Patrick Rutigliano ‘Wind Chill’ Review

Written by: Paula Limbaugh

Ooh, some exciting news! Crystal Lake Publishing will be releasing Patrick Rutigliano’s Wind Chill January 29^th! You are in for a treat. This novella includes some short stories at the end that more than makes it worth picking up this book.

Wind Chill is a story of survival in the most horrific way. When a daughter can no longer trust her father she must find a way to save herself. But, what can one do when all is not what it seems; with a dawning horror she realizes that perhaps daddy has been looking out for her all along.

Sixteen-year-old Emma has lost her mother, slowly she has been watching her once loving father turn into a full-blown paranoid. Until one evening she is abruptly woken and told to grab her gear, they’re leaving. Next thing she knows; she’s waking from a drug induced sleep in the depths of a snow encrusted Wisconsin. Here she is ushered into a cabin by her father, where there’s food stockpiled, steel shutters on the windows, and an arsenal locked away upstairs.  What the hell is going on?

Step by step Rutigliano walks us through a slow buildup of terror and when we finally think, “Aha, I know what’s going to happen,” it doesn’t!

As for the included short stories…well, these are wicked. Treading on the dark side, tales like The Fear Merchant, Little Red Vest, Shadowplay, Jump Cuts, and The Skin Trade test your imagination. One is led to the edge of madness with little room for a misstep.

The tone lightens just a tad with Bang, The Deconstructionist, and The Last Great Effect. Within these tales are a bit of quirkiness that can garner a smile at the cleverness of the telling.

All in all, this book makes for an entertaining read. If you want to learn more about the author check out his page here. I will update this review with the purchase link when it becomes available. SOON!

UPDATE!! You can now order the paperback here! The ebook will be available from this link on 01/29/16

Rating: 4/5