Snowman (Jim Rook, #4)

Title: Snowman (Jim Rook, #4)

Author: Graham Masterton

Published in: 1999

Date read: 19th May 2009

Score: 4/5

Genre: Horror, Supernatural

Plot: (Warning, may contain spoilers):
"Snowman" by Graham Masterton, published in 1987, is a chilling supernatural horror novel that blends a classic haunted house premise with a unique and terrifying creature, set against a backdrop of chilling winter isolation.

The story follows Roger and Helen Davies, an American couple who inherit a remote and sprawling Victorian mansion nestled in the snowy depths of the Wyoming wilderness. Seeking a fresh start and a change of scenery, they move into the isolated property, despite its eerie atmosphere and unsettling local legends.

Almost immediately after their arrival, strange and terrifying phenomena begin. The house seems to possess a malevolent will of its own, but the true horror emanates from beyond its walls. They discover that the mansion is not simply haunted by conventional ghosts, but by a chilling, elemental entity connected to the unforgiving winter landscape itself.

This entity manifests as the "Snowman" – a terrifying, icy presence that gradually takes on a corporeal form. It's not a benign figure, but a monstrous, predatory being made of snow and ice, with an insatiable hunger for warmth and life. It is drawn to the heat within the living, and its touch brings a horrifying, freezing death.

As the winter storms intensify, trapping the Davieses in the isolated mansion, the attacks from the Snowman become more frequent and violent. They realize they are not merely besieged by the elements but by a creature of pure, ancient cold that seeks to claim them. The house itself seems to be a conduit for its power, providing no refuge.

Roger and Helen must frantically search for a way to combat this supernatural force, delving into the mansion's dark history and the local folklore about the land's vengeful spirits. They uncover the truth about the creature's origins and its past victims, realizing that they are battling an entity that is almost a physical manifestation of death by freezing.

The novel builds a powerful sense of claustrophobia and dread, using the brutal winter landscape as an antagonist in itself. The climax sees Roger and Helen making a desperate, fiery stand against the formidable Snowman within their frozen prison, in a terrifying fight for survival against an enemy that embodies the very essence of cold and death. "Snowman" is a quintessential Masterton novel, known for its visceral horror and unique monster concept.

Comments:
This is very frustrating, I remember reading and enjoying this book but I cannot remember much other than the ending which will be an epic spoiler.

Books that we've read by Graham Masterton (9):
Charnel House (1978), Walkers (1989), Prey (1992), Fortnight of Fear (1994), Tooth And Claw (Jim Rook, #2) (1997), Snowman (Jim Rook, #4) (1999), The Devil in Gray (2004), The Doorkeepers (2012), Forest Ghost (2014)