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    Creepers
    Creepers
    Creepers
    Audiobook8 hours

    Creepers

    Written by David Morrell

    Narrated by Patrick Lawlor

    3.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    On a cold October night, five people gather in a run-down motel on the Jersey shore and begin preparations to break into the Paragon Hotel. Built in the glory days of Asbury Park by a reclusive millionaire, the magnificent structure—which foreshadowed the beauties of art deco architecture—is now boarded up and marked for demolition.

    The five people are “creepers,” the slang term for urban explorers: city archaeologists with a passion for investigating abandoned buildings and their dying secrets. On this evening, they are joined by a reporter who wants to profile them—anonymously, as this is highly illegal activity—for a New York Times article.

    Frank Balenger, a sandy-haired, broad-shouldered reporter with a decided air of mystery about him, isn’t looking for just a story, however. And after the group enters the rat-infested tunnel leading to the hotel, it becomes clear that he will get much more than he bargained for. Danger, terror, and death await the creepers in a place ravaged by time and redolent of evil.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBrilliance Audio
    Release dateSep 6, 2005
    ISBN9781597374705
    Creepers
    Author

    David Morrell

    David Morrell is the New York Times bestselling author of twenty-eight books, including his award-winning Creepers. Co-founder of the International Thrillers Writers Organization, he is considered by many to be the father of the modern action novel. To learn more, go to www.davidmorrell.net.

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    Reviews for Creepers

    3.5/5

    393 ratings40 reviews

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    • 3/5
      This read was on all scores mediocre. There was very little that stood out to me as suspenseful or exciting. The characters were not developed so there was no real connection to draw you in. The dialog was unrealistic of which the narrator didn't provide enough inflection to make you feel anything for anyone. I found myself rushing through just to finish it. There were missed opportunities to bring in a better description to elevate the visual but due to misplaced wording, the back stories got the most attention leaving scenes that could have enticed the reader flat. Although, some of the action (only towards the end)that were present did bring a spark (ergo 3 stars) but fell short for me, sorry... I just can't find a positive here. Where was the horror?
    • 3/5
      A readable combination of horror and suspense. "Creepers" are people whose hobby is exploring disused buildings. As they explore an old hotel they find unexpected secrets.
    • 2/5
      In 1984 (I think), I read David Morrell's First Blood. I was captivated, amazed, in awe. I hadn't watched the movie, so I didn't know what to expect, nor had I read any reviews of the book. It was just something I picked up on the shelf at my local Waldenbooks-and completely out of my reading genre.

      I should say my "reading age," as well. I was 12.

      Since then, I hadn't read anything else by Morrell. I bounced between horror and fantasy, science fiction and science fact. So when I was last at the library, perusing the aisles, I picked up Creepers. Morrell fascinated me as a kid. Could he do the same 27 years later.

      Um . . . apparently not.

      Between static characters I'd met somewhere before, a setting I'd visited a few hundred times, themes of greed and time I know I'd read before, Creepers was, in a word, disappointing. I've marked it 2 stars simply because it was-in a Scooby Doo sort of way-entertaining. (In fact, I swear at least two characters would have fit perfectly into a Scooby Doo episode, and don't think I didn't imagine the big dumb dog stumbling to the rescue in at least one not-so-tense scene.)

      I will likely try other Morrell novels to see if this was just an anomaly. I'd like to think so.
    • 3/5
      Not entirely sure what enticed me to read this one. I think I thought it was horror. It was not; I would call it suspense/thriller. There were a few too many plot twists for my liking. At some points it felt like a teen scream (well, college-aged scream) movie. And the villain reveal and the ending sort of had a Scooby Doo feel...except with slightly more violence. This really isn't something I would normally read, but I dunno, I suppose it's good to read something different every once in a while.
    • 4/5
      Creepers is quite the captivating novel, it covers a group of urban explorers who decide to visit The Paragon Hotel, an art deco hotel in Ashbury Park, New Jersey before it's pulled down. What seems straight forward slowly turns decidedly less so as upon entry to the old building the visitors find not only a building teeming with life including strangely mutated vermin, despite being apparently sealed but also a swimming pool that's full of water, despite an apparent abandonment of 40 years.From here there are a few more twists to the story as the initial motives are not quite what was stated and the building has more mysteries to offer. I enjoyed the story and found it quite a hard book to put down as you just want to keep going to find out where things are going and what certain events will unfold into. I was a little disappointed that mutated vermin didn't factor into the story to much of a degree, I had been expecting there to be some sort of viral action happening based on the mentions of plague, west nile, hanta in the opening pages however they didn't really factor much into the story beyond being creepy. That being said, it was still a good reading experience.
    • 4/5
      A guy claiming to be a reporter follows a group of urban explorers into an old, abandoned hotel one night, and they all get way more than that for which they had bargained. Not my cuppa, really.
    • 3/5
      The Paragon Hotel, built in the heyday of Asbury Park, NJ, is now rundown and abandoned, like much of the city itself. The hotel's former owner was a rich eccentric, which makes it an ideal location for urban explorers known as "creepers" to infiltrate. One group of creepers finds more danger than they bargain for.The basis of the story was good and the book generally flowed quickly and smoothly. It started out interesting but towards the end it became predictable, Morrell did do a nice job of describing an environment that I was able to picture in all of its darkness, but I feel more could have been done to have the characters interact better and really react to the dank environment they found themselves in. The dialogue was a bit cheesy and cliched, but there were plot-twists to make you forget that the conversations sounded a little contrived. In the end this book was a bit of fluff and a quick read, I would be interested in reading the second book and hopefully the Balenger character will be more fleshed out.
    • 4/5
      Not what I expected when I picked this book up but within a few pages I found it drew the reader into the story. On a Saturday in October 5 urban explorers who call themselves "Creepers" set out to explore the Paragon Hotel that had been closed up since 1968. Entering through a storm tunnel they were at first excited and impressed by the glamour of the by-gone days of grandeur, Soon they found they were not alone and what was there had no desire to make their stay and enjoyable one.
    • 3/5
      A thriller written by the guy who wrote Rambo: First Blood. (Which I never even knew was a book before it was a movie!)

      Creepers is inspired by the actual urban adventurers who like to explore abandoned or forbidden modern ruins. Of course, here, the adventures are jazzed up considerably to make it a thriller. A professor, his students and a reporter sneak into an abandoned hotel on the Jersey Shore. The hotel was built by an eccentric recluse who liked to spy on his guests - but little do they know where that eccentricity would lead. And it is their bad luck to be followed into the building by some violent thugs.

      Overall, I enjoyed this book. It has some very effective and believable horrific elements. However, the aforementioned 'violent thugs' were both completely unnecessary, plot-wise, and completely unbelievable as characters. They added a layer to the plot that detracted from the main 'revelation' of the story.
    • 4/5
      Actual rating is 3.5 stars.

      Over the top, full of unlikely events, coincidences and character motivations, this book nevertheless was perfectly paced and full of enough dramatic twists and turns to keep me flipping the pages until I finished the whole thing in a single setting.

      Like a strange hybrid of POSIEDON and the thriller movie IDENTITY, Creepers is non-stop action and a heck of a good time that keeps things moving along at such a fast and smooth pace you won't bother to take the time to think about the ridiculousness of everything - kind of like a Richard Laymon novel without the lechery.

      David Morrell is an incredibly readable writer, and even though I never got a good feeling for the actual layout of the hotel they were exploring (it seemed to grow larger and larger as the story progressed), the action was well written and gripping.

      Recommended if you're looking for a good pulpy page-turner. I liked it enough that I plan to read the sequel, Scavengers, next.
    • 3/5
      If anyone has ever given in to curiousity and walked through an old, abandoned building you will understand where the suspense in this book comes from. The "creepers" are a group of people who routinely explore these buildings. While exploring an old abandoned hotel scheduled for demolition they encounter slightly more than they bargained for.
    • 4/5
      Creepers is a slang term for urban explorers, those who sneak into abandoned and derelict building to look into the past. Urban exploration is the jumping off point for this story, with a small group of creepers entering the sealed off Paragon Hotel in Asbury Park and it's a part of what drew me immediately in. I've been fascinated with the idea of urban exploration for a long time, though I would never try it myself, as it's highly dangerous and illegal. I love thriller and horror stories that work this way: put the characters in an already dangerous situation (such entering a deathtrap hotel full of rotting floors and other life threatening risks), then intensify with something worse. From page one, the story unsettled, a general eerie feeling. As the story progressed, I found myself increasingly sucked into the story and to a point of near anxiety. I don't remember the last time I've been this close to being genuinely frightened by a horror tale. Though the fear went a way as the story moved into more well-trodden territory storyline-wise and the action sequences took over. Still, I couldn't put it down until I reached the end. It was a fast, enjoyable read.
    • 3/5
      I've always been fascinated by the idea of breaking into and exploring abandoned buildings. I can still remember the thrill I got poking about in what we used to call 'the haunted house' (an abandoned Victorian at the end of the block). So this book was a spine tingling treat. It reeled me in and held me close until the very conclusion. There was a sense of claustrophobic urgency as the story progressed and I was unable to put it down. While a little bit 'different' as far as the horror genre is concerned, there was plenty of horrific to go around. Quick read and quite enjoyable.
    • 3/5
      SPOILER ALERT!!! This book is very suspenseful and I finished it in 3 hours, in one sitting. I only gave it 3 stars because I was not happy with the way it ended and how characters start to die off pretty quickly. The twist in the end was pretty good, but only one original character is left standing with a weak ending.
    • 3/5
      Searching for a fast-paced read for killing time on your lengthy commute? Creepers by acclaimed author, David Morrell, will cure your boredom in the first chapter. After reading his non-fiction book, Lessons from a Lifetime of Novel Writing, I felt compelled to read his stories.As most of you know, I am a library junkie. I scavenge the shelves for free reads by my favorite authors. When I noticed that Creepers was available in audio book, I was thrilled.How did the premise hook me?Creepers, people who go exploring in abandoned buildings. That is one group of people who has not been over-explored in thriller fiction, as are detectives and assassins. I wanted to know more about these people. Why did they risk their safety to search through the ruins of historical society dilapidations? Morrell did his homework.What did I most like about the book?The non-stop action. In some books, I prefer catching my breath between chapters. You know, the scene and sequel pattern. Morrell kept the story mostly focused upon the scene, the action. The characters’ backstory and emotions are not as fully developed, but the plot itself is sufficiently engaging. We readers of this tale are expecting an adrenaline-rushed ride through a deserted hotel, not getting into each of the character’s heads to determine their personal motivations. Keep it simple. Keep it thrilling.Was there a moral to the story?Some novels promote the author’s agenda. Creepers did not off gas that preachiness. Though there is some underlying discovery about how negative circumstances in childhood can manifest in adult psychopath behavior, I did not feel bogged down by the theme. Morrell is a master at weaving story, theme, and characters towards the ultimate goal of a gripping plot. New writers should take notes on his stories to learn how the master accomplishes this in each of his novels.Would I recommend this book to thriller lovers? Wholeheartedly. For those readers of suspense, Morrell should top the list. For those aspiring writers of thriller fiction (like me), Morrell is a standard for creating classic novel crafting.
    • 5/5
      From Back Cover:On a chilly October night, five people gather in a run-down motel on the Jersey shore and begin preparations to break into an abandoned hotel nearby. Built during the glory days of Asbury Park by a reclusive millionaire, the magnificent structure, which foreshadowed the beauties of Art Deco architecture, is now a decrepit, boarded up edifice marked for demolition. The five are "creepers", the slang term for urban explorers - city archaeologists of sorts who go into abandoned buildings to uncover their secrets. And, on this evening they are joined by a reporter who wants to profile them - anonymously, as this is highly illegal activity - for a New York Times piece. Balenger, the sandy-haired, broad-shouldered reporter with a decided air of mystery about him, isn't looking for just a story, however. And, soon after the group sets forth into the rat-infested tunnel leading to the building, it is clear that he will get even more than he bargained for. Danger, terror and death are awaiting the creepers in a place ravaged by time and redolent of evil.My Thoughts on the Story:All I have to say is really "WOW" what a story! My first instinct when I got through the first few chapters was that I was reading a ordinary "haunted building kills everyone in a bloody mess" story but boy was I wrong. Instead I got this amazing roller coaster ride that kept me turning page after page long after I should have gone to bed. I can't go into why the story kept me on the edge with out spilling the beans and giving away tons of spoilers needless to say... you must read this if you like on the edge of your seat thrillers. I started reading this book at lunch, continued after dinner and finished long after I should have been in bed. I simply can not imagine anyone being disappointed with the action in this story. Mind you there are a few unanswered question to the story that I feel if were answered would have made the story even better. There is a book two out to this series but I have not read it yet
    • 4/5
      I bought this book after reading the back and thinking that the idea of a bunch of people creeping around in empty houses sounded exciting....The book starts off well enough with an introduction to the underground world of 'creepers' and the main characyers of the book.There are many many twists and turns during the novel, and for me the first 4/5's of the book were brilliantly put together with some genuine creepy moments. The ending for me was quite a disappointment and seemed a bit pathetic in comparrison to rest of the book, but that's just my opinion, I'm sure others will have loved it....
    • 3/5
      Very quick read and turned out to be quite a page turner.
    • 2/5
      Probably has one of the best opening chapters I've ever read. Had me geared up for anything! But I was very disappointed in the outcome. Morrell could have gone anywhere he wanted to with this, but he chose to have a "normal" murder mystery. I was expecting supernatural events! All the makings of a good book, plot stunk.
    • 5/5
      Reporter Frank Ballenger joins a team of urban explorers called `creepers` who investigate abandoned buildings to write a feature story about an old hotel, The Paragon. You won't be able to put this one down. Fast-paced, exciting, and has movie blockbuster written all over it. Highly recommend
    • 3/5
      I loved the setting of this book, an abandoned hotel full of history and secrets. What I didn't love was the patchy way the plot was thrown together. Several times during the story I got the sense of things being tacked on to keep the action running. I felt like it was all too contrived and not realistic. The characters lacked depth and believability.
    • 2/5
      I've read three or four of Morrell's books in the past and always found them fair...nothing I'd recommend to anyone other than a hard-core thriller fan, but they passed the time. Unfortunately, this one did not reach that level for me; I disliked it.Up front, let me say that I apportion some of the blame for this on Patrick Lawlor. This was an audio book for my commute and my usual fare for this purpose is read by some of the really good readers out there: Patrick Tull, Nadia May, Frederick Davidson, etc. I found Mr. Lawlor's reading kept getting in the way of the story as my attention would be caught by him, rather than the tale. That's a cardinal no-no and I'll avoid his presentations in the future.That said, even in print the story wouldn't really have appealed to me. First, the whole plot felt like it was constructed out of clichés. Without spoilers, think of "horror-type" thriller movies out there and you'll be able to put together a lot of the elements of this one—the scarred-by-the-past psychopath, the "don't leave the group!" moments, the "don't go in there!" scenes. Second, it felt rather contrived...you know, the violent lightning storm breaking out just when the characters need their cell phones type of thing? Third, Mr. Morrell needed to heed Chekhov's advice and tighten up the loose strands of the plot. There were too many plot elements introduced that went nowhere, such as the love quadrangle that was observed repeatedly in the beginning but ended up being irrelevant and largely forgotten by the end of the story. However, the real cause of my reaction is mostly due to the constant use of two techniques I absolutely hate. First, everyone speaking in dangling sentences to create "tension":We've got to..."No.But, if we don't, he'll...It was endless. It drove me crazy.The second was the constant "As you know, Bob" moments of the first half of the book. Put in a darn prologue if you want to info-dump and stop making people sound like characters in CSI: Miami.
    • 3/5
      More thriller than horror, more angst and action than plot, this was nonetheless a fast and mostly entertaining read. Perfectly satisfactory for a chill fall night's reading.
    • 4/5
      For me, Creepers started as a book I absolutely could not put down. I think a big part of it is that I like urban exploration of abandoned places and Morrell's descriptive writing put me right there with the characters in the Paragon Hotel. Toward the middle, however, when the three hooligans show up it started to turn to a more typical thriller. Then when they were suddenly no longer the baddest guys in the room, it got almost worse. Not to say the book was bad, because it wasn't. It was just rather mediocre after a while. There were some interesting bits and I think what the other reviews say is true, the characterization was a little on the weak side. The plot was engaging enough and it ended fine, though I wish the beginning didn't start with the end. It would have started fine with the meeting at the motel. Either way, I rate this book 4/4 though it isn't likely I will read it again.
    • 4/5
      This was my first time reading Morrell, and I'm hooked.Morrell crafts an excellent adventure, peppered quite liberally with good description of the surroundings that enhances, rather than diminishes, the action. The pacing and writing pulled me in and had me turning pages as fast as I could.As others have mentioned, the characters could stand a bit more of depth (though the reviewer who complained of the encyclopedic dialog must never have engaged academics in conversation about their pet areas). However, I don't think this detracts from the book as it is an action-, not character-, driven plot.
    • 4/5
      This was a good read. A group of adults explore old, abandoned buildings for historical reference. Trouble follows on what might be their last outing. This book was very exciting, I admit I couldn't put it down. However, the characters weren't likeable and the plot wasn't what kept my attention. I recommend this book but don't expect it to be your number one favorite.
    • 4/5
      What a great book about people going into places they have no business going into. A few twist and turns on the main character kept me guessing and the whole urban exploration peaked my curiosity enough to go check out some of the web pages.
    • 4/5
      Half of this book is believed to be a ghost story, until it becomes more clear that this is more of a suspenseful mystery book. It was interesting, but a little slow in places. Definitely has you on the edge of your seat for most of the book.
    • 3/5
      I picked this up because there was really nothing else that struck my fancy on the library audiobook shelf. I have a certain fascination with abandoned buildings and the idea of "creepers" who "infiltrate" historic old buildings is a definite interest - I would sign up in a heartbeat. Sadly, this book did not hold the same level of interest. The plot is truly far-fetched and improbable. The dialogue is stilted and unrealistic. (Tough guy New Jersey thugs don't suddenly start yelling "Lord, help us!" when they're attacked. They yell something you can't post on a family website.) Like any good horror movie, it doesn't matter how many flights someone falls or how many bullets they take, you should never assume they're dead. If I wasn't waiting for a special order to come in to the library, I doubt I would have finished it.
    • 3/5
      Certainly didn't create the suspense that I would have expected from the writer of "Jaws." The storyline seemed like a version of "Psycho" but gave this book's version of a Norman Bates a bigger arsenal. Storyline seemed a little thin overall.