Nightmare in Greasepaint: Childhood Fears
L.L Soares & G. Daniel Gunn
Samhain Horror
May 5, 2015
Reviewed by Tim Potter
Everybody loves clowns. Right? No? Well, most horror readers at least loves to be terrified clowns and it’s a theme Nightmare in Greasepaint uses to the fullest.
Another installment in Samhain Horror’s Childhood Fears novella series, the book by L.L Soares and G. Daniel Gunn, successfully uses coulrophobia to evoke terror. Coulrophobia, the fear of clowns, is a theme found in horror fiction on a fairly regular basis, but that familiarity doesn’t lessen its effect in this sharp new tale.
The passing of his mother takes Will Pallaso back to his childhood home to settle her affairs. The home is normal in every way to Will’s wife and his son Billy, but the hidden terrors that linger from a horrific event in Will’s youth soon become apparent. It starts with Billy’s nightmares, which wake him screaming in the middle of the first three nights in the home. These fears are only allayed by the purchase and installation of a clown’s head nightlight. What helps Billy get to sleep soundly only causes more anxiety for Will.
As the reader is drawn deeper into Will’s backstory, they learn about the horrors of his youth and why they still reside within the house. The mystery of the makeshift altar in the basement and what it signifies are central to the story. Some of the greatest tension comes from the fact that Will’s family have no idea what’s going on and no idea why Will is so disturbed and upset. The story unfolds as the reader and Will’s family learn what is really going on in the house.
The story takes an unexpected supernatural turn, which works for the most part though it’s full potential is under realized. The conclusion is also satisfying though one character never gets fully resolved and some questions are left unanswered. Unanswered questions are okay, the ambiguity they provide leaves the reader with a sense a the mysterious. In this book, though, there were a few questions I wanted the answers to.
Will doesn’t want to admit it to his family, but he has a very good reason to be afraid of clowns, and whether the reader is afraid of clowns or not, Nightmare in Greasepaint is a creepy and enjoyable read.
