Book Review: CAGE OF NIGHT By Ed Gorman. **** out of *****

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Ed Gorman is a master. During the 1980’s and 90’s, his books were constant “mid-listers”, which means somewhere in the middle of the bestseller lists. He never had a huge hit (like some of his contemporaries Stephen King, Peter Straub, and Dean Koontz), but his short, infinitely readable novels were – and still are – a treasure trove for the discerning reader. Cage Of Night is no exception.

Written in Gorman’s minimalist, smooth prose, and comprised of short, punchy chapters, this is a mesmerizing, haunting, and endlessly compelling tale about a young man returning from his sojourn in the military, to his small home town, only to get entangled with a seductive young woman, who may or may not be insane. And what is that entity dwelling in that old well that calls for him? To say any more about the plot would be unfair to the book and the reader, but suffice it to say, this is a brilliantly crafted tale of suspense, with a dash of Jamesian psychological horror to spice things up.

If you’ve missed Ed Gorman, you’ve missed something very special, and Cage of Night is a fine example of what this talented author has to offer. Highly recommended for fans of Dean Koontz, Ira Levin, Charles L. Grant, and Cornel  Woolrich.

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2014 - 2022.

Ahmed Khalifa is a filmmaker and novelist. He is the writer/director of several short films and a feature, which was released on Netflix, and the author of a number of novels and short stories, including the YA horror novel, Beware The Stranger, available on Amazon. He is also the host of The Dark Fantastic Podcast. Find him on Twitter @AFKhalifa and on Facebook @Dark.Fantastic.AK·Writer