by Jeremy Bates

This is really good.

The story has strong characters with their own individuality and the dynamics between them form a wealth of subplot. Some of the chapters change from first person to third person, but it seems to work and gives some omniscient information about the thoughts of other characters than the narrator.

Parts of it are very intense, claustrophobic, just barely keeping the panic in check... then suddenly I had the giggles. This story is fun!

An interesting array of strange characters pass the main group in their subterranean adventure and add texture to the story. What a long, strange trip it's been!

About halfway, it gets really scary. I don't want to give spoilers but don't let the funny bits and interesting dynamics let you forget that this is a Horror story. It definitely earns its stripes as one in the second half. I know it's cliché, but I really could not stop reading for the last 30%, but had to see what would happen next.

There are a few typos, but not so many that it ruins the narrative and the story is so engrossing that it's hard to care about a few snags. Horror readers will definitely enjoy this one. Docking half a star for the imperfections, but it's a 5 star read!

These were all gotten as kindle freebies.

The best two are the one about Werewolves and the Catacombs because they offer the must in the terms of facts, and move beyond the general.

The other three aren't bad, but short, simple, and general.

Beneath the city of Paris, France, are The Catacombs - a labyrinth of crumbling tunnels filled with six million dead. A video camera that contains mysterious footage has been left behind and found by a friend of a friend. Danièle is showing the footage her friend Pascal has found to her new friend Will. She wants him to join a small group of friends exploring the Catacombs. They're going to the place where the video camera was found in hopes of finding the woman who dropped it. Will is adamant he doesn't want to go. But he changes his mind at the last minute and it could cost him his life.

This one seemed almost boring. I don't know if it was because of the setting, underground and dark, that it gave off that vibe. They walk and walk through the tunnels and then towards the end everything happens, and it's a bit far-fetched. And there were lots of mistakes - the ones that stick out the most, for me, are the girls who balled their eyes out - kinda funny, kinda sad for an author not to know that it's bawled.

A little far fetched but not a bad read overall. For me it started out a bit slow, took a little time to get into it but I still give it 4 stars. If you don't mind reads that are a bit hokey and far fetched, then it should be right up your alley. The book covers a 40 hour timeline. It all takes place inside the catacombs under Paris, hence the name. The main thing it did for me was peak my interest in learning more about the catacombs. It is something I am not really familiar with. Good action at the end made up for a bit of a bland start!

What can be scarier than wandering the catacombs under Paris in darkness? You will discover how horrific it can be below the city. The story plunges you underground with the four explorers, as they journey through the catacombs, pursuing a quest inspired by a mysterious video Pascal had found during a previous trip below.

Pascal and Daniele are both experienced cataphiles—the colloquial term for underground urban explorers of the catacombs. They guide Rob and Will through some treacherous terrain and tight conditions. The setting is described fully, and you will feel as if you are there in the tunnels as well, inching through every fissure crack. You want suspense and horror—look no further. The surprise will be not only whom they meet below, but also the shadows they each carry within themselves. As they trek, the characters naturally unfold their own stories.

The bizarre and shocking encounters underground trigger their reveries and innermost thoughts. The reader has a front row seat and glimpses into the past of Will, the main protagonist, as he reveals his nightmare while trying to come to terms with his own ghosts. The author does this with a smooth and compassionate brush.

This brings us right back to their horrendous situation that they are dealing with. We travel beside them, sharing their troubles; the deeper into the tunnels and the story, the bigger the shock becomes. Twists and turns are found not only through the catacombs, but the with each action decision the characters opt as well.

No more details told. I do not want to give anything away. Nevertheless, I have to disclose that I never expected the end as it unfolded. Not a fairytale ending but it is very much acceptable.
Well done—suspenseful to the end!

This is book two in the series "A World's Scariest Places". The first “Suicide Forest” was also a great suspense thriller. For both of these stories, the series name is not enough to prepare you for what you will experience as a reader. You will learn new things about our world, and survive through our worst fears as well.

I have read both books in the series so far, and both are intense. These books have become my favorites, a modern writer surpassing King and Koontz. Jeremy Bates not only delivers maximum suspense and horror, but you are right there with the characters. The style of writing is honest, vivid, compelling and never a dull moment.

There will be no skipping parts—and no putting this book down until it has finished. I recommend this book.