Book Review: Dead Sky Morning by Karina Halle

Dead Sky Morning (Experiments in Terror #3)

Karina Halle

Review of Red Fox (Experiments in Terror #2)


Publication Date: October 13th 2011

Publisher: Metal Blonde Books

Pages: 358

Genre: Horror, Paranormal

With the Experiment in Terror show finding some success, amateur ghost hunters Perry Palomino and Dex Foray embark on their most terrifying investigation yet. A tiny, fog-shrouded island in the rough strait between British Columbia and Washington State has held a dark secret for decades: It was a former leper colony where over forty souls were left to rot, die and bury each other. Now a functioning campground, Perry and Dex spend an isolated weekend there to investigate potential hauntings but as the duo quickly find out, there is more to fear on D’Arcy Island than just ghosts. The island quickly pits partner against partner, spiraling the pair into madness that serves to destroy their sanity, their relationship and their very lives.

My favourite "classic" horror novel is hands down The Shining, and it might be all the similarities to the plot in Stephen King's book that makes Dead Sky Morning one of my favourite horror books of all time and my favourite so far in the Experiments in Terror series. Dead Sky Morning will trap you with its bone chilling prose and hold you hostage just as the island tries to do to Perry and Dex. Both the first time I read this book and the second time I didn't mean to gulp it all down in one go, but somehow I did both times.

Perry Palomino returns as one of the most realistic protagonists I've had the joy of reading. In fact she's so realistic and flawed that I'm sure there are many readers who hate reading her for fear of seeing their own faults through her. With every book I find myself connecting with her more and more. Some people read this book and can't see how Perry can act like she does with her parents at 22/23 but when you are living at home and not making the money to live on your own it's hard. Whether or not done on purpose by Halle, Perry also seems to have Social Anxiety issues and as someone who has that problem it causes you to be so afraid of disappointing those closest to you.

She is growing up though, slowly but surely and it's great to see. Dex is also growing as we learn more about him. Perry and him are good for each other right now in my belief.

And if anything is for sure, this book would make an amazing horror movie (that I wouldn't be able to see due to being scared stiff)

Other than the whole "island not wanting to let them go" issue, there is one other major thing that reminds me of The Shining, and that is the way Mary works hard to turn Perry against Dex. Sure the isolation of the island and tension between them is a huge reason for why they end up fighting a lot, but Mary sticks so many ideas into Perry's head that cause her to lose more and more trust in him.

I remember when I first read this book I had thought Mary was our ally, that the men of the island were the bad spirits trying to hold on to Perry and Dex, so when we realize that Mary killed her daughter and is the one working hard to keep Perry on the island there is a fear and betrayal that I masochistically love. Halle is the master of twisting the storyline without it being an obvious ploy, instead just being unexpected.

On another note the way Dex and Perry's relationship is progressing has such a realistic feel to it. They are both so messed up and making mistakes all over the place and that's often how real life is, it isn't easy fall in love and everything is happy and clean. At the same time, in my opinion, Halle somehow achieves this without it being overly dramatic in a traditional romance novel way. Of course the next book is where Perry really starts growing up and kicking love in the ass, but that's for the review of the next book.

If you are a fan of horror books, this is a book you need to read. Of course you should probably read the first two books (Darkhouse and Red Fox first) to understand Perry and Dex's situation better, but of all the books this is the one I recommend the most.

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