A review by thomaswjoyce
Prince of Nightmares by John McNee

4.0

I have read a couple of McNee's books before, so I know he is an accomplished storyteller. This was his debut novel and, while I didn't fully buy into every character's choices, I really enjoyed the story. It makes for an interesting take on the gothic, ghost story, where the setting and premise are more modern, and the ghosts aren't exactly ghosts, not the way we usually think of them anyway. McNee has a real flair for the theatrical and vivid descriptions (just check out his short story collection, Doom Cabaret) and it is on full display here. Nothing is left to the imagination with the blood-and-guts descriptions, and the atmosphere is heavy with dread. I was fully invested in the mystery of the Ballador Hotel and its sinister past, and was captivated throughout.