The first story in this collection is called Engine 18 and spins a tale of a group of illegal Mexican immigrants who are trying to get to America. They make a deal with a man named Omar who agrees to get them to the Promised Land, but things are not as they appear and Omar is not a kind man. Along the journey, he reveals his cruel streak and Anna Sanchez, one of the young women in the group, quickly realizes how evil Omar is and protectively tries to care for Rosa, an older woman near her. When they arrive at their final destination, human trafficking will be the least of their worries!
Next is Return to Nowhere, which takes place in the 1940’s and surrounds a seemingly immortal man named Frank Reynolds. Frank keeps botching up his life, committing suicide, and awakening smack dab in the middle of another life, with a chance to change his ways. As Frank continues to try to beat the system, and his resurrections eventually become irreparably intermingled, he’ll find that his mysterious gift may be more of a curse.
The The Raven Mocker is the longest story in the collection and also, coincidentally, my least favorite. Terry James and his wife Abby have inherited a large lodge built from his dearly departed Uncle Ted. What at first seems like a boon turns into something altogether different when strange things start happening, including gruesome visions and attacks by malevolent other-worldly creatures. It seems that the actions of the James’ ancestors involving the slaying of an old Indian woman have come back to haunt the younger generation. Together, with the help of Joseph, a local Indian and dear friend of Uncle Ted, Donald and Brenda, a pair of friends who have come to visit, and a local cop named Ima, the group fight to survive.
The last story is called The Spinning Wheel and involves Tommy Roberts, who suffers from Down’s Syndrome, and his father, John, who is facing an uncertain future at the hands of Alzheimer’s. When Tommy starts building an amazing carnival from his plastic block toys, his father wonders who is helping him. Tommy swears he is building them himself, with only the help of Mr. Adams, the tiny plastic ringmaster. When Tommy predicts some strange events and an actual carnival comes to town that is an exact replica of the one he built, his father is both intrigued and cautious. Upon discovering that Mr. Adams, the ringmaster, is a living, breathing man who offers John a difficult choice for the future, which will he choose?
Four Corners Dark is a good and eerie read. As I said, The Raven Mocker was my least favorite, despite its length. It wasn’t bad, per se, it just didn’t appeal to me nearly as much as the other three stories, which are absolutely great. Take the time to read the excerpt in the Amazon link. You’ll get to read all of Engine 18, and if that doesn’t draw you in, then the book is not for you. However, if you like scary stories, you’ll be hooked.
