Fresh from being falsely accused of molesting a student, Sam Ford abruptly quits his teaching job and leaves town with his artist girlfriend, with no destination in mind. Fate, however, does, dropping them in Cape May, N.J. and at the door of the Abbadon Inn. Built in the 19th century, the imposing three-story structure is being renovated by a married couple who hire Sam as a tutor for their anti-social teenage son. He’s trouble, but the Abbadon is far more disturbed.
This lays the foundation for TWISTED BRANCH, the first of a three-book trilogy by Chris Blaine (a collective pseudonym for three separate authors, in this case, Elizabeth Massie). Our hero Sam has left demons of his own behind, only to find ones far more dangerous hiding in this idyllic coastal town. Strange things start to happen – carving knives fly across the room, doors slam on their own, the house shakes for no reason – leading Sam to examine the Abbadon’s sordid history and not liking what he discovers.
That Sam is African-American is a rarity for a mainstream horror novel, and rarer still for one set in the 1970s. This is not accidental on Blaine’s part, as becomes alarmingly clear. The plot, full of all the haunted house trappings and poltergeist activity, is dime-a-dozen, but I wasn’t quite sure where it was headed, and was anxious to get there. Because of its rather generic-sounding setup, I held middling expectations for TWISTED BRANCH, but the book is too well-crafted to settle for mediocrity. Instead, it’s a smart, solid hit.
Since all three Abbadon Inn novels – DARK WHISPERS and DROWNED NIGHT being the other two – have the hotel itself as the only recurring character, think of it as if THE SHINING were an anthology series, with the Overlook as the star and the Torrance family hanging around for just one episode. Like the others, TWISTED BRANCH is designed to stand alone, but I’m betting you’ll have enough fun to want to check in for an extended stay with its counterparts. –Rod Lott
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