Darkened Hills by Gary Lee Vincent ~ review

Product Description from Amazon.com


A tale of gripping psychological horror! When evil descends on a small West Virginia town, who will survive? Jonathan did not start out his life to become a rambler, it just worked out that way. William was a troubled youth with something to hide. Both were from Melas, a small town tucked away in the West Virginia hills... a town where disappearances are happening more and more frequently. After the suicide of a wanted serial killer, the townsfolk thought the nightmare was over. But when a centuries-old vampire is discovered they find out the hard way it's just getting started. Dark secrets can only stay hidden for so long and when the devil comes to collect, there will be hell to pay. Can Jonathan and William find a way to stop the vampire before it's too late? Find out in Darkened Hills! Darkened Hills is a Gothic vampire novel written in the spirit of Dracula with much more sinister characters and much more eroticism then the old Victorian classic. ** Warning: this book contains violence, sex, adult language and is intended for a mature audience. Reader discretion is advised. **
 
My take on this book;
 
Since I am from WV I always enjoy reading books written by WV authors. Gary Lee Vincent is a new to me author that in writing Darkened Hills has written one of my favorite genres vampire/horror fiction. The  setting is in the great state of WV, in a tiny town called Melas, a fictionalized town that sits about two hours outside of Pittsburgh Pa, the town was once a thriving community but due to the dark forces that enveloped the community it became a ghost town, many of the residents started moving away when people started disappearing, but there are forty-three residents that are unaccounted for, including the town's doctor and his wife. What could have happened to the residents, and how can that many people disappear without a trace?
 
Johnathan Harker has come back to his hometown in the hopes of purchasing the Madison House for back taxes, but that doesn't happen. Even though the house appears abandoned, in truth, the person living there is the worst kind of evil there is. The vampire that lives in Madison House, had been leading a very low profile life for  years, hiring a couple of townspeople to bring him people to feed on, people that wouldn't be missed and then their bodies would be disposed of. As if that's not bad enough, one night something far worse is unleashed, something that has an unquenchable thirst for blood!  Can anyone put a stop to the evil that has the tiny town in its clutches, and will anyone survive?

This story grabs you and sucks you in and doesn't turn you loose. The whole town of Melas is full of weird, characters, from the guy who likes to "herd cats" to the alcoholic real estate agent who makes a deal with the devil, or the guy who donates "hamburger meat" to the church, and it really isn't hamburger meat at all! A story that never gets dull, just when you think nothing worse can happen, guess what it does. With the way the story ended it leaves its readers wanting more, and we can only hope for a sequel that gives us the story of Ralphie!

This book is a must read for anyone that loves horror, blood,dark humor, gore, and vampires from your worst nightmare! Be warned once you start reading this book, you wont be able to put it down, its just that good!

I would caution readers that this book, does have sexual content, blood, sex and gore, and is for mature audiences.

About the author:

Gary Lee Vincent was born October 8, 1974, in Clarksburg, WV, USA and is a graduate of Fairmont State University and Columbus University.
Gary is an acomplished author, musician, and entrepreneur. In 2009, he founded Burning Bulb Publishing to help promote up-and-coming authors.
Books by Gary Lee Vincent:
NOVELS
- Darkened Hills

- Passageway
NON-FICTION
- The Winner, The Loser

- Agelations: Unlocking The Secret Strategies of the Rich To Help You Succeed In Business & in Life

- Surviving The Swine Flu

- Configuration Management
As a musician, he started into vocal music early in life through choral programs at both church and school. While in High School, he was honored as an All-State bass vocalist. Gary began playing the guitar and writing songs at age 13, attained BMI accreditation at age 14, and had his first Billboard Music Review at 23.
In 2005, Gary won Song of the Year for best Christian song 'Where Would I Be' in the VH1 Song of the Year competition, a program that supports the VH1 Save The Music charity. Said song appears on Gary Lee Vincent's 'Somewhere Down The Road' release.
Musical releases by Gary Lee Vincent:
- 100 Percent

- Passion, Pleasure, & Pain

- Somewhere Down The Road
In addition to music and literature, Vincent's hobbies include exotic travel, hiking, and photography.




Even though I was provided a copy for review by the author( thank you Gary) it in no way alters my opinion of this book!