Darker Than Night by Owl Goingback
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Darker Than Night, originally published, I believe, in 1999, follows a Horror author, Michael Anthony, and his young family, after they move from NYC to rural-Missouri when he inherits his deceased Grandmother’s house.
I picked this up because I’ve been really interested in Owl Goingback’s work and this one sounded perfect as my favorite holiday, Halloween, approaches.
When Michael, his wife, and their two children finally arrive at the house after their long journey, they find it in a bit of disrepair. They’ve got a lot of cleaning to do.
The house is also populated with many of his Grandmother’s things, including numerous Kachina dolls and masks, figures common in several Native American communities.
It’s not the figures themselves really that are disturbing, but the sheer number of them, and the way they always seem to be watching you. The Kachinas aren’t the only unsettling thing about the house though. There are other details that seem to set the whole family on edge.
They all start to see shadow figures, darker than night, and mysterious stains, looking much like human faces, begin appearing on their flooring. It’s clear something is going on in this house and it’s put them all in danger.
Further, the locals are chattering about the famous author, and his family, that have moved into his Grandmother’s house, who they all considered crazy. The locals might have answers about what is going on at their property, but it’s hard for the Anthonys to decipher fact from fiction.
The more Michael and his wife dig in and look for answers, the more unsettled they become. Mysterious entities, locally known as Boogers, frequently are mentioned. It sounds silly. The Boogeymen; stuff of childhood nightmares, but when you’re actually living it, it’s much too real.
They’ve got to get the children and run, before it’s too late.
Darker Than Night is a classic-style Horror story, not perfect, but very entertaining. I loved the set-up of the inherited house and all the bits-and-bobs that came along with it.
I also enjoyed the small town Missouri setting, as well as the incorporation of some Indigenous cultural elements, such as the Kachina dolls. I feel like Goingback did a great job following through with all the concepts he brought to the page here. The beings were well-imagined.
Overall, it’s a well-rounded story that’s easy to fall into and read all the way through. It’s a simple story in it’s construction, and I appreciated that. Goingback isn’t trying to wow us all with extraordinary prose or jaw-dropping twists and turns. It’s just a well told story, start-to-finish.
Sometimes I get annoyed when authors try to do too much, to impress us all with their huge brains. I am just here for the story and that’s exactly what Goingback delivers. I need to check out more of his work.
I would absolutely recommend this to anyone who is just looking for a classic-feeling Supernatural Horror story. This one is super-engaging and can be read very quickly. Perfect for Spooky Season!