Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Mortom
    Mortom
    Mortom
    Audiobook6 hours

    Mortom

    Written by Erik Therme

    Narrated by Christopher Lane

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Andy Crowl barely knew his recently deceased cousin, Craig Moore, so he’s especially surprised to be named as the sole beneficiary in Craig’s will. Not that there’s much to inherit: just an empty bank account and a run-down house.

    Once Andy arrives in the town of Mortom, however, he’s drawn into his puzzle-obsessed cousin’s true legacy: a twisted and ominous treasure hunt. Beckoned by macabre clues of dead rats and cemetery keys, Andy jumps into the game, hoping to discover untold wealth. But unsavory secrets—and unanswered questions about Craig’s untimely demise—arise at every turn, leading Andy to wonder if he’s playing the game…or if the game is playing him.

    Something’s rotten in Mortom. And this dead man’s game might not be all that Andy is doomed to lose.

    Revised edition: This edition of Mortom includes editorial revisions.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBrilliance Audio
    Release dateJul 24, 2018
    ISBN9781978644120
    Mortom
    Author

    Erik Therme

    Erik Therme has thrashed in garage bands, inadvertently harbored runaways, and met Darth Vader. When he’s not at his computer, he can be found cheering on his youngest daughter’s volleyball team, or watching horror movies with his oldest. He currently resides in Iowa City, Iowa—one of only thirty-nine places in the world that UNESCO has certified as a City of Literature. Join Erik’s mailing list to be notified of new releases and author giveaways: http://eepurl.com/cD1F8L.

    Related to Mortom

    Related audiobooks

    Suspense For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Focus On The Negative

      Aug 6, 2020

      Focus On The Negative
      9 min read

    • Article

      Zoe Caldwell

      Jan 7, 2021

      Zoe Caldwell
      3 min read

    • Article

      The Minders

      Oct 7, 2020

      RELEASED OUT NOW! 448 pages | Paperback/ebook/audiobook Author John Marrs Publisher Del Rey John Marrs’s latest near future, high-concept techno-thriller isn’t so much a sequel to The One (DNA dating app has dark secret) and Passengers (autonomous ca

      1 min read

    • Article

      Hide

      May 18, 2022

      RELEASED 24 MAY 256 pages | Hardback/ebook/audiobook Author Kiersten White Publisher Del Rey “The book you need after Squid Game!” yells the hype for Kiersten White’s latest. Well, sort of. In fact this well-written horror novel feels closer to The C

      1 min read

    • Article

      TV Pieces Of Her

      Mar 24, 2022

      TV Pieces Of Her
      1 min read

    • Article

      The Deadly Covid Cocktail That Pushed An Opioid Crisis Into Overdrive

      Jun 15, 2021

      Natasha Robinson vividly remembers the day her first stimulus cheque came through. She was homeless and in the depths of a heroin addiction at the time. Most of her days were spent scrambling to find enough money to get a fix. This day was different.

      8 min read

    • Article

      Getting Up

      Oct 15, 2022

      Getting Up
      20 min read

    • Article

      Good Bones

      Mar 19, 2020

      Good Bones
      18 min read

    • Article

      The Traveler Part 1

      Sep 1, 2020

      Jamie wandered aimlessly, kicking a broken chunk of sidewalk, following the chip of cement as it skittered and bounced through leaves and off curbs. In a trance, she walked down unknown blocks and around unfamiliar corners, her mind so far away that

      9 min read

    • Article

      We Take Plastic

      Dec 1, 2022

      We Take Plastic
      6 min read

    • Article

      An Important Person

      Feb 3, 2021

      I’m stirring noodles in a pot when Billy gets home. He comes round the back and knocks over Dad’s beer bottles. They are lined up outside. Billy shouts loudly and throws the door open. ‘Is he here?’ he says. ‘No,’ I say. ‘He’s just left.’ Billy nods

      7 min read

    • Article

      Chop-chop

      Feb 6, 2020

      Chop-chop
      6 min read

    • Article

      Side Gig

      Aug 8, 2019

      Side Gig
      6 min read

    • Article

      Hoodwinked!

      Jan 18, 2024

      Hoodwinked!
      2 min read

    • Article

      Let Me Do It

      Jun 1, 2023

      Let Me Do It
      6 min read

    • Article

      Win Me Something

      Nov 5, 2021

      Win Me Something
      9 min read

    • Article

      Xoxo

      May 5, 2022

      Xoxo
      4 min read

    • Article

      What Prayer Can Do

      Jan 28, 2022

      Dusting the hutch in my kitchen, I noticed a tiny black pellet on the shelf beside it. Gecko dropping, I thought. There must be a baby gecko. There are lots of geckos here in the Desert Southwest. More than once, I’d spotted one of the small yellow l

      1 min read

    • Article

      You Exist Too Much

      Jun 5, 2020

      You Exist Too Much
      9 min read

    • Article

      Penny

      Jul 2, 2020

      Penny
      6 min read

    • Article

      Lech

      Feb 8, 2022

      Lech
      4 min read

    • Article

      The Little BALLERINA

      Aug 5, 2020

      The Little BALLERINA
      6 min read

    • Article

      The Education of Mrs. R.

      Sep 6, 2022

      An adolescent shriek woke her. Cockerels, she thought, cockerels, with a wry twist to the word. She lay in the dark listening. There was no use in covering her head; the screaming still came through. The soloist was suddenly submerged in the chorus.

      13 min read

    • Article

      Cricket League

      Jan 1, 2021

      “Psst, I need to talk to you.” My best friend, looking super excited, is pulling me toward the nearest classroom. It’s empty, and she shuts the door. “This is really big. I made a time machine, and it can take our brains back in time if you know how

      7 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Mortom

    4/5

    41 ratings14 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 4/5
      Andy and his sister arrive in Mortom shortly after their cousin Craig's untimely death. For some unknown reason Crag has left everything to Andy even though they were not particularly close. In fact they have not even seen each other in years. The death itself has been ruled accidental, however Craig did seem to have an enemy in town. Most people just thought he was weird, odd voice, odd mannerisms, riding around on his moped. One person in particular really had it out for him though, and may have had reason to do him harm. There is not much in the house worth picking through, but there does seem to be some strange goings on. A dead rat holds the first key to this mystery. Andy becomes more and more obsessed with unraveling these clues, while his sister just wants to pay her respects to their aunt and get back home. Things take a sinister turn as more clues are unraveled.
      This was a fast paced and highly suspenseful read.

      I received a complimentary copy for review
    • 5/5
      There was never much love lost between Andy Crowl and his cousin Craig Moore. Even as children, the boys had shared little beyond an innate and fiercely competitive streak; building up to a mutually self-imposed estrangement that lasted well into their adulthood. Since the two hadn't spoken in years; what happens next leaves Andy utterly mystified. On the outskirts of the tiny town of Mortom - population 986 - thirty-three-year-old Craig Moore is found drowned in the lake. Considered by many to be a loner and the town eccentric, few attend his funeral. One week later Andy and his sister Kate arrive in Mortom, still stunned by their cousin's death and wanting to pay their respects to Craig's mother Mary. What surprises Andy the most is the revelation of what is in Craig's will: everything - all of Craig's worldly possessions - have been left to Andy.However, Craig has hardly done him a favor. "All my worldly possessions" amounts to little more than a drained bank account and a property which is overridden with junk. All in all, this is a ramshackle and practically destitute estate...Craig was apparently barely living above subsistence level. When Andy finds a dead rat under the refrigerator with a key in its mouth, he reaches his breaking point. He's convinced that this is all some sort of sick joke. Then he finds the letter left by Craig, written two days before his death...detailing the rules of "the game." I must say that I really enjoyed reading this book. It certainly was quite an interesting plot; and while there weren't that many sympathetic characters in the story - I don't think there were supposed to be that many - I felt sorry for exactly three characters: Andy's sister Kate, his aunt Mary, and Craig's boss' granddaughter Debbie. Overall, I would give Mortom: A Novel by Erik Therme an A! I will certainly keep my eyes open for more books by this author to read in the future.
    • 4/5
      This is the second book I have read from this author. The first was Resthaven. While, I liked it and it was a horror story as well. It was written more at the young adult level and so the horror level seemed toned down. While, the horror in this book was not all blood and gore all the time or in your face; the story is more meant to be suspenseful and kind of a psychological thriller. Mr. Therme quickly draws me into the story by dangling a dead rat with a piece of paper stuffed in its mouth. Once, the author had me hooked, he proceeded to slowly reel me in like a fish. By this I mean that the story slowly revealed what really happened to Andy's cousin. The concept of Andy going on a treasure hunt was fun. I honestly, gave up trying to figure out the clues after the third one. Instead, this left me to just sit back and enjoy the story. Which, I would comment and be upset by the slow progression of the mystery but the way the author wrote the story, I was not mad. Reading another reader's comment about how she did not like Kate, Andy's sister was something that I had to agree on. Not in the way that I hated her. At first she was happy to help Andy but when he started being obsessed, she withdrew from the mystery but than would jump back into the mystery by tracking down information. So, you could say that I found her to be wishy-washy. The progression of Andy's demeanor as he became more involved was scary. Especially the fact when Kate did pointed out that Andy was sleeping in Craig's bed and wearing his clothing. The last third of the story is where it picks up speed and all comes together. So, far this book is my favorite from this author and I look forward to reading more books from Mr. Therme.
    • 4/5
      This treasure hunt/scavenger hunt is interesting and full of suspense. The suspense holds through plot twists and sibling squabbles. The story flows well until the ending where it feels like it needs more attentive editing to make it flow as well as the rest of it.
    • 3/5
      Craig is dead and he has left his entire estate, including a debt to a madman, to his cousin Andy. All Andy has to do to stay alive is to decipher the clues. The town of Mortem is the game board and Friday the 13th is the deadline.This is a treasure hunt story told from the POV of Andy and also his sister Kate who has come to Mortem to help Andy take care of the family business, especially Craig's mother, Aunt Mary.This book isn't bad but I have read better treasure hunt books. Aunt Mary is not well written and Kate's anger with Andy is a bit strong, although anyone with a slacker for a brother probably understands her mindset instantly.I received a review copy of "Mortom" by Erik Therme (Amazon Publishing) through NetGalley.com.
    • 3/5
      “You dirty rat!” Well, actually in this case, the rat was a pet. Nevertheless, it’s been dead for a few days. Before Craig’s death, he stuffed a message in the rat’s mouth and left it for his cousin, Andy Crowl, in the house that he bequeathed to Andy in the small town of Mortom. It seems apparent from all of Craig’s planning that he’d committed suicide. The rat and its message was the first of several clues that Andy needs to follow to solve Craig’s dying secret. Andy is hoping the treasure hunt leads to money.Andy’s sister, Kate, came to the house with him. They hadn’t planned on staying at the house, but they hadn’t planned on staying for any extended period of time in Mortom. Kate is convinced that Andy has gone off the deep end as he is so absorbed in figuring out the clues. And why, they ask themselves, didn’t Craig leave his house to his mother, Mary? The two find that Mary has a few secrets of her own. Andy and Kate have no idea they’re wading into a dangerous can of worms.This was a good suspenseful read. The clues and answers are let out unhurriedly allowing the reader the opportunity to enjoy the mystery. Andy is self-centered; he has a what-do-I-get-out-of-it type of attitude. Even still, I liked Andy. I had trouble liking Kate and couldn’t really understand a lot of her animosity toward her brother. She just seemed over the top mad at him with no apparent reason. Perhaps it would have been helpful to have some background information into what was going on here. I rated Mortom at 3 out of 5.
    • 3/5
      The plot of Mortom was good, and I didn't figure out the who and why. That part would get five stars from me. The only reason I rated it lower is because the characters could stand some fleshing out. I prefer character-driven novels to plot-driven ones. Because of the flat characters, the book struck me as a good first draft rather than a ready-to-be published work. I also thought there could have been a better title and cover for a mystery. As it is, a person's first thought is "horror." Of course, that's not a really big deal, since once the person looks at the description, it's clear what genre it is.
    • 4/5
      This is an interesting tale that centers on family relationships and secrets. A brother and sister travel to the town of Mortom to resolve a complicated relationship with their aunt and help to straighten out a family members estate. There are plenty of interesting characters in the small town to keep things interesting. It's a puzzler and full of surprises. I can't say that I like the character's, but I did keep coming back.
    • 4/5
      The book starts with a man inheriting a house et. all from an estranged cousin. The man in question and his sister go to the house at the request of the lawyer. Upon entering the house there's an terrible smell. The find that the smell is emanating from a dead rat beneath the refrigerator. The rat has a note and a key inside it's mouth and with this said the game is off and running. Was a quick read and enjoyable. Was kind of like a treasure hunt between the deceased and his cousin. Full of twists and turns.
    • 4/5
      Mortom is an interesting read. I got this book mostly because it sounded different from the books I tend to read. I mean, a key found in the mouth of a dead rat under the dead cousin's refrigerator... that is certainly a different beginning to a mystery book. I figured I would either love it or hate it. In the end, I both love AND hate it. Before reading on, please note that I averaged the love and the hate parts and gave the book a four star rating. Love got the lion's share of the rating.Mortom has most of the things that trigger me to throw a book across the room. I really didn't like the characters although that in itself is not a deal breaker for me. But I do think that Andy was a headstrong jerk. Ok, yes, in the end he was right. But still, did he have to be so obnoxious? His sister, Kate, was a bit more likeable but why did she put up with her brother? I would have tossed him to the winds by the end of the first chapter. At least she developed during the adventure. I don't think Andy learned a thing and that seems sad to me.Also, I got really tired of all the antagonism between the various characters. Geez, did there have to be so much anger.What is a deal breaker for me is that the book is so far out of the realm of possibility. Unless a book is sci fi or fantasy (and I love sci fi and fantasy books), I prefer to believe that the story could possibly happen in real life. I would have loved to see the crazy beginning play out into something believable. Or else played out into a satire. Instead, the plot goes from strange to just plain absurd. And there are way too many miracles. It felt like every time things got stuck, poof, here's a miracle to solve the problem. I wish my life had even an iota of the miracles necessary to keep this story from derailing.That said, I read the book from start to finish in 24 hours. I would have finished it sooner if life would have left me alone for a while. For some crazy reason my boss doesn't like me reading on the job. Go figure. But despite obstacles like work and grocery shopping and laundry, I couldn't stop reading it. I had to find out what was happening next. And goodness help me, that idiot Andy is going to continue his quest. That means I'm going to have to read the next book. I can't stand the thought of not finding out how the saga continues. The way this book drew me into its clutches marks it a great story. And it is one I enjoyed reading despite its shortcomings. I recommend that you also read and enjoy this book.
    • 5/5
      I received an eBook copy of this book through Librarything's Member Giveaway. I started reading it straight as it arrived, just to get a picture of it in my mind. Having won bad books through the Member Giveaways before, I was a little wary as to what to expect, but within minutes, I was hooked. I wound up finishing the entire book in that very sitting.It's an exciting mystery story, with well-portrayed and thought-through characters, all with a great level of depth in their own way. They might not all be likeable, but you can certainly understand their motivation. The novel is very clever, and even though some of the puzzles and story-lines are easy to figure out, it doesn't take away from the enjoyment. I will definitely keep an eye out for other books by this author.
    • 3/5
      I had mixed reactions to this book. Overall the plot moves along to a suspenseful finale. The antagonist brother sister relationship was puzzling to me but others might find it realistic.
    • 5/5
      I love this book! I read the first couple of chapters, put it down for a couple of days and then read the rest in one sitting because I just couldn't put it down.It's suspenseful, fast-moving, twisty and, at times, funny. I especially like the interaction between brother and sister Andy and Kate. The other relationships they develop, or redevelop, are interesting as well.The story centers around a game -- could it be a wild goose chase? -- Andy and Kate's cousin Craig has Andy going on after Craig's death. Puzzles are solved, long-kept secrets are revealed and question after question is raised about Craig's life, as well as Andy's and Kate's.As I said, I couldn't put it down. Lost an hour or so of sleep, but it was well worth it. I'll definitely be looking for Erik Therme's next book.I received a free copy of this book from Library Thing in exchange for an honest review.
    • 5/5
      Thirty three year old Craig Moore is found drowned in the lake , on the out skirts of town. No one thinks anything of it.He was a loner and the town eccentric, few people attended his funeral. Andy Crowl arrives in Mortom one week later still stunned by his cousins death, and equally confused why everything was left to him. They hadn't spoken in years and shared little beyond a fierce childhood competition. The estate amounts to little more than a property over ridden with junk and an empty bank account. When Andy finds a dead rat under the refrigerator with a key in its mouth, he thinks its a joke until he finds the letter Craig left detailing the rules of the game. I loved it a very suspenseful entertaining read. It keeps you hooked from page one. I look forward to reading more by Erik Therme