Dark Harvest

Written by Norman Partridge

Narrated by Vikas Adam

"This is contemporary American writing at its finest." — Publishers Weekly, starred review

Winner of the Stoker Award and named one of the 100 Best Novels of 2006 by Publishers Weekly, Dark Harvest is a powerhouse thrill-ride with all the resonance of Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery."

Halloween, 1963. They call him the October Boy, or Ol' Hacksaw Face, or Sawtooth Jack. Whatever the name, everybody in this small Midwestern town knows who he is. How he rises from the cornfields every Halloween, a butcher knife in his hand, and makes his way toward town, where gangs of teenage boys eagerly await their chance to confront the legendary nightmare. Both the hunter and the hunted, the October Boy is the prize in an annual rite of life and death.

Pete McCormick knows that killing the October Boy is his one chance to escape a dead-end future in this one-horse town. He's willing to risk everything, including his life, to be a winner for once. But before the night is over, Pete will look into the saw-toothed face of horror--and discover the terrifying true secret of the October Boy...

• Language: English
• Publisher: Macmillan Audio
• Release date: Jan 4, 2022
• ISBN: 9781250252968

Norman Partridge

Two-time Stoker Award-winner, NORMAN PARTRIDGE is the author of six novels and six short story collections. His fiction ranges from horror and crime to the fantastic. A film adaptation of his lauded Halloween novel, Dark Harvest, is set for a September 2022 release by MGM. He lives and writes in California.

Reviews for Dark Harvest

[paul · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This was a good premise but confusing story telling. It felt like it would break off when the story was getting good and jump to another part of the town. I could see this making a good movie
I would have rated this higher but the end just dragged on

[Chris Kester · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Loved this book and can see it being a repeat fall time read. It makes me think of what I wished Sleepy Hollow would have been like as a kid, if that makes sense. I love Sleepy Hollow now, but as a kid, I was disappointed with the lack of Headless Horseman or at least how little he actually appears in it. This is more like if you took that type of character and let him run wild all throughout the story. Really enjoyed it and thought it was a lot of fun.

[Tess Faust · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Amazing! I never expected the big reveal and loved every second

[Nina Quartuccio · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Holy cow...suspense and thrills but mostly incredible incite on the part of the author. The narrator takes the author's vision and blows it up, and creeps it out with his whispering gruff voice...it is exactly what the story needs to deliver the author's intent. l hated for it to be over. The author pulls emotions and feelings of all kinds out of the characters and using the power of the written word lays the foundation of misery and terrible acts done by a town, by fathers, by friends and how it destroyed the essence of being human in this small town. Incredible writings, with brillant depictions and stupendous narration. So well done for its size. Amazing story. ❤️

[Wendi Morata · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I loved the way this story was written. I appreciate the sarcasm or whatever the approach was. Also, the narrator couldn’t have done better if he tried!

[Jason Doerr · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Nope, no, no. How could a book this poorly written have been published?

[davischristopherjohn · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Fun, original, but with a slightly vague ending. An excellent Halloween tale.

[Crimson's Whispering Books · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I loved this book, I watched the film but the book is better in my eyes..... was a quick read and defo one I Will pick up for next year .... defo worth the read

[Jennifer Smith · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Dark and atmospheric. A perfect book to read in October.

[Brea · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

While the writing has flavor, its sloppy. It doesn't help that its written in a weird 2nd person perspective. And there's not as much of a B-movie feel as I was hoping for.