Deep in a Wyoming mine, hell awaits. Nat Blackburn is given an offer he can't refuse by President Teddy Roosevelt. Tales of gold in the abandoned mining town of Hecla abound. The only problem - those who go seeking their fortune never return. Along with his constant companion, Teta, a hired gun with a thirst for adventure, Nat travels to a barren land where even animals dare not tread. Black-eyed children, strange lights and ferocious wild men venture from the deep, dark ghost mine...as well as a sinister force hungry for fresh souls.
It's such a pleasure to be hosting the blog tour for Ghost Mine by Hunter Shea today. Many thanks to the author, Flame Tree Press and Anne Cater from Random Things Tours for inviting me and for my advance copy of the novel.
It's been a while since I read any horror but by the end of the first chapter of Ghost Mine I felt as though I'd been reunited with an old friend - although admittedly, most friends don't intentionally send a chill through your bones...
This first chapter is set some way prior to the rest of the book and introduces what is clearly the sort of place any sensible person would take pains to avoid. As the story progresses it soon becomes apparent that Nat Blackburn and Teta Delacruz aren't those sorts of people. Both were formerly Rough Riders, the real -life regiment which fought in the Spanish-American War. Their commander and friend is now the President - and Teddy Roosevelt has a job for them. He wants them to go to Hecla, a deserted town near what are supposed to be gold mines. The young nation could certainly do with more gold for its coffers but what's really concerning Teddy is that every person who sets foot in the old mining town disappears, even a group of soldiers who were previously sent there to investigate.
Nat is an experienced cowboy turned cop but the world he knows is changing rapidly. At the start he is a police officer in New York but city living doesn't suit him. He would rather be on a horse than in a train or car and looks forward to a return to a more familiar life in Wyoming. He must first endure a long rail journey - although he does manage to distract himself for a while - until arriving in Laramie where he and Teta need to hire horses to take them to Hecla. After the unsettling first chapter, the story until this point is more concerned with the relationship between Nat and Teta. It's an unlikely pairing as Teta is a Dominican who was effectively adopted by the Rough Riders after choosing to fight alongside them. His name will raise a few eyebrows among Spanish speaking readers but quite how he gained the nickname is left for us to imagine! Once they arrive in Laramie, Nat becomes drawn to the farmer's daughter, Selma but her father sends her away when talk turns to their planned trip to Hecla.
Once they arrive in the abandoned town, the action gradually becomes much creepier. Their first visit to the mine presents more questions than answers as strange noises and frightening tremors suggest something is very wrong. Back in Hecla, Nat is disturbed by a visit from two black eyed children but it's when Selma rides out to join them that things start to go very wrong. Further inexplicable occurrences cause them to decide to leave but Hecla doesn't want to let them go. The slow realisation that they are trapped adds a terrifying sense of claustrophobia to the proceedings and this is where that prickle of fear becomes much more insistent.
The trio are joined by a strange Reverend, Matthias and his man mountain of a companion, Angus. Nat isn't sure whether he can trust the odd newcomers but he soon has far more to trouble him. The disparate group must face some truly horrifying foes as their sense of ominous foreboding is inevitably proven correct. The gripping action is complemented by the fascinating relationships between the characters and the vivid sense of time and place throughout the book. The enemies might not be of this world but their surroundings are and Hunter Shea breathes life into the arid landscape. I believed in these people, they're not just characters given a role and although the dangers they face come from the paranormal they always feel believable, even at their most extreme moments.
I thoroughly enjoyed Ghost Mine, the premise is gripping, with the tension allowed to increase gradually, this is intelligent horror which never relinquishes the plot for the sake of a few forgettable shocks. The steady, compelling pace is matched by the excellent characterisation and evocative scene setting throughout. This is the first book I've read by Hunter Shea but it definitely won't be the last.
Ghost Mine will be published by Flame Tree Press on 30th May 2019 and can be pre-ordered or purchased from the publisher's website or from the following;
Amazon UK
Amazon US
Hive
Book Depository
Don't miss the other stops on the blog tour, details are below.
About the Author
Hunter Shea is the author of over 20 books, with a specialization in cryptozoological horror that includes The Jersey Devil, The Dover Demon, Loch Ness Revenge and many others. His novel The Montauk Monster, was named one of the best reads of the summer by Publishers Weekly. A trip to the International Cryptozoology Museum will find several of his cryptid books among the fascinating displays. Living in a true haunted house inspired his Jessica Backman: Death in the Afterlife series (Forest of Shadows, Sinister Entity and Island of the Forbidden). He was selected to be part of the launch of Samhain Publishing's new horror line in 2011 alongside legendary author Ramsey Campbell. When he's not writing thrillers and horror, he also spins tall tales for middle grade readers on Amazon's highly regarded Rapids reading app.
An avid podcaster, he can be seen and heard on Monster Men, one of the longest running video horror podcasts in the world,and Final Guys, focusing on weekly movie and book reviews. His nostalgic column about the magic of 80s horror, Video Visions, is featured monthly at Cemetery Dance Online. You can find his short stories in a number of anthologies, including Chopping Block Party, The Body Horror Book and Fearful Fathoms II.
Living with his crazy and supportive family and two cats, he's happy to be close enough to New York City to see the skyline without having to pay New York rent. You can follow his travails at www.huntershea.com.
Massive thanks for the blog tour support Karen x
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