Blood on the Vine


Fiction - Horror
376 Pages
Reviewed on 05/19/2023
Buy on Amazon

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Author Biography

I'd like to think my writing career appeared out of nowhere. I've always had bizarre stories floating through my head and hoped to one day put them on paper, and I did.

I'm a firm believer that there is more on Heaven and Earth than one can conceive. My stories reflect this.

For those of you that have read my books, thanks for coming along for the ride. It's going to get wilder as we go.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Anne-Marie Reynolds for Readers' Favorite

Blood on the Vine by Paul D Smarslok is a fun horror story. Fifteen years ago, Victor Cortez was approached by an old man with an offer he couldn’t refuse. Now, ten strangers have received an invitation to visit the Cortez Vineyard, supposedly haunted, with the promise of fine food, award-winning wine, and one million dollars if they last the weekend. When Lance receives the invite, he dismisses it. But somewhat of a recluse since his wife died, he decides it’s high time he got back to living and reconsiders. When he arrives at the vineyard, he and the other guests think they are in for a good time; it doesn’t take long for them to change their minds. One ghost story later, all the guests are stranded, and something wicked is stalking them. Who will survive the weekend? What is on the prowl at the vineyard? And just who is a mysterious guest called Anne?

Blood on the Vine by Paul D Smarslok is a thrilling tale, a horror story with plenty of fun elements mingled with the gore, of which there isn’t as much as you would think. This has elements of Stephen King and James Herbert with a touch of Alfred Hitchcock. The plot is unique and full of twists and turns that keep you on your toes, with action throughout. Paul Smarslok has created some great characters, all real people with their own stories and a reason why they are the chosen ones. Yes, there is blood and gore, as you would expect in a horror story, but there is also a great twist – it isn’t ghosts the guests need to worry about. Full of suspense, this is an enjoyable, entertaining story, and a great addition to the horror/supernatural genre.