I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Ghost Eaters by Clay McLeod Chapman Published by Quirk Books on September 20 2022
Genres: Adult, Horror
Pages: 304
Format: Finished hardcover
Source: Publisher
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The nitty-gritty: A group of friends discover the mysteries and dangers of ghosts and hauntings in this creepy, disturbing tale.
“Ghost isn’t the kind of drug you find. It finds you. You hear about it from someone who’s used it. They tell you about it, then you tell someone else, like a —”
“Ghost story?”
“Exactly! That’s how we’re going to let it spread.” He holds out his hands, presenting the living room to me in all its glowing, rippling glory. “We all have a ghost story to tell. I’m merely providing the campfire.”
“You wanna get haunted?” A seemingly innocent question opens up all sorts of terrifying possibilities in Clay McLeod Chapman’s latest, a weird and wonderful combination of drugs, mushrooms and ghosts that just keeps getting stranger and stranger the more you read. Chapman takes the tried and true haunted house trope and turns it on its head. In this story, a drug called Ghost not only takes you on a hallucinogenic trip, but allows you to see ghosts. And in this case, the “house” that’s haunted isn’t just the type with four walls and a roof, although part of the story takes place in an abandoned house. I had so many WTF moments while reading this, and readers who aren’t into “weird” might struggle with this one, but I appreciate well written books that lean towards weird and this was a good one.
Erin, Silas, Tobias and Amara are post-college graduate friends, living in the historical city of Richmond, Virginia. Silas has always struggled with drug addiction, and Erin has always been there to pick up the pieces whenever he spirals out of control, but Erin has had enough. Silas hints to the others that he has a secret, a new drug that will change everything, and he tells Erin “You can’t see them yet, but you will.” But before he can explain that cryptic statement, Silas is found dead of an overdose.
But there’s no time to grieve, as Tobias explains that he and Silas were testing a new drug before he died, a drug that can make you see ghosts. Tobias convinces the others to come with him to an abandoned house and take Ghost so that they can communicate with Silas. But Tobias isn’t telling them everything. He has a plan for Ghost, and he wants Erin and Amara to help him. And as it turns out, that means staying in the house—for good.
Chapman tells his story from Erin’s point of view, so the whole thing feels very focused and intense. Erin is meant to be the most level-headed one of the group, but that’s not saying much since all of the characters are pretty messed up. Like the others, Erin is floundering, trying to find her place in life, looking for meaningful relationships and especially grieving the loss of her friend Silas. She carries a Sharpie with her wherever she goes and writes “Erin is here” on walls all over the city, as if she’s trying to establish her identity. There’s a lot of soul searching going on, and when Erin gets the chance to connect with Silas after he dies, she throws herself into the task without really thinking things through. It’s only after she realizes Tobias is trying to trap her that she panics and tries to escape.
I thought the setting of Richmond, Virginia was perfect for a ghost story. Chapman drops in facts about the city’s rich history as the characters visit their favorite hangouts, like a bar that used to be an antebellum house, or an old building where hundreds of people died in a factory fire. One of the characters says “The whole city’s a graveyard,” and that’s exactly what Erin experiences once she takes her first dose of Ghost. It reminded me a lot of The Sixth Sense, which takes place in a different historical city but uses a similar idea. (Also, I couldn’t help but remember that movie’s iconic phrase “I see dead people” as I was reading.)
But my favorite part of the story was the idea that people are haunted, not houses. Chapman uses both the literal meaning of the word and “haunted” as a metaphor, and he also plays around with the word “ghost,” sometimes using his title chapters to show its multiple meanings (like the phrase “giving up the ghost”). I thought it was cleverly done and added a nice touch.
The story is a little convoluted and manic at times, jumping from one idea to the next, but for me it mimicked the feeling of being high on hallucinogens (or what I imagine that must feel like as I’ve never indulged myself), the idea of not being able to tell what’s real or imagined. There’s one scene in the house after Erin’s taken Ghost where she finds herself living a different life, a life that she and Silas could have had together, although it turns out to be a nightmarish version. Was she actually there with Silas’s ghost? Or was the whole thing just a dream? The author writes that scene as if it could go either way, and I loved the ambiguity of not really knowing for sure what was happening.
There’s a cool and very disturbing twist in the second half that I’ll admit I saw coming, but it didn’t make it any less gross or upsetting. If there’s ever anything that would put me off doing drugs, it’s this book, lol. There are no benevolent spirits in Ghost Eaters, only hungry ghosts who won’t leave you alone. The last section takes an even darker turn, as things quickly become deadly in Tobias’s abandoned house. Some people might find the ending over-the-top, but I loved every bit of it. You don’t need a pill to see ghosts, just crack open Ghost Eaters and get haunted for yourself.
Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.
This is the perfect book for a spooky Halloween read! The theme of the drug that allows one to see ghosts is an interesting one, as is your comment about there being no benevolent ghosts here: to top it all, the cover image makes me think of that oh-so-scary Dr. Who episode with the stone angels, which adds another delightful creepy level to my expectations 😉
Thanks for sharing!
Maddalena@spaceandsorcery recently posted…NETTLE AND BONE, by T. Kingfisher
The cover is super creepy! And it really fits the story too.
Great review! I’ll give this another try when it gets closer to Halloween. I read the opening chapter, and was not in the mood to continue, but since I’ve loved his other books, it’s probably more a question of timing for me.
I can see why you’d need to be in the mood:-)
Great review! This sounds very interesting but really didn’t like The Remaking and have been leary of trying another book by this author…lol. Maybe if I can find it at one of my libraries I will try it. 🙂
Yeah, this might not work for you if you didn’t like The Remaking.
I think it’d be difficult to make prose passages mimic the characters’ manic hallucinations while on Ghost. Props to Chapman! Great review, Tammy!
Priscilla Bettis recently posted…One-Sentence Reviews: My 3rd Quarter 2022 Reads
I love his style, it’s very snappy!
It’s been many years since I’ve been down to Richmond but it seems a perfect city for this kind of story. It does have an older feel to it, and of course it has a long history with many ghosts from many eras. I don’t read much that would count as weird fiction but I do sometimes enjoy something a bit different, a bit off. This seems like one to try. Glad you really enjoyed it.
This was pretty weird at times, but I love the author’s energy. He’s such a good writer:-)
Glad you enjoyed this, it sounds like a perfect choice for reading around Halloween, and that cover is really creepy 😀
Pages and Tea recently posted…Monthly Summary: September 2022
It came out last month but it’s way better to read it in October:-)
Oh cool, I had no idea this was set in Richmond. That’s less than an hour away from me. Normally I shy away from horror but I may have to make an exception for this one.
It sounds like a cool town, and now I have another reason to go there:-)
Gah I need it! Just added it to my wishlist! I am so glad you enjoyed it, it seems so perfect, especially for this time of the year!
Great review, Tammy! I generally don’t lean towards weird stories but this one seems intriguing and spooky. Will give it a try.
This sounds a little crazy, but in a good way! Really glad to hear you enjoyed this, I’ve been really curious about it and am even more curious now!
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I don’t mind a little weird every now and again and this ‘ the idea that people are haunted, not houses’ really isa great concept and makes the book feel even more creepy doesn’t it? People definitely carry around their own ghosts/guilt/strange memories, etc.. I remember watching a scary film once (sorry, can’t remember the title but it was Japanese or Thai with subtitles and basically one of the characters was suffering from a bad back/neck and stooped shoulders – long story short he was carrying around the ghost – it was very creepy.
Lynn 😀
Lynn Williams recently posted…Babel: Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators’ Revolution by RF Kuang
Your talking about the movie SHUTTERS about the famous photographer ☺️
Well your review to this is so well written! It sounds like a good, creepy read as well. There was a time I would read something just like this, so I’ll keep it in the back of my mind for if I ever feel like this type of read again. Thanks for sharing!
Lisa Mandina (Lisa Loves Literature) recently posted…ARC Review: The Second Death of Edie and Violet Bond by Amanda Glaze
This sounds interesting. I added it to my tbr.
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