Description
In The Door in the Field, Thomas follows a quarrelsome construction worker named Rayland Allen whose bad day becomes a far worse night when drinks at an off-the-books establishment deep in the woods set Ray down an unforeseeably bloody path.
In The Boy in the Woods, Thomas follows young Eddie Reicher, who lingers a day too long at summer camp as unholy terror creeps in. Something evil has infected the counselors. And Eddie will have to do everything he can-even kill-if he hopes to survive the night.
In One Half of a Child's Face, Thomas follows the recently divorced Sienna Franklin. Spying on her daughter and ex-husband, she notices an odd painting hanging on the wall of an adjacent apartment. Over the course of the next few days, Sienna will watch with growing horror as the children in the apartment building begin to gather before the painting as if called to it.
And in Wear Your Secret Like a Stone, Thomas follows Tara Bright, whose low-stakes job at the Blatonville BuyBig superstore takes a turn when a mysterious customer complains about her book pick for the Halloween display. It soon becomes clear that the pagan totem within the pages of the book bears a remarkable resemblance to a forgotten artifact from Blatonville's history, and speaks to the darkness of Tara's own past.
With this collection, Thomas digs his hands into the soil of the American heartland and establishes himself as the master of Midwestern Gothic.
About the Author
Scott Thomas is the Stoker-nominated author of Kill Creek, which was selected by the American Library Association's reader committee as the top horror book of 2017, and the author of Violet. Originally from Coffeyville, Kansas, Scott attended the University of Kansas where he earned degrees in English and Film. He has written TV movies and teleplays for various networks including Netflix, Syfy, MTV, VH1, the CW, Disney Channel, Nickelodeon, and ABC family. Scott was nominated for a Daytime Emmy for his work on R.L. Stein's The Haunting Hour. He lives in Sherman Oaks, California with his wife and two daughters. Midwestern Gothic is his third book.
Reviews
Praise for Kill Creek
"I've only dared to read it in the daylight." Kaly Soto, Deputy Weekend Editor, the New York Times Book Review
"Intensely realized and beautifully orchestrated Gothic horror." Joyce Carol Oates
"A meditation on horror itself. Why we read it, why we enjoy it... Stephen King-esque storytelling." The A.V. Club
"Not since I read The Shining in eighth grade has a book scared the crap out of me as much as Kill Creek. The combo of a great premise and an exquisite ability to conjure dread and terror make Scott Thomas' debut the perfect Halloween treat." Andy Lewis, The Hollywood Reporter
"The horror debut of 2017." B&N Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog
"A menacing and cinematic story that evolves into a bloody, action-driven terrorfest. It is also a thought-provoking and enjoyable look at the genre itself... A match for readers who enjoyed Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House." Booklist (starred review)
"There'll be no admonitions to read this one with the lights on or alone at night. That's a given. Alone or with friends, lights blazing, or a single reading lamp casting shadows over the page, it won't matter. The result will be the same: shivers for many nights afterward. Kill Creek is the perfect novel to read on Halloween." New York Journal of Books
"Kill Creek is a slow-burn, skin-crawling haunted house novel with a terrifying premise and a shockingly brutal gut-punch of a conclusion. This debut establishes Scott Thomas as a force to be reckoned with on the horror scene. His remarkable ability to build tension and suspense had me on the edge of my seat until the last page." Shane D. Keene, HorrorTalk
Book Information
ISBN 9781950301614
Author Scott Thomas
Format Paperback
Page Count 400
Imprint Inkshares
Publisher Inkshares
