I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Two detectives searching for proof of the supernatural must search for a missing friend who had reached out to them regarding a young woman with a mysterious ailment, but their search soon uncovers a horrible abomination that cannot be explained by science or modern medicine in author Chad Miller’s “The Prisoner of Fear”.
The Synopsis
It is 1889 in Philadelphia, and detective John Doyle is restless. Along with his miserable partner, Thomas Braham, Doyle pursues mysteries, strange sightings, and other obscurities tossed aside and disregarded by the police. For years, Doyle has taken on these cases in the hopes of discovering something supernatural – something that could upend and dispute his long-standing, debilitating fear that immortal souls do not exist.
Doyle’s search for the supernatural remains unsuccessful until he receives a strange letter from an old doctor friend regarding a young woman with a mysterious and rather disturbing illness. When the doctor goes missing in the same town that this young woman resides in, Doyle and Braham decide to take on the case and search for clues regarding their missing friend. In doing so, they discover that there is no longer any suffering young woman, but a dangerous abomination whose origin cannot be explained by science nor modern medicine.
Meanwhile, an unnamed victim has been kidnapped. Trapped in a cell with nothing but a journal to document their experiences, this mysterious Prisoner must undergo terrifying scientific experiments while trying not to lose all hope and sanity.
Inspired by the works of renowned horror and mystery writers like Stephen King, Edgar Allen Poe, and Arthur Conan Doyle, The Prisoner of Fear brilliantly weaves questions of mortality and the human propensity for evil into a truly intriguing, unique, and frightening narrative.
The Review
This is the perfect blend of the gothic horror-meeting medical thriller. The author does an incredible job of immediately thrusting readers into a heavy atmosphere, as the narrative jumps between those seeking answers and the fearful ramblings of the unknown prisoner. The way the author writes this story in a format that showcases journal entries, various correspondence between characters, and even newspaper articles from the fictional world he has created was an inspired choice, as it felt like the 19th century and literary version of a found footage film.
The world-building and character development indeed took center stage in this novel. The 19th-century Philadelphia setting played well into the gothic tone of the story while also giving readers a vastly different perspective than classic gothic horror has in the past. The relatability of the characters, especially Doyle and his deep desire to find that irrefutable proof of an afterlife, was so great to see come forward in a rich storyline such as this. The story’s tension and chilling nature will stay with readers long after they put the book down.
The Verdict
Thrilling, haunting, and engaging, author Chad Miller’s “The Prisoner of Fear” is a must-read gothic horror and medical thriller novel of 2022. The twists and turns this narrative takes will feed well into the frightening atmosphere and adrenaline-fueled story the author has created. The dynamics between these characters will have readers fully invested as the horrors begin to reveal themselves. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
About the Author
Chad Miller has a B.A. in Psychology from Syracuse University and a Pharm D from the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. He’s a pharmacist and lives in lifeless Delaware with his girlfriend, Natasha and her daughter, Sasha, and his three kids, Killian, Willow, and Halina. He is a horror writer and began crafting stories 25 years ago. His writing is not for the faint at heart and his goal is to plant seeds of terror in your mind so that you can’t sleep at night. His novel, The Prisoner of Fear, is being published by Hear Our Voice and will be out fall of 2022. His short story collection, The Void is available on Amazon now! His short story, The Thorn, is published by Sweety Cat Press and is included in the anthology, Beautiful: In the Eye of the Beholder and is out now available on Amazon. His story, Diseased, will be included in the anthology, Movement: Bodies in Motion, and is available now. His future project includes his follow-up novel, A Paroxysm of Fear, and a 3 part series of novellas titled Cerebus. Check out other stories on his website, chadmiller-author.com.
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