Great thriller that kept me turning the pages. Great story, great writing and characters. Really enjoyable and would read this author again.

A chilling book following 10 year old Alistair who has moved to the middle of nowhere in Wyoming from the big city. After wandering off the property he encounters an old man who offers to learn him how to mine for gold and that's the beginning of a journey that will test Alistair's sense of right or wrong and making good or bad decisions.
This book is not an in your face horror novel, but it does continuosly gives you the idea that something bad is about to happen. Alistair is a very well written character and the growth he, and his parents, go through with settling in an unknow place is well described. The great description of the wilderness gives makes it possible to envision in your mind. All in all, very well written debut novel.

Through Net Galley, I read an advance copy of the debut novel by Caleb Posten, The Mouth of the Mine This Wyoming based mystery follows 10 year old Alistair Evans after his family relocates to Jackson Hole from New York City. The Evans have purchased an 80 acre ranch after the prior owner disappeared without a trace during a blizzard several months prior. Little do the Evans know that the area has a history of unexplained disappearances. As Al acclimates himself to his new surroundings, he befriends a mysterious stranger who makes a living prospecting for gold and offers to teach Al the tricks of the trade.

While it may sound like a kids book, trust me, it is not. The author weaves a creepy tale around Alistair’s struggle to figure out right from wrong, good from evil. The book is at it's best when it focuses on Al and how he sees his new world and the relationship between Al and old prospector. Fast paced with building suspense, I found myself reading this one late into the evening.

I enjoyed this one and look forward to reading more by Mr. Posten in the future. I’ll give this one a solid 4 stars.

An e-book copy of The Mouth of the Mine was the only compensation received in exchange for this review. My thanks to Net Galley and Black Rose Writing for the opportunity to read this book and provide feedback.

A tantalizing mix of suspense and murder, written in a glued-to-your-chair/bed/lounge manner that guarantees late nights -- or very early mornings. Empathetic characters and enough diabolical plot twists to fill a nightmare, this book comes from me with very high recommendation. You'll only regret the potential loss of sleep!

*This book was provided to me as an ARC, and at no charge from the author or publisher, in return for my honest review."

What I love most about Caleb Posten's writing is his ability to describe a scene and situation. I was continually excited by the descriptions that helped set the stage but left my mind open to fill in the blanks. He was able to capture the beauty and emotion of the wild places and bring that to his readers.

The Mouth of the Mine is a story about a young and fresh-to-the-mountain family. Caleb did a great job of creating each of his characters in a way that gave them unique quirks and helped establish their role in the novel. After moving from New York to Wyoming, they all go through a growing period and that is evident in the way Caleb allowed his characters room to grow.

The twists and suspenseful turns of this book are downright spooky. I felt anxious about what was happening and wanted to yell at the characters in the book and lead them in a different direction.

Caleb Posten is also a very comical and cynical writer. There were many times throughout this story where I would laugh at something the characters said or did. Although this book is not a comedy in itself, Caleb was able to remind us that we are all human, a bit sarcastic, and capable of deeper emotions than what is seen on the surface.

The Mouth of the Mine is a timeless story about family, greed, and a nice reminder about remembering what, and who, is important in life.