Really well written and the author sets the mood very well in preparation for a thrilling read. I was glued from the first word. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.

Review: WHAT WAITS BENEATH by Thomas M. Malafarina

Seamlessly weaving between a contemporary insular hill community (for all intents and purposes a company town) and the same community in the 1880's, the story line focuses on a family coal mine in Pennsylvania. The Coogan mine is nearly the only source of employment in the late 19th century, and the owner is a tightfisted narcissist with delusions of grandeur. The novel opens in present day, with a group of boys led by the latest Coogan descendant, visiting the abandoned mine to taunt and bully some of the boys. That visit reawakens the legend, more than a century old, of a supernatural creature residing in the mine. The author subsequently weaves in the backstory, and quite terrifying it is.

Thomas Malafarina's first novel is set in 1965 in his native Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. A young boy is savagely disemboweled in the presence of his friends at an abandoned coal mine by an unidentified creature.

During the investigation, which follows, a Philadelphia television reporter learns from an eccentric old codger a terrible legend about the disastrous history of the mine - a tale about a mine disaster many years ago in which three coal miners were trapped a mile below the surface. Out of desparation, one of the miners sold his soul to Satan in order to get revenge for the disaster. In return, Satan transformed this man into an immortal soul-feeding demon that must remain trapped in the mine until he gathers ninety-nine souls.

How do you kill what can't be killed? How do you stop the unstoppable? Welcome to a place where terror reigns, where unspeakable horror and demonic savagery is the norm; where lost souls writhe and struggle for a freedom that may never come. Welcome to Coogan's mine; the home of Devil Dan.

What did I think:
4.5 stars
first off I want to say sorry for how long it took me to post this and finish this book, its non thing against the book ,its just the last few days I've been sick, with that said I did in fact like the story , it was a hole lot better then I thought it was going to be, its the type of book you want to read on a dark and stormy night . So if you love stories like this then you need to pick this one up and read it , once you start you wan't want to stop . With that said I would love to say thinks to NetGalley for helping me find a new book as well as a new author to check out, all so I would like to say I was giving a chance at reading it in a change for my honest opinion and this is 100 % my honest opinion.

Loved it!! Enjoyed this from beginning to end. This is the first book that I've read by this author but now I want to get my hands on every book he's written. Recommended

What Waits Beneath by Thomas M. Malafarina was received direct from the publisher. This book is a re-release and re-edit of a book by the same author (of course) that was originally called 99 Souls. . I had never heard of this author before, and after reading this I will seek out more of his works. I am uncertain if I have ever read a "coal country" book, I visit those areas frequently enough so I am very familiar with the people and landscape. This book is a quick read that rarely bogs down and even had the "crazy old coot" made famous by the early Friday the 13th movies, "its got a death curse." (you know the guy). There is a creature eating souls that may or may not get up from below and I have to think this book would make a mighty fine horror movie, that people would actually watch.

4 stars

This book was a great read as a visceral, terrifying journey through an old mining town, as a reporter investigates clues to accidents in a closed-down mine, including a teenager ripped apart while visiting the mine with the neighborhood bully and some friends. He soon finds that the town has secrets, but that the town is bought and paid for by Mr. Coogan, the richest and most despicable man around.

Apparently the mine is inhabited by a horrible creature, transformed through a deal with the devil, who can only escape the mine by capturing 99 souls for his master. The scares soon ensue as the reporter and the townfolk race against time to defeat the beast and Mr. Coogan. The sense of dread and despair is palpable at times, and the town with a dark past is well-written and comes to life in gruesome detail as it attempts to rid itself of the curse of Coogan and the mine.

The ending didn't really tie things up for me, but there were enough fun scares and adventure to give it 4 stars. Still several typos and wording errors but fairly typical of e-books so can't complain too much there. Overall I recommend it as a fun horror read.