throat and I couldn't put the story down, devouring it late one night in one sitting. The second time that tension had all dissipated because I knew what was coming, so instead I noticed more of the humour and clever touches to the writing, but also more of the flawed aspects to the plot.
Let's start with what Dudleytown does right: this is a real thriller, with three young men taking an ill-advised shortcut through the mountains past haunted Dudleytown. The blurb doesn't mention some of the most chilling aspects of the plot, such as the cop who pulls them over to tell of an accident up ahead with a prison transport vehicle. Ricky, the stoner of the group and unfortunately their driver, decides to take the abandoned road instead of the detour, and shortly afterwards crashes the jeep after a man falls onto the windshield.
The three are in quite a bind: they can't find the man's body, there will be no traffic to rescue them, Ricky has a broken wrist and concussion, they are miles from civilisation with no network signal to call for help. There's only one thing for it - they'll have to walk to help. And just to make matters worse, Ricky goes missing...
There are some lovely touches to the way Alex narrates their predicament. Not only is he still smarting after walking in earlier that afternoon and discovering roommate Shannon getting a blowjob from a girl on his bed, but he's obsessed with horror movies and constantly compares their situation with that of the hapless characters in them. He has a wonderfully dry sense of humour:
The tension between Alex and Shannon as they search for missing Ricky is also a great touch. They've been good friends for a couple of months, but Alex has a hopeless crush on straight Shannon and can't get the picture of that accidentally glimpsed blowjob out of his head. The dialogue between them was well judged, and there was some sizzling sexual tension when trapped together in a sinkhole.
This was, however, one of the aspects that didn't work quite so well on the reread. I kept asking myself would they really get that intimate considering the danger they were currently in? And later, there were various aspects of the tying up of the plot that stretched my credulity. I don't want to give spoilers, but I really wasn't satisfied with the explanation Shannon gave for the blowjob Alex glimpsed - it felt like the whole incident had been created to further the plot rather than springing from what the characters would have done.
However, these niggles can't take away from the fact that Dudleytown was a great read and I thoroughly enjoyed it the first time through. If you're after a spooky, thrilling story with a wonderfully sardonic narrator, then you can't go far wrong with this one!
This review originally appeared at Brief Encounters Reviews
First an explanatory note: Dudleytown is the first of LB Gregg's Cornwall novellas, but it's a series in the loosest sense of the word as there seems to be no connection between stories other than the location. I recently reviewed the second Cornwall novella, Simple Gifts, here - yes, I'm tackling the series out of order - please don't disown me, Cole! I also should mention that this is a rerelease of a story originally published by Aspen Mountain Press in 2010, so some of you might have read it before. I can't find any information about whether there were substantial changes to this edition, so I'm going to assume there weren't.
On with the review, then. This has been a really interesting read as I had a totally different experience the two times I've read it through. The first time I had my heart in my throat and I couldn't put the story down, devouring it late one night in one sitting. The second time that tension had all dissipated because I knew what was coming, so instead I noticed more of the humour and clever touches to the writing, but also more of the flawed aspects to the plot.
Let's start with what Dudleytown does right: this is a real thriller, with three young men taking an ill-advised shortcut through the mountains past haunted Dudleytown. The blurb doesn't mention some of the most chilling aspects of the plot, such as the cop who pulls them over to tell of an accident up ahead with a prison transport vehicle. Ricky, the stoner of the group and unfortunately their driver, decides to take the abandoned road instead of the detour, and shortly afterwards crashes the jeep after a man falls onto the windshield.
The three are in quite a bind: they can't find the man's body, there will be no traffic to rescue them, Ricky has a broken wrist and concussion, they are miles from civilisation with no network signal to call for help. There's only one thing for it - they'll have to walk to help. And just to make matters worse, Ricky goes missing...
There are some lovely touches to the way Alex narrates their predicament. Not only is he still smarting after walking in earlier that afternoon and discovering roommate Shannon getting a blowjob from a girl on his bed, but he's obsessed with horror movies and constantly compares their situation with that of the hapless characters in them. He has a wonderfully dry sense of humour:
I dug through my bag for my first aid kit. My mother packed it when I first left for college last year, but now the contents were meager: a half-empty box of Band-Aids, a tube of Neosporin, an empty bottle of aspirin, a pair of plastic tweezers, and a condom.
Wa-hoo. I was prepared to have safe sex and/or remover a splinter.
The tension between Alex and Shannon as they search for missing Ricky is also a great touch. They've been good friends for a couple of months, but Alex has a hopeless crush on straight Shannon and can't get the picture of that accidentally glimpsed blowjob out of his head. The dialogue between them was well judged, and there was some sizzling sexual tension when trapped together in a sinkhole.
This was, however, one of the aspects that didn't work quite so well on the reread. I kept asking myself would they really get that intimate considering the danger they were currently in? And later, there were various aspects of the tying up of the plot that stretched my credulity. I don't want to give spoilers, but I really wasn't satisfied with the explanation Shannon gave for the blowjob Alex glimpsed - it felt like the whole incident had been created to further the plot rather than springing from what the characters would have done.
However, these niggles can't take away from the fact that Dudleytown was a great read and I thoroughly enjoyed it the first time through. If you're after a spooky, thrilling story with a wonderfully sardonic narrator, then you can't go far wrong with this one!
March 7, 2017
4 Stars
Better than I was expecting given the summary here. Mostly funny, but I appreciated the mystery/scary element as well.
Better than I was expecting given the summary here. Mostly funny, but I appreciated the mystery/scary element as well.
October 28, 2010
Loved. Review to come...Favorite Quote: He was dressed and I was naked. That’s pretty much the plotline for half the movies I watch.
Almost twenty year old Alex Strauss is on his way home during college break with his roommate Shannon and their mutual friend Ricky. Alex caught Shannon and a female companion getting down and dirty on his dorm bed earlier in the day. Having been attracted to the upper classman Shannon since he first started rooming with him two months ago, Alex is still steaming at the scene he witnessed. Where Alex is small and scrawny and more on the timid side, Shannon is tall, full of muscle and takes control.
Hearing the road is closed up ahead due to a tractor trailer and prison bus accident, Ricky decides to take a short cut – through the woods in his jeep. Ricky, anxious to get home for his date, flies through the treacherous woods way too fast. They enter Dudleytown, where scary ghost stories lurk. Pitch black outside, all of a sudden a body hits the jeep, and they go careening into a ravine. Alex and Shannon get out with no injuries, but Ricky has some broken bones and a bad concussion. Stranded in the middle of no where, with no cell phone service, Alex and Shannon sit Ricky down and explore their options. But a few minutes later, Ricky is gone, and Shannon and Alex have a very bad feeling of what is to come.
Besides being stuck in the woods, Alex doesn’t realize Shannon has been eying Alex up for some time now…and the adrenaline of being in an accident, surrounded by mystery and danger, allows attraction to come to the surface.
Dudleytown is a short, funny, dirty story and just adds to the pile of wonderful books L.B Gregg writes. She always makes me laugh out loud and her romance is always steamy. Hell, she has the boys making out in the middle of the dark woods in a hidey-hole of sorts. It’s hot.
Alex has no idea Shannon is gay, only having known him two months and just this day having caught him with a girl. But as Shannon says, everyone does gay different – and he has a good reason for his earlier actions with the female in the dorm room. Although Shannon is great at leading and being in control, his admission of being a bit shy in the romance department is really endearing. But don’t get me wrong, he is the one to initiate the smex in the woods. And he later forces the issue when Alex is afraid Shannon will conveniently forget they ever did anything together.
For such a short book, L.B Gregg gives us a fun, spooky mystery where poor Ricky gets carted off with the bad guy. Shannon and Alex then need to track Ricky down and at the same time keep a low profile from the scary men running around the woods. And the end is very sweet, and poignant and there are naked bodies and a shower. Seriously, you can’t go wrong.
Almost twenty year old Alex Strauss is on his way home during college break with his roommate Shannon and their mutual friend Ricky. Alex caught Shannon and a female companion getting down and dirty on his dorm bed earlier in the day. Having been attracted to the upper classman Shannon since he first started rooming with him two months ago, Alex is still steaming at the scene he witnessed. Where Alex is small and scrawny and more on the timid side, Shannon is tall, full of muscle and takes control.
Hearing the road is closed up ahead due to a tractor trailer and prison bus accident, Ricky decides to take a short cut – through the woods in his jeep. Ricky, anxious to get home for his date, flies through the treacherous woods way too fast. They enter Dudleytown, where scary ghost stories lurk. Pitch black outside, all of a sudden a body hits the jeep, and they go careening into a ravine. Alex and Shannon get out with no injuries, but Ricky has some broken bones and a bad concussion. Stranded in the middle of no where, with no cell phone service, Alex and Shannon sit Ricky down and explore their options. But a few minutes later, Ricky is gone, and Shannon and Alex have a very bad feeling of what is to come.
Besides being stuck in the woods, Alex doesn’t realize Shannon has been eying Alex up for some time now…and the adrenaline of being in an accident, surrounded by mystery and danger, allows attraction to come to the surface.
Dudleytown is a short, funny, dirty story and just adds to the pile of wonderful books L.B Gregg writes. She always makes me laugh out loud and her romance is always steamy. Hell, she has the boys making out in the middle of the dark woods in a hidey-hole of sorts. It’s hot.
Alex has no idea Shannon is gay, only having known him two months and just this day having caught him with a girl. But as Shannon says, everyone does gay different – and he has a good reason for his earlier actions with the female in the dorm room. Although Shannon is great at leading and being in control, his admission of being a bit shy in the romance department is really endearing. But don’t get me wrong, he is the one to initiate the smex in the woods. And he later forces the issue when Alex is afraid Shannon will conveniently forget they ever did anything together.
For such a short book, L.B Gregg gives us a fun, spooky mystery where poor Ricky gets carted off with the bad guy. Shannon and Alex then need to track Ricky down and at the same time keep a low profile from the scary men running around the woods. And the end is very sweet, and poignant and there are naked bodies and a shower. Seriously, you can’t go wrong.
January 2, 2011
3.5 stars rounded up.
Dudleytown is a perfect Halloween treat. This novella has just the right amount of ingredients to produce a humorous, fun, and entertaining story. It definitely has the feel of a creepy Halloween cautionary tale and the main characters awareness of both this and pop culture help to make the story thoroughly enjoyable.
The story begins with three friends trying to take a “shortcut” through a deserted town and on an ill-maintained road. An accident sends the car skidding over an incline and leaves the driver seriously injured. Determined not to be a statistic later told in campfire tales, Alex, Shannon and Ricky try to find help. Of course no creepy story ends that easily.
This novella really shines as the author has excellent comic timing and very witty dialogue. The main narrator in Alex is charming with his self effacing humor and love of horror films. His internal monologues tend to run on though – imagine him mentally listing all the creepy horror scenarios he can think of while they’re supposed to be looking for their friend. On the one hand this is entertaining for the reader since anyone with a cursory knowledge of slasher films knows the conditions that lead to death, such as never be the one left behind. Yet at the same time it does kill some of the immersion in the story since it’s too self indulgent.
This leads into the other problem I had with the story since Shannon and Alex have a mutual jerk off session in the woods while hunted by creepy men. I was with the story up until this point but then it completely lost me. I enjoyed the sexual tension between Shannon and Alex and even the briefly interrupted scene on the ground is both hot and appropriate. When they take it further though it made very little sense given what happened with Ricky immediately prior.
Other than these issues, which just remind the reader they’re reading a humorous take on a creepy Halloween story, the writing really delivers with a good blend of entertainment and gore. There is nothing that is likely to offend any readers but it adds the perfect ghostly atmosphere to compliment the Halloween time and feel. Fans of the author will adore this as it has all the strength of the author’s writing and the perfect story to curl up with on a dark night. The happy ending/resolution between Shannon and Alex is a stretch, well Shannon’s reasoning is ridiculous, but it gives a happy finale to what could have been a cautionary tale.
Dudleytown is a perfect Halloween treat. This novella has just the right amount of ingredients to produce a humorous, fun, and entertaining story. It definitely has the feel of a creepy Halloween cautionary tale and the main characters awareness of both this and pop culture help to make the story thoroughly enjoyable.
The story begins with three friends trying to take a “shortcut” through a deserted town and on an ill-maintained road. An accident sends the car skidding over an incline and leaves the driver seriously injured. Determined not to be a statistic later told in campfire tales, Alex, Shannon and Ricky try to find help. Of course no creepy story ends that easily.
This novella really shines as the author has excellent comic timing and very witty dialogue. The main narrator in Alex is charming with his self effacing humor and love of horror films. His internal monologues tend to run on though – imagine him mentally listing all the creepy horror scenarios he can think of while they’re supposed to be looking for their friend. On the one hand this is entertaining for the reader since anyone with a cursory knowledge of slasher films knows the conditions that lead to death, such as never be the one left behind. Yet at the same time it does kill some of the immersion in the story since it’s too self indulgent.
This leads into the other problem I had with the story since Shannon and Alex have a mutual jerk off session in the woods while hunted by creepy men. I was with the story up until this point but then it completely lost me. I enjoyed the sexual tension between Shannon and Alex and even the briefly interrupted scene on the ground is both hot and appropriate. When they take it further though it made very little sense given what happened with Ricky immediately prior.
Other than these issues, which just remind the reader they’re reading a humorous take on a creepy Halloween story, the writing really delivers with a good blend of entertainment and gore. There is nothing that is likely to offend any readers but it adds the perfect ghostly atmosphere to compliment the Halloween time and feel. Fans of the author will adore this as it has all the strength of the author’s writing and the perfect story to curl up with on a dark night. The happy ending/resolution between Shannon and Alex is a stretch, well Shannon’s reasoning is ridiculous, but it gives a happy finale to what could have been a cautionary tale.
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