Kill Creek by Scott Thomas

I find it ironic that this book is about authors and getting it sucked into a story, because Kill Creek sucked me in. I couldn't put it down. When I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about what would happen next. I was trying to figure out what was behind the brick wall...just like the authors in the book. Maybe it possessed me too?

(Source: Kelsey Darling)

"No house is born bad. Most are thought of fondly, even lovingly. In the beginning, the house on Kill Creek was no exception" (p. 1).Kill Creek, also known as the Finch House, has a frightening history. The original owner was killed for having a relationship with a freed slave, who was hung in the tree just outside the house. After that, no one stayed for long, claiming that the spirits of Joshua Goodman and Alma Reed. That is, until the Finch sister move in 1975. Rachel and Rebecca are 68 identical twin sisters. Because Rebecca is wheelchair bound, one of the additions they add is a wheelchair, going all the way from the first floor to the third floor, which is where Rebecca's room is. However, a few years after moving in, Rebecca passes away. Then, in 1982, Rachel grants an interview to world-renowned parapsychologist and author, Dr. Malcom Adudel. This interview results in his best-selling novel, Phantoms of the Prairie: A True Story of Supernatural, which tells the story of all of the encounters he had while there. Rachel passed away in 1998, and per her will, all furniture is left in the house. And then the house stood abandoned...until now.

In present day, internet mogul Wainwright has gathered four writers of horror for a two-day interview in Kill Creek. The authors: Sam McGarver, TC Moore, Daniel Slaughter, and Sebastian Cole. While none of them really want to do the interview, they all have their own reason for wanting to do it. While in the house, nothing extremely paranormal happens; it's what happens once they're gone that everything begins to happen. It starts with the death of Slaughters daughter. And once the authors all return home, they all find themselves completely involved in writing a book, so much to the point that literally nothing else matters. They decide to return to the house to put an end to everything. It will either be the end of Kill Creek or the end of them.

(Source: Giphy)

I really liked all of the characters...except Moore. She is the generic female character written by a guy. At first, I really liked her. When she is bombarded by the producers for her movie, I really liked her initial spunk. "So obviously no one's bothered to take your dick out of their mouth long enough to give you the back cover synopsis. So allow me" (p. 22). I'm tucking that gem away for when someone has a god complex. But after that, she gets a bit too...brash. And then there is the way that Thomas portrays her. She's essentially a bitch. Raven black hair that's shaved on the sides, all black wardrobe of extremely tight clothes that displays every curve of her flawless figure, and she has the attitude to match. She's tired of being the only girl in a boys club, so she talks how she feels they talk. I'm not a person to shy away from profanity, but when every other word is "fuck," I get exhausted. No on is that mad all the time. And oh, not to ruin this for all the guys, but girls don't sit naked for two hours while typing like some pagan ritual. We get cold and put clothes on.

(Source: Giphy)

Like most horror books and movies, I spent a good portion of my time yelling "Why did you do that?! Don't go in there! Can't you tell they're evil?!" But it wouldn't be good if someone didn't do something stupid. And honestly, I would have gone back to the house as well, against better judgement. I really enjoy when a horror book can pull me in like this. Jump scenes aren't exactly the same as they are in a movie, but Thomas does a good job of getting them in there. Even when I had an idea of where the book was going, I still needed to know how it was all going to play out.

Daniel Slaughter's character made me extremely sad. As an author, his books are heavily based in religion, with good defeating evil. The fact that such a devout man was so completely taken over by the house was extremely sad to watch. I believe the house took his daughter from him because of his faith, even though I believe it had already picked Cole to tell its story. No one should have their faith in anything taken away from them. Slaughter's faith wasn't just taken from him, his daughter wasn't just taken from him; the house taunted him with the ideas that everything could go back to normal if he just did one thing. It was very sad watching this sweet man be taken down by pure evil.

Rating: 8/10
Author: Scott Thomas
Genres: Horror, Fiction, Thriller