Alexander Calder, Sumac V. 1953.
A glow in the night
will lead me astray
from the moon’s light
to where I can’t say.
Bloody prints mark the way
to a small town on the shore.
At the end of the day,
we are at the devil’s door.
Time has no meaning or reason.
You can travel forward or back.
Death will follow with each season.
It is past time for me to pack.
THE DEAD GAME by Susanne Leist
5.0 out of 5 stars
Amazon Review
Lots of twists and turns and I found it a very fast and interesting read.
Reviewed in the United States on June 27, 2021
Two friends decide to leave the big city and move to a small town–they are going to buy a Bed and Breakfast. They know it won’t be easy–but they both need a change of pace-so off they go to Blue Harbor, a small town in Maine.
Most small towns have their secrets but this one–yikes!! It doesn’t take long for Elizabeth and Scarlett to get involved in the curse of the town. They also meet some guys who they fall for immediately–well almost immediately. The sheriff in the town is always picking on them for no other reason than they are newcomers! They also happen to be where people are dying or disappearing–and there are a lot of them.
They do buy the Bed and Breakfast and all is going very well there—-until it doesn’t.
Just what is this curse–and who is the one who is causing it? Read this novel to find out! Lots of twists and turns and I found it a very fast and interesting read.
Sit back, put up your feet, and let me bring mystery and romance to your lives.
Chapter Six
People strolled the sidewalks beneath the street lamps’ hazy yellow glow. Colorful window displays beckoned to visitors as music wafted from the open doorways. Boats rode the soft swells on either side of the long dock, jutting into the dark water. I stood beside Scarlett at the curb and inhaled a deep breath of the crisp, salty air.
David and Logan exited the parlor, taking positions on either side of us.
David whispered to me, “We’ll walk you home.”
I glanced over my shoulder at Logan, feeling uncomfortable in his presence after the intense interrogation he put us through in the ice cream parlor. Logan’s haughty mien lifted as he caught my glance and nodded to me, his gray eyes softening.
The ground beneath my feet shook. I shrieked and grabbed David’s arm.
The street lamps went dark as ear-shattering explosions cut through the silence, followed by frenzied shouts. Time turned sluggish and unreal, like a movie reel playing in slow motion. Flames shot to the sky from the moored vessels. I stood frozen, transfixed by the orange flames sweeping across the wooden planks at the heels of the fleeing pedestrians. Scarlett clutched my hand as the crowd headed our way, jostling us in their frantic path. Intense heat hit our faces. People screamed; sirens shrilled; engines pulled alongside the marina. Police cars swarmed the streets.
His face a blotched red, Lively strode from the parlor, puffing. “Take them home,” he shouted to David before rushing across the street to join the officers arriving at the scene.
“I’ll walk you home.” David snatched my hand, transporting me back to reality.
I hurried to keep pace with him as the hazy fog clouding my vision cleared. Scarlett strode ahead with Jonathan while Bella hobbled beside us on a broken heel. I glanced back at the burning harbor. “I don’t understand; the advertisements depict Blue Harbor as a peaceful town.”
“It used to be.” David shrugged. “Things have changed.”
“What things?” I asked, but he refused to look at me. “David?”
He turned to me. “Maybe you shouldn’t move here.”
“Do you want me to leave?”
“No, then I won’t see you again.” He halted as people rushed around us. “But the town hasn’t been safe for the past few months, and I don’t want you hurt.” David grasped my hand, and we continued walking.
“Do you believe I’m in danger?”
“I don’t know. I’ve been working with Logan and the chief, but we’ve made no headway.” He checked over his shoulder. “Where’s Bella?”
“I’m here.” She emerged from the crowd. “The broken heel is making it difficult to walk.” Bella removed her shoes and loped toward us barefoot. “That’s better.”
Quick bursts of explosions shook the harbor, the blackened sky mirroring the orange and yellow flames consuming the pier.
People screeched as the panicked horde surged toward us, and David dropped my hand. “I’m sorry. The police need my help.” He pushed his way through the throng and headed back to the pier. “Remember to lock the doors,” he yelled over his shoulder before disappearing.
“What’s wrong with this town?” I eyed Bella.
“What isn’t wrong with it?” she replied before stumbling ahead to our building.
Her expression sullen, Scarlett waited on the front steps, watching Jonathan race toward the flames engulfing the harbor.
Bella unlocked the front door, and we trailed behind her into the darkened hallway.
“Are you going to explain this creepy town to us?” Scarlett stepped in front of her.
Bella hit the light switch. “No, and don’t shut the hall lights. Tomorrow, I’ll explain the town’s strange history.” She rushed into her apartment, throwing the bolt on the door.
MEET THE AUTHOR Podcast
Wednesday JUNE 23, 2021 – 7 PM ET (USA)
MULTI-GENRE AUTHOR ALAN ZACHERDARK
FANTASY AUTHOR SUSANNE LEIST.
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5.0 out of 5 stars SUSPENSE AND ROMANCE
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 20 June 2021
Verified Purchase
After breaking up with her boyfriend, twenty-four-year-old Elizabeth, together with her pal Scarlett, leaves town to pursue her dream of running a bed-and-breakfast in dreamy Blue Harbor in Maine. On arrival, Elizabeth draws the attention of David Hunt, a good-looking lawyer, and Scarlett arranges a date with the debonair owner of the ice-cream parlor. Everything seems perfect… But then things become ominous and sinister. Explosions, a series of unexplained, scary deaths, supernatural powers, shapeshifting… An ancient curse also comes into play… And Elizabeth and Scarlett find themselves right in the middle of it. No spoilers, but there’s a great mix of suspense, murderous mayhem and romance in this tightly-knit story. Recommended.
I leave the storefronts behind,
their tinted-green windows reflecting the bright sunlight.
I hurry toward the boardwalk and beach.
The soft sand will trickle through my toes.
The sea breeze propels me forward.
Beyond the white sand,
the waves dance and writhe in a demented dance,
a dance growing wilder by the minute.
The palm trees bow their heads to the wind.
Rooftops sail through the air.
Glass crunches beneath my feet
as I run through the streets.
The windows hang broken and twisted.
The saddest sight is the church.
The once-white church stands charcoal-black,
debris at its proud feet.
They’re here.
The deadly games have begun.
THE DEAD GAME
A town where the snow is black,
bringing coldness & fear.
Old remnants of tears held back,
and times too hard to bear.
Woven from black sheets of rain,
fear covers in disarray.
Anguished & frozen with pain,
dark petals fall in dismay.
THE DEAD GAME SERIES
Not Your Run-of-the-Mill Vampire Story
Reviewed in the United States on October 23, 2020
Author Susanne Leist weaves her magic in a story with all the elements to claim readers as her fan, enthralling them. Good and evil vampires battling for domination in Oasis.
Todd, a hybrid, born of a human and vampire love match, has a particular set of rules to follow. Linda, a girl from New York, has a traditional innocent who is ill prepare for the obstacles before her. Is the happy ending she craves outside of her reality? Early on in the meeting between the two, Linda and Todd, each fanned the embers of possibilities.
Taking a deep breath, she dashed to the boardwalk and banged headfirst into a hard chest.
“Are you okay?” Todd steadied her, his hands grasping her shoulders.
“I saw a shadow.” Linda gulped. “It was nothing.”
“Let me walk you home.”
As Linda strolled beside him to the boardwalk steps leading to the apartments, she glanced at his brooding face. “It’s quieter than usual this evening.”
He took her hand as they descended the staircase. “Next time you work late, call me, and I’ll walk you home.” Her hand tingling from his touch, she nodded.
Author Leist develops this diverse cast of characters and their relationships masterfully. The story is engaging in every way if you are a fantasy fan. After reading The Dead Game, you may find yourself believing that vampires, hybrids, and humans coexist in your own town. Each page builds the story to the non-stop suspense ending that you won’t see coming. Recommended for young adults who adore fascinating stories. I added Book 2 to my reading list.
What lies hidden beneath End House?
Familiar faces & bony countenances.
A cacophony of moans & sounds.
A community of creatures living in the tunnels.
Friends who might be returning to the living,
or the living who might be joining The Dead.
THE DEAD GAME by Susanne Leist
Where has all the sunshine gone?
Gone hiding.
Where have all the vampires gone?
