Paperback: 232 pages
Publisher: Vesuvian Books
Language: English
Date Published: March 13, 2018
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Where to buy: Amazon| Barnes & Noble
PHOTO CONTENT FROM VESUVIAN BOOKS
Synopsis:
High School Can Be a Real Killer
Break a mirror
Walk under a ladder
Step on a crack
Innocent childhood superstitions …
But someone at the secluded Trask Academy of Performing Arts is taking things one deadly step further when the campus is rocked with the deaths of some of its star students.
Layna Curtis, a talented, popular senior, soon realizes that the seemingly random, accidental deaths of her friends aren’t random—or accidents—at all. Someone has taken the childhood games too far, using the idea of superstitions to dispose of their classmates. As Layna tries to convince people of her theory, she uncovers the terrifying notion that each escalating, gruesome murder leads closer to its final victim: her.
Will Layna’s opening night also be her final bow?
Review:
Wow, this was such a thrilling book, I honestly could not put it down. We are first introduced to Layna and her group of friends, all students at the Trask Academy. All seems okay until a string of deaths bring unease and terror to this secluded prestigious academy. As each death is brought to view, we learn more and more about the gruesome secrets that have been hidden in Trask Academy.
The plot line was amazing. The author had me believing so many killer theories on the characters that once debunked, made me want to know more about the identity of the killer. Along with the deaths were the intricately woven twists and turns and secret reveals that was mind blowing. I would gasp with each large secret that orchestrated itself to the largest secret of all – what really occurred in that fire so many years ago. I am glad to say that by not seeing those secrets coming, I was desiring more and more and the author executed that reader need in such an excellent way. I did get Scream movie vibes from it, but it was all horror and zero cheesiness. The ending was such a cliffhanger that it allowed my imagination to think of what could happen next. It was mysterious, thought-provoking and just so good.
I have to say character development was pretty key, especially with some of the characters that were part of the larger twists. You felt their fear, anger and confusion through each chapter. You understood the killer’s reasoning even though I personally didn’t agree with it. Layna, as a character was pretty intriguing. She went from being seen as a sidekick, being on the front end of this chaos an still keeping true to the secrets that involved her in the academy. The author made characters seemed guilty, made characters that you wanted to believe were intrinsically good question your emotions and your own reasoning of believing the good in the character.
This book was a book made to make you really think and follow along the journey Layna was taking to open up the dreadful secrets living in Trask Academy.
Want to catch a glimpse into the world of Jinxed? Read the Excerpt below!
JINXED BY THOMMY HUTSON EXCERPT
Looking up, she screamed. A reflection in the glass. Directly behind her. Running. She spun around, terrified.
The stranger stopped and backed away a few steps.
“Woah, woah, woah! Sorry, forgot my key!” Some freshman girl. She wriggled past Sydney and inside the building.
“No prob—” Sydney started to say, but the girl was halfway up the stairs and not even remotely interested. Loud music, laughter, and yelling spilled through the door. The party permeated the air.
Sydney watched as the heavy metal door to the stairwell, with its tiny square of wire-meshed glass, closed with a substantial click.
“You’re welcome,” Sydney said sarcastically. She felt more on her own, surrounded by the sound of a party she was not going to, than she had shuffling across campus. She shook it off. There’d be plenty of parties, one day.
She heard a noise at the door behind her and turned to see what it was. Probably a student hoping to sneak in to the dorm. But there would be no need for sneaking. Someone was already inside.
He was bigger than her, with a wide stance. And a mask.
The mask, made of silver and bronze, was a sickening amalgamation of the comedy and drama faces so well-known in the theater world. One half of its shiny silver surface was twisted into a sort of smile, one that looked gleeful after doing terrible things. The other turned downward, as if that same grin had melted away in pain and despair.
Nothing good could come of this.
“Who are—?”
He rushed toward Sydney, frighteningly fast. Shocked and confused, she felt his fist connect with her throat, hard. The impact shattered delicate blood vessels, bruised her larynx, and sent her spinning back to the concrete wall. Her head snapped against it, causing more pain
and a momentary dizziness that brought flecks of light, like tiny sparklers, to her vision. Breath became a torturous mix of searing pain and the metallic taste of blood. She panicked, fearing suffocation, and emitted a tragic rasp. Crying hurt, but she couldn’t stop the tears.
The stranger pulled a polished silver blade from under his dark overcoat. Dear God, Sydney thought, it’s actually gleaming. The glare brought her back to cohesive thought. She had to do something, and do it fast.
I will not die here, she thought. Not tonight.
Praise for JINXED
[Hutson] creates a gore-filled throwback to the classic teen slasher flick genre … Graphically detailed descriptions make it clear that this work of horror isn’t for the faint of heart. ―Publishers Weekly
Thommy Hutson’s ‘Jinxed’ is a Must Read for Classic Horror Fans (linked to full iHorror review)
“Hutson … knocked it completely out of the park … with an expertly paced, cinematic slasher in a setting that would make Agatha Christie proud.” ―Waylon Jordan, iHorror.com
“…gory but captivating … a masked murderer starts picking off the teens, killing them all in theatrically grisly ways. … entertaining” ―School Library Journal
“Thommy Hutson is the ultimate authority in nostalgia-driven storytelling.” ―Clive Barker, Bestselling Author of Books of Blood and The Thief of Always
“Jinxed is the teen whodunit that Wes Craven and Lois Duncan never made. Hutson has created the best new slasher franchise since Scream.” ―Peter M. Bracke, Author of Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of Friday the 13th
“A dark, tension-filled thriller that’s wicked to the very end. Bad luck was never so much fun!” ―Jeffrey Reddick, Creator of Final Destination
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Born and raised in Upstate New York, Thommy Hutson graduated from UCLA and launched his career co-writing the story for the Warner Bros. animated hit SCOOBY-DOO IN WHERE’S MY MUMMY? He followed that with co-writing the concept and additional material for CHILL OUT, SCOOBY-DOO!
His career then took a thrilling turn when he wrote and produced several definitive genre film retrospectives for television and home entertainment: SCREAM: THE INSIDE STORY (Bio Channel), NEVER SLEEP AGAIN: THE ELM STREET LEGACY (Bio Channel), MORE BRAINS! A RETURN TO THE LIVING DEAD (Chiller) and HIS NAME WAS JASON: 30 YEARS OF FRIDAY THE 13th (Starz/Anchor Bay).
He was also a staff writer on Hulu’s daily web series “The Morning After,” a smart, witty, pop culture program aimed at getting viewers up-to-date on the latest entertainment news and celebrity interviews.
Thommy also produced the critically acclaimed feature THE TROUBLE WITH THE TRUTH, an insightful relationship drama starring Lea Thompson and John Shea. He also produced DREAMWORLD, a quirky, romantic dramedy.
He co-wrote and produced ANIMAL for Chiller Films and Drew Barrymore’s Flower Films. The project debuted in iTunes’ top ten horror films (reaching #1) and became the network’s highest-rated original movie.
Continuing his passion for uncovering the stories behind the story, he went on to produce CRYSTAL LAKE MEMORIES: THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF FRIDAY THE 13th, which is the most comprehensive look at the popular film franchise.
He produced and made his feature directorial debut with THE ID, an independent psychological drama/thriller. Filmmaker Magazine stated it was “a deeply unsettling thriller that’s as moving as it is frightening…with skillful, provocative direction that has echoes of early Polanski.”
Thommy also wrote the screenplay for Syfy Channel’s supernatural horror film TRUTH OR DARE, which was a trending topic on social media the night of its release.
As an author Thommy crafted a limited-edition coffee table book detailing the making and legacy of Wes Craven’s 1984 classic A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET. A trade version distributed by Simon & Schuster reached number one in Amazon.com’s Movie History & Criticism category. His latest novel, the teen thriller “Jinxed,” (Vesuvian Media) is the first book of a trilogy and has been called “A must-read for classic horror fans…Inevitable and shocking. Brutal and beautiful. Homage and originality…Hutson could easily take on the mantle as the next Lois Duncan.”
He is currently scripting a film for The Hallmark Channel as well as writing another book that definitively details the history, making, and legacy of another fan-favorite genre film from the 1980s.
A member of the Producers Guild of America and Horror Writers Association, and an aficionado of horror and teen movies from the 80s and 90s, Thommy continues to develop unique, compelling, and provocative projects across multiple genres for film, television, publishing, and home entertainment through his company Hutson Ranch Media.
Giveaway!!
– 1 Winner will receive a Copy of JINXED by Thommy Hutson.
– Winner will receive a $25 Dollar PayPal/Amazon Gift Card.
-Giveaway is open to International. | Must be 13+ to Enter
Click Here: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e849f7751548/
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Tour Schedule: http://www.jeanbooknerd.com/2018/11/jinxed-by-thommy-hutson.html
Thank you Jean Book Nerd and Vesuvian Books for allowing me to be a part of this amazing tour. Please check out Jean Book Nerd’s site for more information about this tour and upcoming ones.
A Bronx Latina Reads 