‘Broken Shells’ by Michael Patrick Hicks – Book Review

Broken Shells is the latest novella from Michael Patrick Hicks. This is my first read from him. I can honestly say it will not be my last. The premise drew me in immediately. Antoine DeWitt, a man down on his luck, receives a notice that he has won five thousand dollars. He just needs to go the car dealership and claim his winnings. Sounds too good to be true, right? Against his better judgement, he goes to the dealership. What happens next? Antoine DeWitt finds himself in a fight for his life.

Broken Shells Synopsis:

Antoine DeWitt is a man down on his luck. Broke and recently fired, he knows the winning Money Carlo ticket that has landed in his mailbox from a car dealership is nothing more than a scam. The promise of five thousand dollars, though, is too tantalizing to ignore.

Jon Dangle is a keeper of secrets, many of which are buried deep beneath his dealership. He works hard to keep them hidden, but occasionally sacrifices are required, sacrifices who are penniless, desperate, and who will not be missed. Sacrifices exactly like DeWitt.

When Antoine steps foot on Dangle’s car lot, it is with the hope of easy money. Instead, he finds himself trapped in a deep, dark hole, buried alive. If he is going to survive the nightmare ahead of him, if he has any chance of seeing his wife and child again, Antoine will have to do more than merely hope. He will have to fight his way back to the surface, and
pray that Jon Dangle’s secrets do not kill him first.

My Thoughts:

Broken Shells drew me in right away. It is a simple premise that I am sure we can all relate to in some form. You’re down on your luck, short on money, have tons of bills to pay, and you receive one of those “You have won!” letters in the mail. A part of you, deep down, wants it to be true. Most of us go with our gut and don’t respond. Alongside Antoine DeWitt, we share the repercussions of not following your instincts.

Throughout this entire book, my heart was in my throat in many parts. I cringed through pages upon pages as well. Nestled within this story is a creature feature. Bugs in any form will make me cringe. Add a small, tight space for this claustrophobic, and yes, it was unnerving! I don’t want to give too much away in my review. This book hits all the horror and gore aspects perfectly. You will squirm and cringe! There will be blood! You will empathize with the ill-fated Antoine DeWitt. It isn’t just all gore,. There are well-developed characters and plot as well.

I definitely recommend Broken Shells. I love the simple premise and the action-packed story. I never would have guessed what happened to Antoine after he went to the dealership to claim his winnings. It truly is the perfect blend of gore, horror and action-packed tale. Be sure to grab your copy here. You may keep up with Michael Patrick Hicks on his website here.