Thanksgiving is coming up this week if you live in America. And many of us are going to be in contact with younger relatives. And some of you might be on a mission to be the cool/bad influence relative that introduces them to the horror genre. If so, I have just the graphic novel for you.

Published in September of 2023, Hide is based on the novel of the same name by Kiersten White. It was adapted into a graphic novel by Scott Peterson, and illustrated by Veronica and Andy Fish. It tells the story of fourteen people who believe they are in a reality show, playing Hide and Seek in an abandoned theme park. It should surprise absolutely no one to find out that the creators of the show have something much darker in mind.

The story

Our main character is Mack. She’s had about the worst rough start to life one could imagine and is currently living in a homeless shelter. There, she’s given the opportunity to participate in a game show, playing hide-and-seek.

I like to think that if the shelter manager had known of Mack’s horrific past, she wouldn’t have ever made that suggestion.

Mack signs up and soon finds herself in an abandoned amusement park with thirteen strangers. The rules are simple. Hide during the day, and be the last person found. Of course, this is nothing but a lie. There will be no winners, only victims.

What works

The first thing we have to talk about is how Hide the graphic novel compares to Hide, the original book. Of course, there wasn’t going to be enough room for every single part of the story. There were some cuts. But it doesn’t feel like anything essential was cut here. The characters remain the same. The storyline is still there, sans any structural issues. Often, this is a difficult thing to do. Some stories don’t translate from one medium to another. But Peterson did a wonderful job.

Of course, we can’t talk about a graphic novel without talking about the art. And the art in this book is fantastic. The colors are rich and vibrant. Everything looks exactly like one might picture it when reading the novel.

Except for the monster, which I have to admit I pictured more like a Rat Creature from Bone.

My favorite part was the journal entries. I loved the cryptic sigils that are scribbled over the page without explanation. I loved the different handwriting. I loved the clippings of newspapers and pictures. The whole thing was just wonderfully, eerily, immersive.

Finally, I want to point out that Hide is a great graphic novel even if you’ve never read the book, and never intend to. This is not a companion for the book. It tells the story all on its own. And yes, reading a graphic novel is just as valid as reading any other novel. This is just a good story, with good artwork. No other reading is necessary.

What didn’t work

There was only one thing I didn’t love about Hide. And that was the ending.

It’s usually the ending.

In the novel, the ending is ambiguous but satisfying. This ending was, without ruining it, a little more ambiguous. There are questions I really wanted answers for that I didn’t get. There is at least one character that I’d like to know about. Are they okay? I don’t know. And this ending doesn’t even really give us a hint. All we can do is hope.

If you are going to be picking this up for a younger person, be aware that there is some rough language. There are also a few graphic scenes of violence, so if that’s the sort of thing that will get you banned from further holiday events, be aware. But if you have a tween or teen who needs to be encouraged to delve into the creepy side, Hide is a great way to do it. Of course, there’s no shame in just reading it yourself.

(4.5 / 5)

Part detective story, part meditation on death and the grim reaper, Ushers is Joe Hill’s latest release and second stand-alone short story in as many years. Released in November 2024, this thirty-page tale delves into the eerie realm of near-death experiences, exploring the blurred lines between life and death and the haunting aftermath of miraculous escapes.

The Plot.

Ushers is divided into two interviews. In the first, we meet with special agents John Oates and Daryl Duvall. The two interview a young man, Martin Lorensen, who seems to be one lucky kid. You see Martin has avoided death not once, but twice. The derailment of Mohawk 118 is central to their investigation; Martin had a ticket but didn’t get on the train. The other was a school shooting at Kennedy High School; Martin didn’t attend school that day. The special agents question whether this luck is culpability. Is Martin responsible for these events and the lives that were lost? Martin says no, but it is soon revealed that he knows a little more than he is letting on.

Highlights.

Joe Hill knows his way around a short story. His pacing and timing are second to none. There wasn’t a moment during Ushers that I wasn’t captivated by what was unfolding.
This is not the first time that Hill has dealt with themes of death. We’ve met Ig Perrish in Horns and Judas Coyne in Heart-Shaped Box just to name two. This is though the first time that Hill has considered the inevitability of death and he has handled this weighty theme so beautifully. One of the quotes I pulled from this short story is going to stay with me for a long time. “Be a mammal. Eat as much fresh fruit as you can. Send some time in the trees. Hug the people you love. Accept that death is as natural as the rest of life.” (Hill, Ushers) Good advice for us all.

Drawbacks.

I’m a stickler for playing by the rules and weighing up the good and bad of everything. But I’m going against my greater instincts here and telling you there were no drawbacks in this short story. Haters come at me, but I can’t find anything to complain about.

The Final Take.

It is rumored that “Ushers” was intended for a short story anthology that was ultimately canceled. I’m really glad that Hill went ahead and released this one as a stand-alone. Fingers crossed that Hill’s upcoming novel is on par with Ushers. This short story is currently free to read for Prime and Kindle Unlimited members. Buyer beware, the last line is a stinger!

(5 / 5)

Published in September 2024, Don’t Eat the Pie is a debut novel from author Monique Asher. Reminiscent of Rosemary’s Baby, this story delivers on so many tropes it is doubtful that anyone will not find something to like within its pages. It is not only tropes that Asher has gone to town with. Don’t Eat the Pie is also a mishmash of horror sub-genres that somehow works without being obvious. Southern gothic, supernatural, cult, body horror; it’s all served up here.

The Plot.

Newlyweds Sam and Ben’s idyllic honeymoon is cut short when Ben’s elderly mother, Nadine, suffers a fall. The couple and Sam’s teenage daughter, Emma, relocate to Ben’s childhood home to care for her.

Ben’s mother, lives on the exclusive Camillia Island. A secluded haven of wealth and privilege, accessible only by a creaky drawbridge. Things are smooth at first but both mother and daughter begin to notice some peculiar occurrences: mysterious men in pink shirts, overheard whispers, and a strange aftertaste from a seemingly innocent dessert.

As the days pass, the island’s tranquillity is shattered by increasingly bizarre events. The once-familiar landscape transforms transforms and the true identities of the island’s residents remain shrouded in secrecy. Sam and Emma find themselves entangled in a web of intrigue, questioning their own connection to the island’s dark past. As the stakes rise, Sam and Emma must uncover the truth about Camillia Island and its inhabitants before it’s too late.

Highlights.

The way Asher has built this plot is genius. The abundance of tropes might leave readers assuming predictability. However, red herrings sprinkled throughout the chapters will leave you guessing but never quite certain who is friend and who is foe until the final chapters.

The way that Asher depicts the natural elements on Camillia Island is also worth mentioning as a highlight. Nature plays a big role in this plot and I confidently say that it is a character in its own right. It is not only the ubiquitous snakes and crows encroaching on the inhabited spaces that lend a sinister feeling.  The descriptions of the ocean surrounding the island, the vines and flowers that grow around the houses and even the scents permeating the breeze all combine to create a single force that drives the plot to its conclusion.

Drawbacks.

Don’t Eat the Pie is told through the alternating points of view of Samantha and her daughter Emma. This has become a popular way to narrate a story and I understand that it gives the writer a way to reveal information to the reader while still keeping specific characters in the dark. The problem is that if the voices are not distinct enough it can become confusing to differentiate who is telling the story, even if this is specified at the beginning of each chapter. This was the problem I encountered; Sam and Emma are so similar that I spent a lot of time turning back to the chapter headings to check who was telling the story at each point.

The Final Take.

I loved this story.

Don’t Eat the Pie has something for every horror reader. A Southern gothic, supernatural, occult, familicide, body horror… I could go on.

This was so close to the 5 out of 5 rating. It only missed out due to the alternating points of view causing some confusion because they were too similar.

(4.5 / 5)