The Quarry by Steve Lockley

The Quarry Reviews

• 
  Tammie

  A creepy story, but disappointing once the mystery was revealed. The author did a good job of creating a bitterly cold, creepy atmosphere, however I find that stories like this are better when the reason behind all the creepiness is left more of a mystery.
• 
  Kelly

  Hey Girl,
  
  Oh. My. God. I have just read the best book ever! Thanks so much for grabbing it for me. You know how I said the cover of The Quarry looked so cool? Well guess what, the story totally rocked. Okay, so it wasn’t really original, and no there weren’t any real surprises, but whatever, I still totally loved it. Remember way back when we read Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark? Well, it was like that. Get what I mean? Even though I knew what the deal was early on, it was kind of, like, comfortable. Not only that, but the chapters are short, packed with details, and is only 116 pages. This is cool, because you know how hard it is sometimes for me to pay attention. And add to that already sweet shortness that the pace of the book is swift and constant and we got ourselves a kickass story.
  
  So anyway, the characters were great. I mean, even though you don’t get all that much information on them, you get where they’re coming from and relate easily enough. I mean, I felt so bad when I learned that James and Robert had lost their dad. And their mom, doing it all on her own and still managing to be a good parent, Hell, even my mom hasn’t managed that. But don’t get me started on that.
  
  So, okay, the book freaked me out. The feel of the book, the atmosphere, was so heavy with apprehension and fear. First, you have the mysterious disappearances of the kids, then the two brother’s fear of the town bullies and well, just fitting, and on top of that the snow keeps falling – making the town feel closed in. And the way these two authors wrote it, you’d never know there were two instead of one. It’s like when we do our silly “Roses are Red” poems in English lit…no one ever knows which of us did it, or if it was just one of us. How cool is that?? They never talk to us like we’re kids. You know how some authors write young adult books like we’re ten-year-olds? Well, these guys don’t. But they also don’t use a lot of big words that I would need the dictionary in order to understand what they’re talking about. I told you, this book rocked!!
  
  Anyway, I'm out of here. Mr. Bean keeps looking at me, and considering the fact that he's still mad at us because you told him he had Poe all wrong and that he needed to go back to school because his ignorance was killing you (while I laughed like a hyena the whole time), well, he's still pissed.
  
  -Bloody
  
  P.S. I totally give this book a 5. It hit just the right blend of nostalgia and chills, and made me remember why I loved a good horror story as a kid. Grab it today.
  
  
  -As reviewed for Horror-Web.com
• 
  Pat

  Great little short novel about scary goings on and creepy shadows that jump out in the dark.
  
  Set in a depressingly grey and wintery Wales, Steve has fashioned a Stand By Me for the supernatural with a not quite coming of age, but overcoming of fear for the children who are the main protagonists.
  
  With children going missing and the weather and fear in a small village halting and preventing finding who, or what, is the cause, Steve has knitted a creepy little tale that brings together people, takes them away and keeps you reading to find out how. It. Will. End.