Ian dives into Kristal Shanahan’s Evil Screams and discovers a serial killer that plans her kills with more precision than most people plan their lives.
TITLE: Evil Screams
AUTHOR: Kristal Shanahan
GENRE: Horror
PAGES: 166
FORMAT: eBook
PRICE: eBook $2.99, Paperback $15.00
G’day all, it’s your ARC reader from down under here, coming back after working a second job to pay some bills. Sigh. Life is hard sometimes all the time, right?
Anyway, this week, I’m taking a gander at Kristal Shanahan’s Evil Screams. Curiously, while I was reading this book, I did hear screams. At first, I thought they were evil, but it turns out it was just my good old regular scream in my head from my other friend that lives there, Stanley. What? Why are you staring at me like that? Isn’t that normal? Ermmm… anyway, none of that is true. Except for the part about reading Evil Screams. Right then, shall we get to it?
This is the second book I’ve read of Kristal’s — the first being A Mortician’s Shadow, which I greatly enjoyed. So, it was then that I cracked open Evil Screams and laid my eager eyes on its pages, and let me tell you, they weren’t disappointed by its contents.
The story follows Madison, a high school teacher who has a rather nasty hobby: killing people. But not just any people; no, these are people that “deserve” it, at least in Madison’s eyes. The entire process of a kill excites her, from writing down routines to planning out the kill itself. Madison has always been filled with dark temptations, even from an early age, a time we are taken back to as the book progresses, where we learn about her origin story.
Meanwhile, after one particular kill doesn’t go exactly as planned, and she receives a message from someone who knows what she’s done, she meets Rick — the father of one of her students. There is something about Rick that attracts her, and it isn’t long before she falls head over heels for him. But Rick too has a secret, one of a supernatural kind, and she is plunged into a world she never knew existed. To say anymore would be spoilerish so I won’t delve further than that, but suffice it to say: this isn’t your average serial-killer story.
Kristal does a great job of weaving the story threads together, past and present, and leaves a carrot dangling for more in this universe. I particularly enjoyed the chapters about Madison’s past, where we get details of her background that shaped her into who she is. It’s a fast-paced story, and it even has a bit of spice. For those who like a bit of everything in their horror, they will find a lot to enjoy here.
I give it 4.5 screams of evil out of 5.
Ian Gielen is a writer of all things spooky and a horror fanatic. Ian embraces his inner geek with pride, his dedication on display in the intimidating collection of horror novels and video games that threaten to take over his living space. He is mad for all things Alien, Star Wars, and cats; his furry companions are always there to keep him company as he scribbles down his latest ideas. With the sheer number of furry and human companions in his life, it’s a wonder he isn’t a little crazier than he already is.
PLEASE NOTE: The views and opinions of the staff of Memento Mori Ink do not necessarily represent those of Memento Mori Ink or Crystal Lake Publishing, nor do the views or opinions of Crystal Lake necessarily represent those of Memento Mori Ink or its staff. Thank you for understanding.
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