I'm afraid I don't know much about Shannon Felton, a fact that I expect will change. Here's what I do know:
1. Her debut novella is published by Silver Shamrock, something that nobody in the horror community takes lightly.
2. Her story Devil's Dip from Midnight in the Graveyard was a phenomenal opening to a phenomenal collection.
3. She either grew up in or near a place like Stewartville or has an extremely admirable and fertile imagination.
Stewartville is a place where everyone either works in the prison or, well, is in the prison. Meth is a serious issue, and not just among adults, and the kids that live there haven't got a chance. It's a desolate place with a history.
Casey, the voice of the story, has a mom in jail and lives with his older brother. When his friend, Denny, finds a secret passageway in the basement, Denny wants to explore it, against Casey's better judgement. From here on out, things in this already troubled town become increasingly strange and violent, bounding towards its' seemingly inevitable conclusion.
Felton did such an incredible job crafting the town of Stewartville and making it feel lived-in. The reader can feel the lack of hope in it's residents and the sense that they have come to terms with the way things are looms large. Later in the story the violence comes in waves, but is genuinely surprising and upsetting every time.
The Prisoners of Stewartville is one of the strongest offerings from Silver Shamrock Publishing yet, and trust me, that's really saying something. I have no qualms about recommending this book to anyone and everyone. Not for nothing, this is also up there with my favorite Kealan Patrick Burke covers, and something I'm going to require in paperback.

I received an e-Book from the publisher for review consideration.