A candle burns in the basement, a door appears in the dark, a monster awaits and the door always opens …
Jonathan Pongratz is a writer of action-packed horror, sci-fi, and speculative fiction, known for crafting bold characters who face sinister forces with resilience. Despite his fictional heroes’ bravery, Jonathan has a few real-world fears—bees, attics, and large bodies of water—which would likely leave him in a very short-lived role in one of his own stories. With a love for paranormal themes inspired by his family’s own eerie experiences, Jonathan infuses his works with a sense of mystery and the unknown, even if he doesn’t directly pull from personal events. He’s the author of two short stories, ‘Conscience’ and ‘The BEK Curse,’ (check out my reviews here) where characters struggle against oppressive forces that challenge their control. When not writing, Jonathan can be found belting out karaoke hits or streaming video games on weekends.
Pongratz’s book ‘Reaper: A Horror Novella’ is about Gregory, who is excited to babysit his sister, Imogen while their parents go out for the night. All Gregory wants to do is watch TV but it’s Halloween night so the kids keep knocking at their door for candy. While he is pondering what to do, Imogen goes missing. He goes into the basement and there she is. He hears a knocking at the door. There is no one. It’s the wrong door. Another door has appeared in his basement which was never there before. It opens and they see a tall and towering figure, wearing tattered robes and hooded mask emerge out of it. It lets out a high-pitched scream, snatches Imogen and takes her through the door. The door disappears without leaving a trace.
Will Imogen ever come back? Who was the monster? What did it want and why did it took his sister? What will his parents do now? Gregory wants answers to all these questions. But to get to the truth, he has to work alone because no one can be trusted anymore. What he doesn’t know is that his nightmare did not end but has only begun.
Reaper is a haunting novella which presents horror and suspense with precision. It’s unsettling narrative wraps around you like fog on a cold Halloween night establishing a creeping sense of dread. The protagonist is a vulnerable and relatable figure. The readers root for him, not just because they want to see the mystery getting solved rather they feel his helplessness and confusion. What’s most terrifying about the novella is not the horror aspect but the familiarity it exudes. It feels disturbingly close to home, as if it could happen in your town, your neighbourhood or your basement. It never allows the readers to feel settled or safe.
The writing style is lean and purposeful. The fast-paced narrative is laced with tension and leaves no room for rest. Pongratz presents the story in restraint, avoiding reliance on gore and terror. For me, what makes the book stand out is that the fear is deeply personal. It explores the terrifying possibility that the people you love can be taken away from you in the flash of a moment and the people you trust and rely on may not be who you think they are.
Although the myth of Bogeyman and the folklore of Reaper adds to the richness of the narrative, I wish they were elaborated and focused on more than they are in the novel. Despite it being a compelling narrative, the secondary characters remain underdeveloped. The emotional weight each character holds in the book is not much explored.
That being said, Reaper is the kind of horror that leaves claw marks on your psyche. It’s a ghost story wrapped in mystery, betrayal, and the quiet terror of being left behind. Jonathan Pongratz is offering a reading experience that is as gripping as it is unsettling.
So what are you waiting for? Turn off the lights. Light a candle but don’t go down to the basement.
The book is available on Amazon and author’s own website .
If you want to know what happens after the events of this book, the sequel is also out. Go check it.
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