The Boys on the Mountain by John Inman

The Boys on the Mountain by John Inman

Publisher: DSP Publications (May 2015)

330 pages, eBook (provided by the publisher for review)

Book Rating: 4 Stars

Content Note: Includes Swearing, Graphic Violence, Explicit Sexual Situations, Abuse of Minors

Jim is an author of horror novels, and decides it might be amusing to move to a haunted mansion in the middle of nowhere that used to belong to a deranged film star from the 1930’s, inviting his friends along for a bit of a housewarming gathering, but he finds the house a bit more haunted than he anticipated. This is a ghost story involving a serial killer that preyed on young men, many were just boys really that had been forced by circumstance to sell their bodies in prostitution, and their torture and abuse is described in great, horrifying detail. Jim and his five friends are all gay, as was the original owner of the house, and as part of their constant banter they are continually poking fun at themselves and their own homosexuality. The six gay men determined to free the house of its supernatural guests are what carry this story through. With the exception of one, they have all known each other for a number of years, are very close, and are hilarious when gathered together. Given the subject matter of the main storyline, it’s actually quite disturbing how entertaining this story is. I found the accounts of what happened to the boys very difficult to read, as I imagine many people would, and wished we hadn’t been asked to read so much of it. As the story draws on, it becomes more and more outlandish and flamboyant, the ending taking me completely by surprise—and I’m not sure it was in a good way. Everything aside, the characters—both good and bad—were vibrant, complex creations that leapt off the page at you, holding you captive as they told their story. Interesting read.