Nerds That Geek Book Review: 'Heart Shaped Box'

Written by Scott Edwards

Have you ever purchased something that has changed your life? A new car, a new home, a pair of shoes? When you take that plunge to buy that one thing that seems like it will be life changing for you at the time, you feel like you are on top of the world, but sometimes there is regret shortly after your excitement has died down. Buying something that will be beneficial to you in the long run is always the way to go, but every once in a while that crazy impulse buy could leave you longing for your money back.

Retired rock star Judas Coyne is always on the lookout for something out of the ordinary. Having to still live up to the persona he left on stage years ago for his image and his current girlfriend, Jude is always willing to pay for something that others would shy away from and his manager Danny Wooten has found that one item that nobody else could have, a personal ghost. The offer on the web site says that the ghost is attached to the seller’s uncle’s suit and she needs to get rid of it because he is scaring her daughter. Jumping at the opportunity to purchase something so strange, Jude hits the ‘buy now’ button and ends the bidding in one click. 

When the suit arrives at Jude’s home, he notices that it comes in a black heart-shaped box.  Thinking nothing of it at the time he removes it and takes a good long look. His girlfriend Georgia likes the look of the suit and picks it up, pricking her thumb on a hidden pin and offers to put it on if that is what he wants. Jude declines the offer, telling her that he has purchased not only the suit, but the ghost that was supposed to be buried in it as well. He puts the suit back in the box and puts it on the shelf and goes along with his day, but when he is found in his garage by Georgia sleeping in his car with the engine running, Georgia takes matters into her own hands and burns the outdated garment.

That does not discourage the ghost in any manner as he starts to focus all of his powers on the destruction of Jude. Putting images in Jude’s head of killing his girlfriend, along with toying with Georgia’s emotions, Jude is about to have a rude awakening. When Jude comes to the conclusion that there is nothing in his power to help him get rid of the ghost himself, he decides to take a road trip and return the ghost to its rightful owner, the seller. But during his trip with Georgia, the ghost is right on their heels at every turn. 

A disturbing page turner by Joe Hill that will leave you shaking in your boots. As you get to understand the family and history of Craddock McDermont (the ghost), you start to understand where the true problem lies. One thing that comes with every good ghost story is the truth that is hidden behind it. With the family past in the novel, it is easy to see why Jude’s ex was crazy and ended up killing herself and why Jude is the easy scapegoat. A marvelous ride that will leave you a bit shaken as the pages come to an end and hey, that is what it is supposed to do. Joe Hill does a fantastic job capturing your emotions in this novel and leaving you in awe in the end. Stay Scared.

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