BOOK INFO
Length: 264 Pages
Publisher: Samhain Horror
Review copy provided in exchange for an honest review
Sinister Entity picks up the action immediately with Jessica Backman on an investigation at the McCammon home in Bronxville, New York where poltergeist activity has frightened the family. While we get a brief glimpse of Jessica in action in The Graveyard Speaks, this investigation shows what she is all about. She remains fearless and scientific in her approach of investigating the phenomena, taking notes even as the entity begins creating havoc in the home and attempting to frighten her.
We are also introduced to Eddie Home, a college student with a unique background. Eddie is a psychic with many unique gifts and spent a majority of his college years as a subject for the Rhine Research Center, a renowned research lab that studies parapsychology. He has the ability to see and interact with spirits, maneuver objects with his mind and many other gifts. However, he decides to leave the Rhine Research Center after connecting with a spirit tied to Jessica’s past. After six months of working on strengthening his connection to this spirit, Eddie realizes he needs to find Jessica because she needs his help.
Eddie finally reaches Jessica, who is initially reluctant to accept his help until he gives her evidence of his credibility that she can not explain away. Jessica still doesn’t know whether or not to believe Eddie, so she devises her own litmus test of his abilities and invites him along on her investigation of the entity haunting the McCammons. Despite her reservations, Eddie proves himself and his abilities when he comes to Jessica’s aid and helps her to banish the spirit once and for all.
Coming off their first successful investigation as a team, they receive a call from the Leigh family. They claim to experience unexplained noises and appearances that seem to hint at ghost activity, only the apparition they are seeing is that of their own daughter. Eddie and Jessica head up to the Leigh household and what they uncover is that there is more than one presence in the Leigh household and it is an evil far beyond their wildest imagination.
I really loved the introduction of Eddie’s character to the story. Jessica is headstrong and often throws herself into investigations with reckless abandon and Eddie is one of the few people who can help keep her grounded. Although Jessica doubts Eddie’s abilities initially and their partnership gets off to a rocky start, I think she begins to respect him for how he handles his abilities and dealing with the emotions of being able to interact with EB’s. Hunter also does a great job of giving Jessica and Eddie’s partnership a realistic portrayal. They don’t just become an instantly great team because they both have experienced some pretty intense personal experiences with EB’s, they clash. Even after their first encounter where they were testing each others limits, Jessica and Eddie each have their own approach to things and it occasionally brings up friction between them. However, they are a great team because of how they handle these differences and use them to bring out the best in each other.
While Forest of Shadows had occasional lulls, Sinister Entity is where Hunter Shea takes the gloves off and offers up nonstop action. This isn’t just a straight forward ghost story, Hunter adds a twist by having the Leigh family see an apparition of their daughter who is still alive and well. I don’t want to spoil the mystery behind the occurrences, but I thought it was original, creepy and highly entertaining!
Hunter Shea really hit a home run with Sinister Entity. It takes a lot to truly creep me out, but after reading Sinister Entity, I am not ashamed to say it scared the hell out of me. I live in a fairly old house and after marathon late-night reading sessions, the slightest creak of the floorboards had my adrenaline pumping. Sinister Entity is a pedal to the floor horror novel that is sure to be a favorite among any horror fiction fan, especially those seeking an original take on the ghost story genre. Sinister Entity was not only one of my favorite books that I have read recently, it also claimed a spot in my top horror novels of all-time. An absolute must read.
Be sure to stop by The Horror Bookshelf tomorrow for my review of Island of the Forbidden, the latest book featuring Jessica Backman and Eddie Home and Friday for an interview with Hunter Shea!
Rating: 5/5
LINKS
Hunter Shea’s Official Website
The Horror Bookshelf 
This is one of my fave books! So glad you liked it!