Byte Marks (vol. 1 / no. 9)

A Ghost Story by Keith Latch

Keith Latch is a writer with purpose and with a confident prose. Unfortunately, "A Ghost Story" loses focus three-fourths of the way into the tale, deciding that, instead of a ghost story, as the unimaginative title suggests, it is a suspensful thriller. A fine line? Not really. It is such a brutal shift in storytelling that it jars the reader right out of the moment. And it's really too bad. Latch has a lot to offer. He put effort into creating believable characters and has a real knack for setting a mood. As a first novel, it's a valiant effort, but sadly falls short. I think with time, Latch will be a writer to be reckoned with. He has the skills. Right now, he needs experience.

A Ghost Story is available at Shocklines and is a "New Voices Guarantee".

2 out of 5 stars