If you could talk to the dead, what would you say? If you could talk to your lost loved ones, would you attempt to reconcile the past? These are questions that Schrader’s Chord by Scott Leeds explores.
Disclaimer: The publisher provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Any and all opinions that follow are mine alone.
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TL;DR
Schrader’s Chord by Scott Leeds is a moving horror novel that explores grief. This is an excellent debut and an excellent all around read. Highly recommended.
From the Publisher
Heart-Shaped Box meets The Haunting of Hill House in Schrader’s Chord, Scott Leeds’s chilling debut about cursed vinyl records that open a gateway to the land of the dead.
I told you they were real.
After his estranged father’s mysterious death, Charlie Remick returns to Seattle to help with the funeral. There, he discovers his father left him two parting gifts: the keys to the family record store and a strange black case containing four antique records that, according to legend, can open a gate to the land of the dead.
When Charlie, his sister, and their two friends play the records, they unwittingly open a floodgate of unspeakable horror. As the darkness descends, they are stalked by a relentless, malevolent force and see the dead everywhere they turn.
With time running out, the only person who can help them is Charlie’s resurrected father, who knows firsthand the awesome power the records have unleashed. But can they close the gate and silence Schrader’s Chord before it’s too late?
Review: Schrader's Chord by Scott Leeds
Charlie Remick and Ana Cortez react very differently to the death of Charlie’s father. Ana feels the loss of her mentor as well as the fear of losing her job. Ana began her obsession with music in the store owned by Charlie’s father. She loved the store so much that she began to work there. Through working closely with the Remick pater, Ana learned and began to resent Charlie, who left home and family in Seattle, WA for the music industry in New York, NY. Charlie broke off contact with his father after the death of their mother. Upon learning of his father’s suicide, Charlie, of course, returns to Seattle. He’s there more to be with his two sisters than grieve. His father, however, left the business and a surprise to Charlie. In addition to a record store, Charlie got a case that supposedly contains four records from a legend that Charlie’s father told his kids. Inside are four records that when played together open a gate to the land of the dead. The legend states that those who hear the records are then cursed to die. Of course, Charlie, Ana, and two others play the records. Soon, they begin seeing the dead and, more disconcerting, speaking to them as well. Upon returning home, Charlie sees his father hanging from the tree in their backyard. Then his father begins to talk to him. He and the others must find a way to close the gate or they will die. They each begin to experience a vision of a spirit, and after the vision, attempts on their lives are made. Charlie must figure out how to close the gate, or they will all die.
Schrader’s Chord by Scott Leeds is a third person, horror novel. Charlie and Ana are the two point of view characters. The book is well paced. It has action balanced with character development. It’s a fun read that deals with grief in interesting ways. Highly recommended.
Charlie and Ana
It’s obvious from the moment they meet that they’re attracted to each other, and Leeds sets up their romance quickly. It starts as a bit of Romeo and Juliet, star-crossed lovers type thing, but that drops as Ana (and, therefore, the reader) learn more about the Charlie and his father’s past. Both Ana and Charlie are likable. I, a non-hardcore music fan, bought them as connoisseurs. Charlie is a bit distant at the start of the novel, but he opens up more and more as it progresses. Ana is lovable from the start. Her backstory is wonderful, and she was my favorite character by far.
Charlie and His Father
The conflict between Charlie and his father takes up most of the book. Considering that at the beginning, the father is dead, it’s impressive that this is conflict that drives everything. Another impressive part of this book is how the story of that conflict is delivered. Charlie doesn’t give it; other characters fill Ana in on the backstory. This lends objectivity to the story. If Charlie were delivering it, I’d think it was biased. But since he’s not telling the backstory, readers can believe what they’re told about the father. It’s really well done and points to a well crafted story.
Grieving
Schrader’s Chord is a book about grief and things left unsaid between the living and the dead. Only Leeds gives his characters the chance to speak to their lost, loved ones. Charlie and his father have a chance to remedy the rift between them in a way that others don’t. In reality, when death takes someone from us, we can’t communicate with them. We can’t resolve past fights. We can’t apologize for past errors. But if we could, would we? Or would we maintain the same stubbornness that keeps us from resolving our hurts and healing our wounds now?
Since I lost my parents, I’ve always wanted just one more moment with each of them. I don’t know what I’d say, other than I love you. Charlie gets that opportunity, and Leeds poses interesting questions to us through Charlie’s choices. The horror and shock quickly pass. Soon, Charlie’s dad isn’t simply returned from the dead; he’s just Charlie’s dad.
Conclusion
Scott Leeds’s Schrader’s Chord is a beautiful horror novel about grief and making peace with the past. It’s a story that moves and keeps you glued to the page. It’s a fantastic debut, and I’ll be on the lookout for Leeds next work. Highly recommended.
Schrader’s Chord by Scott Leeds is available from Tor Nightfire on September 5th, 2023.
© PrimmLife.com 2023