Book Review: Blue November Storms [Novella]

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

[5 stars]

Blue November Storms [Novella] Amazon US HC Amazon Canada HC
Brian Freeman
Class/Genre: Mystery Fiction Horror Psychological Suspense Thriller
Cemetery Dance, 2005, $30.00

In Beacon Point, Pennsylvania, the townsfolk named the high school football stars the “The Lightning Five” for their athletic exploits. Steven, Harry, Joe, Matt, and Adam were best friends and even built the Summer Place in the woods overlooking the nearby lake together. However, a girl died there, but instead of investigating what happened, the fearsome fivesome were treated like heroes.

Two decades later, Adam, who the others thought was dead as he seemingly vanished, calls his friends to ask them to meet him at Summer Place. Adam never truly overcame the tragedy that haunts him still, much more so than his buddies. Excited over the prospect of seeing him for the first time in years, Steven, Harry, Joe, and Matt agree to a twenty year reunion at The Summer Place.

The five meet filled with nostalgia and excitement, but also lingering is the one dark episode., However, a meteor shower suddenly attacks from the sky with unnatural blue stones hitting near where the quintet reunite. Not long afterwards the woodland animals go berserker trying to kill the trapped humans forced to retreat onto the roof of The Summer Place, an eerie reminder of the tragic pivotal moment in their lives with each remembering while wondering if they like the critters could turn into sociopath killers.

BLUE NOVEMBER STORMS starts off as a deep psychological thriller in which the audience wonders what happened twenty years ago and why suddenly Adam reappears; however Brian Freeman sets the reader up as the tale digs inside the psyche and soul of the lead five, it twists into an old fashion B-movie horror tale (cross between King’s Maximum Overdrive and the Ninja Turtles) yet retains that soul deep look at the ensemble as each wonders if the others will turn lethal. Brian Freeman provides a solid tale that fans will enjoy.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner