Robert McCammon is truly a master storyteller.

It doesn't seem to matter at all that his books are of ginormous size.

They are always so incredibly engaging that the length becomes completely inconsequential.

At least, that has been my personal experience with his books up until now.

The characters he creates are SO real that they seem to just come alive right there on the page.

"Mystery Walk" tells the fascinating story of two boys who are inexplicably drawn to each other by an unknown, perhaps even preternatural force.

The novel meticulously details their lives and all of their encounters with each other as they journey along.

This book is highly recommended for anyone who loves a captivating and well-written story.

It has the power to draw you in and keep you hooked from beginning to end.

McCammon's talent for creating vivid characters and a compelling plot is truly remarkable.

So, if you haven't yet discovered the world of Robert McCammon's books, I encourage you to give them a try.

You won't be disappointed.

There are two boys/young men who are born with extraordinary paranormal gifts.

The first one is the son of a woman who has the ability to put down restless ghosts and demons, yet it comes at a great cost to herself. She has Native American blood running through her veins, and this gift has been passed down through her family line. Along with the gift, there is a monster that hunts the people of her family. Once they begin their careers of dealing with the supernatural, this monster tries to push them to destroy themselves.

The other boy is the grandson of a revival preacher, who is a healer. However, he is terrified of the people he heals and of his own power to heal them. Moreover, he is also scared of the woman and her son. His grandfather has told them that they are demonic, and he firmly believes it.

Just like a lot of McCammon's works, this story is a compulsive read. I would have preferred to have a lot more thrilling ghost-busting scenes and less emphasis on the religiosity. But then again, I'm not the writer. I can only enjoy the story as it is presented.

Just as powerful the second time around, and I think one of my favorite McCammon novels, in retrospect.

It's ironic that the first time I read it, I was initially hoping it would be more like BOY'S LIFE. Even though this novel was published first, I didn't get to it until after I read BL. I was briefly disappointed that it wasn't like BL, especially considering how Billy and his mother Ramona were treated by the town of Hawthorne (the name of the town seems doubly apt on a second reading) and Billy's father.

However, then the idea of the Mystery Walk, the tragically late redemption of both John Creekmore and Wyane, and Billy's quest - developing on the opposite end of Wayne Falconer's - swept me away, as most McCammon novels usually do.

I think McCammon's portrayal of the wildly popular - almost cult-like - evangelist Fakconer and how easily Wayne is taken in by the devious and decadent businessman Krespin at the end is still timely. Especially considering how much of a "big business" Christianity has become. It makes one think about the true nature of faith and how easily it can be corrupted by worldly interests.

Overall, this novel is a powerful exploration of themes such as family, redemption, and the power of belief. It's a must-read for fans of McCammon and anyone interested in thought-provoking literature.

*** 2.9 STARS ***

Robert McCammon is truly one of my all-time favourite authors. To date, I have delved into 9 of his captivating works. Among them, 2 have achieved the remarkable feat of 5 STARS, namely "Boy's Life" and "Swan Song". However, as with any author, not every book can be a resounding success, unfortunately.

"Mystery Walk" is, perhaps, my least favoured Robert McCammon book thus far. I simply did not perceive it to be exceptionally well-written. In fact, I'm quite certain that within a few short months, I will have forgotten a staggering 95% of the contents of this book. It seems to lack the depth and charm that his other works possess.

In conclusion, "Mystery Walk" is perhaps best left as an enigma, a book that fails to leave a lasting impression and is easily overshadowed by the brilliance of McCammon's other literary offerings.

I truly relished this book. The manner in which McCammon constructs layers for his characters is simply captivating. I found it fascinating that Billy received the gift of truth from his parents, particularly his mother.

Conversely, the other twin was never explicitly told the truth. The absence of truth seemed to have a profound impact on their lives, especially towards the end. Billy desired nothing more than to be honest and compassionate, but I'm not as certain about his brother. I believe all the lies and misdirected truths left him utterly confused. At times, I even pondered whether his adopted parents thought he could or couldn't heal.

I appreciate the way Robert endowed the Choctaw blood characters who received these gifts with a useful talent. Towards the conclusion of the book, I was extremely eager to witness Ramona's needlework! It must have been exquisitely beautiful in Robert's imagination. Was Billy's brother's talent related to model airplanes? That's what I surmise.

I truly loathed the big, obese guy, Mr. Krepsin (if that was his name). He was a highly malevolent character, and McCammon depicted him masterfully. I never felt any pity for him, not even when, at the end, they were explaining why he was so terrified of germs. He was indeed one "sick" individual, without a doubt.

What about the fly that entered the compound? Did you think it might have been Billy's mother? And what about Billy's little friend who was slain by his father? I thought it was extremely cool how Billy ended up with the sacred piece of coal back in his pocket!!

I adored Billy's girlfriend at the institute.

I think I would rate this book 4 stars.

McCammon's name was the main draw for me when it came to this title, rather than what I knew about the plot. I'm rather cautious of "supernatural" fiction, especially anything that focuses on ghosts, spirits, and such. If I'm going to read horror fiction, I prefer the fantastic elements to have teeth, claws, or at least the rotten flesh of the undead. Monsters are definitely my thing.

Here, McCammon does present a sort of monster, but he takes his time doing so while weaving a relatively long tale about a family affected by the supernatural through the mother and her son. The true implications of Billy and his mother's gifts are explored, and McCammon makes me feel both their sorrow and wonder. Along the way, McCammon introduces the cliché of a god-fearing, abusive father. I was prepared to endure this stereotype like I do with Stephen King's brand of Christ-loving crazies. But then McCammon surprises and reveals a man who loves his family while fearing the supernatural abilities that touch them. This aspect really got my blood pumping and made it one of my favorites.

After hundreds of pages of hardship and soul-searching, the story's climax involves the possessed corpse of a rich, obese madman lurching after the protagonist and his brother, who have been wounded by a recent crash-landing. The corpse stumbles across the desert floor, brandishing a razor-studded set of brass knuckles, while the boys help each other towards the foot of a low hill. Will the evil spirit reach its prey through the clumsy movements of its heavy host? Come on, this is horror fiction!

Some may find this cheesy after all the drama and introspection that preceded it. But for me, I was grinning and actually said "hell yeah" aloud on my living room couch. The truth is, I was ready for some pungent, cheesy substance, and an overweight animated corpse armed with a sharp knuckle-duster definitely fits the bill. Besides, the big realizations that Billy and his brother (yes, I still can't remember his name!) have been seeking are finally within their reach, and each stands on the verge of inner peace. As soon as they defeat the Final Zombie Boss, they're home free.

Since reading and loving "The Five" last year, I've enjoyed picking and choosing from McCammon's extensive catalogue. I have "Night Boat" on my shelf, waiting to deliver some zombified treats next October (I usually delve into the horror genre in that month), and I'm eyeing "Swan Song" for a future time when I'm in the mood for a pulpy read. I've also been following McCammon's website for several months and am excited about his news of an epic science fiction and horror novel. Whatever comes next, I'm going to pay attention because McCammon writes his stories with heart and leads you through the paces so that you can feel that heart beating too.

Being a huge fan of the horror boom of the 80’s - 90’s, I was extremely excited to explore further through McCammon's works from that era. And Mystery Walk truly did not disappoint!

It is a story about two boys, each endowed with supernatural abilities. One has the power to lay the dead to rest, while the other can heal. Both are being chased and guided along different paths by an entity called The Shape Changer, which appears to embody the evil in the world made palpable.

The narrative unfolds over a span of 12 years, and we witness the development of both characters. One is shunned as a demon, while the other is revered as a healer. They will eventually meet in a desert showdown that leaves the reader rather content.

However, Mystery Walk did suffer from some familiar and overused storylines. For instance, our hero is unjustly maligned for the vast majority of the book until, predictably, the townspeople realize their mistakes. Characters also make blatantly poor decisions to advance the plot. Additionally, there are some interesting characters introduced late in the novel, which seemed a bit like an afterthought, as if McCammon came up with them in the middle of writing.

Overall, Mystery Walk was a very good read, although not quite on par with his subsequent novels. Here, we can see a talented writer evolving and finding his own unique voice. I'm glad I had the opportunity to read it.

The so-called "commercial" horror is quite readable, but Macomber left out a lot in the final quarter. Another thing that impressed me, but when I look at other reviews, maybe it's my mistake, the author skims over the paved streets of the genre and doesn't bother to show the scenery beside them to the reader. The fair has a carousel, a tavern, and a show; the town has a skating rink and a blacksmith shop; the United States as a whole is an extremely static country, considering the year in which the action takes place; the pastor is already brutally engaged, but we don't see anything of that. This constricted writing goes a lot more into a short form. Mmm, there was a bit of an overuse of genre tropes, and at times the excesses really derailed the story, it even reminds me of some of Lehman's less successful books, but without their disengaging charge.

Still, the story of the battle between good and evil, the one about growth, awareness, and facing challenges and responsibilities is quite good (although I'm not sure exactly how weak-willed Wayne was made to turn him into an anti-hero).

Sooo...

Two boys from both sides of society, of faith, of life choices.

Billy has part Indian blood and carries its heritage - he can see the restless spirits of the dead and give them peace. This only brings him and his family unpleasantness in the superstitious little town where he lives. On top of that, there is an ancient evil force that has long since drawn a line in the blood of his lineage.

Wayne is the son of a rich and popular preacher who has the power to heal with his faith. This only brings him success.

Or so it is until their two worlds collide and the two will have to make difficult decisions to continue successfully in their endeavors and, most importantly, to act correctly. Are they not ultimately on the same side of the battle?

The stories that the two heroes go through are quite engaging. The normal and paranormal challenges before them turn the pages one after another, and the reader is inclined to overlook the minor inequalities just to find out what will happen.

The translation is typically nineties wooden, and I think that, together with the ones by King and Moore, it entertained the popularity of Macomber among us for about 20 years.

P.S. It still bugs me that for the fifth novel, it's not normal for important plot-turning details to be wiped out among other things, and the relevant ones to come out of nowhere. Just like the description of the appearance of a quite active secondary hero even in the last quarter (even of two). And the frequent change of close and distant third person and point of view to episodic heroes, yeah, like that for about two paragraphs. But maybe I'm just being too critical today, who knows.

Robert McCammon's prose is truly a delight, making this book an enjoyable read from start to finish. The characters he creates are vivid and engaging, each with their own unique personalities and flaws. The detailed descriptions he provides transport you right into the story, allowing you to experience every moment as if you were there.

While I had high hopes for the ending, I have to admit that McCammon did not disappoint. He managed to tie up all the loose ends in a satisfying way, leaving me with a sense of closure. However, I also felt that the ending could have been a bit more climactic or unexpected. Nevertheless, this is a minor flaw in an otherwise excellent book.

Overall, I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good story with well-developed characters and beautiful prose. McCammon is a talented writer, and this book is a testament to his skills. I look forward to reading more of his work in the future.

Billy Creekmore is truly special. His mother is a hermit, and his father is a Klansman who believes his son is part devil. His only childhood friend was brutally murdered, and the entire small town of Hawthorne despises him for being "weird." The reason for the townspeople's intolerance is that Billy has inherited a unique gift - the ability to communicate with and lay to rest revenant spirits. These are ghosts that are unable to pass on due to extreme duress, regret, anger, or unfulfillment.

I am a huge fan of Robert McCammon's books and will continue to read his works. However, this particular novel, "Mystery Walk," seemed a bit disjointed. It had multiple angles and plot points, including a supernatural element with Billy's gift, a greedy and fake televangelist with a real healer son, a germophobic cartel member, evil shape shifters, and several unscrupulous and highly immoral characters who appeared for only a chapter or two and then disappeared or died. The book struggled to commit to one main idea, which may have been the author's intention, but it left me feeling unsatisfied with the finished product.
I sincerely hope that "Mystery Walk" is indeed completed. The question of whether good conquers evil and whether several bad points can ultimately make a book a great read is up to the reader to decide. But I would recommend that you do not make this your first McCammon novel. The author is capable of writing much better than this, and I hope that Billy Creekmore's story has a proper conclusion. Billy has been through enough, and so have the readers after reading this novel.

For a long time, I have postponed reading McCammon's older works. The reason is that I believed I had already read the finest pieces he had to offer. Even when it came to "Usher's Passing", I thought he was still in the process of finding his unique style. However, now that I have read "Mystery Walk", I realize that he had actually discovered his writing style quite early on.

This book gives off some serious "Boy's Life" vibes. You would never be able to tell this just by reading the synopsis or looking at the rather crappy cover.

Definitely, this is more of a coming-of-age story than a horror one. But it is highly supernatural and directly confronts the theme of good versus evil.

It is not a Native American story in the traditional sense. It's almost as if Robert McCammon aimed to create his own version of "The Shining". There is a mysterious power that is passed on to Native American descendants, and our main character has a quarter Choctaw heritage.

"Mystery Walk" is a beautiful story, filled with very human moments, a creepy supernatural antagonist, and some real asshole non-supernatural antagonists.

I highly recommend this book to everyone, especially to those who enjoy works like "Boy's Life", "Swan Song", and his more recent "The Listener".

4.5⭐

Everybody is on their own unique Mystery Walk. They are following the path of their days, doing the best they can with whatever life throws at them. In this complex and often confusing world, it can be extremely difficult to determine what is right and what is wrong.

Mystery Walk is my very first encounter with Robert McCammon's work, and I have to say that I was not let down. It was a buddy read with my Twitter friends, and I truly relished every moment of it. Interestingly, it actually brought to my mind The Dead Zone by Stephen King, but not in a sense that one was plagiarizing the other. They simply convey similar emotions and ideas.

This is an enthralling coming-of-age tale that incorporates paranormal elements. Set in Alabama during the 80s, it presents a backdrop filled with numerous dark happenings. Obviously, the era was highly racist, and the villains in the story justified their evil deeds under the guise of religious purposes. As someone from the south, I can identify with the fact that some of the antagonists in this book are despicable evangelicals who firmly believe they are doing the right thing.

Robert McCammon does an outstanding job of conducting in-depth character studies while simultaneously creating captivating settings and storylines. However, my main gripe, and the reason it earns a 4.5-star rating instead of a full 5, is that there were so many fascinating storylines, yet not enough time could be dedicated to all of them. I almost wish this book had been developed into a series. There's the strange town with a murder house, a carnival, and something that closely resembles the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning, among other things.

I would have loved to spend more time exploring certain aspects of the story. I feel that some plot points simply fizzled out because the narrative moved on to the next major setting too rapidly. Some parts were a bit too exaggerated, while others lacked sufficient substance.

Nonetheless, I adored this book, and I will most definitely be delving into more of McCammon's works in the future.