The Phantom Cabinet by Jeremy Thompson

Douglas Stanton is a social outcast shunned by his peers. His only friend is the ghost of an astronaut. Douglas does not know that he is the key between the living world and the dead. A porcelain masked being as after Douglas, to stop him. Will Douglas be able to complete what must be done, or will he succumb to his evil stalker?

A well written ghost story. I really liked Douglas, bullied, and shunned by his peers and society, he still tries to accept his life for what it is. He struggles with day to day life, plus his ability to see ghosts, just adds to his likability and spooky intrigue. The plot is original, the vivid detail and dialog pulls you deep into the story.

The connection Douglas has with ghosts is fascinating. We get to watch Douglas grow from an insecure boy to a young man. I really wanted Douglas to find happiness and achieve his goals. There is drama, conflict, good, evil all the makings of a five star read. I feel those who love an (original) ghost story will enjoy The Phantom Cabinet. (The cover is very eye catching and quite fitting for this fantastic story). ( )

Something strange happened on the day of Douglas Stanton’s birth. A rift between life and death has opened causing a mass haunting at Oceanside Memorial Medical Center. The haunting caused his mother to strangle him and the haunting revived his spirit in order to create a portal between the worlds, Earth and the Phantom Cabinet. The spirits follow Douglas around for his entire life, earning him the nickname of Ghost Boy and a life of ostracization from fellow students. As Douglas grows, more spirits filter through Douglas and the town, spreading their influence. One spirit in particular needs Douglas for her own nefarious deeds. Death spreads around Douglas, but when he finds out the spirit’s true purpose, he may not have the strength to do what he needs.
This haunting story was a great blend of horror and science fiction, perfect for a Halloween time read. At first, I wasn’t quite sure where the story was going; on a space mission a crew is tearing themselves to pieces in horrendous ways, committing suicide one by one. This book does not lack gore for sure, it is not an all-out gore fest, but it is there. Back on Earth, we meet Douglas the day of his birth, death and revival. Even as a young child I was drawn into his story. Douglas is constantly bombarded by ghosts, apparitions, reflections and simply seeing things that should not be there, yet he manages to carve out a life for himself. As the malignant spirits grows in strength, a hidden horror unfolds leaving terror in its wake for anyone that Douglas cares for. Through slowly unfolding drama, great characters and relationships, the dread of the Phantom Cabinet kept me reading and thoroughly interested.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. ( )

Paranormal side to Horror

If you like graphic (which doesn't bother me), then you will love this book. From the beginning, it sets the stage for an intense "out-of-this-world" journey into the haunting of the Phantom Cabinet, a porcelain masked "creature". The story could have flowed better and some parts were too detailed but the story itself was good. It was creative and an interesting read into the depths of the horror. I was a little confused at first with the "death" of Stanton but I continued to read on, hoping it would be fall into place, and the story does. If you love a good horror book, this would be a good starting point. ( )