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The Dream Killer
Adam Cosco’s The Dream Killer is a psychological thriller that hooks you from the very first sentence and doesn’t let go. The story follows Ethan Webman, a man whose ordinary life is shattered when he becomes entangled in the mysterious disappearance of a child prodigy, Mary Kay Redding. What begins as an eerie news report soon spirals into a waking nightmare as Ethan discovers her lifeless body hidden inside his own basement carpet. The novel expertly blurs the line between reality and paranoia, leaving the reader questioning what is real and what is part of some greater, sinister design.
Cosco’s writing is vivid and unsettling in the best way. His descriptions plunge you into the thick of Ethan’s growing dread, like the moment he first unrolls the carpet and sees a strand of blonde hair, a slow, horrifying revelation that made my stomach drop. The scene where his mother walks in, unknowingly asking for the same carpet, adds an unbearable tension, forcing Ethan and us to confront the unthinkable. There’s something cinematic about Cosco’s pacing, the way each revelation lands like a gut punch, pulling you deeper into the mystery.
The novel’s greatest strength is its psychological complexity. Ethan is a man drowning in uncertainty, not just about the crime but about himself. The way his past, his father’s illness, and his own isolation intertwine with the investigation creates layers of unease. When Detective Harris enters the picture, the novel takes on a suffocating quality, each interaction a game of cat and mouse where Ethan is the rat trapped in a maze he doesn’t understand. And the symbol, the triangle with three dots lurks at the center of it all, a haunting, ever-present mark of something ancient and unknown.
Cosco’s style leans into slow-burn suspense rather than explosive action, making every discovery feel earned rather than handed to the reader. Some might find the narrative’s dreamlike quality disorienting, especially as Ethan’s grip on reality loosens. But this is what makes The Dream Killer so effective, it lingers, crawls under your skin, and refuses to leave, much like the chilling final scene where Ethan begins to question whether he ever had control over his own actions at all.
The Dream Killer is perfect for fans of dark, cerebral thrillers like Gone Girl or The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. If you enjoy stories where paranoia, conspiracy, and fractured identities collide, this book will keep you up at night. It’s the kind of thriller that makes you glance over your shoulder long after you’ve turned the last page. Highly recommended.
Pages: 326 | ASIN : B0DTMPDJXR
Feast Of Valentine: Where Love Binds More Then Just Hearts (Pottersville’s Dark Valentine Book 1)
Angie had no clear vision for her future, but she knew one thing for certain, love had no place in it. Her return to Pottersville was born of necessity, not nostalgia, spurred by the passing of her mother. Though she found herself back in her childhood home, her stay was meant to be temporary. Yet, Pottersville had a way of holding onto people, especially as Valentine’s Day approached. The town’s very identity was entwined with love, its defining statue, the Heart Binder, standing as a symbol of unity, reinforced by the town’s mantra: Bonded by Heart, Together We Stand. But for Angie, love was about to reveal itself in starkly contrasting forms, one freely given, the other imposed. How she responded would shape the course of her future.
Christopher Clark’s Feast of Valentine is a gripping romantic thriller that threads the eerie history of Pottersville into the lives of Angie, her sister Alicia, and the men who orbit them. Angie, after more than 15 years away, is only just discovering the town’s unsettling past when she suddenly finds herself drawn almost inexplicably to a mysterious stranger. As her fascination teeters on obsession, the lines between folklore and reality begin to blur. The deeper she falls, the more bizarre and perilous her world becomes, forcing her to question whether Pottersville’s legends are merely stories or sinister truths waiting to be unearthed.
Clark’s prose is immersive, laced with dreamlike imagery and shifting perspectives that mirror Angie’s spiraling sense of uncertainty. The novel thrives on atmosphere, treading the delicate space between reality and fantasy, pulling the reader into Angie’s growing unease. Each revelation is a fragment of a larger, enigmatic puzzle, one she must piece together with only fleeting guidance. Despite its compelling premise, Feast of Valentine falters where it should shine. The Heart Binder, a central symbol of the town’s legacy, remains frustratingly underexplored. Hinted at rather than truly dissected, its significance lingers on the periphery rather than being meaningfully integrated into the narrative’s climax.
At its core, the novel brims with potential, delivering moments of gripping tension and intrigue. The suspense builds masterfully, reaching exhilarating heights that keep the pages turning. While the conclusion unfolds with an unexpected abruptness, it leaves room for interpretation, encouraging readers to ponder its deeper implications. Feast of Valentine is a fascinating enigma, both captivating and thought-provoking, compelling yet open-ended. It held me spellbound until the very last page, leaving me eager for more and reflecting long after the final chapter.
Pages: 291 | ASIN : B0DTGXQR1H
Moonset on Desert Sands
Moonset on Desert Sands by Sherri L. Dodd is an enchanting dive into a world where magic, mystery, and human complexities intertwine. The story orbits Bethie Spiritbrite and her circle of coven sisters, weaving their spiritual practices with a gripping mystery involving a stolen athame and its sinister connections. Set against the vivid backdrops of Sedona and the redwood-covered Boulder Creek, the book melds magickal lore with suspense in a way that feels both grounded and otherworldly.
What I loved most about the book was its evocative imagery and atmosphere. Dodd paints Sedona and its mystical allure beautifully. For instance, Arista’s shop, Cosmic Prisms, felt like a real haven filled with the scent of candles and the shimmer of crystals, contrasting with the bustling, sometimes judgmental tourist crowd outside. The way Dodd writes about Sedona’s sunsets, with their scattered blues and magentas, made me want to pack a bag and explore it myself. These serene moments are pierced by tension-filled scenes, such as the cliffside car crash that opens the story, which had me gripping the book tighter. The characters, however, are the heart of the novel. I found Arista particularly compelling as she wrestles with her past trauma while trying to navigate a new life. Her journey into aura reading and her curiosity about Trini’s layered aura provided a sense of warmth and growth. Fergus and Fallon, with their dark ambitions and manipulative schemes, added a sinister depth. The tension between light and shadow, the nurturing bond of Bethie’s coven versus Fergus’s malevolent rituals, kept me hooked. I especially enjoyed how Dodd wove moral dilemmas into the story, like Dustin’s theft of the athame. It made me question loyalty, power, and consequence.
Moonset on Desert Sands delivers a satisfying blend of mystery, magic, and heartfelt relationships. It’s perfect for readers who love a bit of witchcraft with their whodunit or enjoy character-driven stories with supernatural undertones. Whether you’re a believer in magick or simply someone who loves an atmospheric mystery, this book offers plenty of spells to capture your imagination.
Pages: 371 | ASIN : B0DF33L1YW
Finishing the Job
Moonset on Desert Sands follows a woman hiding from her ruthless uncle as she concentrates on mastering the spells that may help her vanquish him once and for all. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I believe that Arista needed a sabbatical after almost being killed – ha! Getting away became important for her healing, and since Auntie had ties in Sedona it naturally flowed. Picking up where Murder Under Redwood Moon ended, I wanted Auntie to search for her parents and, with the possibility of the family reuniting, I thought it could lead to the uncle’s vengeance for Arista’s father maiming him, or the final deadly blow from Arista’s father upon Fergus … finishing the job he started for the initial familial betrayal.
How did you balance magic and its use throughout the story to keep it believable?
When I first thought of writing the Murder, Tea, & Crystals Trilogy, I had recently met with a modern-day witch. She shared her lifestyle with me—rituals, crystals, tarot, etc.. It was during this time I found that she experienced and made magick a part of her everyday life. And so, for my MCs, Arista and Bethie, their magick is no different than a Catholic’s prayer while lighting a candle in the church for a loved one or a Buddhist’s session of sitting for calm and healing. They work with crystals and intention in the same manner. So, making it a given of the characters’ personas, the story can progress without focus on the magick aspect.
What was your favorite scene in this story?
I enjoyed writing the horseback riding scenes. The first one, set in the desert, was my experiment on suspense without the murder involved. The second horseback scene, the children’s costume contest, is based on a true story! When my oldest was around six years old, he was the little Count circling the arena and wowing the crowd. And yes, he brought home the ribbons! On another note, I enjoyed injecting the East-meets-West element into the latter part of the book.
What can readers expect to see in the third book in this trilogy? When will it be released?
The final book of the Murder, Tea, & Crystals Trilogy is complete! It will be released Fall 2025 and picks up where book two completed. This final installment has a different pace. It starts with a look back … way, way back to when Arista’s great-great-grandfather first used the Ouija table. Then, it peeks at the action at Arista’s house while she is in Sedona for book two. Finally, it comes present, and we see the story to its grand finale.
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But a series of new fainting spells has her worried, and when Auntie witnesses one, they decide the answer lies in her home of Boulder Creek. However, returning means not only dealing with her breakup and its heartache but also the possibility of drawing her bloodthirsty Uncle Fergus to her once safe haven in the redwoods. And this time he has recruited an even more dangerous alliance.
Arista’s closest bonds will be strengthened, but the mounting tension of a death in the desert, a stalker on the streets, and the relentless pursuit of Fergus puts her in dangerous territory, and escaping sorrow proves impossible.
Moonset on Desert Sands
After a narrow escape from death, Arista retreats from Boulder Creek to the desert lands of Sedona, seeking sanctuary with her great-aunt Berthie and the Coven. Together, they build a quiet life away from the shadows of her past. Yet, even after a year, the threat of her ruthless Uncle Fergus looms large. His relentless ambition drives him to hunt Arista down, forcing her to prepare for an inevitable confrontation. Determined not to be a victim again, Arista dives into mastering spells, decoding auras, and honing the powers she is destined to wield. When visions, eerie signs, and an unexpected reunion trigger a carefully laid trap, it becomes alarmingly clear that Fergus is closer than ever. His greed knows no bounds, and with danger closing in, Arista must summon every ounce of strength for the battle of her life. The stakes couldn’t be higher—will she vanquish Fergus once and for all, or will his insatiable ambition dismantle everything she holds dear?
Sherri L. Dodd’s Moonset on Desert Sands grips readers with its relentless suspense, intricate plot twists, and dazzling display of magical mayhem. Each chapter brims with chaos and surprises, making it nearly impossible to put the book down. The characters are compellingly drawn, with Fergus stealing the show as the villain. Unlike the first installment, in which he remains in the shadows, Fergus dominates this book, his schemes driving the narrative forward. His villainy is so vivid and theatrical that he’s almost charming—an antagonist you can’t help but admire, even as you root for his downfall.
Meanwhile, Arista’s characterization is more complex. At times, her decisions feel justified and strategic; at others, they seem erratic, which adds an intriguing, if occasionally frustrating, layer to her journey. Stevie, on the other hand, is a delightful wildcard. His humor and recklessness provide levity, making him a standout. This sequel amplifies the magic. Every page bursts with spells, aura readings, and mystical rituals, immersing readers in a world of non-stop witchcraft. While the book is lengthy, its rich plot, dynamic characters, and constant action ensure the pacing rarely falters.
Fans of magic, witchcraft, and light thrillers will find Moonset on Desert Sands an enchanting escape. Though it’s the second book in the Murder, Tea, and Crystals series, it stands alone beautifully, offering newcomers an unforgettable journey into its spellbinding world.
Pages: 371 | ASIN : B0DF33L1YW
Where Dark Things Grow
Andrew K. Clark’s Where Dark Things Grow is an enthralling blend of mystery, horror, and emotional depth that captivates readers from start to finish. For fifteen-year-old Leo, life has reached its bleakest point. His younger sister is on the brink of death, and his mother’s mental health is unraveling due to his father’s mysterious disappearance. Forced into the role of provider, Leo faces constant bullying and poverty, all while carrying the burden of his family’s survival. When his mother pleads with him to find his estranged father, he reluctantly sets out on a journey he dreads, confronting his past and inner demons.
Set against the backdrop of the Appalachian Mountains during the Great Depression, Where Dark Things Grow immerses readers in a world steeped in racism, poverty, and survival. The atmosphere in the novel is thick with a foreboding sense of dread, and the tension lingers on every page. Clark’s vivid descriptions transport the reader to this haunting landscape, where every scene is meticulously crafted and every emotion raw and palpable. I could almost feel the damp chill of the woods and hear the rustling of leaves as Leo ventured deeper into the supernatural. The characters are richly developed, each distinct and compelling, while the dialogue flows with poetic elegance. I found myself especially captivated by Leo. His mix of curiosity, innocence, and toughness feels authentic, especially in the way he’s shaped by his circumstances. This coming-of-age story forces its young protagonists to confront the darkest corners of their world and themselves too soon.
Where Dark Things Grow is a must-read for fans of Southern Gothic, folklore, and dark fantasy. Andrew K. Clark weaves an atmospheric, eerie narrative that’s as much about survival as it is about confronting the shadows within and without. I’d recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a haunting, slow-burn story set in a richly imagined world. It’s perfect for readers who love tales steeped in mythology, magic, and the dark undercurrents of human nature.
Pages: 335 | ASIN : B0DG6WZBYZ
Paranoia and Mistrust
The Hook follows a man searching for his wife and daughter who ends up in a mysterious town and is falsely accused of murdering several children. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
Part of the setup was inspired by a true story about one of my uncles who was in the Navy. He went AWOL (Absent Without Leave) to go find his family. He was in a lot of trouble with his commanding officer, but no one died. The rest of the inspiration was me wanting to write a story with themes of paranoia and mistrust as well as mistaken identity. These tropes help with building tension and that felt appropriate for this story.
The characters in your novel are richly developed, drawing readers into the storyline. What were some ideas that were important for you to personify in your characters?
My primary focus for my characters was to not give too much of their backstory. I tried to give enough information about their past to make them interesting and give them agency, but I felt a lot of their backstory didn’t lend itself well to the overall story with multiple characters. On my end, I wrote detailed pages about character’s backgrounds. I’d say only about 10% of those backstories were included in the novel.
What was the hardest part about writing a mystery story, where you constantly have to give just enough to keep the mystery alive until the big reveal?
The hardest part was outlining the plot. When do I give certain information? When should I build tension? I wrote a brief synopsis of each chapter to make sure I had a clear sequence of events. Some of it changed after I started writing. Some chapters were added after and some were shifted around. I wrote the story and all the edits and drafts on and off for about 3 years, and I think that helped me solidify the details and remove the parts that didn’t work. These kinds of stories require a lot of polishing to get things just right.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?
I have a second edition of a short story collection I published in 2019 coming September 17, 2024; The Morbid Museum: 5th Anniversary Edition. The second edition will feature two previously unpublished stories as well as an excerpt from my next short story collection that I’m currently writing. It is available for pre-order on Amazon, B&N, Bookshop.org, iBooks, etc…There are more details on my website.
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The Desire to Rewrite Our Narratives
The Girl in the Rain: The Epic Forgotten follows a widow struggling with the loss of her husband who finds his journal, setting her on her own journey surrounding the mysterious girl in the rain. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
It’s difficult to discuss the setup of the beginning of the story without revealing too much about the rest of the story (subsequent novels). I can tell you that the overarching theme that we see in this book (and those which follow) is the desire to rewrite our narratives the way we would like them instead of the alternative, often difficult stories we’re “stuck with.” For Gwenn, it’s her need to find a “fitting ending” for her husband’s story so that she can find closure. It’s important to her that her husband didn’t simply descend into madness, but that he was, indeed, attempting to unravel some deep conspiracy. Though he’s already gone when we begin the story and she can do little to change that, what she can change is how John Chapel is remembered.
This is also central not only to John’s story but the means by which he attempts to cure himself of his malady – narrative therapy. Campbell, his old mentor, believes that he suffers from things left unresolved and that he needs to face these unfinished chapters in his life and find a way to close them in a suitable way. Quite often, we have these things unfinished in our own lives that we never get the opportunity to resolve – whether a lost love, a relationship we wish had gone differently, or even saying something to someone we regret – and it’s important to reconcile these in a way that brings us some peace. For John, Gwenn, and other characters in the story, it’s about finding a way to create a different point of view or a different story. The inspiration for this, I guess you could say, comes from narratives I needed to correct in my own life.
I felt that there were a lot of great twists and turns throughout the novel. Did you plan this before writing the novel, or did the twists develop organically writing?
The Epic Forgotten was always intended to be this grand, sweeping story, covering a multitude of characters, story arcs, and layer upon layer of subtext and nuanced themes. However, in putting pen to paper, there are always some surprises even for the author occasionally. Things happen organically more times than not, and the characters take over the story quite easily, once they’ve been given life and personalities of their own. Some of the best pieces of the story, where we see a stark change, have come from inspiration “on the fly” if you will. This story, as a whole, still remains true to its original drafts but is a far different story in many ways also.
What are some things that you find interesting about the human condition that you think make for great fiction?
This book and the follow-up novels take a deep dive into the human condition and consciousness, touching on some of our worst traits as human animals. There’s fear, pride, lust – (do I need to go into the rest of the “seven”?) all of those elements that drive a story through emotional highs and lows, of course. But there’s also love, and its love that serves as almost a character of its own throughout the story. It’s really the “blueprint” of the story that holds all of the moving pieces and characters together, and the one thing I want people to take away from the story after reading it. Whether it’s selfishly-driven, completely selfless, or somewhere in between – that’s what this is all about. It’s a constant across many cultures and languages, and often changes little generation after generation in our human story, and I want people to feel that no matter what character we’re following or whether we’re immersed in the 12th century or in the modern day with them.
When will book two be available? Can you give us an idea of where that book will take readers?
Book two is already available. Through a Watery Veil was published in 2013, with the special edition launching in 2022. The story continues with Gwenn, Campbell, and the other characters the reader (hopefully) had grown to love, as they begin peeling back more layers of John’s story. There’s a pretty big cliffhanger at the end of Girl that leaves us doubting everything we’ve just been told by Campbell, and we see a new side of the story told from the perspective of his old nemesis, Henry Marshall. The first book really told us a coming-of-age story about John, Gwenn, Melinda, and their friends. This book brings us forward almost twenty years to tell the reader more about the events leading up to John’s fate, what became of Melinda Malowski, and what happened after that big finale in South Florida with Frank Kovacs and the mysterious antagonist in the last book. The third book, Across Lakes of Sorrow, was just launched in 2020, and the final chapter is being penned as we speak. The title is a surprise, so stay tuned.
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This is the final, cryptic entry scrawled in the journal belonging to the late John Chapel – a journal that detailed his obsession with finding a woman who didn’t exist. Hers was just one of several faces that he insisted he saw there in the rain, and one of the many voices that called to him every night, drawing him further into madness. Despite his wife’s unwavering faith and tireless determination, she could only watch helplessly as the man she loved slowly faded away, like a fingerprint on a window being washed away by the rain.
Now, months after his death, new information has surfaced that sheds new light on her husband’s bizarre case and renews Gwenn Chapel’s search for the truth. Her only allies in this crusade are her husband’s old mentor and eccentric history professor, Dr. Campbell, and his former best friend (and her old flame), Jeremy Connelly. As she uncovers her husband’s dark past, however, she begins to question their motivations behind helping her and suspects that one of them is hiding a dark secret of his own. Can she trust either of them to help her discover the truth or will it only be found in the cryptic pages of that journal John left behind?
Only Gwenn Chapel can decide where the truth lies as she embarks on a journey that will challenge her faith, the limits of her sanity, and even her love for her husband. Will she be able to put all of those pieces together that her husband left for her to unlock the mystery behind the “girl in the rain”, or be pushed over the edge and dragged down into that abyss with him?
This is the first in The Epic Forgotten series, which is a gigantically-proportioned tale about the three kinds of love we seek out in our lifetimes, the depths of loss, suffering, friendship, and faith told through the eyes of a widow, a history professor, and the cryptic words of a long-dead crusader.
So, take your seat beside Dr. Campbell’s fire, have a glass of Calvados, and enjoy the tale of John Chapel and his twenty-six ghosts.
LITERARY TITAN 