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Boys in the Valley

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Boys in the Valley

By: Philip Fracassi
Narrated by: David Aaron Baker
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About this listen

 'THE MOST FRIGHTENING NOVEL OF THE YEAR' Esquire

'OLD-SCHOOL HORROR' Stephen King

The Exorcist meets Lord of the Flies, by way of Midnight Mass, Boys in the Valley is a chilling folk horror set in a remote orphanage in turn of the century Pennsylvania.

St. Vincent's Orphanage for Boys. Turn of the century, in a remote valley in Pennsylvania.

Here, under the watchful eyes of several priests, thirty boys work, learn, and worship. Peter Barlow, orphaned as a child by a gruesome murder, has made a new life here. As he approaches adulthood, he has friends, a future. . . a family.

Then, late one stormy night, a group of men arrive at their door, one of whom is badly wounded, occult symbols carved into his flesh. His death releases an ancient evil that spreads like sickness, infecting St. Vincent's and the children within.

Soon, boys begin acting differently, forming groups. Taking sides. Others turn up dead. Now Peter and those dear to him must choose sides of their own, each of them knowing their lives - and perhaps their eternal souls - are at risk.

Praise for Boys in the Valley:

'The terror's exquisite. Fracassi's got his hand on the chisel going into your chest' Stephen Graham Jones, author of The Only Good Indians

'Fracassi makes terror read so damn beautifully' Victor LaValle, author of The Changeling

'An unrelenting and highly entertaining show of horrors' Thomas Olde Heuvelt, author of Hex

'A smart and deftly-written tale instilled with the kind of creeping, claustrophobic horror I enjoy' Nick Cutter, author of The Troop

'As poignant as it is chilling, with a fast-paced, unflinching ending' Alma Katsu, author of The Hunger

'The most unsettling novel I have read all year. Cold dread clings to every page' Ronald Malfi, author of Black Mouth

'Harrowing and claustrophobic' Christopher Golden, author of Road of Bones

'Fracassi. . . builds his horrific tales slowly and carefully...he's especially skilful at creating, and sustaining, suspense' The New York Times

'Gut-wrenching, heart breaking, and terrifying' Andy Davidson, author of The Boatman's Daughter

'Horror readers will be hooked' Publishers Weekly

'A riveting, and horrifying, tale of survival set against a punishing and vivid backdrop.' Victor LaValle

'Fracassi. . . brings a depth of understanding to his monsters, human and otherwise' Guardian

'Fracassi's storytelling is. . . horror with a big, broken heart' Esquire

'His range, prolific output, and fast-paced prose are all set to put him on the shelf next to names such as King, Straub, and Thomas Harris' Signal Horizon©2023 Philip Fracassi (P)2023 Hachette Audio UK Horror Scary
All stars
Most relevant  
Not the most cheerful of stories and quite violent, even to the ending. I need to read something with cheer now.

violence

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this was gribbing the entire way through! I loved every chapter. it was emotional and horrific but truly fantastic

wow

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First time read/ listen by this author,

And….

WOW!!!!

This is a story like. I other I have ever read.

I defy ANYONE not to be moved by the circumstances these young men/ boys find themselves in.

In a battle for their souls, between good and evil

Absolute Masterpiece
Bravo 👏 Philip Fracassi

Scarcely Heartbreaking Tension Filled.

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Gosh this was so good! Gripping, fast paced, scary and so atmospheric. The narrator is superb, I loved this book and I'm so keen to check out further books from this author.

Gripping story and amazing narrator!

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I don't know how this doesn't have more 5 star reviews. I enjoyed this so so much. A gripping story with unforgettable characters. I enjoyed the author's style so much that I'm moving on to more of his books. fantastic narrator as well.

King meets The Exorcist

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Loved this book . Had me hooked from
First chapter . Great characters and pacing . Give this one a chance.

Loved this book

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I really loved the concept of the story. I did struggle with the amount of religion there was. I wasn't quite expecting it and it got a bit annoying towards the end. Other than that it was a great build up

A great story

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Nothing original, relied on describing gory details for engagement, predictable and one dimensional.
The narrator should get another job.

So boring.

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