A Child Alone with Strangers: A Novel

(Hardback)

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Description

When young Henry Thorne is kidnapped and held prisoner in a remote farmhouse surrounded by miles of forest, he finds himself connecting with a strange force living in the woods using that bond to wreak havoc against his captors. Unknown to the boy, however, is that this ancient being has its own reasons for wanting the interlopers gone there is something hidden beneath the house, tucked away in the dark, damp root cellar...waiting for its return.

'Fracassis novel hits me like a cross between McCammon and '80s King. Might be one of them summer blockbusters readers love.' Laird Barron, author ofWorse Angels

'A Child Alone with Strangersstarts out as a slow burn procedural with supernatural elements and inexorably cranks itself into a pulse-pounding symphony of eldritch horrors and all-too-human violence. Philip Fracassi is the best sort of horror writer one who is unafraid to hunt for light in even the darkest places.' Shaun Hamill, author ofA Cosmology of Monsters

Reviews

Named by Esquire as One of the Best Horror Books of 2022

"... a perfectly pitched horror novel, visceral and terrifying, delving deep into an eldritch world that sits alongside our own. It reminds me of early Stephen KingIt;Firestarter;The Shiningbut Fracassi also brings a depth of understanding to his monsters, human and otherwise, that makesA Child Alone with Strangersdeeply moving. . . . I am now forcing it on everyone I know. Highly recommended.
Alison Flood,The Guardian

"This book is huge but completely worth it. I havent read anything that terrifying in a while. . . .If you love horror, I highly recommend this story."
Christina Boswell,San Francisco Book Review (5 Stars)

Fracassis novel hits me like a cross between McCammon and '80s King. Might be one of them summer blockbusters readers love.
Laird Barron, author ofWorse Angels

"A Child Alone with Strangersstarts out as a slow burn procedural with supernatural elements and inexorably cranks itself into a pulse-pounding symphony of eldritch horrors and all-too-human violence. Philip Fracassi is the best sort of horror writer--one who is unafraid to hunt for light in even the darkest places."
Shaun Hamill, author ofA Cosmology of Monsters

"Philip Fracassi's range, prolific output, and fast-paced prose are all set to put him on the shelf next to names such as King, Straub, and Thomas Harris . . . . one of the best books of the year."
Logan England,Signal Horizon

"A Child Alone with Strangersis one most affecting horror novels I've read this year."
Esquire

"This novel is at once terrifying and engrossing, so exquisitely composed by an artist who has found that terra firma of fear and sarcasm and compassion that makes this story soar. Successful on every level, this book is a must readfor so many reasons! Very highly recommended.
A Child Alone with Strangersis one most affecting horror novels I've read this year."
Grady Harp, Readers Entertainment magazine

"...a sheer barrage of non-stop visceral horror and some truly breath-taking sequences which were vicious throwbacks to seventies and eighties era horror."
Tony Jones,Ginger Nuts of Horror

An instant horror classic and my favorite read of the year. Every character is humanized with compelling depth. Every chapter is a study in tension and craft. Fracassi seamlessly weaves together so many horror sub-genres while organically rooting them all in a propulsive character-driven narrative that puts heart above all else. I really can't say enough good things about this one. A towering achievement.
Brian McAuley, author ofCurse of the Reaper

This book is a horror masterpiece.
Scribble's Worth

Its so much more than a supernatural horror thriller because at the heart of it is loss and living through the fog of grief.
Book Stalker Blog

Author Bio

Philip Fracassi is an award-winning author and screenwriter. His story collection, Behold the Void, won Best Collection of the Year from both This Is Horror and Strange Aeons Magazine, and has had numerous other short stories published in various magazines and anthologies, including The Best Horror of the Year. The author of Beneath a Pale Sky and Boys in the Valley, you can follow Philip via his social media @philipfracassi.