Russel Stander returns to his youthful stomping grounds of Almore, Illinois. Not only to research family history but also to lay to rest a terrifying experience that occurred when he was a young boy. What he uncovers is beyond bizarre and incomprehensible to the mortal mind. It’s a return trip that will alter his existence and beliefs forever. I gotta kick off this review by saying, The Lingering by DM Gritzmacher gave me some serious goosebumps, literally…not kidding. That hasn’t happened to me in a good long while. Be it a nightmarish abandoned graveyard, a plagued farmer’s cornfield or a distant creepy locomotive whistle, Gritzmacher knows how to create an ominous and threatening atmosphere to perfection. With this unique ambiance of high quality writing, the blindsided gut punches of gruesome gore is delivered with unexpected shock. Although a stand alone, The Lingering is officially Book 3 in Gritzmacher’s Skulldiggery series. I recently read The Quarry, which is Book 2 in the collection and is the reason I’m back for more Skulldiggery. I loved how the separate time periods are woven together with unforgettable interludes of violent disturbances. Yikes! They were brutal! Gritzmacher knows how to create realistic sights, sounds and smells for the reader. Come to think of it, I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. Ha! 
I don’t know why, but when reading this imaginative novel, I kept getting a John Carpenter’s The Thing vibe. I suppose because of the vicious desperation it holds within and not to mention the ending carries a gorrific exclamation point. Enjoy this deviation from the norm. The Lingering’s irregularity is what makes this a must read. A five star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Horror Bookworm Recommendation.
https://www.amazon.com/Lingering-Skulldiggery-Book-3-ebook/dp/B0CJVJVXHC/ref=sr_1_2?crid=BPILEM961O7I&keywords=The+lingering&qid=1697933143&s=books&sprefix=the+lingering%2Cstripbooks%2C183&sr=1-2
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