~ NEW RELEASE with REVIEW ~ Jinxed by Thommy Hutson
Title: Jinxed (Book 1 in trilogy)
Author: Thommy Hutson
Genre: March 13, 2018
Release Date: YA Horror/Thriller
Publisher: Vesuvian Books
Break a mirror
Walk under a ladder
Step on a crack
But someone at the Trask Academy of Performing Arts is taking things one deadly step further when the campus is rocked with the deaths of some of its star students.
Layna Curtis, a talented, popular senior, soon realizes that the seemingly random, accidental deaths of her friends aren't random—or accidents—at all. Someone has taken the childhood games too far, using the idea of superstitions to dispose of their classmates. As Layna tries to convince people of her theory, she uncovers the terrifying notion that each escalating, gruesome murder leads closer to its final victim: her.
Will Layna's opening night also be her final bow?
3 ½ out of 4 Stars
I normally like to give a book either 3 or 4 full stars, but this one was a different review than usual. The story was very good, albeit something that I’m pretty sure I’ve heard several similar variations of in most of your typical slasher/horror movies. But that’s how horror stories go, right? The thing that kept getting me stuck was the execution of the story.
The idea behind the story – the creepy high school on an island with overachievers attending and running the school – is the perfect background for everything to go wrong. Things definitely went wrong. This is also where things went back and forth between predictable and surprising. I certainly would’ve liked it to be heavier on the surprising (thus a bit scarier), but it did lean more towards the predictable. You knew as soon as someone walked away from the group, things weren’t going to go well for them (says every horror movie ever). And the murderer going after everyone with a knife, and CONSTANTLY dropping it while attacking, but no one picks it up? They just run away from a guy they already know is faster than them – and leave him with the knife? That was a bit disappointing.
One thing the author did pretty well with until about 80% into the book was keeping the mystery of ‘who done it’, and why. I won’t give spoilers, but there was one background story that was told at that point, and it sort of gave away who it would be. By the time it came to the ‘final showdown’, it was no shock who it was. HOWEVER, in that big scene, there were a few surprises thrown in that at least to me were unexpected – more to the story. I did really like that part. By the very end of the story, again, I knew what was coming, I just didn’t know what form it would take (hard to explain without spoilers). I’m still not sure if I liked the ending or not; partly because it felt incomplete. I think there were some things we were supposed to assume, which I think horror movie lovers would like. But in a book, I like it wrapped up neat – but totally my personal opinion on that one.
One thing the author did pretty well with until about 80% into the book was keeping the mystery of ‘who done it’, and why. I won’t give spoilers, but there was one background story that was told at that point, and it sort of gave away who it would be. By the time it came to the ‘final showdown’, it was no shock who it was. HOWEVER, in that big scene, there were a few surprises thrown in that at least to me were unexpected – more to the story. I did really like that part. By the very end of the story, again, I knew what was coming, I just didn’t know what form it would take (hard to explain without spoilers). I’m still not sure if I liked the ending or not; partly because it felt incomplete. I think there were some things we were supposed to assume, which I think horror movie lovers would like. But in a book, I like it wrapped up neat – but totally my personal opinion on that one.
This is a hard one to recommend or not recommend. If you like scary and gory, you’ll definitely like this one, as long as you don’t mind that a good portion of it you will probably predict. Bottom line: predictable or not, hard to believe or not (like not picking up the knife), it was a book that kept me reading, and was hard to put down – and it did scare me a few times!
"Thommy Hutson is the ultimate authority in nostalgia-driven storytelling." —Clive Barker, Bestselling Author of Books of Blood and The Thief of Always
“Jinxed is the teen whodunit that Wes Craven and Lois Duncan never made. Hutson has created the best new slasher franchise since Scream.”—Peter M. Bracke, Author of Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of Friday the 13th
"A dark, tension-filled thriller that’s wicked to the very end. Bad luck was never so much fun!"—Jeffrey Reddick, Creator of Final Destination
But not really. Off in the distance, someone emerged from behind a building. Sydney didn’t stop, but her stride hiccupped as the paranoid thought that whoever it was could run to her, fast. Could get her. So she regained her step and picked up her pace. But the person kept moving toward her. Closing in fast.
There was no one else around now. Just Sydney and this person. She could see her dorm, where lights flashed behind drawn curtains and blinds. End-of-semester reverie. Sydney fumbled for her keys, cursing. Dammit, don’t look afraid, she hated thinking. This was getting ridiculous. She was Sydney Miller for Christ’s sake. She turned to face the walker. Stalker.
“Listen, Ass—”
There was no one there. Sydney looked around. She wondered what was going on.
Unnerved, she stepped backwards and glanced to the left, then to the right. No one. She turned to the door and jammed her key into the lock, where it stuck. Her eyes rolled as she wiggled the key and turned the knob, cracking the door open. Looking up, she screamed. A reflection in the glass. Directly behind her. Running. She spun around, terrified.
The stranger stopped and backed away a few steps.
“Woah, woah, woah! Sorry, forgot my key!” Some freshman girl. She wriggled past Sydney and inside the building.
“No prob—” Sydney started to say, but the girl was halfway up the stairs and not even remotely interested. Loud music, laughter, and yelling spilled through the door. The party permeated the air.
Sydney watched as the heavy metal door to the stairwell, with its tiny square of wire-meshed glass, closed with a substantial click.
“You’re welcome,” Sydney said sarcastically. She felt more on her own, surrounded by the sound of a party she was not going to, than she had shuffling across campus. She shook it off. There’d be plenty of parties, one day.
She heard a noise at the door behind her and turned to see what it was. Probably a student hoping to sneak in to the dorm. But there would be no need for sneaking. Someone was already inside.
He was bigger than her, with a wide stance. And a mask.
The mask, made of silver and bronze, was a sickening amalgamation of the comedy and drama faces so well-known in the theater world. One half of its shiny silver surface was twisted into a sort of smile, one that looked gleeful after doing terrible things. The other turned downward, as if that same grin had melted away in pain and despair.
Nothing good could come of this.
“Who are—?”
He rushed toward Sydney, frighteningly fast. Shocked and confused, she felt his fist connect with her throat, hard. The impact shattered delicate blood vessels, bruised her larynx, and sent her spinning back to the concrete wall. Her head snapped against it, causing more pain and a momentary dizziness that brought flecks of light, like tiny sparklers, to her vision. Breath became a torturous mix of searing pain and the metallic taste of blood. She panicked, fearing suffocation, and emitted a tragic rasp. Crying hurt, but she couldn’t stop the tears.
The stranger pulled a polished silver blade from under his dark overcoat. Dear God, Sydney thought, it’s actually gleaming. The glare brought her back to cohesive thought. She had to do something, and do it fast.
I will not die here, she thought. Not tonight.
Born and raised in Upstate New York, Thommy graduated from UCLA and launched his career co-writing the story for the Warner Bros. animated hit SCOOBY-DOO IN WHERE’S MY MUMMY? He followed that with co-writing the concept and additional material for CHILL OUT, SCOOBY-DOO!
His career then took a thrilling turn when he wrote and produced several definitive genre film retrospectives for television and home entertainment: SCREAM: THE INSIDE STORY, NEVER SLEEP AGAIN: THE ELM STREET LEGACY, MORE BRAINS! A RETURN TO THE LIVING DEAD and HIS NAME WAS JASON: 30 YEARS OF FRIDAY THE 13th.
He was also a staff writer on Hulu’s daily web series “The Morning After,” a smart, witty, pop culture program aimed at getting viewers up-to-date on the latest entertainment news and celebrity interviews.
Thommy also produced the critically acclaimed feature THE TROUBLE WITH THE TRUTH, an insightful relationship drama starring Lea Thompson and John Shea. He also produced DREAMWORLD, a quirky, romantic dramedy.
He co-wrote and produced ANIMAL for Chiller Films and Drew Barrymore’s Flower Films. The project debuted in iTunes’ top ten horror films (reaching #1) and became the network’s highest-rated original movie.
Continuing his passion for uncovering the stories behind the story, he went on to produce CRYSTAL LAKE MEMORIES: THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF FRIDAY THE 13th, which is the most comprehensive look at the popular film franchise.
As an author Thommy crafted a limited-edition coffee table book detailing the making and legacy of Wes Craven’s 1984 classic A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET. A trade version distributed by Simon & Schuster reached number one in Amazon.com’s Movie History & Criticism category. He also has a deal with Vesuvian Media to write a YA thriller trilogy with the first book due out spring 2017.
He produced and made his feature directorial debut with THE ID, an independent psychological drama/thriller. Filmmaker Magazine stated it was “a deeply unsettling thriller that’s as moving as it is frightening…with skillful, provocative direction that has echoes of early Polanski.”
Most recently, Thommy wrote the screenplay for CineTel Films’ supernatural horror film TRUTH OR DARE. He is also directing, writing and producing a documentary with Clive Barker’s Seraphim Films in addition to developing other film and television properties with the company.
As an author, he is currently writing another book that definitively details the history, making and legacy of another fan-favorite genre film from the 1980s.
A member of the Producers Guild of America, Thommy continues to develop unique, compelling and provocative projects across multiple genres for film, television, publishing, and home entertainment through his company Hutson Ranch Media.
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