“Shea layers on the ever mounting sense of dread with a master craftsman’s skill, with some excellent tension building scenes…” – Ginger Nuts of Horror 1st time with full trade distribution in all formats. Previously titled Hell Hole. Deep in a Wyoming mine, hell awaits. Nat Blackburn is given an offer he can’t refuse by President Teddy Roosevelt. Tales of gold in the abandoned mining town of … President Teddy Roosevelt. Tales of gold in the abandoned mining town of Hecla abound. The only problem – those who go seeking their fortune never return. Along with his constant companion, Teta, a hired gun with a thirst for adventure, Nat travels to a barren land where even animals dare not tread. Black-eyed children, strange lights and ferocious wild men venture from the deep, dark ghost mine…as well as a sinister force hungry for fresh souls.
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GHOST MINE, by Hunter Shea, is a Western Horror novel that incorporates historical fiction, along with legends and folklore. A Western can be hit or miss for me, but Shea did his research and the end result was an atmosphere that “felt” accurate for the timeline. Incorporating Roosevelt and the “Rough Riders” gave an even better base for the strong characters created here. At the start, Nat Blackburn and best friend, “Teta”, are working as police in Washington–a boring, monotonous existence compared to what they had been accustomed to.
“. . . Washington was my idea of hell on earth.”
When the President–a friend of theirs–summons them to check out a mining town called Hecla, in Wyoming, they are only too happy to get out. An entire town–and a troop of soldiers sent previously–were never seen again.
“. . . we both know it’s easy to make yourself disappear out here.”
The closeness and banter between our two main characters–along with some that come up later–is what carries the story on so well. Despite the inconceivable . . . things . . . in Hecla, these personalities stay constant, giving us that “reality” to fall back on.
Then there is Hecla, itself.
“. . . This was where nightmares were stored, a place where secrets remained for eternity . . . ”
The atmosphere is more than just a neglected ghost town. The descriptions here of premature rot, unknown fungi, black-eyed children, and “beings” that couldn’t possibly be, are so elaborate that I found myself able to picture them quite clearly, mentally. This is just the town–the mines themselves are far worse!
“. . . God has nothing to do with this place and I don’t think he much cares about anyone fool enough to end up here.”
The only thing I didn’t care for here was that near the end, there were simply too many different types of abominations brought in. Personally, I feel that one or two would be easier to focus on, and still keep the actions of the characters in play. As it was, so much was being thrown at them at once that I felt we “lost” their roles in the mayhem for a while.
“. . . Every man had to die, but the way you lived your life should determine how you died.”
Overall, I loved the characters, exploration of the town, and some of the revelations at the mine. As previously mentioned, I did think there was too much going on–pulling the reader in too many directions at once–for a while at the end. However, my general feeling was one of anticipation and excitement throughout.
“. . . Sometimes the move that seems the least logical is the one that gets you to the other side.”
If the obstructions at the end had been more focused on one or two specifics, I believe that it would have made for a more “natural” feeling denouement. Aside from that, this story had everything I could ask for in terms of what makes a great, fast paced novel. The historical fiction worked in really made for a “realistic” setting, and characters that fit their roles.
Recommended.
280 pages
5 stars
Nine-year old Billy, whose father is a coal miner in old-time Hecla, Wyoming, is playing and finds a cave. Then he disappears…
It is early in the 20th Century. Teddy Roosevelt is the president. He asks Nat Blackburn to travel to Hecla, Wyoming. Roosevelt and Nat have a close bond for they fought together as Rough Riders in the war with the Spanish in Cuba. Roosevelt’s current problem is that several months earlier, the President sent a troop of soldiers to Hecla to look for gold that was reported to be there. He never heard from them again.
Nat heads out with his friend and co-Rough Rider Teta Delacruz. The journey from New York to Wyoming by train is long.
What they see when they finally arrive is a falling down ghost town. Almost immediately, strange things begin to occur. Footsteps with no prints. Mine cave-ins. The feeling that they are being watched.
When a rider is sighted, it turns out to be the daughter of the old timer from whom they borrowed their horses and tack. Her name is Selma Smartwood, and Nat’s attraction to her is instant.
Finally having enough of the strange occurrences, they attempt to leave Hecla. They are not allowed. They all see people who are not there. Or, are they?
When two men show up in a car, Nat and the others wonder how they got through. They are very suspicious of the newcomers. And then things begin to go very wrong. Very wrong, indeed…
Terror reigns…
Hunter Shea is a great author. His stories are scary, but scary fun as well. The action is fast and non-stop. No waiting around for something to happen. This book has it all: eerie sounds, beings that leave no footsteps, ghastly spirits, good spirits and – wait for it – the devil himself! I really liked the ending, too. Nat has stones, I’ll tell you that.
Disappointing, long build up to jumbled ending about the devil and Bigfoot. Characters and tie in with Roosevelt were interesting but the ending was a little hard to understand.