Synopsis:
For the idyllic mountain town of Jerome, Arizona, a blizzard is coming. A storm of such magnitude, the likes of which the town hasn’t seen in thirty years. Nestled at the top of the mountain is the Jerome Grand Hotel, a historic inn rumored to be haunted. The perfect setting for both a Romance writer’s convention and ghost hunter enthusiasts, alike.
James Landes is neither, but his wife Victoria is a writer, and he’s hoping for a weekend away at her convention filled with sex, food, and fun. But in this blizzard, there is more than snow and ice. There is an evil born from rituals of long ago, and only Jerome’s lifelong residents know how to stop it. James never believed in the supernatural, but if he wants to make it out of this weekend alive, he will have to embrace it.
Edition:
E-ARC
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary e-ARC of Seven Cleopatra Hill from Silver Shamrock Publishing in exchange for review consideration.
Update: Now that SSP has (rightly) gone under, this book found a new home with Macabre Ink.
My Thoughts:
Seven Cleopatra Hill is a very ambitious story. There is a LOT going on. I mean, there’s a haunted hotel, a bunch of smug, smarmy asshats, psychic children, demonic possession, cannibalism, lore, vague allusions to a serial killer, ghost hunters, a demon with an affinity for modern human popular culture, ritual human sacrifice, and a couple of precocious children.
Holley has a real knack for writing. His words paint an extremely vivid picture for the reader. In this case, that picture is a bloody, bonkerballs horror show, but it is definitely still a picture. He makes it so easy to visualize the story as you read along, which is a really great ability to possess.
“The skulls began to bounce atop their piles, making a clackity rhythm which sounded a lot like coarse laughter. He stared at them, hoping not to see red eyes staring back at him.”
But, again, the story is a lot of fun, so if you can look past a couple of flat characters (Em, Vic, the boy child), one bizarre one (Victoria) and one thoroughly awful one (James), the story itself is pretty great. Like I mentioned earlier, it has a little bit of something for everyone, I think.
About the Author:
Justin is the author of the novels BRUISED, WEDNESDAY’S CHILD, and THE GULLIES, as well as, several short stories published in magazines and anthologies around the world. BRUISED was mentioned in Brian Keene’s “Top Ten Books of 2015”. He also investigates the paranormal with a TAPS-family group and plays volleyball twice a week. Correspondence from his fans is encouraged, and the best way to contact him is through his website.
Rating:
This book seriously has something for everyone.
Seven Cleopatra Hill By Justin Holley Macabre Ink ASIN: B0862HL6Y4 Published: July 12, 2022 E-book, Paperback 262 Pages Author's Website
