Nightmare Child by Daniel Ransom

From the darkness beyond the grave comes . . . Nightmare Child. Last time I wrote a review for a Daniel Ransom horror novel I went on and on about how the cover promised a story that had nothing to do with the actual tale within. That book was titled Daddy’s Little Girl and was published by Zebra Horror. Nightmare Child, however, published by the St. Martin’s Paperbacks horror imprint back in 1990, has a cover and description that is pretty much spot on. Jenny, the little innocent looking schoolgirl on the front cover does come back from the grave and becomes a child perfectly suited for one’s nightmares, especially if those she has returned to are the ones responsible for her murder. Even the faint three head image rising from her that slowly but surely changes from an innocent schoolgirl into a wicked looking old lady is pretty much spot on. What isn’t known until one reads the story is what the three headed changing image is depicting, and what it means for all those involved. It also isn’t known who the story is going to be told from. In reading the back cover one gets the impression that the two murder’s Jeff and Mindy McKay are going to be the view point characters, their story unfolding day by day once the child they buried alive is returned to them. This isn’t the case. Early on a few of the chapters do follow them around, but once the girl comes back the story switches over to the widow next door, one who notices several odd things occurring in the house where the girl everyone thought had been kidnapped for several months has returned. The question is, can she convince those around her that something isn’t right about the situation next door, and if so will those that try to help be able to do anything to stop it or will they simply become victims as well?

On the back cover of the book Joe R. Lansdale (author of Cold in July and many other amazing suspenseful thrillers) is quoted as saying, “The prose is so lean and mean and red-blooded, the pages practically crackle with electricity.” Having read this one in a day (almost a single sitting really) I couldn’t agree more. It truly is a fast paced clipper, one that practically turns the pages on its own as the words fly by, the suspense building and building as the mysterious events surrounding Jenny unfold toward a perfect climax. At that point the short novel could easily have concluded, but instead Daniel Ransom goes ahead and takes it one step further with a final segment that really sets the overall horror of situation in stone. It was a perfect ending I didn’t see coming, though looking back; I now realize it was hinted at over and over again with several tiny well placed clues. More important it was a story and ending that makes me want to read everything else this author has written, and not just the tales that were published under the Daniel Ransom pen name. I want everything Edward Gorman wrote, especially all the crime stories I have seen his name attached too. I also believe he has edited some anthologies (unless there is another Ed Gorman out there that I don’t know about), one of which was titled Stalkers (co-edited by Marty Greenberg) that I really want to pick up. Writers whose prose I enjoy often have the similar taste in stories, thus if they thought something was good enough for a anthology collection, chances are I will like it as well. Time will only tell on that, and I’ll be sure to let everyone know. In the meantime, if you like face paced horror tales that can easily be read in one or two sittings go out and find a copy of Nightmare Child by Daniel Ransom -- it’s only $0.99 on Amazon when one buys a used copy. I’m pretty sure you won’t be disappointed.