Worst Nightmares by Shane Briant is a terrifying glimpse into what happens when your worst nightmare falls into the hands of a serial killer
My book review rating: 5 stars -- Considering how I nearly gave up after the Prologue this turned into a top read!
I’ve never been a fan of horrors -- in movie or literary form -- so when Sarah asked me to read Worst Nightmares by Shane Briant I was reluctant, but since she’d sent me so many great books this year to review I decided that it was time to step outside my comfort zone and give it a try.
I settled down with the Prologue and almost gave up right away -- the book kicks off with a girl scratching all the skin off of her skull because she believes that insects are crawling inside her head :shudder:
In chapter one we’re introduced to the main character -- Dermot Nolan -- an award-winning author who is now suffering from writer’s block. Coming home one day Nolan finds a down and out stuffing a dirty envelope into his mail box -- and envelope containing a novel filled with grisly murders -- which the author wants Nolan to publish.
Just as I was starting to become intrigued chapter two brought more gruesome murder, with spiders and scorpions…
At this point I admit I gave up -- and started reading Stephenie Meyer’s The Host!
Now if I had bought this book from the store, or borrowed it from the library -- I would have taken it back. But as I was sent it to review I felt obliged to do just that, and I can’t really review a book based on a prologue and two chapters, so I decided I had better get stuck back in.
At this point I need to confess to Mr Briant that I figured out that in the early chapters every other one saw someone meeting a grisly end at the hands of the Dream Healer -- so I started to skip them! I have nothing bad to say about the story or the writing -- those chapters were just too scary for me to read!
By chapter 13 Nolan’s wife was trying to get him to pass the down and out’s novel off as his own piece of work -- and I was hooked. [And back to reading every chapter ]
If you can get handle the terror chapters this book is fast paced and full of twists and turns. Briant keeps you guessing all the way through about the identity of the Dream Healer and the origins of the grisly novel. I figured out ‘who did it’ some way before the end -- but Briant still managed to throw in some twists that I didn’t see coming.
I have to say that if this is what Briant comes up with for his debut novel I can’t wait to read his second (although thinking about it, it might be more scary than this one!). I’d be willing to wager that it will be appearing on a movie screen near you in the not to distant future too.
If you’re willing to be kept awake at night then you definitely need to read Worst Nightmares by Shane Briant -- treat yourself to a copy today!
Dermot Nolan is an award-winning bestselling author who seems to have it all—a successful career, fame, fortune, and a beautiful wife. Between the royalties coming in from his most recent book and the revenue he has received from the film company that bought the rights, Dermot seems every bit the literary darling.
And yet, for the last year, he has suffered from a bout of writer’s block, and in the process has grossly overspent his income. So when Dermot comes across an unsolicited manuscript stuffed into his mailbox, he cannot help but feel intrigued. It tells the story of the homicidal “Dream Healer,” who snares his victims via his website, worstnightmares.net, seduces them into revealing their innermost fears, and then kills them by revisiting their very own nightmares upon them.
Dermot, with the help of his wife, begins to rework the novel, while simultaneously researching the individual dream stories. In his search, he very slowly begins to realize that the novel may not be entirely fictional, that these poor characters may have perished at the hands of a twisted torturer. Could the Dreamhealer be real? Could these innocent cyber-surfers have fallen victim to a raving maniac? Just how far is fact from fiction? And could Dermot be writing his own ticket to death...his very own worst nightmare?
ISBN13: 9781593155148
Condition: NEW
Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
Worst Nightmares opens with Dermot Nolan a novelist, suffering from writer's block. Just two short years ago he had written an award winning NY Times bestseller, there was even a movie deal in the works. But now working on his second book and with the deadline in sight he still has nothing to give his literary agent, Esther Bloom. Worse yet the million dollar advance for the promise of a new book has been spent.
Salvation is hand delivered one day in the form of a manuscript by a old man with a fringe of orange graying hair, cloaked in an old low-rider's coat which he stuffs into Dermot's mailbox. The manuscript reads more like a journal, a personal diary of a series of horrific murders. The reader soon discovers that this fictional serial killer goes by the name of The Dream Healer who has his own website, www.worstnightmares.net and promises his viewers relief if they tell him their nightmare.
Neela, Dermot's ever encouraging wife and Nick Hoyle their long time friend persuade him to use the old man's manuscript to help jump start his novel, a decision that when made leaves Dermot no way of turning back.
Worst Nightmares will leave you double checking your door locks for weeks to come; just the thing for those long hot summer nights when you can't sleep anyway. It's a heart pounding ride to the very end.
An Author to Watch!
Review Date: July 24, 2009
Reviewer: Jennifer Lawrence, DC Metro
Dermot Nolan is a New York Times bestselling author who is suffering from a bit of writers block. He's already spent the million dollar advance he received from his publisher His bestselling book is being made into a movie. All of this success should be inspiring, but his creative juices are tapped out.
Then one day, Nolan notices an old man depositing something into his mailbox. It's a manuscript detailing a series of horrific murders. Each murder is described in such vivid detail Nolan begins to wonder if they are real. The killer refers to himself as the The Dream Healer, and his Web site promises individuals relief from their nightmares. Unknowing victims log on to this site and reveal their nightmares, in real time, to The Dream Healer. Those suffering from nightmares due receive a release from their nightmares, but not the way they intended. The Dream Healer hunts them down and kill them by reinacting their nightmares.
Nolan's wife, Neela, and his long-time friend Nick encourage Nolan to use the manuscript as a basis for his new novel. Nolan begins to research this crimes and discovers evidence the crimes were real. He allows the book to be published and it's an instant bestseller. However, The Dream Healer hasn't stopped killing. When a number of crimes detailed in Nolan's novel take place, he becomes a person of interest. His life and the lives of those he loves are put in danger. What will it take to stop The Dream Healer?
I read Worst Nightmares while on vacation. It's not a short book, 352 pages, but I literally read it in one sitting. Briant's writing is chilling, his descriptions are so vivid and detailed that I literally had to stop and catch my breath. Not for the weak at heart, but a must for someone who craves excitement and a thrill. Be sure to lock your doors first though!
Shane Briant is definitely an author to watch. I hear a sequel is in the making and I can't wait to get my hands on a copy! And like Nolan's bestseller, I hope this one hits the movie screen!
From Judith at J. Kaye's Book Blog
Review Date: August 23, 2009
Reviewer: J. Kaye Oldner, http://j-kaye-book-blog.blogspot.com/
Award winning author, Dermot Nolan is under pressure. His half-million dollar advance is spent and he can't seem to produce results. An unsolicited manuscript ends up in his mailbox. It's written by Albert K. Arnold and appears to be a memoir of a serial killer. Nolan and his wife investigate the murders to see if these were based on real people. What he discovers is chilling.
When Arnold apparently jumps off a roof and dies, Nolan takes the man's work and publishes it as his own. Months later, when the book is a success and there is talk of a movie deal, Nolan gets a phone call. Seems like Albert Arnold wasn't the jumper on that roof and Nolan's worst nightmare begins to take form.
The ending of the book was left to the reader's imagination. Normally, I'd throw a fit when this happens. With this story, it worked. When I finished the last page, I was done. I felt I knew what happened next and I didn't want anyone to tell me different.
Hard to believe this phenomenal thriller is a debut. I can't wait to see what Shane Briant will come up with next!
Hi - I'm Clare, welcome to my little corner of the Internet. I'm a bit of a bookaholic - I love books so much that new ones appear on my shelf faster than I can read them LOL. Blue Archipelago is full of reviews of all the books I've read since January 2008, as well as other bookish thoughts. Feel free to have a mooch around; maybe you'll discover some new books or authors that you've never come across before. If you've read the same books as me be sure to leave a comment and let me know what you thought. I'm always on the lookout for new titles and authors so if you come across a fabulous book be sure to leave me a recommendation! If you're an author or a publisher and you'd like me to review a book for you then click on the *Send me a book* link up there and leave me a message :)
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Heart Pounding Ride To The Very End![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=d71c18ee-98e2-4287-be1c-03c807a2c360)
Hi - I'm Clare, welcome to my little corner of the Internet. I'm a bit of a bookaholic - I love books so much that new ones appear on my shelf faster than I can read them LOL. Blue Archipelago is full of reviews of all the books I've read since January 2008, as well as other bookish thoughts. Feel free to have a mooch around; maybe you'll discover some new books or authors that you've never come across before. If you've read the same books as me be sure to leave a comment and let me know what you thought. I'm always on the lookout for new titles and authors so if you come across a fabulous book be sure to leave me a recommendation! If you're an author or a publisher and you'd like me to review a book for you then click on the *Send me a book* link up there and leave me a message :)
