🩸 Horror Fiction

October

✍️ Gregory Bastianelli
Reader Score
4.5
(1 review)
$26.95
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📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A 1970s coming-of-age thriller featuring a magician and missing children.

Bastianelli weaves a tale of suburban mystery where the arrival of a performer disrupts the quiet life of a New England town. The plot hinges on the tension between the boys' growing awareness and the writer's long-standing terror. This dynamic creates a sense of impending doom that permeates the community. The story examines how fear isolates individuals and how youth struggle to make sense of adult secrets. It offers a look at the specific anxieties of the era through the lens of supernatural fiction.

Key Themes
missing children reclusive writer Halloween magic
Literary Context

The novel is published by Flame Tree Press, an imprint of Flame Tree Publishing. The publisher focuses on original fiction in horror, suspense, science fiction, fantasy, and crime categories. This release highlights new authors alongside established voices within these specific genres.

Difficulty
●● Medium
Recommended For Fans Of
Ray Bradbury · Christopher Golden · Something Wicked This Way Comes · All Hallows
🩸
Horror Fiction
🏛 Flame Tree Press 📅 2024 🌐 English 📔 Hardcover ISBN: 9781787589247

📝 Description: October

Gregory Bastianelli presents October, a narrative set in Maplewood, New Hampshire, during the autumn of 1970. The story follows four boys approaching their teenage years as they witness strange occurrences linked to an old magician who has arrived in town. This figure resides in a boarding house where one tenant is a reclusive pulp horror writer. That writer has not left his home in over forty years due to fears connected to the magician's previous visit. As children vanish from the community, the young protagonists attempt to connect unrelated events and recognize dark forces at work. They find themselves isolated because no adult believes their accounts. The book appeals to readers who enjoy coming-of-age thrillers with supernatural elements. It draws comparisons to works by Bradbury and Christopher Golden, specifically Something Wicked This Way Comes and All Hallows. The narrative focuses on the intersection of childhood innocence and hidden evil during the Halloween season. It does not suit those seeking fast-paced action without atmospheric dread or readers who prefer contemporary settings over period pieces rooted in the early seventies.

💎 Our verdict on October

“
🩸
Horror Reads editorial team
Horror desk
Bastianelli successfully weaves a tale of suburban mystery where the arrival of a performer disrupts the quiet life of a New England town. The narrative effectively uses the tension between young protagonists and long-standing terror to create impending doom. It examines how fear isolates individuals, offering a poignant look at specific era anxieties through supernatural fiction. The book suits readers who enjoy coming-of-age thrillers with supernatural elements. However, it may not satisfy those seeking fast-paced action or contemporary settings. The focus on the intersection of childhood innocence and hidden evil during Halloween is handled with care, making it a strong choice for fans of atmospheric horror.
✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers who appreciate atmospheric dread over rapid action will find this narrative deeply rewarding. It appeals to those interested in the psychological weight of childhood innocence confronting hidden adult evils. The book offers a compelling look at how fear isolates individuals within a community, making it ideal for fans of slow-burn mysteries. Those who enjoy period pieces rooted in the early seventies will appreciate the authentic setting. It is particularly suitable for readers who like to analyze how youth struggle to interpret complex adult secrets. The intersection of magical realism and suburban horror provides a unique reading experience for those seeking emotional resonance rather than simple thrills.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

Reader rating

4.5
Based on 1 reviews
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Horror Reads editorial team

Bastianelli successfully weaves a tale of suburban mystery where the arrival of a performer disrupts the quiet life of a New England town. The narrative effectively uses the tension between young protagonists and long-standing terror to create impending doom. It examines how fear isolates individuals, offering a poignant look at specific era anxieties through supernatural fiction. The book suits readers who enjoy coming-of-age thrillers with supernatural elements. However, it may not satisfy those seeking fast-paced action or contemporary settings. The focus on the intersection of childhood innocence and hidden evil during Halloween is handled with care, making it a strong choice for fans of atmospheric horror.

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