Book Review: The Benson by Karina Halle

Title: The Benson (Experiment in Terror #2.5)
Author: Karina Halle
Genre: Paranormal Mystery, Ghosts, Horror
Publisher: Metal Blonde Books
Publication Date: December 7th 2011
Goodreads | Author Website | Amazon
Review copy provided by the author for review.

The Benson is a novella written by one of my favorite horror/ghost story authors of all time – Karina Halle. If you regularly read my reviews, you’ve no doubt come across my reviews of her previous novels, Darkhouse, Red Fox and Dead Sky Morning. I love her Experiment in Terror series, focused on two intriguing, enjoyable and kick-ass characters Perry and Dex who have more chemistry than a chemistry lab and are just plain cool. The Benson is a novella that takes place between Red Fox and Dead Sky Morning and is a quick, fun read that shows the complex relationship between Perry and Dex, adds some ghosts and legends in the mix and takes place at the legendary hotel The Benson.

This story walks the border between short story and novella, so I can’t tell you too much without giving away any spoilers. What I can tell you is that it’s an intriguing short story, with the characters we’ve grown to love and that it takes place in a haunted hotel that’s now number one on my want to visit list. Perry and Dex meet up with the spirit of an old sea captain for their amateur YouTube show on ghost hunting and from that point on, things are about to get a lot scarier.

Once again, Karina Halle’s writing is spot-on. Her characters are realistic, emotional and downright fun. The dynamics between Perry and Dex are enough to keep me reading, and when you add the tension and suspense, I’m hooked. While the story is very short, you can’t miss out on it if you’re a fan of Experiment in Terror. If you’re new to the series, start with Darkhouse. If you’re a fan of ghosts, paranormal mysteries and romance, you will love this series.