When I first read the synopsis for 14 by Peter Clines I was
immediately hooked. Pegged as a horror
novel lined with a mystery in the same vein as the television show Lost I
figured this book could not go wrong.
And that was my first mistake.
The book is an easy read and follows the tale of Nate Tucker
who lucks into a studio apartment for next to nothing. Working in a dead end job and searching for
something meaningful in his life, he begins to investigate the odd occurrences
in his building to pass the time and explain why the rent is so cheap. He, of course, gets more than he bargained
for and in the interim also finds said meaning.
Though the story did have some interesting developments it
definitely is not a horror story in the truest sense of the genre. It is better pegged as a mystery/thriller
with a supernatural kick that will thrill H.P. Lovecraft fans. For this reader, the stereotypes, over played
characterizations and never-ending pop-culture references got tiresome and
bogged down what could otherwise have been a great novel.
Sadly, if I hadn’t been searching for a new horror novel to
quench my thirst I would have rated this book a bit higher on my literary
scale. Forewarned is forearmed as they
say and if you go into this looking for a thriller then you will not be
disappointed. Still a recommend…just not
to my horror fans.
Here is the official teaser to lure you in:
Padlocked doors. Strange light fixtures.
Mutant cockroaches.
There are some odd things about Nate's new
apartment.
Of course, he has other things on his mind.
He hates his job. He has no money in the bank. No girlfriend. No plans for the
future. So while his new home isn't perfect, it's livable. The rent is low, the
property managers are friendly, and the odd little mysteries don't nag at him
too much.
At least, not until he meets Mandy, his
neighbor across the hall, and notices something unusual about her apartment.
And Xela's apartment. And Tim's. And Veek's.
Because every room in this old Los Angeles brownstone has
a mystery or two. Mysteries that stretch back over a hundred years. Some of
them are in plain sight. Some are behind locked doors. And all together these
mysteries could mean the end of Nate and his friends.
Or the end of everything...
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