The Lost Souls of Bell Valley (book)
Encyclopedia
The Lost Souls of Bell Valley (2011) is a horror fiction
book written by A.D. Distler.
The story is set primarily in southern Ohio
and is based on two actual events that occurred in the region, about seventy air miles and forty years apart. First, was the wreck of the USS Shenandoah (ZR-1)
, America's first rigid airship
which crashed near Ava, Ohio
during a late summer thunderstorm in 1925, killing 14 members of the Navy
crew. Second was the collapse of the Silver Bridge
connecting Ohio to Point Pleasant, West Virginia
in 1966, which killed 46 people.
The lead character of the story studies The Division of Consciousness written by Peter Novak (author) in 1997 as an attempt to understand the paranormal events he had witnessed several months earlier.
Horror fiction
Horror fiction also Horror fantasy is a philosophy of literature, which is intended to, or has the capacity to frighten its readers, inducing feelings of horror and terror. It creates an eerie atmosphere. Horror can be either supernatural or non-supernatural...
book written by A.D. Distler.
The story is set primarily in southern Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
and is based on two actual events that occurred in the region, about seventy air miles and forty years apart. First, was the wreck of the USS Shenandoah (ZR-1)
USS Shenandoah (ZR-1)
USS Shenandoah was the first of four United States Navy rigid airships. It was built in 1922-1923 at Lakehurst Naval Air Station, and first flew in September 1923. It developed the Navy's experience with rigid airships, even making the first crossing of North America by airship...
, America's first rigid airship
Airship
An airship or dirigible is a type of aerostat or "lighter-than-air aircraft" that can be steered and propelled through the air using rudders and propellers or other thrust mechanisms...
which crashed near Ava, Ohio
Ava, Ohio
Ava is an unincorporated community in northwestern Noble Township, Noble County, Ohio, United States. Although it is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of 43711. Also located in Ava is a small museum dedicated to the nearby crash of the airship USS Shenandoah in...
during a late summer thunderstorm in 1925, killing 14 members of the Navy
Navy
A navy is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions...
crew. Second was the collapse of the Silver Bridge
Silver Bridge
The Silver Bridge collapsed in 1967, killing 46 people. The terms Silver Bridge or Silverbridge may also refer to:* Silver Memorial Bridge, the replacement for the above bridge, opened in 1969....
connecting Ohio to Point Pleasant, West Virginia
Point Pleasant, West Virginia
Point Pleasant is a city in Mason County, West Virginia, United States, at the confluence of the Ohio and Kanawha rivers. The population was 4,637 at the 2000 census...
in 1966, which killed 46 people.
Synopsis
In the rural foothills of southern Ohio, the abandoned town of Bell Valley is damned by a dark curse, which has been responsible for countless disappearances, mysterious “accidents,” and inexplicable spectral sightings for generations. When his mother, father, and sister are viciously murdered, Drew Christman returns to his haunted hometown, determined to learn the truth behind their gruesome demise. Teaming up with the three other families who have been equally afflicted by the infamous Bell Valley Curse, Drew sets out to find his family’s killer – however, as his investigation unfolds, he soon discovers disturbing truths that bring him face-to-face with an evil the likes of which he could never imagine.Plot references
One of the elements of the plot includes a mention of the novel Vril: The Power of the Coming Race written by Edward Bulwer-Lytton in 1871.The lead character of the story studies The Division of Consciousness written by Peter Novak (author) in 1997 as an attempt to understand the paranormal events he had witnessed several months earlier.
See also
- John KeelJohn KeelJohn Alva Keel, born Alva John Kiehle was an American journalist and influential UFOlogist best known as author of The Mothman Prophecies.-Biography:...
, author of The Mothman PropheciesThe Mothman PropheciesThe Mothman Prophecies is a 1975 book by author John Keel.The book combines Keel's account of his investigation into alleged sightings of a large, winged creature called Mothman in the vicinity of Point Pleasant, West Virginia, during 1966 and 1967 with his own theories about UFOs and various... - The entityEntityAn entity is something that has a distinct, separate existence, although it need not be a material existence. In particular, abstractions and legal fictions are usually regarded as entities. In general, there is also no presumption that an entity is animate.An entity could be viewed as a set...
in the book is an expanded version of The MothmanMothmanMothman is a legendary creature reportedly seen in the Point Pleasant area of West Virginia from 15 November 1966 to 15 December 1967. The first newspaper report was published in the Point Pleasant Register dated 16 November 1966, entitled "Couples See Man-Sized Bird...Creature...Something"... - Belle Valley, OhioBelle Valley, OhioBelle Valley is a village in Noble County, Ohio, United States. The population was 263 at the 2000 census.-History:The Village of Belle Valley was incorporated in 1905, but was actually beginning to form around the mid-19th century...
, an actual town near the crash site, was the inspiration for the fictitious town Bell Valley in the book - Noble County, OhioNoble County, OhioNoble County is a county located in the state of Ohio. As of the 2010 census, the population was 14,645. Its county seat is Caldwell. Noble County is named for Rep. Warren P. Noble of the Ohio House of Representatives, who was an early settler there.-History:...
is the primary locale for the book