With the engrossing depth of Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles and the insular terror of the sort only a small town can know a la Stephen King's Salem's Lot, Gold Pen Award-winning author Brandon Massey's second novel explores the seductive nature of truths best left buried.

David Hunter comes to Mason's Corner, Mississippi, hoping to learn more about the father he never knew. Richard Hunter, a respected bestselling author, died in a boating accident and left everything to his only son. But the more David learns about this enigmatic man, the more he comes to believe that his father may not really be dead -- and that his true inheritance is more mysterious and deadly than he could have imagined.

While David is struggling to uncover his family's secret history and starting a beautiful friendship with smart, stunning Nia James, another son has come to Mason's Corner on his own filial quest. But the father Kyle Coiraut seeks is not a creature who should be wakened. He is undead, a being consumed with hunger for vengeance against humankind, starting with Mason's Corner -- "Dark Corner," a town built on the backs of slaves, a town this creature longs to see run with blood.

Massey's capable characterization, quick pacing and evocative word choices set a dark stage for this layered tale of terror and discovery. Dark Corner is what the horror genre needs more of: rich narratives that move beyond mere visceral fear, stories that illuminate the darker depths of what it means to be human and the struggle toward the distant light of redemption and discovery.