Title: The Dark Thing

Author: John Ashley

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Thing-John-Ashley-ebook/dp/B0DFQK2FXG/

Summary

A mind-bending horror novel that blurs the lines between the psychological and the supernatural.

The son of a schizophrenic, Jared Gordon has lived his entire life with a genetic time bomb coded into his DNA. So when the night terrors and hallucinations arrive in force, it seems undeniable that the same disease responsible for his father’s suicide is to blame.

But a bizarre reunion with his estranged brother and a journal from their father resurface chilling childhood memories that cast his current experiences in a sinister new light. To have any hope of salvation, Jared must find proof whether the nightmare he’s living is a descent into madness or an assault from a supernatural force more ancient and evil than Hell itself. Yet at every turn, the answer only grows more impossible to believe, upending his view of himself, his past, and the very nature of reality.

Worst of all is the growing suspicion that his youngest daughter Elena – an eccentric little girl prone to strange and sometimes unsettling behaviors – may be responsible for setting into motion a cataclysm that began decades before she was born.

My Review

4/5 Stars

Jared fears following in the footsteps of his father’s schizophrenia. So much so that he’s done what he can to divide himself from his family. When his brother delivers their father’s journal to his doorstep, Jared finds his mind going to dark things. The problem is, he doesn’t know if they’re real or if it’s all in his head.

Stories with a questionable/unreliable MC are one of my favorite types of books. The Dark Thing did not disappoint. With a family history of mental health problems, it’s hard to tell exactly which of Jared’s experiences are real.

This was a well-written and intense debut novel. I listened to the audiobook version and the narrator did a fantastic job as well.