Ash Wednesday

By: Chet Williamson

Narrated by: Chet Williamson

In Merridale, semi-transparent blue apparitions have appeared. These aren't ghosts, exactly. They are visions of the dead in their final moments - the last seconds of their lives portrayed for all to see. They don't move, and they don't speak.

Ash Wednesday is a thoughtful horror story about what happens to people when they are forced to gaze into the face of death and, specifically, the face of their own personal dead: their friends and family, those they believed to be dead and gone. Murders are revealed, rapes, and other crimes. People despair, and try to create new lives out of the wreckage. Two of these are Bradley Meyers, a vet already driven half-crazy by his experiences in Vietnam, confronted by the sight of his dead son, and now barely capable of containing his rage, and Jim Callender, whose son has died in the same accident, for which he is partly responsible. As Callender sinks into guilt, Meyers moves toward murder.

This edition of Ash Wednesday contains a final portion that was not included with the book when it was first published. It was removed due to an editorial decision to which I acquiesced. After the book appeared, the last chapter was published in Bill Munster's excellent small press magazine, Footsteps. The entire book as originally written appears here, and in the accompanying audiobook, for the first time.

©1989 Chet Williamson (P)2010 David N. Wilson

Loved it

A small town trying to cope with the ghostly images that popped up all over town
Excellent narration from Chet as always
Very original with great characters highly recommended
I received a free review audiobook and voluntarily left this review

Ash Wednesday

This was a terrific book! I totally enjoyed it.Narration was great. I highly recommend it.

Very original and creepy

So creepy! It begins with a crash and spirals out from there. People are forced to face their crimes and inner demons. This is a really interesting story and the ending is awful. Not awful as in the story itself but awful for the characters. I was not familiar with Chet Williamson but I will definitely check out his other work. It held my interest and had really well crafted characters.

Friggin Chet!

Holly absolutely Holly crap!
C.W. Is one of the best authors in my opinion!
This is my new favorite book!