This is Kelsey Patterson with the Sioux City Public Library and you’re listening to Check It Out.
If you’re like me and want to read horror but just can’t quite handle the intensity of stories from the likes of Stephen King, Joe Hill, or Dean Koontz, cozy horror might be perfect for you. This sub-genre blends elements of traditional horror with more cozy genres like mystery or suspense. These stories are often described as “comfortably scary” and aren’t too graphic or disturbing. My recommendation today perfectly fits this description.
Today, I’m recommending Nightmare of a Trip by Maureen Kilmer. Leigh Somerset wants to spend some quality time with her kids before they grow up, and her husband has always fancied himself sort of a Clark Griswold à la National Lampoon’s Vacation. So, the Somersets will be spending their family vacation on the road, driving from the Milwaukee suburbs to Orlando, Florida. Already off to a rocky start, when they stumble upon an abandoned, half-burned farmhouse in Indiana, they inadvertently unleash an eerie past that will follow them the rest of their trip. From creepy indoor waterparks to paranormal activity-plagued Cracker Barrels, it’s one thing after another in the pursuit of the great American summer road trip. Will the Somersets be able to shake these bad vibes and get on with family bonding, or will the road less traveled become the highway to hell?
This whole book is one big ball of nostalgia for those of us who grew up in the Midwest, whose vacations and holidays were spent on the road--navigating all the road work, wrong turns, family squabbles, numerous gas station stops, and unending queries of “are we there yet?” Although, I feel I can say with almost 100% certainty that none of us had to deal with the horrors of the Somerset’s trip. The amusing and humorous mood of the story made it an easy read to get into and the atmospheric style and feel of the story made it a perfect level of scary without being too chilling or haunting.
Check out Nightmare of a Trip at the Sioux City Public Library.
Support for Check It Out on Siouxland Public Media comes from Avery Brothers.
