Wind Cave [Paperback]

John Eric Ellison (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 8, 2003

Beverly Winston was sadistically murdered in her home and then, for bizarre reasons, the murderer buried her body at the Oregon Wind Cave. Ms. Winston's restless spirit set in motion a series of paranormal events that drew a young boy, Ronny, and a few of his friends into the deepening mystery surrounding her death. She would not rest until her murderer was caught. Ronny Hazelwood and his young companions are swept up in a tangible struggle between marauding manifestations of good and evil and are themselves directly responsible for the materialization of yet another unexpected, hungry, and terrifying intruder. What begins as a murder investigation leads to the tearing down and ripping away of perceived veils between natural and supernatural worlds.

Editorial Reviews

From the Author

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From the Back Cover

In Wind Cave, John Eric Ellison has greatly improved on the ordinary murder mystery by including the undeniable realm of the spiritual. Anyone who has passed through an eerie cold spot or had arm hair stand up on end inexplicably will relate to this suspenseful thriller. The unpredictable tale will keep you reading into the late hours and give you much to ponder well after the last page has been read. Ellison has successfully created a "must-read."

- Teasi Cannon, teacher, free-lance writer, reviews -

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 13 and up
  
• Paperback: 211 pages
• Publisher: PublishAmerica; 1st edition (September 8, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1413704077
• ISBN-13: 978-1413704075
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,491,672 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Underground Thriller, February 5, 2006

By 

Paul - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wind Cave (Paperback)

On Saturday, June 14, 1969, John Ellison, age 13, and his stepfather were exploring Wind Cave, a segment of the Arnold Lava Tube System in Bend, Oregon. Shortly after entering the cave, John had a sudden, overwhelming feeling of dread and a premonition that something was terribly wrong. John convinced his stepfather to leave the cave as quickly as possible. About a half hour later, two other men in the cave discovered the badly decomposed body of Mrs. Beverly Gayley. The body was wrapped in bedding and hastily buried under rocks near the entrance. She had an electrical cord around her neck and severe head trauma. Gayley, age 54, had been reported missing from her home since mid-April. An autopsy reported her death was due to "combined acts of violence." For young John Ellison, the memories of that trip and the ensuing murder investigation would have a profound effect on him for years to come. So profound in fact that as an adult, "the need to purge his soul of disturbing memories" would inspire him to write Wind Cave.
In Wind Cave, Ellison (NSS# 50750) has relived the events of his youth through the eyes of Ronny Hazelwood and his young companions. When a woman's body is found in Wind Cave, the kids begin their own murder investigation and unintentionally get caught between supernatural forces of good and evil, culminating deep underground where the known laws of nature seem to have disappeared. It is the perfect book to read aloud the next time you find yourself trapped underground with a bunch of scouts.
Anyone wishing to explore Wind Cave after reading this book should be reminded that the murderer of Beverly Gayley was never found. And you know what they say: the guilty always return to the scene of the crime.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Highly Enjoyable Book, March 27, 2004

By 

David Eric "David Eric" (Metuchen, New Jersey United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wind Cave (Paperback)

John Eric Ellison's new book takes a nod to horror and the supernatural. Although the writing is as refined as Desecending Circles, John takes a different step and concentrates more on characterization this time, as opposed to historical detail. The result is a more enjoyable book in my humble opinion. It's obvious that Mr. Ellison has remembered his childhood; many people forget that children's problems can be as agonizing in their minds as the problems adult's have. This concept is brought home with striking ability as the story unfolds. The reader begins to race along with the novel's events towards the conclusion, where the philosophical ramifications of life after death, spaced throughout the book, are brought into play.
In many ways similar to Dean Koontz' novels from the 1980's and 1990's, this novel takes murder and the supernatural, and combines them with humanity and philosophy.
The result is a complex and deep novel you will read again.
(Additional note: my high school aged son read this book in record time, also enjoying it immensely.)

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Creative and Touching Work from John Eric Ellison, December 23, 2003

By 

Alen Agheksanterian (Frederick, MD USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wind Cave (Paperback)

I found Wind Cave an insightful work based on the following observations. First, I enjoyed the way the author depicted different character types in the teenager heroes of the story. Moreover, in the course of the story it is the innocent soul of a teenager that is the key to help the restless spirit of the victim of a horrible murder to find her murderer and bring him to justice. The other aspect of the story, which I found commendable, was that the author touched on one of the most fundamental questions of human beings - life after death.

In Wind Cave every reader can find him/herself in the image of one of the teenager heroes of the story. Meanwhile, the thrilling nature of the murder mystery keeps the reader attached to the story. Wind Cave is a work that will be remembered long after it has been read because of its originality.