The Dead Path [Hardcover]

Stephen M. Irwin (Author)

Book Description

Release date: October 5, 2010

Do you remember the last time a book gave you the chills? The Dead Path is the ghost story we’ve been waiting for.

A haunting vision in the woods sets off a series of tragic events, leaving Nicholas Close lost amid visions of ghosts trapped in their harrowing, final moments. These uniquely ter­rifying apparitions lead him on a thrilling and suspenseful ride to confront a wicked soul, and will leave an indelible mark on lovers of high-quality suspense and horror alike.

Nicholas Close has always had an uncanny intuition, but after the death of his wife he becomes haunted, literally, by ghosts doomed to repeat their final violent moments in a chilling and endless loop. Torn by guilt and fearing for his sanity, Nicholas returns to his childhood home and is soon entangled in a dis­turbing series of disappearances and  murders—both as a sus­pect and as the next victim of the malignant evil lurking in the heart of the woods.

Stephen M. Irwin is the kind of debut author that readers love to discover—and rave about to all their friends. His electric use of language, stunning imagery, and suspenseful pacing are all on full display here. The Dead Path is a tour de force of wild imagination, taut suspense, and the creepiest, scariest setting since the sewers in Stephen King’s It.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. Australian author Irwin's impressive debut, a supernatural thriller, evokes a world full of death and spirits to which we are, mercifully, oblivious. Since the night of his wife's death, Nicholas Close has been cursed with second sight to see ghosts re-enacting the final moments before their own often violent deaths. These disconcerting visions drive Nicholas back to his family home in Tallong, Australia, where, instead of finding comfort, he sees the ghost of a childhood playmate replay the murder that almost took Nicholas's life instead. Clues from other local murders and data gleaned from his father's books of occult lore apprise Nicholas of ancient unhallowed traditions still being practiced in the forest near his home--and of malignant powers attempting to reassert a balance that was upset when Nicholas escaped death. Irwin writes in a lyrical style that expresses both the poignancy of Nicholas's distressing supernatural experiences and the mood of horror those experiences conjure.
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From Booklist

*Starred Review* Following a wicked accident and the tragic death of his wife, Nicholas Close has been cursed with the gift of second sight, condemned to watch the dying moments of ghosts over and over again. He flees London for the comforts of his childhood home in an Australian suburb but is surprised to see that the dense, dark woods down the street have still not been developed. That’s where his childhood best friend, Tristram, was murdered, and now another child from the neighborhood has gone missing. Nicholas is the only one who knows that she, too, has perished in the forest, for he is now being haunted by the vision of the moment she was taken, whisked into the woods by unknown forces. Compelled to find out what happened to both his childhood friend and the missing girl, he learns that there is an ancient spirit residing in the woods, one who seems especially interested in Nicholas and is poised for battle. Irwin employs many of the images familiar from dark fairy tales—skittering spiders, a haunted forest, an evil witch—and infuses them with fresh terror. One of the scariest novels of this or any other year, The Dead Path is sure to draw comparisons to the work of Stephen King. --Joanne Wilkinson

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: Doubleday (October 5, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385533438
• ISBN-13: 978-0385533430
• Product Dimensions: 6.4 x 1.5 x 9.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (69 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #750,123 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Stephen is an Australian author and filmmaker. His short films and short stories have won numerous competitions and awards around the world. His debut novel, The Dead Path, was published in many countries and was named top Horror title in the 2011 RUSA Reading List. His second novel, The Broken Ones, was released in Australia in mid-2011 to excellent reviews, including being named the Sydney Morning Herald's Pick of the Week.
Evidence from Stephen's childhood reveals he wanted to be an Egyptologist, a P-51 pilot, and Gigantor; instead he has worked as a handyman, drinks waiter, call centre operator, and illustrator. Now he makes stuff up for a living. He lives in Brisbane, Australia, with his wife, two young children, and very needy but well-loved black cat.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Playing With Dead Animals Can Never Lead To Good Times September 9, 2010

By K. Harris HALL OF FAMETOP 10 REVIEWER

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

I don't read too many traditional ghost stories anymore, but something about Stephen Irwin's "The Dead Path" called out to me--whether it was something from the nefarious underworld or whether I was just intrigued by the mutilated bird on the cover, I'll leave up to my analyst. But Irwin delivers the supernatural goods in this tale of haunted woods and a string of mysterious child murders that has plagued a small town for more years than seem rational. Irwin establishes a creepy and unsettling tone in the early pages, but as more secrets become revealed--the novel becomes an all out assault on the senses with a impressively high body count. A definite recommendation for fans of the genre, this one ticks all the appropriate boxes but still has some surprises left to unfold.

One of the novel's strengths is its principle character, Nicholas Close. Close, in particular, is what made this a unique and gratifying experience for me. Plagued by a tragedy for which he feels responsible, Close returns to his childhood home to recuperate. Instead of rest and relaxation, however, he is presented with a whole new set of horrors. He sees dead people! The gruesome tableau played out for his nightly enjoyment shows him unsettled souls in a death loop--he can see someone at the moment of their death and their violent demise plays out over and over for his viewing pleasure. Disturbing, to be sure, but particularly disconcerting if your home is the sight of numerous child murders. Haunted by grief and guilt, Close is drawn into the mystery that surrounds this town and its woods which have remained undeveloped against all odds.

Irwin stages some intense scenes throughout--I'd be particularly wary if you have a thing about spiders as they are employed to great affect in "The Dead Path." There is a real sense of danger at play here. None of the characters are immune to the evil influences of those woods and it is very hard to determine who will live to see this tale through to its conclusion. That's a big plus from the standpoint of suspense and surprise! If you are not a fan of this genre of fiction, "The Dead Path" probably won't convert you. But if you are fascinated by things that go bump in the night, there is much to embrace in Irwin's debut novel. Spooky, with a surprisingly hard edge, "The Dead Path" leads both its readers and its characters to the heart of evil.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Pretty interesting story November 24, 2010

By ChibiNeko TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

There are some reviews that are comparing this guy to Stephen King. I don't think that's entirely a correct comparison. There are some similarities between this book & Stephen King's IT, but by large this guy reminded me more of Robert McCammon. (Trust me, that's a good comparison.)

Nicholas Close used to lead a somewhat charmed life. That all changed the day his wife died & he got into an accident that left him seeing ghosts. Not just any type of ghosts, but the images of people dying over & over again. Desperate to get away from the memory of his beloved wife's death, Nicholas goes home again- only to discover that the nightmares of his childhood are far worse than anything he could have faced back in his old life. A childhood friend of his was horribly murdered... and it was supposed to have been Nicholas that was taken. With more & more children going missing, Nicholas will have to figure out who- or what- is behind the disappearances before it finds him.

Readers who are looking for something full of action will be a little surprised by how slow this book starts out, considering that it leaps directly into everything. Don't lose heart- the story picks up as the book progresses & the attention to detail is pretty good in this book. Irwin bases a lot of his supernatural goings-on in actual mythology & Paganism, which made for a really nice touch to the story that I'm sure that people will love. (I'd elaborate more on this, but I can't without spoiling parts of the book.)

It's just that at times I really wished that the book would just get on with what it was trying to do. This is a great book- ESPECIALLY for an author's first book, but people who are looking for something fast paced will be slightly disappointed at first. (It does pick up towards the end, though.)

I just can't bring myself to give this book 4 stars. It's far better than 3 stars, yet not quite 4.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars 4 Stars, 1 Nightmare January 28, 2011

By Timothy J. Mccarthy VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

I don't read a lot of horror -- other than Zombie Lit, which is a whole 'nother critter -- so I may see "Dead Path" differently from the true aficionados. This is the story of Nicholas Close, who wishes he wasn't able to see the dead reenact their final moments over and over and over. Newly widowed, he moves back to Australia to live with his mother, whose house is not terribly far away from some very scary woods. Just as he arrives, a young boy is brutally murdered in those woods, eerily similar to the murder of Close's best childhood friend years before.

Things start a bit slow but stick with it, the pace picks up without ever getting hectic. It doesn't exactly drag but some judicious editing would have been nice. The main characters are wonderfully drawn and a thoroughly eclectic bunch, though not necessarily likeable, which works perfectly here. Tallong, the primary locale, fits with the small town Oz that I've experienced along the east coast, but oddly is never really brought to life. In fact, outside of the language, there are very few reminders that you are even in Australia.

Overall, the story was more creepy than frightening, though I'll give it points for prompting one really nasty nightmare! Close's "gift" gets a lot of play, but becomes more annoying than a useful device. Without giving anything away, I'll simply rate the ending as disappointing. Still, this is a darn good first novel, though I'd bet the author has much better to come.