Scream Catcher - By Vincent Zandri - Be Prepared...

 

Part IV Darkness: My Old Friend

Assembly Point Peninsula Friday, August 18, 12:01 A.M. Then a noise. Something that sounds like a thick strip of metal slapped against hardwood. The slap is not something that goes bump in the night. The slap vibrates from out of the stormy darkness; from out of the lower regions of the log home. It penetrates the density of the humid summer air. At the same time the foreign noise acts like a spring. It triggers eyelids, drawing them wide open. Just a quick solid slap that, should it occur during daylight hours might not register a second thought. But that now in the deep night becomes cause for serious alarm. The slap comes and goes so swiftly that by the time the first wave of adrenalin rush passes, Jude begins to believe he must have imagined or dreamt it in the first place. It only makes sense to believe that after falling asleep, the subconscious took over, decided to play a dirty trick on his brain. Because who really wants to believe that someone or something is breaking into their home in the middle of a blacked-out night? 

A glance at his watch tells him he's been asleep for almost two hours. He throws a glance over his shoulder at Rosie. She hasn't stirred an inch. So it seems. But then the darkness of the night is so absolute he can't see ten feet in front of his face even with the now fading candlelight. Or perhaps it's just the effects of having been asleep—the eyes not yet adjusted to light no matter how dim. Get a hold of yourself, Parish. Don't let the demon get the best of you. He almost feels himself smiling at the stupidity of it all. Smiling at the overactive thump, thump, thump of his carotid artery and the moist sweat that coats the skin beneath the down comforter. All is well, he attempts to convince himself. Until a second sharp slap rings out in the night.

I wasn't prepared for Zandri's Scream Catcher. I'd read this author before, but had never experienced the darkness, the blackness of the darkness, the inevitability of awareness that you are not alone. The awareness that you are so scared that you could not move, yet knew you must... Memories when you had previously failed came to stand beside you, cringing, as you did then, knowing that you should try to save the two people... Knowing that you didn't then... And when the screams came, for you knew that they would come, that you would not also scream. You would be silent, listening, hoping that you would escape once again, even if you hated yourself. But you'd be alive! Was it enough? He still wasn't sure. He had used a book to provide him the catharsis that they said would help him come back to his former self. All that book had done was to share his secrets to those who could now take advantage of his fear, his stone-cold fear that left him hiding in the dark, even while listening to the screams. The screams that haunted him... And, now, again, the screams that were now surrounding him, he was frozen, unable to move... Could anybody ever help him? Certainly not the Scream Catcher...

Mack lights another cigarette, exhales the smoke through his nostrils. "This is the part of the backstory where the weird takes a turn for the surreal," he goes on. "Lennox is a militarily trained computer hacker. A talent he's incorporated into the design and development of first-person video kill games." "Kill games," Jude repeats, his son's numerous video game systems flashing through his mind. "Video kill games meaning violent video games." "Video games that kids play precisely because of that violence. The plots are all the same: shoot and destroy; stalk and destroy; fight and destroy; Kung Fu and destroy. In clinical terms, impersonal perspective stealth action games that thrive on intense graphic violence. Their popularity is growing so large and fast that kids now spend more money on them than they do the movies. A fact that hasn't gone unnoticed in Tinsel Town."

 "Wow Mack, for an old timer, you've been studying up." "You have no idea." Immediately Jude pictures his son Jack sitting up on his bed, big brown eyes glued to the TV, a plastic game controller in his hands. When was the last time they had gone to see a movie together? "With kill games," Mack goes on, "the aggressor characters and their victims are modeled on real life human beings. At least in the physical sense. But what the thrill-kill game can not possibly convey is the sensitive nature of the human condition. Therefore, gone is the sense of fear, anger, adulation, panic, love, guilt . . . all those emotions one might naturally take for granted especially when associated with a man or woman in grave danger—a person fearing for his or her own life." "Computers trying to mimic human beings," Jude adds. "And failing miserably," Mack insists. "First-person kill games lack the human element. They lack emotion and most of all a conscience. Let's face it, they're interactive cartoons. No one knows this better than Lennox. In his world, the killing of an innocent man or woman is not an act against civil and social mores. It represents a payoff, plain and simple. The more kills a player accomplishes, the more satisfied the player feels about him or herself, the more he or she desires." "Okay so Lennox designs violent video games and at the same time he likes to kill people. But where do the two come together, Mack? How exactly does a make-believe video game make the leap to becoming a real life murder?" Pulling the spent cigarette from between his lips, Mack drops it into the coffee cup, stares into it, waits for the dousing hiss. "Through his Black Dragon alter ego, Lennox has sought out a way to capture the elusive human

element." 

"Home again, home again," sings the beast. "Jiggidy jig."

~~~

Oh, Scream Catcher is just a game! Sounds cool, where can I get it? Are YOU a gamer?  Indeed, the main character realizes that his son plays games so often that he appears to have some type of addiction for certain ones... And then realizes what the creator has done to ensure that more and more games are being sold... Instead of children seeing that it is not real, that kills are merely being a winner on this game... the creator is trying to make it much more real... By catching screams...

I honestly don't know whether to declare this book a thriller like no other... Or, to point out that it is adult only content, hoping it will be a lesson for readers to pay more attention to game content!

All I can say is... Be Prepared...

GABixlerReviews

Everything Burns by Prolific Author, Vincent Zandri - A Discussion...

 As Vince said, “I wrote Everything Burns hoping that readers would devour it in one sitting, then start all over again to catch what they missed the first time. There’s a lot happening in this book, both in the burning mind of the main character and in the pyro action described on the page.”

~~~

So that’s why Olga came to the house. To get more condoms. “I trust you, hon. No need to investigate.” I hear the toilet flush and my daughter singing what I recognize as a Selena Gomez song, which I pray doesn’t get stuck inside my head. “Quickly,” I say, “before Anna comes back in.” “Quickly what, Reece?” “Do you have any idea who might have broken into your place?

~~~

“Fire! Fire!” says the Town Crier; “Where? Where?” says Goody Blaire; “Down the town,” says Goody Brown; “I’ll go and see’t!” says Goody Fleet; “So will I,” says Goody Fry; “Burn! Burn!” says Goody Stern. “Burn her! Burn him!” 

—Nursery Rhyme, circa 1920

I don't know about you, 

but I certainly wouldn't want 

this read to my children! 

Rhyming is fun, but choose words carefully.

“Thanks, Blood,” I say, shifting the Escape transmission into drive. “Don’t be thanking me,” he says. “You shouldn’t expect a thank-you in life just for doing the right thing. That’s something the politicians will never understand. Priests too.” “Priests?”

“Let’s just drop the subject. The good Lord be out of my humble jurisdiction.” I drive on to where the money is.

~~~

Apparently I did exactly what the author wanted--to have his readers read this book a second time...except it was about two years ago and I didn't remember it. I even then looked and saw that I had rated it once before, because it did begin to sound a little familiar... but I kept on reading... It definitely is a great thriller, but this time, although I compulsively finished it, I really wish I had not. It is a very dark book. But as I write, I wonder if it is because of how "dark" America seems to be right now. Thrillers were written to be enjoyed, not to make someone feel sad... Although, even then I'm wondering about that...

Has the violence in America and in the World become so real that we no longer want to read about it even in fiction? Here's just one discussed yesterday:

Quite some time ag0 a member of my own family called Leader Pelosi "evil..." I didn't even know what to say. I certainly had never seen or known of any reason that she would be thought evil...for what? Was this man who was now looking for her, indeed, fed so much misinformation that he would go out, even if he wanted to "just talk," but carrying a hammer with which he broke into their home and then when the police arose, he attacked! Because of politics!?!

But then there are millions who are either afraid...or angry... Where is America heading?

Yes, I will be reading this book ASAP, because I am, just as the two individuals talking in the above video, positive that the former president and the republican party has opened the greatest can of worms ever, or since at least the time of the Civil War. His spewing hatred had certainly led to the attack on Mr. Pelosi (in lieu of his wife)! And, nobody can convince me that the greatly increased attacks on others, including by mass shootings, cannot be placed at the feet of Trump, whose followers listen...and act! January 6th is certainly a major example, but, since then, and before, there have been many more...

Everything Burns is a tragic story--even from the thriller/horror genre, in my opinion. What I would call it is a psychological suspense novel. The main character, Reese, watched, after having narrowly escaped, as his mother and two brothers were burned to death. The young boy had a mental breakdown where they "shocked" his brain, trying to erase memories. But he also developed an obsession with fire--we read of just how often he goes into PTSD, pulls out a Bic and starts, clicking and watching as the fire...calms... him... down!

Throughout the book, we find that he regularly talks to his father who is dead and he looks around, seeing him, to ask his advice.  Not to be left out, but on a lighter note, he also talks to his dog, even supplying the conversation on both sides... The main character is a writer who, as the book opens, has reunited with his ex-wife and his daughter, both of whom he has never stopped loving and wanting to be with.

But slowly, things began to happen, the house is broken into and a picture of him having his brains blown out is left behind...The police soon become involved, but they know him by his first book, The Damned, whose main character was a pyromaniac...

Tension begins early and remains steady throughout the book, rising only toward the end when the police definitely know somebody is creating all of these happenings... They just weren't sure it wasn't Reese...

Me, I couldn't even finish writing my review, stopping to get away from the madness, the anger, the revenge, the retribution being sown... I went out and turned on Sister Act...

Have we gone too far? Has violence become a part of our lives from which we cannot escape? Where do we turn? Just as so much good has happened over the 2000+ years, so much cruelty, hate and violence has as well... 

The one thing I know is that, there is a need for those who see the hate, the prejudice, and call it out! It is wrong. And, please, always remember, although we read books, see movies, and, now, in reality, see much war, pain and killing of the innocent...please, please...know that it is NOT God who has chosen this path for America, for Israel, Palestine, or Ukraine...

Those individuals who spend time analyzing what is wrong, as seen here on Amazon, should certainly realize that the plot had to be as it was... and that the writer was very skilled in his presentation, flow of the drama buildup, and with an excellent ending. At least I agree that this book is not for everyone. But does that make the writer/writing of this book a problem as opposed to his desire to spotlight a number of issues facing us today: Hate, Revenge, Retribution, Prejudice...and more... I found this book compelling, and much to the point related to historical medical procedures, spotlighting the sharing of information that could be called classified (as in a marriage) as well as the problem of mental health--including those who have been helped as well as those who appear sane "on the surface..." those who, while being somebody who actually could be a sociopath--in disguise--can often do significant damage to the world. 

This book ends with the family back together, all that had happened was revealed... Truth matters, doesn't it? Books which take us to the brink of madness, yet pulls us back into goodness may be difficult to contemplate...but when we know that people hungry for power are actually choosing to lie, cheat and steal to gain that power, then we must act to ensure they don't succeed...

God Bless,

Gabbie

Vincent Zandri's The Concrete Pearl A Personal Favorite!

"Trojan ultra-thin- bare skin...The empty wrapper
had been flung onto the ground...Tossed onto the bank
not far from that, a used condom. Just looking at it
made my stomach turn....
"Well, what do you know? Jimmy Farrel's
personal choice of lovemaking protection.
Not far away from that, a can of Skoal chewing
tobacco.  Wintergreen flavor. Coincidence of
coincidences, Jimmy chewed Skoal tobacco--
wintergreen Skoal, to be precise.
Farrell might have been one hell of
a gifted dumb jock back in high school. But I
knew from experience that he did  harbor
that one very bad habit that I found
particularly repulsive, especially when I
kissed him. He still chewed the stuff, even
when making the rare visit to the PS 20 jobsite.
"What a trail of pretty disgusting bread crumbs our
Jimmy had left behind..."

The Concrete Pearl


By Vincent Zandri




The activities in Zandri's novel were not new for me--more like going back quite a few years. I came into facilities management through the technical/administrative side of facilities use at a major university. Then, as most organizations do, reorganization after reorganization resulted to my exposure to all facets of construction. I must highlight that I admired the few females who had professionally studied in architectural, drafting and other skills required for many of our jobs...

So I was pleased and comfortable meeting Spike Harrison, owner of the construction company which she inherited from her father. As with most women who choose to work in nontraditional fields, she worked hard to be accepted and treated as an individual who could do the job. Business had decreased after her father had died and Ava (Spike) took on more and more, trying to handle it with less employee support. In the construction field, though, with so many specialized areas, Spike was forced to delegate and then depend upon those individuals to do their jobs...

But no matter how efficient and effective you are as the leader--you just can't win when you come face-to-face with power-hungry, greedy and corruption-hardened people...Believe me, I know...

Spike had found out when one of her former employees had left to take a job with OSHA. Diana had already cost Harrison Construction a lot of money by fining large amounts for small issues that had been found. Now she was right in the middle of the latest and enjoying it as she was able to put the pressure on...

The final blow to Spike's company came when the sub-contractor for asbestos removal from a school disappeared. Yes, Spike had been signing off on the reports; however, this activity which requires certification cannot be supervised. Still, she had to take the final responsibility!

She decided to try to find him, not only for the money from the contract, but also for the $10,000 she had taken from her own funds to help him. If we weren't heavy into construction, I'd immediately think this was a cozy mystery, LOL, because she surely did take on the investigation and handled it! A can of skoal was her first clue...

What she discovered was that the corruption was far beyond what was done by the asbestos contractor--

And she, and her company, was the real target that was to be destroyed!

Fortunately, she had several dedicated employees who worked with her and took on as much as they could while she investigated, but she also discovered that a major player was playing both sides of the game, and had chosen to support the assumed winner... And along the way, a PI named Spain was hounding her to team up with him so she could provide the technical knowledge of construction for him. But what was she going to gain from him?

There are many ways to hide corruption within construction projects. Zandri draws on excellent examples and provides in-depth detail as to how and where it can be easily done without getting caught. Sometimes it takes a major disaster and deaths before it is discovered. But sometimes it may never be found...

I had both good and bad feelings as I read this novel. Good because there were good people with whom I once worked and enjoyed my job...Bad because of those who were poor employees, if not, corrupt, who got away with it... I enjoyed Zandri creating a strong female character to head the construction company. The book "could" have been just as good with a male owner, but I wouldn't have enjoyed it as much as by meeting Spike Harrison--a woman after my own heart that didn't buckle down and give in under the tremendous pressure that she faced. A personal thanks to Vincent Zandri from a former facilities administrator...

Ok...I should add the kudos for excellent storyline, character development and all the good stuff that writers like Zandri puts into their work...I loved the book for personal reasons...but to suspense thriller readers, hey, I think you'll enjoy it too!


GABixlerReviews

Vincent Zandri is the No. 1 International Bestselling Amazon author of THE INNOCENT, GODCHILD, THE REMAINS, MOONLIGHT FALLS, CONCRETE PEARL, MOONLIGHT RISES, SCREAM CATCHER, BLUE MOONLIGHT and MURDER BY MOONLIGHT. He is also the author of the Amazon bestselling digital shorts, PATHOLOGICAL, TRUE STORIES and MOONLIGHT MAFIA. Harlan Coben has described THE INNOCENT (formerly As Catch Can) as "...gritty, fast-paced, lyrical and haunting," while the New York Post called it "Sensational...Masterful...Brilliant!" Zandri's list of publishers include Delacorte, Dell, StoneHouse Ink, StoneGate Ink and Thomas & Mercer. An MFA in Writing graduate of Vermont College, Zandri's work is translated into many languages including the Dutch, Russian, and Japanese. An adventurer, foreign correspondent, and freelance photo-journalist for RT, Globalspec, IBTimes and more, he lives in Albany, New York. For more go to WWW.VINCENTZANDRI.COM