Book Review: The Sleepwalkers by J Gabriel Gates

A chilling and masterfully crafted teen horror novel guaranteed to keep the pages turning, the mind reeling, and the lamp on any reader's bedside table on long after midnight. Privileged and popular Caleb Mason is celebrating his high school graduation when he receives a mysterious, disturbing letter from his long-lost childhood playmate, Christine. Caleb and his jokester friend Bean decide to travel to his tiny hometown of Hudsonville, Florida, to find her. Upon arrival, they discover the town has taken a horrifying turn for the worse. Caleb's childhood home is abandoned and his father has disappeared. Children are going missing. The old insane asylum has reopened, and Christine is locked inside. Her mother, a witch, is consumed with madness, and Christine's long-dead twin sister whispers clues to Caleb through the static of an a.m. radio. The terrifying prophesies of the spirits are coming to pass. Sixteen clocks are ticking; sixty-six murdered souls will bring about the end of the world. As Caleb peels back layer after layer of mystery, he uncovers a truth more horrible than anything he had imagined, a truth that could only be uttered by the lips of the dead.

Ok I admit it, I love horror stories. I collect scary movies and Halloween is my favorite holiday.  This book was right up my ally and I loved every minute of it. Caleb receives an unusual letter from his past, right after graduation. He and his friend decide to take a road trip to his father's house. He has not seen his father in years and has been unable to reach him by phone. When they arrive to the house, it stinks, it's dirty and obviously something is wrong. All of the furniture and possessions are still in the house but Caleb's father is nowhere to be found. The neighbors and the police have no answers, leading Caleb to find his own. 
Meanwhile, Christine is locked up in a mental facility and Caleb is determined to get her out. But there is a lot more going on in this town and that institution than it appears. 
There is murder, witches, missing people and ghosts running around this town, and Caleb and his friend have just walked right into it. The perfect setting for a great scary read. This is one of my favorite books of the year and I could not be happier to have found it. I can see this one becoming a fantastic horror movie. 
I was on the edge of my seat for several chapters. I loved that the main character doesn't make it through every turn unscathed. He really gets hurt and panic sets in. 
This book is a page turner.