When you're looking for a light lull into Hell ... of a read.
Author: Tony Tremblay
Publisher: Twisted Publishing, an imprint of Haverhill House Publishing LLC
Publication: January 31, 2022
Pages: 248
ISBN-13: 978-1-949140-11-8
Cover design: © 2022 David Dodd & Errick Nunnally
Author photograph: Chris White
Read from my TBR list
A cup of 5 Blue Stars
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| Tony Tremblay |
Gem?
Have you ever been to Goffstown, New Hampshire? The quaint little town of neighborly folks and smiles. Just south of Castle Rock. Ah yes, Goffstown, the town I picture as one of those Norman Rockwell portraits. A tranquil little spot in the world. It is where Tony Tremblay, one of the nicest guys in horror resides. Yes, you heard me right, horror.
Bram Stoker Finalist Tony Tremblay had put Goffstown, New Hampshire on the horror map with his debut The Moore House (2018) where Father MacLeod and three excommunicated nuns, Nora, Agnes, and Celeste investigate a purported house in Goffstown that might have supernatural forces. An unrelenting horror story that sticks with you.
This tale of Tony's starts off with a woman having a story to tell. An off-the-wall epic tale that the editor of the local newspaper the Goffstown Times, Manuel Chance, wears nothing but a dubious visage as she spins the yarn? As she went on and on he wore this doubtful demeanor only until she shows proof of what she is saying, by taking off her clothes. Seeing the evidence, he is now at attention.
After Manuel learned of the woman's name, the woman who had been kidnapped the year previous, Irene Delaney told the editor she has reason to believe she knows the person kidnapping recent missing children. She wants Manuel to investigate her husband to determine if he is behind the disappearance of the children.
Paul Lane is one of the parents along with Lynne Carole whose children are missing. Their children, Cindy and Lisa respectively, were found folks so no worries right? Well, they brought someone with them.
(Damn, this book was good)
The heart of this story is set inside The Goffstown Pawnshop. Across the street from the pawnshop straight from Colby, Kansas is a vehicle with two decomposing bodies wrapped up in a blue plastic tarp. Their transporter, a woman on a mission, possessed by the need to procure an item from the pawnshop makes her way to the doors. (which, personally folks, I would love to visit. Wait till you find out about its treasures and the pawnshop itself)
After Tremblay sets things in motion you're wrapped, folks. Yep, like those decomposing bodies are. The atmosphere is thick with horror and the visual effects he describes are unreal and with unrelenting action happening, well, the reading absorbs you. The afflictions he puts his characters through are ghastly entertaining and downright page-turning. The torment he puts a few through and the torment that still awaits others are depicted as horrifically captivating. And folks, this is a forewarning: you disregard the reality of the present time. You'll turn another page. Just sayin'.
Tremblay herds them all together at the pawnshop where he has his way with them. Irene and Manuel, Paul and Lynne, and when it came to the kids, in the back of mind - "How is Tony gonna dance with the devil with those two?" Well, he did. Sorry folks, that's as far as I'm going with that. Seemed all of his characters had to go through hell save one. During all the hell breaking loose in the pawnshop and where he is tying up all the loose ends of this story, even in this ending, not sure that one will find peace. Maybe he already has. Tremblay does display hope.
The whole novel was super entertaining for a religious-themed horror read. His writing flows pleasantly through hell and then before you know it hours have passed. Escaping reality and taking a horror ride with Tremblay is enjoyable as all get out. Yeah, one of those.
There are those heart-warming moments where characters that pull through the chaos, you can feel smiles inside you as you read. Or, where the anticipation and suspense are happening it also awaits on the edge of your fingertips to turn the next page. Never mind the thump in your diaphragm from gasp. Which best describes how an author on his game pulls you in. The unspoken words Tony is telling you. Fears I should say.
Tremblay wraps up the ending smoothly. The chaos that breaks out inside the pawnshop is descriptive and second to none for horror writing. Barriers trying to separate Good vs. Evil is on full display. (color included) Who's gonna win? Will the children live through this? Or did Tremblay throw in another option? Is there another option? Sure, this is horror. And you know, on the back cover of this novel folks, it does say God isn't the one on their side. Is there a loser?
A delicious tale of horror, ghosts, sex, evil at its best, and hope within reach? Those of you who have read Tony's debut The Moore House, you know he puts hope within reach. Those of you that have not, no worries, this sequel to his debut stands on its own horrifying you.
* Just a note for you folks that are squirmish on graphic sex scenes - they're there in their devilish colors ~
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On a side note, Tony is well known to throw friends' names in his stories. As well as mentioning great reads from fellow authors. For example, Tom Piccirilli, a 4-time Bram Stoker winner, and Bracken MacLeod, a Bram Stoker and Shirley Jackson Award-nominated author. Matt Bechtel, who anyone would tell you sees the world a bit differently. (Monochromes and Other Stories (2017) is proof his mind is twisted and I love it.) Father Golden at the Vatican. Also, James Moore, the incarnate devil Himself.
Folks, there are others. There will always be others ~
I applaud and proffer a bow to authors who throw their friends into Hell. I really do.
Tony's 'sitting beside the campfire telling you a gut-wrenching horror story where you won't be able to sleep writing' was introduced to me a few years back from award-winning John McIlveen (Hannahwhere 2015). He's to blame.
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Here's where you can get your fingers on Do Not Weep For Me:
- Amazon ~ Hardback $26.95 ~ Paperback $16.95 ~Kindle $7.99 ~ USD
- IndieBound ~ Support your local book stores
About the author ~
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| Tony Tremblay |
Connect with Tony
and see what he's up to
Tony Tremblay is the author of The Seeds of Nightmares, a collection of his short stories from Crossroad Press that made the Bram Stoker Awards Recommended Reading List.
The Seeds of Nightmares debuted at number two on the Amazon Hot Horror Chart and made the top twenty in the Amazon Horror sales listing. His horror and noir-themed tales have been featured in anthologies, magazines, and websites on both sides of the Atlantic.
In addition to his print work, Tremblay is the host of The Taco Society Presents, a cable T. V. show on G-TV based out of Goffstown, NH ( it can be viewed on YouTube ) that features discussions on horror as well as guest interviews with horror authors.
In addition, he has worked as a reviewer of horror fiction for Cemetery Dance Magazine, Beware The Dark Magazine, and the Horror World Website. He (along with John McIlveen and Scott Goudsward) founded NoCon, a horror convention held every September in Manchester, New Hampshire.
Also, Tony Tremblay is the writer of numerous short stories that have been published in various horror anthologies, horror magazines, and webzines under his pen name, T T Zuma.
He lives in New Hampshire with his wife Paula.
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Before you go off to another site -
About Tony's, Bram Stoker nominated debut novel
The Moore House
Think of all the scary stories you've read about demonic possession
Remember all the horrible scenes you have seen in horror movies
Remember all the horrible scenes you have seen in horror movies
This will be worse
Deep within Tony's dense imagination:
The Seeds Of Nightmares did not bring the reader into the story,
it brought the story into reality for the reader.
&
This link is what I had to say on one of his many short stories, one
that is part of a three-part series The Terror Project, titled Steel
Go ahead, pick a story, any story
you'll be glad you did
Triplicity: The Terror Project Vol. 1 by Stacey Longo / Tony Tremblay / Rob Smales ~ 2016
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And for a beautiful cause folks, you'll find his short story Blue Stars appearing in Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep, a charity anthology benefiting the Jimmy Fund / Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Speaking of Blue Stars
Tony's short-story Fake News appears in The Dystopian States of America, a charity anthology benefitting the ACLU Foundation
Wanna be intrigued?
Folks, do enjoy ~
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