Review: Asylum #3: Catacomb by Madeleine Roux

Dan, Abby, and Jordan have barely survived their senior year.  That isn't an exaggeration; the incidents that took place in Brookline Dorm (a former psychiatric hospital) at New Hampshire College Prep nearly took their lives.

To celebrate the end of senior year, the trio decides to take one final road trip together.  Jordan is moving in with his uncle in New Orleans; this seems like the perfect getaway.  Abby is thrilled to join in; she's working on a project photographing historical sites and buildings. Dan is more than willing to join in on the fun as well.  The excitement is diminished when Dan begins receiving messages from a friend...who passed away last Halloween. Add on to this the strange photographer that seems to be following the trio on their road trip, it isn't unreasonable for the trio to be suspicious.

Of course, the strangeness doesn't end once they reach New Orleans. Instead, it intensifies.  Dan learns that the horrific events that transpired last year may not have been random, but fate.  His biological parents were tied to a dark and mysterious group called the Bone Artists.  With a name like that, it's obvious they are up to no good.

Using found photographs, the Dan, Abby, and Jordan dig deep through the past to get answers about the mysterious messages, the unidentified photographer, and Dan's family history.

Let me start off by saying I adore everything about this trilogy of books (starting with Asylum and Sanctum).  It has become tradition for me to read them during the October read-a-thon and feature them as part of Murder, Monsters & Mayhem.  When this conclusion to the trilogy was released, I could not wait to start it. Each and every one of these books is unique in that the author uses chilling photographs as found footage to help progress the story.

This most recent installment is no different. Yet, in this case, the photographs are beautiful in their creepiness. This time, it’s a combination of photograph Abby has taken and those they have found on their hunt for answers. Here’s just one example:

Additionally, this title succeeded in wrapping up the various storylines that began in previous books, interconnected characters that were apparent, but the depth to that connection was completely unknown. I do love me a trilogy that is wrapped up and tidy, and this one most certainly does, not without a suspenseful and bone-chilling ending, of course.

While it doesn’t have the ghosty haunted premise of the previous books, the fact that it is set in New Orleans makes the reader quite aware that there will be more of a voodoo feel to it. Though I wasn’t as chilled or terrified as the previous books, this one was so well executed, with a pacing that kept me engaged enough to read this in one sitting, made this a completely memorable read.  I do implore you to check out the previous two books. Must reads for this time of year! Highly, highly recommended.

Photo credit: Emily Ellsworth