2 Review: October Skies

October Skies

Author: Alex Scarrow

Page Count: 406

Release Date: July 01, 2008

Publisher: Orion

Series: None
Genres: Thriller, Horror, Suspense, Adult

Source: Snagged from a box my aunt was giving away.

 

Read summary on Goodreads, here.

 

This story is set in the present, 2008, and in the Winter of 1856. In the present time Julian Cooke and his assistant Rose are in small town Blue Valley, California working on a low-budget documentary about local folklore. While camping in the woods Julian finds the discovery of a lifetime. The remains of what appears to be makeshift shelters scattered around the clearing. Further digging uncovers a journal that may hold the secrets of what happened to the people. Tired of hearing the same old stories of Bigfoot, Julian decides that the journal could be his big break. Back in 1856 a wagon train, headed west, is trying to cross the Sierra Nevada mountains before winter hits. Due to set backs, they're now forced to wait out the harsh winter in the woods. But something out there is killing them off one-by-one. Superstitions abound and fingers are pointed and the seeds of mistrust have been sowed. Could one of their own really be capable of such grotesque murders?

 

I really enjoyed this book. It had me guessing who the killer could be and why they would be killing these people. Some of the chapters were a little short but they mostly ended with little cliffhangers and that just made me want to read more. I didn't really have any huge dislikes.

 

The characters were very well written and I actually felt sad when a few of them were killed. There was definitely a wide-range of characters represented here. There were different religions, cultures, and races. I really liked Ben Lambert, he was nice and cared about the people. Keats was a foul-mouthed old man but surprisingly, I liked him. The supporting characters actually played a big role, without them, things wouldn't have turned out like they did.

 

Love the cover; it's simple yet haunting and fits the story perfectly.

 

WARNING: This book contains strong language and some very detailed, gory murder.

 

Rating: 5/5

 

Review also posted to Goodreads.