(Blurb for 14 from Goodreads) Padlocked doors. Strange light fixtures. Mutant cockroaches.
There are some odd things about Nate’s new apartment.
Of course, he has other things on his mind. He hates his job. He has no money in the bank. No girlfriend. No plans for the future. So while his new home isn’t perfect, it’s livable. The rent is low, the property managers are friendly, and the odd little mysteries don’t nag at him too much.
At least, not until he meets Mandy, his neighbour across the hall, and notices something unusual about her apartment. And Xela’s apartment. And Tim’s. And Veek’s. Because every room in this old Los Angeles brownstone has a mystery or two. Mysteries that stretch back over a hundred years. Some of them are in plain sight. Some are behind locked doors. And all together these mysteries could mean the end of Nate and his friends.
Or the end of everything…
While looking for my next read I came across 14. This is a gem of a book by Peter Clines and is a fantasy/horror story centred in Los Angeles around low-paid worker Nate Tucker. Nate finds himself in need of a new apartment and is fortunate enough to be informed of a vacancy while at a party. The vacancy is at the Kavach building and is very cheap with all utilities included. It’s a lot closer to work. Perfect…
Soon after moving in, Nate notices that everything is not as it seems at the Kavach building. Fluorescent green cockroaches, oddly shaped rooms, doors that are not doors and missing power cables are just some of the weird things about the building. But Nate isn’t the only tenant to notice the strangeness, his neighbour Veek (a computer hacker?) has also been investigating. The two join forces and enlist the help of other tenants including the blue-haired Xela and Nate’s secretive neighbour Tim.
As the group investigate deeper into the building, more of its secrets begin to unravel including the mysterious room 14 which is padlocked from the outside.
I won’t go too much further as I don’t want to spoil this excellent novel for anyone. But those who are into their Lovecraft will enjoy the end of this novel.
As to the characters, Peter Clines brings these out very skilfully, and a wide variety of these there are. We have a tattooed artist (who enjoys nude sunbathing on the rooftop terrace), an Indian computer geek, an opinionated member of a church group and an ex book publisher (who knows something about everything). I found myself getting carried along by the book, unable to put it down because the characters are so interesting, you want to see what they will do/find next.
I’ve described 14 as a fantasy/horror story, but it’s more suspenseful than full-on violence and gore. So if you prefer your horror more visceral, it may be a little light for your taste. But for me, it’s highly recommended…
