Madisoncanread | The Bird Eater
The Bird Eater
Ania Ahlborn
Twenty years ago, the mysterious death of his aunt left Aaron Holbrook orphaned and alone. He abandoned his rural Arkansas hometown vowing never to return, until his seven-year-old son died in an accident, plunging Aaron into a nightmare of addiction and grief. Desperate to reclaim a piece of himself, he returns to the hills of his childhood, to Holbrook House, where he hopes to find peace among the memories of his youth. But solace doesn’t come easy. Someone—or something—has other plans.
Like Aaron, Holbrook House is but a shell of what it once was, a target for vandals and ghost hunters who have nicknamed it “the devil’s den.” Aaron doesn’t believe in the paranormal—at least, not until a strange boy begins following him wherever he goes. Plagued by violent dreams and disturbing visions, Aaron begins to wonder if he’s losing his mind. But a festering darkness lurks at the heart of Holbrook House…a darkness that grins from within the shadows, delighting in Aaron’s sorrow, biding its time.
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Poll: What’s your favorite book setting?
One of my favorite settings in a horror or thriller novel is a small town filled with secrets. Here’s an ultimate list to get your small town horror fix.
- Something In The Walls by Daisy Pearce - Mina is a child psychologist and still grieving the loss of her brother. She joins a support group where she meets a journalist named Sam. The two go to investigate what is happening to a teenager living in a remote village, who claims a witch is haunting her.
- The Remaking by Clay Mcleod Chapman - Starting in the 1930s where Ella Louise and her daughter Jessica were killed accused of using witchcraft. Now, in the 70s a film crew is creating a horror movie based on these events. Child star Amber Pendleton is cast as Jessica and some disturbing things happen on set. For the rest of her life, Amber isn't able to shake that roll and has now been cast as Ella Louise in the remake of that movie in the 90s. Again, more disturbing things happen on this set.
- All The Sinners Bleed by S.A. Cosby - Titus, a Black sheriff in a predominately white town gets called to a mass shooting at the high school. That day ends in tragedy when the alleged shooter takes the life of a well loved teacher. This leads Titus to uncover a string of truly horrific crimes that have been plaguing this small town.
- Mary: An Awakening of Terror by Nat Cassidy - Mary is a middle aged woman who is struggling with the changes happening to her body. Hot flashes, unable to look in the mirror, and disturbing voices in her head that she can't quite shake. She moves back to her small home town to help her sick aunt when these voices only get stronger and now she's seeing these horrifying ghosts.
- Jackal by Erin Adams - Liz, a Black woman is going back home to her predominately white small town for her best friends wedding. She's in charge of looking after her best friends daughter, Caroline during the wedding and she ends up vanishing. In this town, young Black girls go missing year after year and no one seems to be doing anything about it so Liz decides to take matters into her own hands.
- Maggies Grave by David Sodergren - In a tiny Scottish town, it's rumored that Maggie Wall who was buried as a witch with her unborn baby in the 1600s has been haunting the residents here. When a new visitor comes to town, it seems like Maggie has been awoken and is here for revenge.
- Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn - A reporter goes back to her small home town to investigate the murder and disappearance of 2 teenage girls. She having to deal with the very toxic relationship with her mother as well.
- The Weight of Blood by Tiffany D. Jackson - Madison Washington is an outcast at her small Georgia high school. The school is finally having their first integrated prom and she's asked to go by the very popular quarterback. Prom night is here and it's gone horribly wrong leaving the majority of her classmates dead. Now we listen to a podcast where the few survivors recount their experience. AMAZING AUDIOBOOK
- The Bird Eater by Ania Ahlborn - When Aaron was a child being raised by his aunt, she mysteriously died leaving him an orphan. Now 20 years later, he's dealing with the grief of losing his son and is back in the house he grew up in. Almost instantly he starts seeing a little boy who follows him everywhere and is plagued by horrible dreams.
- We Have Always Lived In The Castle by Shirley Jackson - 2 strange sisters living in this house on the outskirts of town, its rumored that one of them is responsible for killing the rest of their family.
- I Was a Teenage Slasher by Stephen Graham Jones - Tolly Driver attends a high school party which goes horribly wrong, and he starts taking out his classmates.