Buy the Book: Blood Club by Walt Schnabel

With his debut novel, Blood Club, local New Hampshire author Walt Schnabel captures not only the internal struggle of a man at a crossroads, but the unique experience that is life in small-town New Hampshire.

The reader is brought along on a tale of good-versus-evil and a personal journey for Brian, our troubled protagonist.  His journey will have a lasting impact not only for himself, but his son, wife and their collective existence in their newly adopted home-town.

That’s because more bubbles beneath the surface in Barlow than meets the eye.  Brian doesn’t just see it, he feels it.  Seeing his family becoming drawn into the discomfiting goings-on, he is compelled to investigate further.  With the assistance of a local of Native American heritage, Brian embarks upon a quest to understand the strange undertones in town.  Mr. Schnabel’s juxtaposition of Native American themes against the behavior and attitudes of the exclusive ‘inner circle’ of townsfolk was especially well-done.

While the storyline is solid, the characters believable and relate-able, and the climax of the book a true page-turner, I think overall that this book would benefit from a more solid editing–I found several spots that would have benefited from a little tightening up, although it is important to note that this did not inhibit my overall enjoyment of the book.

If you live in New England, have ever been curious about small-town living, or are a fan of Stephen King, you will find Blood Club will to be an engaging read that grabs you and holds you to the very last page.

From the back cover:   Walt Schnabel lives in Southern New Hampshire with his wife and a corgi named Ricky Nelson.  He runs a small bed and breakfast inhabited by a boarder who never checks out.  He is currently working on his second novel – the sequel to Blood Club.

Disclosure:   I met Walt Schnabel in a different capacity here in Podunk, and was intrigued to learn that he is also a writer.  While I received a complementary copy of the book from him, I was under absolutely no obligation to review it at all, let alone positively.