Books by Jeff C Stevenson

A contemporary ghost story made all the more terrifying for being based upon actual events." When the terrifying entity that Maggie and Katie Fox unleashed in Hydesville in 1848 returns in 2018, a gallery owner, his wife, a journalist and her boyfriend join forces to battle it. Manhattanites Derek David and his wife Edith receive an invitation to visit the Keilgarden Colony. Founded in 1948 with funds from Derek's great grandfather, the Colony is a secluded community dedicated to nurturing children with psychic abilities. Located five hours north of the city in the village of Hydesville, the compound was built on land that includes the cottage where Maggie and Katie Fox first heard the ghostly rappings in 1848 which started the Spiritualist movement. But what begins as a late-summer respite swiftly turns into a confusing and terrifying ordeal for the couple and Derek's brother, Oswald. From the moment they are greeted by the Colony's beautiful yet mysterious host, Vanya Avery, they begin experiencing bizarre and disturbing events: Memory loss, unsettling visions and dreams, otherworldly manifestations, voices and apparitions that repeatedly beckon them back to the haunted Fox cottage. To end the escalating phenomena, Derek sets fire to the house. Months later, New York Times reporter Sheila Irving and her boyfriend, Kevin Jackson, visit Hydesville to determine what motivated Derek to burn down the Fox property. Soon, the powerful entity that controls the area-something that can see as well as hear-unleashes its most cunning tactic, a deceptive command once uttered by Maggie Fox to "Do as I do." If those gathered in the village-Derek and Edith, Sheila and Kevin-succumb to the edict, they will partake in the creation of union children, psychically gifted offspring whose malevolent powers will reach far beyond the confines of the township. Like the Spiritualist movement from which they originated, if allowed to be birthed, the children of Hydesville will eventually impact the entire world.

In the midst of a Manhattan heat wave, Adel Daniels' husband doesn't return home from work. A few days later, she receives a Polaroid of him; on the bottom of the photograph are the words I'll Come Back to Get You, on the back is written their six-year-old son's name - is he the ransom, or the kidnapper's next target? Assistant Chief Detective Steve Willards heads up the task force assigned to the case, along with FBI Profiler Gail Skillman. They quickly learn that every person involved has a secret, and the truth is only as reliable as memory. A week later, Penny Spencer's husband Graham, doesn't return from work and she receives a Polaroid of her husband - on the bottom of the photo is written, One, Two, Don't Be Blue, I'll Come Back to Get You; their son's name is written on the back. Before Willards and Skillman can unravel the motivation of the twisted kidnapper, one person is murdered, a third adult is taken, and one of the children is abducted. But, it isn't until an assault is made on the FBI profiler that the final pieces fall into place; but even then it may be too late for those who have read the words - I'll Come Back to Get You.

"A fascinating and disturbing look into the world of vicious cults and the psychological damage they inflict." -Jonathan Kellerman Fortney Road is a disturbing account of calculated mental, physical, and sexual abuse in an evangelical Christian cult. Drawing on seven years of research including interviews with seventeen survivors, it tells the story of the rise and fall of the Church of the Risen Christ, its sadistic leader the Reverend Larry Hill, and its outreach tool The All Saved Freak Band, one of the earliest religious rock groups borne out of the Jesus Movement. Unfolding against the backdrop of the 1960s and early '70s, Fortney Road is also the story of one brilliant musician who fell victim to a charismatic, cruel zealot. While other cult leaders such as David Koresh and Jim Jones have become infamous, Larry Hill and his followers on Fortney Road have flown largely under the radar-until now. Illustrated with over 50 photographs and images. ADVANCE PRAISE FOR FORTNEY ROAD "A riveting portrait of the rise and fall of the Church of the Risen Christ ... A sad, sordid story of sex, mind control, and rock 'n' roll." -Arthur Goldwag, author of Cults, Conspiracies & Secret Societies "An amazing story that needs to be told!" -Mark Allan Powell, Trinity Lutheran Seminary "A timely warning about charismatic leaders that take advantage of well-intended followers under the guise of religious devotion." -John Styll, co-founder of CCM Magazine "With alarming detail and gripping first-person accounts, Stevenson's well-researched book educates readers about the dilemmas and the dangers of blind faith." Janja Lalich, author of Take Back Your Life and Bounded Choice "An incredible book that is hard to put down. Absolutely fascinating!" -Don Cusic, author of Saved By Song "A fine book ... The difficult lessons learned by the followers of Reverend Hill at Fortney Road can inform, educate and serve as an important warning to people today." -Rick Ross, author of Cults Inside Out "A fascinating yet disturbing account of religious zeal gone haywire ... so weird it almost seems like fiction."-Dave Hollandsworth, founder One Way Jesus Music site "Masterfully documented ... captures the zeitgeist of that era." -Mark N. Jones, musician and artist "Reveals how fundamentalist religion can become a tool to manipulate and abuse people." -Brian Quincy Newcomb, veteran music critic "The incredible story of the Church of the Risen Christ community ... the survivors are finally able to tell their story." David Di Sabatino, documentary filmmaker of Fallen Angel and Frisbee "A fascinating story of one church's descent into depravity and the music it created." -Bob Gersztyn, author of Jesus Rocks The World. "Masterful ... an eye-opening, cautionary tale that informs and forewarns." -Jim Siegelman, co-author with Flo Conway of Snapping: America's Epidemic of Sudden Personality Change "An in-depth look at the horrific history of one of the dark, hidden corners of the Jesus People movement." -Larry Eskridge, author of God's Forever Family "A haunting masterpiece ... Fortney Road is not just a book. It's a warning."-Bo Lane, author of Why Pastors Quit "This is a great book!" Bob Kilpatrick, musician, author of The Art of Being You "Stevenson has masterfully documented Glenn Schwartz' troubled journey and captured the zeitgeist of that era." -Mark N. Jones, musician and artist