Near Miss

Evil Rising Series, Book 1

By: European P. Douglas

Narrated by: John Walker

Length: 9 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's summary

Everything in Centerpoint was pretty dull...until evil found it!

Sheriff Jeylend Folks used to have an easy beat. He was back in the small town he grew up in, had a lovely wife, and a faithful dog. He couldn’t be happier.

Now, things are spiralling out of control, and he is way out of his comfort zone! A sudden and shocking rise in accidents has swept the town, and no one is immune. From broken cups to broken bones, it is only a matter of time before someone gets killed.

What is causing all this? Who is the mysterious salesman who arrived just before everything went wrong? Why did old Mr Jenson suddenly reappear after living behind closed doors for over 15 years?

Slacker Sam Pepper knows the truth, but there are two problems with this: No one would ever believe him, and he’d have to admit it was all his fault, both of which keep him silent.

With some using the situation for their own gain, some controlled by it, and others doing their best to figure out the mystery, it all comes down to the good in people versus the evil in others.

©2022 Rory McNeill (P)2023 Rory McNeill

An enjoyable, unique read/listen

Near Miss: A Supernatural Suspense Novel (Evil Rising Series Book 1), my tenth read from author European P. Douglas. A well-written, entertaining 9-hour 44-minute/413-page read. John Walker's narration adds to this suspense's enjoyment. “I received a free Audible copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review." The gifting of this book did not affect my opinion of it. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).

The darker sides of one small town

Received as an audio review copy from Story Origin, this is an honest review. Near Miss is an absolute fun, quirky adventure and truly perfect book to engross yourself in the fall season. Beautifully narrated by John Walker, the town of Centerpoint is a quiet place for those calling it home and keeping it a safe place but things begin to grow strange from the moment an odd salesman shows up claiming that within his bag is what could be a person desires. At first the weird incidents aren't much but sheriff Jeylend Folks cannot ignore the uptick in bizarre accidents that turn a small into something of a nightmare he needs but an end to. As a darker shadow falls upon Centerpoint, Jeylend and several others come to realize the strange salesman's bag has to be in the hands of the town's recluse, Mr. Jenson and things will continue to get even more dangerous if they don't do something. It will just require a bit of a sacrifice to help return the town back to what it should be.

Highly recommended.

Strange but good story

Strange salesman, strange briefcase and a small town where accidents are rampant. What happens when near misses are taken out of the world? All those almost accidents become real and often fatal. This story is about power, greed, and an ever growing evil that resides in a salesman's briefcase. The sheriff has his hands full trying to find out what is going on in his town and how to stop all the crazy accidents. Be careful what you wish for as it can come back to haunt you. A good story. On to the next in the series.

Like it.

This is my first book by this author and narrator and it was very interesting. I love ghost stories and horror type things and this has checked all of my boxes. It is engrossing and addicting and I look forward to more than from this author and narrator.

Hard to follow

This was an okay book. It was hard for me to get into it. Someone else may like it or find it easier to understand the story but unfortunately, I was not able to.

I received this book for free in return for my honest opinion.

Great Supernatural Horror Story

This was my first experience with European P. Douglas' work, and I was very entertained. Once the audiobook started, I became so absorbed that I had to listen until the end. It all started in a peaceful, sleepy, small town and then everything went so wrong. The author weaved together the threads of the different townspeople's lives into an absorbing and fascinating tale. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series. John Walker's narration was great, and his performance enhanced the story's entertainment. I was given a free copy of the audiobook, and I have voluntarily posted this review.

There is more EVIL on the horizon! 😟

This reads like a lower-takes Stephen King but it’s interesting. No gore if that’s a triggering point for you.

This is part of a series so needless to say: There is more EVIL on the horizon!

How much influence can one salesman have?

European P Douglas’s Near Miss is a horror tale that centers on a small town that struggles with economic collapse, but soldiers on with one main employer for most of the citizens. Even with the town’s issues, things seem to be going well until the door-to-door salesman shows up. To say a whole lot more about the story would give too much away and might spoil future reader/listener enjoyment of this excellent story. All the while I was listening, I kept thinking about Murphy’s Law being acted out in this small town.

As listened to this story there were times it felt so familiar in the elements that made up the story, I felt like I was reading some of my all-time favorite horror authors -Stephen King, Peter Straub, and Clive Barker – except in a story that was so different from their works yet so familiar.

John Walker does an excellent job of narrating this story and bringing each of the characters to life. I received a review copy of the Near Miss audiobook from the author through StoryOrigin and chose to provide this review.