The signs leading to Ghost World’s Haunted Mansion’s entry gate amused college senior Maia Peter. Yet she saw her former dorm mates, Angela and Jill’s wish to believe, reflected in their eyes and nervous laughter as the crowded waiting line inched forward. Once again, she wondered why she had agreed to come.
They passed a sign inches from their faces that read, “You will be terrified.”
Great, Maia thought, the sooner the better.
Another sign warned, “You might vomit.”
Angela and Jill’s sudden screams as “something lunged at the three of them…emitting a terrifying, other-worldly sound,” contrasted with Maia’s crossed arms and wry grin. She told her friend’s she wasn’t afraid, in fact, Maia said “I saw it coming.”
The final sign, “You may have night terrors,” caught the other girl’s attention. But, Maia looked away to conceal her yawn. She had seen too much working with her parents to be taken in by such silliness.
After years of chasing ghosts with her famous parents, Maia’s experiences with the paranormal had fed her cynicism more than her belief and she rarely felt fear with the paranormal. Hardly ever had she and her investigative ghost-hunter parents encountered what this haunted house promised!
The Peter’s meticulously researched every ghostly claim, using advanced cameras and technical equipment to find and record events for their popular worldwide television show. And they had caught some amazing paranormal phenomena, but nothing like this park promised. Maia suspected the park was an elaborate money-making charade. She would soon learn how wrong she was.
It wasn’t until Maia recognized the authentic “cold spot,” saw an unexplained swirling mist and heard a whispered, disembodied voice that her heart began to pound. When a “three-dimensional white face emerged from the vapor” and passed through her body Maia froze and felt icicles of fear. But, the words from Jordin Cole, now missing for over a year, shocked her when she heard her familiar voice whisper, “The nightmare is coming.”
Thus begins Robin Parrish’s extraordinary new release, Nightmare, a ghost story that takes readers into the world of the supernatural paranormal. A world the author can’t explain, but believes exists. The story is told in first person with flashbacks and alternating chapters from Maia’s past investigations with Jordin, to her current search to find Jordin, aided by Jordin’s boyfriend. Several world views and perspectives are given, from the scientific, to the Christian, the neutral and the downright scary.
Parrish, known for Christian suspense, writes, “…the kinds of events depicted in this book happen,” not to everyone, and not every day, but he believes they do happen. And yes, the book features documented haunted locations, complete with actual pictures and specific details taken from registered historical sites, which gives it a nonfiction feel. Yet, Parrish states in the Author’s Section he doesn’t support or encourage the pursuit of the paranormal. He wrote the book to encourage readers to think about what you believe and why.
I’ve read and reviewed all of Parish’s work. From the outstanding superhero Dominion Trilogy: Relentless, Fearless and Merciless, then Off-World, often compared to the NASA version of LOST, and now Nightmare, where Parrish takes readers into the heart-pumping, intensely scary world of the paranormal.
Parrish never disappoints! His work always intersects with faith, often depicts showdowns between good and evil, and contains intense scenes, chilling action and dynamic, surprise endings. If you enjoy hair-rising on the nape of your neck, chilling goose bumps and scary phenomena consider Nightmare. You won’t be disappointed!
