Dark Harvest by Norman Partridge

Kelsea Taylor
Nov 4
2 min read

Summary: This story follows Pete, who is among the town's boys that all come out on Halloween to hunt the legendary nightmare known as October Boy, or Ol’ Hacksaw Face, or Sawtooth Jack. He rises from the cornfields stuffed to the brim with candy and a bloody butcher knife in his hand to cause mayhem throughout town. The town where hordes of teenage boys who haven’t eaten for days are hungry and ready to kill to win the ultimate prize: escape the town and live life. Only there is more to the legend than what is being told, and the adults know exactly what is going on. Will Pete make it out of town, or will he forever live and die there discovering the true secrets of October Boy?

Thoughts: This was my first dive into horror reads, and while the story began on a promising note, I ultimately rated it three stars. The primary issue was the format; it frequently shifted between different narrative perspectives, which I found somewhat confusing. The book was a quick read due to its shorter length, and it featured a reasonably engaging plot. However, I found some of the characters rather annoying, except for the main character. I appreciated the concept of the October Boy and the unique twist on a Halloween monster. The idea that the entire town harbours a deep, dark secret is common in small-town horror stories, but this version had its own flair, which I enjoyed. The October Boy and the main character were the highlights for me, as there wasn't much else to hold my interest. Overall, it was an okay read. I didn't dislike it and would recommend it for anyone seeking a light horror experience, but I likely won't revisit it anytime soon.