I just finished reading "HEX" by Thomas Olde Heuvelt. It took me a little longer to get through than the last book I read, but not because of the book but rather because of my schedule. The book was originally published in 2013 by Luitingh-Sijthoff in Amsterdam. The English translation by Nancy Forest-Flier, which is the one I read, was published in 2016 by Tom Doherty Associates as a Nightfire Book. In the Acknowledgments, Heuvelt stated that he rewrote the last several chapters for the English version.
While the ending of this tale is very horrific, Heuvelt doesn't let us in on how the Dutch version ended. George R.R. Martin described the book as "creepy and gripping and original." I will try not to give away the plot because this is one that horror fans should read. The premise centers around a town secret and some juveniles who refuse to follow the rules. All I will say is that there is a curse that is holding the town of Black Spring hostage!
It is definitely a social experiment as to how far some people will go towards keeping a secret. But the blame for the mess they are experiencing occurred around the mid-1600s. Could this have all been a great misunderstanding? You definitely couldn't convince the present day townspeople who are experiencing strange phenomena. Read this book and you might just wake up and find someone standing next to your bed!
