The Endless Place
WJ Calabrese
Wings ePress Inc, 2002

Recommended for those who enjoy horror, 4 stars

Kevin Shaw has not seen his Uncle Joshua Harwood in nearly twenty years and is a bit surprised to learn that he is the beneficiary of his just deceased Uncle's will. When Kevin arrives in Hillsboro to take charge of the huge old manse where his uncle lived his only thought is to get the moldering hulk ready to sell. The monstrous structure is without electricity, without telephone without any of the modern convenience.

Enter Attorney Fowler and the stipulations of Uncle's will. Kevin must stay in the house for three months, he cannot sell for a year, he cannot sell furnishings except what is on a list prepared by his uncle and he must make a complete floor plan of the manse from cellars to all three stories.

Kevin's first night in the residence leave him with a knowledge that something truly peculiar is afoot. Before long Kevin has been caught up in an intrigue he never expected, doesn't want and isn't sure he can thwart. Kevin comes face to face with beings he has only seen before in his nightmares, situations arise to confound and the priest down at Our Lady of Sorrows tells him only enough to dismay if not frighten him silly.

Told in the first person the work prepared by writer Calabrese is a good flowing read from the opening spooky prologue down to the final satisfying paragraphs. The reader is caught right up in the tale from the opening lines and is held fast on a breathless trot along side Kevin as he tries to deal with the unworldly and often terrifying beings and circumstances presented in "The Endless Place."

I am not a fancier of the genre, however this was a satisfying tale, not for the faint of heart, not for a dreary night when you are home alone and storms are wailing outside. First person is a difficult formula to write, Calabrese has carried it off with aplomb. His characters are nicely portrayed, situations are believable in the horror realm and the book is presented in a manner to cause the reader to wonder if maybe, just maybe the situations and scenarios could be true.

"The Endless Place" is filled with strange frightening beings, a mysterious priest, ghost of a long dead woman and enough downright spooky to thrill those who crave a little horror in their tale. Kevin's befuddlement as he grows in awareness of the truth of the situation he has been brought into is presented in a calm, acceptable manner. The reader keeps step with Kevin through Calabrese's skillful writing.