Crystal Bay [Paperback]

Brandon Ford (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 28, 2007

On the surface, Crystal Bay is a peaceful community full of summer homes, and lakeside views. But behind this façade lies an insatiable evil that is looking for a new playmate. Amanda is beautiful, enchanting, and most of all, seductive. She is a woman who knows exactly what she wants and the right way to get it. And what she wants is more than any man is willing to give--she wants eternal life. Gage is an aspiring writer. His ambition is to pen the next great American novel. But when Amanda crosses his path, he is ready and willing to throw away everything he's worked so hard to achieve. his marriage, his career, and even his life. There is nothing that can stop Amanda from getting what she wants. She is a ruthless hunter, unwilling to let anything or anyone stand in the way of her destiny. And what Amanda wants she always gets....

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Brandon Ford paints a vivid picture. This book is superb." --Mass Movement

"Crystal Bay is a page-turner that reels you in and keeps you reading to the end."   --Front Street Reviews


"...suspenseful and intriguing..."   --Book Hunters Blog

Product Details

• Paperback: 308 pages
• Publisher: Arctic Wolf Publishing (December 28, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0980219701
• ISBN-13: 978-0980219708
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,166,596 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Brandon Ford (b. 1981 - ) is an American author of horror and suspense fiction. To date, he has written 3 novels (CRYSTAL BAY, SPLATTERED BEAUTY, and PAY PHONE) and a collection of short stories (DECAYED ETCHINGS). He has also contributed to several genre anthologies, including: CREEPING SHADOWS (a collection of three short novels), THE DEATH PANEL, SINISTER LANDSCAPES, MADE YOU FLINCH, and RAW: BRUTALITY AS ART. He currently resides in Philadelphia.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Writing a masterpiece, but at what cost..., June 19, 2008

By 

Alan Draven "Dark Fiction Author" (Montreal, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Crystal Bay (Paperback)

Gage is an English teacher who has wanted to write a novel as far back as he can remember. He agrees with his wife Beth that as soon as classes are over, he will go away to his parents' summer home in Crystal Bay to pen his masterpiece. Beth reluctantly agrees, not wanting to stand in the way of her husband's dreams. On the way there, Gage stops for a bite to eat and meets a dazzling woman by the name of Amanda. A few words are exchanged, and he is on his way. Imagine his surprise when he finds out the next morning that Amanda's got a house right next to his. One thing leads to another and before he realizes what's happened, he's in bed with her. What has he done? He could be throwing away his marriage. Suddenly, the writing comes easier and words flow on the page. Then he sleeps with Amanda again as if he were spellbound by her. What is wrong with him? In the meantime, the words keep pouring out of him, but he is ridden with guilt. Amanda has her sights on him, but there is more to her than meets the eye. Will Gage be able to resist her charm and save his marriage--and finish his novel? Amanda's got plans for him and she won't--can't--take no for an answer.

Crystal Bay is Brandon Ford's debut novel and what an introduction it is! It is a far better book than the average first novel. He shows a lot of maturity and avoids many of the trappings of a first novel. There are echoes of Richard Laymon in his writing, but Brandon's voice is very much his own. His dialogue is sharp, the tension constant throughout, and the few characters we encounter are very credible. These are folks you know and you've met many times in the course of your life. Buddy the annoying neighbor who's got a crush on Beth and doesn't let a trivial detail like the fact that she's married bother him. Tina, Beth's best friend and business partner, who's still single and a party animal yet would do anything for her friend. Gage and Beth are extremely well developed and you feel and worry for them.

I kept turning the pages and telling myself "one more chapter" until my eyes were too tired to go on. The story unfolds at a very good pace, moving back and forth between Gage at the summer house and Beth back in the city. The more you see what Amanda is about, the more you want Gage to get the hell out of there. Only he can't--even when everything around him is threatening to fall apart. This mysterious muse isn't that easy to leave.

Crystal Bay is a strong debut, one which I highly recommend. If you're a fan of Laymon's twisted stories or if you've ever been tempted to get away for a few months to write a bestselling novel, then you should definitely pick up this book. It is the perfect summer read.

Alan Draven,
Author of Bitternest

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Can't Put It Down, July 18, 2008

By 

Brian M. Sell "Cellbell16" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Crystal Bay (Paperback)

I could not put this book down. The suspense that breathes through these pages kept me at the edge of my seat. I highly reccommend this book to any fan of a good suspense or horror novel.

5.0 out of 5 stars Stay Away from Crystal Bay!!, October 19, 2010

By 

lennons_momma - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Crystal Bay (Paperback)

I recently read Crystal Bay, by Brandon Ford. I follow Mr. Ford on Twitter, so I felt because of that, I should read what he's written. Normally, I am not a fan of this type of book. Personally, for my own tastes, I would classify this as more of a horror novel than anything else. I generally read Dean Koontz, James Patterson and the like. I was pleasantly surprised by Crystal Bay. The characters were compelling, and even though it was more graphic than what I am used to, I still really enjoyed the book. Mr. Ford's character Gage, I did not find redeemable at all. Nothing personal, I just felt he came across as a jerk from the get go. I was wholly unsurprised when he so easily fell in bed with someone other than his wife. Maybe I'm just jaded against men :) (not true!) It definitely kept me interested as a reader. I have to admit that I am the type of reader who will put down a book and never finish it if it doesn't catch my interest in the first few paragraphs/pages. Although I have immense love for Koontz, several of his books have never been finished by me because they weren't my cup of tea.

I found myself wishing that Mr. Ford had maybe expanded on the character of Amanda a little more. She is a character I wanted to know more background on. I am no expert when it comes to anything, but I highly recommend this book to everyone (and I have!!). It's definitely an enjoyable read!

*the reason for the title was because of the horror in Crystal Bay the town, you should definitely read the book!