Monday 29 May 2017

Life In A Haunted House by Norman Prentiss


Life In A Haunted House by Norman Prentiss
Self-published in America on the 15th May 2017.

Where to buy this book:
Buy the ebook from Amazon.com / Amazon.co.uk

How I got this book:
Received a review copy from the author

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Brendan has always been fascinated by the low-budget horror films of Bud Preston. Imagine his surprise when he moves to a new town and discovers a high school classmate is the daughter of his favorite director. Melissa Preston’s home contains exciting secrets about such strange films as THE STONE STAIRWAY and THE DUNGEON OF COUNT VERLOCK. But Brendan’s film-fan obsessions threaten to undermine his new friendship...before he can truly understand what it means to spend LIFE IN A HAUNTED HOUSE.

Life In A Haunted House has a fabulous schlock horror cover which manages to both perfectly illustrate the novel inside and to imply something completely different to the actual story. I'll try to explain that contradiction! Our young protagonist, Brendan, is so much a fan as to be obsessed with the b-movie horror films of director Bud Preston and I love that this book cover looks just like one of those film posters. However the Life In A Haunted House storyline is a multi-layered coming of age tale, far more sophisticated and deep than the artwork would suggest.

Brendan is the perpetual school new boy and misfit. His chance encounter with equally isolated 'weird girl' Melissa looks as though it will allow both children to actually experience friendship, bonding over the discovery that Melissa's house was where Bud Preston shot all his films. However first Brendan needs to learn that using someone to further your own obsession isn't the same as being their friend, however tempting the immediate acquisitions might be.

Prentiss has written a sympathetic and utterly convincing portrayal of the intersection of these two lives and I found it easy to believe in both Brendan and Melissa. Their interactions with parents and other children provide a strong framework and, if I were a horror film fan, I suspect I would have recognised many of the scenes and settings, at least by type. Life In A Haunted House does have a strong horror streak depicted mainly through scenes that border on reality. I can imagine this novel having wide appeal and being recommended by word-of-mouth to horror fans and enthusiasts of quirky cult fiction.


Search Lit Flits for more:
Books by Norman Prentiss / Horror fiction / Books from America

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