There's not a lot of input as to exactly where the story is taking place, other than a shopping centre, but the British spelling was a clue that maybe it was overseas somewhere. Turns out it doesn't really matter, and there were only a few words I thought might be British English, so it could be Anytown, USA or a similar mall anywhere in the English speaking world. The story opens with our main character, Jodi, the manager in a clothing store, working with some other employees to unload some crates out of the back of a truck.
From the beginning, Jodi gets a strange vibe from the eight crates she unloads. Once they get them inside, they discover each contains a creepy looking ceramic mannequin. The other employees also feel uneasy in their presence, and once they are setup in the store, the customers begin leaving just as quickly as they come in. Clearly, something is going on with these faceless human-like forms.
As the employees begin to disappear, Jodi's predicament gets darker and darker. Told over the course of a couple of days at a pretty steady pace, the storyline is a bit predictable, but it also keeps you reading. You have to find out what happens when, inevitably, the mannequins come after Jodi. I won't ruin the ending for you, but it did not turn out quite as I thought it was going to, which is always a plus in this genre.
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| Who wants a hug?? |
There wasn't anything spectacular about this book, but it was a thoroughly enjoyable read. I like Coates's writing style. Clean, polished, to the point, without being overly flowery or wasting a lot of inconsequential words. I also appreciate the fact that this book was clearly edited and proofread, which is becoming a rarity, unfortunately, when it comes to the eBooks I've been reading recently.
If you need a short read on a stormy night, you can find Lights Out: A Horror Short Story by Darcy Coates here. You can check out my four star Amazon review here.
Has anyone else read this one? What are your thoughts?
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