Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill

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Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill


                When Judas Coyne first saw the online listing to “Buy my Stepfather’s ghost” he thought it was a fucking joke. One thousand dollars later and he was the proud owner of dead man’s suit. It came in a heart shaped box and it looked like it was almost Coyne’s size. He still thought it was a joke. That was until he woke in the middle of the night to the sound of someone walking around his home. The motion detector picked up nothing and yet he found a man, wearing the exact suit that came in the heart-shaped box, sitting in a chair outside of his room. The ghost. But this particular ghost isn’t satisfied with just haunting Coyne. He wants him to take his own life and the life of anyone else who attempts to help him escape.
                Oh Joe Hill, how I love your sick and twisted storylines. This is no exception. This starts off intriguing enough and then the horror and suspense just keeps on growing. This was a complicated story about an old rock and roller who is not only facing the end of his career but the effects of old age. He has had a string of lovers and the family of the one he coined “Florida” is out for revenge. Hence the ghost now trying to kill Coyne. This book is a look at life, the passing of time, family, abuse and revenge with an extremely apparent supernatural and deadly element.

                This is the 4th Joe Hill novel that I’ve read and it isn’t my favorite but it is really well done. Extremely original premise and story. The world building was done very well. Characters were all well developed. This books fall very neatly into the horror genre. I give this 4 out of 5 stars. 

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