Mark Kirkbride

This review is also featured on Behind the Pages: The Plot Against Heaven

Paul is devastated by the death of his wife and determined to see her once again. But when he reaches Heaven in search of her, he will find that the pearly white gates are not what they seem. He is met with a divided military district and harsh treatment. Where are the angels and peace that Heaven is known for? In his quest to once again see his wife, Paul will see the temptation Hell brings and he will have to decide if he fights for Heaven or Hell.

The Plot Against Heaven may take a while to ground the reader in its world. I would have preferred a more detailed scene setting of Heaven before Paul begins to delve into the larger story. The rules and politics of the world seem to be lost in the mix as the emphasis focuses on Paul. However, given the treatment he receives, it isn’t hard to see why Paul is tempted by the Devil. Mark Kirkbride isn’t afraid to throw out the happy notions that surround Heaven and impose real world problems into it.

As Paul is learning of his situation and options, readers are given glimpses of the accident that took his wife away. The transitions between memory and the current timeline are a bit jolting, as there are no leads into or out of them. But the memories paint a picture of heartbreak and betrayal. Paul is desperate to see his wife again, but they remain separated by the rules of Heaven. Paul will do anything to see her again, even if that means bringing all of Heaven down around him.

In this fast paced novella, Mark Kirkbride brings to light how tempting the Devil can be and what desperation can do to a person. For fans of stories that are not afraid to bring contradictory viewpoints to light, The Plot Against Heaven is the ideal story for you.… (més)

When this book came up for review at Horror After Dark I was excited because I saw a blurb from Sandy Deluca on the book’s Amazon page and I also saw one from Ronald Malfi. With two authors that I respect providing blurbs, I figured I couldn’t go wrong. This story started out with a fairly standard prologue. But once the story got going I was intrigued. The writing in this book was good. The editing was also. I believe I only saw one error throughout the entire novel.

I had no idea what was going to happen in this story. So when it happened, I was shocked and grossed out. Seriously, this novel took an ewwwy turn. I have no problems with ewww, in fact, I love ewww, but it didn’t work for me with this book. After thinking about it for a few days, I figured out why. It’s because I didn’t care for the characters. I didn’t care what happened to them one way or another. Now this is a personal thing and another reader may feel differently. I can only write about my own experience.

This book started off a little slow, but then towards the middle the pace picked up and fairly raced toward the denouement. I will admit surprise at how everything turned out, and I am rarely surprised. I can’t say much more about it without spoiling it for the next reader.

There is one thing that I outright disliked and that was the cover. It just doesn’t work for me.

I’ve now read a few books published by Omnium Gatherum and I’ve enjoyed them all. This one was no exception. It was well written, the pacing was decent and the story itself was a nice change from the standard fare that I thought I was being served. I enjoyed it, I just did not connect with characters. I would be willing to read more from this author in the future.

I was provided a free copy of this novel to honestly review for Horror After Dark.
… (més)

The Devil's Fan Club is the perfect book to read around the Halloween season. It's seriously creepy. Not a scary horror book but a supremely devious book that makes your skin crawl.

This story centers around an extremely disturbed family. You've got the perfect storm living under one roof. There are the dysfunctional parents, a younger daughter that talks to an imaginary friend, a pretty and young nanny and the above mentioned twisted twins.

The story that follows weaves the characters in and around each other in the most diabolical ways with an ending that fits the story to a tee. Bravo Kirkbride! I recommend this for anyone who loves a good psychological thriller.… (més)