Dream Woods

There is just something about amusement parks that makes them a perfect setting for tales of sheer horror. Vince Carter is wondering what went wrong with his life and his marriage when he happens to see an advertisement for Dream Woods on a bill board where he spent many a happy vacation as a child until it was shut down because of a few gory accidents and became known as "Scream Woods". The theme park has re-opened and Vince decides to take his family there as a last ditch attempt to save his marriage. Little does he know that "Scream Woods" has not changed one bit and he and his family are in for one hell of a ride (pun intended). One thing I find all too often with horror novels is that there is ample gore and horror but little character development. This is not the case for "Dream Woods" by Patrick Lacey. I really liked Vince's character. He changes from a rebellious punk rocker to boring accountant (sorry), husband, and father. I found his wife, Audra, irritating and I kept wanting to smack her so she could see the blessings in her life and just grow up. Mind you, her character is perfect for the novel. I found their twin sons to be realistic and they really had their own complex relationship as well. Their characters really add so much to the novel without taking away any of the horror. "Dream Woods" reminds me a bit of some horror novels from the 80's. It is not too complex but keeps the story going until the morbid end. This is the first novel I have read by Patrick Lacey and it will not be the last. Highly recommended.