April 27, 2012

The Castleton Files by David Bain

The Castleton Files
The Castleton Files by David Bain
Title: The Castleton Files
Author: David Bain
(Homepage|Facebook|Twitter|Amazon: US/UK|GoodReads)
Format: E-book
Length: 114 pages
Price: $4.99
Rating: * * * * *
Summary:
The Castleton Files is Mr. David Bain's newest book. A Collection consisting of 'Will Castleton" stories.

From a race against time to save a woman's life during a tropical storm, to a struggle for a child's lost soul in the snowy badlands...

From battling a betrayed ghost's wrath in a storm along the Lake Michigan shoreline to vying with vampiric creatures eating at the fabric of a suburban Chicago family's reality...

Will Castleton uses any means necessary, physical or supernatural, to see justice done. 
via amazon.com
Stories included in the collection:
  • Island Ghosts
  • The Bridge (available separately)
  • Samantha (available separately)
  • Homeward Devils (a new 12,000-word novella unavailable anywhere else)
  • Nighteyes (available separately)

First up in the collection is "Island Ghosts". There is a review already posted for this and after several readings my opinion still stands firm. Will Castleton is a character with  a lot to offer and like. In "Island Ghosts" he is in a race against time to save a woman during a tropical storm. He uses his slightly psychic powers to aid him during the storm. Bain has a crisp engaging writing style that draws the reader in. To read my original review of "Island Ghosts" click here.

Next is "The Bridge". Will is called to the Montana wilderness  help find a boy lost in the woods or kidnapped. Castleton explores the depth of his powers to reconnect the boy and his foster father. Like the previous story, "Island Ghosts", Will Castleton is back using his 'slightly psychic' powers to aid him in his investigations. Being his first true case as a psychic detective, he had opened a small office in Chicago and chose the case as a means to escape.
As a writer, David Bain clearly knows how to get the readers attention and Will Castleton is such a character to do just that. Unlike the previous story,Will is out and public with his gift giving Mr. Bain more ways to explore Castleton's power and delving into his past as well. I cannot fault the writing or the premise of "The Bridge", it's a great read from start to finish that continues to progress the story of Will Castleton.

In "Samantha", 'Slightly Psychic' detective Will Castleton is plagued with nightmares filled with anger,rage and the name 'Samantha'. Will takes Mr. Campbell Haddoc's case. Haddoc recently released from prison needs help removing his wife's ghost from the estate. Mr. Haddoc murdered his wife, served time and now back home is feeling the wrath of the dearly departed. Worried about his girlfriend Samantha(in a catatonic state), Will agrees to help only to discover Mr. Campbell is hiding a deep secret from his past.
Another stellar Castleton adventure revealing the progression of Will's powers with a tight who-dun-it tale twisting throughout. The writing style from the previous stories stays true here as well. Any fan of action,adventure,and supernatural tales will enjoy it.

"Homeward Devils" follows Will and his girlfriend,Samantha, to Green River,Michigan. For Castleton, going home is a chance to reconnect with friends and foes. An unexpected vision turns his homecoming into a wild ride deep into the forests of Green River in search of a red devil.
Drug,donuts,action, and a red skinned devil equal to another Will Castleton tale that shouldn't be missed. "Homeward Devils" is a new Castleton novella and is only found in this collection. It is my second favorite Castleton stories and well worth the read.

In "Night Eyes" Will must save a child from a group of supernatural creatures who feed off people's gifts. Can Will save the girl and her family from the vampiric beings?
"Night Eyes" closes out the collection and for me is the best in the group. Featuring a more supernatural tone than the other stories. It is like a warm blanket on a cold night. "Night Eyes" just pulls me  in and I get lost within. The other ingredients that make the previous stories such great reads and present and strong than ever but it's the extra emphasis on the supernatural creatures that really intrigues me and hooks me right away. If you like Bain's other works especially the Will Castleton books you will feel right at home.

As a whole "The Castleton Files" is a can't miss collection and with Mr. David Bain working on the first Will Castleton novel "Death Sight". Fans of the series and Mr. Bain have a lot to look forward to.