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Beth Ortiz had always wanted to own and operate a small theatre company. So when one of her best friends approaches her and asks her to take his place at an exclusive artists’ community known as The Castle, Beth knows her dream has come true. Little does she know, her dreams soon become nightmares in Lisa Morton’s debut novel, THE CASTLE OF LOS ANGELES.

Upon moving in and working on her first play, Beth notices strange phenomenon such as lights shutting off and apparitions in the dark. After talking to her neighbors, she learns The Castle had been used in numerous ways over the years, everything from a dairy plant to an inpatient mental hospital. Even more worrisome is that as Beth researches specific cases that occurred in the Castle, she starts to experience similar situations in her day-to-day life.

As the story progresses and Beth’s play gets closer to opening night, she struggles to keep everything from falling apart. Not only are the ghostly visitations increasing in frequency, but her theatre troupe is also coming under attack by the malignant forces. People go missing. Actors get hurt, and in some cases, killed. As the tension builds toward the climax, Beth and her friends find that they’re being swept up in a dark undercurrent as the theatre has taken on a life of its own.

THE CASTLE OF LOS ANGELES shines in numerous ways, primarily when it comes to setting and character development. Morton’s experience as a screenwriter and producer bring the theatre scenes to life, detailing all aspects of starting from scratch and moving through the creative process. I found it entertaining to walk through each of the steps, especially with the unique characters she created for the story. It also helps that Morton is a California native, making it easy for her to develop the scenes that take place outside The Castle and bring the scenery to life.

There were also a couple things that didn’t work as well for me. One of the main characters – Beth’s upstairs neighbor, Jessamine – just never felt right. The tension between Beth and Jessamine seemed forced, and the scenes when Jessamine tried to explain what was happening to Beth while she was in The Castle fell a little flat. The other aspect that had me shaking my head was how long Beth and her friends stayed in The Castle in light of what was going on around them. In the introduction to THE CASTLE OF LOS ANGELES, Gary Braunbeck tries to explain it by detailing the camaraderie between actors and directors, but I’m not sure I buy it. If it comes to finishing a play or saving my life, then I’m tucking tail and running for the hills once things turn deadly.

THE CASTLE OF LOS ANGELES is a good debut novel. While I had a few quibbles, the story is still entertaining and has enough twists to keep you guessing until the end.

THE CASTLE OF LOS ANGELES was published by Gray Friar Press. It is available in two states – a $14 trade paperback and a $32 signed limited edition hardcover.

(6 out of 10)

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