Midnight Falls by John Evans – Review by Stephanie Runyon

Midnight Falls by John (ronin) Evans
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Midnight Falls is a thriller that involves a writer who has looked into the eyes of an evil monster intent on killing him and anyone who stood in its way. Josh had chosen to move to Midnight Falls, where he obtained a job as a freelance writer for the local paper. Bringing along his faithful dog, Nimrod, he settles into a house with his neighbors, Brad Jefferson and Joey Ackerman, being unofficial outsiders to Midnight Falls. Brad was the only black man in the town, and Joey was homosexual. One afternoon, Josh and Brad had been working on the roof when Elizabeth “Lizzie” Caldwell came to Josh’s house to offer some iced tea. Life was ideal for Josh… for a while.

Jarrod Earlywine was the son of the sheriff and spoiled. Josh was shining his Dodge Charger when he first met Jarrod. The impudent teen wanted to buy the car, but Josh refused to sell it. In an attempt to intimidate Josh, Jarrod started to invade his personal space. Normally a big goofball, Nimrod came to his aid by growling at the boy. Later that day, Sheriff Earlywine gave Josh a sinister warning to watch out or he would come after him. A week later, Josh and Lizzie go to the community potluck. When Lizzie dragged Josh out on the dance floor, she caught the attention of Jarrod and his two friends. Josh hears Jarrod and his buddies call Lizzie a slut. Josh attempts to show Jarrod he isn’t afraid of him. Despite his nose being broken, Jarrod suffers humiliation by an accidental depantsing.

Josh and Lizzie were attempting to finish the night with romance, but Nimrod was upset. Locking him out of the bedroom failed to dissuade the dog. Nimrod broke through the door. Before Josh could address the dog’s intrusion, Lizzie points at the window. For a fraction of a moment, he saw something with burning red eyes. A gunshot, and Josh finds his neighbors staring at a creature that none of them can identify. The next morning, the creature had decomposed beyond recognition. The neighbors and Lizzie are about to face a legend that has been hidden in Midnight Falls that nobody will ever believe.

John Evans masters the suspense in this novel. The vivid details of the monsters that emerge in the story are terrifying, and Josh’s inclination to run was understandable. The opening to the book foreshadowed his desperate attempt to escape the creatures that haunted him, which immediately caused tension to build from the first page. The multiple opportunities that Josh had to escape the chaos that he would eventually face showed his compassion for Lizzie, especially when her grandmother was upset. Ironically, Nimrod has a major role in the story, but I won’t reveal any secrets. This book would be best suited to readers who are mature and enjoy horror stories.
 

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