The Shatter Point is a contemporary horror novel written by Jon O'Bergh. Horror Place was the brainchild of Phil and Donna Woods. They had just moved into their new home in Pasadena, and Donna had spent a few minutes chatting with an elderly neighbor from across the street. Ruth Littleton had lived there for decades with her husband of 38 years. It had seemed particularly unfair to Ruth that he had died three years ago, just before he was due to retire. All their plans for their retirement years had died along with him. Ruth’s sole pride and joy was her garden of roses; her gardening skills were unsurpassed in their neighborhood. She seemed to take a strange pride in telling Donna that Halloween was barely in evidence at all in their little neighborhood. Very few kids ventured out on that or any evening. Phil had always been a huge fan of Halloween -- ever since his parents had made a big deal out of it each year as he was growing up. When they discussed the issue, Donna’s adult son, Billy, actually came up with the suggestion that they offer an “extreme haunt” that ran all year long instead of just on Halloween. It would be for adults and offer the daredevils out there a chance to prove themselves.

Jon O'Bergh’s contemporary horror novel, The Shatter Point, is a taut and absorbing psychological thriller that takes a chilling look at the things that make people snap. While the Horror Place is an obvious stressor designed, in the end, to do just that, there are plenty of other forces at work in this compelling and well-written story. O’Bergh explores the darker aspects of social media: the obsession with followers and likes, and the manipulation of others in pursuit of social media fame. The actual videos made of the Horror Place visitors seem mild when compared to the viciousness of the comments they evoke when posted. The Shatter Point sparkles with dark energy, which seems to emanate from a quiet, tree-lined suburban street whose underlying forces are ignited with one fell swoop. O’Bergh’s plot is intricate and twisty, and his characters are credible and, sometimes, downright scary. The Shatter Point is most highly recommended.

Jon O'Bergh's The Shatter Point focuses on two different lives set in Orange County, Southern California. Asher Williams is pressured by his girlfriend, Jada Mercer, to prove himself by undergoing the trials of the trending haunt, the Horror Place, which is owned by Phil and Donna Woods. The Woods have their own problems in the form of an ongoing feud with Ruth Littleton and the disturbing past of an abusive relationship and a troubled son. These two lives eventually intersect and their stories, mistakes, and choices create a mesmerizing path that will eventually lead them to a breaking point they didn't expect to see coming.

The Shatter Point is a fascinating, thrilling, exciting read that is so much more than a horror story wrapped in mystery. It focuses on different individuals' personalities - Ruth, Asher, Jada, Donna, Phil, Billy - and delves into a person's limitations and the effects of social media, social expectations, divorce, abusive relationships, and many more common modern problems on a person's psyche. The subject matter and the plot itself are intense. What makes this story even more unique and impressive is how O'Bergh manages to perfectly turn these elements into essential ingredients that will brew the best thriller I have ever read. This is a story that will lull you into a false sense of security and just when you think you have everything figured out and have all the characters understood, it will pull the rug out from under you with a final twist and an unexpected ending I definitely did not see coming.