“Once it hits its stride, It Waits Below has a blistering pace that is only helped by the relatively short chapter length. But it sadly takes a bit to build up to that breakneck pace, and during that phase the book is somewhat of a slog.

Hundreds of years ago, a meteorite crashed into a Spanish Galleon, sinking both it and a massive hoard of gold to the bottom of the sea. Now in the modern day, a salvaging company is sending down a three-man sub to retrieve that treasure. Little do they know, the meteorite brought an organism to earth with it; a parasite that is more than ready to come to the surface and infect anything it touches…

Eric Red has an eye for detail in his writing, and while these details are welcome, especially in regards to the parasite and the ensuing chaos that comes at the climax, that same attention to detail bogs down the earlier chapters.

Despite this, once the action begins, it is tightly written and very claustrophobic. Even the firefights and action pieces on the sub’s support ship later in the novel keep the claustrophobia going despite the more open areas.

The monster as well is a decently fleshed out and threatening opponent; although the scenes where you get a look inside its head as well as when it speaks its demands to the crew threaten to push the book into goofy waters that it doesn’t need to be in. Eric Red has written for film before and the climax of It Waits Belowshows that pedigree, with a set piece that would be right at home in a summer blockbuster.

While certainly a flawed book, It Waits Below is a fun and quite often frightening time. At times Red seems to be trying his hardest to channel movies such as 1982’s The Thing and for the most part it works, creating a solid, scary novel in the process.”  – Damon Smith.

The full review is on Cemetery Dance Online at: http://bit.ly/1N2bsXl

IT WAITS BELOW is available in trade paperback, eBook, and audiobook on amazon at http://amzn.to/1zsCCtW or directly from the publisher at http://bit.ly

Special Halloween low price of $4.99 each during October.

Available from Audio Reams at http://bit.ly/1NUlQjz and http://bit.ly/1RuiDEh.

“The shadow of the buzzard circling overhead fell over the cowboy’s hat, horse and saddle soaked with blood from the hole in his belly. He slumped in his stirrups. All around, the brutal Arizona desert faded into watery waves of heat. His gun was empty. He was out of bullets and almost out of blood. The vulture knew. It had been tailing him for hours. Just that one stupid bird. Waiting for him to die. Reminding him he would soon be dead. Real soon. His bloodshot eyes glared up at the ugly carrion bird, slowly circling. The man’s parched lips twisted in a defiant sneer. “Damn you, bird, you ain’t gonna get me!” The vulture didn’t answer, just circled. Then it disappeared from view. God, his stomach hurt. The cowboy looked around. Only endless desert badlands, scorching white sun and pounding oven heat. At least the bird was gone. He felt he had a chance again.

Just then the vulture struck in a beat of huge, fetid wings that stunk of decay in the flapping wind they blew as the bird swooped down and ripped a piece out of his shoulder. The cowboy hollered and punched blindly at the buzzard, his fingers sinking into the mottled rubbery flesh of its scrawny neck. “Oh you miserable varmint!” He shrieked. The vulture flew away with a caw of victory, a scrap of him in its cracked beak. The struggle pitched the cowboy out of his saddle and when he hit the hard ground the searing agony from the bullet in his belly sent his screams echoing across the horizon. The man lay in the dirt catching his breath. High above, the vulture circled in its grim circumference of death.

It was mocking him. The damn bird was mocking him…”

–Excerpt from the story.

EDGE OF SUNDOWN is available now in trade paperback on Amazon.com at: http://amzn.to/1VupYYi

“It’s a twisted, gut-wrenching, graphic, grisly, gritty, gripping tale – certainly not for those who are looking for a subtle, peaceful crime novel that’s likely to put you to sleep.

It focuses on FBI Special Agent Sharon Ormsby, a recent academy graduate, who’s been assigned to the Highway Serial Killer Initiative.  When body parts are identified in different, far-flung locations, various indicators point to a serial killer, a big rig driver travelling around the country.  Ormsby goes undercover as a truck driver in the FBI investigation, joining veteran big rig driver Rudy Dykstra on the road in pursuit of a killer who goes by the handle of White Knuckle.  She travels with Dykstra cross-country, (there’s even a stop in Marshall MI), as they try to gather information and discover the true identity of the murderer.  Meanwhile, the clever killer keeps on picking up and brazenly kidnapping women and girls, keeping them restrained in a special secret compartment that he’s built into his huge vehicle.  He’s been leaving body parts in assorted states for forty years; most authorities weren’t even aware of his gruesome deeds – many of the bodies have never been identified or even found.

White Knuckle has a nasty, dark past – he tortured animals as a child; he long ago progressed to viciously killing women and shows little sign of stopping. He makes multiple-murderer Ed Gein look like a mere beginner.  Ormsby, Dykstra and her supervisor are working diligently but they have few useful leads, rising safety concerns and time constraints.

Hollywood screenwriter and director Red increases the tension by offering intriguing emotional viewpoints, providing insights from victims, the crazed killer and Ormsby, who has her own hidden secrets. Red has done his research – his terrifying novel is full of well-described locales and peppered with the blunt opinions of tired truckers.  The brutal, full-throttle conclusion is carefully crafted, making it almost impossible to put the book down.

There are likely to be comparisons to Richard Matheson’s classic, nerve-wracking trucking saga “Duel” or Robert Bloch’s “Psycho”; this may leave you sleepless and linger longer in your memory.” – Ray Walsh, Curious Book News.

View the trailer at http://t.co/VQJ8ffn0Qz

WHITE KNUCKLE is available in trade paperback and digital editions in bookstores, from Samhain Publishing, or on Amazon at http://amzn.to/1STW9jo

#thriller #mysterybooks #mystery #horror #serialkiller #FBI #procedural #crime #trucker #action #scary

“There’s more than mere road rage on the highway. A serial killer in the form of a truck driver has killed hundreds of women across the United States for over thirty years. The killer under the handle White Knuckle has eluded police captivity with barely a trace until now. A FBI agent, Sharon Ormsby goes undercover as a fellow trucker. Hot pursuit is engaged and carnage kicks into overdrive as Ormsby narrows in on her target threatening to put an end to the trail of bloodshed that goes on for miles and miles.

I’m never ceased to be amazed by the formidable talent that Samhain Publishing puts out month after month. Although I’d read White Knuckle back in June, it was difficult to put together a tangible review to really do this phenomenal read justice.

Author Eric Red harnesses and exploits the fear factors within each of us instantly. With a firm grasp on his market and how the subconscious works, his efforts come across seemingly with ease. The vulnerability to everyday occurrences such as driving, the open road, transport trucks is showcased and the darkness that our irrational fears manifests is tweaked to the next level making this tale highly plausible and all the more terrifying.”  – Dave Gammon / HorrorNews.net

Read the full review at: http://bit.ly/1MI7cK8

WHITE KNUCKLE is available in trade paperback and digital editions in bookstores, from Samhain Publishing, or on Amazon at http://amzn.to/1STW9jo

“The character of White Knuckle himself is one of the most gruesome and terrifying ever imagined.  Like Thomas Harris did in THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, Red demonstrates that the scariest monsters don’t always come from another planet or the laboratory of some misguided scientist – but rather are flesh-and-blood humans we might see on any given day, with an altogether different attitude about the value of life.  Eric Red is an author to discover and enjoy, and WHITE KNUCKLE is highly recommended for those who prefer their horror with a huge dose of reality.  But avoid reading it before taking a road trip, unless you’re prepared to alter your route before hitting the road.” — Alan Cranis, Bookgasm.

Read the full review at:  http://bit.ly/1M7sD4I

WHITE KNUCKLE is available now in trade paperback and digital editions in bookstores, from Samhain Publishing, or on Amazon at http://amzn.to/1STW9jo

The address is 3512 W Magnolia Boulevard in Burbank. Thanks to Del Howison.

WHITE KNUCKLE is available now in trade paperback and digital editions in bookstores, from Samhain Publishing, or on Amazon at http://amzn.to/1STW9jo

It is available at Audible.com at http://adbl.co/1J30Hyk.

The audiobook can also be purchased at the Audio Realms website at http://bit.ly/1LspGPc.