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The Deceased
Ten years after his sister had massacred their brother and parents and then committed suicide, Jacob Maelstrom is drawn back to his childhood home and back into a nightmare in which the powers of evil eagerly await his return.
But there's more than awful memories waiting for Jacob at the Maelstrom mansion. There are depraved secrets, evil legacies, and family ghosts that are all too real. There's the long-dead writer, whose mad fantasies continue to shape reality. And in the woods there are nameless creatures who patiently await the return of their creator.
But there's more than awful memories waiting for Jacob at the Maelstrom mansion. There are depraved secrets, evil legacies, and family ghosts that are all too real. There's the long-dead writer, whose mad fantasies continue to shape reality. And in the woods there are nameless creatures who patiently await the return of their creator.
352 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2000
1 person is currently reading
169 people want to read
About the author
Tom Piccirilli
186 books387 followersThomas Piccirilli (May 27, 1965 – July 11, 2015) was an American novelist and short story writer.
Piccirilli sold over 150 stories in the mystery, thriller, horror, erotica, and science fiction fields. He was a two-time winner of the International Thriller Writers Award for "Best Paperback Original" (2008, 2010). He was a four-time winner of the Bram Stoker Award. He was also a finalist for the 2009 Edgar Allan Poe Award given by the Mystery Writers of America, a final nominee for the Fantasy Award, and the winner of the first Bram Stoker Award given in the category of "Best Poetry Collection".
Piccirilli sold over 150 stories in the mystery, thriller, horror, erotica, and science fiction fields. He was a two-time winner of the International Thriller Writers Award for "Best Paperback Original" (2008, 2010). He was a four-time winner of the Bram Stoker Award. He was also a finalist for the 2009 Edgar Allan Poe Award given by the Mystery Writers of America, a final nominee for the Fantasy Award, and the winner of the first Bram Stoker Award given in the category of "Best Poetry Collection".
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
April 13, 2018
**I received this audiobook in exchange for a honest review**
this book is insane. J. Scott Bennett did a fantastic job reading and the recording sounded great!
Jacob Maelstrom seriously has some problems and exist in a dream like state that - to the reader- goes from reality to memories to ..visions? hauntings? in a flash. at times it was hard to follow cause I kept thinking I missed a sentence or paragraph. it was ok, but is all of Tom Piccirilli's books like this or was it just this one? if they are all so scattered, I doubt I'd read another one.
this book is insane. J. Scott Bennett did a fantastic job reading and the recording sounded great!
Jacob Maelstrom seriously has some problems and exist in a dream like state that - to the reader- goes from reality to memories to ..visions? hauntings? in a flash. at times it was hard to follow cause I kept thinking I missed a sentence or paragraph. it was ok, but is all of Tom Piccirilli's books like this or was it just this one? if they are all so scattered, I doubt I'd read another one.
March 20, 2018
This thing was pretty much a train wreck. There were so many things going on, different timelines and spirits and people (real and imagined) and dream sequences and turtles…huh…wait…turtles?? Yep. Turtles. Hey, don’t ask me, I already told you it was a train wreck.
The really weird part was that I actually liked parts of it and parts were written well despite the lack of focus and coherent storyline. Unfortunately, I can only give this one a wee over the dreaded one star. Too bad, I really wanted to like it a whole lot more...but it really was a train wreck.
The really weird part was that I actually liked parts of it and parts were written well despite the lack of focus and coherent storyline. Unfortunately, I can only give this one a wee over the dreaded one star. Too bad, I really wanted to like it a whole lot more...but it really was a train wreck.
November 29, 2015
I always think it is a bad idea to have a horror novel about some one who writes horror novels. Isn't that most often the plot to some Tales From The Crypt story --the writer is sweating blood at the typewriter as the incarnation of whatever evil creature he has imagined rises physically from the swamp and is knocking on his door.
Jacob Maelstrom is a young, somewhat successful horror writer who is the son of Isaac Maelstrom, a fantastically successful horror writer. In addition to being burdened by his father's reputation and his ridiculous last name, Jacob is also the only survivor of an incident involving his older sister, older (and paraplegic) brother, his mother, his father, and an ax. The sister, after locking Jacob in his closet, has apparently killed and beheaded everyone including herself. That last one must have been quite a trick. The heads are missing. This all happened ten years before the novel begins.
Piccirilli is at his best when he gets his characters into a confined setting, one that often has few geographical or physical relation to the outside world, and then turns loose an assault of past and present, living and dead, the relatively benign and the genuinely evil. In The Deceased Jacob returns to Stonethrow Island to confront the ghosts of his past. They are there waiting for him. He is followed by two young women, one of whom is pregnant by Jacob's literary agent and another who, having recently been released from the pscyh ward, wants to research Jacob Maelstrom for her thesis. This is a horror movie set-up, something Piccirilli has not stooped to his other novels I have read. It all takes place in one night during a torrential storm. The young women soon realize they should have stayed home. Jacob has a lot on his mind. There are family ghosts, the muses (animal spirits that inhabit the forest? I was never very clear about that.), and a house you can get lost in, literally forever.
There is incest, ax murders, spirits that want to feed off the living, but then again, what else are they going to eat? As crazy as all this sounds, it is much more mundane that other Piccirilli novels, and when you get lost in the plot it becomes irritating rather than part of the wild ride the author usually provides. If you have never read a Tom Piccirilli novel, this is not the place to start.
Jacob Maelstrom is a young, somewhat successful horror writer who is the son of Isaac Maelstrom, a fantastically successful horror writer. In addition to being burdened by his father's reputation and his ridiculous last name, Jacob is also the only survivor of an incident involving his older sister, older (and paraplegic) brother, his mother, his father, and an ax. The sister, after locking Jacob in his closet, has apparently killed and beheaded everyone including herself. That last one must have been quite a trick. The heads are missing. This all happened ten years before the novel begins.
Piccirilli is at his best when he gets his characters into a confined setting, one that often has few geographical or physical relation to the outside world, and then turns loose an assault of past and present, living and dead, the relatively benign and the genuinely evil. In The Deceased Jacob returns to Stonethrow Island to confront the ghosts of his past. They are there waiting for him. He is followed by two young women, one of whom is pregnant by Jacob's literary agent and another who, having recently been released from the pscyh ward, wants to research Jacob Maelstrom for her thesis. This is a horror movie set-up, something Piccirilli has not stooped to his other novels I have read. It all takes place in one night during a torrential storm. The young women soon realize they should have stayed home. Jacob has a lot on his mind. There are family ghosts, the muses (animal spirits that inhabit the forest? I was never very clear about that.), and a house you can get lost in, literally forever.
There is incest, ax murders, spirits that want to feed off the living, but then again, what else are they going to eat? As crazy as all this sounds, it is much more mundane that other Piccirilli novels, and when you get lost in the plot it becomes irritating rather than part of the wild ride the author usually provides. If you have never read a Tom Piccirilli novel, this is not the place to start.
Want to read
October 24, 2016This book is copy 135 of 150 hardcover copies printed of this Dark Essentials Volume 2 book 5 signed and numbered by Tom Piccirilli.
March 6, 2018
This is a twisting story that muddies the water between reality, fantasy and insanity. It’s a convoluted plot of horror story authors, twisted characters, axe murders, incest, ghosts and spirits that feed off the living. Throughout a lot of the story I was not sure who was dead and who was alive, who was sane or who was insane, and I still don’t know what the turtle had to do with anything. It’s confusing and yet somewhat captivating at the same time. At times the only thing that kept me going through the flashbacks, the hauntings and the erratic weaving of the story, was the great narration. The narrator was a steady voice that pulled you through the tumultuous sea of dead and crazy people in this novel. The author’s style of writing seems somewhat structureless and yet you still want to keep going just to see if it all makes sense in the end; with this story, I’m not sure that it did for me.
October 13, 2015
The first half is completely brilliant, and the last half is utterly insane. I liked the way he seemed to be poking fun of his own genre in the first few chapters. By the end, I wasn't entirely sure I knew what was happening, but I had to finish anyway. In short: just like every other Piccirilli book I've read. The man must have been a mad, mad genius.
February 15, 2016
a real chore to get through; i wasn't up to the task. no matter how occasionally strong the writing may be, when repetitive dream sequences are continually favored over an actual narrative, i end up confused, bored and annoyed. i gave up at the halfway mark.
April 2, 2018
This was a weird book. For a good portion of the novel, it's hard to discern whether what's happening to Jacob is actually happening, or if it's all in his head. This is intentional, of course, but in a rare misstep for Piccirilli, it's just not very well executed.
I rather liked the ending inasmuch as it somehow managed to buck two trends in horror fiction, being neither happy nor horrible. It just is, and fits the book quite well.
If you're a fan of Piccirilli, I'd say this is worth reading to see him playing with some literary devices; he doesn't necessarily do it well, but it's interesting nonetheless.
I rather liked the ending inasmuch as it somehow managed to buck two trends in horror fiction, being neither happy nor horrible. It just is, and fits the book quite well.
If you're a fan of Piccirilli, I'd say this is worth reading to see him playing with some literary devices; he doesn't necessarily do it well, but it's interesting nonetheless.
Read
March 19, 2018DNF. Couldn't keep going with this as it's all over the place. I've no idea what's going on.
January 31, 2025
Horror and mysticism are a very specific genre, quite popular, but at the same time, in terms of diversity and novelty, fairly limited. It creates the impression that the genre is reluctant to accept any deviation from once-established canons. Usually, successful themes continue to develop, like variations of vampires, ghosts, werewolves, witches, curses, ancient beings of various origins, local mythology, and so on. Innovative ideas are often presented in the form of stories in various anthologies, but rarely more than that. Though, of course, there are exceptions. It seems to me that the immense popularity of Stephen King lies precisely in his ability to either integrate familiar fears into completely unexpected conditions and present them in a new light (“The Shining,” “Tommyknockers,” “It,” “Salem's Lot”) or elevate a possible situation into a nightmare (“Cujo,” “Misery,” and even, to some extent, “Carrie,” though with some allowance for the supernatural element).
I don’t want to be categorical, since I’ve only read one of his novels so far, but I would place Tom Piccirilli in the category of writers who don’t take risks but instead take well-tested plots, rework them in their own way, run them through their imagination, and present something that complements an already very detailed collection of works, in this case, on the theme of ghosts. However, despite the fact that the plot of The Deceased is quite simple on its own, Piccirilli still manages to captivate. He does so with his special style of split narrative, where visions and reality, memories and the present flow into each other, blending and merging so that they become inseparable, and the bloody story, almost repelling, reminiscent of cheap, low-budget horror films filled with corpses, liters of blood, and unpleasant details, suddenly begins to resonate with unexpected lyricism, almost poetry, creating a strange dreamlike or hallucinatory effect, where logic and rules take a backseat, leaving only pure sensations and images that don’t need justification.
It’s wonderful when imagination, persistence, and mastery of words help build a career in writing. Even better when works enjoy success, and fans are willing to buy each new book without hesitation, while true fans—well, they always accompany true success and fame, recognizing authors on the streets and, yes, sometimes becoming quite intrusive. Jacob Maelstrom is one of those popular authors, but often the worm of doubt gnaws at his soul: is he truly that good, or is it just morbid curiosity about his past and the desire to compare? This is because Jacob’s father, Isaac Maelstrom was a truly outstanding writer, as critics once said, "the father should have written more serious literature about relationships and mutual assistance." Does Jacob not repeat his father’s plots, does he not draw inspiration from his works, or do certain phrases or even characters come from Isaac’s novels? But what’s even worse, Jacob suspects that the interest in his work, the media frenzy surrounding the release of each novel, is merely the result of unhealthy curiosity about the tragic event he witnessed in his childhood. Ten years ago, his older sister Rachel seemingly went mad. Armed with an axe, she, like a dark angel of death, took the lives of their father, mother, and older brother, leaving the younger one, Jacob, as a witness to the bloody slaughter, locking him in a cupboard where he spent several days until he was found, while she took her own life. Due to his age and deep shock, Jacob remembered very little about that day, but one thing he knew for sure: his family’s story hadn’t ended that day; in reality, nothing had truly ended, because ten years later, he clearly hears that they’re calling him to join the family and resolve the unresolved issues. And Jacob travels to a small piece of land, cut off from the mainland by four tributaries, where the only old bridge leads. He goes to resolve once and for all all the secrets and recall what truly happened. But neither he nor the ghosts expected that along with Jacob, his devoted fan would travel, accompanied by her friend.
Indeed, the plot is almost a textbook example: a haunted house, something resembling a curse, madness, and secrets that can only be unraveled by returning to the scene of the crime. But Tom Piccirilli brings unusual touches to this classic story, almost like a detective, because it’s quite clear that the police didn’t, and couldn’t, figure out what had truly happened. And to understand the cause, retrospection is needed, helping not only reconstruct the events but also the characters of the main protagonists, who, by the start of the novel, are more dead than alive, though that is, of course, inaccurate. And this is where Jacob’s vivid visions and dreams come into play, growing increasingly alive as he nears the family home. It seems that Piccirilli, fully aware of the secondary nature of the plot, placed his bet on the narrative style and tone. I completely understand those who found the reading difficult and hard to follow because the transitions between dreams and real events are very subtle, sometimes almost imperceptible, especially since not only the protagonist sees things he shouldn’t. And by the way, it’s tempting in this context to raise the question: what is reality, when it comes to the writer's imagination within a writer’s imagination, and so on? This question brings us to the main twist, the unique feature in the novel that sets The Deceased apart from many similar clichéd horror stories. The key to the novel’s unique appeal lies in its unusual approach to the craft of writing and the imagination of the writer—how the creative process works, birthing something that didn’t exist a second ago. After all, in half of the horror novels, the protagonist is a writer. What more can be said about this subject after King’s The Dark Half or Secret Window, Secret Garden? But it turns out, quite a bit. Piccirilli manages not just to turn this cliché inside out but to enrich it significantly, making it one of the main conflicts in the novel. What I personally felt was lacking was more development of this particular storyline; it seemed there was still potential there.
Undoubtedly, one of the merits of the novel is its poetics. An unexpected authorial move (and perhaps, style—it’s certainly worth reading more from Piccirilli to say for sure) for this genre. Very often, horror writers start with intrigue, tentatively approach the climax, only to falter in an awkward, at best, conclusion. Piccirilli has his own scheme: a rather dull introduction, promising something too familiar, transforms into a completely phantasmagorical main body, concluding in an expected, but nonetheless decent ending. Moreover, the entire main action is colored with such painful, strange, and beautiful images in their blackness and corruption, that the reader, almost intoxicated by the heavy, sweet, nearly suffocating scent of omnipresent lilies, surrenders to the mercy of this dance of shadows and simply observes, enchanted by the darkness lurking in the human mind, the strange shapes that love and madness can take, and sometimes, what can emerge from such an unnatural union, spiced with loneliness and too powerful imagination.
The very specificity of the classic plot doesn’t require detailed explanations or obvious answers—much is already clear and known. However, Tom Piccirilli, again thanks to his successful narrative style, leaves a part, though smaller, but no less important than the main storyline, veiled in a shroud of elegant images and beautiful words, not tightly veiled, but still, what is hidden in the shadows has such strange forms that it is not easily recognized. Thus, much is left to the reader, as if the author invites them to join the game of imaginations, in harmony with writing a strange poem, where metaphors, emotional and sensual components play the leading role and require nothing more than contemplation and feeling on a subconscious level. The past slips away irretrievably, but does it die? What is within the power of imagination, multiplied by madness, loneliness, the desire to love and be loved, but placed in an isolated, artificially created world that is rotting from within? The past refuses to die, reappearing in the present. The power of imagination sometimes holds dominion over both life and death.
I don’t want to be categorical, since I’ve only read one of his novels so far, but I would place Tom Piccirilli in the category of writers who don’t take risks but instead take well-tested plots, rework them in their own way, run them through their imagination, and present something that complements an already very detailed collection of works, in this case, on the theme of ghosts. However, despite the fact that the plot of The Deceased is quite simple on its own, Piccirilli still manages to captivate. He does so with his special style of split narrative, where visions and reality, memories and the present flow into each other, blending and merging so that they become inseparable, and the bloody story, almost repelling, reminiscent of cheap, low-budget horror films filled with corpses, liters of blood, and unpleasant details, suddenly begins to resonate with unexpected lyricism, almost poetry, creating a strange dreamlike or hallucinatory effect, where logic and rules take a backseat, leaving only pure sensations and images that don’t need justification.
It’s wonderful when imagination, persistence, and mastery of words help build a career in writing. Even better when works enjoy success, and fans are willing to buy each new book without hesitation, while true fans—well, they always accompany true success and fame, recognizing authors on the streets and, yes, sometimes becoming quite intrusive. Jacob Maelstrom is one of those popular authors, but often the worm of doubt gnaws at his soul: is he truly that good, or is it just morbid curiosity about his past and the desire to compare? This is because Jacob’s father, Isaac Maelstrom was a truly outstanding writer, as critics once said, "the father should have written more serious literature about relationships and mutual assistance." Does Jacob not repeat his father’s plots, does he not draw inspiration from his works, or do certain phrases or even characters come from Isaac’s novels? But what’s even worse, Jacob suspects that the interest in his work, the media frenzy surrounding the release of each novel, is merely the result of unhealthy curiosity about the tragic event he witnessed in his childhood. Ten years ago, his older sister Rachel seemingly went mad. Armed with an axe, she, like a dark angel of death, took the lives of their father, mother, and older brother, leaving the younger one, Jacob, as a witness to the bloody slaughter, locking him in a cupboard where he spent several days until he was found, while she took her own life. Due to his age and deep shock, Jacob remembered very little about that day, but one thing he knew for sure: his family’s story hadn’t ended that day; in reality, nothing had truly ended, because ten years later, he clearly hears that they’re calling him to join the family and resolve the unresolved issues. And Jacob travels to a small piece of land, cut off from the mainland by four tributaries, where the only old bridge leads. He goes to resolve once and for all all the secrets and recall what truly happened. But neither he nor the ghosts expected that along with Jacob, his devoted fan would travel, accompanied by her friend.
Indeed, the plot is almost a textbook example: a haunted house, something resembling a curse, madness, and secrets that can only be unraveled by returning to the scene of the crime. But Tom Piccirilli brings unusual touches to this classic story, almost like a detective, because it’s quite clear that the police didn’t, and couldn’t, figure out what had truly happened. And to understand the cause, retrospection is needed, helping not only reconstruct the events but also the characters of the main protagonists, who, by the start of the novel, are more dead than alive, though that is, of course, inaccurate. And this is where Jacob’s vivid visions and dreams come into play, growing increasingly alive as he nears the family home. It seems that Piccirilli, fully aware of the secondary nature of the plot, placed his bet on the narrative style and tone. I completely understand those who found the reading difficult and hard to follow because the transitions between dreams and real events are very subtle, sometimes almost imperceptible, especially since not only the protagonist sees things he shouldn’t. And by the way, it’s tempting in this context to raise the question: what is reality, when it comes to the writer's imagination within a writer’s imagination, and so on? This question brings us to the main twist, the unique feature in the novel that sets The Deceased apart from many similar clichéd horror stories. The key to the novel’s unique appeal lies in its unusual approach to the craft of writing and the imagination of the writer—how the creative process works, birthing something that didn’t exist a second ago. After all, in half of the horror novels, the protagonist is a writer. What more can be said about this subject after King’s The Dark Half or Secret Window, Secret Garden? But it turns out, quite a bit. Piccirilli manages not just to turn this cliché inside out but to enrich it significantly, making it one of the main conflicts in the novel. What I personally felt was lacking was more development of this particular storyline; it seemed there was still potential there.
Undoubtedly, one of the merits of the novel is its poetics. An unexpected authorial move (and perhaps, style—it’s certainly worth reading more from Piccirilli to say for sure) for this genre. Very often, horror writers start with intrigue, tentatively approach the climax, only to falter in an awkward, at best, conclusion. Piccirilli has his own scheme: a rather dull introduction, promising something too familiar, transforms into a completely phantasmagorical main body, concluding in an expected, but nonetheless decent ending. Moreover, the entire main action is colored with such painful, strange, and beautiful images in their blackness and corruption, that the reader, almost intoxicated by the heavy, sweet, nearly suffocating scent of omnipresent lilies, surrenders to the mercy of this dance of shadows and simply observes, enchanted by the darkness lurking in the human mind, the strange shapes that love and madness can take, and sometimes, what can emerge from such an unnatural union, spiced with loneliness and too powerful imagination.
The very specificity of the classic plot doesn’t require detailed explanations or obvious answers—much is already clear and known. However, Tom Piccirilli, again thanks to his successful narrative style, leaves a part, though smaller, but no less important than the main storyline, veiled in a shroud of elegant images and beautiful words, not tightly veiled, but still, what is hidden in the shadows has such strange forms that it is not easily recognized. Thus, much is left to the reader, as if the author invites them to join the game of imaginations, in harmony with writing a strange poem, where metaphors, emotional and sensual components play the leading role and require nothing more than contemplation and feeling on a subconscious level. The past slips away irretrievably, but does it die? What is within the power of imagination, multiplied by madness, loneliness, the desire to love and be loved, but placed in an isolated, artificially created world that is rotting from within? The past refuses to die, reappearing in the present. The power of imagination sometimes holds dominion over both life and death.
October 1, 2008
With an urge for some mind-blowing horror and a touch of insanity on the side, I opened this book with an unhealthy need for pure evil. So, with my soda on hand, I dimmed the lights and stoked the fire. When I finished, I not only had a bad case of paranoia, but also a newfound respect for Picirilli.
Twisting at each turn, The Deceased manages to intrigue and horrify. A plot so convoluted, you find yourself bound and screaming for more. The only problem being that it perplexes you almost to the point of bailing out. It never manages to hold you while maintaining at best a simple touchstone. So remember to prepare to be thrown with no rope in sight. Opening right into the action, the pace is erratic and unavailing. I suggest you keep a paper bag available at all times should you become light headed.
The characters had almost no backstory, no real insight into who they are in depth and it worked so well for this book. The characters actually feel secondary to the events in the story and that was absolutely genius. With a hallucinogenic atmosphere, Picirilli manages to coat the air with confusion and a serpentine reality. So laden was it, that you feel as if your walking through a blinding fog. Abandoning structure of any kind, the author’s style of writing is still one of the best and sadly least celebrated. With an elegance almost forgotten today, he writes with grace and always succeeds to be original.
I give this book a 4 Pack the suitcase, console your mother, this is a book that will not only terrify you; it may lead you straight to madness!
-As reviewed for Horror-Web.com
Twisting at each turn, The Deceased manages to intrigue and horrify. A plot so convoluted, you find yourself bound and screaming for more. The only problem being that it perplexes you almost to the point of bailing out. It never manages to hold you while maintaining at best a simple touchstone. So remember to prepare to be thrown with no rope in sight. Opening right into the action, the pace is erratic and unavailing. I suggest you keep a paper bag available at all times should you become light headed.
The characters had almost no backstory, no real insight into who they are in depth and it worked so well for this book. The characters actually feel secondary to the events in the story and that was absolutely genius. With a hallucinogenic atmosphere, Picirilli manages to coat the air with confusion and a serpentine reality. So laden was it, that you feel as if your walking through a blinding fog. Abandoning structure of any kind, the author’s style of writing is still one of the best and sadly least celebrated. With an elegance almost forgotten today, he writes with grace and always succeeds to be original.
I give this book a 4 Pack the suitcase, console your mother, this is a book that will not only terrify you; it may lead you straight to madness!
-As reviewed for Horror-Web.com
November 3, 2016
Two stars only for the writing style. Man, what a hot mess. The first quarter of the book was engaging enough, but after that I couldn't tell if the main character was reliving the horrific events of his past or the deceased members of his family were dragging him through a literal hell all over again. It was a quick read, but a slush pile of confusion.
February 21, 2014
surreal. mysterious and dreamlike. Piccirilli evokes a suffocating world of sexual tension, indecipherable mythology, violence and madness in such a way that you can't stop reading until the very end.
October 24, 2019
This book is like a bad mix of Stephen King-type ruminations with a bad acid trip. I won't go into the synopsis of the book (you can read the blurb for yourself), but if you decide to try to listen to this one, be prepared to be very, very confused.
The most interesting part of the book IMHO is the very first chapter, when Jacob Maelstrom, a young horror/thriller author, is confronted by a doting fan in the park. From there, it devolved into one of the worst books I have encountered recently.
Maybe if I had been reading a book with words on paper, I could have skipped the most confusing parts. But, that's pretty hard to do with an audiobook. I found myself wondering if the characters were having flashbacks, dreams, hallucinations or what. Too many unanswered questions for my taste.
Also, even for a horror book, how in the world can a 16 year old girl kill three people with an axe by chopping off their heads, then kill herself in the same manner? And, where are the heads, which have never been found in the decade since the murders? One of the main reasons that I continued listening was to find out what happened to those blasted heads!
I don't really care for incest in my reading materials, and this book is full of way too many references to a twisted relationship between young siblings. After a while, all of those innuendos and perversions just became sickening. The ending was very unsatisfactory and I still don't know what I read. I think it could have been a good book, but all of the switching back and forth between the various characters and their twisted hallucinations/dreams just got to be too much.
The narrator, J. Scott Bennett, did a great job and was one of the only reasons that I stuck with the book. Well, that and where are those blasted heads???? I was given the opportunity to listen to the audiobook version of this book by the narrator/author/publisher and chose to review it.
The most interesting part of the book IMHO is the very first chapter, when Jacob Maelstrom, a young horror/thriller author, is confronted by a doting fan in the park. From there, it devolved into one of the worst books I have encountered recently.
Maybe if I had been reading a book with words on paper, I could have skipped the most confusing parts. But, that's pretty hard to do with an audiobook. I found myself wondering if the characters were having flashbacks, dreams, hallucinations or what. Too many unanswered questions for my taste.
Also, even for a horror book, how in the world can a 16 year old girl kill three people with an axe by chopping off their heads, then kill herself in the same manner? And, where are the heads, which have never been found in the decade since the murders? One of the main reasons that I continued listening was to find out what happened to those blasted heads!
I don't really care for incest in my reading materials, and this book is full of way too many references to a twisted relationship between young siblings. After a while, all of those innuendos and perversions just became sickening. The ending was very unsatisfactory and I still don't know what I read. I think it could have been a good book, but all of the switching back and forth between the various characters and their twisted hallucinations/dreams just got to be too much.
The narrator, J. Scott Bennett, did a great job and was one of the only reasons that I stuck with the book. Well, that and where are those blasted heads???? I was given the opportunity to listen to the audiobook version of this book by the narrator/author/publisher and chose to review it.
January 14, 2022
I received a copy of this in audio format for free in return for an honest review.
I almost don't know what to say about this book. There is so much going on and it was hard to follow. The viewpoint switches back and forth through reality to hallucination to flashback to I'm not sure what was happening.
The protagonist is a horror writer whose family was murdered by his sister 10 years previously. He was a child at the time, doesn't remember any details, and is heading back to his family home to see if he can figure it all out. Two women follow him there, one is his agent's girlfriend, and the other is writing a thesis on his work. And then all hell breaks loose and the story takes one weird turn after another. What was up with the turtle?
I do have to say that male authors can be quite predictable. There's one scene where the author is describing how a young woman is holding an axe in preparation to commit an axe murder and the author stops to describe how appealing her breasts look at this moment in time. Seriously?
The audiobook narrator did a great job. I would have no problem listening to other books using him as a narrator.
I almost don't know what to say about this book. There is so much going on and it was hard to follow. The viewpoint switches back and forth through reality to hallucination to flashback to I'm not sure what was happening.
The protagonist is a horror writer whose family was murdered by his sister 10 years previously. He was a child at the time, doesn't remember any details, and is heading back to his family home to see if he can figure it all out. Two women follow him there, one is his agent's girlfriend, and the other is writing a thesis on his work. And then all hell breaks loose and the story takes one weird turn after another. What was up with the turtle?
I do have to say that male authors can be quite predictable. There's one scene where the author is describing how a young woman is holding an axe in preparation to commit an axe murder and the author stops to describe how appealing her breasts look at this moment in time. Seriously?
The audiobook narrator did a great job. I would have no problem listening to other books using him as a narrator.
March 25, 2023
I so wanted to like this novel. I love most of Piccirilli's books; I think that I've given him more five star ratings than any other author. When he hits his groove, he just blows me away! I was truly hoping for something good to great. Reality, though, was totally different. I'm going to ignore the half dozen times I started the book and then put it down for a month or two. Life might have been interfering. Once I got started though, I just could not really get into or care about any of the characters. I couldn't even rely on the story to get me through. It was too slow moving and seemed to walk in place a lot. Plus it got confusing on more than one point; I couldn't tell if the main character was remembering the past, interacting with ghosts, walking through a dimensional door or whatever. Now, it wasn't all bad. Piccirilli still invoked some beautiful imagery and shiny moments. I would become involved in the novel and get excited about something about to happen. Then the point of view would shift and I lost all interest again. Here's to hoping that the next book by him I read is better.
March 15, 2018
Jacob Maelstrom’s family had been brutally murdered by his sister ten years ago in their family home. He was eleven then, and was found in the closet with no memory of what happened.
Now, on the anniversary of the killings, Jacob is being summoned home by the ghosts. They want him to visit. He’s been away from the family home for far too long...
Mr. Piccirilli is an excellent writer and that alone makes this book an interesting read. He has a great way of pulling you into the characters and their surroundings. That being said, I wanted to like this book more than I do. The storyline was very disjointed which I’m sure was intentional to create a surreal effect, however I wonder how much better the book would could have been.
Another aspect of this book, and something not really important to the review, is that there are certain parts of the book that read like a gothic self help book on how to write a horror novel. He intersperses little nuggets on how to write. I don’t know if you will, but I enjoyed them.
Now, on the anniversary of the killings, Jacob is being summoned home by the ghosts. They want him to visit. He’s been away from the family home for far too long...
Mr. Piccirilli is an excellent writer and that alone makes this book an interesting read. He has a great way of pulling you into the characters and their surroundings. That being said, I wanted to like this book more than I do. The storyline was very disjointed which I’m sure was intentional to create a surreal effect, however I wonder how much better the book would could have been.
Another aspect of this book, and something not really important to the review, is that there are certain parts of the book that read like a gothic self help book on how to write a horror novel. He intersperses little nuggets on how to write. I don’t know if you will, but I enjoyed them.
August 4, 2017
Reading this book has to be the most tedious thing I've ever done. Pushing through was sheer torture. I do like analogies and metaphors, but Piccirilli has overdone it to the extent of rendering it tasteless, confusing and downright redundant. All in all, a horrible read.
Want to read
May 26, 2024I am sorry to leave a comment here under reviews for a book that I have not read yet but I wanted to assign a date for this book and the date set functionality of the website currently seems to be broken. If they get this working I will use this and delete this review.
01-08-2010
01-08-2010
August 23, 2021
Admittedly, it was a bit confusing at points. But it was an enjoyable and creepy read.
January 4, 2025
This one was weird and dijointed. Promising setup followed by a disjointed and confusing last act.
August 15, 2013
I'm dumbfounded. Truly. This is the same author that wrote Every Shallow Cut? Really? I'm pretty sure someone is pulling my leg. Can't be the same guy. This book is such a mish-mash of...well, I'm not really sure what it is. Except nothing I enjoyed, that's for sure.
Yes, I finished it. I have no earthly idea why I kept reading, unless I thought at some point that it would make sense. In a way, the book is very much like a nightmare: you're not entirely sure what's happening at any given moment, and even when it's over, you find yourself asking what the hell just happened. I suppose in that sense the book works. Still, very frustrating to read some 300 pages and have no more idea of the plot than when you started.
None of the characters are particularly sympathetic, either. Sorry, just couldn't root for anyone, the real ones or the imaginary characters (at least, I think they were imaginary - again, no real direction on that). If they had all died in the end, I might have actually jumped for joy.
Hopefully the next book of Piccirilli's I pick up will be better. I'd hate to think Every Shallow Cut was his only good one.
Yes, I finished it. I have no earthly idea why I kept reading, unless I thought at some point that it would make sense. In a way, the book is very much like a nightmare: you're not entirely sure what's happening at any given moment, and even when it's over, you find yourself asking what the hell just happened. I suppose in that sense the book works. Still, very frustrating to read some 300 pages and have no more idea of the plot than when you started.
None of the characters are particularly sympathetic, either. Sorry, just couldn't root for anyone, the real ones or the imaginary characters (at least, I think they were imaginary - again, no real direction on that). If they had all died in the end, I might have actually jumped for joy.
Hopefully the next book of Piccirilli's I pick up will be better. I'd hate to think Every Shallow Cut was his only good one.
November 6, 2011
Tom Piccirilli's The Deceased is brilliantly written. Where other authors use gore simply for shock value, Piccirilli weaves a visceral tale of the gothic and supernatural. It's a whole new animal. Author Jacob Maelstrom returns to his childhood home where ten years ago his sister beheaded his entire family with an axe. Jacob hid in his closet for three days before anyone found him, but he doesn't consider himself a survivor. Haunted by the memories of that night and wondering what happened to his family's heads, as they were never found, Jacob returns to the scene of the grisly murders in hopes of coming to grips with his violent past, but will he cope with the secrets he uncovers? I cannot say enough good things about this novel. It's a must-read for any horror fan. Beautifully written and very emotionally gripping, you have to get this book.
January 9, 2025
I think most if not all readers go through something like this- when they read something insane at a young age, without their parents realizing what they just bought them. That's what happened to book-loving me as a pre-teen. Let's just say I was not prepared. Still, kudos to Piccirilli's writing because despite the horror, shock, and insanity, his narrative style had me hooked. I haven't read it since, so I'm not sure if his writing was all that or if I was impressionable, so take the initial praise with a grain of salt.
May 15, 2018
I did not care for anything about this book aside from the narrator.It was impossible to follow.I wish I'd have given up on it. J Scott Bennett was a great narrator.I was given this book by the narrator,author or publisher free for an honest review.
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April 14, 2008Horror
August 1, 2013
A little difficult to keep up with, but all in all a great read. The aurhor has a way of seemingly confusing and intriguing you at the same time.
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