Author Describes New Novel from Kindle Press as ‘Nancy Drew mystery—with Gore

Stephen Stromp describes his novel, In the Graveyard Antemortem, as “being like a Nancy Drew mystery for older teens and adults—with gore.” The novel is told from the perspective of teenager, Lisa Jacobs. After her father’s gruesome murder, she is forced to spend her summer at Grand Hallow, a massive funeral and mortuary operation. There, she experiences strange and chilling occurrences she suspects are linked to her father’s death.

Author Embraces Mystery Writing

Stromp was reluctant to embrace the mystery aspect of the novel, but was ultimately glad he did. “I never set out to write a mystery. I knew I wanted it to be a fun and scary suspense/horror novel. But as I was writing, there was this moment of, ‘Oh God, I think I’m writing a mystery!’ It was then I realized I had to embrace that element to do the story justice. Working through the mystery (what to reveal and when) gave me a lot of respect for mystery writers.”

In the Graveyard Antemortem joins Wave of 80s-Inspired Horror

Recent movies, TV series, such as Stranger Things, are not the only mediums to set their chilling tales in the nostalgic landscape of the 80s. Stromp has set his book squarely in 1985. “I grew up in the 80s and was very much inspired by the horror films of the era as much, if not more, than books. “I was a huge fan of Nightmare on Elm Street (1984). But was also a fan of more obscure, surreal, and creepy films like Phantasm (1979).”

“My goal was to make Antemortem the type of mystery/horror novel I would’ve wanted to read when I was seventeen,” says Stromp. “The novel is set in the 80s. I wanted to go back to a simpler time when horror storylines seemed not as convoluted. I just wanted it to be creepy—and a lot of fun.”

Is there a danger setting a novel in a time period younger readers were not a part of? “I figured growing up in the 80s, I was an expert on what it was like to be an adolescent then—like how teens used language, how they behaved. My editor did caution against the use of all the 80s references. But what successful projects like Stranger Things proves is that there is an 80s resurgence. So even today’s teens will likely get the references.” And if they don’t? “They can Google them,” says Stromp. “I remember not getting all the references in books and movies growing up. It just reminds the reader of a larger world.”

Selected for Publication by Kindle Press

In the Graveyard Antemortem was a winner of Amazon’s reader-powered Kindle Scout program. The e-book is available exclusively on Amazon by Kindle Press. The paperback is available from JournalStone Publishing at various retailers.

  

Purchase Links

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HN4DJ9E

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01HN4DJ9E

Amazon Canada: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01HN4DJ9E

Amazon Australia: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B01HN4DJ9E

 

Social Media Links

Trailer on Youtube: https://youtu.be/tDlsPOxe_Uo

Stephen Stromp’s Website: http://stephenstromp.com

Stephen Stromp on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/stephenstromp/

Stephen Stromp on Twitter: http://twitter.com/StephenStromp

Stephen Stromp on Instagram: http://instagram.com/stephenstromp_author/