The Clearing

by Tom Deady

Overview

When Hannah Green’s dog comes out of the woods carrying a sneaker that contains a partially decomposed foot, she thinks it’s the worst thing that could ever happen to her.

She is wrong.

Hannah and her best friend, Ashley, decide to play detective but find themselves in the middle of a decades-old mystery.

What is the strange old woman Mama Bayole hiding in her decrepit farmhouse? Why is the local librarian so determined to prevent them from researching town history? Who is following them around Hopedale, New Hampshire?

The girls make a shocking discovery about what has been happening in the woods behind Hannah's house. As they get closer to the truth, things take a dangerous turn, and they play a deadly game of cat-and-mouse that may end up costing them their lives.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781645480716
Publisher:	Vesuvian Books
Publication date:	08/10/2021
Series:	The Clearing
Pages:	264
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.80(d)
Lexile:	HL700L (what's this?)
Age Range:	12 - 18 Years

About the Author

Tom Deady’s first novel, Haven, was published by Cemetery Dance in 2016 and won the Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a First Novel. He has since published a novel entitled, Eternal Darkness, as well as several short stories and novellas, his most recent being Coleridge.

His novel, The Clearing, is book one in a horror trilogy and inspired by true events. (Vesuvian Books, 2021) Tom holds a master’s degree in English and Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University, is an Active member of the Horror Writers Association, and a member of the New England Horror Writers. He resides in Massachusetts where he is working on his next novel.

Editorial Reviews

"Downright creepy. Tom Deady brings the scares in this gripping novel of horror and courage.” ~Jonathan Maberry, New York Times best-selling author

“Tom Deady excels in creating a history and mystery that is engaging and action-packed. The Clearing's strong protagonists and their realistic concerns, beliefs, and choices creates a memorable and thoroughly engrossing read that is difficult to put down and impossible to predict—just the ticket for a superior horror novel and should ideally reach into adult reader circles, as well as mature teens.” ~Midwest Book Review

“Deady shows an ability to switch from adult to young adult horror with the ease and confidence of a true wordsmith. The Clearing is a fast-paced supernatural tale, intelligent and sparkling with great characters, and more than a few chills. Superb.” ~Dave Jeffery, author of Beatrice Beecham’s Cryptic Crypt and Ship of Shadows

Past Praise:

“With compelling characters (both good and evil), a shifting narration that keeps the story moving, a building sense of dread, and breathless action sequences, this is a well-crafted example of what is best about horror today. While the novel is obviously for fans of Stranger Things and the classic small-town horror by those like King or Straub, don't let its setting keep you looking in the past. There is a modern perspective behind this tale, similar to (V-Wars author) Jonathan Maberry's Pine Deep trilogy or Janz' Children of the Dark (2016). Hand out freely to anyone looking for a solid scare.” ~Booklist (starred review)

“Haven is a big, generous, Stephen King-like small town boys vs. monster epic.” ~Stewart O'Nan, author of The Night Country and A Prayer for the Dying

“Debut novelist Deady closely examines his setting, showing how the difficulties of facing down mob hysteria and starting over after a lifetime of failure can be as deadly as an escaped military bioweapon.” ~Publishers Weekly

“HAVEN hits a note perfect tone of retro-cool horror evoking an early 80s sensibility without reading at all like an imitation. Like Stranger Things—though written before it aired—HAVEN conjures the aesthetic of the time both in content and style in a way that is spot on while being a modern story with an original voice. And while comparisons to Stephen King’s early work are apt, where others often try to copy King and fall flat, Deady knows when to play classic notes and when to take the song in his own direction.” ~Bracken MacLeod, author of MOUNTAIN HOME and STRANDED

“Full of well-drawn characters and slow burn suspense, Tom Deady's Haven is a terrific dose of New England horror that harkens back to some of my favorite classic monster fiction from writers like Rick Hautala and Charles L. Grant. If you’re a fan of this sort of thing, you’ll know that’s damn high praise.” ~Christopher Golden, New York Times bestselling author of Snowblind and Dead Ringers

“Haven is about scars, both literal and figurative; it's about second chances and broken memories. This is a great small-town horror novel—a bullet-read with deep characters and perfect pacing. Best of all, it's creepy as hell.” ~Rio Youers, author of Westlake Soul and Point Hollow

From the Publisher