Thursday, July 12, 2007

Pg. 99: "The Haunting of Cambria"

Today's feature at the Page 99 Test: Richard Taylor's debut novel, The Haunting of Cambria.

About the book, from the publisher:
A novel of love, redemption, and second chances.

"Lily died the day we signed the escrow papers," Theo Parker writes of his bride and of Monroe House, the bed-and-breakfast they'd just bought in the picturesque coastal town of Cambria. Theo soon learns he can no more bring his beautiful wife back than he can kill the thing that haunts his new home.

Riddled with guilt but making the best of his recuperation from the car accident that killed Lily, Theo and his property manager, dowdy Eleanor Gacy, begin to investigate strange occurrences in Monroe House. And as they do, both Theo and Eleanor begin to see a bit of hope for a second chance at love and redemption.
Among the early praise for The Haunting of Cambria:
"...catnip for Stephen King fans... An incredible first- novel. Highly recommended!"
— Jay Bonansinga, author of The Black Mariah, The Sinking of the Eastland, and The Killer's Game

"...marvelous and chilling... a horror novel... with a sense of humor... victory over the forces of evil is followed by a dark and nasty coda. Stephen King could not have done better."
— Peter Delacorte, author of Time on My Hands

"...a studied exercise in tension, atmosphere and supernatural surprise... blurs the boundaries between what we imagine to be real... and what may lie beyond... stays with the reader..."
— Miguel Tejada-Flores, screenwriter

"...haunting and beautiful... Refreshing characters, laugh-out-loud comedy, and spine-tingling suspense. I highly recommend this book."
— Wendy Hines, armchair interviews

"...eerie, sexy and very unnerving supernatural thriller that sneaks into your consciousness and slowly uncoils like a venomous snake.
— Pierce Gardner, film producer and screenwriter

"...a typical haunted house ghost tale... changes into something much deeper and more satisfying... Recommended."
— Harriet Klausner, reviewcentre
Richard Taylor has worked as an advertising copywriter, a motion picture production company executive, and a studio executive. In 2002 Richard, his wife, Jackie, and their two cats moved to the lovely seaside town of Cambria, located at the halfway point between Los Angeles and San Francisco on California's Central Coast.

Visit Taylor's website and read an excerpt from The Haunting of Cambria.

The Page 99 Test: The Haunting of Cambria.

--Marshal Zeringue