It’s been a while since I ready a book as scary as The Shining, but this is it. It’s a story about a semi retired rock singer, Judas Coyne, who likes to collect stuff that could only be classified as macabre. When his manager shows him an ad for someone selling a ghost, he can’t resist. We soon discover that he has bought exactly that. Okay, he sees the ghost, no big deal, and that’s a little creepy, but it gets a little too much to handle when the ghost starts convincing people to kill themselves. And then it tells Jude that he’s the ultimate target.
Jude calls the seller, Jessica, in a desperate attempt to rid himself of the ghost. Only to find out that he has been set up, in retaliation for one of his past misdeeds.
So, Jude and his girlfriend are on their own. After a few more setbacks, courtesy of the ghost, Jude and his girlfriend set out cross country, to see if they can outrun the ghost and confront the seller. They have a few more interactions with the ghost along the way, and things with Jessica do not turn out too well, either.
I found out after I read the book that Joe Hill is a pen name for Stephen King’s son. I’d say he’s off to a good start in his career. I’m now ready the sequel, NOS4A2.