Judas Coyne is an aging rock singer with an unusual hobby.He collects macabre items related to death.

He even has a snuff film.So one day when his business manager tells him somebody is selling a ghost in an online auction he just can't resist.Little does he know he is getting exactly what he paid for.

Once the suit containing the ghost arrives in a heart shaped box the wild action begins as Coyne and his girlfriend, MaryBeth (who he calls Georgia), are in a fight for their lives.It turns out the ghost, Craddock, has a grudge against Judas Coyne and he's come back to seek revenge.

Heart-Shaped Box is definitely a fast paced, action packed ghost story.

Hill does an excellent job in characterization.He is really masterful at making the characters and their personalities come alive as we empathize with both Coyne and MaryBeth as the tale unravels and Coyne slowly begins to understand why Craddock has come back from the dead to seek his revenge.In fact, Hill does and excellent job in conveying the personality and character of the ghost as the reader learns more about Mr.

Craddock and his past.As the story develops, with wild harrowing scenes, Coyne begins to learn how he might just be able to survive this haunting.For its fast pace and excellent character development Hill definitely should be commended.

But there is a dark side.Frankly as the novel moves along it starts to read, at times, like a B grade horror movie, which for this reader was a bit of a turnoff.The later scenes get more and more sappy where Craddock started reminding me of Freddy Krueger from the movie Nightmare on Elm Street and the story really started getting rather campy.