An interesting exploration of teenage relationships within a creepy ghost story.
Speaking of books by longtime friends. OK, maybe that is a slight exaggeration. I have never met Kevin Wignall, unlike Jim Geraghty, but I have been reading his books since 2004 and interacting with him via email and blogs nearly ever since. We are “friends” on Facebook so perhaps that counts nowadays.
Anywhoo… Mr. Wignall recently released a short horror story for young adults, This Place of Evil (he also has another book coming out soon, Those Who Disappeared, but more about that closer to publication).

A long-abandoned school in rural New Hampshire…
Four stranded teenagers…
An approaching snowstorm…
THIS PLACE OF EVIL is a chilling new ghost story from Number One Kindle Bestselling author, Kevin Wignall, perfect for fans of THE SHINING and THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE. Four high school students are being driven back from a wilderness camp in the White Mountains of New Hampshire when their teacher takes a detour. He claims he just wants to take a look at the private school where he started his teaching career, but then he heads into the deserted and remote mansion and promptly disappears. The four students find themselves stranded as a snowstorm moves in, but they become increasingly aware that they’re not quite alone, and that the ghosts of this place might be the least of their problems…
It was an enjoyable and quick read but definitely not something I would have picked up or read if not for it being written by Kevin. It’s basically an exploration of teenage relationships set against the backdrop of a ghost story in an abandoned school (jock. popular kid, underachiever, girls, etc.).
The backstory, in the form of journal entries from their teacher when he was at the school, continues to provide more context/history interspersed with current events, but the creepiness is really just the perception of what it would be like to be trapped in an old, abandoned building with no way to reach anyone after your teacher just disappeared.
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