Strange Magic (24 page)

Wilson’s contented snores echoed around the second-floor bedroom for over an hour, but then he slipped into the REM stage of consciousness and the buzz-saw noises suddenly stopped. Wilson dreamed of a dark place, and of a strange, skinless man covered in blood and open sores, who constantly licked his teeth to keep them wet. It was his first nightmare in over a month but although it was a disturbing sight, it wasn’t horrific enough to wake Wilson or make him toss and turn in his bed. Within minutes, his dream shifted and Wilson was enjoying a family drive in the country with Susan and Amanda happily singing along to the radio as they drove along.

Wilson smiled in his sleep, and a hush fell over the house, a peaceful calm that was rare for the Kemp family, lulling them all into a deeper level of sleep.

If they hadn’t been so far into dreamland, one of them might have woken up at the sharp noise that came from the basement. There was a loud bang followed quickly by two more, and then things quieted down again. Not totally though. There were more thuds drifting up the basement stairs but they were softer now—steady, rhythmic noises coming from deep inside the antique magic trunk sounding more and more like distant footsteps
echoing up a long and narrow staircase. The noise was building.

The footsteps were getting louder.

The footsteps were getting nearer.

Upstairs, Wilson, Susan, and Amanda Kemp peacefully slept on, believing their private nightmare was finally over. They were wrong. Douglas Williams had died and been sent to hell twice now, but like all truly great magicians, the Heatseeker still had a few tricks left up his torn and rotted sleeve…

“Rollo is the best new horror writer I have come across in years. If he continues to horrify us with his brutal and amazing tales of the macabre, then I believe we have a new master of horror on the rise.”

—The Horror Review

“He does a great job of writing some truly frightening scenes…[This] book succeeds ably in building tension and then hitting readers with nasty things springing out of the darkness.”

—Fear Zone

“Fans of Bentley Little and Brian Keene will enjoy Gord Rollo’s cutting edge, dark and scary small Canadian town horror-thriller.”

—
Midwest Book Review

“
Crimson
isn’t for the faint of heart. Tossed in with spiders, scarecrows and leeches is a bloodthirsty killer Jack the Ripper wouldn’t cross, along with cannibalism and infanticide. Hardcore horror junkies will be pleased with this satisfying page-turner that delivers genuinely scary sequences.”

—
Tampa Bay Newspapers

“As a coming-of-age tale, Rollo nails this part with Kinglike precision.”

—
Dark Scribe Magazine

“Wow! Have you ever read a book and thought it was the best book you had ever read? And then read one that was even better. And then one that was better than that. This was that book…The deep red glow of
Crimson
makes other books seem pale in comparison.”

—Feo Amante

“Does not let up until the final page. A superb excursion into modern horror.”

—Edward Lee, Author of
The Black Train

“Gord Rollo is a writer of amazing—and dark—talent. Guaranteed to keep you turning the pages!”

—Brian Keene, Author of
Urban Gothic

“A suspense-thriller, pain-filled page turner that will surprise you right to the end. I nominate it for best horror novel of the year.”

—Horror World

“In
The Jigsaw Man
Gord Rollo edges closer to his early promise as a northern Stephen King.”

—Gene O’Neill, Author of
The Burden of Indigo

“
The Jigsaw Man…
will break readers’ hearts, and continue to haunt them long after the last page is turned. With this novel, Rollo establishes himself as a name to watch on the horror fiction landscape.”

—
Rue Morgue

“This novel’s unforgettable payoff is what horror fans yearn for, and you won’t be disappointed. If this one isn’t at least nominated for a few awards, horror may be headed to a very sorry state. Yep—this sucker’s that good.”

—The Horror Fiction Review

“Gord Rollo is a talent of horrific proportions.”

—The Horror Review

“Guaranteed to thrill you through a cold, dark night with style.”

—Creature Feature

CRIMSON
THE JIGSAW MAN

A LEISURE BOOK®

January 2010

Published by

Dorchester Publishing Co., Inc.
200 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10016

Copyright © 2010 by Gord Rollo

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E-ISBN: 978-1-4285-0798-2

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