
In the basement of End House,
you are faced with three doors.
What lies behind them?
Pick one.
The only limit is your imagination.
THE DEAD GAME
This is still my favorite review of The Dead Game.
There is something painfully wrong about the seemingly perfect town of Oasis
The opening pages of “The Dead Game” grab you at the ankles and drag into the deeper story. There is something painfully wrong about the seemingly perfect town of Oasis. Without getting into spoilers, here’s my take. Leist’s cast of characters are interesting in and of themselves. They do leave you wanting to get to know them better; yet, as in real life you only get to see the sides and masks that others want you to see. That, to me, was the author’s point. Everyone in Oasis seems to have an agenda, and it’s hard to know what to believe. With that in mind, Leist does a great job of bringing to life the picturesque town of Oasis, and the menacing End House. The book is reminiscent of tales like “House on Haunted Hill,” yet with its own twists on the supernatural thriller. The story is well-paced and the dangers faced by Leist’s characters feels terrifyingly real. All in all, a good read. I look forward to reading more works from this author.
by HM Holten
A Haunted House with a Vengeance
Vampires live disguised in a small town in Florida, mixing with the population. Newcomer Linda opens a bookshop and befriends Shana, who has an esoteric shop. There are young men and a blonde bimbo to go out with – and everything is fine until they get an invitation to a party at End House.
In Ms Leist’s village, there are several unexpected species. The hybrids, half-human, and half-vampire, are difficult to single out. Then there are two groups of vampires, one of them working to protect humans and hybrids. The other group, the DEAD, wants to take over the world and rid it of human beings. Of course, the humans just want to live normal lives. Also, the village, and especially, End house, is full of illusions, some resembling the scary house in a fairground, except for the fact that they are armed with real predators and flying saws just to mention a few. The horror isn’t absent, but it is accompanied by not a few winks. It was an entertaining read that gave an insight into the antics of humans – let alone the vampires.
Tigers pace in their cages,
Waiting to be set free.
Animals fill the basement.
An awful sight to see.
Leashes jangle against bars.
Metal against metal rings loud.
As the gates slowly lift open,
Pointy teeth glisten without sound.
This cannot be happening.
This cannot be so.
No way are there tigers
in the basement below.
THE DEAD GAME by Susanne Leist
Dare to peek inside.
You may be surprised
about what we hide.
We will convene
in the main hall.
You will find out
what scares us all.
THE DEAD GAME
The house comes alive.
Snakes slither in cages.
Human-eating plants stand at attention.
Tree limbs grab my arms.
Roots wrap around my legs.
What’s next?
Quicksand?
THE DEAD GAME by Susanne Leist