Book Review: Nursery Rhymes 4 Dead Children – Author Lee Thompson

NURSERY RHYMES 4 DEAD CHILDREN

by Lee Thompson
Delirium Books

In the hills of Pennsylvania, phantoms from the past mingle with those of the present, all swirling in a dark maelstrom over Division. Haunted by the part he played in his brother Mark’s death, John McDonnell takes a midnight hike and stumbles across four dead girls upon the forest floor. Their severed limbs spell Repent. The coroner finds Mark’s onyx skeleton key inside one of the victims, right where her heart used to be. The last time John had seen the key it was clasped in his brother’s hand before they lowered him into his grave.

Torn between protecting his family’s name and giving the girls a proper burial, John digs into Division’s past. As lives shatter around them, and a strange woman tries to steal the key, John and his best friend, Michael Johnston, must find the tools to set things right or break beneath the pressure of these ghosts’ sudden weight.

Author Lee Thompson has been making quite a name for himself with his short fiction. He continues his growth as a writer with a simply stunning debut novel.

“Nursery Rhymes 4 Dead Children” is a character driven tale of a small town brimming with dark secrets , friendship, family, love and loss. What stands out for me is the depth of the characters Mr. Thomson has created; they are lifelike and it is very easy to get involved in their story lines and care about what happens to them.  This is what makes everything else come to life. Without believable characters the rest is just a jumble of meaningless words and Mr. Thompson has written some very believable characters.

Mr. Thompson’s writing is vivid, dark and carries you along at a pace that will keep you turning the pages deep into the night. The twists and turns are numerous, yet I was able to follow along quite well to a most satisfying conclusion that ties up all the questions neatly with enough room to expand on what he has created with this book.

Lee Thompson is a name you should write down, search out and read, I have a feeling we will be hearing a lot about this rising star in horror fiction in the years to come. I for one am looking forward to his next project.

I highly recommend you put “Nursery Rhymes 4 Dead Children” at the top of your to be read list.