Warning: I wouldn't read this book past midnight! My review of Gravestone by Travis Thrasher

Still in shock over witnessing the death of his close friend and the girl he loved, Gravestone continues the story of teenager Chris Buckley, struggling to make sense of his existence in the town of Solitary. His mom still has a close relationship with the bottle, and he begins to question whether she knows more about the strange happenings in Solitary than she lets on. He's continuing to face bullying at school, while trying to understand the complicated world of girls. He makes bizarre discoveries that only lead to more questions. And the evil presence in the town only seems to be growing, with Chris questioning whether there is anyone at all whom he can trust.

As with the first book in the Solitary tales series, I again found myself held captive by Chris' story. By the last page of the book, the word that haunted my mind was creepy. There were actually scenes where I found myself gripping my ereader with white knuckles. I am glad I am not prone to nightmares, for this book would provide fodder for such. And yet it is not just the taut writing and the break-neck pace of the story that kept me spell-bound, but it is also the complex character of Chris, a tortured soul who is somehow brave and courageous and yet flawed and deeply human at the same time. I cannot help but read this book and find glimpses of myself in the pages.

Thrasher's writing is brilliant, revealing ever-deeper layers into the mystery shrouding Solitary while raising more questions about how everything is connected and who is the mastermind behind what appear to be orchestrated events. I should warn that this book seems even darker than the first, and leaves Chris having lost his belief in God in the midst of the darkness. However, I am sensing that Thrasher is setting the stage for utter illumination, as I have no doubt that by the end of this four-part series, the Light will have conquered the evil. What a ride we get to experience in order to get there!

Nothing is as it appears, and I am left craving more in the Solitary tales. I highly recommend this book and award it 5 out of 5 stars.

An egalley version of this book has been provided courtesy of the publisher, David C. Cook, for the purposes of this unbiased review.

Buy now from Christianbook.com:

Gravestone, Solitary Tales Series #2