"Heart-Shaped Box," by Joe Hill

Oh, baby. I love me some scary books, and this did not let me down. Papa Stephen King should be very proud of his son.

Judas Coyne is an aging rock star with a penchant for the macabre. He enjoys collecting creepy things, such as a used hangman's noose or a snuff film. When Jude's assistant tells him there's a woman online looking to sell a suit that is haunted by her step-father's ghost, Jude is game. The suit arrives in a heart-shaped box, and it isn't long before Jude becomes aware that he and his girlfriend, Florida, aren't alone in the house.

The ghost is Craddock McDermott, step-father to recent suicide victim and former girlfriend of Jude, and he is determined to end Jude's life. This book is a wild ride of horrific images. I got creeped out several times, so Hill has definitely lived up to expectations. It wasn't just page after page of blood and gore, although there was some of that, too. It was a descent into personal hell, with ringing self-recrimination and torment. It was awesome.

5 stars