Review: The Clatter Man by Janelle Schiecke
Cover reveal on April 22
‘It’s the summer before senior year of college, and Abby’s boyfriend has just booked a weekend away with friends at a rustic lakeside cabin. Located in northern Pennsylvania, the dwelling is tucked away and boasts a breathtaking view.
As drinks are flowing on a moonlit evening, paranormal stories begin to be told—and when talk of the Clatter Man comes up, his grisly tale draws attention. He’s an urban legend with a grim lore, notorious for the ways his victims are slain.
Tensions rise when these friends realize their dark curiosity about the Clatter Man may have gone too far, and what began as a relaxing getaway turns into a battle for survival.’
A new urban legend is born into horror lore, rivalling, and even surpassing some of the greats that have come before him.
Just when you thought it was safe to go back to the cabin, Janelle Schiecke returns with her third horror masterpiece: The Clatter Man. Destroying all hopes of a beautiful cabin being a great holiday or party getaway, and instead turning it into a horrific nightmare for anyone thinking that they are in for a relaxing, carefree time.
The idyllic cabin has long been a trope of horror (why do people still go to these?). We've seen it in films such as The Cabin in the Woods, Cabin Fever, Old Man, and The Presence. We’ve read it in books: Cabin at the End of the World, Stolen Tongues. And we’ve played along with the story in games like Until Dawn. It’s hard to imagine that there could possibly be a new threat to terrorize us, and yet, Janelle manages to deliver a brand-new monster to give us sleepless nights and think twice about partying innocently with our friends.
It’s a testament to Janelle’s undeniable knowledge and passion for horror, that she is continuously able to bring something fresh and captivating to the genre, and with The Clatter Man, Janelle absolutely nails it. If you have read her previous works (Ghost Room and Death Cult), then you know that you are about to read something special. All you have to do is strap yourselves in, enjoy the ride in the slaughter-coaster, and wait for the fun and laughter to derail. Of course, if you have read both of these novellas, you know that there is a world of difference between the two, with Ghost Room being much more of a mild tale for a younger audience.
As with Death Cult before it, Janelle wastes no time in dunking you headfirst into a barrel of prologue horror to whet your appetite. Then she lets you up for a little breather before ultimately sending you rowing up a river of blood in a paper boat. It’s a great technique that Janelle does incredibly well; taking you straight into the story, but only delivering a small snippet of it to get you immediately invested in the story and wanting more, without revealing any of the main story.
So, who is the Clatter Man? Well, that is something that you will have to discover for yourselves, but what I can say is that he is a creation of fantastic imagination and pure respect and love of the genre. He is what makes the darkness shudder: a supernatural nightmare who could chill your blood to ice on the warmest of days at just the very thought of him. As urban legend characters go, The Clatter Man is a truly terrifying force who ranks highly amongst the ones that we have grown up with. We all have our personal favourites, whether that be Black Annis, Slenderman, Mothman, Sadako or any of the countless others that are out there in the horrorsphere. I firmly believe that the Clatter Man will be welcomed by the wider horror community as a legitimate and frightening entry into the world of the urban legends.
However, like with any good UL, what makes a great character is backstory, before all the murder and the mayhem. To that end, Janelle has created something wonderfully unique. Giving the character the necessary added depth to bring it into three-dimensional existence. Making it far more than just a supernatural monstrosity hell-bent on delivering brutal savagery on unsuspecting frat boys and sorority girls just for the fun of it.
Which leads me to Abby and the rest of the unfortunate gang. There are several characters, and what really impressed me is (as it did in her previous novels) is how adept Janelle is in giving each of these characters their own distinct personality and vibe. No one character mushes into the other. They all have their different voices, reactions, thoughts and feelings, and this transitioned well from the page into the images and sounds being depicted in my mind as I read along. As per usual, the dialogue is absolutely on-point. The natural flow of it is something that Janelle does incredibly well. It’s fun, humorous, and quick-witted when the nature of the scene demands it, but can turn on a dime brilliantly to convey fear, anger or deeply emotional moments within the story.
Once again, the pacing is perfect, moving at a natural, flowing rate, and ramping up the terror and the action exactly when the story demands it. The Clatter Man is a supremely gripping entry into the genre: terrifying, brutal, exciting, engaging, emotional at times, and all the things that you want from the insane and unrestricted world of horror literature. I genuinely feel that The Clatter Man in name, character, and book is one of the most significant, and refreshing creations to have graced the horror genre in recent history. It feels so much bigger than the novella in which it resides. It already feels like The Clatter Man has been summoned in apprehensive whispers by people for generations. That is how you make a brand-new character feel as old as time itself.
If you are a fan of horror, and most certainly the pull of urban legends, then I cannot recommend The Clatter Man more highly. Janelle has shown her fantastic horror range between Ghost Room, Death Cult and this, and I cannot wait to see what comes next. This book is an absolute blast from start to finish. A finely crafted, game-changing read, with a character whose legend will outlive us all. Don’t hesitate to buy this book. Lastly, please read the afterword for a fascinating insight into the backstory of the creation of The Clatter Man.
The Clatter Man will be available for pre-order on April 22 with a release date of May 6. The cover reveal will be on pre-sale day, and I just know that it is going to be something incredible.
You can keep up-to-date with all the latest news by heading on over to Janelle’s website, https://www.janelelschiecke.com/ or by following her on X at @J_Schiecke. Thank you.