Manasquan +Brielle
GHOST STORIES OF THE GARDEN STATE HOMETOWN HORROR NEW JERSEY’S SCARIEST MOVIES A LOCAL FAMILY SHARES HAUNTING ENCOUNTERS
GREGORY RICE GREGORY RICE PRESENTS PRESENTS
80 Allen Ave, Manasquan
80 Allen Ave, Manasquan
List Price: $1,995,000
"Builder's Own" custom-built home, only 9 yrs young, 4BR/4BA, 3,100+ sq. ft.on oversized 100' wide lot that backs up to private woods! Highly upgraded w/ cedar shake siding, custom stone, coffered ceilings, luxury trim and moldings & more! Private and tranquil setting, yet just 1 block into downtown Manasquan!
124 Morris Ave, Manasquan
124 Morris Ave, Manasquan
List Price: $1,595,000
Only 10 years young, tucked away between downtown Manasquan and Brielle's Marina District, this 5BR/3BA, 2,600 sq. ft. coastal home is sunny, bright, walking/biking distance to everything, and has Glimmer Glass access at the end of the street for kayaks/paddleboards/jet-skis!
66 N. Potter Ave, Manasquan
66 N. Potter Ave, Manasquan
List Price: $1,500,000
Lakefront lot ready to build just a few blocks from the beach, downtown, parks, and marinas! CAFRA approvals are done for a 3,000-4,000 sq. ft. beauty with panoramic water views and ready for your boats, waverunners, kayaks and paddleboards!
915 Cole Dr, Brielle
915 Cole Dr, Brielle
List Price: $2,395,000
Spacious 3,700+ sq. ft. 5BR/6BA on oversized lot (almost an acre!) in the most prestigious section of Brielle, across the street from $5-10 million dollar riverfront homes! 1st Floor Master BR, large rooms, a stunning backyard oasis, and river access 1 block away!
406 Brown St, Brielle
406 Brown St, Brielle
List Price: $1,495,000
Perfectly charming & classic 3BR/2.5BA Cape Cod style home w/ new kitchen, new baths, new roof & new fire pit patio & more! Incredible wraparound mahogany front porch, and just a 2-3 block stroll to several waterfront restaurants!
...My wife and I interviewed numerous realtors to help us sell our Brielle home, and it was clear to us within a few minutes of meeting Greg that he would be our choice... Greg's preparation, presentation materials, knowledge of the local market, and his contagious enthusiasm, and professionalism stood out to us. Greg also had a very different approach and thought process for us in how he would market and s how our home than many of the other realtors that we met with and have used in the past. My wife and I can not recommend Greg highly enough...
- Tim Conway, Seller, Brielle
We recently engaged Greg Rice to sell our Manasquan home. We could not be more pleased with this process from start to finish. Greg is friendly, professional, hardworking and smart. His marketing approach was first class, his negotiating skills fantastic. There was no request he could not handle. We recommend him without reservations.
- McManus Family, Sellers, Manasquan
Scare You Have It
I couldn’t do scary movies as a kid. Or, that is to say like most kids, I was simultaneously fascinated and traumatized by scary movies. When A Nightmare on Elm Street Part II: Freddy’s Revenge hit cable TV in 1986, I was glued to the set. But then I had nightmares about Freddy Krueger for weeks.
Part of that fear was just youth. But some of it, at least for me, was location dependent. I grew up in a well-kept middle-class home with a great family, but beyond the front door, there were a lot of empty woods, no streetlights and nobody else on the block. When it got dark at night, it got really dark. God forbid I ever did find any monsters under the bed, there were no friendly neighbors around to hear me scream.
This sort of love-terror relationship with the silver screen continued well into adulthood. In my early 30s, I was living in LA, and I went to catch a screening of The Exorcist, thinking I was too old to give myself nightmares. The movie was every bit as scary as I remembered, but walking home down LaBrea Avenue after midnight is what really freaked me out and had me looking over my shoulder.
Something changed around the time I moved to the Jersey Shore, 13 years ago. Today, none of those movies rattle me quite like they used to. My girlfriend has even gotten me into the habit of watching only scary movies for the entire month of October, and I’m happy to report, no nightmares and no paranoia.
Again, part of that cinematic fearlessness just comes with age. But for the most part, it’s still all about location. I have the luxury at this age of living in a community where I feel a genuine sense of safety and connection. I can look out my window and see neighbors that have my back, any time of day. I can walk down Main Street after midnight and never once feel compelled to look over my shoulder. Freddy Krueger’s not quite as terrifying in a town where you don’t have to lock your doors.
It’s a privilege to feel that sort of security in your own neighborhood, because of course, the truth is that scary things can happen to anybody, in any town. But I believe that when you’re engaged with your neighbors and your community, the whole world seems less frightening—even the movies.
On that note, by the time you read this, I’m sure that some of the houses around Manasquan and Brielle will be absolutely covered with cobwebs, tombstones and assorted body parts. Or maybe you’ve already got some amazing costumes in the works. If this sounds like your house or your family, send us some photos as soon as possible. If they make our deadline, we’ll run the best ones in the next issue.
Until then, stay safe, go easy on the candy...and maybe check under the bed, just in case.
Christopher Baldi Editor
Manasquan +Brielle MAGAZINE
Group Publisher
Jodi Bruker
Director of Business Development
Kathy Gordon
Editor
Christopher Baldi
Art Director
Sue Park
Writers
Lynda Lee Macken
Molly Mechler
Darren Monroe
Meghan Schultzel
Clara Seigler
Photographer
Amy Nolan Photography
Social Media Manager
Molly Mechler
WAINSCOT MEDIA
Chairman Carroll V. Dowden
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Mark Dowden
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Thomas Flannery
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Maria Regan
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Advertising Services Director
Jacquelynn Fischer
Operations Director
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Production Designer
Chris Ferrante
Print Production Manager
Fern Meshulam
Advertising Production Associate
Griff Dowden
Manasquan + Brielle magazine is published by Wainscot Media. Serving residents of Manasquan and Brielle, the magazine is distributed monthly via U.S. mail. Articles and advertisements contained herein do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher. Copyright 2024 by Wainscot Media LLC. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written consent.
PHOTOGRAPH BY ALANA MAHON
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Rubas Law Offices
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Aspen Consulting Group
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Lutz Law & Vogler Law
Lindsay Lutz. Esq 732-477-6300
Jayne Vogler, Esq. 732-920-4800
Professional Mental Health Counseling
Michael Balestrieri, LPC 732-687-0423 happythoughts-llc.com
Stateside Affairs
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Therapy & Wellness
Jessica Decker, LCSW 732-592-9927
Giovanna Coppola, LCSW, Yoga Teacher 732-540-5705
Wavelight Studio Video Production 609-707-1652 wavelightstudiollc.com
Around Town
THRILLING THEATER
Crowds packed Manasquan’s Algonquin Arts Theatre for a rousing production of the Tony Awardwinning sensation “Spring Awakening.” Director Ian Moore and choreographer Mark Megill helmed the latest installment of The Algonquin’s Broadway Series with a dazzling cast led by Amelia Gallagher and Sam Cusson. Special thanks to John Posada for the production photos. Next up: The Algonquin’s Broadway Series continues with their October production of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.” Get your tickets now!
COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTIONS
On Aug. 8, community members gathered in Mallard Park as Manasquan Borough proudly dedicated the Donovan Family Marina, to recognize the Donovan family members who have served the town throughout the years, including former mayors William Donovan and Ed Donovan and councilmen Walter Donovan and Bill Donovan, Jr. “I am very thankful to the Mayor and Council for recognizing the contributions of my family over the past 50 years,” said Ed Donovan. “It was our privilege to serve the citizens of this great town.”
GONE FISHING!
Congrats to Ryan Degennaro, who won the 9-13 age division with an 18.75inch fluke at the Manasquan Fishing Club Big Sea Day Fishing Contest. More congratulations to Manasquan Fishing Club members Luis Cadalzo, John Sheehan and Bill Pollock, who hooked winning catches at the Shore Haven Yacht Club Fluke Tournament. Want to get reel? Check out manasquanfishingclub.com for details on all the upcoming events.
THANKS FOR SHARING!
Manasquan’s Bettina Edwards celebrated the start of local summer by having a drink on the beach with a copy of our September issue. We love hearing from our readers, so if you’re enjoying this issue from a scenic location, tag us on social media and let us know how we’re doing.
CLAWS FOR CELEBRATION!
This summer, Manasquan’s Paramount Diner made a huge splash by featuring a variety of lobster items on their summer menu. “In the first few weeks alone, we sold over 80 pounds of lobster,” says co-owner Linda Smith. Due to popular demand, The Paramount will continue to offer their locally-loved lobster specialties through the fall, including Lobster Bisque, Lobster Rolls and an amazing Lobster and Jersey Tomato Salad. Stop into the Paramount and get your claws on some today! Special thanks to Jenn Cleary and family for the photo!
• Oct. 5: Manasquan Presbyterian Church hosts Live2Lead, an exciting development event featuring worldclass leadership experts. This dynamic event is designed to equip attendees with fresh perspectives, practical tools and actionable strategies for their personal and professional lives. Gain insights, meet like-minded people and leave with a renewed sense of purpose! Visit www.fpcom.org for details.
Around Town
• Oct. 13: Get a grip and hit the Manasquan Inlet for the return of the Manasquan Tug of War! The action starts at 11 a.m., but get there early, because whether you’re watching or participating, this event always draws a big show of hands. All proceeds benefit the recreation departments of Manasquan and Point Pleasant Beach. For additional information and inquiries, email mitugofwar@gmail.com.
• Oct. 19: Hit the beach for a great cause, as Clean Ocean Action leads another wave of Beach Sweeps across the Jersey Shore. Over 80 locations are looking for volunteers of all ages, including Belmar, Spring Lake, Sea Girt and Manasquan’s Main Street Beach. Grab a bucket, a pair of work gloves and be part of the team that keeps our beaches beautiful! Check out cleanoceanaction.org for registration and location information.
• Oct. 22: Bring your little ones and join magician Steve Woyce for an afternoon of magic tricks and treats, as the Brielle Public Library presents its Halloween Magic Show. The show is full of laughs and fun, but nothing scary, so it’s suitable for ages 3 and up. Register in advance at briellelibrary.com.
• Oct. 26: Get crafty and hit Squan Plaza for The Manasquan Halloween Craft Fair. Featuring a variety of spooky handmade items from the best local artists and vendors. The fun starts at 10 a.m., so bring the family and feel free to show off your costumes!
• Have you ever experienced a real-life Christmas miracle? Do you have an amazing holiday story? Maybe you’ve had a close encounter with Santa? We want to hear from you! We’re hard at work on our December issue, and we’re looking for Christmas and holidaythemed stories from Manasquan, Brielle and the Jersey Shore! Reindeer on your roof? Elf sightings? We want to know! Email us at hello@ manasquan-brielle.com!
FOOTBALL IS BACK!
Manasquan High School Football kicked off their season on Aug. 31 with a resounding 33-0 victory, as the Big Blue Warriors defeated Neptune in a non-conference game at ‘Squan’s home field. Junior quarterback Matt Antonucci led the scoring, which included his 29-yard reception from halfback Frank Tackett in the third quarter. Big thanks to Sean Dettlinger for the amazing photos. Come out and catch one of these exciting upcoming games as the Warriors’ season continues:
MANASQUAN HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
• Sept 27: Raritan
• Oct 5: Ocean Township
• Oct 11: St. John Vianney
• Oct 18: Point Pleasant Boro
• Nov 28: Wall Township
Q & a
Designing Woman
An expert opinion on home improvements.
BY MOLLY MECHLER
INTERVIEW WITH KATHERINE COWLEY
owner of Moose Interior Designs
Designing a living space is more than just arranging furniture and picking paint colors. It’s about creating an environment that reflects your personality, nurtures your well-being and adapts to your lifestyle. Interior design is where art meets functionality, blending aesthetics with practicality to transform a house into a home.
Whether you’re drawn to the clean lines of modern minimalism, the timeless charm of rustic elements, or the bold statements of eclectic styles, the possibilities are endless. We spoke with Katherine Cowley, owner of Moose Interior Designs, to learn about some of her favorite techniques, her passion for tackling projects and completing entire homes from start to finish, and the inspiration behind the name of her business.
How did you get into interior design?
I have always been into interior design, even at an early age. My parents did a lot of renovations to our house growing up. They were always changing and redoing spaces in our home to make it more functional, and I was always a part of it. When I was in 8th grade, I was captured by an Interior Designer who came to speak. I think I knew from there.
I studied interior design and architecture in college and then began working with builders and construction companies. I would help my friends draw up plans or redesign their homes. What started as a small side job has grown into a full-fledged business. I’m currently working on 20 projects, ranging from a couple of rooms to entire houses.
How did you come up with the name Moose Interior Designs?
The name comes from my late father. He was always working on projects around the house, and I was his “right-hand man.” He was larger than life, both in reality and in spirit. His friends called him Moose, and he called me his Mini-Moose. He was my biggest supporter and was always so proud of me. He loved to talk shop and share his opinions and suggestions. When the time came to open my business, I wanted to find a way to keep his spirit and memory with me.
What would you say is your design style?
Warm and modern. I strive to blend traditional elements with sleek, contemporary lines to create spaces that are comfortable, homey and visually pleasing.
What is your favorite room to design?
Definitely the kitchen. The kitchen is the hub of the house, where everyone congregates, starts and ends their day, has conversations and entertains guests. I focus on designing the best workstations for the family, ensuring the kitchen is the most functional room in the house. Since the kitchen reflects the homeowner, I strive to make each design as unique as possible.
What makes Moose Interior different from other designers?
I use my skills and degrees to work directly with builders, functioning as a full-service designer. Often, I draw and design the plans, essentially acting as the architect for my clients. We manage renovations from start to finish, typically handling the entire house. I also use software that allows me to show clients what their homes and spaces will look like in 2D and 3D.
You’re nominated for an HGTV Designer of the Year award. Can you tell us about that specific project?
I was nominated for my kitchen design in a home project that I completed from start to finish. The home is 8,000 square feet and features a spectacular kitchen. I am honored to have been nominated. There are two categories: Editor’s Choice and People’s Choice. The winning space from each category will move on to another round of voting, with the ultimate winner featured on the show.
Would you ever be interested in having your own design TV show?
No, that’s definitely not for me. I prefer working behind the scenes with my clients and builders. Besides, I don’t think I’d be very good on TV.
What is one piece of advice you would give to someone who is renovating or redoing their kitchen?
Materials are expensive, and it’s important not to cut corners. First, I recommend waiting until you have a secure budget, as unexpected expenses can arise. Do some research by reading magazines, touring friends’ homes and clearly defining your wants versus needs.
Do you decorate your home for Halloween?
I do. I keep it simple yet fun. Since time flies by, I start decorating in September with a fall theme, using mums and corn stalks. As Halloween approaches, I add more decorations, like black bats, witches’ hats and candlesticks hanging from trees. I might even dress up a skeleton for the front lawn. My goal is to keep it simple with some elevated touches.
Moose Interior Design is located at 501 Union Ave in Brielle. Follow @mooseinteriordesigns for more information and tips on how to freshen up your space or to contact Kat if you’re looking to start a renovation project of your own.
Ghosts
of the Garden State
New Jersey’s preeminent paranormal author covers three spooky true stories that hit very close to home.
BY LYNDA LEE MACKEN
I grew up on Staten Island, where my interest in the supernatural was fostered by a nearby haunted house. In 2000, I founded Black Cat Press to chronicle my ghost sightings in the Adirondack Mountains of New York State. 25 years and 40 books later, I’m still fascinated with and writing about the supernatural, including these three chronicles from the Jersey Shore:
Paramount Theater, Asbury Park
On September 8, 1934, the SS Morro Castle ran aground en route from Havana, Cuba, to New York City. 137 passengers and crew lost their lives.
During the voyage, the Morro Castle’s captain, Robert Willmott, died suddenly from a heart attack. Chief Officer William Warms replaced
Below: The SS Morro Castle was an American ocean liner that caught fire and ran aground on the morning of September 8, 1934. The wreckage came to rest near Asbury Park’s Paramount Theatre, which many believe remains haunted, 90 years later.
Right: The Paramount Theatre, as of 2024.
Wilmott at the helm as a strong Nor’easter developed. To make matters worse, at 3 a.m., a fire broke out in a storage locker and quickly accelerated, engulfing the ship in flames.
The fire burned through electrical cables and plunged the ocean liner into darkness. The storm drove the disabled vessel closer to shore as desperate passengers and crew tried to escape the blaze and choking fumes. The few lifeboats that were launched carried mostly crew members to safety; passengers were forced to leap into the churning ocean. An assortment of watercraft in the area assisted survivors to shore.
Unable to sail under her own power, a Coast Guard cutter eventually attempted to tow the damaged ship to its original destination. Stormy seas snapped the tow lines, and the burning hulk came to rest
on a sandbar in front of Asbury Park’s Convention Hall.
The hull still smoldered the following morning when inspectors boarded the ship to search for victims and valuables. The massive fire consumed the decks and gutted the cabins. Corpses were transported to the Paramount Theatre and laid out on stage for identification purposes. For a small fee, interested ghouls could gawk at the cadavers. Thousands of curious spectators and reporters lined the boardwalk to see the charred remains.
The Morro Castle remained on the sandbar for many months and spurred an economic boom for Asbury Park since suffering the effects of the Great Depression. City officials capitalized on the tragedy and turned the wreck into a tourist attraction by charging $5 to ride
the breeches buoy onto the deck. On March 14, 1935, the ruined Morro Castle finally ended up in New York’s Gravesend Bay for scrap.
Coincidentally, at almost the identical location off Asbury Park, the immigrant ship New Era wrecked in dense fog on November 13, 1854.
The completion of the third Madison Square Garden in New York and Atlantic City’s new Convention Center put city officials under pressure to construct a similar venue for Asbury Park. Plans were drawn to construct a 1600-seat theatre, and a 3200-seat convention center connected by an enclosed grand concourse. Walter Reade, who owned four theatres in Asbury Park, brokered a deal with Paramount Pictures and named the showplace the Paramount Theatre, which is still co-located with Convention Hall on the boardwalk.
On New Year’s Day, 1930, the film Wings inaugurated the new cinema, which featured a mix of movies and live performances. A more spectacular grand opening followed on July 11, 1930, attended by Hollywood luminaries Carole Lombard, Fredric March, Ginger Rogers, Ed Wynn and the Marx Brothers, among others.
When the Garden State Ghost Hunters Society (GSGHS) investigated the venerable theatre, every team member discerned inexplicable footsteps, knocking noises and ethereal voices. A few sensed phantom touches. Crew member Tina Bates experienced an unseen entity pull one of her earrings off, and several witnesses watched it sail across the room.
The group perceived shadow people on stage and the group’s thermal cameras picked up the heat signature of human buttocks on one of the theater seats. Team members scrambled when a light bulb flew off a shelf four feet away, in response to their question, “Are you unhappy with us being here?”
Are these fuming entities leftover energies from the awful Morro Castle disaster? Are the incorporeal beings present here resentful over their untimely death on a pleasure cruise, coupled with the further insult of morbid opportunists profiting from their death? Further investigation may ultimately provide the answers.
Excerpted from Ghosts of the Jersey Shore (Black Cat Press, 2024.)
Historic Allaire Village, Wall Township In 1822, James Allaire purchased this property as a resource for his New York City iron works. At the time, Allaire led the manufacture of marine steam engines. He eventually transformed the site into a self-sufficient community, with housing and food supply for the workforce, a post office, church, school and company store. The town even printed and issued its own currency.
Allaire continued to live in his village while maintaining his New York business until his death in 1858. When he died, the town’s name was changed to Allaire, New Jersey.
Today’s Historic Allaire Village is a notable example of an early American company town. The settlement is also noteworthy for its ghostly inhabitants. In the Visitors Center, for instance, psychic mediums detect a strong male energy. History records Benjamin Marks as the disgruntled village supervisor who lived in one of the row houses (which are now rebuilt on their original foundation).
One morning, as staffers performed their routine security check in the cellar, they heard the sound of heavy footfalls. They cautiously approached the interloper and encountered the partial apparition of a man wearing boots! They suspect this startling
effect stands as a postmortem visit from the sullen manager.
Other mystifying manifestations in the building include electrical anomalies; lights, projectors, cameras and security systems sometimes go haywire for no reason.
Eric Mabius is an actor whose father became the museum director at Historic Allaire Village in the 1980s. The Mabius family lived on site, and Eric and his brother considered the 330-acre park their playground.
One foggy night, they approached the “Big House,” James Allaire’s former residence. Dim security lights illuminated the empty house as Mabius peered through the window, in response to the sound of inconsolable sobbing coming from inside. He observed a tall figure dressed in funeral garb and a top hat. The man didn’t seem “right,” said Mabius. The grief-stricken apparition turned his head toward Mabius and their eyes met. The sighting terrified the actor and troubled him for years.
When a cholera epidemic hit New York City in 1832, James Allaire moved his family to his Howell village, but to no avail. His wife, Frances, perished from the disease.
When psychic medium Kim Russo visited the site, she envisioned a woman dying in an upstairs bedroom, which validated the sad event. Russo also discerned the bodies of other cholera victims buried on the grounds particularly in the open quad area between the General Store and Allaire’s mansion. For years, the story of a lady in white floating over the area persisted at this spot on the historic property.
Another resident ghost is Hal Allaire. He also haunts the Big House, and his playful spirit enjoys taunting the costumed interpreters who work in the building. Hal lived at Allaire as a virtual recluse until his death in 1901. Without funds to maintain the site, the buildings fell into disrepair and the property became known as the Deserted Village of Allaire.
The otherworldly Hal is a mischievous poltergeist who likes to move books and household objects. He apparently possesses a fondness for playing with candles as well.
Top: The “Big House” of Historic Allaire State Park, the former residence of James Allaire, believed by many to be haunted by his ghost. Below: The Allaire Village carpenter shop, 2024.
This proclivity became evident when Russo, who discerned Hal’s presence along with his father’s, posed questions to the men. The lit candle animatedly responded to the medium’s inquiries.
Excerpted from Haunted Monmouth County, Revolutionary Ghosts & Historic Haunts, (Black Cat Press, 2014.)
The Garden State Parkway Phantom
As any resident knows, the Garden State Parkway stretches the north-south length of eastern New Jersey from the state’s southernmost tip near Cape May north to the New York State border. The Parkway is the state’s longest highway, and south of Toms River, the road mostly runs through unspoiled wilderness in the Pine Barrens and swampland, interspersed with small towns and Jersey Shore beach communities.
Millions travel the route to their favored shore destination, and sometimes the legendary Parkway Phantom catches drivers
unaware along an Ocean County stretch of roadway near Route 37 in Toms River.
Typically, the lanky male specter emerges on mist-enshrouded nights and is seen loitering along the roadside, where allegedly he met an untimely demise. Those who have witnessed his presence say he wears a full-length belted raincoat and appears wildly flapping his arms. Some motorists say his behavior looks as if he wants to cross the busy highway. Others have stopped to help the man- but when they do, he vanishes. Many suspect that the revenant could be an accident fatality of the distant past, and that his erratic behavior is a warning to motorists to slow down.
One foggy evening, as this writer traveled south passing under the Lakehurst Road overpass, I observed a tow truck ahead on the side of the road. The vehicle was easily spotted, its lights flashing as it assisted a stranded motorist. Before I reached the truck, I also spotted a man on the right
side of the road, his arms flailing excitedly. The tow vehicle displayed plenty of caution lights—the man in the trench coat did not need to alert passing cars. I thought him a clod as I passed him by, but soon realized I had just witnessed the Parkway Phantom.
The sightings date to 1955 when Parkway construction was completed. The manifestations usually occur along an eight-mile length of roadway near Exit 82, close to the Toms River Barracks of the New Jersey State Police. Law enforcement will not comment on the reports, but they do admit to a larger-than-usual number of accidents in the area.
Over the last 25 years, bestselling author Lynda Lee Macken has chronicled hundreds of spectral tales in forty books of true ghost stories. In addition to her many radio and television appearances, Macken has consulted for A&E, PBS and the Travel Channel. The Rutgers University graduate lives at the Jersey Shore in a gently spirited home.
Left: Mile 82 of the Garden State Parkway has been the site of numerous paranormal sightings. Above: A bird’s eye view of the Garden State Parkway, home to what many call “The Parkway Phantom.”
Right: The Garden State Parkway, circa 1950s.
TOUR NEW JERSEY’S Scariest Movie Settings
Some of the scariest movies ever made have been set or shot in New Jersey. This Halloween, explore them all...if you dare!
BY CLARA SEIGLER
For those of us who love a good scream, there’s no better way to relive your favorite scary movie than by exploring the locations where the cameras rolled. This Halloween, after the credits roll, hit the road to visit (or revisit) some of the most iconic locations in horror history. Here are five classic titles (and one brand new indie hit) that have spooky cinematic roots right here in the Garden State.
Top left: The Toms River Amityville Horror location, circa 2024. Bottom left: Camp Crystal Lake, AKA Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco, circa 2024. Right: Haddonfield, New Jersey, circa 2024.
Clara Seigler is a glassware and design specialist; she recently relocated to the Jersey Shore by way of New York City.
Halloween, 1978
John Carpenter’s seminal slasher film introduced the world to Michael Myers, a silent boogeyman who escapes from a mental institution and returns to his hometown of Haddonfield, Illinois. As trick-or-treaters roam the sidewalks, the deranged killer stalks and terrorizes teenagers, all while Dr. Loomis and local law enforcement struggle to catch up.
The film inspired an endless series of sequels and reboots, but John Carpenter’s low-budget original is a genre classic for good reason. It’s more genuinely suspenseful than gory, the music is timelessly creepy, and it’s a got a star-making performance by future Oscar winner Jamie Lee Curtis, back when she was just 19 years old.
The film was shot on location in California, but the fictional Illinois suburb was named for and inspired by cowriter and producer Debra Hill’s hometown of Haddonfield, New Jersey. Like its cinematic equivalent, the actual Haddonfield is quiet and idyllic on the surface. “The idea of pulling off the veneer and seeing what lies beneath has always intrigued me,” Hill told author David Konow in 2012.
If you happen to visit Camden County, which lies on New Jersey’s western border, you’ll find that there’s still a fairly strong resemblance between the Haddonfield of the Garden State and the sleepy, creepy Haddonfield of the Halloween franchise. Hill’s alma matter, Haddonfield Memorial High School, even resembles the Haddonfield High School of the series.
The Amityville Horror, 1979
It’s the movie that made house-hunting even more frightening than usual. After moving into their wouldbe dream house, a family of five begin to experience terrifying paranormal disturbances. Strange noises, ghostly apparitions and a swarm of insects haunt Mom and the kids, while Dad becomes strangely possessed by the house itself.
The movie (and the supposedly factual novel that inspired it) are set in Amityville, New York, a village on the south shore of Long Island. But the exterior of the central location, which became one of the most famous facades in movie history, is located just a few miles from Exit 81 of the Garden State Parkway.
During pre-production in 1978, location scouts searched properties across the East Coast, from as far north as Maine and as far south as South Carolina, before settling on a four-bedroom Colonial in Toms River, New Jersey. To model the movie’s house after the real one that inspired it, the production gave the upper level a false exterior, which added an uncanny pair of “eye windows.”
Stars James Brolin, Margot Kidder and Rod Steiger arrived in Toms River for the start of principal photography in October 1978. Additional scenes were shot at Riverwood Park and the Ocean County Courthouse, the latter of which, anecdotally, has been buzzing with ghost stories of its own for decades. Those menacing “eye windows” are long gone, but the Amityville house is still plainly visible to anybody who travels Brooks Road. It’s long been privately owned and occupied, so if you’re planning a driving tour of the iconic location, be respectful of the residents, living or otherwise.
Friday the 13th, 1980
A group of prospective camp counselors arrive in the rustic mountain town of Crystal Lake to reopen a long dormant summer camp. Some of the locals warn them that the old campgrounds are cursed, but none of the counselors take those warnings seriously; until, one by one, the counselors begin to go missing.
Like Halloween, Friday the 13th is a horror series that has been sequelized and rebooted to death; the image of Jason Voorhees in his hockey mask is one of the most enduring figures in movie history. But if you’ve never seen the original Friday, don’t assume that you know what to expect. You’re in for some fantastic practical effects, a clever twist ending, and the mother of all jump scares during the final moments.
The film was shot in the fall of 1979, in and around the New Jersey towns of Blairstown, Hope and Hardwick. For the iconic setting of Camp Crystal Lake, production was staged at Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco (short for Camp North Bergen Boy Scouts.) The camp has been active since 1927, occupying 380 acres of the Kittatinny Mountains and still hosts hundreds of scouts every year.
Today, Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco and Crystal Lake Tours offer live Friday the 13th events, screenings and tours through the Halloween season. Prior events have featured appearances by the movies’ stars, crew members and FX artists, and tickets often sell out in minutes. Many of the original film’s locations are eerily well preserved, making this little corner of the Garden State an ultimate destination for horror movie fans.
Creepshow, 1982
Stephen King made his screenwriting debut when he joined forces with director George Romero for this five-part horror anthology movie, inspired by the EC comics of the 1950’s. Creepshow is a little dated by today’s horror movie standards, the scares are fun but campy, and some of the five segments are stronger than others.
The third of those segments, “Something to Tide You Over,” is a fan favorite and arguably the strongest part of the film. Leslie Nielsen (pre-Naked Gun) exacts a sadistic revenge against the man who’s been seeing his wife, played by (pre-Cheers) Ted Danson. The setting is a beautiful stretch of private beach, where the revenge takes a supernatural turn.
The movie’s four other segments were filmed on location in and around Pittsburgh, but “Something to Tide You Over” was shot on location at New Jersey’s Island Beach State Park. The beachfront setting is left unspecified within the movie, but the park’s famous white sands and rolling dunes are instantly recognizable.
As a film, Creepshow is quite obviously a product of the early 1980’s. But over the past five decades, Island Beach has remained virtually unchanged. Park admission has even been free to visitors since 2020, and Creepshow fans can still step right into the movie’s most beautiful location.
The Toxic Avenger, 1984
It’s not exactly Citizen Kane, but it’s a definitive VHS cult classic: After bullies send him into a drum of toxic waste, scrawny Melvin Junko transforms into a bulging, deformed superhero and embarks on a gory spree of revenge.
The Toxic Avenger is so shlocky and slapdash that even the violent moments are played for comedy. But the movie found a big cult audience through video store word-of-mouth, launching the career of low-budget director Lloyd Kaufman, eventually spawning a Marvel comic book, a Saturday morning cartoon and a slew of sequels.
The original movie was shot in 1983 throughout Northern parts of New Jersey, including Boonton, Rutherford and Jersey City. The movie’s fictional city of Tromaville is set near the New Jersey Turnpike, and the Garden State remains a big part of the franchise lore. (The original tagline: “The first superhero from New Jersey”). In 2008, the movie even inspired an award-winning off-Broadway musical, with an opening number called “Who Will Save New Jersey?”
40 years later, most of the Toxic Avenger shooting locations have been updated: The Boonton storefront that served as the Tromaville Health Club is now a salon, the Rutherford setting of the Mexican restaurant showdown is now a Popeye’s Chicken, and Jersey City’s RiverviewFisk Park has been renovated. But because it was shot on location (and on a shoestring budget) the movie still plays like a campy, warts-and-all tour of North Jersey in the early 1980s.
I Saw The TV Glow, 2024
Justice Smith and Brigette Lundy-Paine star as teenagers who find themselves strangely connected to an enigmatic late-night TV show. When the show is mysteriously cancelled, the teens begin to question the nature of their own reality.
I Saw The TV Glow was one of this year’s breakout hits at the Sundance Film Festival. It had a limited theatrical run this summer and earned overwhelmingly positive reviews. It’s very much a modern horror film, especially in comparison to the other, older films on this list. The pace is unhurried, plot threads are left ambiguous, and the movie is scarier in terms of tone and atmosphere than in actual story points.
Production took place predominantly in New Jersey in 2022; locations included Cedar Grove High School, Verona High School, Keansburg Amusement Park and Asbury Park’s iconic punk rock club The Saint. In the two years since shooting wrapped, The Saint has closed its doors, but most of the other locations are virtually unchanged, and they might never look the same in person once you’ve seen the movie. Essentially, director Jane Shoenbrun creates an alternative universe that feels more like Twin Peaks than the Garden State.
“I definitely have a world that I naturally gravitate toward,” said Schoenbrun, in an interview with Steve Prokopy. “Which I think is my way of reflecting on the strangeness or illusory nature of my own childhood, growing up in the ball pit of the suburbs.”
I Saw The TV Glow recently hit streaming services, and already has all of the hallmarks of a movie that could find a cult following. And for New Jersey residents, it’s a chance to see some very familiar locations through a spooky, unsettling new lens.
Above: A painting by Leah Sonta, based on her recollection of the ghost that she encountered in her family’s attic. Top right: “It was like ‘The Wonder Years,’” says Leah Sonta of growing up in Manasquan. Bottom right, from left to right: Patricia, Leah and Darcy Krumme, circa 1975. Opposite page: The Krummes pictured at the Manasquan Fire Department, summer 1976.
A Haunting in Manasquan
They were ordinary New Jersey kids who loved their old house on Parker Avenue...even when it went bump in the night.
Leah Krumme was fascinated by the attic of her childhood home. It was partitioned into unfinished rooms, which were full of great big stuffed animals and costumes that had been collected by her mother. For years, the attic was Leah’s unofficial playroom. She was around six or seven years old the first time she saw a woman’s ghost in that attic.
The woman was dressed in long, flowing clothes that appeared to be from the Victorian era. Her hair was styled in a bun. The figure was white and translucent; her entire body was visible but see-through. She was crossing the attic, approaching an area that was full of toys, but she didn’t acknowledge or make contact with Leah.
“I was terrified,” says Leah (now Sonta). “I could barely even move. I was just frozen. Then I squeezed my
BY M+B STAFF
eyes shut and covered my face, and when I peeked out again, she was gone.”
Several months later, Leah saw the Victorian woman’s translucent spirit for a second time, again in the attic. “The first time, she was walking away from me. The second time, she was moving toward me,” says Leah. Just like the first encounter, the woman didn’t acknowledge her. “I’m not sure if she even knew I was there.”
The Wonder Years
Leah was the youngest of Mary and Richard Krumme’s four children; Matthew was the oldest sibling, followed by Patricia and Darcy. Their family lived in Manasquan from 1967 until 1978, and had, all things considered, a relatively peaceful suburban upbringing.
For the first few years of their time
in Manasquan, the Krummes lived with their two Irish-American aunts, Kate and Kessie.
“I adored Aunt Kate,” says Patricia (now Baker). “But Aunt Kessie would frighten me. She was really old, and she had this wild hair, and she was a little bit senile. As kids back then, we didn’t really understand senility. So when we saw Aunt Kessie walking down the hall, it was definitely frightening.”
It was an era of large families with lots of children. “Back then, it seemed like every house on the block had at least three or four kids or more,” says Patricia. “The Clayton family next door had eight.”
“It was like ‘The Wonder Years’ back then,” says Leah. “We had so many friends in our neighborhood. But after a while, most of the kids seemed to realize that something spooky was going on with our house.”
Bump in the Night
In addition to her ghostly encounters, Leah describes regular, inexplicable occurrences that any child would find terrifying. Sometimes, the FM radio would come to life on its own. Sometimes, a toilet would flush for no reason. The door of her bedroom closet would often creak open and slam shut, without explanation. Meanwhile, Patricia never saw any apparitions but found herself inexplicably spooked by the attic. “It’s hard to describe, but that attic always just gave me creepy feelings. It was like as soon as I set foot in there, I would get this gut feeling telling me to leave.”
By the time she was nine years old, Leah was so spooked that she took to sleeping in their mother’s room on a regular basis. But in that room, she had another incredible sighting.
“It was around my birthday. I was laying down on my mother’s bed, looking out at the clouds. I remember I had a stomachache at the time. And then I looked over and saw this beautiful woman appearing from the corner of the room. She had these big beautiful wings that were made of light.”
Even though the vision was striking, Leah was understandably terrified, and she screamed for help. When Mary rushed into the room and listened to her daughter’s account, she explained that Leah had most
likely seen an angel.
“My Aunt Kate had passed away by that time,” says Leah. “Sometimes I wonder if the angel I saw was her.”
Parlor Games
The game “Light as a Feather, Stiff as a Board” goes back many generations; it’s something of a slumber party tradition for many American kids. Essentially, a first player lies on their back and crosses their arms, while a group of other players attempt to “levitate” that player using just two fingers of each of their hands. Theoretically, the physics of the game allow for the first player to be lifted with relative ease.
But as anybody who has actually attempted the game back in their junior high days will tell you, it’s not quite that
simple. In order to accomplish the trick of “levitation,” the weight of the first player has to be perfectly and equally distributed, which is easier said than done, especially for kids. In most cases, the game devolves into giggling and silliness.
That wasn’t the case for the Krumme siblings, when they attempted a round of “Light as a Feather” with some of their neighborhood friends. Leah and Patricia both describe the experience of achieving an almost instantaneous levitation, without much effort. “We started playing without really taking it serious,” says Patricia, “And the next thing you know, we just lifted her right off the ground, up to our chests.”
Other times, the Krummes played with a Ouija board, and the results were
Above: Leah Sonta (née Krumme), Manasquan Elementary School photo, 1975. Right: Leah Sonta (née Krumme) revisits her childhood home on Parker Avenue, during a recent visit to Manasquan. Opposite page. Top: Mary Krumme, circa 1949.
Bottom: Leah Sonta (née Krumme), Manasquan Elementary School photo, 1976.
THE MYSTERIOUS HISTORY OF “LIGHT AS A FEATHER, STIFF AS A BOARD”
• Folk Traditions: The origins of “Light as a Feather, Stiff as a Board” are somewhat murky, but the game is believed to have roots in old European folk traditions, and possibly even dates to medieval times.
• Victorian Spiritualism: The game grew in popularity during the Victorian age, a time when spiritualism and séances were in vogue. During parties of this era, social parlors were often the setting for experiments with the unknown. Games like “Light as a Feather” would be played as a sort of party trick that also hinted at the paranormal.
• Modern Popularity: The game became especially popular among American teenagers in the 20th century, particularly in the 1960s and 1970s. It was often played at slumber parties as a spooky ritual. The game was seen as a harmless way to indulge in the thrill of the supernatural, though many have viewed it with suspicion due to its unnatural connotations.
• Modern Cultural References: Over the past few decades, “Light as a Feather, Stiff as a Board” has been referenced in various movies, TV shows and books, often as part of scenes involving the supernatural, such as the 1996 film “The Craft,” where the game is depicted during a sleepover scene. In recent years, the game has inspired a book series and Hulu TV show of the same name.
just as unnerving. Patricia remembers those games becoming very strange, very quickly. “It was like the game had a mind of its own and made predictions that eventually came true.”
Leaving Manasquan
Mary and Richard Krumme eventually split up. In 1978, Mary told her kids that she was putting the house on the market and moving their family to Florida. For Matthew, Patricia, Darcy and Leah, the move came as a sad surprise. They loved Manasquan and adored their house on Parker Avenue, spooks and all.
The house sold quickly, and shortly thereafter, the Krummes left for Florida. To soften the transition, Mary even arranged a limo to take their family from Manasquan to the Newark Airport.
On the day of the Krummes’ departure, friends and neighbors lined Parker Avenue to see them off.
“It was one of the saddest days of our childhood when we had to leave Manasquan,” says Leah. “All of our friends came out and crowded around to say goodbye. We had our heads out the window, and I can still see all the kids running after our limo as we were driving away.”
Ironically, the same house that had been the setting for some truly scary experiences is also the source of the Krummes’ warmest childhood memories. “Your normal is whatever you grow up with,” says Leah. “We loved growing up in Manasquan so much, and even those weird slamming doors were just kind of normal after a while.”º
Don’t get Spooked by Sugar Season
Staying healthy doesn’t have to be a trick, even if you’re enjoying a few seasonal treats.
BY MEGHAN SCHULTZEL
As Halloween approaches, we’re not just welcoming spooky season—we’re diving headfirst into “sugar season.” It starts with Halloween candy and carries right on through to candied yams and pies, to Sufganiyot and all of the Christmas cookies. But let’s not forget that this is the season for joy and family, so don’t let the stress of indulging in sweets ruin such a special time. As a health coach, I promise you, you can maintain, or even achieve, your weight loss goals during “sugar season,” while still enjoying yourself. So, let’s start early this year by getting a handle on all of that candy, with some of my favorite Halloween practices.
• Smart Swaps: At our house, we always offer noncandy options, as well as water bottles, to our trick-ortreaters. Alongside our candy bowl, I always include packs of popcorn, pretzels and small toys. (You can get a treasure chest of these toys for $20 at Oriental Trading Co). As a mom of two wild boys, I’m always shocked when they choose a snack pack or toy over candy at the houses that offer these options. I also like to swap out heavily dyed and
processed candies for more natural brands. For example, if you’re shopping at Target, you can find brands like Yum Earth and Smart Sweets.
• Candy Trade: Don’t worry, my kids are still keeping more than a week’s worth of candy, but a trade can be a fun way to help them manage their stash. Once they realize they aren’t eating an entire pillowcase full of candy in a single day, the trade becomes very enticing. This activity can be both fun and educational, helping kids learn what they value and why. Think of it as “Let’s Make A Deal” (Am I aging myself here?). In exchange for half of their candy stash, offer them a prize behind Door #1 (maybe it’s a toy that they’ve been eyeing), and let the negotiations begin!
• Switch Witch: For younger kids, the Switch Witch is a fun tradition. Children choose the candy they want to keep and leave the rest out for the Switch Witch, who magically swaps it for a toy while they sleep. Even now that they’re a little older, my kids still ask if the Switch Witch can make a visit!
• Share the Wealth: This is my favorite option. As my children get older, we’ve phased out of the Switch Witch Era and into the Acts of Service Phase. There are plenty of ways to donate your leftover candy, and two of the best are local:
Women’s Club of Manasquan: They collect leftover candy and make goodie bags for Meals on Wheels recipients, as well as for our local first responders.
Campi Dental In Wall: Not only do they encourage you to avoid cavities, but they will donate your leftover candy to our troops overseas.
Finally, a reminder for the grown-ups: It’s okay to enjoy a treat or two without guilt. Halloween is a time for fun, and
that includes you. Just like with the kids, balance is key. Indulge, enjoy and remember that moderation is part of a healthy lifestyle.
And if self-control isn’t your strong suit, feel free to join me on the week after Halloween for a free Five-Day Halloween Sugar Detox. It’s nothing too crazy, just a way to get a handle on the leftover candy, with a focus on movement and hydration, to ensure that the Halloween sugar rush doesn’t spill over into Thanksgiving. Find more details on my instagram, @ Meghan__Schultzel. Happy Haunting!
Want to be featured in an upcoming Wellness Watch? Have a fitness or wellness event that you’d like featured? Reach out to Meghan.schultzel@gmail.com
WELLNESS WATCH OCTOBER EVENTS
When: Tuesdays in October, 7:30 - 8:30 a.m.
What: Slow Flow Yoga with Colleen McCrone
Where: Manasquan Senior Community Center Register: Manasquan Community Pass
When: October evenings and weekends
What: Pickleball
Where: St. Denis Church, Manasquan Register: Manasquan Community Pass
When: October 6
What: Spooktacular Almost 4 Mile Fun Run
Where: Manasquan Register: www.runsignup.com
When: October 20
What: Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk
Where: Ocean and Arnold Avenues, Point Pleasant Beach Register: makingstrideswalk.org
When: October 26
What: Monster Dash 5k and 1 Mile Fun Run
Where: Jenkinsons Aquarium, Point Pleasant Beach Register: www.runsignup.com
When: October 27
What: Main Street Donuts Cider and Donut 5k Where: Belmar Boardwalk Register: www.runsignup.com
START TRAINING NOW:
When: November 16
What: Thanks4Giving Turkey Dash 5k and Turkey Splash
Where: Asbury Park Register: thx4giving.org
When: November 23
What: Manasquan Turkey Trot, 1 or 5 Mile
Where: Manasquan Little League Baseball Field Register: www.runsignup.com
When: December 7
What: Asbury Park Santa Run
Where: Asbury Park Register: www.apsantarun.com
When: December 31
What: JSRC New Year’s Eve 2 Mile Twilight Fun Run/Walk and Party
Where: Leggett’s, Manasquan Register: www.runsignup.com
For Gourd’s Sake!
Chef Darren hosts various events, such as farm-totable dinners and cooking classes throughout the Jersey Shore and offers food prep for those who need a little help eating healthy. He recently teamed up with the Brielle Cookbook Club for culinary education and inspiration. His mission is to cultivate connection and build community through the medium of amazing food. To learn more, check out his socials @darren.monroe, website at www.darrenmonroe.co or e-mail him at darren.monroe@yahoo.com
BY DARREN MONROE
Welcome to October, which is a whole month full of seasons: Halloween Season; Flannel Season; Pumpkin Spice Season; Gourd Season. Yes, you read that right: October is when these wonderful, weird and ‘gourdgeous’ fruits of fall come out to play! Gourds include the fruits of some flowering plant species in the Cucurbita family, which includes pumpkins, squash, luffa and even melons. Personally, I prefer my gourds like I like my scary movie villains—the uglier the better. Unfortunately, most of these ugly guys are of the inedible type, so be extra particular and do a little research about which ones you eat and cook. As far as edible gourds go, there is no better choice than butternut squash. Mild, sweet and buttery, this fall favorite is extremely versatile. You can
add it to almost any dish to bring a touch of autumn to your plate. You can cube it and roast it for salads or dice it up and add it to a sauce. Slice it in half and stuff it, or season and roast it whole for an interesting centerpiece dish.
And perhaps the very best way to use butternut squash is in a soup. A nice steaming bowl of butternut squash soup is the perfect way to warm up on a crisp October night. This month’s recipe is my version of this fall classic, with some added plant protein for hardiness and health. Try it out and let me know how yours comes out!
Whether you’re out harvesting or produce shopping this October, pick up some ugly ornamental gourds, and remember, the uglier the better! Happy Gourd Season, everybody!
Cooking with Chef Darren
BUTTERNUT BISQUE
INGREDIENTS:
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 medium butternut squash (about 3 pounds), peeled and medium diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp minced ginger
• 1 tsp coriander
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tbsp chopped sage
• 1 carrot, medium diced
• 1 container silken tofu, or 3/4 cup plain greek yogurt (optional, but good for additional protein)
• 4 cups vegetable stock
1. Heat extra virgin olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt. Sauté until soft, 5 to 8 minutes.
2. Add the garlic, sage and ginger. Stir and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until fragrant.
3. Add butternut squash, spices and broth. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until the squash is tender, 20 to 30 minutes.
4. Let cool slightly, and pour the soup into a blender with tofu, working in batches if necessary. Blend until smooth. CAUTION: Be careful blending hot soup, as it can explode if the blender is on full power and/or filled too high. If possible, start on a lower power setting, and work your way high. Also, open the top of the lid if possible (not the lid itself) for ventilation, and cover the hole with a towel during blending.
5. If your soup is too thick, add up to 1 more cup of broth and blend.
6. Season to taste and serve with parsley, pepitas and crusty bread.
Spooky Reads for Your October Bookshelf!
Fall is officially here, along with ghosts and ghouls and all things terrifying. Tap into the season with these spine-chilling thrillers.
BY LEIGH MALLIN
The Reformatory by Tananarive Due
A page-turning, heart-pounding novel set in the Jim Crow South. Based on a real life “school” for boys where horrific events took place, and where a young relative of the author’s was killed. As expected, there are triggering scenes; however, this is an important book, centered on a brother and sister determined to survive, and to put a stop to the trauma and abuse inflicted at these schools.
How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix
Oh. Em. Gee. This is Grady Hendrix at his best! How to Sell a Haunted House is crazy fun and wicked creepy. Louise and Mark’s parents have just died, and they have to clean and clear out their childhood home to prepare for its sale—but the house has other plans. Readers beware: You will never look at dolls or puppets the same way again! Reading during the day with lights on is strongly suggested!
The September House by Carissa Orlando
This is a twisted, scary as heck, darkly funny haunted house thriller that will give readers all the Grady Hendrix and Exorcist vibes, with a little Vecna from Stranger Things thrown in. The story of a woman whose beautiful Victorian dream home devolves into a haunted nightmare. This is not for the faint of heart—some images had me gasping in fear (and disgust!) Overall, this is a wildly fun and terrifying novel, perfect for out-ofthe-box horror fans.
Our Share of Night by Mariana
Enriquez
Wow! Epic literary horror at its finest! Spanning time and place, Our Share of Night is the story of a wealthy and powerful family called The Order, who will stop at nothing to keep their souls immortal. Multi-layered with themes of love and family, ghosts and the supernatural, Our Share of Night is one of those unique reading experiences we readers crave!
Nightwatching by Tracy Sierra
This compulsively readable psychological thriller will keep readers on the edge of their seats. Secluded house in a snowstorm, a mother home alone with her two small children and an intruder in their midst. If that doesn’t give you chills, I don’t know what will. I loved the underlying themes of madness and femininity. Another novel to read with all the lights on and with somebody else at your side!
Notes On An Execution by Danya
Kukafka
Equal parts unnerving, suspenseful, thoughtprovoking and heartbreaking, Notes On An Execution will stay with its reader long after the final page. Kukafka’s prose is beautiful and timely; so much so that she had me empathizing with a psychopath. Are we born good or evil, or does it happen over time through outside influences? This is a perfect beach read or cold weather read; it’s so fantastic that I read it twice!
Leigh Mallin is a bookseller at BookTowne.
Emmett is an 8-year-old Ragamuffin, seen here living his best life and wedging himself right into the middle of an inspirational quote. (The obstructed words, by the way, are “living by.”) Special thanks to Manasquan’s Caryn and Don Pettigrew for sharing this shot of their favorite, fuzzy little roadblock.
