Crossroads

By: Laurel Hightower

Narrated by: Linda Jones

How far would you go to bring back someone you love?

When Chris' son dies in a tragic car crash, her world is devastated. The walls of grief close in on Chris' life until, one day, a small cut on her finger changes everything. A drop of blood falls from Chris' hand onto her son's roadside memorial, and, later that night, Chris thinks she sees his ghost outside her window. Only, is it really her son's ghost, or is it something else - something evil? Soon Chris is playing a dangerous game with forces beyond her control in a bid to see her son, Trey, alive once again.

©2020 Off Limits Press LLC (P)2020 Fireside Horror

Critic reviews

"There's a single note that plays through all of Laurel Hightower's Crossroads, and in that note you can hear a mother's justified devastation, a lover's acceptance, and the haunting displacement of a ghost. Refreshingly nuanced character, down to earth in the rightest of ways, Crossroads will sincerely move you. There is a big mind, and an even bigger heart, behind this book." (Josh Malerman, The New York Times best-selling author of Bird Box and Malorie)

Merry Christmas, Here’s a GUT PUNCH!

Hightower’s novella here punched me in the gut.

Crossroads is as effective a horror story as it is a family drama. And it’s oh so bleak. A questionable read during the Year From Hell (2020)!

If you enjoy horror of the grief variety, sink your teeth into Crossroads, and don’t let go. You will spiral down with the main character.

Linda Jones gave a laudable performance on the audiobook. She offered an easy-to-listen-to voice and narrated certain moments with such emotional nuance. Bravo!

Empathic and Spooky

If you love horror with a beating heart, this is the story for you. A story about grief and the sacrifices of being a mother. I liked and felt for all of the primary characters, and wanted them to be alright. As to whether or not I got my wish...

Don't expect all your questions to be answered by the end, the payoff falls just shy of satisfying. But that's ok, this story is more about the journey and the characters than it is about the destination.

This one didn't have me hiding under the covers and leaving the nightlight on, but it did have me tearing up in several places. If what you're looking for is a mildly horrific, emotionally-charged character study set to a backdrop of grief, I highly encourage you to give this a listen!

Sad

This is a good book but sad book. It shows that a mother will do anything to still be able to see her child again after there was an accident and they died. This was a very sad story when a mother suffers when the anniversary of their son's death comes close. But it seems she is doing more harm than good with offering blood and more to be able to see him just one last time.

I received this book for free in exchange for my honest review.

Great story

Kept me on the edge the entire time and the narrator did an amazing job.

Short little firecracker of a book

Fast-paced, well read, solid character development and interactions. Kept me guessing. Creepy, sad, fun.

This incredible story emotionally gutted me!

Chris is a woman haunted by the memory of her late son Trey. Her life quickly fell apart after finding him dead at the sight of a tragic car accident. Now, she spends her time isolated and alone except for her trips to the memorial site where she found her sons lifeless body and the visits her imagination conjures of Trey. But what if there was a way to see him for real? Blood has a way of calling to dark things that have the ability to grant your deepest desires only, blood isn't always enough. More sacrifices are needed. How far would you go to bring back someone you love?


CROSSROADS is the much anticipated novella by Laurel Hightower. I was really excited to see something new come from Hightower since reading WHISPERS IN THE DARK which was one of my absolute favorite reads last year. She has this amazing ability to emotionally charge her stories with characters that are relateable. I would follow Chris to hell and back in her journey to save her son from deaths harrowing grip. Also, Dan was such an enjoyable character. Ladies, get you a man like Dan.


CROSSROADS is an incredible story that emotionally gutted me. Laurel Hightower is a favorite author of mine in the #HorrorCommunity and in my opinion, anything she writes is a must read. This short novel about a grief stricken mother who will do anything, even appease a dark entity for one last chance to see her son might be one the best books I've read in 2020.

Crossroads by Laurel Hightower
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Captures a mother's anguish over a child's loss.

Author is very gifted in her story telling. She draws you in and brings you along every step of the way. I'm pretty jaded when it comes to horror, and found the story a wee bit predictable, but still worth a read or listen. She's definitely a writer I will be keeping an eye on!

Relatable

As a mother I could really relate to the characters feelings. Excellent writing. Enjoyed the storyline. Perfect narration. Overall I really liked it.

Excellent novella

Crossroads is a tight, well paced, and heartbreaking story. It conveys the grief of losing a child (even if you’ve never had one), in a compelling way, along with the sacrifice a parent is willing to make for her child even after their loss. Narrator Linda Jones does a fantastic job with the story. This is my first read by Laurel Hightower, but it surely won’t be the last.

A Mother's Love...A Painful Sacrifice

I'm just gonna say it's a very dark book. Trigger Warning: It mentions self-harm, child loss, and death throughout the entire book. If you are recovering from self-harm or still dealing with the trauma of losing a child, you may want to avoid this book altogether.

The story is okay, it's main focus is how some people cope with the death of a loved one. Definitely leans more towards the thriller side, especially with the end.

Is it worth the credit, no, not in my opinion.
It's not bad, but it's not great. But it is a short listen. So I didn't feel like my time was entirely wasted.

Much like a grief journey, this book isn't pretty and it's not all rainbows and sunshine.