The 13th

Castle House Lodge. A century ago it was an exclusive resort hotel. But for years it's stood empty, a haunting shadow of its former glories. Now, after twenty-five years of rumors and ghost stories, the overgrown grounds are showing signs of being tended. The building itself has been repaired. Castle House has new occupants. What was once a haven for the elite is now a madhouse, a private asylum for pregnant women. But are all the patients really insane? And is it just a coincidence that people have begun to disappear from the nearby town? David Shale's girlfriend is one of the missing, and he's determined to find the truth behind the mysterious Dr. Rockford and his house of secrets. He will learn the meaning of the red X painted on the basement door...and he will know the ultimate fear, the horror of... THE 13TH.

From the Back Cover

A double-barreled shotgun blast of macabre entertainment. The 13th is an expert amalgamation of grotesquerie, eroticism, mystery, and pitch-black occult horror that no fan of the genre can miss. -Edward Lee, author of Brides of the Impaler and The GolemReading The 13th is like taking the fast lane straight to hell. One frighteningly wicked trip. -JA Konrath, author of Whiskey SourFrom its subtly metaphoric opening line to its shattering final sequence (I'm talking the kind of ending that only the best horror/dark fantasy writers can pull off, the kind of ending that makes the finale of Pet Sematary look almost like a Bugs Bunny cartoon), John Everson's The 13th is the first out-and-out horror novel in a long while to actually scare the **** out of me while reading it. It's stylish, extremely well-written, filled with richly-drawn characterizations, and boasts a labyrinthine plot worthy of Umberto Eco. Trust me -- this one will fry your nerves and break your heart. - 5-time Bram Stoker Award-winner Gary A. Braunbeck, author of Coffin County and Far Dark FieldsDark, warped and twisted in all the right ways, The 13th is a Laymon-esque caper that combines demonic worship, sadistic rites, terrifying sex magick, and a frightening glimpse of ultimate evil. All this, and John Everson also manages to squeeze in a creepy old hotel, wicked bad guys, and a heaping helping of black humor. It's a potent mix that's sure to please horror fans of all stripes. -W.D. Gagliani, Author of Wolf's Trap and Wolf's GambitJohn Everson's The 13th is one of the creepiest and most compelling novels I've read in years. It's a brand new genre: 21st Century Gothic that has smarts and scares in equal measures. -Jonathan Maberry, multiple Bram Stoker Award-winning author of Patient Zero and The Wolfman. John Everson paves a smooth, swift road to Satanic horror in The 13th. Pages keep flipping as the darkness growing at the heart of Castle Point consumes both characters and the reader, leading to a thrilling climax in which both doom and salvation depend on sacrifice. The 13th is a terrifying drop into the mouth of hell that will leave you wanting more from this hot writer. -Gerard Houarner, Author of Blood of Killers and Road From Hell

About the Author

John Everson is a staunch advocate for the culinary joys of the jalapeno and an unabashed fan of 1970s European horror cinema. He is also the Bram Stoker Award-winning author of seven novels, including the erotic horror tour de force of NightWhere and the occult / urban legend mystery of The Pumpkin Man. Other novels include Covenant, Sacrifice, Siren and the upcoming spider-driven Violet Eyes. His tales have been translated into Polish, French and German and optioned for potential film development. His short stories have been gathered in a handful of collections, including the Cage of Bones & Other Deadly Obsessions and Needles & Sins. A 10th anniversary edition of his Vigilantes of Love was reissued in 2013.

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