Editorial Content for Darker Days
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Reviewer (text)
In a short period of time, Thomas Olde Heuvelt has made quite a name for himself in the horror genre. His novels have been set in various international locations and time periods, and a deep gothic chill blows through each. His latest, DARKER DAYS, takes place in Washington State and revolves around an old pact that the residents of a small town continue to honor each year.
The town is Lock Haven, and those who live on Bird Street are a secretive bunch who share the same cul-de-sac, which is surrounded by some dark and mysterious woods. By anyone’s guess, Bird Street is a normal neighborhood except for the November ritual they refer to as the “Darker Days.” During this time, it is said that all sorts of tragedies will befall the residents unless they make the agreed-upon payment to the stranger in the woods who comes collecting for it annually.
"The final third of the novel is intense and frightening, as readers are placed amidst the denizens of Bird Street and the race to make good on the ancient pact that must be upheld. DARKER DAYS will provide many sleepless nights of reading."
The payment must come in the form of a sacrifice, a concept that gave me a very eerie feeling of familiarity that I can compare to Shirley Jackson’s classic short story, “The Lottery,” as well as The Purge movie and television series. I do not want to say anything else about this hundred-year-old pact as I believe these comparisons will give you some idea of just how serious and horrific the situation is.
It is extremely helpful that Heuvelt includes a list of all the families of Bird Street. I was checking these names constantly as I was reading the book. Most of the story is told from the point of view of the Lewis-da Silva household. It is especially rewarding to hear from Kaila Lewis-da Silva, a somewhat troubled teenager who battles depression. She is horrified to find out about the aged and invalid members of the neighborhood whom the adults are planning to sacrifice to keep everyone safe and happy for another year.
The action begins in 2022 and continues through the following year when everything goes horribly wrong. It will be made much clearer what the risks are of not meeting this sacrificial demand, and it is far beyond what any of these residents imagined. The final third of the novel is intense and frightening, as readers are placed amidst the denizens of Bird Street and the race to make good on the ancient pact that must be upheld. DARKER DAYS will provide many sleepless nights of reading.
Teaser
In Lock Haven, a quiet little town in Washington State, Bird Street is a special place. The residents of this pretty cul-de-sac on the edge of the woods are all successful, healthy and happy. But come November, the “Darker Days” descend, bringing accidents, bad luck, conflict and illness. It is in November when a stranger appears to collect on a longstanding debt. A price must be paid for the good fortune they enjoy the rest of the year. A sacrifice must be made. So it has been for over a century. To assuage their guilt, the residents of Bird Street choose carefully who will be sent into the woods. Usually, it is an elderly or terminally ill individual who wishes to die with dignity and is content to be helped on their way. But this year, things don’t go to plan, and events take a terrifying turn.
Promo
In Lock Haven, a quiet little town in Washington State, Bird Street is a special place. The residents of this pretty cul-de-sac on the edge of the woods are all successful, healthy and happy. But come November, the “Darker Days” descend, bringing accidents, bad luck, conflict and illness. It is in November when a stranger appears to collect on a longstanding debt. A price must be paid for the good fortune they enjoy the rest of the year. A sacrifice must be made. So it has been for over a century. To assuage their guilt, the residents of Bird Street choose carefully who will be sent into the woods. Usually, it is an elderly or terminally ill individual who wishes to die with dignity and is content to be helped on their way. But this year, things don’t go to plan, and events take a terrifying turn.
About the Book
From the author of the internationally acclaimed bestseller HEX comes a modern twist on the Faustian tale about a gilded street in a Pacific Northwest town where the charmed residents have made a frightening deal...resulting in devastating consequences.
Sometimes you think you can see things behind the fence. Bad things. So it’s better not to look.
In Lock Haven, a quiet little town in Washington State, Bird Street is a special place. The residents of this pretty cul-de-sac on the edge of the woods are all successful, healthy, and happy. Their children are prodigies --- well-mannered and…unnaturally smart.
But come November, the “Darker Days” descend, bringing accidents, bad luck, conflict and illness. Luana and Ralph Lewis-da Silva prepare for this, and so do their children Kaila and Django. It is in November when a stranger appears to collect on a longstanding debt. A price must be paid for the good fortune they enjoy the rest of the year. A sacrifice must be made.
So it has been for over a century. To assuage their guilt, the residents of Bird Street choose carefully who will be sent into the woods. Usually, it is an elderly or terminally ill individual who wishes to die with dignity and is content to be helped on their way.
But this year, things don’t go to plan, and events take a terrifying turn.
DARKER DAYS is a propulsive, haunting novel that begs the questions: “How far will we go for our own happiness and what sacrifices are we willing to make?”
Audiobook available, read by Teri Schnaubelt
