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Gretel: A Horror Thriller (Gretel Book One) Kindle Edition

by Christopher Coleman (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 2,555 ratings
See all formats and editions
Alone. Frightened. Captive. If you hear someone approaching, RUN. She is not there to help you.

There is an ancient evil in the Back Country, dormant for centuries but now hungry and lurking.

When it sets its sights on an unsuspecting mother one routine morning along an isolated stretch of highway, a quiet farming family is suddenly thrust into a world of unspeakable terror, and a young Gretel must learn to be a hero.

Full of twists and turns, Gretel will have you on the edge of your seat. If you like books by Stephen King you will love Gretel.

Scroll up and click "buy now" or "read for free" if you are enrolled in Kindle Unlimited and prepare for a creepy and twisted tale unlike anything you have ever read.
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  1. Book 1 of 6
    Gretel
  2. Print length
    408 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publication date
    October 31, 2015
  6. Reading age
    13 - 18 years
  7. File size
    541 KB
  8. Page Flip
    Enabled
  9. Word Wise
    Enabled
  10. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  11. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"... a captivating re-imagining of the classic fairy tale, with more than enough twists to keep readers guessing. There's much more to Gretel than meets the eye, but to unlock all its mysteries, you'll have to read it."--HELLNOTES
"One of the best collections of strong female characters that I've seen in a long time."--Errant Dreams
"A terrific read and a much scarier take on the classic tale of Hansel and Gretel."--Amie's Book Reviews
"What a wonderfully atmospheric story! Gretel is truly one of those books that relies on excellent writing to create its mysterious and scary tone."--Reeds and Reels

From the Author

The complete Gretel Series includes:

Gretel (Gretel Book One)

Marlene's Revenge (Gretel Book Two)

Hansel (Gretel Book Three)

Anika Rising (Gretel Book Four)

The Crippling (Gretel Book Five)

The Killing of Orphism (Gretel Book Six)

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01605OOL4
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ (October 31, 2015)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 31, 2015
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 541 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 408 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 2,555 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Christopher Coleman

Christopher Coleman

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Christopher Coleman lives in Maryland with his wife and two children. He is a graduate of the University of Maryland with a degree in English Literature. A fan of classic and modern horror and thriller movies, his favorite movies are Rosemary's Baby and The Ring. When he's not writing fiction, you can find him reading, taking his kids to and from various sporting activities or watching horror movies with his wife who shares his affinity for the horror genre. His books will creep you out and leave you scared to turn off the lights and go to sleep.

Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars
4.1 out of 5
2,555 global ratings
Psychological Suspense !
5 Stars
Psychological Suspense !
It was a really good story ! I liked reading it a lot.Well written, & lots of action & drama all the way through the book, all the way to the last page !
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Top reviews from the United States

Lola
5.0 out of 5 stars Gretel
Reviewed in the United States on December 30, 2016
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Whoa! I absolutely loved this book! It is well written and horrific! It has been a long time since I have read a good horror book and this is definitely better than just good. It is creepy from beginning to end. The characters are strongly written and I love (and hate) them! I really enjoyed following Gretel as she developed into a stronger person, Anika as she struggled, and finally figuring out just what Odalinde was up to. This twisted tale of Hansel and Gretel is very dark and extremely intriguing with a conspiracy that is horrifying. I recommend this book to anyone who loves twisted tales, horror, or paranormal books of any kind. I am jumping right into reading Marlene's Revenge, because even though this book comes to a satisfying conclusion I want more!!!!! I would give Christopher Coleman a standing ovation for this one!
6 people found this helpful
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Leigh Holland
4.0 out of 5 stars Engrossing Modern Day Retelling of a Classic
Reviewed in the United States on November 2, 2017
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Gretel by Christopher Coleman, 350 pages, October 31st, 2015, Genre: Teen and Young Adult/Horror/Thriller and Suspense. Warning: May Contain Spoilers.

Review by Leigh Holland.

    As a little girl, my father told me bedtime stories. Among them was “Hansel and Gretel”. I always had questions, such as “Daddy, why did the witch want to feed the little boy sweets? How does she survive in a Gingerbread House in the Summer? Why did she want to eat the children? Why did the father let his mean old wife send his kids away? Did the kids get punished for killing her? How does a grown up fit into an oven anyway?” To which my father answered, “Time for sleep.” It was difficult to sleep after that one. Not because I was afraid of evil witches overfeeding me and eating me- that didn’t sound so bad. It was because I was worried if times were hard enough, my own father might one day get rid of me, too. Why else tell me such a tale?
    I expected the modern day retelling would be horrifying and I wasn’t disappointed. Coleman must’ve asked some of the same questions I did, because in this rendition, there are finally some answers.  
    Aneka Morgan breaks down by the side of the road in the middle of nowhere. Desperate to avoid being caught in the life-threatening, cold elements after sunset, Aneka tries to find her way home through the woods. What she encounters there is harsher than any winter’s night. Imprisoned by an immortal, desperate, murderous hag, Aneka bides her time, hoping for a chance at escape, sensing that she’s only being well cared for and fed for some foul purpose. Meanwhile, back at home, her daughter Gretel is forced to mature more quickly in order to provide for her family in her mother’s absence. Gretel has given up on finding her mother, believing the worst has befallen her. Gretel develops from a dependant little girl into a strong, confident, capable young lady. Aneka’s young son Hansel relies ever more on his elder sister. Hansel and Gretel are both suspicious of their father’s nurse, who positions herself to become their step-mother. Why does the hag want to kill Aneka? Will she succeed? Will Gretel ever be reunited with her mother again? Who can Gretel trust- within her family and without?
    The themes of this work are the same as in the classic tale: the meaning of the blood ties that bind family members to each other and deep betrayal. The plot forces the reader to confront dark moral questions. If you were dying, in pain, in distress, what would you sacrifice in order to turn back the clock? What would you give for a second chance? Could you resist temptation if the price was horrifyingly steep? For how long?
    This is an engrossing read with an imaginative spin on the classic. I’d recommend this to fans of modernized fairy tales and dark fantasy.  
36 people found this helpful
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Award winning Author & Filmmaker Angela J. Townsend
5.0 out of 5 stars Classic horror Tale with a fantastic twist
Reviewed in the United States on August 24, 2018
Verified Purchase
Gretel --book one of a series--is a fast paced, heart-pounding and well written horror adventure by Christopher Coleman. I am a lover of classic spooky tales. I also enjoy reading stories that are unique. Everyone grows weary of the same old plots--but this novel is very different indeed. Coleman creates a rich and vivid plot in his novel, Gretel. The pacing creates a driving force that keeps the reader engaged until the end.

Part of the books charm is that Coleman has created a well developed spooky setting--a setting which draws you in and keeps you on the edge of your seat while you journey through the backroads with the characters. Beware--there are more than just wild animals lurking in the woods in this story. There is an ancient scourge that has been dormant but now alive and hungry for blood, a creature so sinister it could cuddle milk--stalks a young mother traveling a desolate ribbon of backcountry alone. Great read for those who like classic tales mixed with horror ;) perfect for a reader like me.
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Doreen Elixman
3.0 out of 5 stars Pretty Good
Reviewed in the United States on May 3, 2018
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I wasn’t quite sure what to think of this when I started reading it, but once I got a bit into it, I really liked it...

Anika had gone to check on her father, whose health was not very good. On her way home she gets in an accident an ends up lost in the woods. When the old woman hears the faint cry from far away, she eventually finds Anika and takes her to her cabin not far from where her car is. Anika is held captive for months while the woman does her ‘experiment’ with her.

Gretel, Hansel and their father Heinrich are extremely concerned about Anika and go to Marcel’s, Anika’s father, to ask of her whereabouts. While the children run to the basement, the adults speak in private, making sure the children hear nothing of what they say. After the months pass, Gretel has found herself a job across the lake while it seems her fathers health is getting worse. Heinrich’s nurse, Odalinde, had been coming by the house every day since Anika had gone missing. But if she was a nurse, why did it seem that his health wasn’t getting any better?? Gretel always wondered what was going on...Hansel was too young still to think about this small fact. As the days passed with Gretel working in the Khlar’s orchard, rowing across the lake early every morning Hansel stayed back at home with the nurse and his father. While the System had been contacted about Anika being missing, they didn’t seem to be doing anything about it.

Anika was growing tired if being chained to the bed and always eating pie. She needed to figure out how to escape and return to her family. With no idea of why she was at this woman’s cabin, time was drawing near that death was imminent. She could feel it.

That’s all I can tell without giving up spoilers. While I found this book a little slow at times, too much in detail that didn’t need to be there, it was pretty good. I’ll probably go on to the next book and read more just out of curiosity.
2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Laurie M.
5.0 out of 5 stars Plot horror not gore
Reviewed in Canada on September 26, 2019
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Well written and gr8 storyline.
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ShroudedSilhouette
5.0 out of 5 stars Me likey!
Reviewed in India on July 18, 2020
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Was a refreshing start for i was resuming delving into the fantasy-horror-thriller genre after so long. You should try it, i know the no of pages may seem daunting to some but do read it
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Shazza
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 9, 2020
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This isn't my typical genre of book I read. I was searching for some new reading matter having exhausted most of my usual authors libraries. When I came across this book. I thought I'd give it a go and I'm happy I did. It was thoroughly enjoyable and exciting to read. There was so many twists and gripping parts throughout that it was never dull or boring. You was timed in to the characters and felt like you could see everything happening as you read along. A very good read and thoroughly enjoyed that much that I'm going to purchase the next book in that follows.
One person found this helpful
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Mandy Walkden-Brown
4.0 out of 5 stars Riveting, disturbing and an excellent read.
Reviewed in Australia on January 7, 2018
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A dark, substantial fantasy. Ominous and brooding in parts but well balanced by the characters, especially young Gretel who's quickly learning to stand on her strong two feet in support of her younger brother Hansel.

Amazingly good read as slowly, relentlessly, the nature of the evil residing in the Back Woods is revealed. Spine-tingling horror, mystery with a touch of science fiction.

This is not a story to read just before taking a break in a sparsely populated wooded area, nor indeed, one to read without first ensuring one's doors are solidly, securely locked!

Four and a half stars.
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li cran
5.0 out of 5 stars Creepy!
Reviewed in Italy on September 30, 2016
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More than creepy!!! Max survival status, minimum possibilities, in a kidnapped&tortured scenario with supernatural science in an all too plausible world.
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