The Eaton is the debut novel of John K. Addis. Spanning more than 100 years of mid-Michigan history, but told in the gruesome style of ‘80s horror classics, The Eaton tells the story of Sam Spicer, who purchases the dilapidated Michigan Central Railroad Depot in Eaton Rapids with the dream of opening a hot new martini bar. But when he and his friends discover an abandoned underground hotel directly beneath the property, they must discover what happened to the original guests—before their own time runs out.
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The Eaton is a super creepy book. It reminded me a lot of The Shining by Stephen King, but not immensely. It has that same creepy hotel feel where you don’t know what’s real and what’s not. I actually think The Eaton would make a pretty cool movie if it were done right.
I like how the author has the past and present stories alternating to some degree. It’s not as confusing as it probably sounds, but it really does help the reader get a better understanding of what’s going on. The hotel seems like a super cool place, but that feeling quickly wears off once the action starts.
I would like to have had more details of what happened with the original set of guests, but that is just my usual curiosity wanting to know every tiny bit of the story and each character’s experiences.
The Eaton is a great book that will keep you engrossed until you finish reading, simply because you want to know what will happen next and why everything is happening how it is. Addis strings us along, giving us little juicy tidbits of the history along the way. He draws us down the creepy old hallway of The Eaton and shoves us into the Victorian (I think?) era elevator, hoping against hope that the elevator will take us to the surface and freedom instead of plunging us further into the depths of horror.
I would recommend The Eaton to anyone who loves a good horror story with rich, well-developed characters who all have their secrets they would like to keep hidden, but are faced with a horror they’ve never met. If you ever hoped to find secret tunnels under the floorboards of an old house or imagined you were on some sort of expedition to discover secrets that have been buried for years, you might want to try The Eaton.
**I received this book for free from in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.**
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About John K. Addis
John K. Addis is an award-winning designer and marketing professional in Lansing, Michigan. When not advertising the products and causes of his clients, Addis enjoys expressing himself creatively in as many ways as possible. In the past two decades, Addis has composed a variety of works for small music ensembles, drawn a daily comic strip for The State News (Studentangle), written & directed a micro budget feature-length film (The Bells of Beaumont Tower), and has seen his photography displayed at local galleries. He is presently the CEO & Creative Director of AE: Adventures in New Media, continues to perform keys and vocals in a Williamston-based cover band (The Black Barn Band) and has recently started writing his second novel, The Paper. Addis lives in Lansing’s historic Westside Neighborhood with his brilliant wife Leah, creative daughter Sophia, and adorable toddler Julian.
