Deep in a Wyoming mine, hell awaits. Nat Blackburn is given an offer he can't refuse by President Teddy Roosevelt. Tales of gold in the abandoned mining town of Hecla abound. The only problem - those who go seeking their fortune never return. Along with his constant companion, Teta, a hired gun with a thirst for adventure, Nat travels to a barren land where even animals dare not tread. Black-eyed children, strange lights and ferocious wild men venture from the deep, dark ghost mine...as well as a sinister force hungry for fresh souls.
When I picked up this Flame Tree Press ARC a few days ago, I was instantly hooked and didn't want to put it down. But really, I shouldn't be surprised because last year I absolutely LOVED Hunter Shea's book, Creature.
Anyway, let's talk about this one.
When President Roosevelt calls on his friend to solve a mystery of what happened to his men in the middle of nowhere, Nat agrees to take on the case. With his good friend Teta by his side, they board a train and leave New York.
Together, these tough guys travel halfway across the country to investigate what happened in Hecla, a mining town that's now become a ghost town. A place that feels wrong, turns out to be creepy as hell, and is hiding a very deep and dark secret inside the abandoned mines...
Wow. This is one awesome and totally addictive book! It was hard to put down because everything that happened was totally unexpected.
I also thought it was such a well-written book, full of sympathetic and interesting characters that I had a blast following across the rough terrain of a changing world. I really enjoyed how in this story, the Wild West was slowly being overshadowed by trains, automobiles and a changing landscape.
Not only is Nat's voice compelling and totally engrossing, but Teta (his name cracked me up every single time!) was also such a cool, kick-ass character. A sidekick with as much personality as the main character. Their past together provided an excellent background, and their strong friendship was even better. As for Selma, well, she's got enough spunk and attitude to match both of them. I really liked her.
I also didn't expect to like Matthias and Angus as much as I did. They added to the very dark mythology our trio find themselves drowning in.
I'm not kidding when I say I enjoyed the hell out of every moment I spent reading this fantastic book. Just like Dust Devils, I don't think I've ever had this much fun reading about cowboys. I think horror westerns really work for me. ðŸ¤
Ghost Mine turned out to be an incredibly insane, super creepy and amazingly fun horror adventure with some really menacing creatures. The action kept coming almost as quickly as the weird. The supernatural mystery at the heart of the story is enough to keep anyone who dares start this book glued to the pages, and you'll never guess where it's going because it's so unpredictable.
There's a certain surreal and nightmarish atmosphere in this story that I thought was outstanding, and kept everything under an eerie blanket of WTF. There's SO MUCH thrown into this book and every single outlandish piece fits together to keep the story well-oiled and moving right along.
I absolutely loved this book and recommend it to anyone and everyone who enjoys a quirky, action-packed tale full of memorable characters you'll miss after finishing the last page.
Seriously, check it out!
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