A Paroxysm of Fear by Chad Miller

Fear and mystery follow me like an unwanted shadow. As the case of my missing friend, Dr. Charles Thorton, has horrifically concluded, a new mystery emerges! My miserable colleague, Thomas Braham and I discovered that Cordelia had been transformed into an abominable monster, and now we are now off on a discovery to find the root of her evil. We are whisked off on many twists and turns as our adventures lead us to lunatic asylums and underground surgical arenas. Our new apprentice, Scarlett, also joins our endeavors as I pray she only acts as our silent observer and resists sticking her nose where it doesn’t belong.

And still, our anonymous prisoner remains. They sit there waiting to be rescued and survive the torment and torture that awaits them. I’m confident they will be discovered, but I worry that the empty cell will be quickly filled by another poor soul.

I say with the greatest of confidence that Thomas, Scarlett, and I will uncover the truth. My fear and anxiety still remain. Sometimes it’s better to let things lie peacefully in ignorance. What sordid and cruel vermin will slither to the surface once we start turning up stones and digging holes? But my curiosity and need for discovery tamps down any trepidation I may have, and besides, I owe it to Dr. Thorton. Pray for us.

To life and light,

John Doyle

Goodreads Synopsis

Overall Rating

4/5

Spooky Rating

2/5

Quick Take

A Paroxysm of Fear by Chad Miller is the follow up to The Prisoner of Fear by the same author. Miller’s style continues to be ideal for individuals who enjoy historical fiction with a side of fear. If you enjoy slow burn horror that reads like such essential horror authors as Edgar Allan Poe, then this is the perfect read, and series, for you.

Tell Me More

After reading The Prisoner of Fear by Chad Miller this past fall, I was excited when A Paroxysm of Fear was released. I had some questions after reading its predecessor, and I was hopeful that the sequel would answer some of them.

Like The Prisoner of Fear, A Paroxysm of Fear is a novel told in diary entries. This style felt very antiquated to me, which led me to connect it to such classic authors as Edgar Allan Poe. Writing the novel in diary entries was ingenious, because it allowed Miller to withhold information from the reader and keep them curious. While the novel did answer some of my previous questions, it did raise more for me, and I am still pondering what I read.

The type of horror that Miller brings in A Paroxysm of Fear is the creeping kind, in that it isn’t obvious and soon you find yourself on edge and questioning what lurks in the shadows. It is slow and beautiful, and while not outright scary, it will chill you to the bone.

Chad Miller is a horror author who has quickly become one of the best I have read in the genre. His voice is uniquely his own, and I thoroughly enjoyed A Paroxysm of Fear. While the writing style and soft horror will not speak to everyone, I recommend this novel and Miller’s works to anyone who enjoys classic and creeping horror.