Wrathbone - The collection begins with a bang (pun intended) with the effect the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln has on guests who were sitting with the President when the unthinkable happened. The atmosphere and sense of growing horror in this first novella is reminiscent of Edgar Allan Poe and M.R. James and is easily my favorite of all the stories.
The Only Good Lawyer - A stereotypical nasty lawyer with no morals meets his match with a voodoo doll. This one was a fun and creepy read because the lawyer was not someone I could empathize with as he is so despicable that I found myself actually rooting for the voodoo doll which was a first for me.
Dorian's Mirror - A very vain man (think Narcissus) is completely in love with himself and is convinced everyone else is but mirrors seem to tell him otherwise. I enjoyed this story very much. The arrogance and conceit of the main character made his fall all the more horrific.
For the Birds - Some people's best friends are their dogs or cats but Nev's best friend is his parrot who has an appetite for raw meat. The bloodier the better. When burglars enter his home, Nev finds out that sometimes friends are not really friends at all. I really had chills reading this short story because I did have pet birds at one time and I couldn't help but think what if?
Revenge is a Dish - Maurice has the perfect job as a chef on a rich couple's yacht. Even better, the wife has the hots for Maurice. When Maurice is found out and set adrift, his dreams of revenge become reality when they all meet up again on a not so deserted island. Even better, Maurice is able to learn some new recipes to the horror of the other survivors.
I think what impressed me the most was the style of writing. Wrathbone and other stories are so very different from "Seeing Evil" that it is like they were written by a different person. Jason Parent was able to pull off a very different style of writing that changed from suspense to gothic and sheer horror. This is definitely one that is a must read for fans of horror fiction.
Five out of Five Stars!
Follow along the tour with these hashtags:
#Wrathbone #historicalhorror #suspensehorror #terrifyingtales
Wrathbone and Other Stories, Synopsis
Print Length: 160 pages
Publisher: Comet Press
Publication Date: October 3, 2016
Terror follows those who let it into their hearts.
Wrathbone
Guests of President Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd Lincoln, Major Henry Rathbone and Clara Harris attend a showing of Our American Cousin at Ford's Theatre on April 14, 1865. On that fateful night, a great man falls, but he is not alone. For Henry and Clara, the night is only the beginning of lives wrought with jealousy, madness, and horror.
The Only Good Lawyer
Bradley is a savvy defense attorney with no scruples. Under his representation, many a guilty man has gone free. But when a voodoo priest takes the stand, Bradley soon discovers that he, too, is on trial, and the punishment for guilt may be more than he could bear.
Dorian's Mirror
Dorian loves himself, and why wouldn't he? Every guy wants to be him, and every girl wants to be with him. He would trade all he has to make his looks last forever, but bargaining with the devil may leave him short a soul.
For the Birds
Nev's best friend is his parrot. In fact, it's his only friend… and his only ally when his home is invaded.
Revenge is a Dish
Maurice has landed a dream job, chef for a rich couple on their yacht. The wife has carnal desires for him. Maurice has some carnal desires of his own.
Jason Parent, Biography
In his head, Jason Parent lives in many places, but in the real world, he calls New England his home. The region offers an abundance of settings for his writing and many wonderful places in which to write them. He currently resides in Southeastern Massachusetts with his cuddly corgi named Calypso.
In a prior life, Jason spent most of his time in front of a judge . . . as a civil litigator. When he finally tired of Latin phrases no one knew how to pronounce and explaining to people that real lawsuits are not started, tried and finalized within the 60-minute timeframe they see on TV (it's harassing the witness; no one throws vicious woodland creatures at them), he traded in his cheap suits for flip flops and designer stubble. The flops got repossessed the next day, and he's back in the legal field . . . sorta. But that's another story.
When he's not working, Jason likes to kayak, catch a movie, travel any place that will let him enter, and play just about any sport (except that ball tied to the pole thing where you basically just whack the ball until it twists in a knot or takes somebody's head off - he misses the appeal). And read and write, of course. He does that too sometimes.
Please visit the author on Facebook, on Twitter, or at his website for information regarding upcoming events or releases, or if you have any questions or comments for him.
Praise for Wrathbone and Other Stories
“From the eerie opening tale to the grisly closer, and all of the wonderfully mean-spirited tales in-between, Wrathbone is a winner!” — Jeff Strand, author of Dead Clown Barbecue
“Wrathbone and Other Stories is a hard-hitting collection that you can completely immerse yourself in. The title story is a beautifully written period tale of love and tragedy. I finished and realized that I was breathing shallowly because I was genuinely affected that much. A tale that leaves you breathless? Yes, please!” - Mercedes M. Yardley, author of the Bram Stoker Award winner Little Dead Red.
"An elegantly written novella of madness, murder, and demons, Jason Parent's Wrathbone reads like Edgar Allan Poe's take on 'Jacob's Ladder.'" --Adam Howe, author of Tijuana Donkey Showdown, Die Dog or Eat the Hatchet, and Black Cat Mojo
“Jason Parent is a master of controlling how you perceive the characters and the events in these stories, making sure you read it exactly how he wants you to read it. It’s like mind control. Powerful stuff!” – Nev Murray, Confessions of A Reviewer
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Want to Feature?
If you’d like to feature or interview Jason Parent on your site, or review Wrathbone and Other Stories, please contact Erin Al-Mehairi, Publicist, at hookofabook@hotmail.com
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