Secrets of the Dead

There aren't a lot of writers out there that capture both the chills of an old school horror novel while also providing enough mayhem and gore to satisfy newer horror fans, but Simon Clark always manages it. This novel provides a bit of everything while keeping the genre fresh and exciting. From mummies to a creepy castle to a madman who may or may not be as mad as he seems, Clark keeps the reader on his or her toes while delivering a roller coaster ride into the dark recesses of human fear. Highly readable, with the edge of British humor, this is a real treat for fans of horror who may be burnt out on pure slasher violence.

We keep this author on automatic book order, that's how popular hi writing his with our patron within our system so this book is no different the book has already been ordered and request have already been made. He's writing and mysteries and characters get better with each book, thank you for allowing me a a early read of what's to come.

Simon Clark has been entertaining and scaring me for a long time now. I jumped at the chance to read his upcoming book, “Secrets of the Dead,” when I got the chance. The book is a break from Clark’s vampire novels but promised more of his trademark atmospheric terror.

John Tolworth is about to discover that you can go home again but that things are never the same as they were before. He eagerly takes a job working on restoring a manuscript that was recovered from Gold Tomb in Egypt and that is now stored in a castle in Devon where he grew up. Not only would he be doing what could be the culmination of his life’s work, he would also be returning to the scene of his childhood. His return to Baverstock Castle, however, was not destined to be an idyllic return to the home of his youth as he is destined to quickly discover.

John’s family is greeted at Baverstock Castle by Phillip Kemmis, the former owner of the castle and John’s childhood friend, pounding on his vehicle and ranting about mummies. John had not seen Phillip since an accident had left Phillip without a hand and apparently driven to madness. When John begins to work with the mummies, the mystery deepens when it is discovered that the mummies had been changing in recent years. It seems like the mummies are becoming more and more like John’s family. John resists the idea but it soon becomes apparent that there is a connection between his family and the family of mummies and that a strange and dangerous convergence of the past and present is quickly coming to a collision that the Tolworth family may not be able to survive.

Clark seems to always load his work with a heavy dose of atmosphere that helps the story build slowly to its climax and “Secrets of the Dead” is no exception. From the beginning of the novel, there is a sense of dread that is almost a physical presence. The reader knows that something bad is coming but Clark deftly manages the story so that the reader never quite knows how the story is going to unfold. As with many of his other books, “Secrets of the Dead” starts off slowly as Clark introduces the numerous elements that are at play. The reader becomes a detective of sorts, unraveling the mystery along with the characters and put together the pieces of the puzzle before it is too late. Rather than taking an in-your-face approach to terror, Clark lets the horror simmer beneath the surface and slowly build the tension of the story. In “Secrets of the Dead,” the mummies are used as an almost type of misdirection by Clark who instead turns the true horror of the tale in an unexpected direction.

“Secrets of the Dead” is another example of Clark’s mastery of the horror novel. Even while Clark takes his time in building the story and the tension, I was never bored with the story or felt as if it was moving slowly. Clark is skilled at knowing just how to craft a suspenseful story that has a lot of substance while still keeping the reader’s interest at all times. Just when I felt that I had an idea of the way in which the story was going to go, Clark would slip in a new element that turned everything on its ear and get me guessing once more. “Secrets of the Dead” is a very smart and well-written horror novel that is sure to please Clark’s fans and is a fine example of why readers keep coming back for more. With its strong mix of suspense and terror balanced out with the perfect dose of action, “Secrets of the Dead” is another strong horror novel from Clark and reaffirms his position as one of the top writers of the genre.

I would like to thank Severn House and NetGalley for this advance review copy. “Secrets of the Dead” is scheduled to be released by Severn House on November 1, 2014.

John Tolworth takes a job working where he grew up. John's family is greeted by his childhood friend, Phillip Kemmis, owner of the castle who is ranting and raving about mummies. John had not seen Phillip since Phillip had an accident that causes him to lose a hand. Phillip seems to have gone mad, but hoe, why? John begins to work withe mummies. He discovers that the mummies are changing. As he works withe mummies, they appear to become more like John's family. When John realizes that there is a connection between the mummies and his family, he is not sure that his family will survive.

This is a mystery besides a horror novel. Clark has written a dread from the very beginning of the story. The reader is able to slowly solve the mystery but not before the story has almost ended. With the author's writing style of suspense and terror, the novel is perfect. Clark is an excellent author.