Fever Horror Suspense, Supernatural Thriller, Paranormal
Widdershins Press
May 21, 2024
Kindle
228
Amazon
Tired of living as con artists, Colin Muir and his brother Doug join the stampede to the gold fields of the Klondike. If they can strike it rich, they’ll be wealthy beyond their wildest dreams.
But nightmares await alongside the gold. On a claim owned by a dead man, haunting voices call out from the forest, and strange tracks surround their cabin at night. In the midst of the arctic wilderness, a primordial evil has awakened, one that wants not just the brothers’ lives, but their very souls.
2 FIVE STAR REVIEWS
DUAL Review By Gloria Lakritz
Jordan L Hawk…..Welcome back…! It’s been a while and I’ve missed you. Fever has told me that you have nt lost your gift, this book was stunning.
Doug and Colin Muir have left home at a very early age after the death of their young sister. The moved from one town to another as grifters, hawking and stealing. Doug the elder brother made all the plans and Colin just did what he was told.
A Ship with people returning from the North is disembarking . They rush to the waterfront with many others to watch their return with bags of gold found at their digs in the Klondike. The Captain announces the will be taking on people to try their luck. they do not have the funds but brother Doug sees an ad for a woman wanting males to help her and she will pay.
Picking out warm clothing, and everything they need to survive is purchased. They are going to Alaska and winter will be upon them soon. They need clothing, tools, tents, stoves food…..They will have to bring enough stuff to build a house thru the winter freeze.
On the ship they meet other families. This will be the easiest part of he trip. as they arrive the ships captain bellows everyone off. They watch boats coming towards them, each boat asking for money to unload their stuff and bring it to land since there is no wharf. I’s a horrible scene as the crew starts tossing their equipment overboard.
Doug and Colin quickly dealt with their stuff with their mentor Eleanor; along with another family they met on the ship. They decided looking at the desolate spot they wee dropped off to work together. Winter was their enemy and was coming shortly. They still had to get to town mills away to stake a claim and the trek was straight up a winding mountain carrying pounds on their backs and pulling hundreds of pounds of supplies. The sun setting earlier and earlier and the temperature dropping. Blinding snow and freezing rain was a daiyy thing and the reader shivers as we read.
It is here Jordan begins to take us on what we will be dealing with as this is this authors greatest gift. Murder, intrigue, fear, freezing weather, murder…..and hopefully redemption..
Sooo glad you are back…..Loved this.
DUAL REVIEW By LNDA TONIS
Doug Muir and his younger brother Colin ran away from home and have earned their money by swindling people. Doug refers to what he does as performances and Colin plays whatever role Doug wants him to. Their last swindle, selling soap with the promise that some of the bars contain cash, which Colin proves when he buys one and gets $5.00. This con would have netted enough money to pay rent and debts, but the police showed up and all the money was knocked to the floor leaving Doug and Colin running andempty handed.
Ready to move on, they wanted to find a ship only when they arrived at the pier there was chaos and people shouting gold. A ship returned with passengers loaded with gold from the Klondike and that is where Doug is ready to go. The only thing standing in the way is a lack of funds to buy the equipment they will need.
An ad in the newspaper from a woman seeking a man to accompany her to the Klondike and willing to supply everything needed is just what the doctor ordered. Doug applies for the job along with Colin and with Doug’s ability to fool people she accepts them. She buys everything necessary, and Doug is now ready to walk away leaving her high and dry. Colin gets the strength to dissuade Doug from his plan and the brothers and Eleanor Gordon head out for the Klondike
Doug is willing to use Eleanor since they will need someone to clean, cook and do laundry while the brothers mine for gold but has no intention of sharing with her when they have enough gold to move on. The trip is perilous and getting a claim before winter sets in is imperative or they will not survive. They must build a cabin before the ice and snow makes it impossible.
On the way they meet up with a man, his wife and the man’s son Steve and Doug is not a happy camper, but Colin convinces him that they should work together the more hands the more gold. That just means Doug will swindle more people when all is said and done. Finding a claim will not be easy but a man they meet tells them about his claim and shows them the gold dust he had. The man is at the end of his rope gives them all the information about his claim then kills himself leaving them free and clear to find the site and start panning for gold. When they arrive there is already a cabin and some supplies, which is lucky since they lost half their supplies while traveling the rapids.
Everything appears to be going in the right direction until the weather becomes a danger and voices of people from the past begin to torture them. Colin hears his baby sister Bessie screaming for him to help her, Steve hears a baby crying. Everyone is affected except Doug who becomes more and more deranged.
This story was not only scary, but the author’s description of the cold, snow and ice made me put on a jacket. It was so real. Working in the mine, fighting a monster and one by one disappearing made the idea of gold insignificant.
There were secrets, lies, betrayal and romance and since it is 1897 same sex romance is forbidden but Steve and Colin dare to love each other while trying to stay alive.