They Said...

Something Stirs

Something Stirs first appeared back in 2011 and like Paul F. Olson’s stunning Alexander's Song, is another fascinating re-release from the new range from Cemetery Dance, which is a combination of new fiction, impressively backed up by older books being given a new lease of life. Something Stirs is not something I might normally have picked up, but this publisher is on such a hot streak, I am happy to take anything they drop for a spin. I was not surprised at all to discover Something Stirs is another winner.

Although it is not obvious from any of the publicity surrounding Something Stirs, this novel is best described as ‘Christian Horror’, a sub-section of the genre I know very little about.

Goodreads does feature a Christian Horror list of 131 titles, of which none of the authors or titles jumped out as being particularly well known or big names in the genre. Do not be put off by this Christian Horror tag, as Something Stirs is a very entertaining and easy to read page-turner, but knowing it is not quite a standard horror novel does provide a slightly different reading experience and I found myself looking for telltale signs of faith. Sure, they are there, but the plot does not come across as cheesy, overtly preachy, or forced with the Christian angle written well into the plot.

The story opens with Ben Chambers, his wife Rachel and young daughter Stacy about to move into their new dream home, of which they will be the first owners in a small rural community. Ben has published two successful novels with a third about to come out and is developing a reputation as a top mystery writer. The author is on such a rich creative streak he is also considering writing another much darker book under a pseudonym, as his core fiction has a Christian message and he does not want to alienate this fanbase.

Early in the novel, we realise this is a Christian family, with the couple praying together and grateful to God for their new home. However, there is also tragedy in their past, which plays a key part in the story, particularly young Stacy. Overall, the family dynamics are convincing and a key part of the story, as the unexpected events put a strain on the family.

Thomas Smith keeps everything very restrained as the family realise there is something wrong with their dream home. For a haunted house novel, events follow a familiar path, but instead of relying on ‘boo!’ or jump scares, we have unpredictable accidents, odd cracks in the furniture, animals disappearing, and a developing sense of uneasiness. This begins early on when a carpenter loses some fingers in a sawing incident, but bizarrely in the aftermath, his co-workers cannot find the severed digits!

The novel is also seen from multiple other points of view, including a local carpenter (Jim Perry, who used to be a preacher and has his own crisis of faith); the local female police chief, Elizabeth Cantrell; and the teenagers who kickstart the supernatural manifestation by fooling around with occult rituals before the Chambers family moved in. However, having the lead teenager spending his time listening to extreme heavy metal music does rather seem like a cliché which by in large the book avoids. I also enjoyed the point of view of the house, or at least the entity trapped inside the house trying to break free.

Considering this is a Christian-based novel, the name ‘Jesus’ is used sparingly in the first half of the book, but when used in a confrontation with the house, it does pack a wallop, particularly in the closing stages and whilst some might expect this to be cheesy in actual fact it is very moving. A further observation is the fact everybody seems to be too nice and I am not sure whether there is an assumption everybody is Christian or not. Although Something Stirs might not hold any huge surprises, it remains a very convincing and thoughtful read and it is going to take a hard-skinned reader not to spare a thought for the poor visiting dog, Tippy.

If you do not like creepy dolls then I suggest avoiding this novel, as Piggy-Ann is up there with the best of them. Little Stacy has a menagerie of dolls and fluffy toys and refuses to leave the house without Piggy-Ann and soon the alarm bells go off when she starts arguing with it, with it popping up in odd places. All of which unsettle her worried parents

Overall Something Stirs is a fun slice of small-town horror where dark forces overwhelm a lovely new home. You probably know how events are going to play out, but it remains a highly enjoyable and non-sensational page-turner. - Tony Jones (Horor DNA review)

“A creepy, slow burn of a haunted house tale. Proof that horror and faith belong...in the same story."

-Tosca Lee, NY Times bestselling author of Demon: A Memoir

"Thomas' style is sharp, honed by experience, and fluid."

- Kealan Patrick Burke

Bram Stoker Award-winning author

"Thomas Smith's characters are crisply drawn, and the reader is fully vested in them in this fast-paced novel that never stumbles. Highly recommended!"

- Kathy Ptacek, author of Shadoweyes and Ghost Dance

"Thoma' clear writing style and abilityto adapt make him a natural...he is also extremely personable, easy to edit, and easy to work with."

- Joanne Jackson, editor.

Thomas Smith's debut short horror story collection, 'Other Places," contains sixteen tales of varied length, all of them strange, some puzzling and some rather disturbing. The author sells himself short when he tells us "I’ve always considered myself an average short story writer at best": most of the stories, if not all, are riveting, plainly told, with clear prose, easy reads with unpredictable endings and great atmosphere. Although it's not hard to pick favorites, Smith is a gifted craftsman of stories both realistic and hopeful, articulated both compellingly and engagingly. The point he's trying to make in his Author's Note is better put by saying that his style celebrates the kind of simplicity reminiscent of older horror stories: he doesn't go straight for the most shocking twist, nor does he aim to please by insisting on deeply unsettling situations or large-scale, blockbuster visuals. He's not "cutting edge," as he himself admits. His strength seems to me to lie in straightforward subtlety (yes, I know that's an oxymoron), of the sort that's very difficult to achieve.

Take the most impressive "Presto," the opening story, for example: it's about a magician whose magic is apparently real - is it, though? You never really know, until the end; and even then, you realize that Smith could have easily turned the short story into a novella, going for a most complex and long-winded plot of revenge and mayhem. Instead, he limits himself to the important points and provides closure and clarity, without forcing the reader to slog through a series of unnecessary shenanigans (unlike lots of stories today). Same with the collection's ghost story, "The Heart Is A Determined Hunter": creepy and to the point. One of the short-short stories, "Former Wear," employs dark humor to convey the type of mirth horror fans enjoy (that story and "Problem Can," a tale made for everyone who's had enough of a teacher in school, were really funny!), the other shorts (e.g., "Mother and Child Reunion," "Husks," "A Dusting of Snow") go for the throat and turn quite dark very fast. "Prometheus," about one of the genre's iconic monsters has amazing dialogue and a terrific premise, though this time I wouldn't have minded a longer, far more atmospheric story. In fact, my favorites were the longer stories towards the end: the awesome, Lovecraftian story of "Croatoan," and the kinda-morality tale, "Bad Place Alone," about who deserves hell and why.

Overall, this is the kind of horror collection that celebrates the darkness hovering at the edge of everyday life. It rests on mood and extraordinary simplicity, without striving to surprise you at every turn or tripping over itself in order to impress. Smith has stories to tell, and it'd be wise to listen. Otherwise you'd be missing out on some great entertainment! - Milt Theo

"Pulled right from history, these ghostly tales will change the way you see the haunted North Carolina coast forever."

"The North Carolina coastline is a tourist destination, a paradise for locals and visitors alike--during the day. Its proximity to the Graveyard of the Atlantic gives it other, darker associations after nightfall. When the sun goes down and shadows appear, it becomes the haunted coast. Then, the quaint towns and islands that hours earlier played host to happy inhabitants are peopled by long dead pirates, specters, poltergeists, and some things that defy description. The ghost of a blind mother searches for her lost son, her wooden staff tap…tap…taping through the night. Five hoof prints give silent testimony to a cocky rider's race to hell. Author Thomas Smith walks though places best not explored alone."