Happy Holidays Friends!
“Not all ghosts haunt houses. Some try to live in your head.” — Craig DeLouie, Episode Thirteen
What’s up, friends — how are you on this beautiful day in December? Is it cold enough for you? Remember to check in with friends and family, stay hydrated, and always give yourself some grace.
Today may be (I haven’t decided) one of two of the last book reviews for the year. Due to all my holiday content, I haven’t posted any recently, so I will post everything I can this week as I continue my “Countdown to Christmas.” Today I’m reviewing Episode Thirteen by Craig DiLouie.
The Review
Title | Episode Thirteen
Author | Craig DiLouie
Format | Audiobook
Pages | 437
Published | January, 2023
Genre | Paranormal, Horror, Thriller
GR Rating | 3.55
Purchase | Amazon
Synopsis
Fade to Black is the newest hit ghost-hunting reality TV show. Led by husband and wife team Matt and Claire Kirklin, it delivers weekly hauntings investigated by a dedicated team of ghost-hunting experts. Episode Thirteen takes them to every ghost hunter’s holy grail: the Paranormal Research Foundation. This brooding, derelict mansion holds secrets and clues about bizarre experiments that took place there in the 1970s. It’s also famously haunted, and the team hopes their scientific techniques and high-tech gear will prove it.
My Rating (4.00)
I’ve been interested in this novel for some time, as I found the premise interesting. In today’s climate of reality TV, who hasn’t peeped at a ghost or paranormal show where they follow the actors (ghost hunters) as they investigate creepy locations worldwide.
Quote from Episode Thirteen
“If your delusion is actually true, are you still insane?”.
However, there is one thing that rings true. You either believe it or you don’t, as most people have decided that there is no such thing. I do believe in ghosts or a presence…absolutely, but that’s neither here nor there when it comes to this work of fiction. I know some of this book is based on actual shows because of the details given.
Since I listened to the audiobook, my perspective may differ from others. I found some of the voices annoying, absolutely over the top, but this made it interesting for me. The story is about four investigators and one actor looking into the story behind (The Paranormal Research Foundation). In the 70s, some strange experiments happened in the house regarding the paranormal, and mysteriously, all the staff and doctors disappeared.
Quote from Episode Thirteen
“This is the kind of place that wants you to sleep but makes you wonder if you’ll wake up.”
This is Matt’s greatest discovery, and he’s curious about what happens when you die. Is there a here-after, do you move on to another life, (etc.) Maybe he got a little more than what he bargained for. The house seemed dead in the beginning, but after an argument with the team about tampering with the props, everything would be turned on its head and go terribly wrong.
Through found footage and journals, we learned what happened to the team and how they all disappeared, or so we think.
Quote from Episode Thirteen
“Already muted, their voices quickly fade to a tinny, incomprehensible echo, as if they have become EVP themselves.”
As a lover of horror novels, I didn’t think this book was bad. You can love or hate the characters, but you get a sense of what happens when humans poke the bear and mess with the unknown. How much is real vs what is made for entertainment?
Share your most anticipated 2024 reads in the comments.
Thanks so much for visiting the blog today. Don’t forget to follow and subscribe, as I really appreciate the support. — Peace