Pressure

Available now in a Kindle and paperback edition.

Audiobook read by Scott Thomas.

They first met in boarding school–Alex, shy and nervous, and Darren, constantly scribbling in his journal. They became best friends in college. Alex always knew Darren was a little odd. He didn’t know his friend was murderously insane until Darren asked Alex to join him in his blood-soaked fun. They could be a team, hunting and slaughtering human prey. Alex doesn’t want any part of it. He’s no monster. But Darren is twisted, deadly…and determined. And he won’t take no for an answer.

“Marvelously creepy reading…the horror in this tale of twisted friendship is relentless.”

—Publishers Weekly

“An outstanding novel of nail-biting tension. Strand’s debut in the genre of suspense is about as top notch as it gets.”
—Insidious Reflections

“Nail-biting, non-stop suspense seldom seen in the small (or large for that matter) press. This one forced my heart into my throat for more than half of it! I can’t say enough good things about PRESSURE, a novel that you’ll find very difficult to put down. Jeff Strand has left an unforgettable mark here; you’ll be thinking about this one for days.”
—The Horror Fiction Review

“A tight running noose of a nightmare, 237 pages of excruciating tourniquet-taut tension. The characters are believable and the action compelling. PRESSURE catches you by the throat and won’t let go.”
—Hellnotes

“PRESSURE is one of the best-written thrillers in recent memory. It doesn’t rely on ancient codes or terrorist threats for its intrigue. Instead, Strand captivates us by pitting one good man — a regular guy — against a human monster. PRESSURE is a novel that demands to be read in one sitting, followed by staying up all night, listening for any unusual sounds outside.”
—Horror World

“PRESSURE is a masterpiece. The pressure of the book’s title is the pressure the reader feels, knowing the entire time that all the happiness and good things that happen to Alex [the protagonist] are only fleeting. The ferocity with which these things are taken away from him is the only variable in question, which is what will keep the reader on edge for the entire novel. It’s all made somewhat tolerable, so the strain isn’t quite enough to kill you, because Jeff Strand also has a fantastic ability to make light of the situation. As a character, Alex is a bit of a smartass, [and releases] just enough pressure to keep you moving forward. I think without this perfectly timed humor, this book might be too oppressive for some readers. You do not want to miss this book under any circumstances. 5 out of 5 Bloody Daggers.”
—Dread Central

“PRESSURE is a deeply unsettling psychological thriller that probes the darkest recesses of the mind — as expressed in the disturbing relationship between two childhood friends who grow up to be more than enemies…. Relentless, gripping, and frightening. An outstanding novel, impossible to put down.”
—Douglas Preston, New York Times bestselling co-author of RELIC and DANCE OF DEATH

“Jeff Strand’s PRESSURE is an ominous, disturbing study of two lives closely interwoven from childhood onward in an elaborate tapestry of vengeance, paranoia, and death. A chilling, flesh-crawling experience. I read it in one sitting and haven’t been the same since!”
—Michael Prescott, New York Times bestselling author of MORTAL FAULTS

“Jeff Strand’s PRESSURE is a remarkable book. As I read it, I kept thinking … ‘Oh no. You’re not going there!’ … but he did — and then some! A frightening mix of TOM BROWN’S SCHOOLDAYS meets LORD OF THE FLIES, this is a great story all the more remarkable because of the light it shines into the darkest corners of the human psyche and soul. I highly recommend this book.”
—Rick Hautala, author of OCCASIONAL DEMONS and FOUR OCTOBERS

“Brilliant, unflinching, and unforgettable. PRESSURE will blow you away.”
—J.A. Konrath, bestselling author of RUSTY NAIL

“This dark and mesmerizing novel left me shaking. From its amazing opening line to its nerve-wracking final chapters, PRESSURE is a raw nerve, an open-wound of a narrative wherein Strand deals with some of the bleakest and most disturbing aspects of the human psyche. One of the richest, most compelling, and memorable novels I’ve read in the past 5 years.”
—Gary A. Braunbeck, Stoker Award-winning author of PRODIGAL BLUES

“Harrowing, disturbing…Jeff Strand’s PRESSURE is the closest I’ve come to having a nightmare with my eyes still open. If Brett Easton Ellis had written CAPE FEAR, you might approach the primal suspense of Strand’s lean and mean novel. A crackling, buzzing hornet’s nest of psychological terror spanning two decades in the lives of two extremely dysfunctional friends. I could not put this one down. Highly recommended.”
—Jay Bonansinga, bestselling author of TWISTED and FROZEN.

“I believe Jeff Strand channeled the ghost of Richard Laymon for this one. I know for sure he would have loved it.”
—Jack Ketchum, author of THE GIRL NEXT DOOR

“Jeff Strand continues to amaze me. Every time I decide his writing can’t get any better, he pulls another story out of his hat and proves me wrong. From the first time I read him his blend of wit and brutality have caught my attention and kept it. With PRESSURE, Stand turns down the humor and ups the suspense to lethal levels. Electrifying and intense, disturbing and even a touch nostalgic, PRESSURE is the sort of book one should savor. Just remember to check the doors when you’re reading. Unexpected noises could be hazardous to your health. Simply put, PRESSURE is a masterpiece.”
—James A. Moore, author of BLOOD RED and SERENITY FALLS

“PRESSURE is superb. I read it over a feverish twenty-four hours, snatching it up whenever I got the chance in order to devour just those few pages more. On this evidence, Strand should be up there with the likes of Joe Lansdale. His characters are achingly, touchingly real, his dialogue laugh-out-loud witty and his horror almost impenetrably black.”
—Mark Morris, author of THE IMMACULATE

“Jeff Strand is an excellent writer and PRESSURE is an elegant, dazzling showcase for his talents, clever and funny and dreadfully cruel. I loved it.”
—Christopher Golden, author of WILDWOOD ROAD and THE MYTH HUNTERS

“PRESSURE showcases Jeff Strand is at his best—a terror-filled roller coaster ride that doesn’t let up until the final pages. Strand redefines what horror is all about!”
—Steve Gerlach, author of RAGE, LAKE MOUNTAIN, and LOVE LIES DYING

“PRESSURE is a well-written coming-of-age tale, with a wicked twist that will leave the reader turning the pages well into the night. There are sicknesses felt and experienced here that will affect the reader for days to come.”
—Michael Laimo, author of THE DEMONOLOGIST and DEEP IN THE DARKNESS

“In PRESSURE, Jeff Strand writes with an enviable deftness whether he’s depicting the perils of childhood or the agonies of adulthood. Be glad you’re not in his narrative crosshairs.”
—Matthew Warner, author of THE ORGAN DONOR

“Strand gets serious and follows the antagonistic (to say the least) friendship of two boarding-schoolmates throughout their lives. The characters are fully-drawn with strengths and flaws on both sides. With the right marketing, this could be a mainstream best-seller—it’s that good and that accessible to the general reader.”
—Craig Clarke, Craig’s Book Club