Mother Dauber

Delilah Jones returns to her hometown of Clear Fork to care for her mother who has dementia, per her uncle’s request. The days are mundane, filled with housework and trips into town where she purchases Pepsi for her sick mother and a coffee for herself. The townsfolk give her strange looks, and the only person who offers any friendliness is Gengi, a grocery clerk. And of course her ex-boyfriend’s loyal dog, Tinker, keeps her company back at her mother’s house.

Things take a dark turn when Delilah begins to hear voices coming from the woods surrounding the home. Voices from the past that are long gone. Not only is she hearing these voices, she is beginning to see things that aren’t there. Or are they?

Delilah relies on the sheriff, an old crush, to help her determine what’s real. Together, they uncover something truly terrifying and he reveals truths from the past that Delilah has no recollection of. Something has attached itself to Delilah and has no intention of letting her know the truth. The more she uncovers, the more terrifying things become.

With fall quickly approaching, so is my favorite holiday, Halloween. I decided to read Mother Dauber to get into the spooky fall spirit! Filled with twists and turns, the book is both unputdownable and unpredictable. The writing is so descriptive, leaving little to the imagination, and by the end everything is tied together neatly. It’s perfect for fans of Midwestern and cryptic horror.

Kaleb (aka K.) Bengston is a local author, and he stopped by the store last month to sign copies of both his books, Mother Dauber and The Boatman. If you didn’t make it to the signing, we have extra signed copies, so stop by and grab yours before they’re gone! ___________________________

Reviewed by Romey