Paisley Mott struggles with anxiety. Her particular blend of anxiety causes her to go into a hyper-focused state, which can lead to more anxiety. After the tragic death of her mother, she began to see her anxiety-induced hyper-focus as a strength. Now, she’s a paranormal investigator with an up and coming web series that is propelling her into becoming an expert in her field.Hollis Grimm is a … Grimm is a charismatic preacher from the small Appalachian mining town of Grey Water Ridge. When he contacts Paisley to help shine some light on the mysterious mutilation of seven women in the woods outside of town, she is on the first flight out. It wasn’t the murders that drew her to the South or the charming preacher, but the claim that the locals believe God has sent a creature to punish the town for its sins. And that this isn’t the first time.
The preacher, an outsider turned sheriff, an heiress and internet celebrity, a man obsessed with the past, an old-timer with an ax to grind, an obsessed fan, and a growing number of bodies stand between Paisley and the truth. After digging into the dark secrets of the town’s history she must decide what is more dangerous, the monster in the woods, or the people who believe in him. If she isn’t careful, she will not be leaving Grey Water Ridge with the story, let alone her life.
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“It takes eight pounds of pressure to rip off a human ear. Considerably more force is needed for an arm or a leg. Surprisingly little effort, however, is needed to pull the guts out of someone and hang them from a tree.”
Paisley Mott is a 22 year old paranormal investigator, a vlogger, a social media influencer and she is hoping for success. She is invited to the old isolated mining town of ‘Grey Water Ridge’ deep in the Appalachian Mountains, to help investigate into the grizzly murders of many women. The belief there
is that it is a Sasquatch committing these atrocities. The people of the town are not friendly and they hate outsiders. But Paisley does not let anything or anyone get in her way of solving the mystery. Even though Paisley deals with her own anxieties, when it comes to getting to the bottom of what is truly happening, she is fearless and her strong will leads her to the truth.
This was absolutely fantastic! The story is filled with mystery and secrets. The feeling of dread and foreboding is unsettling in the old mining town. We are introduced to so many characters, and each one has their own special place in the heart of the town. We are given a look into the lives of these people, how the town was developed, and how they believe in their deep seated religious beliefs. They are the embodiment of the story as they enfold us into their suspicious ways. I loved the inclusion of the history of the town, an important part of the story, as it gives us an understanding of the past, the people and the town. The tension builds and builds as we are taken on this journey of suspense, mystery, crime and what is truly happening.
So many great characters, but the ones that I enjoyed the most were Paisley, Boyd, and even though we don’t see Mr. Delano Bruss too often, I found the phlegm spitting, dirt grimed, old fart to be an endearing character.
I loved the references to authors such as Stephen King, Dean Koontz, and R. L. Stein. It gives it that personal touch from the author.
Exciting, thrilling and extremely suspenseful, I absolutely loved this!! I am so looking forward to book two!!
I discovered this novel from channel hopping on Instagram. Thank you to the indie horror/thriller community for recommending this.
Paisley Mott, a social media influencer and paranormal vlogger has been invited by charming pastor, Hollis Grimm to investigate a series of killings in the small town of Grey Water Ridge. The suspect? A rumoured shadow in the form of the Sasquatch.
Paisley is a brilliant leading female character. She’s driven, intelligent and has a great sense of humour. Then on the other side, the novel follows Courtney Teere, a repulsive hateful man who lives a parasitical existence on the internet stalking Hyacinth Bloom, a rich resident of Grey Water Ridge. After being embarrassed and laughed at by Paisley and Hyacinth during a live stream, Courtney makes plans to teach them a lesson. By any means necessary.
There are some sexy moments in this novel and… there are some moments which may shock you. Ellis created a fantastic cross genre story, a wonderful blend of horror, thriller & crime fiction. The novel is rich in detail (it doesn’t spiral off the plot) and historical poignancy. Ellis tailors his narrative to fit the personality of the character. When I was reading the novel, it reminded me of the Netflix movie, The Devil all the Time. It possessed similar qualities, tension and nerve biting suspense, overlapping mind twisting scenes spelling out that a small cushy village can be a cover for something malicious.
4 stars! well done on your debut Mr Ellis! You’ve got a fan in me – can’t wait to read the next Paisley Mott installment.
The story was great and kept me turning the pages to find out what came next. I love that all the female characters were strong and amazing, especially the MC Paisley Mott. If you like thrillers, mystery, and folklore, you’ll love this book!