Review: Creepy small-town horror
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 04 6, 2014
Horror is all the more effective when it seems commonplace and ordinary. This is the case with Glad Tithings, the story of a seemingly idyllic retirement to the country by Rick and Jill, a NYC dwelling baby-boomer couple. They are appealing characters--clearly well-attuned to each other after many years of marriage.But they soon discover that life in their new town revolves around the local church, which they are pressured to join. Jill is more amenable to church membership than her husband, and a rift develops between them when she is caught up in church work and begins making overly generous donations.Rick is resistant to blandishments from the local preacher, Zeke, and put off by the hostile attitude of the local cop, Harley, who seems to be out to get him. As the tension ratchets up, Rick learns that he can either join the rest of the townsfolk and comply with the customs of church and community or he can continue trying to think for himself. Unfortunately, the latter choice may put him in grave danger from a source that is more alien than divine.This story flows at a good pace, with a convincing atmosphere of horror as Rick begins to sense what he is up against. Rick has one ally in town, the hard-bitten waitress Connie. As they secretly compare notes, the horror grows. Is it possible to escape this place and get Jill free, too?I liked everything about the novel until the end. Without giving spoilers I will simply say that one problem proved a little easier to solve than I expected, although another was realistically intractable. I also felt that the epilogue was a bit heavy handed--the story had already made its point effectively.Warmly recommended for folks who love horror and atmospheric small town narratives.