After surviving a near-death experience, David finds himself haunted by ghosts in the old Victorian house he is renovating. These tortured souls beg for his help and offer him protection from a demonic presence that wants David dead for a crime he doesn’t remember committing. Even more surprising, he soon learns these are spirits of people who are not yet dead. Is this real, is he hallucinating, or is someone trying to drive him insane? As his paranoia ramps up, he discovers the truth is even more bizarre. The haunting won’t stop until he kills a man named “Fitz.”
It's my pleasure to be hosting the blog tour for A Man Among Ghosts today. Many thanks to Steve Hopstaken, Flame Tree Press and Anne Cater from Random Things Tours for inviting me and for my advance copy of the novel.
I used to love watching horror films when I was younger and the gripping, cleverly structured A Man Among Ghosts took me back to those days. Steven Hopstaken's novel is a chilling ghost story, peppered with humour and although set in the present, it evokes those classic movies so well, particularly the Amityville Horror, Poltergeist and Nightmare on Elm Street series of films. The premise is decidedly unsettling and there's a rising sense of tension throughout this imaginative paranormal tale, resulting in a compelling haunted house thriller which left me desperate for more.
It's obvious to readers right from the start that when David wins an old house in an auction, he is taking on more than a roof in need of repair and a heating system requiring immediate overhaul. There are signs even here that let the reader in on something which takes David much longer to realise. As the storyline progresses and this tale of terror becomes increasingly dark, the reason why he is unable to just cut his losses and sell up is easily explained. David's encounters with what seems to be spirits, apparently trying to seize his attention, range from the brief and almost inconsequential to the grim, gruesome and terrifying. Despite some humour lightening proceedings, there's an underlying sense of danger and ominous foreboding which becomes ever more frightening during the latter part of the book.
David is an engaging protagonist and is an interesting combination of being self-aware and yet understandably concerned about his mental and physical health. Even as he realises that all is not as it should be in the house, he is torn between different explanations – none of which are particularly comforting. He strikes a rather tragic figure at first but it becomes evident that despite his troubles, he is a likeable man who has people who care deeply for him. His best friend Gary might be leaving with his girlfriend to pursue his career as a magician but their friendship is always shown to be an enduring constant. I loved Gary – his magic tricks are horrifically gory and he definitely oversteps the boundaries as to what is decent in one scene in particular but he is determined to help his friend find out whether he is hallucinating, being haunted or hoaxed.
While David's confusion about what is happening to him makes perfect sense, the reader is shown throughout that his visitors cannot be explained away by science. Quite what they want from him isn't revealed until much later in the book; it's not easy to discuss here without giving away any spoilers but I can say that while it is always obvious that the mystery behind the names Fitz and Kang holds the key as to what is happening to David, I was genuinely surprised by the direction the story takes. The conclusion suggests there is more to come and if that's the case, I'm eagerly anticipating the sequel. A Man Among Ghosts is a deliciously dark, fresh and witty take on one of the most revered themes in horror fiction. A complex, compulsive read from start to finish, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
A Man Among Ghosts is published by Flame Tree Press and can be purchased from their website or from bookshop.org, Hive, Waterstones, Amazon or from your favourite independent bookseller.
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About the Author
His first novel, Stoker’s Wilde, was hailed by Publisher’s Weekly as “a morbid and fascinating supernatural mash-up.” High Fever Books praised it as “a piece of work that is more original and creative than any novel I have read in years.” And The Haunted Reading Room wrote it was “immensely entertaining and engrossing; whether you are an aficionado of literary fiction and authors, the supernatural and paranormal, or just great characterization and characters that spark flame just from their constant tension and friction, you're going to find something to admire here.”
Steve currently lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with his wife and writing partner Melissa Prusi where they love the arts scene but dread the winters. While they both currently make a living as website content managers, they have sold two screenplays. If they’re not writing, you can usually find them at a movie, local theater production, improv show or pub quiz.
Thanks for the blog tour support x
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