Publisher's Hardcover ©2023 | -- |
Paperback ©2023 | -- |
Amusement parks. Fictions.
Haunted places. Fiction.
Monsters. Fiction.
Friendship. Fiction.
Horror stories.
Three friends discover real monsters lurking underneath an amusement park's haunted house.Cautious Mateo, brash, reckless Taylor, and levelheaded Zari, who's often caught in the middle between the other two, are enjoying a night out at local amusement park ThrillVille. Before they leave, they plan to try one last ride, a haunted house built on the site of the original home of the town's legendary necromancer, Hezekiah Crawly, who disappeared 100 years ago. As luck would have it, on their way through the jump-scareâpacked Grimstone Manor, their car breaks down right as the park is closing, leaving the three 12-year-olds searching desperately for an escape. They find a secret passageway to the basement of the haunted house and monsters that are definitely not the animatronic ones from the ride. The answer to the mystery of Hezekiah Crawly may also be closer than they imagine-if they can survive long enough to figure it out. Leaning more heavily on the monsters than the mystery, this series opener features a small cast of imperfect but relatable and well-developed characters. It also deftly explores themes such as courage and the challenges of being vulnerable with friends. There are no dull moments in this rapidly paced tale that's loaded with action, including physical altercations with various monsters (though the end does come a bit too abruptly). Zari has dark brown skin, Mateo is brown-skinned, and Taylor presents White.Frighteningly fun. (Fiction. 8-12)
Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)A sepulchral theme park tests a trio of 12-year-olds in musician McMann’s debut, a pared-down adventure with Goosebumps vibes. Visiting amusement park ThrillVille, friends Mateo, Taylor, and Zari approach haunted house Grimstone Manor near closing time. It’s built on the grounds of a mansion that once belonged to suspected necromancer Hezekiah Crawly, whose mysterious disappearance 100 years back is the stuff of local lore. The three gain a grim opportunity to explore the legend firsthand when their ride through the animatronic manor grinds to a halt, stranding them. Tensions, already high between wary Mateo and impulsive Taylor, boil over—despite reserved Zari’s exasperated attempts at peacemaking—resulting in a fight that reveals just how real the local yarn is. The action proves unrelenting as the friends fight and flee from all manner of possessed skeletons, mummies, and more in scenes that pause just long enough for the group to attempt reconciliation. An abrupt ending seems designed to propel readers into the next book, while a combination of interpersonal vulnerability and monster mayhem drives a horror-tinged thriller that’s more rollicking than revolting. Mateo and Zari are described as having brown skin; Taylor presents as white. Publishing simultaneously:
Kirkus Reviews
Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)
"No way," Mateo said, his arms crossed firmly over his chest. "I don't want nightmares for a week, thanks."
"Oh, don't be so dramatic," said Taylor, rolling her eyes. "It's just a ride."
"Grimstone Manor isn't 'just a ride,'" Mateo said. "It's more like a torture device."
Taylor turned to Zari with an exasperated sigh. "Will you please tell him he's being ridiculous? And hurry up. It's already dark, and the park is closing soon."
"Um . . ." Zari bit her lip. Their arguments made her skin itch, and she hated being stuck in the middle. Turning to Mateo, she said, "I'll go. You can sit this one out."
Mateo looked conflicted, his thick brown hair framing his face in an artful mop since he'd discovered hair paste. Finally, he dropped his arms with a sigh. "Fine. Let's get this over with."
The three friends weaved through the crowd at ThrillVille, their local amusement park. Far ahead, the outline of a Gothic mansion appeared over a thick stand of trees. Soon they came to a moss-covered archway built with fake stones and displaying the words Grimstone Manor in creepy-looking letters. Gargoyle statues perched on either side of the arch, their tongues jutting out between blunted fangs. Simulated lightning flashed above twisted trees as chest-rattling thunder rumbled through hidden speakers.
Mateo's eyes widened. "I'm going to regret this."
"Don't worry," Zari said, patting his arm. "Taylor will fight the monsters for us."
They hurried through the archway to join the line. A bored-looking attendant pulled a chain across the opening behind them. "Just made it," he said, like he wished they hadn't. "Last ride of the night."
"Yes!" Taylor said, flicking her blond ponytail. "Today has been awesome. I'm so glad we pulled this off."
Mateo frowned. "I don't like that I lied to my dad about where we'd be."
"You didn't lie, exactly," Taylor said. "You just didn't update him on our change of plans."
"Like Zari and I didn't 'update' our parents that your mom and dad are out of town?" he said.
"They'd never have let us sleep at your place tonight if they'd known we'd be alone."
"We all went along with it, so let's not argue," Zari said.
Mateo gave a reluctant nod. In the distance, Grimstone Manor sat on a low hill, bathed in eerie green light, looking like a demented frog. He eyed the simulated swamp they'd have to cross before reaching the mansion. "The house is bad enough. Did they really have to add a scary swamp?"
"Just focus on that popcorn smell," Taylor said, drawing in a deep breath. "Zari will buy us some after the ride."
Zari laughed. "You wish." As the line crawled forward, she gazed up at the sinister-looking mansion. "I wonder if that's what the original house looked like."
"What original house?" asked Mateo.
"Hezekiah Crawly's mansion," she said. "You know, the one the ride is based on."
"Who's Hezekiah Crawly?" asked Mateo.
"Seriously?" Taylor said, giving him an astonished look. Then her expression relaxed. "Oh right, you didn't grow up here. You don't know all the boring local history stuff."
Zari gave an affronted sniff. "Boring? You call the legend of a missing necromancer boring?"
"A necro-whoser?" Mateo asked.
"Necromancer," Zari said. "Someone who studies dark magic."
"So this Hezekiah guy was one of those?" Mateo asked.
"That's the legend," Zari said. "About a hundred years ago, Hezekiah Crawly lived in a mansion that stood right where the ride is now. There were rumors that he was really into dark magic, even stealing bodies from a local graveyard to try and raise the dead."
Mateo shivered. "Why would anyone want to raise the dead?"
"According to the rhyme, he wanted to rule the world," Taylor said.
"What rhyme?" Mateo asked.
"Oooh, come on, Zar, let's do the clapping with it!" Taylor said, moving to stand opposite Zari. They clapped their hands together in a rhythmic pattern as they chanted:
In a mansion on a hill
Lived a man no one could kill
Raised the dead with magic dark
To rule the world and make his mark
Disappeared but made his fame
Hezekiah was his name
As they finished, Taylor and Zari fell against each other in a fit of laughter.
"Want us to teach it to you?" Taylor asked Mateo when she'd caught her breath.
Mateo smirked. "I think I'll pass."
They finally reached the front of the line and entered a replica of a broken-down boathouse. As they stepped inside, a rolling fog tickled their ankles. Overhead, huge fake bats with red beady eyes hung from the rafters. Eerie groans and strange whispers seemed to come from all directions, mingling with sound effects of crickets, bullfrogs, and lapping water. Through the open front of the boathouse, Zari spied the gloomy mansion rising from the mist across the swamp. Her smile faded as she tugged nervously at one of her close-cropped coils.
Beside them on the water sat a small flat-bottomed boat. At the back stood a figure draped in ragged brown robes and holding a long pole. Glowing green eyes shone from the darkness beneath its hood. Then a spotlight flicked on, illuminating the figure's face. Or . . . lack of face. A yellowed skull grinned out at them.
"Gah!" Mateo said, turning away with a sharp breath.
"Who dares seek passage to Grimstone Manor?" said the skeleton, its jaw moving stiffly in time with the voice recording. "You must be brave . . . or foolish! To reach the manor, you must cross the perilous Swamp of Dread. If you succeed, you'll be welcomed by the inhabitants of the mansion. They love having guests for dinner . . . served medium-rare!" The skeleton pointed at them with a bony finger. "Exploring Grimstone Manor will require all your courage. Nasty surprises lurk around every corner. I'll see you after your journey . . . if you survive!" With a final peal of crazed laughter, the spotlight faded and the skeleton fell silent.
An attendant, slouched on a stool against the wall, waved them forward without looking up from her phone. "No pictures or video recording allowed," she monotoned while pointing to an empty locker. "Place your cell phones in a locker and take the key. You'll pick them up afterward. Remain in the car at all times. Enjoy the ride."
They surrendered their phones and climbed into a waiting car. With a slight jerk, they left the boathouse and slid into the dimly lit swamp. Taylor whooped in excitement. Mateo looked nauseous.
"Come on, Matty. It's only a ride," Taylor said. "What could possibly happen?"
Excerpted from Escape from Grimstone Manor (Monsterious, Book 1) by Matt McMann
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
This series of terrifying standalone tales that combine monsters + mysteries is perfect for fans of Goosebumps.
“Spine-chilling and creepy!” —Max Brallier, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Last Kids on Earth
In a mansion on a hill,
lived a man no one could kill.
Raised the dead with magic dark
to rule the world and make his mark.
Zari has always been fascinated by creepy stories about Hezekiah Crawly, the real-life inspiration behind her local amusement park's haunted house attraction, so she's thrilled when her friends Mateo and Taylor agree to go on the last ride of the day before the park closes.
But when the ride breaks down, the three get trapped inside the haunted house for the night! As if that weren't scary enough, the kids stumble onto a hidden staircase leading to a dark, cobwebbed crypt that doesn't seem like part of the ride—and by the looks of it, they aren't alone down there. Is it possible the stories about Hezekiah Crawly and his monstrous experiments are true? And if so, can Zari, Mateo and Taylor make it through the night in one piece?