The House Beyond the Hill

Name: The House Beyond the Hill
Price: 16.99 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9781434400666

✍️ Michael R Collings

Reader Score

4.5

(1 review)

$16.99

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📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A novel about an evil entity that feeds on fear in suburban California.

The narrative centers on Richard Mann as he confronts the supernatural threat unleashed by his brother Donny. The story explores the exponential growth of power within a malevolent force trapped in a vehicle trunk. Collings structures the plot around the gradual realization of danger by ordinary people in Tamarind Valley. The work examines the psychological impact of witnessing unexplainable violence and the subsequent spread of terror through a community. It reflects on how fear acts as sustenance for dark entities, creating a cycle that threatens to consume everyone involved.

Key Themes

feeding on fear suburban horror supernatural evil

Literary Context

Published by Wildside Press in 2024, this work continues the legacy of Michael R Collings, who previously edited for Borgo Press. It fits within the tradition of American gothic fiction and supernatural thriller narratives that explore isolated incidents escalating into community-wide crises.

Difficulty

●● Medium

Recommended For Fans Of

Stephen King · Peter Straub · Richard Matheson

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Horror Fiction

🏛 Wildside Press 📅 2024 📖 264 pages 🌐 English 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9781434400666

📝 Description: The House Beyond the Hill

Michael R Collings, a prolific writer and editor with over forty published works in horror and literary criticism, presents The House Beyond the Hill. This novel follows Donny Mann, a loner who drives Southern California freeways armed with a stolen .38 pistol. He targets an old black Cadillac, leaving three witnesses who see no one exit the wreck. Police discover only blood and a horror locked inside the trunk. The entity feeds on fear, growing stronger with each victim in Tamarind Valley. Donny’s brother Richard realizes he stands at the center of this expanding circle of evil. The narrative examines how ordinary citizens fall prey to a supernatural force that thrives on dread. Collings draws on gothic traditions of isolated evil and suburban horror tropes common in late twentieth century fiction. This book suits readers who enjoy psychological terror and tales of escalating dread. It may not appeal to those seeking lighthearted genre fiction or complex historical analysis. The story relies on atmosphere and the mechanics of fear rather than intricate plot twists. Collings uses his experience in literary criticism to craft a tight, focused narrative about the nature of evil. The text remains grounded in the immediate actions of the characters and the consequences of their encounters with the unknown.

💎 Our verdict on The House Beyond the Hill

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Horror Reads editorial team

Horror desk

Collings crafts a tight narrative exploring how fear sustains dark entities in suburban California. The story follows Richard Mann as he confronts a supernatural threat unleashed by his brother Donny, whose actions unleash a malevolent force trapped in a vehicle trunk. The novel effectively uses gothic traditions to examine the psychological impact of witnessing unexplainable violence. It suits readers seeking atmospheric terror over intricate plotting. The focus remains on the immediate actions of characters and their encounters with evil. This approach creates a compelling cycle of dread that threatens to consume the community of Tamarind Valley, delivering a classic horror experience grounded in character consequence.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

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Why this book is worth reading

Readers who appreciate psychological terror and tales of escalating dread will find this book rewarding. It offers a focused narrative on the mechanics of fear rather than complex plot twists, making it ideal for those who enjoy atmospheric storytelling. The work examines how ordinary citizens fall prey to supernatural forces that thrive on dread. Fans of gothic traditions applied to suburban settings will appreciate the exploration of unexplainable violence and its community impact. It provides a tight, grounded experience centered on the consequences of encountering the unknown.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

Reader rating

4.5

Based on 1 reviews

Horror Reads editorial team

Collings crafts a tight narrative exploring how fear sustains dark entities in suburban California. The story follows Richard Mann as he confronts a supernatural threat unleashed by his brother Donny, whose actions unleash a malevolent force trapped in a vehicle trunk. The novel effectively uses gothic traditions to examine the psychological impact of witnessing unexplainable violence. It suits readers seeking atmospheric terror over intricate plotting. The focus remains on the immediate actions of characters and their encounters with evil. This approach creates a compelling cycle of dread that threatens to consume the community of Tamarind Valley, delivering a classic horror experience grounded in character consequence.