Frank Peretti Reviews

Added May 24, 2006

House

Author: Frank Peretti
Publisher: WestBow Press
Available At: Bookstores Everywhere
Publishing Date: April 2006
Genre: Fiction: Christian/Suspense/Thriller
Format: Hardback
Price: $25.99
ISBN: 1-5955-4155-1
Author Email/Website: www.frankperetti.com
Reviewer: Joyce Handzo
Rating: 8 Gargoyles

Don't bother locking the doors to this House; the evil is already inside.

After their car was sabotaged in the backwoods of Alabama, Jack and Stephanie surprisingly found themselves near a charming old inn. Seeking a phone and some rest, they entered the house only to fall into a killer's deadly game. Together with another couple, Randy and Leslie, the foursome are thrust into a battle for their lives against a most unusual foe. However, the madman makes things simple by clearly spelling out the rules to this contest. The game ends at dawn and there must be a dead body. To make things really sinister, the doors and windows are all locked; no one can leave.

The shaking of the reader's hands will seem to turn the pages faster in this emotionally packed book. The house literally becomes a character in this drama, breathing out evil and malice with a pounding pulse. Both of the couples race madly through the rooms and hallways of this inn, as they desperately search for a way out. Their wanderings eventually lead them into the basement, which hides a multitude of sins and secrets. And all the while the clock ticks steadily, reminding the players that the game will end at dawn, one way or another.

With a very strong beginning, the story grabs readers and thrusts them into a chilling scenario. Unfortunately, the overlong chase scenes seemed designed more for a movie audience than the printed page. Although the action is visual with a touch of the symbolic, and the characters provided an appropriate sense of terror, fans of these authors may be seeking a more spiritual element to this novel. While the conclusion does center on a fundamental truth of God's Word, the evil aspect got a little wearisome.

The writing style is powerful, and there is enough mystery and mayhem to increase the heart rate of readers. Hopefully, the spiritual lessons will not get lost in all these halls of horror.

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