Title: Catacombs of Hell
Author: Mary A. Lonergan
Publisher: LitFire Publishing, LLC
ISBN: 978-1641517706
Pages: 264
Genre: Romance & Suspense
Reviewed by: Arnold Carreiro
Hollywood Book Review
Author Mary A. Lonergan has written a captivating novel of fascinating content in her book titled Catacombs of Hell.
I appreciated that protagonist Madeline Windsor is hearing impaired, and her reliance on a hearing aid amplified the sense of dread and pending danger when the story finally dropped the poor woman within the dark, dreary, and morbidly decorated depths of the Catacombs of Paris. I was hoping with a title like “Catacombs of Hell,” that there would have been a larger focus on the horrors lying within those infamous crypts, but the book heavily leans towards sharing the amorous aspects of Madeline’s blossoming romance with Jack Holt in the idyllic City of Lights instead. That’s not a bad thing mind you – I just found that it was a shame that the truly worthwhile horror elements of the story began to appear and capture my interest so late in the book.
Speaking of which, I particularly enjoyed the clever, spooky, and absolutely gripping introduction, as introducing Madeline in such a sorry state was an excellent hook that prodded me to keep reading so that I may see the horrible things that she had to overcome to get to this point for myself. Then that tense energy quickly evaporates mid-chapter as it seamlessly transitions into the calm and sweet majority of Catacombs of Hell.
While all of the elements are present for a light-hearted romance that pulls the rug out from underneath the reader after they’re accustomed to the blossoming romance, as it quickly transitions to the gritty, grim, and homeless search for the surface near the end. I loved the ease of the story along with the suspense that continued right up until the end! Readers will see some genuine glimmers of good ideas within Catacombs of Hell that deserve much praise. This story as an entertaining read, full of history, suspense, romance and intrigue.