Written by C.J. Weiss
A title like Secrets Gnaw at the Flesh conjures certain imagery in the mind’s eye, none of it entirely pleasant. However, as I progressed through the second book in C.J. Weiss’ Virulent Nightmare Origins, it became apparent that the title is as clever a play on the novel’s theme as it is a harbinger of the horrors to come. And the horrors do come in this story about a haunted house. While tales about haunted houses can be a little rote, Weiss has crafted a tale that surprises as it lures the reader into this tale.
The first surprise got me on the very first page. Secrets Gnaw at the Flesh is an evocative title, and amongst that horrific imagery it conjures, lighthearted prose isn’t there. Upon reading the first paragraph, I was taken by how lighthearted and innocent the prose feels. Reading it feels almost akin to reading a children’s book. It’s welcoming, easily digestible and almost warm. The prose serves as an interesting juxtaposition to the story’s content. If you’ve read the blurb—or at the very least, the title—you would be well aware of the book’s genre. Due to this knowledge, the prose doesn’t lure the reader into a false sense of security as much as it instils a foreboding sense of dread.
As the book moves into the horror component—which it maintains for the vast majority of the book—Weiss’ prose works to build tension, guiding the reader through this house of horrors. Through this, the horror elements—which I’ll avoid spoiling because they’re best discovered as you read—creep up on the reader. Once they arrive, they don’t let go. Yet through all the horror and innocent sounding prose, Weiss brings some humanity to the story.
With the prose keeping the reader off-kilter as much as it does, it’s a shame that the dialogue doesn’t live up to it. Secrets Gnaw at the Flesh is a very dialogue-heavy book, and features a large cast of characters. Unfortunately, their dialogue sounds wooden throughout the story, and it is often used for the characters to espouse exposition. While the characters have their own voices, there isn’t a vast amount of difference in them, resulting in conversations that aren’t as interesting as they could be. At times, they work towards selling the book’s horror through creepy undertones, but in a way that feels forced in comparison to the book’s prose and the horror itself.
The most disappointing thing about the dialogue is how it connects to the book’s dramatic moments. For as much as Secrets Gnaw at the Flesh is a horror story, underneath all that, it’s a family drama. And with a cast the size of the book’s, there’s a lot of drama to go around. The drama is well-written, and is as important to the book as its plot and horror elements. It’s unfortunate that the moments aren’t as believable as they can be because of the dialogue.
A large cast can only go so far without well-drawn characters, a feat made more difficult with the more characters added to the story. When an author manages to make every member of a large cast feel fully formed, it’s an impressive feat. And it’s a feat the author accomplishes. Not only do the characters work, they do so while the book juggles not only its character based drama, but also its horror elements. No element has been traded—or even softened—in service of the other.
Through balancing the horror elements, family drama and strong characters, it is perhaps no surprise that Secrets Gnaw at the Flesh is a reasonably long book, at 385 pages in paperback (or an estimated 387 pages on your favourite eReader). While the last couple of pages are dedicated to a glossary of the various horror elements in the book (little bonuses like this are always a nice addition), the story itself uses the space to great effect. It sets the scene and builds nicely, with pacing that hooks the reader. The story bounces between tense moments and quieter scenes, yet it never feels like it’s losing momentum.
If you open a copy of Secrets Gnaw at the Flesh and discover it’s the second book in the Virulent Nightmare Origins series, don’t be alarmed. It stands apart from the first book, A Broken Clock Never Boils, with both novels being self-contained. While there may be some connective tissue between the two books that I’m unaware of, Secrets Gnaw at the Flesh stands perfectly alone.
Secrets Gnaw at the Flesh is a haunted house story with some fantastic horror elements. That it features rich characters and plenty of drama elevates it. However, with such a focus on the characters and drama, the book is hampered by its dialogue, which reduces the effectiveness of these elements. The rest of the book is elevated by its prose, which it utilises to tell an entertaining story.
Favourite Passage
Silence throughout the room, throughout the entire house. Silence so thick, the pressure of it pounded Garrett’s skull. Like diving to the bottom of the ocean.
It made the knock at the door sound like an atomic bomb.
Secrets Gnaw at the Flesh, Chapter 37: “Revelations”
Secrets Gnaw at the Flesh was provided by the author for the purpose of an honest review.
Secrets Gnaw at the Flesh is available in paperback and ebook, from retailers, including—but not limited to—Amazon.
Note: I do not post scores for reviews on this website, but do post them on my Amazon and Goodreads reviews:
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Secrets Gnaw at the Flesh (Virulent Nightmare Origins)
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