Cinematic and intense, this inventive work of horror sings! From the intimacy of family to the sweeping supernatural realms of death, the story takes us on a wild ride. I loved the simple beauty of the relationships, the musical allusions, and the eerie unreality that infects this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my free copy. These opinions are my own.

Charlie returns to Seattle after his estranged father mysteriously passes away to help with the funeral. His father left him two parting gifts, keys to the family record store, and a strange black case containing four ancient records that according to legend can open a gate to the land of the dead.

When Charlie and his sister and their two friends play the records, they unwittingly open a floodgate of unspeakable horror. As the darkness descends, they are stalked by a relentless malevolent force and see the dead everywhere they turn. With time running out, the only person who can help is Charlie’s resurrected father. But time is of the essence, can they close the gate and silence Schrader’s Chord before it’s too late?

This is one of those books that I really anticipated. I love a good horror book and couldn’t wait to dive in. I tandem read this one while listening to the audio. The audio is fantastic! The narrator did such a great job really nailing the story. He did a great job with the different character voices, I had to double check to see if it was two narrators. There are a lot of characters in this book, so it helped having the print and audio copy. I did feel that the story was a little long and drawn out, but it was also beautiful and made me feel immersed in the location. I loved that this was set in Seattle as I live close by, and this book hit the culture head on. This book was fantastic and I really enjoyed it so much.
If you are looking for a character driven horror book, then I hope you give this one a chance.

Thank you so much to the publisher Tor Publishing Group, and Netgalley, @Netgalley for this e-arc, and Penguin Random House Audio, @PRHAudio, for my copies in exchange for an honest review.

Scott Leeds, you are a genius!
Schrader’s Chord is *chefs kiss*. A chilling masterpiece of a debut horror book that is so original and enthralling.
Charlie’s father, Raymond, passes away and leaves him his record store. He also gives Charlie four records. According to the story he was told by his father, there is four records that are called Schrader’s Chord. When played together it opens a portal to the dead. He doesn’t believe this story. Until they play the records.
Leeds writing style paints such vivid and atmospheric scenes.
This is a truly creepy book and perfect for spooky season. Prepare to be terrified and enthralled.

I’ve been dealing with a lot of health problems late and haven’t had much time or energy to read. I did blast through the first quarter of this book and I’ve been riveted, though the horror is only just creeping in. I ‘m not going to get this finished before my review copy disappears into the ether, but I plan on buying a copy so I can see where Leeds is going with this.

Super unique and super cool this book sets a new standard for horror. If you are a music fan and you like being scared of things that go bump in the night, you absolutely need to read this book asap because it seamlessly blends the two in a way that makes the pages fly by! There’s mystery, suspense, romance and lots and lots of gore. Go in expecting to be amazed and you will be! I can’t wait to see what the author writes next.
When music exec Charlie finds out that his father has committed suicide, he travels back to his hometown of Seattle to help his sisters plan the funeral and sort out his dads stuff. At the reading of the will, Charlie finds out that his father has left him his record store as well as a dusty old box of 4 vinyls. The store was his dad, Raymond’s pride and joy, but he and Charlie were estranged, and Charlie doesn’t feel like he should be the one to have the store, so he contemplates shutting it down, but that would affect the stores two employees, Dale and Ana, who hope to change his mind.
At the wake a stranger breaks in and tries to steal the box of vinyls but before he can he’s killed in a freak accident and the mystery of why he wanted them died with him. But there may be more clues to the box in Raymond’s files - Charlie soon discovers that he had been traveling the world seeking Schraders Chord, an old story passed through generations. Could thr records in the box actually be Schraders Chord? Curiosity gets the better of them and Charlie, and his twin sister Eleanor together with Dale and Ana decide to play the records simultaneously and see if the legend is true. What happens next is terrifying. A dark force is released upon the world and every member of the group are able to see the dead and now have a curse put on them.
The tension was high in this and the fear factor was strong but it never entered the realm of incredulity. If you’re a fan of Grady Hendrix or Joe Hill, you will like this book.
Thanks to Tor Nightfire and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.

I knew the moment I laid eyes on this cover that I absolutely HAD to read this book and it did not disappoint! This debut horror book had everything I wanted: musical references (check out the playlist on Spotify!!), pop culture references, familial drama, found family, and supernatural happenings. Although this is a fairly lengthy book, I never felt bogged down or overwhelmed by the length. The storytelling was always pushing me forward, encouraging just one more chapter.

My fingers are crossed for a movie adaptation, because it would be awesome! The horror elements are certainly present in this story, but I think they were mild enough that even the baby horror readers could enjoy this. The characters were completely brought to life and I love how we got to see both sides of many character's stories and memories. Really hoping this isn't the last we see from Scott Leeds.

You may enjoy this book if you are a music lover, are a fan of cursed media, and horror tinged with feelings of nostalgia.

Thank you to the publisher #partner for gifting me a copy and the audiobook via @prhaudio
———
When his father, Raymond, dies by suicide, Charlie Remick inherits a record store and a set of 4 vinyl records called Schrader’s Chord that when played together, apparently open a portal to the dead. Charlie has never been close to his dad nor has any interest to take over Raymond’s store. He also doesn’t believe in the power of Schrader’s Chord.

However when Charlie plays them with the help of his sister, Ellie, and the two store employees, Ana and Dale, they unleash Schrader, the malevolent force and creator of the records. Schrader is out to kill Charlie, Ellie, Ana and Dale, one by one, and before it happens, all four must find a way to stop Schrader’s powers. Playing the records has also enabled all four of them to see the dead so they get extra help from Raymond and other friends who could not stop Schrader.

I’m a huge fan of Joe Hill and Schrader’s Chord gave me huge Heart-Shaped Box vibes! This book had all the road adventure and chilling aspects of WTF-happens-next you expect in Stephen King and Joe Hill books. Scott Leeds is absolute genius to be able to write a debut novel such as this one and I can’t wait to find out what he comes up with next!!

Music and music lovers.
Horror.
Records that open up a portal to hell.
How can you not want to read this??

I was pretty invested just based off that, and this book lived up to all the hype I had in my mind. It doesn't hold back on the horror, but doesn't get so extreme to put off casual horror readers. Some of the deaths were fairly gnarly but were worked into the plot in a way that doesn't really require a moment to compose and move on.

The ending did feel a little iffy for a bit, but I think that's because it went from event event event to a lag to get to the final part of the story, but it wasn't something that killed the story at all.

Bottom line, this book is a great horror read that you should be checking out. Plus there's a spotify playlist you should have playing while to set the mood.

This was a well crafted, multi layered story boosting super life like characters I became invested in. The tone was the perfect amount of creepy. It felt like listening to my favorite rock album mixed with a spooky story. Totally one of my recent favorites!

This year has been a whirlwind of fantastic new releases — with many, many more on the horizon! One that wasn’t initially on my radar was Schrader’s Chord, a blisteringly clever and engaging debut from Scott Leeds. What turned me on to it was the incredible promos that were being passed around bookstagram, in what may be the best marketing for a book I’ve *ever* seen. I was all in. Even more impressive is that I found out that Leeds was doing all of these himself!

My friends over at @underbrushbooks hooked me up with a galley, because there’s just something about that tactile response of an honest to god paper book; and with the novel being about vinyl (an almost forgotten form of media, now resurrected) I figured it only fitting to go physical only on this one.

Schrader’s Chord is a book about cursed vinyl, family drama, hauntings, and so much more. The characters are all vividly imagined and likable. While the plot takes a while to get rolling, I found that I didn’t really mind. The version of Seattle Leeds crafts within the pages of Schrader’s are alive and loud.

In a book review plot twist, my favorite part of the book isn’t even book itself, but rather the playlist that Leeds put together on Spotify. Since this is a book about music, there are tons of references to bands/albums/songs and Leeds took all those references and made an immaculate playlist to accompany your enjoyment of his stunning debut.

Scott Leeds drew back his bow and let his arrow go, straight to being one of my favorite reads of the year 🏹

I DNFd at 68% - I loved the concept and thought that there were some solid creepy elements. I don't think the writing style is for me. I was not endeared to the characters at all and the dialogue felt awkward and forced at times. I love the cover though!

4.5 stars. This book was so interesting! I’m always down for reading books centered around music, and this one did not disappoint.

The characters are all unique and interesting, and though the POV changes pretty quickly I never felt whiplash or confused. The lore & horror moments were so compelling - but I also enjoyed the quick moments of the characters just interacting with each other. I probably would read a story just about the Remick family in general, even if they didn’t get up to some supernatural hijinks.

I enjoyed the discussions surrounding complex parent/child & sibling dynamics, particularly the “found family” relationship Ana is able to form with Raymond almost at the expense of his relationship with Charlie. There were some deep discussions in a book about a murderous composer.

Overall this was an excellent story that I thoroughly enjoyed & I look forward to more of the author’s work!

Thanks to NetGalley, Scott Leeds, and Tor Publishing for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is not a criticism of the book or author, but I am not a huge fan of publishers comparing new releases to other books or popular media. Compared to Heart Shaped Box meets Haunting of Hill House, this novel stands above these comparisons. It is it's own novel!

Much like other readers, I am totally shocked. This was *such* a fun, heart warming, and spooky read. It felt almost cozy? I cannot believe it was Leed's debut novel.

We follow our main character Charlie, who is a big time music label guy in Brooklyn, who has to return home due to the loss of his father. However, it isn't on happy terms since Charlie and his father never saw eye to. The story takes Charlie, his siblings, and his father's staff on a wild journey to open and close the gates of hell. Opened by playing a set of four of the rarest records in the world. There were a lot of things that maybe wrapped up a little too conveniently but ya know what? I loved this book. It felt so up my alley that I was happy to follow Charlie, Anna, and everyone else's journey.

This book is for big fans of cozy horror/mysteries, music, pop culture, and a good paranormal story. I am so excited to see what Scott Leed's releases next. He will be an instant buy for me.

The nitty-gritty: Horror, music and nostalgia combine in surprising ways in this chilling debut.

Schrader’s Chord is an ambitious debut novel, but Scott Leeds pulls it off surprisingly well. In addition to being a scary ghost story, Leeds’ tale is wonderfully nostalgic and brought back many memories from my pre-teen and teen years that revolved around music and the local record store. There’s also a nice dose of family drama, a touch of romance and plenty of feel good moments to offset all the horror, but this is first and foremost a horror story. Fans of Grady Hendrix’s We Sold Our Souls (another favorite music-centric horror story of mine) won’t want to miss this.

Charlie Remick works in A&R for Sony Records, the “man with the magical ear” as his associates call him, due to the fact that he’s a genius at spotting untapped talent and taking unknown bands and making them famous. But one day Charlie gets a text from his sister that changes everything. Their father Raymond is dead, apparently from suicide, and now Charlie must return to his hometown of Seattle in order to attend the funeral and deal with the fallout.

Returning is uncomfortable, though, since Charlie hasn’t seen any of his family for years, including his twin sister Ellie and his older sister Susan. Charlie and his dad weren’t on speaking terms either, so he’s shocked to find out Raymond has left Charlie two things: his beloved record store, the Cuckoo’s Nest, and a mysterious, battered black case. The last thing he wants is a musty old record store that reminds him of his father, but the case is another story. Attached to it is a cryptic note that says “I told you they were real,” and inside Charlie finds four old vinyl records, carefully protected with foam.

Charlie knows all too well what the records are: a tall tale spun by his father when Charlie was a kid, come to life. Schrader’s Chord was supposedly a combination of music notes that, when played together as a chord, could open the gates between the worlds of the living and the dead. Charlie decides to take the plunge and try them out, after all, the tale can’t be true, can it? With the help of Ellie, and Raymond’s two devoted Cuckoo’s Nest employees, Ana and Dale, Charlie rigs the records to play simultaneously, but what starts as a joke soon turns deadly. Schrader’s Chord is real, and now Charlie and his friends can suddenly see the dead. Even worse, they’re marked for death: Ivan Schrader himself is coming after them.

I loved the idea of an “evil chord” that can only be played under very special circumstances, and using vinyl 78s as the conduit was a brilliant idea. It reminded me of backmasking, adding hidden messages in records that can only be heard when you play the record backwards. Charlie’s decision to play Schrader’s Chord opens a floodgate of evil that seems nearly impossible to stop, and because they play the chord early on, most of the story focuses on Charlie, Ana, Ellie and Dale trying to figure out how to stop it. We learn more about the history of Ivan Schrader, who was a composer in the late nineteenth century, and why he created the records in the first place, and I thought Leeds did a great job of inserting Schrader’s backstory without losing momentum.

I really enjoyed the characters as well. Charlie loves his career in music, but there’s something from his past that he regrets that’s tied into the sour relationship with his father. Coming home brings all of it back, and when Raymond himself appears after the chord is played, Charlie has the perfect opportunity to ask his dad all sorts of questions. Their relationship was messy and believable and added a lot of emotion to the story. I also loved Ana, a young girl with an intense love of music who has made the Cuckoo’s Nest her second home. She’s terrified that Charlie is going to sell the shop, so she sets out to convince him not to. That is until all hell breaks lose and they are both running for their lives, of course.

You can tell the author loves music and has poured his heart and soul into Schrader’s Chord. From the scenes in the record store with Ana hand selling her customers the records she thinks they need, to the songs that pop up throughout the story—on the radio, on the jukebox in a diner, etc—to the descriptions of Raymond’s obsession with collecting rare vinyl, each adds to the soundtrack of the story, immersing the reader in a musical glow that evokes a certain time and place. The story is set in the present, but the sense of nostalgia is overwhelming. Leeds has also created an extensive playlist for his book, with many of the songs being mentioned in the story.

The last section is fast-paced and full of nail-biting chase scenes and some terrifying encounters with Ivan Schrader. I love a good road trip, and Schrader’s Chord has an excellent one. Parts of it reminded me of Final Destination, as the characters are getting picked off one by one (and I believe there’s even a tongue-in-cheek reference to the movie at one point). So far 2023 is turning out to be a bumper year for better than average horror debuts, and I’m very happy to list Schrader’s Chord as one of my favorites.

Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.

TL;DR

Schrader’s Chord by Scott Leeds is a moving horror novel that explores grief. This is an excellent debut and an excellent all around read. Highly recommended.

Disclaimer: The publisher provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Any and all opinions that follow are mine alone.

Review: Schrader's Chord by Scott Leeds

If you could talk to the dead, what would you say? If you could talk to your lost loved ones, would you attempt to reconcile the past? These are questions that Schrader’s Chord by Scott Leeds explores.

Charlie Remick and Ana Cortez react very differently to the death of Charlie’s father. Ana feels the loss of her mentor as well as the fear of losing her job. Ana began her obsession with music in the store owned by Charlie’s father. She loved the store so much that she began to work there. Through working closely with the Remick pater, Ana learned and began to resent Charlie, who left home and family in Seattle, WA for the music industry in New York, NY. Charlie broke off contact with his father after the death of their mother. Upon learning of his father’s suicide, Charlie, of course, returns to Seattle. He’s there more to be with his two sisters than grieve. His father, however, left the business and a surprise to Charlie. In addition to a record store, Charlie got a case that supposedly contains four records from a legend that Charlie’s father told his kids. Inside are four records that when played together open a gate to the land of the dead. The legend states that those who hear the records are then cursed to die. Of course, Charlie, Ana, and two others play the records. Soon, they begin seeing the dead and, more disconcerting, speaking to them as well. Upon returning home, Charlie sees his father hanging from the tree in their backyard. Then his father begins to talk to him. He and the others must find a way to close the gate or they will die. They each begin to experience a vision of a spirit, and after the vision, attempts on their lives are made. Charlie must figure out how to close the gate, or they will all die.

Schrader’s Chord by Scott Leeds is a third person, horror novel. Charlie and Ana are the two point of view characters. The book is well paced. It has action balanced with character development. It’s a fun read that deals with grief in interesting ways. Highly recommended.

Charlie and Ana

It’s obvious from the moment they meet that they’re attracted to each other, and Leeds sets up their romance quickly. It starts as a bit of Romeo and Juliet, star-crossed lovers type thing, but that drops as Ana (and, therefore, the reader) learn more about the Charlie and his father’s past. Both Ana and Charlie are likable. I, a non-hardcore music fan, bought them as connoisseurs. Charlie is a bit distant at the start of the novel, but he opens up more and more as it progresses. Ana is lovable from the start. Her backstory is wonderful, and she was my favorite character by far.

Charlie and His Father

The conflict between Charlie and his father takes up most of the book. Considering that at the beginning, the father is dead, it’s impressive that this is conflict that drives everything. Another impressive part of this book is how the story of that conflict is delivered. Charlie doesn’t give it; other characters fill Ana in on the backstory. This lends objectivity to the story. If Charlie were delivering it, I’d think it was biased. But since he’s not telling the backstory, readers can believe what they’re told about the father. It’s really well done and points to a well crafted story.

Grieving

Schrader’s Chord is a book about grief and things left unsaid between the living and the dead. Only Leeds gives his characters the chance to speak to their lost, loved ones. Charlie and his father have a chance to remedy the rift between them in a way that others don’t. In reality, when death takes someone from us, we can’t communicate with them. We can’t resolve past fights. We can’t apologize for past errors. But if we could, would we? Or would we maintain the same stubbornness that keeps us from resolving our hurts and healing our wounds now?

Since I lost my parents, I’ve always wanted just one more moment with each of them. I don’t know what I’d say, other than I love you. Charlie gets that opportunity, and Leeds poses interesting questions to us through Charlie’s choices. The horror and shock quickly pass. Soon, Charlie’s dad isn’t simply returned from the dead; he’s just Charlie’s dad.

Conclusion

Scott Leeds’s Schrader’s Chord is a beautiful horror novel about grief and making peace with the past. It’s a story that moves and keeps you glued to the page. It’s a fantastic debut, and I’ll be on the lookout for Leeds next work. Highly recommended.

This is a real contender for horror story of the year. It’s super unique and well written. I absolutely loved it.

I don't always like supernatural horror, but this is supernatural at its finest. The cursed item trope is so well done and the story is perfectly paced. This book is so much more than just a terrifying and haunting novel, it's a look at grief and mourning and had me equally horrified and emotionally invested.

What a fun read!!!
I enjoyed so much about this book.
*The originality of the plot - I can’t think of another book that is anything like this. The music becomes the sinister element.
*The well drawn characters- they felt authentic and I both cared and was sometimes frustrated by every one.
*The dynamics of the family- it felt relatable and real.
*And finally the music- the book is one long playlist which is what I did.
*And finally The Sixth Sense vibes this one gave but done in its own unique way.

This book was such a fun read and I could definitely see it being made into a great movie. The only quibbles I had with it was that it just didn’t scare me and what should have been the most exciting moment of the book was a bit of a letdown. Yes, those sound like big problems, but this book was so much fun that they didn’t really matter. I highly recommend you pick this one up for your spooky season reads.

Schrader’s Chord review

5/5 stars for this paranormal horror gem! I absolutely loved it. Huge thank you to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

What to expect if you pick this up: While it is a story about a cursed set of vintage records, at the heart of it, this is about family, and specifically about a father and son. The character development was some of the best I’ve read in recent memory. The characters are likeable in spite of their flaws, and they come together well. I felt for them and with them. I had no idea how they were going to come out of this horrific situation, and the ending is both heartbreaking and satisfying. The writing is superb - the book is well-paced and the story captivates throughout.

You’ll like this if: you’re a fan of horror with a heart, you like family drama, and if you like paranormal horro.

Schrader’s Chord by Scott Leeds is one of those rare books that come along every so often that posses an amazing ability to not only immerse and enthrall its reader, but also provide a uniquely layered and symphonic experience that strikingly reminds us of what it means to be human. When this book was sent to me by Tor Nightfire and NetGalley to review I had no idea the journey I was about to embark on with the Remick family nor was I prepared for the laughter, anger, tears, heartache, fear or joy I would experience until I finished the very last page. Not only did this book instantly become one of my top five favorite books I have ever read (Catcher in The Rye, American Gods, Mexican Gothic, The Help, and now Schrader’s Chord) but it has been add to my list of books I would title “Horror for Empaths”.

Schrader’s Chord follows the story of the Remick family and their two friends (Ana and Dale) as they attempt to outrun and outwit a powerful dark force they unleash once playing some killer (haha) haunted vinyl. In a blend of High Fidelity meets Final Destination sprinkled in with a little Ovid, Leeds takes this record store thriller and turns the dial all the way up till you feel your pulse beating like a drum and your ears are bleeding.

This is another Horror novel I can not Recommend enough for my film and book lover community Scott Leeds has spent time loving this industry (horror) and working in film and being a bibliophile and music lover himself and it shows. There’s so many little nuggets in this book that made me squeal from appreciation that took this experience to the next level for me and made it just THAT much better on what was already an excellent story.

I absolutely can NOT recommend this book enough. To sum up Schrader’s Chord a quote from Ana in the book says it best, Schrader’s Chord is “unvarnished and true and utterly human”.

Thank you so much to TorNightfire, NetGalley and Scott Leeds for being able to read, enjoy and provide my response to this great debut.