The Chloe Files #2: Sliver of Darkness [Kindle Edition]

Howard Hopkins (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

"Engaging and fresh...an imaginative ghost story, filled with mystery and chilling scenes."
--Margaret Marr, Nights & Weekends Reviews

"The veil between the living and the dead has been pierced. The war between Darkness and Light has begun. All I can say is...bring it on!"
--Chloe Everson

Put some Demon in your day...

Who knows what crimes cripple the minds of the guilty? Brant Lamont's acting career was on a downhill slide, then one night after a performance he vanished. Was he dead? Alive? Forty years later still no one knows what became of the mercurial actor...or the rising starlet who'd become his mistress. It was as if they'd both walked off the face of the earth.

Until Chloe Everson's world flashes to a bizarre black and white and the specter of one of Lamont's characters, the Sliver of Darkness, visits her in the dead of the night.

But ghostly visitations aren't Chloe's only dilemma, because the New Salem Ripper is stalking the waterfront, butchering prostitutes and young strippers, moving ever closer to an encounter with the object of his obsession... Chloe herself... Includes the bonus Chloe story: The Trouble with Flappers

"...Ghost Whisper on steroids!"
--Margaret Marr, Nights & Weekends Reviews

Product Details

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 366 KB
• Publisher: Golden Perils Press (June 23, 2011)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
• Language: English
• ASIN: B0057U3PH8
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #407,919 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

More About the Author

Howard Hopkins' life took a dramatic turn after picking up his first Doc Savage book at the age of 13, though he wouldn't realize it until a number of years later. On a snowy November day, the daydream prone, shy child began a journey into escapist fiction that would later inspire him to write over 40 novels in the horror, western, comic book, science fiction and pulp adventure genres. "I never realized at the time how much the author of that book would inspire me to create my own stories and fire a passion to help others escape from their own problems, even if only for a few hours." Many years later Howard sold his first short story, a horror tale, to a small press magazine and not long after completed his first novel NIGHT DEMONS, a generational horror tale set in the supernaturally cursed town of Dark Harbor, Maine. A second horror novel, GRIMM, soon followed, which spawned his most recent supernatural/mystery series THE CHLOE FILES.

Now Howard is the author of numerous horror novels/western novels/comic book fiction, as well as over 50 published short stories, one recently appearing in THE SPIDER CHRONICLES with John Jakes (The Spider being that uber violent and trifle psychotic crimefighting pulp hero of the 1930s. He recently coedited, wrote the intro and two stories for THE AVENGER CHRONICLES, a short story anthology dedicated to the greatest pulp hero of the 40s, The Avenger) and has upcoming work in the Captain Midnight and The Green Hornet anthologies.

Besides NIGHT DEMONS, GRIMM, and THE CHLOE FILES, his novels under his own name include, THE DARK RIDERS (a vampire western) and his short story anthology DARK HARBORS, which were EPPIE nominated finalists and Fictionwise top five bestsellers. He also write a spooky series for children (8+) called THE NIGHTMARE CLUB, the first called THE HEADLESS PAPERBOY.

His recent trade paperback novel PISTOLERO combines horror and mystery with his second writing love, westerns, which he authors under the penname Lance Howard. So far he has written 32 Black Horse Westerns in hardcover and trade paperback, the most recent being COYOTE DEADLY.

His comic book and graphic novel scripts include, The Spider: Judgement Knight and the upcoming The Strange Case of The Spider and Mr. Hyde, and he is a big fan of the pulps, especially Doc Savage, The Avenger and The Shadow.

"I love entertaining people and taking them away from reality and giving something back to others. I started writing because Doc Savage, and other pulp heroes helped me through a difficult period in my life and awakened a creative spark that turned into a roaring fire. Writing is my passion and being able to touch others' lives through words drives me to tell stories. I invite you to take a look at my personal website for excerpts, contests and more info about my work."

Howard lives in a small southern Maine coastal town and his interests include bodybuilding and playing multiple instruments.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fantastically Spooky, August 21, 2009

By 

Margaret Marr "Published Author" (NC USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Chloe Files #2: Sliver of Darkness (Paperback)

After a performance at the New Salem Theater in the early `60s, actor Brant Lamont vanished. Now, nearly fifty years later, his disappearance remains unsolved. But then he turns Chloe Everson's world into a black and white film and shows up in her bedroom as the specter of one of his characters, the Sliver of Darkness. Is he trying to scare her? Tell her something? Or warn her about future danger?

Since her fiancé, Arlo, is on a vacation of sorts, Chloe refuses to call him back to help with this particular manifestation. After all, Lamont doesn't seem to be dangerous--just pushy for help. All Chloe has to do is hunt down Lillian Marlene, the starlet who was rumored to be Lamont's mistress, to get some answers. However, Marlene became elusive after Lamont's disappearance, and finding her now could be almost impossible--that is, until a mysterious new stripper arrives at the Red Lagoon.

Meanwhile, the New Salem Ripper is stalking the waterfront, slicing up prostitutes and strippers--and he's getting ever closer to Chloe with an obsession that followed him into the grave.

In Sliver of Darkness (which follows Ashes to Ashes in The Chloe Files series), Chloe Everson once again shows her strength in facing the evil that stalks the night. I especially like that she doesn't run and hide behind her fiancé when things reach the horrifying point. She's imperfect (in a good way), and she's a gutsy heroine, which makes her incredibly likeable. I don't even mind that she takes her clothes off for a living.

Engaging and fresh Sliver of Darkness is an imaginative ghost story, filled with mystery and chilling scenes. You'll never be quite sure if the ghosts are out to harm Chloe or if they just need her help, which adds more suspense to the plot.

I love a good ghost story, and Mr. Hopkins is one of the best at raising goose bumps on my arms. I look forward to seeing what else haunts Chloe in future novels, and I hope the series will go on for a long time, because I'm enjoying the heck out of The Chloe Files.

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