What if a federation of witches hosted a thirteen-level haunted house on Halloween? And what if making it through by the witching hour netted one survivor ten thousand dollars? Imagine the magic was real. What kind of horrors could exist in such a house?
This is the premise of Mind Like a Diamond, a new novel by Amanda Pavlov. Main character Lisette Starling Colbert is an intelligent student at a private school as well as an accomplished gymnast. She’s also as poor as a churchmouse, and her family is involved in some shady activities. After a series of bad luck, Lisette finds that she and her mom are about to be evicted from their apartment. After she’s expelled from her school, Lisette receives a flyer about the unusual haunted house and associated contest from some new friends. Trouble is, rumors state witches are in charge of the house, and some participants never make it out.
The hook of Mind Like a Diamond is captivating, one of the strongest on the market today. The premise checks a lot of horror reader’s boxes: Halloween, haunted house, list of victims (er, characters). The house has thirteen levels full of ghoulish fun, and some of the levels are more terrifying than others. The levels, both gruesome and chilling, are the beating heart of this novel.
The novel takes place in one of two the spookiest places in the United States—New Orleans, Louisiana. (For the record, the other is the entire state of Stephen King’s Maine). The city plays a large part in the creepiness factor of the book. The writing describes both New Orleans and the Halloween season and immerses Lisette in a world of chills and thrills right from the start.
For a first-published book, Amanda Pavlov’s style and technical skills read like a long-time professional. Snippets like “When it rains, it pours. It had been a soggy year.” concisely draws the reader in with few words. The dialog rings true from age to geographic location, and the emotions the teens are experiencing also feel authentic.
But horror novels live (or die) on whether they can bring the scares. Mind Like a Diamond delivers in this department too. Just about every conceivable creepy thing for the last three decades makes an appearance in this novel. If someone is afraid of it, it’s in here. Certain levels are extremely effective at drawing out the tension. So as not to give anything away, I’ll just say that level three and level nine were my two favorites.
The novel has a definitive first, second, and third act. One can draw a line where each one begins and ends. To me, the highlight of the book is the second act, but the third act is a surprising and pleasant change of pace. The narrative shifts abruptly between the acts from the establishment of setting and characters in act one, to the haunted house in act two, to resolution in act three. The assumption is most readers will enjoy act two the most, but act three effectively wraps up the plot and builds upon everything that has happened in the prior two acts. Certainly, act two is worth the price of the novel.
While the idea of going to a haunted house might sound like a middle grade or early young-adult novel, Mind Like a Diamond is neither. Lisette is an older teenager dealing with the situations often found in our younger age group in the inner city. Expect drug use, sexual situations, profanity, and violence, some more suited to adult novels. If you enjoy the grittier side of YA, you’ll relish this gem of a book.
If you like supernatural horror novels, you’ll enjoy Mind Like a Diamond. The more you know of the horror genre, the more you’ll be entertained. And while the plot has pulse-pounding scares a-plenty, you’ll find it also has a well-rendered depiction of teenagers and the struggles they endure to fit into their world.
Amazon Review: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1736430068