Horror Book Review: The Best of Intentions (Joshua MacMillan)

The Best of Intentions is the debut novel of Joshua MacMillan. A lifelong horror fan, he has had short stories published in multiple anthologies and The Best of Intentions is now available from D&T Publishing.

Ten Days…

Ten Days…that was all the slip of paper tucked under his windshield had read. At first, it appeared to be a misunderstanding. A simple prank meant for someone else. Corey Loflin has been dealing with his PTSD ever since his final deployment with the United States Army. His nightmares are touch and go; only flaring up when he is under stress from his day job as the Supervisor for a security company.

Little did he know, a typical morning of sipping coffee and having his morning cigarette would be the starting point for his descent.

Blending dark thriller content with powerful horror imagery drawn from nightmares, The Best of Intentions is a gripping read. A literal page turner that all will find themselves devouring. The tension burns off the pages as things begin to unwind, the mystery and paranoia deepens, all leading to a shocking finale. One that you can slowly see coming, like witnessing a car pile-up in slow motion. It might seem inevitable but you’ll find yourself hoping that someone, just someone turns the wheel at the last second.

A major part of that hope comes from the likeable characters of The Best of Intentions. A relatable and sympathetic character, Corey’s descent is both heart-breaking and gripping. A decent man who served his country, saw unspeakable horrors and now suffers for it. You can feel his desperation to live a normal live, such is the lively writing of MacMillan.

When it comes to detail; MacMillan manages to make the normal pressures of life, raising children, keeping a marriage going and so on, an integral part of his story. Normal every day things that everyone deals with in some way or another all while trying to take care of their mental health. While Corey’s issues are bit bigger and certainly deeper, anyone that has ever struggled will find a certain level of solace in his tale.

The payoff is worth every second of your time but the journey is even better. You’ll get a hollow feeling in your stomach as events spiral but you’ll be wholly satisfied. The Best of Intentions is a fantastic debut from a very talented writer.

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