Who Would Like This Book:
December Park is a nostalgic, atmospheric coming-of-age thriller that captures the magic and unease of being a teen in a small town rocked by unsettling events. Malfi nails the voice and camaraderie of teenage friends, expertly blending everyday adolescent challenges with the creepiness of a serial kidnapper on the loose. If you love books like Stephen King's "The Body" or Robert McCammon's "Boy's Life," enjoy authentic characterization, and like your mysteries with a deep emotional core, this one's for you - regardless of whether you usually gravitate to thrillers or coming-of-age tales.
Who May Not Like This Book:
Some readers found the novel overly long, with stretches where the mystery takes a backseat to teen drama and bike rides, making the pace feel slow. If you're looking for nonstop suspense or expect a straightforward, tightly plotted crime thriller, you may be disappointed. Others were let down by the resolution of the central mystery, feeling the reveal was implausible or underwhelming after such an immersive buildup. The blend of genres - part mystery, part character study - could also feel uneven for those seeking a pure genre experience.
About:
December Park by Ronald Malfi is a coming-of-age novel set in a small town haunted by the disappearance of teenagers. The story follows a group of friends led by Angelo as they embark on a quest to uncover the truth behind the missing children, delving into the secrets of their town and confronting the mysterious figure known as the Piper. The narrative weaves together themes of friendship, loss, and the blurred lines between childhood and adulthood, creating a compelling and suspenseful tale that keeps readers engaged until the surprising and bittersweet ending. Malfi's writing style is praised for its realistic characters, vivid descriptions, and ability to evoke nostalgia for a time when childhood innocence and belief in the supernatural were intertwined.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings for December Park include themes of child abduction, violence, and some graphic descriptions related to the mystery.
From The Publisher:
"A complex and chilling tale of friends, family and the often murderous secrets that hide in the dark" from the award-winning author of Bone White (Robert McCammon, New York Times-bestselling author).
The Piper has come to take the children away . . .
In the fall of 1993, fifteen-year-old Angelo Mazzone sees his first dead body. The murder is linked to the Piper, the possible abductor of three other children-who haven't been found-over the past few months.
Some people in town say the woods are haunted, but Angelo and his friends head in anyway, to search the darkness for a monster. What they find there will change who they are-and everything they once believed in . . .
"A frightening, thoroughly engaging read with a deeply moving series of narrative motifs running throughout, ones that needle the mind and tug at the heart in the best way . . . A triumph of suspense, an affectionate ode to adolescence and by far Ronald Malfi's strongest effort to date." -Horror Novel Reviews
"Malfi is a man of many voices, a sort of literary version of Mel Blanc (the 'man of a thousand voices'), but all of his voices are captivating, though none of them quite the same. Horror and crime fans will find much to like here." -Booklist
Ratings (18)
Incredible (9) | |
Loved It (6) | |
Liked It (3) |
Reader Stats (67):
Read It (18) | |
Want To Read (42) | |
Not Interested (7) |
What can you read after
December Park?
About the Author:
Ronald Malfi is the author of The Ascent, The Fall of Never, Floating Staircase, The Nature of Monsters, and Shamrock Alley. He lives in Arnold, Maryland.
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