Sunday, October 18, 2009

Book Review : Once Upon A Nightmare by Lee Moylan

"And now it's good-bye, my love." Those were the last words she heard. He took a deep breath, held it, and then with a sudden burst of rage, plunged the steel blade through her heart...

Once Upon A Nightmare by Lee Moylan: Book Cover

Once Upon A Nightmare by Lee Moylan


Book Details:
  • Pub. Date: October 2008
  • Publisher: Crystal Dreams Publishing
  • Format: Paperback, 280pp
  • ISBN-13: 9781591461968
  • ISBN: 1591461960
Get this book from Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Multimedia

Read The Synopsis here

My Review:

Once Upon A Nightmare actually frightened me, which was a good thing - since it's a horror fiction. Rebecca Parker, an artist who was also Sara's best friend was brutally killed. Her body parts were scattered around her room, or more precisely, the killer used her body parts to 'decorate' her room. At first, I suspected John Druitt as the killer because he's a techno-geek and the killer was someone who had good command in modern technology. But then, when I read about a surprising incident, I quickly changed my mind. I'm not going to tell you who the killer is, and I won't tell you whether I was right or wrong about the killer - if you want to know, find it out yourself!

The murder scenes were quite scary. When I read the part about how the killer 'decorated' his victim's room with her organs and body parts, I felt a slight repulse in my stomach. And when Sara, the protagonist, rocked 'something' in her arms, I felt as if my heart had stopped beating. The chapter where the killer 'prayed' on Susannah Martin also freaked me out. It was so real, so graphic and intense, as I have heard many others say. Please note that there are some adult contents in the story.

Sara's bravery in fighting the sadistic killer really impressed me, after all she's gone through. Oddly, I like the way Sara shouted curses to the killer. I realized, after reading the whole story, a pure hatred towards the evil killer who caused misery to poor Rebecca, Susannah and Sara had been borne in my heart.

The connection between Sara and Rebecca seemed special - in a good way. Rebecca loved her friend so much that she tried to warn her about the killer, even after she had gone to 'the other world'.

Lee Moylan writes in a way that's both gripping and thrilling. I could feel my heart thumping in my chest, I was a little afraid to go on, but I really wanted to know what will occur next, or in another way, will there be another innocent one under the merciless blade of the killer?

Reading this book was like a thrilling roller-coaster ride. Although the violence was a little too much for me, Once Upon A Nightmare was undeniably a very good horror fiction which combines elements of terrifying manslaughter and the art of forensic. It sent a chill down my spine when I thought of the evil acts a mentally ill person can do.

Rating: 8.5 / 10

A great THANK YOU to Lee Moylan for sending me a signed copy of Once Upon A Nightmare for a book review! Dear readers, please stay tuned for a giveaway - you may be the lucky winner of a paperback copy of Once Upon A Nightmare, sponsored by the generous Lee Moylan!

Hint: Leave a comment on this review for an extra entry! Let me know what you think about my review. Is there anything to improve? OR tell me what interests you about Once Upon A Nightmare.

Buy a copy of Once Upon A Nightmare from Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Multimedia

A Little About Lee Moylan:

Lee Moylan is a fiction writer with a BS degree in Biochemistry from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Besides a fascination with biology and chemistry, she has a passion for the art of forensics. She has studied many books on the subject as well as those on serial killers. Instead of pursuing a career in forensic chemistry, she decided to raise a family and turn her intellectual and creative talents to the writing of haunting fiction.

28 comments:

Unknown said...

I like your review! There's nothing I miss (except who's the killer HEHE but then it'd be meaningless to read the book)!
Thanks for making me curious....now I want to try horror books too =D

Bunny B said...

I like horror stories, but haven't read any good ones lately! This sounds like something I could enjoy :)

Rebecca Orr said...

Okay...how come the victims have to be Rebecca and Susannah??? Rebecca is my name and Susannah is my sister's name (same spellings for both too)...that makes it all the more creepy...because in my head I will be imagining this stuff happening to me and my sister. I still want to read it though!!!

Allison said...

I love your review! I love horror books..ones that make me swirm..so this one looks really good..will have to look in to it!!

Extra entry please :-)

allisonsattic at gmail com

Zia said...

Wow this sounds really good. Thanks for a great review!

ibeeeg said...

Your review has me thinking that maybe I should come out of my "I do not like to be scared while reading" shell and pick the book up to read.
I am going to put it on my to-read list so that way I do not forget about it while pondering my "scardy-cat" self.

Cackleberry Homestead said...

I love horror fiction and your review definitely has me intrigued about this book. It sounds like it combines the best of horror and suspense/crime thrillers. I'll have to check this one out.

Aline said...

that sounds like a great read!

Martha Eskuchen said...

Aik - I like your review! Now I want to read my copy even more! Thanks!

Steffi said...

This book seems interesting! I remembered a friend of mine wanting to get this book for someone's birthday.

Jaime said...

Loved your review, Thank you so much for hosting this great giveaway. I hope I win, sounds like a good one.
copperllama at yahoo dot com

Reading said...

Sounds like a very scary read. Maybe this one I shouldn't read right before bed.

donnas said...

Great review. It really sounds like a good horror/suspense book. Thanks for sharing!

Strangelove said...

"terrifying manslaughter and the art of forensic"
It could also be the art of manslaughter against the art of forensic.
You have to look at the way the killer works like that, a strange art.
:)

Llehn said...

Whoa! I get chills just reading the review! Reading the book must leave me sleeping with the lights on!

Glenys said...

I like watching horror movies but I've never try reading one!

cherdon said...

Great review. It gives me goosebumps. Eerie yet its one of those books you've just got to read, even if it does scare you silly.

cherdon@sympatico.ca

Edu Chico said...

Books that don't allow themselves to be predictable!
Those are the best ones!

IceJewel said...

I haven't read much horror books that will totally creep me out.

But, this does look like a very dark book.The murder and the way the killer 'decorated' the victim's room kind of reminded me the way I had felt when I had read Dean Koontz's 'Hideaway '.

Nice review :)

Chrisy said...

Nice writing here...interesting...objective...bravo!

Jafantunes said...

Nice review.
It does make me wanna read it!

Cavalier said...

Nice review.
It is quite personal in a sense.
:)

MariaD said...

Good review.
It made me wanna read it.
Congratulations.

Caty said...

I liked your review, even though I think you can still be more intuitive and free on the way you conduct it.
You are personal on the analysis, but you can go even more into it!

Susy said...

Everything you said just makes me wanna read the book.

Mil said...

This is really a make-them-wanna-read-it-so-bad review!
:)

J Dias said...

I think Lee Moylan should blame you if I get disappointed!
Your review is so good that I don't think the book can compete!
Just kidding.
The review is great as I am sure the book will be!

Tanita said...

I got here through a post on another blog (about your giveaway) and I have been taking a look around and I really enjoied your blog.
Hope you don't mind I participate!