Hell Hollow

Hell Hollow
by Ronald Kelly

About the Book:
From out of a shadowy backwoods hollow, echoes a dark threat from the past, nearly a century lost and forgotten.

The rural town of Harmony, Tennessee possessed a disturbing secret; a secret so ancient that most of its residents were completely unaware of it. Even the last survivors of a vigilante raid long ago have filed the tragic events of that autumn night away, totally unaware of the evil that remains, dormant, but forever patient, among the tall pines and thick-leaved kudzu of a place known only as Hell Hollow.

There it would have remained, unrevealed, if not for a handful of unknowing participants. Four kids, bored for excitement during one of the hottest summers on record. A killer on the run, dodging his latest atrocity. And a rape victim on a deadly mission — scarred in both body and mind. All have a hand in bringing forth an unspeakable evil from the dark woods of Hell Hollow.

He is a skeletal figure in top hat and tails, brandishing a handful of magical cards and a patented elixir that was brewed in the very depths of Purgatory.

"Braiding together three distinct story lines—a coming-of-age tale involving a quartet of adventurous kids, a woman’s quest for vengeance against a maniacal hitchhiker and the vigilante murder of a serial killer—Kelly ingeniously blends unapologetically graphic horror, supernatural suspense and poignant mystery... in this well-crafted and wildly entertaining bloodcurdler."
— Publishers Weekly

"There’s something enrapturing about a story involving some kids who are heroes that save the day. It reminds us of times when we were young, going out on fantasy adventures in our own little worlds. Hell Hollow is one of those stories set in the rural town of Harmony, Tennessee. The secret of the evil of Hell Hollow has been hidden and forcibly forgotten by its residents for a long time, until it is awakened and will involve four bored kids looking for some excitement during their summer. Then there is the killer who has yet to be captured, on the run from the law, continuing to mercilessly kill, and the rape victim who is on a specific mission. All of these characters will play a part in Ronald Kelly’s Hell Hollow. Kelly uses a descriptive, colorful writing style that matches the tone and plot of the book, keeping you hooked."
— The San Francisco Book Review

"Ronald Kelly makes his triumphant return with an absolutely stunning book. Hell Hollow is storytelling at its finest... If you like your horror atmospheric, suspenseful and character driven, this book is for you."
— Famous Monsters of Filmland

"Hell Hollow clocks in at nearly 500 pages, but it's no slog—Kelly's prose is lean and precise, the mark of an author steeped in the tradition of oral storytelling. He manages to paint vivid pictures with spare strokes, something any writer will tell you is no easy feat... If you're from the South, much of this book is going to ring absolutely true for you. If you’re not, then come along and see what you missed."
— Blu Gilliand, Dark Scribe Magazine

Ronald Kelly was born and raised in the hills and hollows of Middle Tennessee.  Specializing in Southern Horror, Kelly sets his dark rural tales in his home state and other southern locations. His novels include Hindsight, Pitfall, Something Out There, Moon of the Werewolf, Father’s Little Helper, The Possession, Fear, and Blood Kin. His audio-collection Dark Dixie: Tales of Southern Horror was nominated for a Grammy award in 1991 and he has had numerous short stories in major anthologies, such as Cold Blood, Shock Rock, Hot Blood, Borderlands, The Earth Strikes Back, and Dark At Heart.

Published in two states:
• Limited Edition of 1,000 signed copies bound in full cloth and Smyth sewn ($40)
• Traycased Lettered Edition of 26 signed and lettered copies bound in leather with a satin ribbon page marker ($175)

Excerpt

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