Safe at Home

C. Dennis Moore

Review by Molly

Monica Ellen and Jim Bryson move into an intriguing apartment building. Assuring their parents that the structure is safe isn’t too hard, after all only those who have a key can get into the building. Or can others? Monica works part time, and goes to school. Jim works at Burger King and listens to music a good bit while he waits for Monica to come home. The gentle life the pair of youngsters create for themselves will not remain quite so peaceful. Police are called when fellow tenant Roger Weinstein is found dead. They are called again when elderly Emma Shamburg is murdered next. Jim is dismayed to find himself the object of interest for a determined homicide officer.

Monica discovers the heating vent conveys conversation from one floor to another. Jim is a little spooked when he stumbles over the fact that the door to a rear storage room cannot really be barricaded against an unwanted intruder. Adding to the mix is a near hidden opening marked ‘basement,’ a musical strain produced by a none too popular group, Banded Boss and a strange, unknown, late night marauder who throws Jim’s load of just washed clothes all over the laundry room. Everywhere Jim turns it seems the Bonded Bass refrain is present. Peril, bewilderment and downright murderous intent all dog the youngster’s steps. At last Officer Grawbadger turns his attention elsewhere, the murders are solved, Jim and Monica move.

The young pair marry, have a baby Samuel and life is good. Time marches on, Jim’s new job is much better, and a new baby is on the way when Jim notices a green van parked in an alleyway. Four year old Samuel comes into the house humming a haunting refrain.

Safe At Home begins in a very low key, meandering fashion. It is the tale of youngsters growing up and beginning to take their place in the adult world. Writer Moore sets his scene with a deft choice of words. Richly drawn, plausible characters come alive under the skillful pen of this author. Nineteen year old Monica is an average girl attending school, working part time, while the slightly older Bryson is a normal young man with a low key job. This is one of the main draws of the book. Most of the world is made up of rather average/normal people and the reader is hooked right into the tale by identifying with the characters.

Main characters Jim and Monica are set against a backdrop of engaging settings, timbre, and relationships in this absorbing tale. Safe At Home hooks the reader into the action from the opening lines and carries the reader along on an increasingly perilous ride right to the last paragraph. Spine tingling action, convincing colloquy, pleasantly puzzling apprehension all abound in this narrative wrought with quick-witted adroitness by writer Moore.

When I first received this review request I wasn’t sure I would enjoy the read; it was presented as a horror. I don’t care much for horror, although I have reviewed some in the past. Writer Moore has produced a nail biter of a read, although this reviewer considers the genre is more of a suspense-filled thriller than horror and I fully enjoyed the read. Writer Moore adds a bit of biographical information, a beginning script and other information to the end of his work. I enjoyed reading how his book Safe At Home came about and look forward to reading his next.

Not to be read on a dark and stormy night. Watch for the curves and spins or you may come up surprised by the ending.

This book is available in e format at www.creativeguypublishing.com.