Customer Reviews

Darkness Follows

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Sam Travers is an ordinary guy desperately trying to preserve his sense of purpose in the months following an accident at work that has left him disabled. Still his life is good with a loving wife and young daughter who adores him like only a little girl can. But one morning, an unexplained gun shot that leaves no physical evidence sets into motion a series of events that puts Sam on a collision course with a darkness that has been brooding in the quiet rural hills for at least 150 years.

In typical Dellosso style we are plunged headlong into the life of a simple man facing extraordinary and impossible circumstances. Sam must face ethereal enemies from the past, a very flesh and blood enemy stalking him in the present, and before all is over his greatest enemy of all - the one that abides within. For reasons he can't explain Sam has been writing in the hand of long dead Civil War officer about an evil desire that brought his ruin. Perhaps it is because of the cognitive problems he has been having since his accident. Or perhaps it is because of the darkness that seems intent on using Sam to finish what the Civil War officer failed to complete.

The cast of characters is perfect to tell this compelling story of fear and redemption. Molly, Sam's wife loves him dearly but is in constant fear of what her husband's condition might drive him to do. Eva, his daughter, has been warned by a mysterious visitor to be sure to remind her father of God's love. And then there's Tommy. Something horrible happened between Sam and his brother, Tommy, years earlier. Something so horrid it has been repressed and only now begun to break through into Sam's present.

A good as Dellosso's earlier works are, he has reached his stride in Darkness Follows. The characterizations, prose and timing are spot on and serve to move the story along to its fitting conclusion. And, he has given us the perfect villain. Sam and Symon share a common enemy, a darkness that wants to consume them. Both are haunted by things they remember and things they wished they could not. Both are flawed. But what separates the two is love. Symon has shut his heart to the light while Sam has not completely forgotten.

The real star of this story is a little girl who sincerely believes God's love will save her daddy. And at this point, I have to tell you, this is not a horror story. Yes, there's plenty of suspense. Yes, it's a thriller. But at its heart, Darkness Follows is a parable of the power of light over darkness, faith over fear, trust over doubt and love over hate.

I enjoyed this book, but wasn't awed by it. It held my interest, but didn't have me rushing to finish. It was suspenseful and mysterious. I was wondering how it all pulled together, what the explanation behind it all was.

Warning to sensitive readers: There were some scenes I almost couldn't finish. They featured animal cruelty, something I really, really have no stomach for. Thankfully, the scenes are pretty short, but still. Be prepared. I get that they were necessary for the story, but they are hard to read. (And I'm sure they were hard to write.) There also is quite a bit of violence - domestic and otherwise. It's not gruesome (at least not described in too-vivid detail), but it's still there.

Themes I picked up on: Love conquers all. The emphasis on love is constant throughout the story. And it makes sense, given that this is Christian fiction. While mildly predictable, it works. There also is minor mention of the occult and reference to the possibility of generational curses. All of it is handled well.

It takes a lot to make me start the review of a book with the word "Wow!" That is reserved for the books I find the best. Well, let me just go ahead and say it WOW! "Darkness Follows" by Mike Dellosso is right up there with the best books I have ever read. Whenever I like a book, I automatically think of one thing that sums the whole thing up, whether it is a quote or a song or whatever. In this case it was "Love covers a multitude of sins." However you should not go into this book thinking it is a love story in the typical sense.

Sam Travis is a self-employed carpenter who lives in Gettysburg, PA with his wife, Molly, and seven year old daughter, Eva. Six months prior to the beginning of the story Sam has an accident on the job and suffers a brain injury that leaves him in a coma for four weeks. When we are introduced to Sam, he is waking up from a nightmare about his dead brother and when he gets up to try to shake off the nightmare, he hears not only his brother calling his name, but also the sounds of battle. Judging from the sounds, Sam decides it is the civil war he is hearing. From that night on, Sam becomes a man tormented. Not only does he hear Tommy's voice calling his name, but Sam is writing journal entries from the civil war as though he were there himself. He knows nothing about the civil war, yet these entries he is writing are very detailed and bear the name Samuel Whiting. These journal entries start a downward spiral of darkness, of depression and anger, which alienates Sam from his family. But Eva is determined she will not lose her father, and makes sure he knows he is loved, even when he pushes her away.

"Darkness Follows" is a thriller that is deliciously creepy and suspenseful. Mr. Dellosso has crafted a beautiful story of unconditional love within the context of a story that demands not to be put down until you have finished. I found myself not wanting to go to work, just so I could read this book! I cared intensely for the characters, and when they hurt so did I. Anyone who loves a good thriller with the supernatural woven in should not miss this latest book from Mike Dellosso.

Mike Dellosso just keeps getting better and better. Darkness Follows is a masterful suspense thriller that has an Alfred Hitchcockian edge to it. I was also reminded of "The Manchurian Candidate." (I'm referring to the classic masterpieces and not the remakes.) Unexpected twists and turns. Thrills and chills. A tender and heartfelt love story...the love between a father and his daughter and a man and his wife. A most excellent work of Christian fiction.

I remember discovering Mike Dellosso before he was published. Something about his blog "voice" was compelling, so I followed him. From his first published book to Darkness Follows, I've been drawn into both the plot and characters of every book. Very rarely does a supernatural thriller deliver on both, but Mike Dellosso has never let me down.

With his newest release, Darkness Follows, Mike weaves a tight plot and great writing with engaging characters for that perfect fast-paced read. Bravo, Mike Dellosso. Keep them coming! I'm a forever follower!

Sam Travis is a carpenter and construction worker, trying to recover from a nasty fall and serious brain injury. He lives near Gettysburg, Penn., and he finds entries in a journal about the battle beginning to appear - written in his handwriting. He's also haunted by a family tragedy in which his older brother died, and he begins to hear his brother's voice calling to him. Sam Travis is a man descending into darkness and madness.

Symon, and that's all he knows his name to be, is a man who can't find his past or his memory. He kills almost single-mindedly, to remove the impediments to his mission. And his mission to make sure Sam carries out the task that's been preordained for him.

And the task is Stephen Lincoln, a U.S. Senator who's changed political parties and in the process embraced a pro-life position. He's upset a lot of former supporters, especially because he's being touted as a candidate for President. And he's going to give a speech in Gettysburg that will likely launch his campaign.

Jacob is the imaginary friend of Sam's daughter Eva, and Jacob keeps telling Eva to pray for her father because he's going to do something really bad.

Sam is an expert shot with a rifle.

These four characters are the main storytellers of Mike Dellosso's "Darkness Follows," although Jacob exists through most of the novel only as expressed by Eva. And they tell a story of suspense, violence and the supernatural that is riveting.

Dellosso's previous novels - "Scream," "The Hunted" and "Darlington Woods" - effectively use elements of horror and the supernatural. With "Darkness Follows," he's moved to a new level. The writing is solid, the action measured but fast-paced, the story building toward an almost fevered climax (yes, I had to get up and walk around - several times - as the crisis point approached).

This novel is not what many would consider traditional "Christian fiction." Several people die, and rather brutally, the descriptions of their deaths so spare that it increases the horror. Jacob is clearly a kind of guardian angel, actively intervening. Something is clearly controlling Symon, and it's likely something demonic.

But there is also no question that the novel is shot through with Christian understanding and faith. It is not a conventional "Christian novel," but it is a novel written by a Christian author.

"Darkness Follows" is a masterful story and a thought-provoking read.

My husband and I have all Mike's books and we are a great fan of his. But we both thought this was the best one yet. Very suspenseful with on the edge of your seat excitement. We are about 5 hours from Gettysburg and have visited there many times so we certainly enjoyed the Civil War facts and story that was woven through the pages. And I love a good ending which this definitely has. Can't wait to buy the next book, Frantic.

I don't normally read books like this one but after I read Darlington Woods for book club I discovered that his books weren't as scary as I thought they were. I'm a chicken at heart and don't read books that make me sleep with the light on at night. Mike Delloso showed me through his last book that he can bring a depth and understanding to his characters and their situations that didn't frighten me. It made reading the book more enlightening. So, I was anxious to receive a review copy of Mike's new book.
Sam Travis lives in Gettysburg, PA and was recuperating from a serious injury he had received on the job. He's been going a little stir crazy at home and got up often at night because he couldn't sleep. One night he hears his brother calling him downstairs. He goes down there and sees nothing. Suddenly the glass window to his house shatters and wakes up the whole house. This is the beginning of a complex, compelling story that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up and gripped my emotions as I read each page.
The police investigate, and find no clues. No bullets and no notes. Sam and his wife are stumped as to who would do such a thing. The reader is too! Later Sam discovers a story inside his little girl's notebook written in his handwriting. He reads it. A soldier named Samuel has written about a battle in the Civil War and how he has to do something about Abraham Lincoln to stop the violence.
Sam had no recollection of writing the story he found in his office. He's not a history buff and can't quite figure out what Samuel(the author of the letter) is talking about in the note. How could he have written it? This was the beginning of some really bizarre events. Mike Delloso has you on the edge of your seat trying to figure out what's real, what's not and afraid of what might happen next.
Sam Travis starts to have flashbacks from his tragic childhood. There is a soldier character named Samuel who wants to end the war and keeps appearing to Sam through these notes, then there's Jacob, his little girl Eva's imaginary friend, who looks like he glows with glitter and finally a man who's on a killing spree-why-how does this fit in? How do all these pieces and characters fit together? Sam and his wife didn't know what to make of it and either does the reader until the end. Mike weaves a fascinating, intricate, intriguing story line I found captivating.
I liked how Mike wove real historical events into this story with Abraham Lincoln, the Civil War and a story about the first Minnesota battle. I also like how Sam learned along with the reader about history, Sam says, "Why did these men do such a thing in Minnesota? They had to have known they were embarking on their last charge, their last stand. What was in for them? They would never kiss their wives again, never hold their children. What made a man willingly do such a think? Bravery? Fear? Insanity? Dumb Obedience?" He wondered.
Mike tackled several pretty serious and sensitive issues like mental illness in his book. I had just watched a show about a family who was afraid to live with their middle school aged child and what they did about it. Some parents have done nothing, and couldn't wait to release their child into society to fend for themselves. It's a scary thing! Because I saw this show the matter was more real and made the events in this book even scarier! Yikes!
I like the author's notes at the end that helped tie up a few things for me. I adored Sam's little daughter Eva and her faith in God and love for her Daddy. I also enjoyed getting to know more about the Civil War and what men went through at that time. Once again I was memorized and gripped by this authors enthralling tale. You will be too!

The Book Club Network [...]

"Now he felt shadowed in darkness, lost in a cave, hearing Molly and Eva calling to him, beckoning him home, but unable to find a way out." (p. 162)

The decent into darkness, whether spiritual, physical or emotional, usually happens in small degrees. Sometimes there is a tragic or traumatic beginning to this deepening darkness, and sometimes it is the culmination of a lifetime of every day tragedies. Darkness Follows incorporates all of these elements in the lives of the Travis family, and the reader is a spectator in an ever dizzying array of event that builds toward a dramatic and breathtaking ending. Mike Dellosso has really created a true thriller in his latest release, and readers will thoroughly enjoy the ride from beginning to end.

Dellosso incorporates an unlikely ray of hope in one of his characters, and the spiritual element is also included in a surprising and effective way. The Travis family is under an unusually stressful situation when introduced to the readers. However, as the story unfolds, the darkness that pursues them is something that has unknowingly shadowed them for years and has created an entryway for something more sinister than they realize. Add to this an evil character whose unwavering pursuit of his "target", and the unfeeling heart that guides him on his quest, and the element of suspense is multiplied many times! Darkness Follows is a great ride, folks! Don't miss it!!

What do the Civil War, an accident, and a troubled past have in common? For a man on the brink of despair, they are all part of an evil plot to kill Lincoln. When you find yourself on the brink of insanity, you may find yourself unable to control your thoughts and your actions. Sam Travis is a man on the edge with a daughter who loves him and wants him to know that Jesus loves him, too.

"Darkness Follows" is Mike Dellosso's latest suspense-filled novel that captures the imagination and won't let it rest until the final page. Sam Travis believes he is going insane in his own war within himself when he discovers a journal of a Union soldier written in his own handwriting. Soon his discoveries will lead him on a journey into darkness that alters his life and that of his family forever. Will he find the goodness inside himself before he destroys his life? Will he push his family away from him because of the secrets he has held so close to his heart?

Set aside four uninterruptible hours to read this book because there is no putting it down. Also, if you are on Facebook, you will want to become a fan (Click here) to keep posted on upcoming books and events.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Charisma House as part of their Book Review Blogger Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."