Bachelor's Grove Hauntings: A John Everson Book Review
Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery sits approximately 25 miles
outside of Chicago and saw its first official burials around 1840. Claims of
hauntings peaked in the 1970s, where reported phenomena has included the white
lady, who walks the grounds carrying an infant; a phantom farmhouse that
disappears when approached; numerous figures in religious monk’s robes; a black
dog; and the most notable transparent woman sitting atop a tombstone.
The story of Illinois’ most haunted cemetery is the backdrop
for John Everson’s latest novel, The
House by the Cemetery. The chapters take turns with the perspective of many
characters, from carpenter Mike Kostner to paranormal investigator Jillie Melton.
In this fictional version of events, the abandoned house on Bachelor’s Grove
property is allegedly haunted by the ghost of a witch. When the property is
rehabbed and turned into a haunted house attraction, events leading up to
opening night and through the duration of October are both gruesome and eerie.
This book was written for true horror fans – the obscure
film references, the haunted tales and ultimate blood bath are all essential
pieces for getting the point across in the creepiest way possible. From the
time the haunted house opens to the public to the very end of the book, the
details go from gory to downright disturbing.
While the house itself is the metaphorical and literal
foundation of the book, it’s the characters that hold this story together. Mike
Kostner rebuilds more than just the house. Bong-Soon Mon gets more than an
opportunity to work with his girlfriend Jeanie at a haunted house. Emery and
Katie are much more than meets the eye. Jillie Melton warned everyone about
what was going to happen if the house opened to the public.
Something the story could use is a bit of caution in both
parts of the dialogue and parts of the storyline. There are moments in the
story where incredibly detailed murders occur that the reader might not be
prepared for or may not have the stomach to read. There are also the multiple
instances of fat-shaming and the conversation of the treatment of women and
people of color in horror films that are both insensitive and shameful. The
incessant fat-shaming could have easily been removed and the conversation about
depiction in horror films could have had a much greater outcome.
The House by the
Cemetery had a great setting and overall storyline, but has areas of
improvement to be considered anything more than the script of a B-grade horror
movie.
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