SHOW-OFF AND TELL #18 - Duncan Ralston - Salvage

#18 in the Show-Off and Tell features one of my top books of 2015. The wonderful Salvage, by Duncan Ralston.

This is his debut novel and believe me, debuts don’t get much better than this.

It’s a very creepy ghost story that is so full of emotion, it will have you feeling many different things as you read it and will have you close to tears. It will also scare the bejesus out of you.

This one just appeared out of nowhere so I was very pleasantly surprised and very happy when I opened it.

This is my copy.

REVIEW: Duncan Ralston - Salvage

Genre: Horror / Paranormal

Publisher: Forsaken

Publication Date: 10^th Nov 2015

Pages: 304

MY REVIEW:

A copy of Salvage was sent to Confessions of a Reviewer by the author Duncan Ralston in exchange for an honest review. This is said review. This book is published by Forsaken.

So I have read Gristle and Bone which is a short story collection by Mr Ralston. You can read the review of it here. I loved it. It was brutal and horrifying and bloody and just all round good fun. This is his debut novel and labelled as a ghost story. I was hoping for more of the same with all of the above attached. Did I get it?

Owen Saddler’s life is in turmoil. His little sister Lori has just died in a tragic diving accident in Chapel Lake. Some say the lake is haunted. It’s actually a man-made hydroelectric dam that totally covers the old town of Peace Falls.

Owen feels the need to retrace Lori’s footsteps to find out why she was there and how the accident happened.

What follows is a harrowing tale of discovery, taking Owen on a trip that will delve deep into his and his mother’s past, uncovering a trail of deceit, depression, madness and murder. Will Owen survive long enough to uncover the truth?

GUEST POST: Confessions of my Past, Present and Future #17 - Duncan Ralston

Confessions of my Past, Present and Future

by

Duncan Ralston

I was one of those fortunate kids whose parents read bedtime stories to as a child. You know, the kids philosopher Adam Swift said “unfairly disadvantage” children are ones whose parents didn’t read to them. Yeah, I’m one of those fortunate jerks. And while I feel maybe those other children got a raw deal, I certainly wouldn’t go back in time to tell my parents they shouldn’t read to me because little Timmy’s father is semi-literate and can’t read him bedtime stories, thereby depriving Timmy of a lifelong love of reading and perhaps stunting his educational growth.

I don’t think that’s the sort of “level playing field” (as Swift called for in his interview with ABC Radio) that any of us should be considering. I think maybe involving kids in reading more is the answer. Maybe promoting literacy and reading programs the way we used to before all everyone cared about was their new cell phone or the Real Housewives of Whothefuckcares is the key.

Then again, maybe I’m old fashioned.