Shadow House Volume 3 - No Way Out

Dan Poblocki brings us back to Shadow House in the third installment that wraps up what appears to be the first trilogy in this series. Honestly, I wasn't expecting this story to end with this book - I thought it was an ongoing series; however, although there is a fourth book solicited on Amazon, I'm guessing based on the ending of this book, the fourth book begins a new tale with new characters.

But I digress...

No Way Out continues the story of Poppy, Dash, and Azumi as they try and escape the confines of Shadow House.  Picking up right where the second book ended, the three young teens have made it outside onto the grounds and are running from the monster determined to return them to the house and trap them inside forever.  Marcus is dead, and Dylan ... well, Dylan has turned on them and has joined the other "specials" in trying to either force the three back into the house or kill them.

Poblocki builds up the tension with quite a number of suspenseful moments.  The kids find themselves trapped inside a ghost carnival on the grounds, desperately searching for a way to escape the creepy clowns that are following them.  In the hall of mirrors, Poppy's ghost friend Connie and Azumi's sister Moriko seem to be giving them clues on how to escape.  But who can they trust?  Both Dash and Azumi are beginning to grow tired of Poppy ordering them around and wonder if the house is affecting her too.

And just when they escape the carnival, they suddenly find themselves forced into an abandoned shed with a burnt-up old car.  The same car in which five previous children were killed when the car crashed and caught fire.  As the three begin to learn more and more about the house and the number of times five children were brought to the house and killed, they begin to realize that the only way to free themselves of the horror of Shadow House is to return to the house and destroy the pact that started it all.

But who can they trust, and once they find the pact and destroy it, will they be able to escape the fate that the house has in store for them?

The author provides a satisfying conclusion to the story of Poppy, Dash, and Azumi (although, I will admit I was a bit disappointed that Marcus did not turn up alive somehow and join them as they escaped), and a part of me will miss them. The creepy illustrations/photos throughout the book certainly add to the ambiance of the tale.  I will be curious to see where Poblocki takes this story with a new set of children in book four (whose description on Amazon.com tells you next to nothing).

RATING: 7 cherry cough drops out of 10 for nicely wrapping up a tale of terror filled with plenty of horrors and page-turning suspense.