Long before the film there was the written word. Long before we settled down in
front of video or now DVD players for our fright-fests, we would read tales of 
terror by candlelight.
For most, this has been lost, however there are still those that prefer the pages
to celluloid or even both and why not?
This section then is for you. To help you to search through the rubbish and find
stories worth your time to read. If you're an avid reader of horror novels then
why not join 'Castle Dracula' as an official 'staff member' reviewing them.
To do so, just click on the 'Join My Staff' link in the menu to the left for details
of this and other vacancies.

- A Stranger Dead -
- A. P. Fuch's -

It was a simple essay on the end of times, a paper summarizing how the text and events 
of the book of Revelation would affect the world. While gathering the information needed
to do her project, 'Gwen Reeves' simple college life strays onto an unexpected path.
His face is all around her, appearing in her rearview mirror and the back seat of her 
car. His words fill her mind and she has no clue who he is. During her research, 'Gwen'
stumbles upon the picture of her tormentor, 'Harry Thomas,' a man who has spent 20 years
in a mysterious room full of books, each book containing sins committed by people from 
the past and present.
It all started 25 years earlier when 'Harry' visits the cemetery where his deceased wife
is buried, attempting to fulfill a promise he had made to her: he would spend the night
on her grave. When the rain topples down on top of him, he is forced to seek shelter and
remains stuck in the cemetery for 20 dreadful years. During his absence, he views the 
birth of the Antichrist and five years after he is found, he recalls 'Gwen’s' name from
one of the books he was forced to read.
'Gwen’s' curiosity gets the best of her, causing her to travel to the mental hospital 
where 'Harry' resides. When they meet, he explains that he has seen the birth of the 
Antichrist and that it is up to her to locate the child and destroy him. Her mind in a
tizzy, 'Gwen' leaves everything behind: her classes, her roommates and her boyfriend,
'Marty Bones,' to try and save the world.
As she searches for the child, another character comes into play, an evil force known
as, 'The Watcher.' 
He is sent by Satan to protect the child and stop 'Gwen’s' crusade; messing with her 
thoughts, sabotaging her relationship with 'Marty' and violating her body and spirit.
The child, 'Calvin Mandalay' is not your typical ‘Damien’. He is a normal child who 
loves basketball, attends kindergarten and is raised by his heart broken foster Mother,
'Victoria' and his 'Uncle Ken.' He is characterized as an innocent 5-year-old who is
unaware that he is the son of the devil.
The real terror begins when 'The Watcher' helps 'Calvin' discover his powers through 
horrifying dreams and circumstances that send his Mother into frenzy. 'The Watcher'
lurks throughout the book, reeking havoc on the characters and terrorizing 'Gwen' 
until she finally becomes broken, almost ready to give up on the task at hand.
A.P. Fuchs’ version of the battle between good and evil is a mind blowing read I
very much enjoyed.
'A Stranger Dead' had a variety of compelling plots and an array of well-defined
characters. A.P. did a remarkable job shedding a whole new light on the age-old 
story about the child of Satan and the end of times. 
A.P. also makes a great point about the written word. 
Can what is predicted in The Bible be changed? 
Who is really responsible for 'Gwen’s' crusade? 
Harry? 
God? 
Satan? 
Or possibly a third party who feels they can alter what has been expected for
centuries? 
Each page brings an unexpected turn of chilling events and causes a mind flood
of questions and intrigue.
If your up for a good scare and a story that takes Christian Dogma to a whole
new level, check out A.P.’s website at for more information 
on his first novel. 
'A Stranger Dead' is a biblical blunder of fear and suspense you are sure to 
find compelling.

Reviewed By Stephanie Simpson-Woods.

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