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The Dead Path  By  cover art

The Dead Path

By: Stephen M. Irwin
Narrated by: Michael Carman
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Editorial reviews

A fantastically dark and gripping tale expertly delivered in performer Michael Carman's sandpaper-and-silk voice. Australian Nicholas Close is living in London when an accident kills his new wife and leaves him with the ability to see the dead. Returning to Australia, he discovers that a 100-year-old string of child sacrifices have been taking place in the dark woods near his house. Close must get to the bottom of the horror, or risk being swallowed up himself. Stephen M. Irwin takes what might be a cheesy plot in the hands of a lesser writer and crafts an icily beautiful thriller instead. Highly recommended for fans of horror and suspense.

Publisher's summary

The Dead Path tells the gripping story of a broken man, Nicholas Close. A terrible accident has left him a widower and awoken in him the ability to see the dead. Now, he can’t escape visions of tortured spirits, their last moments caught in horrible, endlessly replaying loops.

Nicholas leaves London and returns to Australia, where he is disturbed to see that a heavily treed tract of land in his childhood suburb has somehow escaped development. These woods have haunted Nicholas since he was a boy, and now he knows why: he sees the ghosts of terrified children being dragged from the path into the grinning maw of dark trees.

When another local child goes missing, Nicholas himself becomes a suspect, yet he alone knows the girl has been taken into the woods. If he does not act against whatever resides among the shadowy trees, more innocents will be murdered. But the force he resolves to confront is old, cunning, and evil...and wants Nicholas for itself.

©2010 Stephen M. Irwin (P)2010 Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd

Critic reviews

"I can't remember being this creeped out by a book since reading King's The Shining." ( HorrorScope)

What listeners say about The Dead Path

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful story

I loved everything in this book. I have no idea why on Earth there are so many comments about sex detracting from the story, that is not the case by any means unless I blanked out at just the right moments. I was interested from start to finish.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars

not for me

I took a chance based on other reviews. I found myself irritated with the characters and the story line...don't know what I was expecting. Maybe this genre just isn't for me...

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Unbellivable

As the summary says this is the story of a man, of which " A terrible accident has left him a widower and awoken in him the ability to see the dead." I found the description of person who has had this extremely traumatic experience ubelievable. Also I found that the story started a lot of threads but they didn't lead to much. To be fair, I must admit that didn't hear this to the end.

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars

another great story ruined by unnecessary sex

the story line was great. but once again, another great book bites the dust. If I buy a book expecting a ghost story, or horror novel, I'm not expecting to get an earfull or eyefull of pornography. A story line can use either another avenue to link the story together, or it can be done without such candid, blantant, detail of the sexual act. I'm running out of authors I can read... makes my library rather slim for the pickings.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Boring! Terrible!

I really tried to listen and like this book, but I just couldn't. This guy (The Hero?) bumps his head because he stupidly (his own blame, not mine) rides his motorcycle instead of walking or something and suddenly he can see "dead people". But, it's boring! The "dead people" don't do anything. They are stuck in the worst case of NFL preview I've ever seen (and the coach isn't even throwing the challenge flag). Not only that, but everyone, I repeat EVERYONE, is messed-up and plagued with personal demons. Oh and there are spooky woods, spooky spiders, spooky animals, spooky big guys; oh, everything is spooky and sinister and this is only the first 5 chapters! This is a really droll book and I haven't even finished it yet. I keep falling asleep! Finally, not only the story is bad, but the narrator, Michael Carman (remind me not to buy any more books he narrates) keeps falling asleep, too. I haven't heard a book read with such long pauses between chapters before. Xcntry's recommendation: Don't Buy.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Yawn...

Would you try another book from Stephen M. Irwin and/or Michael Carman?

Nope.

Would you ever listen to anything by Stephen M. Irwin again?

Nope.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

No.

Any additional comments?

After really trying to get into this book I have to give up after 2 hours. It's just blah and boring.

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