The Fourth Monkey – Now Available Worldwide
Se7en meets The Silence of the Lambs in this dark and twisting novel from the author Jeffery Deaver called, “A talented writer with a delightfully devious mind.”
Over 1000 5-Star reviews on GoodReads! | Optioned for film and television! | Named one of iBooks Most Anticipated Thrillers of 2017! | Voted one of the best Mystery/Thrillers of 2017 by the GoodReads Choice Awards! | #1 Bestseller on Audible!
For over five years, the Four Monkey Killer has terrorized the residents of Chicago. When his body is found, the police quickly realize he was on his way to deliver one final message, one which proves he has taken another victim who may still be alive.
As the lead investigator on the 4MK task force, Detective Sam Porter knows even in death, the killer is far from finished. When he discovers a personal diary in the jacket pocket of the body, Porter finds himself caught up in the mind of a psychopath, unraveling a twisted history in hopes of finding one last girl, all while struggling with personal demons of his own.
With only a handful of clues, the elusive killer’s identity remains a mystery. Time is running out and the Four Monkey Killer taunts from beyond the grave in this masterfully written fast-paced thriller.
Order The Fourth Monkey
U.S.
Hardcover: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Books a Million | IndiBound | Powells | Book Depository | Target
eBook: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Google Play | Kobo | iBooks
AudioBook: Amazon | Audible | iTunes
U.K.
Hardcover: Amazon | Waterstones
eBook: Amazon
AudioBook: Amazon | Audible | iTunes
Signed copies are available through Penguin Bookshop in Sewickley, PA – they will ship worldwide!
Goodreads – Add to Want to Read
Praise for The Fourth Monkey
Named one of iBooks most anticipated thrillers of summer 2017!
“The Fourth Monkey has one of the most ingenious openings that I’ve read in years. This thriller never disappoints.”
—James Patterson, #1 NY Times Bestselling Author
“Superbly constructed and immaculately paced, this is one of the few serial killer thrillers that bears comparison with Thomas Harris’s 1981 masterpiece Red Dragon.”
—Daily Mail
“Bram Stoker Award finalist Barker ingeniously blends horrific images into a bizarre plotline to create this devilishly dark thriller.”
—Library Journal
“…Nice twists on classic thriller tropes.”
—Publisher’s Weekly
“Not since Hannibal Lecter had a friend for dinner has a serial killer been so skillfully rendered on the page.”
—Taylor Elmore, Writer/Producer of Justified and Limitless
“J.D. Barker’s second novel is a terrifying romp.”
—Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
“If you like fast-paced, disturbing thrillers, this is the summer read for you!”
—BookRiot
“Scary, stomach churning, and utterly addictive, this has to be one of 2017 most exciting thrillers.”
—Lancashire Post
“Creepy, scary . . . and impossible to put down! The Fourth Monkey is everything a thriller should be—a must read!”
—Heather Graham, NY Times Bestselling Author
“Intense, disturbing and relentlessly suspenseful, “The Fourth Monkey” is a dark and wildly entertaining novel.”
—Plattsburgh Press Republican
“In the tradition of SE7EN and THE USUAL SUSPECTS, THE FOURTH MONKEY combines breakneck speed with a baffling puzzle. It has pace to die for.”
—David Morrell, New York Times Bestselling Author of Murder As a Fine Art and First Blood
“A highly recommended and beguiling page-turning thriller that is both disturbing and immensely entertaining.”
—New York Journal of Books
“A chillingly delicious page-turner.”
—Kelley Armstrong, NY Times Bestselling Author
“THE FOURTH MONKEY will keep you up all night …reading.”
—Lansing State Journal
“Gritty, masterful suspense…Lee Child, you’ve met your match.”
—Tosca Lee, NY Times Bestselling Author
“Brilliant. Complicated. Psychopath. This character is truly riveting.”
—Marc Webb, Director of The Amazing Spiderman, Gifted, & (500) Days of Summer
“A first-rate, devilish thriller.”
—Eric Rickstad, NY Times Bestselling Author of The Names of Dead Girls and The Silent Girls
“A state of the art thriller, a current nightmare, a panic wrapped up in a box.”
—Josh Malerman, Award Winning Author of Bird Box
“Serial killers in fiction are a dime a dozen these days, and it takes a powerful lot of thought and crafty planning to come up with one who’s unique. In THE FOURTH MONKEY Barker does just that — and gives us more than one. And he bounces his bad guys off a colorful cast of believable characters. For you puzzle fans, there’s a story within the story as strange and twisty as the tale itself. But make no mistake, this is a suspense novel through and through, and it’s in no way shy about it.”
—Jack Ketchum, Award Winning Author of Off Season and The Girl Next Door
“This book is seriously brilliant: the best serial killer thriller I’ve ever read.”
—Lisa Milton, Executive Editor HarperCollins HQ
“Absolutely freaking brilliant! I didn’t want this book to end but what a fantastic finish! This is going to be THE crime thriller of 2017.”
—Maxine Groves, Top Amazon and GoodReads Reviewer
“Gripping, addictive, and devilishly clever. From its opening salvo The Fourth Monkey grabs you and never lets go. J. D. Barker is a stunning new talent.”
—Barry Lancet, award-winning author of Tokyo Kill and Pacific Burn
“Fascinating, fast-paced thriller. J.D. Barker keeps you on the edge of your seat right up until the final twist. A gripping read!”
—R.G. Belsky, author of the Gil Malloy thrillers
“In THE FOURTH MONKEY, J.D. Barker interweaves multiple mysteries into an exhilarating thriller with a compelling new villain. The complexity of the puzzles and the lighting pace funnels the reader through a Rube Goldberg contraption of twists and turns. Buckle yourself in and have fun!”
—Alex Dolan, author of THE EUTHANIST
“A daring, fearless, in your face read…an easy five stars for me, no hesitation.”
— Novel Gossip
“A relentless thrill ride that allows readers not only inside the mind of the killer, but of the man committed to outsmarting him this one last time.
— For the Love of Books
“You NEED this on your radar.”
— Reading in Between The Lines
“Genuinely fascinating…WOW, the ending was unbelievably brilliant.”
— Book Polar
“The Fourth Monkey is creepy, atmospheric and completely compelling.”
— Bibliophile Book Club
“Intensely vivid…it’s creepy and it’s startling, but it’s also addictive.”
— Eccentric Trilogy
“Reminiscent of Stephen King and Dean Koontz, I’m adding Barker to my must-read novelists.”
— The Write Lovers
“Dark and twisted…a MUST read.”
— Bound4Escape
“The Verdict: a twisted, movie-worthy serial killer thriller.”
— Crime by the Book
“Dark, dirty and downright gritty, this was a clear five star read! For those of you who have the stomach for it, pre-order it now! For the more feint-hearted amongst you, pre-order it now and read it through the gaps in your fingers. This is a book not to be missed!”
— The World is a Book
“It’s creepy and vicious, in a very IT clown staring up at you from a drain, kind of way.”
— Cheryl Imm
“Terrifying. A lot of people are going to be talking about this book…five stars.”
— Hooked From Page One
“A MUST READ.”
— Anthony Avina
“From the very opening page to the dramatic, tantalising conclusion, this is a book which will grab your attention and hang onto it with grim determination through every twist and turn.”
— British Bookworm
“Sheer brilliance from start to finish. A must have read.”
— Barney’s
“This book lives up to the hype.”
— Clues and Reviews
“…has the makings of a Hollywood blockbuster.”
— The Book Review Cafe
“A masterful first crime fiction novel that is perfect for fans of Se7en and The Silence of the Lambs.”
— The Real Book Spy
“A must read for all detective/thriller lovers!”
— The Story Collector
“A humdinger of a serial killer thriller in sheer overdrive!”
— Love Reading
“The Fourth Monkey is a haunting piece of graphic, psychological dark fiction.”
— A Magical World of Words
“OMG This is good stuff!!! Sensational and shocking.”
— Books from Dusk till Dawn
“What a blooming cracker of a story this is!”
— It’s All About the Books
“It is nicely twisty, beautifully executed and has a brilliant cliffhanger at the end. I loved it!”
—The Crime Warp
“A must read.”
—The Book Whisperer
“Any books that draw a comparison to Silence of the Lambs and Se7en I approach with great caution, they rarely live up to the hype, but The Fourth Monkey does. It is really that great.”
—Feminisia Book Reviews
“Impressively written with a chillingly sinister storyline that kept me reading late into the night.”
—Mistimoo Book Reviews
“A novel which stabs you, twists the knife and leaves you reeling.”
—The Book Trail
“Oh my, this is a sensational rattlesnake-strike of a read!”
—Love Reading
“Gripping from the off, this is one tense and fast paced read and a definite must read for crime lovers.”
—By The Letter
“This one lived up to the hype surrounding it and I could not put it down.”
—Jessica Map Reviews
“Holy crap on a cracker, people – this book is GOOD!”
—Where The Reader Grows
“This book is simply fantastic: chilling, disturbing, a brilliant complex plot brought to life.”
—Have Books Will Read
“This is seriously going to be the most talked about books of the year!”
—The Book Magnet
“Do I recommend this book? You bet your sweet arse I do!”
—Crime Book Junkie
“The ending was perfection really.”
—Tomes and Tequila
“I loved this. It is so beautifully twisted that I don’t even have a word for it. I banged through it, unable to look away, often freaking out slightly, J D Barker writes with such visceral reality that you just fall into it stuck between horrified and fascinated.”
—Liz Loves Books
“So far I would have to say that this is the best book I have read for 2017 (it also beats any book that I read in 2016). To J.D. Barker, I would have to say, I applaud you Sir on this masterpiece.”
—An Attic Full of Books
“The Fourth Monkey is a chilling thriller that is compulsively readable and offers up plenty of twists and turns that make it an essential addition to your summer reading list.”
—The Horror Bookshelf
“[Barker] crosses lines other writers won’t and that is a wonderful thing.”
—Damp Pebbles
“Chilling, thrilling and nerve tickling!”
—Liis Thinks
“It’s creepy, it’s dark and it’s so much fun to read, leaving you gasping for air.”
—Snazzy Books
“This book is so terrifying, suspenseful, and demented….and I absolutely LOVED it!!”
—Kristin’s Novel Cafe
“A taut and tight psychological thriller.”
—Jaffa Reads Too
“Reminded me of one of my favorite movies, “The Bone Collector”. A fast read…intense.”
—Book Queen Reviews
“As good as Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl, if not better.”
—Joanna Elm
“Hands down my favorite fiction of the year and I am ready for what’s next from the devious mind of J D Barker.”
—My Big Honkin Blog
“I don’t think I can shout my praise any louder for this book, so many twists and unexpected points, I probably swore in surprise several times throughout, there’s no way this book cant get lower than a 5/5 from me, I can definitely see it being a big crime/thriller of this year.”
—A Book’s Eternal Glory
“I was blown away. This is amazing.”
—Sparkle Books
“Exceptionally well crafted. A real dark page turner, but one that retains a sense of twisted fun; one to devour.”
—Nudge Books
“The most shocking thriller of 2017!”
—Swirl and Thread
“Devoured it… a phenomenal and gripping read.”
—The Tattooed Book Geek
“Barker is one of my ‘finds’ for 2017 and I will be adding him to my author list. Definitely not a book to miss.”
—CrimeSquad
“Barker is a gifted writer and storyteller. One of my favorite reads of 2017.”
—Just Another Bookish Opinion
“Holy moly! This was a bloody brilliant book. I hate saying ‘I couldn’t put it down’ because that phrase is so over used, but really, I could not put it down. This was a fantastic book and it has to be one of my most enjoyable thriller reads to date.”
—Emmas Bookish Corner
“It’s creepy and twisty and has definite shades of Jeffrey Deaver. Definitely falls into the ‘page-turner’ category, The Fourth Monkey is highly recommended.”
—Expresso Coco
“Woah! What. A. Book. Literally speechless, it’s that good.”
—El’s Book Reviews
“This book was excellent, a comment that I actually said out loud to myself at one point whilst reading!”
—Josie Jaffrey
“You will not be disappointed with this book. A fantastic story and thrilling read!”
—David Savage
“Definitely lives up to the hype. Brilliantly crafted.”
—Gems Quiet Corner
“Mystery lovers looking for a dark story will have something to sink their teeth into with this book.”
—After Dark Book Lovers
“If you love crime thrillers featuring serial killers then you will not be disappointed with this book. A fantastic story and thrilling read!”
—What’s Good to Read
“Kudos, Mr. Barker for this wonderful thriller.”
—Pechey Ponderings
“My best read this year and I highly recommend everyone to read it!”
—How Useful It Is
“The Fourth Monkey is a great start to what promises to be an exciting series. I will be waiting to see what Barker does next, and so should you.”
—Horror Talk
“THAT LAST PAGE! Has set the stage for a brilliant second book.”
—Girl vs Books
“If you like a fast paced thriller with a complex plot and plenty of stay-up-late appeal – I can’t
recommend this highly enough.”
—Laura Bambrey Books
“This killer will give you the chills. 5 stars.”
—The Buzzing Bookmark
“For those mystery thriller fans, I highly recommend you pick this book up and follow the author, cause book two I’m sure will kick some serious ass!”
—Paranormally Yours
“Everything a thriller should be.”
—What’s Good to Read
Praise for J.D. Barker
“Incredibly written, supremely creepy. I don’t say this lightly: J.D. Barker is a force to be reckoned with.”
—Tosca Lee, NY Times Bestselling Author
“Barker knows how to evoke chilling imagery and will have readers anxiously looking over their shoulders with each terrifying “clickity, click, click.”
— Library Journal
“Barker is a master wordsmith.”
— AudioBookReviewer.com
“Masterful storytelling.”
— Bookish
“It is clear Barker is a name to watch.”
—The Horror Bookshelf
“A great stay-up-all-night spooky story.”
—The Book’s The Thing
“This book gave me chills!”
— The Word Smithe
“Five stars. Perfect.”
— Confessions of a Reviewer
“Scary, exciting, fun in all the right ratios, Forsaken is the right kind of book for anyone who enjoys a racing heart and a pounding pulse.”
– MichaelBrant Collins, #1 Bestselling Author
“It’s a superlative read!”
– Robin Spriggs, Author
“Incredibly atmospheric and cinematic – it would make a fabulously creepy movie. .”
— Lucy Literati
“Mr. Barker may have begun by following in the footsteps of such horror royalty as Stephen King, John Saul and Dean Koontz; but he has blazed a unique path of his own with FORSAKEN.”
— Fresh Fiction
“This was hands down the best novel I’ve read this year. From the first page, to the very last. This novel had me in its hold. I couldn’t wait to turn the page, yet at the same time, I was terrified to. This book is littered with heart stopping OMG moments. Toward the end of the book, the last few chapters, I was on the edge of my seat. As if this book couldn’t get any better for me. It’s not just an awesome story, but it is beautifully written as well. The flow from the first word to the last is seamless. I just love this book. I can’t wait for the next book. Without a doubt, this book deserves five stars.”
— Word Gurgle
“The plot is great. The action doesn’t slow down for a minute. The ending is brilliant.”
— Cheryll is Writing
J.D. Barker Signs On to Co-Author Prequel to Dracula with Dacre Stoker! #DraculaBegins
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Prequel to Bram Stoker’s Dracula to be Written
by Dacre Stoker and J.D. Barker
Additional information can be found at: www.draculabegins.com
Bram Stoker’s Dracula is arguably one of the greatest horror novels ever written. It has stood the test of time and found life through countless generations. It has been translated into forty-four languages, sold millions of copies worldwide, and inspired more than three hundred films.
What if the book we know today was not the book Bram Stoker submitted to his publisher in 1897?
Dacre Stoker has dedicated the last ten years of his life to researching his family’s legacy. He has pored through documents both public and private in an attempt to piece together information on the man, his great-granduncle who wrote this epic tale, and the events that inspired it. In doing so, he has discovered a disturbing fact: Bram Stoker may have intended Dracula to serve as a warning, a glimpse of a very real evil.
The original Dracula preface (recently discovered in the Icelandic translation) includes the following:
“I am quite convinced that there is no doubt whatever that the events here described really took place, however unbelievable and incomprehensible they might appear at first sight.”
The Icelandic edition is not the only version containing alterations and inconsistences. In 1980, a copy of the original manuscript was discovered, its pages revealing a different ending. The German, Italian, and French versions have numerous discrepancies from the original English. Are these variances errors in translation, or intentional? Could Bram have concealed a message within this altered text? We know he went to great lengths to plant the Islandic preface with the help of his friend, Hall Caine. What else might he have hidden?
“As I delved deeper into his writing, particularly his journals, it became increasingly clear that Bram meant for Dracula to be more than just entertainment,” Dacre explains. “There’s a message here and today’s technology provides the tools we need to decipher it. J.D. Barker and I plan to do just that.”
More information can be found at: www.draculabegins.com
About The Authors
J.D. Barker
J.D. Barker is the international bestselling author of Forsaken (Hampton Creek Press, 2014). A finalist for the Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a Debut Novel, the expertly crafted tale twists both past and present into a fast-paced, suspenseful ride that leaves you hungry for more. His latest novel, The Fourth Monkey, is set to release early in 2016. He currently splits his time between Englewood, FL, and Pittsburgh, PA, with his wife, Dayna.
When asked about this project, Barker had this to say: “The information uncovered by Dacre is phenomenal. Bram Stoker truly believed vampires were real. As the world turns the last page of this book, we may find ourselves wondering if he was right.”
Dacre Stoker
As the official representative of the Bram Stoker Estate, Dacre Stoker travels the world with his compelling presentation, Stoker on Stoker. The presentation weaves together the details of Dracula’s history, Stoker family history, and Bram Stoker’s life in Dublin and London, then separates fact from popular fiction…revealing the truth about all things Stoker and Dracula. Stoker is the co-author of the bestselling novel Dracula the Un-Dead (Dutton, 2009) and Bram Stoker’s Lost Journal (Robson Press, 2012), a nonfiction book based on Stoker’s unpublished personal journal found in an attic on the Isle of Wight. He currently lives in South Carolina with his wife and children.
Complete Icelandic Edition Preface
“The reader of this story will very soon understand how the events outlined in these pages have been gradually drawn together to make a logical whole. Apart from excising minor details which I considered unnecessary, I have let the people involved relate their experiences in their own way; but, for obvious reasons, I have changed the names of the people and places concerned. In all other respects I leave the manuscript unaltered, in deference to the wishes of those who have considered it their duty to present it before the eyes of the public. I am quite convinced that there is no doubt whatever that the events here described really took place, however unbelievable and incomprehensible they might appear at first sight. And I am further convinced that they must always remain to some extent incomprehensible, although continuing research in psychology and natural sciences may, in years to come, give logical explanations of such strange happenings which, at present, neither scientists nor the secret police can understand. I state again that this mysterious tragedy which is here described is completely true in all its external respects, though naturally I have reached a different conclusion on certain points than those involved in the story. But the events are incontrovertible, and so many people know of them that they cannot be denied. This series of crimes has not yet passed from the memory – a series of crimes which appear to have originated from the same source, and which at the same time created as much repugnance in people everywhere as the murders of Jack the Ripper, which came into the story a little later. Various people’s minds will go back to the remarkable group of foreigners who for many seasons together played a dazzling part in the life of the aristocracy here in London; and some will remember that one of them disappeared suddenly without apparent reason, leaving no trace. All the people who have willingly – or unwillingly – played a part in this remarkable story are known generally and well respected. Both Jonathan Harker and his wife (who is a woman of character) and Dr. Seward are my friends and have been so for many years, and I have never doubted that they were telling the truth; and the highly respected scientist, who appears here under a pseudonym, will also be too famous all over the educated world for his real name, which I have not desired to specify, to be hidden from people – least of all those who have from experience learnt to value and respect his genius and accomplishments, though they adhere to his views on life no more than I. But in our times it ought to be clear to all serious-thinking men that “there are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy.”
London,
Bram Stoker
Goodreads Book Giveaway
Forsaken
“J.D. Barker’s Forsaken is a remarkable debut, a gripping tale of suspense in the tradition of Stephen King, Dean Koontz, and John Saul. Truly the birth of a new master in the genre.”
Additional Options
Hardcover: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Books a Million | IndiBound | Powells
Softcover: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | IndiBound | Powells
eBook: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Google Play | Kobo | iBooks | SmashWords
AudioBook: Amazon | Audible | iTunes
Subscription Services: Amazon Kindle Unlimited | Overdrive | Oyster | Scribd
Book One of the Shadow Cove Saga
Inspired by Actual Events
Excerpt from the Journal of Clayton Stone – 1692
She was examined today without torture at Shadow Cove township on the charge of witchcraft. She said she was wholly innocent of the crime and has never in life renounced God. I watched as they brought her out. A poor, sickly thing, worn by her time behind the walls of her prison. Her bared feet and hands bound in leather, her clothing tattered to that of ruin. Despite such condition, her head was held high, her eyes meeting those of her accusers. Upon being stripped and examined, on her right side is found a bluish mark, much like a clover leaf; it was thrice pricked therein but she felt no pain and no blood flowed from the wound. She still refuses to provide her name so we remain unable to search baptismal records, nor has her family stepped forward to claim her as their own. We have no reason to believe she is anything but an orphaned child. I find myself unable to look at her directly in the moments preceding her trial. She is watching me though; with eyes of the deepest blue, she is watching me. Thad McAlister, Rise of the Witch
When horror author Thad McAlister began his latest novel, a tale rooted in the witch trials of centuries past, the words flowed effortlessly. The story poured forth, filling page after page with the most frightening character ever to crawl from his imagination. It was his greatest work, one that would guarantee him a position among the legends of the craft.
But was it really fiction?
He inadvertently opened a door, one that would soon jeopardize the lives of his family.
She wants to come back.
At home, his wife struggles to keep their family alive. Secretly wondering if she caused it all…a deal she made long ago. A deal with the Forsaken.
Hardcover ISBN 9780990694939
eBook ISBN 9780990694915
Paperback ISBN 9780990694908
Mass Market Paperback ISBN 9780990694922
Praise for Forsaken:
“Incredibly written, supremely creepy. I don’t say this lightly: J.D. Barker is a force to be reckoned with.”
– Tosca Lee, NY Times Bestselling Author
“Do you hear that creaking sound? That’s a door opening, as a fantastic new artist enters the room. World… meet J.D. Barker. That’s Forsaken under his arm and you’re gonna wanna pay attention to every word..”
– Josh Malerman, Author of Bird Box and Black Mad Wheel
“Scary as hell!”
– Editorial Review, Horror After Dark
“Barker knows how to evoke chilling imagery and will have readers anxiously looking over their shoulders with each terrifying “clickity, click, click.”
– Editorial Review, Library Journal
“Barker’s ambitious debut is aimed squarely at fans of classic horror. Witches, spells, miniature demons, and personal doubt give plenty to latch on to… the plot moves at a brisk pace… a promising start to a planned series.”
– Editorial Review, Publisher’s Weekly
“Barker is a master wordsmith.”
– Editorial Review, AudioBookReviewer.com
“A talented writer with a delightfully devious mind!”
– International Bestselling Author, Jeffery Deaver
“Masterful storytelling.”
– Editorial Review, Bookish
“It is clear Barker is a name to watch in horror.”
– Editorial Review, The Horror Bookshelf
“A great stay-up-all-night spooky story.”
– Editorial Review, The Book’s The Thing
“J.D. Barker has conjured a modern cauldron of horrors based on historical fact.”
– Editorial Review, The Tomb of Dark Delights
“This book gave me chills!”
– Editorial Review, The Word Smithe
“WOW if there is one horror book that you need to read this year, then this is the one.”
– Editorial Review, Wyres World
“Eerie, creepy, and frightfully good. Watch out Stephen King…J.D. Barker is hot on the trail of horror writing and will most certainly give you a run for your money!”
– Editorial Review, Crime Book Junkie
“Harry Potter for adults. The imagery will haunt you.”
– Author, Jack Stevenson
“A horror book that grips you from the start. I grew up reading horror by the likes of Stephen King, Dean Koontz and James Herbert, to name but a few. J.D. Barker deserves to have his name up there with them.”
– Editorial Review, By The Letter
“Classic gothic horror at its best. A truly impressive debut.”
– Author, Joan Hall Hovey
“Five stars. Perfect.”
– Editorial Review, Confessions of a Reviewer
“Scary, exciting, fun in all the right ratios, Forsaken is the right kind of book for anyone who enjoys a racing heart and a pounding pulse.”
– #1 Bestselling Author, MichaelBrant Collins
“It’s a superlative read!”
– Author, Robin Spriggs
“Incredibly atmospheric and cinematic – it would make a fabulously creepy movie. .”
– Editorial Review, Lucy Literati
“FORSAKEN is one of the best first novels I’ve read in a long time. Well written, a compelling story line. Put J.D. Barker’s name down on your must read reminder on the fridge – highly recommended.”
– Author, Gene O’Neill
“Mr. Barker may have begun by following in the footsteps of such horror royalty as Stephen King, John Saul and Dean Koontz; but he has blazed a unique path of his own with FORSAKEN.”
– Editorial Review, Fresh Fiction
“This was hands down the best novel I’ve read this year. From the first page, to the very last. This novel had me in its hold. I couldn’t wait to turn the page, yet at the same time, I was terrified to. This book is littered with heart stopping OMG moments. Toward the end of the book, the last few chapters, I was on the edge of my seat. As if this book couldn’t get any better for me. It’s not just an awesome story, but it is beautifully written as well. The flow from the first word to the last is seamless. I just love this book. I can’t wait for the next book. Without a doubt, this book deserves five stars.”
– Editorial Review, Word Gurgle
“The plot is great. The action doesn’t slow down for a minute. I never really understood the term ‘Tension building up to a crescendo’ before, but now I do. The ending is brilliant.”
– Editorial Review, Cheryll is Writing
“Creepy, atmospheric, well written…this novel surprised me. I wasn’t expecting such a descriptive blend of horror, mystery, and suspense combined with history. I started reading Stephen King, Dean Koontz and John Saul when I was ten (a long time ago LOL). This book grabbed my attention immediately. I had to give it a try. And I am not disappointed. J.D. Barker has spectacular potential in the horror genre. I was hooked from page one. Barker intertwined past and present, a book within a book, a novelist writing about a novelist writing a horror story filled with history- and tying it all together. The creep factor had me chilled. Imagining that little hand in the daughter’s room knocking down the toys…OMG I used to imagine that as a child. To think of it being real, of some tiny monster there terrorizing the child…that was my first real shiver while reading the book but certainly not the last. If you love horror novels this is a must read.”
– Author, Roxanne Rhoads
“Magnificent read. The story exists on the land that straddles suspense, thriller, and good ol’ supernatural chill-fest. The term “page-turner” has become cliched to the point of lost meaning, yet with Forsaken, we are reminded where the phrase was born: between the pages of just such a book as this. Moving the story along at a rushing river’s clip, Barker braids two tales together in a dance between present and past. We begin getting the slightest feeling that the two might be more intertwined than we at first suspected, but are kept in delighted suspense until Barker lets us see. He is generous in a manner. The reader is given an omnipresent view of the world inside the covers, and this serves to build tension as we become invested in the characters, sometimes wishing to grab them by the shoulders and shake them to their good senses, other times wanting desperately to tell them what’s happening just outside their line of sight. All of these ingredients are combined in a clever and delicious story, one that reads fast and fun, and with just enough darkness laying over Barker’s land to make us wonder, to make us check over our shoulders one more time, to watch the shadows… they’re only shadows, right?”
– Blogger, www.princessburlap.com
“Perhaps the best measure of any book I read is how enthusiastic I grab the kindle, and reading this book, I looked forward to every moment I could power up. Forsaken is a unique story with two intertwined plotlines. A brief backstory of Witch trials from hundreds of years ago is linked to a horror writer who has just written his greatest piece of work yet. Only this book is different, and the price for putting it on paper and unleashing it onto the world puts his children and pregnant wife at risk. The author and his family in isolation from each other worked so well, as did so many other elements in ths story. Supernatural elements blended perfectly into the tangible world. Escalating conflict turned the volume up with each page, and it all built to a suprise ending and an unusual and perfectly blended shout-out to King’s Needful Things. Highly recommend this great accomplishment.”
– Author, Mark Matthews