Kin

By: Kealan Patrick Burke

Narrated by: Chet Williamson

On a scorching hot summer day in Elkwood, Alabama, Claire Lambert staggers naked, wounded, and half-blind away from the scene of an atrocity. She is the sole survivor of a nightmare that claimed her friends, and even as she prays for rescue, the killers - a family of cannibalistic lunatics - are closing in.

A soldier suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder returns from Iraq to the news that his brother is among the murdered in Elkwood.

In snowbound Detroit, a waitress trapped in an abusive relationship gets an unexpected visit that will lead to bloodshed and send her back on the road to a past she has spent years trying to outrun.

And Claire, the only survivor of the Elkwood Massacre, haunted by her dead friends, dreams of vengeance... a dream which will be realized as grief and rage turn good people into cold-blooded murderers and force alliances among strangers.

It's time to return to Elkwood.

In the spirit of such iconic horror classics as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Deliverance, Kin begins at the end and studies the possible aftermath for the survivors of such traumas upon their return to the real world - the guilt, the grief, the thirst for revenge - and sets them on an unthinkable journey... back into the heart of darkness.

©2012 Kealan Patrick Burke (P)2013 David N. Wilson

Well worth the read..

Kin was awesome. I read it twice. If you have a macabre streak along with your desire for a good story, then Kin will be a good fit.

Fun Hillbilly Horror

Similar to Texas Chainsaw in Gore level, style and general story, but with focus on the aftermath rather than the massacre which occurs before the book starts. There is plenty of action and tension, with crisp writing and a well developed cast. Not for the squeamish obviously, but it's story driven, not just torture porn.

What a story!

This was a great story with many twists and turns. It’s was sooo good until the end...I like a tidy ending and this felt like it went into the weeds and didn’t finish some things which is disappointing bc i really likes it. Maybe there will be a sequel?

I received a free copy and left my honest review

eh

the story unfortunately was difficult toslog through. the first third was great! then the story became convoluted and by the end I really didn't care about any of the characters

good story

not the most graphic book I have read but it's a good story and the characters were likeable I hope there is a sequel

I just dont know, reads very vanilla to me.

I was fiending for a good slasher / Jack Kilborn / Texas Chsinsaw Massacre like bool, so I searched the internet and this books name kept popping up. So I went into Audible and searched for Kin to use a credit. To my surprise I aleady had the book in my library. Uh oh, was my immediate thought. I already listened to it, dementia is coming early for this one. Still I downloaded it and hit play, the book started at the 5.5 hour mark. I listened for a few minutes, had zero recollection of the story then went back to chapter one. Within 5 minutes the story triggered a memory and I immediatly became dissapointed. It was THAT story. Yes, now I remember giving up on it. Still its been slim pickings on audible since December so I went back to the 5.5 hour mark and continued the story.

That was 3 days ago. I currently have about 3 hours left. I stopped this book many times and relistened to some other random books because this one just couldnt hold my attention. I am almost always working, but when Im not, Ill usually be watching some cheesy late 70s early 80s slasher movie. When I am working I have an audiobook playing. Ill burn thru between 3 and 7 a week depending on how long they are. Ive let quite a few stinkers just play as background noise. Yet this book, that Ive had for 3 or 4 years, I cant seem to get thru. I spent the credit so I will finish it this time, but Ive found no enjoyment or entertainment from it.

Even if these last 3 hours are the best 3 hours in audiobook history, I wont listen to the story again. The first 7 or 8 hours just dont hold any interest for me in the slightest.

The story reads like a sort of fan fiction. At the end of TCM you get a little blurb about Sally H, and I dont know about you, but I wanted more. Atleast when I was younger, I wanted to see the aftermath. This books feels like that aftermath in an alternate universe. I appreciate the attempt by the author to give fans that story, but its just so boring to me. I havent been scared or creeped out, and since I just consumed a string of splatterpunk books I havent been grossed out (which I appreciate, no need to go into detail about the color and consistency of the liquid dripping from a festering wound.)

Honestly it reads to me like a vanilla procedural horror story. That is the exact opposite of TCM. I could see this as a tv show or mini series on Cinamax late night or something like that. Or maybe a 90 minute movie.

Im a stephen king fan so its safe to say I like to buy my books by the pound. Most of my favorite audiobooks are 15+ hours. I wont even waste a credit on a book less than 6 hours. So when Im listening to this 12 hour book and thinking the story would be better told in a 90 minute movie.... well thats worth atleast knocking 2 stars off. The 3 stars I gave it is because the author and narrator are obviously talented. This book just isnt working for me.

Murder, dismemberment, incest, cannibalism

And that's in just the first hour.

Part X-Files' episode "Home" and part original "Hills Have Eyes" with evil, murderous Southern backwoods (why are they always from the South?) family preying upon hapless travelers. If you like this sort of thing, as I do, you'll probably find this book somewhat entertaining.

"Somewhat" because I wasn't able to listen for a couple days and completely forgot what I'd been listening to. Not super compelling but a fine diversion while weeding the yard.

Blood is thicker than water

This story was dark, twisted , weird and interesting. I really liked the pace of this story. I felt that it flowed well from one scene to the next and was intriguing to listen to the family dynamics of Mama in Bed's brood. I felt sorry that the children had been so poisoned mentally and warped into the awfulness of their beliefs. The brutality that they inflicted upon the "coyotes" was frightful and the fact that they were so willing to turn against their own was disturbing. I liked the outcome for the most part although, I would like to have a bit more information on how the survivors went on with their lives. This is a story of bleak circumstances imposed upon isolated people with a fanatical belief in their religion making them feel righteous in their hideous actions. I was particularly happy that Pete wasn't left completely abandoned. This book was gifted to me by the author for an honest review. Very much a dark disturbing story but I really enjoyed it.

Good but not great.

The story was ok but it wasn't the best written. The performance was good. To me it felt like the story became tedious in certain spots.

I really like this book.

I really enjoyed this book. Messed up and grotesque story, but my horror loving soul likes that a bit. Also, the voice actor for the audio book is incredible! He really had me drawn in to it all.