2B - The Very Best Kind of Ghost Story
I just finished the novel 2B by Mark Allen Gunnells and wow was it good. This wasn’t the first time I’ve read something Gunnells has written, I was very impressed with his collection Book Haven a few years ago and so was looking forward to seeing what he could do in a longer form, and he certainly delivered.
This is a ghost story and it revolves around our main character Berkley. The books opens at the end of the relationship between Berkley and the guy he’s been dating for a few months named Kevin. Kevin tries to drown Berkley in the bathtub and then kills himself in Berkley’s bathroom. This happens early in the book so I swear I’m not giving anything away. After going through this traumatic experience, Berkley slowly begins to return to normal life but things start to happen around him and he becomes convinced that the ghost of Kevin is haunting him. Things escalate into a very dramatic conclusion.
What makes this book such a fun and quick read (apart from the plot) is Gunnells’ writing style. He has a conversational tone that pulls you in and makes you want to keep reading and keep the pages turning. At the same time, the characters are all well developed and nuanced which makes them feel all the more real. It is clear that Gunnells understands the motivations and thoughts of each of the characters in the book because they all shine.
Gunnells also does a great job of setting the right kind of mood. This is a dark, gritty novel with the sense of dread dripping from every page. You know something is wrong the whole time and yet you keep turning the page as Gunnells continues to turn up the intensity until the book reaches the ultimate climax.
If there was something that didn’t work for me in the book, and I think this might be my own personal taste when it comes to what I like to read, it is the fact that while I felt I understood the characters extremely well, I didn’t feel the same way about the setting and I wanted to know more about the apartment, given the fact that the book was named after it. But not having this didn’t detract from the story at all.
If you’re looking for a ghost story with a great twist you should definitely pick this one up. I’d recommend it to anyone who is looking for a great, fast-paced ghost story. Strong 4/5 on this one.
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