"With shades of the 1987 film Dead of Winter, hints of Agatha Christie, and just a drop of Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House, Sutherland’s Frozen Blood successfully melds elements of the supernatural with the psychological to create an impressive hybrid with a distinctive old school literary vibe."
-DARK SCRIBE MAGAZINE
NOMINATED FOR THE BRAM STOKER AWARD FOR SUPERIOR ACHIEVEMENT IN A FIRST NOVEL!
As Tara Stewart drives through the dark, winter night, from Charlotte to Ottawa, she's haunted by ghosts from her past. Summoned to her abusive father's funeral, she hasn't been home, or spoken to her family, in years. The last place she wants to be is in the company of her vindictive twin sister, Evelyn, and her brother-in-law, Peter.
Then the hail begins to fall.
Thanks to treacherous road conditions, she barely makes it to her destination. Upon arriving, she falls on the icy driveway, slamming her knee into concrete and compact snow. Evelyn and Peter pull her inside, just as she is losing consciousness.
Outside, the hailstorm still rages. Reports on the news suggest it's a worldwide phenomenon. Globally, resulting damage and death is reaching catastrophic levels.
Now a prisoner in her father's old mansion, stuck with her estranged twin and brother-in-law, Tara must try to survive the worst storm in modern history. She soon discovers the storm is not her only enemy. Her family--and the house itself--seem intent on her destruction. Can she survive the undying hailstorm, and whispered threats from her ghosts, who swear the end is near?
"Frozen Blood is a very vivid, haunting read, in both the figurative and literal sense of the term. It includes all of the imagery, plot twists, and slick writing that helps a good horror story reach its nastiest plateau."
-FEAR ZONE
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FICTIONWISE (e-book)
"Sutherland writes with a confident voice, and unlike many first novels, he doesn't lend himself to flowery, overwrought prose. He had me from the first chapter — which reads a bit like a Disney movie from hell. His writing is sharp and concise and coolly effective (pun intended). Frozen Blood provides genuine chills that you'll be feeling long after you put down the book."
-BIFF BAM POP!
Praise for FROZEN BLOOD:
“Joel A. Sutherland's Frozen Blood is a killer debut novel. The voices in this story will haunt you long after you close the pages of the book. Different, fascinating!”
— Heather Graham, New York Times Bestselling Author of The Death Dealer
“Sutherland explores the fragile nature of reality and the duality of human nature. He knows the ghosts that frighten most are the ones we carry inside us. A chilling study in psychology.”
— Scott Nicholson, author of Scattered Ashes
“Joel A. Sutherland’s debut novel is full of suspense, secrets, deception, and ghosts. I enjoyed the book very much and will be looking forward to Sutherland’s future work.”
— John R. Little, author of The Memory Tree, Placeholders, and Miranda
“In Frozen Blood, symbolism and imagery paint strong pictures exploring the effects of confrontation on the human psyche. The coldness of greed and selfishness are juxtaposed with the supposed warmth of blood ties through familial relationships. There's more to this horrific tale than just a hailstorm!”
— Angeline Hawkes, Bram Stoker Award nominated-author of Symphony for the Forgotten and The Commandments
“Joel A. Sutherland's Frozen Blood is a hell of a debut novel, a psychological thriller with scenes of surreal uncertainty that will snatch your breath away.”
— Gregory Lamberson, author of Johnny Gruesome and CHEAP SCARES!
“A cold-blooded chiller.”
— D.L. Snell, author of Roses of Blood on Barbwire Vines
“Joel A. Sutherland is a young writer off to a great start. Frozen Blood is an ambitious novel with all the frights of dark nights, rainswept roadways, and bodies and blood that turn up in the scariest places. It's atmospheric and moody, but has an edge to it that's sharp as a knifeblade.”
— Edo van Belkom, author of Blood Road
“A highly original ghost story and deeply disturbing journey into psychological madness. Sutherland's Frozen Blood has a haunting, old school literary style to it that chilled me to the bone.”
— Gord Rollo, author of The Jigsaw Man and Crimson
“Frozen Blood is everything a great ghost story should be: surreal, subtle, complex and frightening. Newcomer Joel A. Sutherland nails it on his first try. Bravo.”
— Jonathan Maberry, Bram Stoker Award winning author of Patient Zero and Punisher: Naked Kill
“We've all known them, those people who go through life making emotional wreckage out of everything they touch. With that in mind, Joel A. Sutherland has given us one of the best character studies in recent years. Tara Stewart is so finely drawn, and her ghosts are so genuine, that she is guaranteed to make you believe her madness is real. Keep an eye on Sutherland. This guy has got a great future ahead of him.”
— Joe McKinney, author of Dead City, Quarantined, and Peacekeepers
“Joel A. Sutherland's Frozen Blood is a genuinely shocking novel from one of the most promising new voices in horror. The book has a wonderful depth of character and several highly memorable jolts—including some seriously nasty hail—and is well worth your time.”
— Jeff Strand, author of Pressure
"Written with great style with emphasis on suspense, Frozen Blood proves that Joel Sutherland is a thoroughbred horror writer whose track record I'll be putting my money on."
-TOMB OF DARK DELIGHTS
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