The Strange Case of James Kirkland Pilley by Randy Attwood
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Note: I read this originally 9/3/2011, but am reposting this in preparation for a Randy Attwood giveaway on my blog starting 4/16/2012
Book info Genre: Dark/Cthulian fantasy Reading Level: Adult
Synopsis: "Edward Hawthorne had no premonition of the first disturbing and later horrifying consequences that would result from his joining the Friends of Pilley Park Garden Society."
Thus begins "The Strange Case of James Kirkland Pilley," a tale H.P. Lovecraft fans will dip into and not emerge until they have learned why neighbors around Pilley park start acting strange, murderous and suicidal when the park's garden pond is drained for repairs and a city codes enforcement officer finds a document from the past that tells of the extraordinary discovery made by Pilley during a Civil War battle on the park's site.
My Thoughts: Randy Attwood said that he used the Cthulu Mythos as an inspiration for this chilling story; I can definitely see the influence. As the story progresses, and people grow mad and/or kill themselves and others, we learn more about the reason, and the sense of dread grows, as does the sense of unreality. It all starts when a man who has a home at the edge of a park decides that the old, swampy pond needs to be cleaned out and a new, more pristine lily pond made in its place. But as the water is removed from the area, strange happens commence. What is the source of the strangeness, the sense of unease, and the odd behavior of those who live in the area?
While this is short – a novella at most – a lot of story is crammed into it. I highly recommend it for those who are fans of the eerie and strange.
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