Closer

By: F.E. Feeley Jr.

Narrated by: Vance Bastian

Maplewood, Vermont, is a picturesque town filled with unique shops, unique homes, and a quaint familiarity all centered around a lake with an unusual history.

Legends, old as well as urban, float around like the mist that hovers above the lake at break of dawn.

But they're just stories, right?

Hayden Moore's life was destroyed when his husband, Malcolm, was murdered. Giving up his job as an assistant district attorney in Boston, Hayden moved to the little burg of Maplewood to recover.

A new life.

A fresh start.

However, something underneath the water is stirring. Something rotten. A deadly secret wakes underneath the black waters of Lake Veronica so disturbing it haunts the nightmares of the local residents.

It's coming closer....

©2018 Frederick E Feeley Jr (P)2018 Frederick E Feeley Jr

Intriguing, Suspenseful, and Fantastic

I’ve been a fan of the author since his Human Wraith series, and this latest creation does not fall short of absolutely masterful. The author creates an entire world which is very reminiscent of small town charm, busy-body gossips, and dark secrets that everyone knows and knows better than to bring up. Growing up in a small town I am all too familiar with how things are never what they seem and Feeley captures every nuance that would expect and then some. I can only compare this to watching a paranormal TV series and focusing on the overarching story line of an entire season come together into a combative and explosive conclusion. This story would make one hell of a movie. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves paranormal fiction, you truly will not be disappointed.

wow

very good.. interesting story... the narrator did a good job in spots keeping me creeped out haha.. it was well written and well narrated. i really liked it

another amazing one from F.E.

like all the other stories i have listened to by F.E. this one kept me on the edge of my seat. just could not stop listening. i loved everything about this listen from the story line and characters to the amazing narrator who brought it all to life. i like the lovey dovey ness of most everything i read or listen to but when i need my nerves rattled a little bit i can count on F.E. to do it but he also has never failed to give me the HEA i cant live without. thankyou for once again giving me what i need and entertaining me for a day.

Thrilling and very good story

I enjoyed this audiobook even though I do not like scary stories. I am a fan of F.E. Feeley Jr. writing and got this book because it was written by him without realizing it is horror genre. I do not listen to horror and would not have picked this audiobook if I knew how scary it is, and it would be a shame. I really enjoyed listening to amazing writing and great narration even if it gave me a few bad dreams. Fair warning, if you are easily scared, do not listen to Closer while falling asleep. It is a great book and I highly recommend it for readers who enjoy good writing, captivating story and sitting on the edge of your sit throughout most of the listen.

Paranormal love story

This book is narrated by Vance Bastian, (very nicely done). I’ve listened to a lot of books. Sometimes the narrator gets caught up in the excitement (or in this case fear) of the story and I get caught up in their voice, sometimes having to rewind to listen to the words. I really liked that this narration was more low key. Letting the listener enjoy the storytelling.

It started with an old wives tale of doomed love, a curse over a town. A woman's dying revenge on those who dared to fall in love.

A typical small town, where people raised families and lived quiet lives. Gossip was received and given at the post office. A malicious post mistress delighting in the power she wields.

Into this idyllic setting comes Hayden, buying a home in a new place, trying to recover from the murder of his husband. He hires Tommy to do some handiwork. Finding in him a friend.

A malevolent force is threatening Maplewood. People are drowning in the lake and on land. Dreams are invading everyone's sleep, seeping into their waking hours. A ghostly apparition seen by many, unexplainable.

Hayden and Tommy begin an exploration towards each other amidst the evil surrounding them. Helping a diverse group of people to figure out what it is that is haunting the town.

It was hard to review this book without leaving spoilers. It's a paranormal, love story, with emphasis on the love. Hayden and Tommy are wounded souls, making a connection that is unexpected for both of them. If you like your love stories with a supernatural element, you should like this one.

Thrilling, Chilling and absolutely Amazing

A wonderfully written, intriguing paranormal thriller filled with complex and interesting characters. F.E. Feeley Jr has created a thrilling and chilling story of this haunted town and its inhabitants. Hayden and Tommy are amazing as the main characters and their chemistry feels real. The other characters in the book also add to the tale and envoke emotions. The events that take place captivates and makes you crave to know more and seek a satisfying conclusion. One of my favorite paranormal thrillers read recently.

The narrator, Vance Bastian, does a wonderful job of bring the story to life for the listener. His smooth voice is easy to listen to but the way he uses it, helps the creepy words captivate you and take you away into the world of Closer.

I received an advanced reader's copy of the book and I am voluntarily leaving my honest review and recommendation.

romance, mystery, and more

The narrator takes the creep/scare factor to another level. The storyline is intriguing, complex, and gripping, and I got lost in all the goings on. I love how the author leads us through a maze od ideas and what ifs to a satisfying ending- until the next book!

Thrills and chills!

Loved listening to Chills. With twists and turns throughout the story. The author takes you on a journey of horror. You won't want to miss this one!

The narrator is perfect for this story.

I received a copy of this audible free of cost at my request. I'm thrilled to be able to provide my review.

Easily one of the best of the year

I’m not quite sure where to begin with this review because I don’t think my words will do it justice, but I’ve sat on it long enough now. I’ll lead with this, Closer is easily one of my favorite books of the year, maybe ever. I first read this author a couple years back and he’s been an auto buy for me ever since, especially his mysteries/paranormal books. And yet, despite having this novel on my device since it first released, I hadn’t gotten round to reading Closer until the audiobook release. Happily, that worked in my favor because I was able to simultaneously read and listen to an incredible performance of a fantastically spooky and gripping novel.

Although Closer follows an underlying romance between two characters as well as highlighting the love stories of a number of secondary characters, this book focuses more on the perplexing history and current happenings in a small lakeside town in Vermont. The omniscient multi point-of-view narrative flowed surprisingly well, and I was especially impressed with the narrator’s ability to differentiate the voices of characters so it was as easy to follow along with the audiobook as it was when I was reading. The haunting events left me with goosebumps regularly, which was only amplified by Mr. Bastian’s performance, making this a title that was next to impossible to step away from. I enjoyed all the players in Closer and loved how interwoven their stories became. I especially loved the main couple and their fast but steady romance, particularly the strength of them as individuals and the lengths they were willing to go to in order to protect their love. As I’ve come to expect from this author, the twists and sudden, surprising moments were unexpected and made me jump and my heart race. If you’re looking for something a bit different than the standard romance, Closer is an easy choice.

good story but...

First the good: The story is engaging and I love all the characters. Each character is given their own time to present their point of view, giving the reader a greater since of this world and the depth of feeling in the situation. The narrative is not lost while balancing different characters thoughts and experiences and everyone plays some part in the end. I liked the ideas; it was exactly the kind of supernatural thriller I like to read.
However, the writing I found very jarring and it often took me out of the story entirely. From clunky exposition to awkward transitions between points of view along with some phrasing that just felt rather immature for a novel of this type. I also do not appreciate the atmosphere being completely ruined by the author blatantly explaining things that should be obvious to the reader from context (i.e. that a catatonic girl is screaming and fighting her battle internally with no outward, visible signs that are irrelevant anyway because no one is there to see anything). There are also 2 of what I consider to be major revelations and while the first is a little sudden, I can see where it came from. The 2nd feels completely out of nowhere with no prior signs or indications that would make it believable. It feels like the author wasn't sure how to do the final confrontation without some other character suddenly having an ability we had no clue of. Perhaps if we'd had more information besides the character's immediate past, it would have helped.
The narrator isn't bad but he's not my favorite. His voice is pleasant to listen to and he is good at setting the tone but he has very little differentiation between voices and is sometimes inconsistent with accents an such.
Honestly, it was the characters that made me read to the end but the writing was irritating enough to me that I don't think I'll be reading anymore of this author, even if I do see the apparent continuation of this story that doesn't seem to need it.