Following the events of 9/11, feeling compelled that this national tragedy was a sign of the coming apocalypse, Reverend Jeremiah Peale founded The Family of the Living Spirit. He built a commune in the wilderness designed to aid his followers in walking more closely with God. But over time, the focus shifted away from the loving atmosphere of religion. The Reverend’s people were “tested” with hard work, little food, and sacrifices of self-mutilation which he claimed would prove their worthiness to ascend into eternal life. In 2005, more than 100 members of the Family committed mass suicide and murder at their home upon the mountain known as Red Peak … And then they disappeared.
Craig DiLouie’s latest novel, The Children of Red Peak, tells the story of this fictional cult, centering specifically on the five children who survived. The small group is brought back together after years apart when one of the five takes her own life. This surprising loss spurs the other four to consider a trip back to Red Peak as a therapeutic excursion; a way to put this experience behind them once and for all, and hopefully avoid the same fate as their friend.
DiLouie has drafted an interesting twist on the typical horror novel about a religious cult. Mixing in elements of suspense, mystery, and thrillers, he creates a slow-burning story which builds to an inevitable, but satisfying, conclusion. Following the story through the eyes of the survivors, the novel alternates timelines to show how their lives have developed since their childhood with the Family, while flashing back to follow the events leading up to the cult’s final, bloody night. DiLouie considers how profoundly (and often adversely) their lives have been shaped by their hellish experiences, while also exploring how they remain compelled to solve the mystery of what really happened on Red Peak.
The Children of Red Peak is more than just a horror novel, though. Underlying this story are the weighty themes of faith and sacrifice, the meaning and purpose of life. DiLouie does well in examining the mechanisms of how cults exert control over their members. He probes the fine line between beliefs which are comforting, helpful even, and those which cross the line into something else altogether. He even incorporates a realistic view of the mental health issues which result from the childrens’ experiences, along with the various therapies and treatments they attempt to combat such profound trauma.
All in all, readers will find The Children of Red Peak a fantastically creepy addition to their stack of fall reads.
The Children of Red Peak is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of November 17th 2020. Many thanks to Redhook for providing me with an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
Will you be picking up The Children of Red Peak? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
Bram Stoker Award-nominated author Craig DiLouie brings a new twist to the cult horror story in a heart-pounding novel of psychological suspense.
David Young, Deacon Price, and Beth Harris live with a dark secret. As children, they survived a religious group’s horrific last days at the isolated mountain Red Peak. Years later, the trauma of what they experienced never feels far behind.
When a fellow survivor commits suicide, they finally reunite and share their stories. Long-repressed memories surface, defying understanding and belief. Why did their families go down such a dark road? What really happened on that final night?
The answers lie buried at Red Peak. But truth has a price, and escaping a second time may demand the ultimate sacrifice.
