SOULTRAPPED

A debut horror novel trumpets a grisly message: Evil is difficult to kill.

Evil, in this case, takes the form of Malcolm Schreck, an aged scientist/sorcerer who, along with his protector, Mr. Warren, is driven from his warehouse laboratory by the German bombing of London in September 1940. They flee to the Northern England country estate of Lord Vaughn, leader of the Black Orchid Society, a group of occult hobbyists. Arthur Drake, Vaughn’s “house pimp,” uncovers the gruesome experiments that Schreck is undertaking in a former stable. Then Schreck and Mr. Warren disappear before Arthur can remove them from the property. When the war intrudes on the estate, Vaughn and Arthur migrate to America, settling in Michigan. But somehow Schreck is drawn to them again. The scientist’s presence eventually becomes a death knell. Arthur, who has a dangerous Mafia benefactor; Schreck; and Mr. Warren end up murdered. Decades later, in 1991, Ben Whittinger finds himself in an abandoned house—where Arthur and Schreck had been killed—on a dare from his best friend, Dave Wallace. In the cellar, Ben discovers Schreck’s spell book. With it, he accidentally resurrects Arthur, then Schreck. Out of kindness, Ben procures some animal blood for them but ultimately determines they are vampires. Schreck enchants a neighbor named Karl into becoming his protector, replacing Mr. Warren. Arthur opts to go back to the abandoned house and spend time with Ben. What results is a harrowing battle of good and evil between the two pairs. Stockwell is an admitted fan of the horror genre, and that affinity is on display with a sprinkling of related easter eggs throughout the volume. He’s got all the archetypes: a man overflowing with unadulterated evil (Schreck), another brimming with rage (Karl), one fighting his demons (Ben), and, finally, a man seeking redemption (Arthur). Where would the author have been without this spectrum of strong characters? Most of the other players are given short shrift, but this tale isn’t about them. While the narrative is a little slow-paced, one could argue that Stockwell is just taking his time ramping up the terror as the characters metamorphose. He skillfully revs up the tension, then briefly takes his foot off the gas. What results is a well-designed, dread-inducing thrill ride.

A gripping haunted house adventure that supplies plenty of frights.