J J Alo

A new, chilling horror fiction series by author J. J. Alo.

The residents of Forest Street, Norwich, Connecticut, have received offers from a pharmaceutical company to buy out their homes. Resident, Amy Reynolds, is separated from her husband, Curtis, who is working away for a telecommunications company in New Hampshire. With financial struggles, and the impending break-up of the marriage, Amy and Curtis are considering the offer. When Amy calls Curtis and asks him to return home immediately, Curtis travels back to Connecticut. He discovers that his neighbour, Frank Cavanaugh, has been found dead, brutally mutilated in his basement. As Curtis secures the house in preparation for a tropical storm, he discovers another dead body, decapitated, and discarded by the shoreline. The body is identified as local man, Ronny Haverhill.  When the police learn that Ronny owes Curtis a significant amount of money, he becomes a potential suspect in his murder.

As the storm hits Norwich, the Reynolds’ home is badly damaged, and Curtis and Amy find a monster in their flooded basement. The beast chases the couple, but they manage to escape unharmed. Curtis thinks the monster is a Norwich Norwaukus, a creature believed to have roamed the woods in southeast Connecticut in the 1960’s, killing and mutilating farm animals. Curtis investigates the creature and discovers a hidden research facility in the woods, an entire colony of Norwaukus’, and a connection to the pharmaceutical company that wants to buy out Forest Street.  

The Street Between the Pines is a new horror fiction series by author Joe Alo about a family and community ravaged by a dangerous creature lurking underground. This is a gripping, original horror story set in a small town in Connecticut, with a touch of folklore, science fiction, and government conspiracy.  The book follows the Reynolds family, as they try to navigate their troubled past, whilst an ominous presence lurks in their basement. The author slowly builds tension and suspense as Curtis uncovers the terrifying truth about the creature and the pharmaceutical company intent on purchasing his home.

The book successfully blends the chilling elements of horror, with the complexity of family dynamics. There is plenty of blood, guts, and gore, which will appeal to ardent fans of horror fiction, and enough family drama, to appeal to those who enjoy more realistic horror.

Star rating: 5 Stars

Summary: A gripping horror novel, leaving readers wondering what they might do if they found a monster living in their basement.