M. T. Acquaire

Reviewed by Me for TeensReadToo.com

I love a good horror story, and when you mix the horror in with a bunch of supernatural beings and happenings, it's a pretty good bet that I'm going to like it. The great thing about MARTY BOGGS & THE CURSE OF KUTKARA'S TOMB is that, not only is it a great horror slash supernatural slash gory story, but it's well written, with diverse characters that come to life on the page. M.T. Acquaire, comprised of husband and wife author team Matthew and Tanya, knew what they were doing when they wrote this book. They took our hero, twelve-year old Marty Boggs, put him smack dab in the middle of true-to-life circumstances, and gave him a host of problems to deal with--and the end result is a real winner.

Marty's grandfather, Reginald, is a man who has been obsessed for years with finding the tomb of King Kutkara. Although he's never fully realized that there's something fueling his obsession--something from beyond the grave, something truly evil--it's finally driven him insane. A very sick man, Marty's family moves in with the ailing Reginald; as a result, some very strange things start happening. Because, you see, when Reginald finally did find Kutkara's final resting place, a curse was let loose, not only upon Reginald, but upon his entire family.

What comes as a result of this curse are strange happenings, indeed. Not only is Marty starting a new school, with the typical bully attempting to make his life miserable, but even his grandfather's nurse, Margerete, is something that could be from beyond the grave herself. Being mean and nasty is one thing, and even the overt threats she makes in Marty's presence is another, but the woman actually seems to have things--living, breathing things--growing inside her body.

MARTY BOGGS & THE CURSE OF KUTKARA'S TOMB takes you through Marty's life as he attempts to deal with the pressures of school, the malignant evil of Margerete, his parent's confusion, and the downhill slide of his grandfather's physical and mental health. All of the things that make horror books great are in this book--mummies, psychic powers, werewolves, evil magic. This is definitely an entertaining and scary read, and one you won't regret reading.

Just as an aside, this book is definitely not for the faint of heart--or stomach. The story is rather graphically told, and for younger children may not be appropriate if they're easily scared. It's also a pretty long book, weighing in at 317 pages. That said, though, if you have a strong stomach, an interest in the supernatural, and a love of reading, you won't go wrong immersing yourself in the life and times of Marty Boggs.… (más)