A Quiet Night of Fear by Charles L. Grant - Book Review
Release:
Format: Kindle
Publisher: Berkley
Source: Kindle
Rating: 3.0 out of 5 stars
Synopsis: Welcome to Starburst
A quiet seaside resort where the people of the future escape into the past, and where only four things are certain.
1. Four people are dead.
2. You are next.
3. The murderer isn't human.
4. Night is falling.
Goodreads
Amazon
About the Author Charles L. Grant: Charles Lewis Grant was a novelist and short story writer specializing in what he called "dark fantasy" and "quiet horror." He also wrote under the pseudonyms of Geoffrey Marsh, Lionel Fenn, Simon Lake, Felicia Andrews, and Deborah Lewis.
Grant won a World Fantasy Award for his novella collection Nightmare Seasons. He won a Nebula Award in 1976 for his short story "A Crowd of Shadows", .He won another Nebula Award in 1978 for his novella "A Glow of Candles, a Unicorn's Eye," .This is about an actor's dilemma in a post-literate future. Grant also edited the award winning Shadows anthology, running eleven volumes from 1978-1991. Contributors include Stephen King, Ramsey Campbell, R.A. Lafferty, Avram Davidson, and Steve Rasnic and Melanie Tem. Grant was a former Executive Secretary and Eastern Regional Director of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America and president of the Horror Writers Association.
Futuristic Murder Mystery That Falls Short of Horror
Charles L. Grant's A Quiet Night of Fear is an interesting first read from the author, blending futuristic science fiction, with a convincing murder mystery. While it doesn't completely live up to its title, the book offers enough unsettling moments and surprising deaths to keep things moving.
What Works:
The futuristic setting is easily the book's biggest strength. Considering this was published in the early 1980s, its focus on androids, robotics, and advanced technology feels remarkably forward-looking, even from today's perspective.
Carole also makes for an engaging protagonist. Much of the story revolves around her attempts to piece together what is happening through her interactions with the various characters, gradually trying to determine who might be responsible. The frequent deaths add another layer of suspense, with enough unexpected casualties to keep you wondering who will be next.
There are also several genuinely unnerving moments. Carole's encounters with the androids when she is with Victor, as well as the increasingly strange behaviour of the Caruthers when she interacts with them, create an atmosphere of genuine discomfort.
What Falls Short:
Despite its marketing as horror, A Quiet Night of Fear feels much more like a science-fiction murder mystery with hardly any horror elements. Readers expecting sustained terror may find it lacking.
The potential romantic subplot involving Carole also feels unnecessary and distracts from the more interesting mystery. I would have preferred more exploration of the lunar mining operation and the world itself, particularly some of the less clearly explained aspects surrounding URI.
The final reveal is another slight disappointment. While the execution works, I had already suspected the killer around the halfway point, which took some of the impact out of the conclusion.
Verdict:
A Quiet Night of Fear is an okay book that shows some interesting ideas. The mystery keeps things moving, but the horror never fully materializes, and the world-building and final reveal could have been stronger.
Perfect for: Readers who enjoy vintage science-fiction mysteries, android-driven stories, and murder mysteries with a light touch of horror.
A Quiet Night of Fear
by Charles L. Grant
3.0
★★★★★
3.0 out of 5 stars
Synopsis
"Welcome to Starburst
A quiet seaside resort where the people of the future escape into the past, and where only four things are certain.
1. Four people are dead.
2. You are next.
3. The murderer isn't human.
4. Night is falling."
Format
Kindle
Publisher
Berkley
Source
Kindle
About the Author
Charles L. Grant
Charles Lewis Grant was a novelist and short story writer specializing in what he called "dark fantasy" and "quiet horror." He also wrote under the pseudonyms of Geoffrey Marsh, Lionel Fenn, Simon Lake, Felicia Andrews, and Deborah Lewis.
Grant won a World Fantasy Award for his novella collection Nightmare Seasons. He won a Nebula Award in 1976 for his short story "A Crowd of Shadows", .He won another Nebula Award in 1978 for his novella "A Glow of Candles, a Unicorn's Eye," .This is about an actor's dilemma in a post-literate future. Grant also edited the award winning Shadows anthology, running eleven volumes from 1978-1991. Contributors include Stephen King, Ramsey Campbell, R.A. Lafferty, Avram Davidson, and Steve Rasnic and Melanie Tem. Grant was a former Executive Secretary and Eastern Regional Director of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America and president of the Horror Writers Association.
My Review
Futuristic Murder Mystery That Falls Short of Horror
Charles L. Grant’s A Quiet Night of Fear is an interesting first read from the author, blending futuristic science fiction, with a convincing murder mystery. While it doesn’t completely live up to its title, the book offers enough unsettling moments and surprising deaths to keep things moving.
What Works:
The futuristic setting is easily the book’s biggest strength. Considering this was published in the early 1980s, its focus on androids, robotics, and advanced technology feels remarkably forward-looking, even from today’s perspective.
Carole also makes for an engaging protagonist. Much of the story revolves around her attempts to piece together what is happening through her interactions with the various characters, gradually trying to determine who might be responsible. The frequent deaths add another layer of suspense, with enough unexpected casualties to keep you wondering who will be next.
There are also several genuinely unnerving moments. Carole’s encounters with the androids when she is with Victor, as well as the increasingly strange behaviour of the Caruthers when she interacts with them, create an atmosphere of genuine discomfort.
What Falls Short:
Despite its marketing as horror, A Quiet Night of Fear feels much more like a science-fiction murder mystery with hardly any horror elements. Readers expecting sustained terror may find it lacking.
The potential romantic subplot involving Carole also feels unnecessary and distracts from the more interesting mystery. I would have preferred more exploration of the lunar mining operation and the world itself, particularly some of the less clearly explained aspects surrounding URI.
The final reveal is another slight disappointment. While the execution works, I had already suspected the killer around the halfway point, which took some of the impact out of the conclusion.
Verdict:
A Quiet Night of Fear is an okay book that shows some interesting ideas. The mystery keeps things moving, but the horror never fully materializes, and the world-building and final reveal could have been stronger.
Perfect for: Readers who enjoy vintage science-fiction mysteries, android-driven stories, and murder mysteries with a light touch of horror.
