Review of Skull Creek Stakeout by Eddie Jones
A.E. Jackson Review Score: 3 / 5 Ravens
How was this review scored?
Author Eddie Jones transports readers to Transylvania in this Southern-retelling of Bram Stoker’s Dracula - and it couldn’t have been delivered any better.
From the start, readers are given a good introduction to each character and their normal daily life. We are also given a glimpse at some of their problems. You take the good, you take the bad, and there you have…
The character descriptions help paint a clear and vivid picture of each individual. They not only twist common mystery and scary story tropes, but also bring unique individuality to each role.
In this tale, Nick Caden heads deep into the Blue Ridge Mountains to stay in a manor owned by a suspected vampire. Mystery ensues!
Nick Caden is a normal teen with a "supernatural" knack for finding trouble and solving paranormal mysteries. After solving the mysterious disappearance of Billy the Kid's "ghost" in Deadwood, Nick lands a job as a roving reporter for The Cool Ghoul Gazette, a website on paranormal or supernatural disturbances.
When the editor sends Nick to investigate a murder in Transylvania, North Carolina, the young super sleuth finds a corpse with fangs, bite marks and a stake driven through the heart. If Nick proves vampires are real, his job as an investigative journalist is set for life. Except Nick isn't convinced vampires are real.
But once he begins to peel back the clues surrounding the murder Nick finds his new job is not only dangerous but could suck the life out of him.
There are lots of motives for murder found in this little Transylvania-themed town. And there are lots of suspects for Nick Caden to sort through.
Author Eddie Jones builds a good mystery with lots of open leads and raised questions. Readers will be happy to keep reading in order to find answers to the riddles presented.
Tension builds to a climax when threats leave the supernatural realm and become all too real. Will the attempted murder of his Aunt Vivian and new friend Meg force Nick Caden to call it quits?
Parents can trust the Caden Chronicles. There is no sexual dialogue or situations, violence, or strong language, only positive moral values and a wee little bit of humor.
Eddie is an award-winning author of middle-grade fiction with HarperCollins. Eddie calls his novels, "fun, fast reads for boys who don't like to read." "The Caribbean Chronicles" is a humorous time-travel pirate fantasy adventure series. The third book, "The End of Calico Jack," won first place in the Selah Awards for Young Adult Literature.
An avid sailor with a great sense of humor, Eddie has been married to a girl he met at a stoplight in West Palm Beach during spring break for... "too many years," Eddie's wife says. "Not enough," says Eddie. Father of two boys, he's also a pirate at heart who loves to surf.
Read more from Eddie Jones at https://eddiejones.org and find him on social media at Facebook(@EddieJonesHumor), and Twitter(@EddieJonesTweet).