"Covenant" has a well-trodden plot, but the novel is still fun and entertaining to read. Like many horror stories, the novel starts with a couple, Lindie and Justin Cooper, moving into a house that was built by a sadistic, woman torturer. So, of course, things don't go very well from the start. The novel feels like a great horror movie from the eighties, the ones that are a little over the top, a little cheesy, a little violent, and a lot of fun to watch. I love stories like this. Not because of the writing merit or the awards it will win but because they are engrossing and entertaining. "Covenant" has some weird scenes (the beginning really felt like a modern day setting, even though it was supposed to be in the late 1800s) and some weak writing in places (the cliched metaphors and similes), but the story is really fun and comes together quite nicely. They could make this into a great movie if they were true to the book. I would definitely watch it and be entertained.

4 Stars!

Allan Leverone won me over with his Midnight books (Mr. Midnight and After Midnight, both available from DarkFuse) and I had been looking forward to reading more from him. I got that chance with his new novel, Covenant, which promised to be another terrifying read.

Edward Collins was a man with an unusual hobby. He not only was a serial killer in a time before the term existed but he liked playing with his victims, enjoying their terror more than the act of killing. To feed his obsession, he built the perfect house to suit his needs. The house was isolated from outside interference and designed so that it became a trap from which his victims could never escape. Collins eventually passed on and the house lay empty of everything except the evil that he left behind. When Lindie and Justin Cooper bought the house a century later, that evil was still lying in wait for its next victims.

The Coopers were ecstatic to find the “fixer upper” house in Covenant, New Hampshire. It seemed the perfect place for them to build their lives together after they had moved to the town and started new jobs. The dream quickly turned to a nightmare when Lindie found her husband dead at the bottom of the basement stairs with a pair of garden sheers jutting from his lifeless corpse. She immediately comes under suspicion of murdering her husband even though she proclaims her innocence. When more strange incidents begin to happen, Lindie is frantic to find out the secret of the house and put an end to the evil that dwells in the shadows once and for all.

Covenant kicks off with a bang as Leverone starts the story in the past from the perspective of one of Edward Collins’ victims as she struggles to escape from his murderous grasp. It is clear from the beginning that this is more than a simple house but that it is a rather a creation as twisted as the man who designed it. The opening sequence of the novel is horror at its finest that had me at the edge of my seat and had my head spinning. The novel then downshifts as it changes to the present and the Cooper’s move into the house but the opening of the novel had served notice that this was a brief respite at best that comes to a resounding halt with the freak “accident” that results in Justin’s death. Leverone once more shifts gears and turns to a more traditional small town haunted house story as Lindie begins to learn of the abode’s history and finally calls for help in the form of Verna, a psychic medium who is familiar with the house’s bloody past. The story ambles along with the tension building at a slow simmer until Leverone wraps it all up with an explosive finish.

Leverone delivers a very strong horror novel in Covenant that is a mix of classic horror with the haunted house element along with some extreme horror sequences that come together to form a thrilling and terrifying read. The story does unfold in a predictable manner and the characters seem to be pulled from other stories but this is a light criticism of the book as Leverone keeps the horror ramped up and covers the faults of the story with action and an overriding sense of dread. I had expectations of the novel coming in due to the previous novels that I have read and Leverone exceeded those expectations. I had enjoyed his previous works but Leverone upped is game in Covenant to deliver a very good horror novel. DarkFuse has been the best publisher for identifying new voices in dark fiction and Leverone is just another strong talent to join the publisher. Covenant is sure to make even the most jaded horror reader cringe at times and is not to be missed by those who do not mind going to sleep with the lights on for a couple nights.

I would like to thank DarkFuse and NetGalley for this review copy. Covenant is available now.

I dont usually read, this type of book but im glad I did.. It was well written, a quick and easy read. I really liked it and i definitely recommend it :D

Lindie and Justin relocate from North Carolina to the small town of Covenant, New Hampshire to start their new jobs. They purchase a "fixer-upper" and immediately get to work remodeling. One afternoon, Justin goes to get them something to drink. After too much time had passed, Lindie goes looking for Justin and finds him at the bottom of the basement stairs in a pool of blood with a pair of hedge trimmers protruding from his body. In the aftermath of the "freak accident", Lindie is badgered by a persistent detective that can't buy her explanation and can't go out in public without hearing the stinging whispers of small town New England gossip. By chance, she begins to learn of the history of her "fixer upper" and it's not a pretty story. Edward Collins, the recluse tycoon had the house built to some peculiar specifications. Those specifications helped him with his favorite past time - the torture and murder of prostitutes. Edward has been dead for over a hundred years, but it's hard to keep evil at bay forever.

Covenant is a fun haunted house tale and my first read from Leverone. He commands the story well and you begin to feel for Lindie. At it's best, Covenant has shades of Amityville Horror in it. There are times that the dialogue feels a little forced and the introduction of a meth-head killer on the run in the middle of the story seemed awkward. It does tie together nicely at the end. All in all, a decent read from Leverone.

3 1/2 Floating Steak Knives out of 5


This ARC was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.


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The roots of the horror genre are tangled around humanity’s fear of death and the abominations that transcend it. Vampires, zombies, and demons all fit this description, but the earliest, and possibly the most widespread in human culture, are the ghosts of the unquiet dead. While many authors turn their imaginations toward new ways to terrify, ghost stories have scared us for centuries untold. Allan Leverone has delivered a solid example of such a tale.

Covenant is a quick read, thanks to the author’s skill in building tension and keeping the story well-balanced. Part I sets the tone by introducing the villain and his campaign of cruelty and depraved acts of murder. However, these first few chapters don’t reflect the tone of the rest of the book.

Part II takes us to modern times. Justine and Lindie Cooper move to New Hampshire, buy their first house, and begin fixing it up. During their remodeling work, Justin Cooper dies in a suspicious accident, and Lindie is the prime suspect. She knows she’s innocent, but a local detective won’t give up until all his avenues of inquiry are exhausted. She also notices oddities in her house. Now convinced the place is haunted, she hires Verna Watson, a local medium for help.

Lindie Cooper is easy to empathize with as she struggles to grieve her husband while trying to discover the cause of his death. She has no friends, save for her new boss, and the questions surrounding Justin’s death has everyone whispering. But the town has other secrets of its own. When the drug-running Padgett brothers run afoul of the local police, the lines between crimes of the past, murder, and supernatural activity get crossed.

While the plot was predictable, I was surprised by the characters. Lindie’s story examines not only her grief but also her struggle to overcome ostracism and find a friend amidst so many unfriendly faces. Even the detective breaks out of his hard-boiled shell to confront possibilities he never expected.

Overall, Covenant is an entertaining novel that fans of ghost stories and paranormal activity will enjoy. It’s not breaking any new ground, but it is a skillfully written, page-turner of a ghost story with great characters, a terrifying villain, and a satisfying ending.

(Review forthcoming at horror-writers.com)

Justin & Lindie Copper relocated to the small town of Covenant, New Hampshire. They purchase a home that has been unoccupied for decades and listed as a "handyman special". Now, this alone should have raised some flags.. Once they move in and start redecorating the "fun' begins. No, it's not fun at all, but it is a good read. Without spoiling the story for you, let's just say the house has a history and not a nice one. Add to the mix a desperate meth dealer/user and things really get interesting. Events happen and not everyone makes it out alive. This is a story that's on the shorter side and makes for a quick afternoon read (I finished in about 2 hours). 3.5 out of 5 stars

I received a copy through the author/Dark Fuse as part of the Reader's Group in exchange for an honest review.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher, Darkfuse, through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Mr. Leverone has been around for a long time and it certainly shows in the polished prose. I just didn't find the story that compelling. It followed rather familiar paths in my view and for someone who reads as much horror as I do I look for something different. The concept of the ghost of an evil prior owner haunting and tormenting the new owners is hardly new--from Hell House to American Horror Story.

I feel that Covnant got off to a very promising start but not much happened for a huge middle section. The last quarter was quite compelling, with several interesting plot lines intersecting in ways that I did not anticipate. I would probably give this 3 1/2 stars.

Haunted house + evil spirit = horror lite in this case

NOTE: MIGHT BE SPOILERS

I probably would have given this New Hampshire horror tale 3 1/2 stars if I could but downvoted it to 3 stars because:

1. Character development was weak. I didn't really feel like I knew much about the few characters in the story except for a side character who was a meth cook/addict.

2. I didn't feel scared during the story and because of the subject matter I felt I should at least have a few frights and chills.

On a positive note, the book was written well and I had no problem finishing the story. It was a quick read. But I would have just liked to have seen it expanded out a bit. I liked the way it started out a lot but then it just kind of dropped off.

I received this book from Dark Fuse through Net Galley in exchange for my unbiased review.