A Soul To Steal

Title: A Soul To Steal
Author: Rob Blackwell
Published: August 29th 2011
Synopsis from Amazon

You Are What You Fear

Something is stalking the citizens of Loudoun County, Va.

Is it the return of the notorious serial killer known as Lord Halloween? Or is it something worse—a figure that can cloak itself as your worst nightmare?

Kate and Quinn, two community journalists, rush to uncover the truth before a promised bloodbath on Halloween night.

The debut novel from award-winning journalist Rob Blackwell, A Soul to Steal balances mystery, suspense, romance, action and the paranormal, building to a gripping and unforgettable conclusion. For readers who enjoy Stephen King, Neil Gaiman, Stephanie Meyer and Jim Butcher, A Soul to Steal is the perfect autumn novel.

ZOIKS!!

Scooby-Doo!! Where are you?!!

No, really... Fire up the Mystery Machine, Gang. There's a villain on the loose and his name is Lord Halloween.

Lord Halloween?

Jinkeys!!

That sounds uber spooky.....

Yeah... for a kid.

And this is why I think this book should have been a kid's book.

The Break-down
Quinn is a mild mannered news reporter (that is not Superman) who works for 'Loundon Chronicle' in Virginia. A weekly paper that is getting stomped on by the Washington Post. One that covers local stuff like "Biggest Pumpkin" and you know... Too much Dog Poo in the park. Stuff like that.

He's been having dreams of people dying and horse clippity clops but he can't figure out why. Must just be nightmares.

One day he's in a STARBUCKS to get some mocha Joe stuff and he spots this hot chick. Her name is Kate and she is like "angel music" to his eyes. Ahhhhh!! (not the screamy kind... the baby fat angel kind.)

Kate just moved to town from Ohio. I don't blame her. Who would want to stay in Ohio? Remember that car commercial where this couple has a globe and they spin it to see where to drive to and it lands on Ohio and they say "Quick! Spin it again!". HAHAS! That's probably what she was thinking... or was she? Cryptic *muhahaha!

So, Quinn gives Kate some goo goo eyes which totally freaks her out so she makes like a tree and leaves but they meet up again because da da da DAAAA!! she's the new reporter at the 'LOUNDON CHRONICLE".

Oh yeah... Kate has weird dreams too... Aren't they just made for each other?

Now, Loundon is a sleep town... or at least it has been. Twelve years ago the town was really shook up by a bunch of MURDERS. Gruesome, awesome, icky, stick MURDERS!! All done by this dude who dubs himself, LORD HALLOWEEN.

And guess what?

The murders are back in town!!

Is it Lord Halloween? Or just a copy cat?

Quinn and Kate find them selves sucked into the story and just like Daffnie and Fred, they are on the case.

Greta's Thoughts
Now kids... Really... This was kinda a cornball story if you ask me. It's a good plot but I'm not sure it was ADULT enough. Sure, there were Cuss words and some R rated stuff but ahhs.... Really? This would have been so much cooler if it was done for kids.

Think about it.... Quinn could work at the school paper and Kate is the new kid and town and signs up for it. Then maybe Quinn's dad is a reporter for the big paper and they start getting involved in the story that Dad is working on.

I think it would have worked so much better if that approach was taken. I mean... kids LOVE cornball!! This could have been a most awesome GOOSEBUMPS story but instead the author made it a little too blah with F-bombs and I love yous. Oh yeah... and a dude named LORD HALLOWEEN.

Sure, it's cool... but it would have been cooler for 11 year olds.

So, I give it a B for effort but I would have given it an A+ if a different approach was taken.