Title: Relic of Death
Author: David Bernstein
Genre: Horror, Dark Fiction
Rating: 3,5 stars
Purchase: Amazon
Review copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
When two mob enforcers take care of a hit in the suburban countryside, they stumble onto a seemingly abandoned house. While searching the place, they find a simple leather briefcase full of what they think are priceless diamonds.
But things are never as they appear…
For the briefcase is a bringer of death. This ancient evil, once contained for centuries, is now unleashed. Those who come in contact with it will be granted their greatest desires at the even greater cost of their lives.
“David Bernstein delivers a fast-moving tale of desire and destruction that gives new meaning to the words, “Be careful what you wish for.” Relic of Death twists reality and will leave you reflecting on your own personal Achilles heel long after you finished reading…” —Allan Leverone, author of Mr. Midnight
“A fascinating, unpredictable, ever-shifting tale of greed and desperation. Highly recommended!” —Jeff Strand, author of Pressure
“Relic of Death doubles as a powerful parable and a terrifying story. Proving himself to be a prodigious new talent, David Bernstein creates a blood-soaked canvas where dreams change to nightmares and hope transforms to dread.” —Jon Bassoff, author of Corrosion
In Relic of Death, after their car breaks down, two hit men find refuge in an abandoned house nearby. They search the place, stumbling upon a briefcase that holds priceless diamonds. While they think they got the hit of their lifetime, the suitcase holds a secret much darker and much more sinister. The briefcase brings death and despair to everyone who touches it, promising them the one thing deeply desire, but killing them when they try to achieve it.
The briefcase travels from owner to owner, but all stories flow from one scene into the next, and they make for an intriguing story. The writing was great too, and highly atmospheric. The story moves fast, and the pacing never flows down.
I didn’t find it that scary though, and I had hoped it would be slightly scarier. It’s an intriguing read though, and the characters were well-developed even if they got little screen time. A solid read for fans of supernatural horror.
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