I found this to be a bit slow at first & someone of the interactions between characters to be corny, but I enjoyed this book. The horror was done well & some of the relationships between characters were great. I do wish we got to know Dale better & that Gloria showed up again. Also, it's kind of weird that we didn't hear from Susan again. The "rules" of being a ghost were interesting. I liked the climax/conclusion.

While I loved the premise, the prose didn't reel me in and I felt bogged down with characters and connections by page 35. I haven't been able to bring myself to pick it up again.

I love novels with a strong musical theme and Schrader’s Chord, the impressive debut of Scott Leeds, crackles along nicely with the best of them. Many of the scenes are set in the Cuckoo’s Nest, this independent record shop is so vividly and colourfully described I felt like I had just dropped 100USD shopping there! This nostalgic spending spree took me back to the late eighties, when the teenage version of myself scoured the shelves of ‘1Up’, a record shop in Aberdeen, Scotland very similar to the equivalent in the novel. I remember the folks who worked there being incredibly knowledgeable about music and were generous with their recommendations and this is exactly what happens in the Cuckoo’s Nest, with the customers and staff hanging out in this wonderful Seattle institution. The musical references (and tips) come thick and fast and music lovers are going to have a lot of fun with this highly entertaining book. I could not help think of John Cusack’s shop in High Fidelity, based on the Nick Hornby, where the staff lived and breathed music and took the piss out of mainstream fans. It’s exactly the same here, customers looking for a copy of The Eagles Greatest Hits beware!

Even before the intense supernatural story kicks off I was lost in music and the genuine love all the characters show for it. The first half of Schrader’s Chord was outstanding, but once the cat was out of the bag in the second section, it did lose some of its steam and could have done with being slightly shorter, especially in the final third where it took too long to wind up. However, the closing section was definitely worth hanging around for. Even if ghosts were introduced into the plot in the early stages, it was fascinating discovering how a story of cursed vinyl records played out.

The action opens with music talent scout Charlie Remick finding out about the suicide of his estranged father Raymond, the owner of the Cuckoo’s Nest. As Charlie has many very bad memories of his father, his first instinct is to sell the shop and cut ties. However, after meeting one of the record shop employees Ana, he has a temporary change of heart. The young woman is an obsessive music fan and whilst working in the shop has spent the last five years helping Raymond fix the old place up. She adored Raymond like a father, but Charlie cannot understand why. He does, however, think Ana is both gorgeous and charming. She is worried about the future of her job, but also feels a kinship with Charlie and they hang out with Ellie (Charlie’s sister) and fellow record-shop worker Dale. The dynamics of the characters, both before and after the supernatural events, were one of the highlights of the story and were totally charming.

Ultimately there would be relatively few horror novels or films without truly dumb decisions are the heroes of Shrader’s Chord commit a cracker. A stone-cold equivalent of “whatever happens, DO NOT go in the basement” and you know the rest…. Charlie is left four very rare vinyl 12-inch singles in the family will and later discovers there might be sort of curse if they are played simultaneously, which he laughs off. The friends get drunk one night and guess what they do? When I was a kid there was a rumour playing Led Zeppelin’s Stairway to Heaven backwards would call the Devil and something much worse happens here. The scene when it all kicks off was truly outstanding, as were many of what followed with atrocities from other dimensions jumping into our world. Suddenly the group are wishing they stuck with the local pub jukebox and the novel changes speed and hurtles full throttle into supernatural horror, ghosts and much worse.

Along the way there is a lot of intricate family dynamics added into the mix in which Charlies complicated relationship with his father is explored and this does slow the book down slightly. I loved the way in which the ghosts could interact with the living, even remembering the details of their past lives. Overall this was an impressive horror thriller and the best with such a strong musical theme since (two of my favourites) David Peake’s masterpiece Corpsepaint and Leo Darke’s hilarious Lucifer Sam. For those about to rock (or read about it) we salute you!

I requested this one because it might be an upcoming title I would like to review on my Youtube Channel. However, after reading the first several chapters I have determined that this book does not suit my tastes. So I decided to DNF this one.

Schrader's Chord by Scott Leads is a chilling debut novel that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The story is about cursed vinyl records that can open a portal to the land of the dead, and the horrors that follow when a group of friends plays them.

Charlie Remick returns to Seattle after his estranged father's death and finds himself in possession of the keys to the family record store and a black case containing four ancient records. When Charlie and his friends play the records, they unleash an unspeakable horror that haunts them and the dead seem to be everywhere. The only person who can help them is Charlie's resurrected father, who knows the power of the records.

Leeds masterfully weaves together horror and mystery in this spine-tingling tale. The tension builds with each chapter, and the characters' fear is palpable. The story is well-written, and the pacing is perfect, making it difficult to put down.

Schrader's Chord is a modern horror masterpiece that will delight fans of Heart-Shaped Box and The Haunting of Hill House. The book is a must-read for anyone who enjoys a good scare and a well-crafted horror story. I highly recommend it.