Almost Ruth

By: Tyler Jones

Narrated by: James Romick

Length: 6 hrs and 39 mins

Publisher's summary

Ashville is a town with a secret history. Ancient structures lie hidden in the woods, and strange rituals are performed to keep the dead where they belong. For gravedigger Abel Cunningham, it is also a town filled with regrets. And when Abel is tasked with an unusual burial, he discovers there are more than just corpses in the cemetery.

Set in an unsettling vision of the Old West, Almost Ruth is the new nightmare from the author of Criterium and The Dark Side of the Room.

“Tyler Jones writes with the lyrical complexity and haunting tenderness of masters like Matheson and Straub while remaining entirely new and inventive. A true visionary of contemporary horror fiction.” (Eric LaRocca, author of Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke)

"Tyler Jones shows us in Almost Ruth that he is a fierce talent in the horror genre and one not to be missed, with prose as sharp as a scalpel he cuts us wide open and pours salt into our wounds. This book broke something in me and I fear I’ll never be whole again. Jones is unmistakably one of the brightest lights in indie horror right now, read his words and be transformed." (Ross Jeffery, Bram Stoker Nominated author of Tome, Juniper, and Only The Stains Remain)

"Almost Ruth is rooted in humanity. With unmatched depth and painstaking beauty, Jones crafts a story focused on small town rituals reminiscent of Shirley Jackson. One that will keep your gears turning and your blood chilled long after the last page." (Brennan LaFaro, author of Slattery Falls)

©2021 Tyler Jones (P)2023 Tyler Jones

Folk Grief Horror to savor and mourn

Incredible folk horror, that captures grief and the longing for answers, context, and control, like little else I've read. Devastating from beginning to end.

History piece horror story

This was definitely a different type of horror story. Parts of it I liked, but not all. The ending left me confused and trying to figure out what was really going on. I felt sorry for Abel and everything he went through. Certainly a strange little town that I wouldn't want to live in.

The evil that grief makes men capable of …

I loved this book. This story had many different layers of storyline which were introduced at just the right times to keep the plot suspenseful. But, to me the most compelling aspect of the story was the evil we can do in the name of grief. The characters are interesting and well developed. There was also a bit of interesting religious mythology that was part of the story. All in all a great story that was hard to put down and keep me wondering the whole time with a bit of a surprise ending. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well written, interesting story with elements of horror. There is also a bonus novella included.
I listened to this book while reading along with WhisperSync. The audio performance was also very good.

Unsettling and haunting as it is tender and beautiful

Tyler Jones does a deep dive into life and death and beyond. It’s so beautifully written, and the narrator reads it to perfection. Abel cleaved to my heart and following him on his harrowing journey through this story nearly broke my heart. The characters come all the way to life, the chills and thrills are atmospheric and full of creeping dread, and the horror and mayhem is crazy visceral - he drew so many disturbing pictures to live on in my head. The story is unique and inventive. There really wasn’t anything not to like about this book for me. I will definitely read more Tyler Jones.