14 by Peter Clines
Published by: Permuted Press
Review by: Dani Hoots
Padlocked doors. Strange light fixtures. Mutant cockroaches.
There are some odd things about Nate’s new apartment.
Of course, he has other things on his mind. He hates his job. He has no money in the bank. No girlfriend. No plans for the future. So while his new home isn’t perfect, it’s livable. The rent is low, the property managers are friendly, and the odd little mysteries don’t nag at him too much.
At least, not until he meets Mandy, his neighbor across the hall, and notices something unusual about her apartment. And Xela’s apartment. And Tim’s. And Veek’s.
Because every room in this old Los Angeles brownstone has a mystery or two. Mysteries that stretch back over a hundred years. Some of them are in plain sight. Some are behind locked doors. And all together these mysteries could mean the end of Nate and his friends.
Or the end of everything…
A great horror and sci-fi mix, Clines makes you believe that anything is possible. A little bit of horror, mystery, suspense, romance, thriller, this book will leave you at the edge of your seat. I enjoyed this book tremendously. I didn’t know what was going to happen next, and was always left at the end of a chapter wanting more.
Clines does a great job at creating a believable cast and scenario. I enjoyed all the characters, even when I hated some of them (not going to spoil the reason I hated them). They were very different and individual, and I think that was one of the strongest points in the novel. I also loved the apartment itself. It was really neat how Clines brought the scene to life and made it believable.
My favorite character was Tim. He had some great humor and lines and was always knowledgable about things that left the other characters questioning his role at the publishing company he said he worked at.
All in all, I really recommend this book to anyone who love horror mixed with a little sci-fi. Oh, and it’s a great book to read before you move into a new apartment or condo complex like I am. It won’t leave you worried as to what each mystery door has behind it all…
Rating: 5/5
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