Elliott Marsh knows he’s far from virtuous, and he’s come to terms with that. He believes he’s covered his tracks flawlessly. Delyla, his victim, lies hidden in a place he’s certain no one will ever find. He got away with murder, or so he thinks. But violent deaths often leave restless echoes, and Elliott is about to discover that some crimes demand reckoning. It starts subtly: an uneasy feeling, fleeting shadows. Soon, though, it’s undeniable. Something relentless, something judgmental, has its sights set on him, and it won’t stop until he pays in full.

M.B. Whittington’s Say Your Goodbyes to the Light is a chilling blend of supernatural and psychological horror. Echoing the dread of Poe’s The Tell-Tale Heart, the moral reckoning of Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment, and the cinematic tension of What Lies Beneath, the novel treads familiar ground but does so with an unnerving mastery of atmosphere.

The premise of vengeful spirits haunting their murderers is well-trodden, yet Whittington breathes fresh life into it. His prose exudes unease, crafting a creeping dread that tightens its grip with every page. Elliott’s psychological descent is both compelling and horrifying. Watching his mind unravel becomes a spectacle that’s equal parts disturbing and satisfying.

Elliott’s journey reveals a fascinating shift in perspective. Initially, he views himself as a victim of circumstances, justifying his actions. Gradually, however, he is stripped of his delusions. Whittington peels back every layer of his self-deception, exposing a man as detestable as the ghost that haunts him believes him to be. It’s a slow, deliberate transformation, but it’s inescapable an unstoppable march toward justice, no matter how much Elliott resists. Though the ending becomes predictable early on, the execution more than compensates. Whittington excels at cultivating mood, and the story’s sense of inevitability only heightens the tension. The result is a journey that feels less about where it leads and more about how it gets there.

Dark, twisted, and relentless, Say Your Goodbyes to the Light is a gripping addition to the psychological horror genre. With its unflinching exploration of guilt, judgment, and inevitability, it’s a haunting tale that lingers long after the final page.

Pages: 452 | ASIN : B0DPCY3N7P