The Shore

by Robert Dunbar

Book Overview

As a winter storm grips the coastal town of Edgeharbor, a series of horrible murders terrorizes the residents. A young policewoman and a mysterious stranger are all that stand between the tiny town... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 084396166X
• ISBN13: 9780843961669
• Release Date: January 2009
• Publisher: Leisure Books
• Length: 319 Pages
• Weight: 0.38 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 4.1" x 6.7"

Customer Reviews

An Excellently Written Horror Novel

I saw elsewhere here where someone wrote that this story was poorly written, and I feel so differently that I felt compelled to add my thoughts. All I can say is that if a reader desires flowery prose while reading horror they should be reading novels by Anne River Siddons or Deborah Leblanc (both fine writers by the way). But if you want your horror written with deliberation, with impact, and to provoke intellectual stimulation, you can't do any better than reading Rob Dunbar's work. Dunbar prefers to entertain his readers with horror that nestles uncomfortably in the wrinkles of our grey matter. He makes us think about what lies beneath the surface of our terror, and as a result, the horrors become personal. Dunbar does this to great effect in The Shore, a more than worthy follow up to his earlier novel The Pines. The author takes great care in building characterization and plot execution in the first half of The Shore, to the point where we feel as if these characters were part of our own lives. And in the second half of the novel, Dunbar's story explodes with action and vivid scenes of terror. The hurricane that hits near the end of the second half is written so realistically, that you will find yourself readings these scenes all over again just to experience a second hit of adrenaline. Though I understand that opinions are neither right nor wrong, I would ask that if you are thinking of picking up The Shore, go with the majority of the reviews here and purchase it, I think you will enjoy it immensely.

Another Classic from Robert Dunbar

Less than four months ago, I was unfamiliar with Robert Dunbar. I came across "The Pines" on the Dorchester Publishing Company website. It sounded like a really great read. The story as well as the writer's style lived up to my expectations. Dunbar succeeded in his quest to craft an atmospheric, creepy yarn. It was almost as if The Pine Barrens region was another character. Dunbar accomplished the same thing in The Shore. His recent release was every bit as atmospheric and chilling as "The Pines. I hope he does not wait another 20 years to write part three. I believe Dunbar will be able to do that considering the way "The Shore" ended. I believe non-horror fans would like this one.

terrifying horror thriller

Edge Harbor is a small seaside town that gets its resources from the tourists during the summer; in winter the place is almost like Wall Street on a Sunday as it is practically deserted with only locals residing there. Barry Hobbs, a stranger arrives in town in the winter. He has been tracking for months a young man Perry and he intends to take him alive to a place where he can receive help. Although the town is empty, Barry finds it impossible to ascertain where Perry is hiding. The lad is holding Stella hostage or it seems as if he is. A woman's body washes up on the shore with her back savagely torn to pieces and her car having claw marks ripped into the metal. Barry knows his prey is holed up in town, but he remains ignorant that someone else is hunting Perry and Stella; that predator has no problem with collateral damage even eradicating a town. Officer Kit Lonigan joins forces with Barry after he explains why he seeks Perry though she finds his tale implausible: thatis until the truth slaps her in the face. She wants to kill Perry, but Barry is on a mission to take Perry to a safe place; that if they survive a hurricane and the unknown apparently inhuman adversary. Robert Dunbar knows how to scare his readers into leaving the lights on especially while we are sleeping. THE SHORE is gothic in many respects with a semi deserted town cut off by a surging hurricane. Barry is on a mission he believes strongly in as he risks his life to accomplish it. Kit`s needs are simpler as she just wants to save her town by killing the peril. Character driven yet filled with action, Mr. Dunbar provides a terrifying horror thriller. Harriet Klausner

Reviews

To date, reviews for this book have been extremely exciting. "Robert Dunbar's vivid imagery continues to blaze a distinctive trail." ~ Shroud Magazine "Every bit as much of a classic as THE PINES. This is the way great horror should be written." ~ HellNotes "Impeccably crafted, with precise and elegant prose, meticulous attention to detail and pacing, this intense and wholly original novel is one of the best to come out of the horror genre in years." ~ Dark Scribe "THE SHORE literally drips with atmosphere ... and doesn't let up on the intensity." ~ Famous Monsters of Filmland "Edge-of-your seat suspense ... it'll scare the devil outta ya!" ~ The Horror Fiction Review "Robert Dunbar knows how to scare his readers. THE SHORE is Gothic in many respects ... character driven yet filled with action ... a terrifying horror thriller." ~ Alternative Worlds "I couldn't put the book down! THE SHORE is genuinely creepy ... a roller coaster ride where everyone is both the hunter and the hunted." ~ Fantasy Book Reviews "Breathtaking eloquence ... a tour-de-force that can hold its own among the best work in the genre." ~ [...] "As the storm hurdles toward Edgeharber, so does the story move through rich, highly descriptive prose and ... the suspense builds with intensity." ~ Fresh Fiction (Reviews for "Martyrs & Monsters" have been pretty sensational too.) Martyrs & Monsters

More Literary Treats from Dunbar

In literary circles, it's often said that "style is the verbal identity of the writer"; that an author can be identified by the nature of their craft. Iambic pentameter suggests Shakespeare, lyrical prose evokes Bradbury, pinpoint word economy reveals Carver. In this way, Robert Dunbar's vivid imagery continues to blaze a distinctive trail. As he did in "The Pines", Dunbar captures the aura of a dying town perfectly, painting an entirely different portrait this time, one of winter and ice. Also, he explores the Leeds Devil's legend deeper, posing the question: what separates natural impulse from true evil? Life has ground to a halt in the small shore village of Edgeharbor. Many shops have closed and left town, and tourism has dwindled. An overwhelming malaise covers everything, and growth is as frozen as the winter ground. Every year, the waters encroach further upon the shore. Edgeharbor is fading, but for Officer Kit Lonigan, it's a last chance to reclaim her pride - however illusory that may be. People are dying, their bodies torn apart by something feral, wild.... perhaps evil. Complicating matters is a stranger haunting Edgeharbor's streets. He knows too much. Is he tracking Edgeharbor's shadowy killer? Or is he part of the darkness himself? Slowly, Kit is exposed to a terrifying world through him. He has touched this darkness, so intimately that he himself wonders if Kit is right - that he's just as dangerous as the monster he hunts. In "The Pines", Dunbar captured the sweltering heat of an oppressive summer perfectly. Here, his trademark, imaginative prose pulls the reader into a frigid, uncaring winter in an isolated shore town. His management of the craft is masterful. In his descriptions, he doesn't just use lots of words - he uses the right ones, precisely. Also, he advances the myth of the Leeds Devil, making the reader wonder which is more evil: this evolving species, or good old fashioned, basic human cruelty?