The Shore (Leisure Fiction) [Mass Market Paperback]

Robert Dunbar (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 2009 | Series: Leisure Fiction

As a winter storm grips the coastal town of Edgeharbor, a series of horrible murders terrorizes the residents. A young policewoman and a mysterious stranger are all that stand between the tiny town and an ancient evil.

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A masterpiece ... impeccably crafted, with precise and elegant prose ... this intense and wholly original novel is one of the best to come out of the horror genre in years."                      
DARK SCRIBE MAGAZINE

"Dunbar's vivid imagery continues to blaze a distinctive trail. His management of the craft is masterful."
SHROUD MAGAZINE

"A classic ... readers will feel the biting wind, see the fog rolling off the ocean, and hear the horrified shrieks. Dunbar is a master."
NIGHTS & WEEKENDS

"Fresh and fascinating ... drips with atmosphere."
FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND

"Every bit as much of a classic as THE PINES ... THE SHORE only adds to the mythos of this legendary writer. This is the way great horror should be written."
HELLNOTES

From the Author

What a long, strange trip this book represents! So much has been written about how the original edition of THE PINES was released in a badly chopped up version. (Forget vampires and werewolves. Beware the editor with an axe to grind.) Many years passed before the restored edition appeared ... but it generated a great deal of buzz within the genre. Not long afterwards, this sequel was finally released, and I worried about the kind of response it would receive. I shouldn't have. The reviews have been wonderful. 
 
Here's a quote from one of my favorites:
 
"Plotting, back-story, and vivid descriptions combine to allow the reader to form an emotional bond with the characters. Dunbar also makes every word count, and because of this readers may find themselves reading at a slower pace than usual, often stopping to marvel at the breadth of the author's vision. Be prepared to be entertained by Dunbar's excellent characterization, suspense-driven storyline, and an ending that is as terrifying as it is satisfying."
HORROR WORLD

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 319 pages
• Publisher: Leisure Books; Original edition (July 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 084396166X
• ISBN-13: 978-0843961669
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #643,139 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

ROBERT DUNBAR is the author of the novels - THE PINES and THE SHORE and WILLY - and the short story collection MARTYRS & MONSTERS. His work has been extremely well-received by the critics, and he's been called "the catalyst for the new literary movement in horror." Yet dark literature has only recently become the principal focus of Dunbar's career. Both his mainstream fiction and his poetry have appeared in respected literary journals, and several of his plays have been produced. Dunbar has also written for television and has appeared as a guest on a variety of programs. For more information, visit his site at www.DunbarAuthor.com.

Praise for books by Robert Dunbar:

WILLY

"Unique ... highly recommended."
~ Midwest Book Review

"A tour-de-force."
~ Shroud Magazine

"Powerful."
~ Dark Scribe Magazine

MARTYRS & MONSTERS

"Impressive ... completely and utterly engrossing."
~ The Lambda Literary Foundation

"Substantial amounts of panache and poetic insight."
~ Cemetery Dance Magazine

"Sure to satisfy lovers of both horror and literary fiction."
~ Shroud Magazine

THE PINES

"Not only a superb thriller but a masterpiece of literature."
~ Delaware Valley Magazine

"Dark, foreboding, menacing, eerie ... seductive."
~ The Philadelphia Inquirer

"This is the way great horror should be written."
~ Hellnotes

THE SHORE

"Intense and wholly original."
~ Dark Scribe Magazine

"An instant classic."
~ Nights & Weekends

"Literary and atmospheric ... be prepared to be entertained."
~ Horror World

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars More Literary Treats from Dunbar, June 20, 2009

By 

Shroud Magazine's Book Reviews (New Hampshire) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Shore (Leisure Fiction) (Mass Market Paperback)

In literary circles, it's often said that "style is the verbal identity of the writer"; that an author can be identified by the nature of their craft. Iambic pentameter suggests Shakespeare, lyrical prose evokes Bradbury, pinpoint word economy reveals Carver. In this way, Robert Dunbar's vivid imagery continues to blaze a distinctive trail. As he did in "The Pines", Dunbar captures the aura of a dying town perfectly, painting an entirely different portrait this time, one of winter and ice. Also, he explores the Leeds Devil's legend deeper, posing the question: what separates natural impulse from true evil?

Life has ground to a halt in the small shore village of Edgeharbor. Many shops have closed and left town, and tourism has dwindled. An overwhelming malaise covers everything, and growth is as frozen as the winter ground. Every year, the waters encroach further upon the shore. Edgeharbor is fading, but for Officer Kit Lonigan, it's a last chance to reclaim her pride - however illusory that may be.

People are dying, their bodies torn apart by something feral, wild.... perhaps evil. Complicating matters is a stranger haunting Edgeharbor's streets. He knows too much. Is he tracking Edgeharbor's shadowy killer? Or is he part of the darkness himself? Slowly, Kit is exposed to a terrifying world through him. He has touched this darkness, so intimately that he himself wonders if Kit is right - that he's just as dangerous as the monster he hunts.

In "The Pines", Dunbar captured the sweltering heat of an oppressive summer perfectly. Here, his trademark, imaginative prose pulls the reader into a frigid, uncaring winter in an isolated shore town. His management of the craft is masterful. In his descriptions, he doesn't just use lots of words - he uses the right ones, precisely. Also, he advances the myth of the Leeds Devil, making the reader wonder which is more evil: this evolving species, or good old fashioned, basic human cruelty?

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars terrifying horror thriller, July 1, 2009

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Shore (Leisure Fiction) (Mass Market Paperback)

Edge Harbor is a small seaside town that gets its resources from the tourists during the summer; in winter the place is almost like Wall Street on a Sunday as it is practically deserted with only locals residing there. Barry Hobbs, a stranger arrives in town in the winter. He has been tracking for months a young man Perry and he intends to take him alive to a place where he can receive help. Although the town is empty, Barry finds it impossible to ascertain where Perry is hiding. The lad is holding Stella hostage or it seems as if he is.

A woman's body washes up on the shore with her back savagely torn to pieces and her car having claw marks ripped into the metal. Barry knows his prey is holed up in town, but he remains ignorant that someone else is hunting Perry and Stella; that predator has no problem with collateral damage even eradicating a town. Officer Kit Lonigan joins forces with Barry after he explains why he seeks Perry though she finds his tale implausible: thatis until the truth slaps her in the face. She wants to kill Perry, but Barry is on a mission to take Perry to a safe place; that if they survive a hurricane and the unknown apparently inhuman adversary.

Robert Dunbar knows how to scare his readers into leaving the lights on especially while we are sleeping. THE SHORE is gothic in many respects with a semi deserted town cut off by a surging hurricane. Barry is on a mission he believes strongly in as he risks his life to accomplish it. Kit`s needs are simpler as she just wants to save her town by killing the peril. Character driven yet filled with action, Mr. Dunbar provides a terrifying horror thriller.

Harriet Klausner

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Classic from Robert Dunbar, July 6, 2009

By 

K. Mitchell "The Professor" (Iwakuni, Japan) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Shore (Leisure Fiction) (Mass Market Paperback)

Less than four months ago, I was unfamiliar with Robert Dunbar. I came across "The Pines" on the Dorchester Publishing Company website. It sounded like a really great read. The story as well as the writer's style lived up to my expectations. Dunbar succeeded in his quest to craft an atmospheric, creepy yarn. It was almost as if The Pine Barrens region was another character. Dunbar accomplished the same thing in The Shore. His recent release was every bit as atmospheric and chilling as "The Pines. I hope he does not wait another 20 years to write part three. I believe Dunbar will be able to do that considering the way "The Shore" ended. I believe non-horror fans would like this one.