The Dark Game

February 11, 2019
A promising premise—fictional characters inspired by indiscretions in their authors’ pasts coming to life and preying on their creators—is undermined by the meandering pace of this horror novel’s events. World-renowned author Roderick Wells has invited 10 writers to his Indiana mansion to participate in a six-week contest from which (he promises) only one will emerge “the next Legendary Author.” When he autocratically demands that they all write horror stories (“Everything begins with horror!” he proclaims), the authors begin channeling emotions aroused by “terrible secrets” from their pasts—betrayals, derelictions, even murders—into characters who acquire enough physical substance to begin picking them off in and-then-there-were-none fashion. It eventually becomes clear that the participants were chosen for their secrets as much as for their writing prowess, but not until readers endure chapter upon chapter of the writers flagellating themselves for their psychic wounds. A pyrotechnic finale that reveals the true reason for Wells’s contest shows a vitality and focus unfortunately lacking from earlier chapters. Janz (The Sorrows) fails to make this anything more than a clever idea.

Starred review from March 15, 2019
In his latest pulp horror gem, Janz (The Siren and the Specter, 2018) channels early Stephen King to twist the story of a secluded writers' retreat into something unique and thought-provoking. Bestselling author Roderick Wells hosts a contest for 10 aspiring writers; only one will emerge to a life of fame and fortune. The catch: the authors can have no contact with the outside world and can't tell a soul where they are going. The characters rule this story. The unease with the situation, their guilt over past transgressions, and their ruthless desire to eliminate the competition relentlessly and violently build the tension. Along the way, Janz introduces supernatural monsters, but with a brilliant literary twist, bringing the horror to a climax that will have readers worried about all of the books they read for years to come. This novel is a treat for horror fans, yes, but it will have wider appeal as it manages to both scare and comment on the joy of reading. Many will be drawn into this fast-paced thriller, readers who love the pulp horror of Brian Keene, the dark twists of Sarah Pinborough, or the terrifying and emotional storytelling of Paul Tremblay.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)