🌙 Paranormal

Sabbath's Gift: Book One in the Sabbath Trilogy

✍️ Marilyn Celeste Morris
Reader Score
4.5
(1 review)
$8.99
In stock — ready to ship Ships in 1–2 business days
📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A writer and her son face supernatural threats in a haunted Texas farmhouse.

Morris constructs a narrative where past violence bleeds into the present through spectral forces. The plot hinges on the consequences of ignoring local warnings about the Spencer family's disappearance. By introducing the black cat linked to Sabbath, the author connects personal trauma with ancient magical traditions. The story does not rely on jump scares but rather on the creeping dread of violated boundaries and poisoned pets. Joanna’s professional life as a writer contrasts sharply with her powerlessness against the house's malevolent occupants. The narrative structure focuses on the deterioration of safety within what should be a sanctuary.

Key Themes
witchcraft legacy domestic violence escape haunted farmhouse
Literary Context

The story is set in the Texas Hill Country, contrasting the urban environment of New York with rural isolation. It draws on American folklore regarding witches and local legends surrounding missing persons in remote areas.

Difficulty
● Easy
Recommended For Fans Of
Shirley Jackson · Stephen King · Daphne du Maurier
🌙
Paranormal
🏛 Createspace Independent Publishing Platform 📅 2013 📖 174 pages 🌐 English 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9781493723072

📝 Description: Sabbath's Gift: Book One in the Sabbath Trilogy

Marilyn Celeste Morris writes a supernatural thriller centered on Joanna Elliott, a New York author who escapes her abusive husband by relocating to the Texas Hill Country with her six-year-old son, Jason. The narrative follows their move into a remote farmhouse previously occupied by Wanda and Ralph Spencer, who vanished mysteriously a decade prior. Real estate agent Tommy Joe Greenleaf warns Joanna about this history, but she proceeds anyway, establishing her workspace in the sunroom. The story introduces elements of folk horror through local veterinarian Sam Kelly, who reveals that a black cat adopted from his clinic belonged to a witch named Sabbath. As Joanna settles in, unexplained phenomena escalate. She finds herself locked inside a storage shed overnight and notices footprints appearing beneath the sunroom windows. The tension rises when Jason’s dog, Mournful, is discovered poisoned. Morris grounds these events in the specific geography of Texas while drawing on traditions of witchcraft and domestic horror. This book suits readers interested in atmospheric tales of isolation and supernatural retribution. It may not appeal to those seeking fast-paced action or clear resolutions to its eerie mysteries.

💎 Our verdict on Sabbath's Gift: Book One in the Sabbath Trilogy

“
🩸
Horror Reads editorial team
Horror desk
Morris successfully cultivates a sense of encroaching dread by contrasting Joanna’s literary life with her helplessness against ancient forces. The integration of local veterinary details and folk magic grounds the supernatural elements in tangible reality, enhancing the horror. The book excels in portraying the erosion of safety within a home, using specific imagery like poisoned pets and unexplained footprints to build tension. It is best suited for readers who enjoy psychological horror and atmospheric storytelling over fast-paced plots or definitive resolutions, offering a chilling exploration of isolation and retribution.
✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers who appreciate atmospheric dread over visceral gore will find this title compelling. It offers a study in psychological deterioration as the protagonist’s professional identity clashes with supernatural powerlessness. The narrative appeals to those interested in how isolation amplifies fear, particularly within the context of Texas Hill Country folklore. Fans of slow-burn horror that focuses on violated domestic sanctuaries and the lingering effects of past tragedies will gain satisfaction from its creeping tension and focus on spectral consequences rather than action.

⭐ 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

Morris successfully cultivates a sense of encroaching dread by contrasting Joanna’s literary life with her helplessness against ancient forces. The integration of local veterinary details and folk magic grounds the supernatural elements in tangible reality, enhancing the horror. The book excels in portraying the erosion of safety within a home, using specific imagery like poisoned pets and unexplained footprints to build tension. It is best suited for readers who enjoy psychological horror and atmospheric storytelling over fast-paced plots or definitive resolutions, offering a chilling exploration of isolation and retribution.

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