324 Abercorn: Mark Allan Gunnells
Reviewed By Miranda Crites
I started reading Mark’s work in early 2018, and he’s been one of my favorite authors since then, so when 324 Abercorn came up for grabs on Team Kendall Reviews, I reached out my little, sticky, grabby hand and snatched it. Remember those little, sticky, stretchy, grabby hands? I used to get them out of the quarter machines at the grocery store when I was a kid. When I talk about snatching up, grabbing, or snagging a book, I always envision one of those sticky hands traveling through cyberspace and slapping onto the book before bouncing back to me. That’s how ebooks are delivered, yes, through virtual slappy hands.
In 324 Abercorn, Brad has finally been able to purchase and renovate his dream house—the house he dreamed of owning for a decade! He’s a best-selling author, and has just moved to Savannah, where he is quick to make new friends and gets a new boyfriend, Bias. His friendships and relationship with Bias grow. Life in Savannah seems to be nearly perfect except that his house is renowned for being haunted. Why should Brad care if the locals want to think that? He doesn’t believe in ghosts…but there seems to be something wrong. Of course, there is an explanation for the weird occurrences, right? When Brad begins seeing things that he can’t understand or explain, he becomes extremely stressed, so he and Bias decide to take off for the weekend, leaving Bias’s friend Harold in charge of the house.
A slow burn. We spend a lot of time learning about and getting to know the characters, watching their friendships grow, and watching Savannah come to life. I can nearly feel the humidity as well as the affection these characters have for one another. As Bias and Brad’s relationship blossoms, we are also introduced to Bias’s friend and roommate, Harold. Harold is one of the funniest characters I’ve gotten to meet in a long time. He adds comedic flair into the hauntings of Savannah and lightens the story with his flamboyant stage persona, Titty Titty Gang Bang. Harold and Titty have large personalities that really made the story come to life for me without making it silly or over the top. Obviously, Harold and Titty were my two favorite characters.
The ending really slipped up on me. Yeah, I didn’t see that coming at all. I think I even spoke aloud when I finished. “Well…wow.”
Like I mentioned, this is a slow burn. I wouldn’t have minded a little more “blood and guts” along the way, but that’s just me and my jaded, greedy heart always wanting more, more!
I will be purchasing a paperback copy of this as a gift for a couple of my family members. I know they’ll enjoy this one, too.
The Kendall Reviews Post Review Interview
Miranda Crites & Mark Allan Gunnells
MC: Do you believe in ghosts/haunted places?
MAG: In real life, I’m more a Scully, but an open-minded one. If I had a compelling personal experience, I would believe. I simply haven’t. I do love hearing about compelling stories from others who’ve had experiences, and I love exploring these things in fiction.
MC: Who is your favorite character you’ve ever written?
MAG: Oh man, it’s that pick a favorite child question. haha I will say that for this particular novel, 324 Abercorn, while I loved all the characters, Harold was my favorite to write. He was hilarious and fun, and every scene with him was a blast.
MC: Do you have a specific writing schedule?
MAG: Yes. I don’t go in to work until 10 a.m., so I write in the mornings before work. On the weekends, I still get in writing time in the mornings to keep the creative juices flowing.
MC: When writing, do you have any “rituals” such as lighting candles or grabbing a coffee before you begin?
MAG: Not really. I do have my own office, my own desk, and having a dedicated space does help. I did recently buy an old-time radio and will play an oldie’s station softly while I write. Playing modern music on such an old radio seems wrong somehow.
MC: If you suddenly inherited a million dollars, what are the first two things you would do?
MAG: Pay off our mortgage and donate a huge chunk to a local food bank and the local Literacy Association.
324 Abercorn
Brad Storm doesn’t believe in ghosts, but moving into the house at 324 Abercorn just may change his mind.
Best-selling author Bradley Storm finally has enough money to buy and restore his dream home. Despite 324 Abercorn’s reputation as one of the most haunted houses in America, Bradley isn’t worried. He doesn’t believe in the supernatural. Then strange things begin to happen. Objects no longer where he left them. Phantom noises heard from empty rooms. Shadows glimpsed from the corner of his eye.
Is his house truly haunted, or is there something more sinister happening on the property?
With the help of Bradley’s new boyfriend and a few friends who are just as intrigued with the seemingly inexplicable occurrences surrounding the infamous house, they set out to find the truth of what stalks the halls at 324 Abercorn.
You can buy 324 Abercorn from Amazon UK & Amazon US
Mark Allan Gunnells
Mark Allan Gunnells loves to tell stories. He has since he was a kid, penning one-page tales that were Twilight Zone knockoffs. He likes to think he has gotten a little better since then. He loves reader feedback, and above all, he loves telling stories. He lives in Greer, SC, with his husband Craig A. Metcalf.
You can follow Mark on Twitter @MarkAGunnells
Miranda Crites
Miranda Crites is a reader, writer, book reviewer, photographer, and lover of horror from the ghostly woods of rural West Virginia.
The writing bug bit Miranda at a very early age. She was pretty much born with a pen and a camera in her hands. She won the young writers’ contest in first grade and received her first camera as a gift when she was nine years old.
When not writing, Miranda enjoys spending time with her family. She and her family spend a lot of time off the grid where they are building a cabin in the supposedly haunted woods.
Miranda is self-employed. She and her husband create large and small vinyl decals, t-shirts, signs, and a plethora of creative customized items.
Some of her many hobbies when time allows are: making unique crafts and artwork, painting, hiking, and, of course, photography.
She has a diploma for Writing for Children and Teenagers although most of her current work is horror fiction and poetry.
Miranda is a member of Team Kendall Reviews at www.KendallReviews.com where you can find her horror book reviews and her monthly feature, Miranda Snaps, which generally contains horror fiction and photography.
Miranda is one of “The Thirty,” which is a group of thirty authors who are each taking a turn in writing a chapter of an in-progress horror novel.
You can follow Miranda on Instagram Miranda_C_rites
Follow Miranda on Twitter @Miranda_C_rites
You can find out more about Miranda via her website www.mirandacritesreadsandwrites.com
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