Salem Pact received the highest rating from the Banner Review.
Reviews
REVIEWS OF TOUCHING THE DEAD
Horrific tales from the first mist of history… macabre stories of greed and malice as recent as yesterday’s newscast. They’re all here in this shocking collection of weird and supernatural stories that depict the primeval struggle between good and evil. Readers will meet with a group of fishermen desperate for survival; two cousins who learn the terrible secrets of a morgue; a selfish Pennsylvania coal miner who makes a questionable bargain; a young woman enhanced by a magician’s mirror, and many more ordinary people forced to confront their worst nightmares. A frightening journey through the many facets of terror.
“The author of the frightening Gothic novel, SALEM PACT has created yet another chilling take-to-bed supernatural thriller that asks if the power of a belief could be stronger than the truth and then leaves you to ponder it. Depicting characters plucked from the innocence of childhood to the corrupt evils of tortured souls, TOUCHING THE DEAD is a hypnotic and powerful must-read! These terrifying journeys to the dark side of the human mid will haunt you long after you put down the book to contemplate your own superstitions.”
Jane Doherty, author, renowned psychic and star of DEAD TENANTS (TLC – The Learning Channel) TV “A Terrific book that entices you to believe.”
– Rob McConnell – THE X ZONE US RADIO NETWORK NEWS – TALKSTAR RADIO – ONTARIO, CANADA“The type of book you cannot put down” – Stu Bryer – WICH – NORWICH, CT.
“Great fun. I enjoyed Touching the Dead very much and recommend it to anyone looking for a good and spooky read.”
– Tammy Hellenger – WKOK – KEOKUK, IA“Wonderful collection of stories that will creep you out.”
– Richard Syrett NewsTalk Radio CFRB 1010 – Toronto“I was thoroughly captivated and amused … I love these stories …Fantastic …. I hope this ends up on A&E. Cool stories from a cool lady.
– Rick Barber – 850 KOA DENVER, CO“Touching the Dead melds superstition with the horror genre and is sure to send more than a few chills up the spine of the reader. The book is a collection of stories each wrapped around a superstition… these are delicately spun tales of darkness.“
– Elsie Walker – THE MT. OLIVE/NETCONG WEEKLY REVIEWS FROM BARNES AND NOBLE“A must read for anyone looking for a good scare.”
– Steve Fox – The Experience BlogTalk Radio“Intermeshing the period of the Salem witch trials with the present, ‘SALEM PACT’ author Carlotta Holton makes the point that human nature remains a constant across the centuries, a fact that contributes to history’s repeating itself. Graduate student participate in a frightening historical reenactment engineered by an academic sociopath, as group psychology, pharmacology, and the supernatural all play a role. Readers are likely to find satisfying Carlotta Holton’s strategy for eventually meeting out justice so as not to further compromise the lives of victims.
– Carol Gebhardt, book club member“Simply one of the best horror books I’ve read. The ending will surprise and delight. The combination of psychological terror and ghostly retribution make for a rewarding read.”
– Judy Cook, author“A Tantalizing Witch’s Brew.” “Carlotta Holton’s ‘SALEM PACT’ is a thrilling tale that features a cast of memorable characters and a fascinating plot that keeps readers at the edge of their eat wondering what is next. Her attention to detail and talent for writing high-quality fiction really draws the reader into this ‘spellbinding’ story. A good movie producer will surely want to adapt this fiction work for the big screen!”
– Tracey Porpora, NY.REVIEWS FROM BARNES AND NOBLE
“Intermeshing the period of the Salem witch trials with the present, ‘SALEM PACT’ author Carlotta Holton makes the point that human nature remains a constant across the centuries, a fact that contributes to history’s repeating itself. Graduate student participate in a frightening historical reenactment engineered by an academic sociopath, as group psychology, pharmacology, and the supernatural all play a role. Readers are likely to find satisfying Carlotta Holton’s strategy for eventually meeting out justice so as not to further compromise the lives of victims.
– Carol Gebhardt, book club member“Simply one of the best horror books I’ve read. The ending will surprise and delight. The combination of psychological terror and ghostly retribution make for a rewarding read.”
– Judy Cook, author“A Tantalizing Witch’s Brew.” “Carlotta Holton’s ‘SALEM PACT’ is a thrilling tale that features a cast of memorable characters and a fascinating plot that keeps readers at the edge of their eat wondering what is next. Her attention to detail and talent for writing high-quality fiction really draws the reader into this ‘spellbinding’ story. A good movie producer will surely want to adapt this fiction work for the big screen!”
– Tracey Porpora, NY.PRESS REVIEWS OF SALEM PACT
“Carlotta Holton’s writing style is mesmerizing. I could not stop reading ‘SALEM PACT.’ It left me asking could this really happen again? It is a spellbinding read and I can’t wait for the movie.”
– Bob Salter, WXRK- “K-ROCK, NEW YORK CITY“A fascinating topic…”
– Rick Adams, PATRIOT-8-TV“A bewitching twist on the Salem trials. ”
– Pat Turner, IN THE TOWNS, THE STAR LEDGER“It’s that human gullibility that she (Holton) probes in her writing… She focuses on ghosts of the human mind.”
– John Whiby, THE STAR LEDGER“Holton’s book, SALEM PACT,” tells the story of a college history experiment gone horribly awry… as time passes and they draw closer to their final project, a reenactment of the Salem witch trials, the line between fantasy and reality becomes disturbingly blurred.
– Kathy Shaskan, THE RECORD“A college professor tries to reenact the 1692 Salem witch trials with horrific results.”
– ASBURY PARK PRESS“Holton’s book describes in Gothic fashion, the genesis and progression of a collective psychic disorder characterized by egotism and fear. The book focuses on how paranoia, mob rule, isolation and superstitious fear drove villagers to sacrifice their neighbors 300 years ago.
– Kate Brex, OBSERVER TRIBUNE“Carlotta Holton’s talent shines throughout the book, encouraging the reader to slow down the pace of reading and savor each page. ‘SALEM PACT’ is a fascinating work marked by a distinct attention to detail that helps to bring alive the evolution of the story and adds a palpable richness to its characters. It should inspire any movie maker, for it will stimulate viewers’ imaginations, both visually and emotionally. I hope to see it on the big screen.
– Margaretta Paslarlu-Sencovici, Producer, TV-36REVIEWS OF GRAVE MATTERS
“Carlotta Holton is back with 24 disturbing tales meant to distort reality and send shivers through your bones. It’s Lovecraft on steroids (minus Cthulhu), Poe at his best, and Algernon Blackwood gone wild. You get a variety of shocking tales, mood setting pieces and stories most disturbing. Tales like Scorpio’s Sting, What A Howl, Nevermore, and Ghost Club set fire to the imagination just by title alone, but once you begin to read them you find yourself surrounded by werewolves, Nazis, and tortured souls. Wear a blanket when you read this book. It will help calm those shivers. How Carlotta learned to tell such frightening tales is a mystery she won’t share but she invites you into her frightening world, just for a glimpse, and she just may leave you there screaming!
– John Skerchock, Scary Monster Magazine and www.zacherley.com“A mélange of terrifying supernatural tales that will keep you turning page after page. Grave Matters combines legends, curses and superstitions from the past with a keen contemporary psychological twist. Absolutely riveting! A must read for fans of the horror genre.”
– Jack Evans, host of the Jack Evans Show, WMBS-CBS, Uniontown, PA.PRESS REVIEWS OF VAMPIRE RESURRECTION: OCTOBER 30, 2008
Count Roget, a 500-year-old French vampire responsible for the deaths of the “lost” colonists in Roanoke during the 16th Century, is once again on the rampage in modern-day North Carolina. To satisfy his lust for blood and terror, he kills some individuals and turns others into blood-drinking zombies. Paige and Alex, two journalists with some history of their own, depend on a Native American shaman to help them stop the zombies and catch up with the Count after he flees the country. To stop him from spreading mayhem all over the world, they’ll have to kill him… again
“As in her earlier works, Salem Pact and Touching the Dead, Holton delivers another wickedly good page turner that readers can sink their teeth into. Putting a deliciously dark spin on what might have befallen the Lost Colony of Roanoke, she draws the battle lines between Jay Silver, a Native-American Indian and eerie Count Jean Phillipe Roget, a 400-year-old French vampire. The stakes are high as the town is menaced by the count’s rising army of the undead and a revenge that transcends time. I loved the explosive ending! Keep writing Ms. Holton, you are a born storyteller!”
– Jack Evans, WMBS-CBS, Uniontown, PA“Riveting. I couldn’t put it down. Vampire Resurrection evokes the kind of spine-chilling sense of evil I’ve experienced in my ghost-hunting investigations. I will never again be quite the same when I enter a cave. A gripping tale steeped in historical intrigue, ancient lore and hard-core horror. Great movie potential.”
– Jane Doherty, psychic, author and star of Dead Tenants on The Learning Channel.
From The Publisher
Reminiscent of the works of Stephen King and John Saul, Salem Pact blends elements of Gothic romance and historical tragedy into a terrifying witch brew.
Carlotta Holton writing style is mesmerizing. I could not stop reading, Salem Pact.
It left me asking could this really happen again? It is a spellbinding read and I can’t wait for the movie.
– BOB SALTER, PUBLIC AFFAIRS DIRECTOR, WXRK – K-ROCK, New York City, NY.
Carlotta Holton talent shines throughout the book, encouraging the reader to slow down the pace of reading and savor each page. Salem Pact is a fascinating work marked by a distinct attention to detail that helps to bring alive the evolution of the story and adds a palpable richness to its characters. It should inspire any movie maker, for it will stimulate viewers imagination, both visually and emotionally. I hope to see it on the big screen.
– MARGARETA PASLARLU-SENCOVICI, PRODUCER ARTISTIC DIRECTOR TV-36
– Teresa Raimone – Director Of Silver Foxes, West Morris YMCA Barbara Quirk
– Queen Bee of The Royal Reds of Chester, NJ
“ A Wonderful Presentation. A Great Time Was Had By All”