Hello and welcome!
If you're new in this space, I'm USA Today Bestselling thriller and horror author L.A. Detwiler. I'm a high school English teacher by day and a total bookworm by night. I'm married to my junior high sweetheart, and we have six rescued cats as well as a very wild Great Dane puppy named Edmund. I started writing in the sweet romance genre (I wrote my first book during college), but a few years ago, I found my writing home in thriller/horror/all things creepy. I'm a huge fan of writers like Shirley Jackson, Stephen King, and Poe, and they heavily influence my writing. I write books that focus a lot on the female perspective and emotional horror. I love to play with the idea of unreliable narrators and the concept of villains. My Great Dane Edmund shows up in all of my books (and before that, it was my mastiff, Henry). My first thriller, The Widow Next Door, hit the USA Today Bestseller's list. It's published with HarperCollins UK/One More Chapter. The audio book is actually coming out this spring, and I'm so excited! I also have a popular serial killer's book called The Diary of a Serial Killer's Daughter. It's the winner of the bronze medal for Reader's Favorite, and I'm so proud of it. I'm a coffee addict, a Netflix binger, and I buy way too much at Ulta. I live in a small town in Pennsylvania where I love sitting in my hammock reading all the books. I'd love to hear about you! Tell me where you're from, what you do for a living, and what books you love. Stay Safe and Be True, L.A. Detwiler
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If you're in the mood for a holiday read and you love horror, The Christmas Bell is the perfect addition to your TBR pile. This horror novel follows three women in the same family as they unleash an evil presence over the days leading up to Christmas. Will they survive the sinister spirit or fall prey to dark secrets from the past?
I'm giving you a free look inside the book so you can see if it's right for you. Check out the prologue below and then be sure to head to your favorite bookstore to learn more...or, forward this to a friend so they can check it out. Happy Holiday Season! L.A. Detwiler, Author The tree glowed with the traditional lights, a symbolic beacon of brightness amidst the horror that had become her life. She stared at them, wishing she could disappear into the vast number of bulbs on the strand. Wishing she could feel them burn her from the inside out. She wondered if her guilt would crumble with the ashes of her flesh, or if it would, in fact, remain long after the semblance of who she was incinerated. In the distance, she could hear the Christmas carolers belting out the words to “Silent Night,” but they grated on her nerves. This was not a holy night—it never would be again. This was a night tinged by sorrow, regret, and guilt. Sorrow for the death of her twin that she painted on her face. Regret for the part she played. And guilt—not for the thing she had done, but for the fact that within her core, buried underneath the superficial sorrow and grief and sadness, something else remained. Joy. Season’s joy, yearlong joy at the fact that she was finally gone. Her greatest tormentor, her greatest fear was gone from this world. She was finally dead. “Dear, they found this in her things. I didn’t want to give it you, but Father said we should. It was her final wish, after all.” She turned to look at her mother, or the being who somewhat resembled her mother. After the past few day’s events, she knew that her mother would never exist the same way again either. Sure, she would paint on that faux smile outlined with red lips as she baked pies and went to the women’s choir practice and talked at the supermarket to her friends about upcoming charities. But behind every story, every lie, there would always be the ugly truth that everyone recognized but couldn’t admit. They had failed as a family. They had failed as parents. And Anne had failed as a sister. Her eyes fell now from the gray, pallid skin of her mother’s tear-stained face to her trembling hands. They looked so wrinkled, so unappealing, as they stretched toward her with the item. It was wrapped in a crumpled piece of notebook paper, the kind that is too thin to be of any substance or natural looking. It was crudely taped around a spherical object, pieces of the translucent tape sporadically placed, as if the wrapper had been in a hurry. The gift lacked finesse and certainly wasn’t one Mother would ever put under the perfectly decorated tree on a normal year. But this was no normal year. Anne stared at her name hurriedly written in a frenetic scrawl on the front of the tiny package. Sobs threatened to rack her body. She was glad Rachel was gone in so many ways—but there was still something haunting about touching an item that belonged to a girl who didn’t know what fate awaited her. Or did she? That was something she would push aside for now. She took the package from her mother, choosing to wander to her room to open the final gift. She was surprised her mother granted her this courtesy. Perhaps her mother had already decided, however, to wash her hands of this delicate, vile matter. Her mother in her stark white apron and adeptly curled hair—it wouldn’t do to dirty her face with tinges of the truth. It wouldn’t do at all. She would leave that to Anne, just as she had done back in July. In her room, perched on her bed, Anne tediously peeled back the layers. Had Rachel really thought this far ahead? She had never been close to her, especially after what happened in July. Why would she decide to leave her a gift now? Was it a final parting, a final remedy for a life that was lived in the recesses of wickedness? As her fingers pulled back the paper, she knew there was no gift that could assuage her cruelty, could save her soul from the torments she must be facing. Lives are filled with mistakes—but Rachel’s had been filled with fiendish feats performed with remarkable malevolence too filthy to be wiped clean. When the paper was removed, she studied the metal object in her hands. A bell sat in her hands, a rusty red color. She placed a hand over her mouth, shaking. The bell was familiar. She’d seen it once before but had thought nothing of it. She’d thought it nothing more than her overactive imagination mixing trauma and Christmas together. But here it was, real in all ways. It was covered in scratches as if someone’s fingernails had dug away until the rusty metal underneath peeked through. She looked closer, leaning in to see a hooded girl carved on the front of the bell, remarkable detail embossed in the surface. She looped a finger through the twine, flipping the ornament between her fingers to examine it closer. As the bell twirled between her fingers, rotating, she noticed that the back didn’t match the front. On the back side of the ornament, a message was carved. And when she read the words carved in the festive adornment, a foreboding gloom drowned her until she was gasping for air. A dread like she’d never felt swept through her veins, clawing at her skin until she could scarcely remember who she was. She choked on sobs, crumpling to the ground. A ringing in her brain drowned out all her awareness. As she looked once more at the words, she knew she wasn’t imagining it. For where words such as Noel or Happy Holidays or Good Tidings should have been, a dire warning of the most menacing kind was clawed into the surface of the metal. She knew who it was from. She knew what it meant. She just didn’t know what the consequences would be. But when her eyes finally unlocked from the carved words, she saw it. Across the bedroom, near the corner. And as her heart beat wildly, words frozen in her throat, she knew that she wasn’t actually safe at all . . . and that the sinister occurrences were probably only beginning. Christmas and all its joys had morphed into a Darker Christmas Spirit—one that there was no celebrating and certainly no escaping from. At the realization, she tossed the ornament across the room, only to notice that where the twine had been, a bloody cut was now seeping on her finger. She watched the red droplets fall, knowing that the White Christmas the carolers sang about outside their home had turned to red. Horrifying, fiendish red. "L.A Detwiler has a way with words that suck you in a dark creepy tunnel until you've finished!" ~Goodreads Reviewer A few years ago, my husband and I were watching the movie Krampus when I got the idea to write a Christmas horror novel. I wanted to combine my love for the holiday season with all things creepy. This is where The Christmas Bell was born.
I had so much fun writing in the world I created, I actually ended up writing many more books in this world (the town of Oakwood). Still, The Christmas Bell is my favorite because it combines family tradition with horrifying secrets. If you love all things Christmas and aren't afraid of a little horror, check out the blurb below and see if it sounds like your kind of horror read. From USA Today Bestseller L.A. Detwiler comes a disturbing paranormal horror novel that will bring hell to the holidays and chilling fear to the festivities. Some Christmas ornaments should be left in the attic. When Candace Mills, 26, heads home for the holidays to visit her mother and ailing grandmother, she's expecting a peaceful, dull Christmas. She has no idea, though, that a single Christmas ornament is about to send her into a whirling chasm of evil. It starts with the Christmas bell, scratched and worn in one of Grandma Anne's boxes in the attic. Once they put it on the tree, Grandma Anne starts to say terrifying things and act strangely. Candace and her mother assume it's her dementia talking—until they start to have dangerous encounters with a fiendish being. As the secrets of Anne's past involving her twin sister rise to the surface, the women face sinister horrors from a dark force looking for revenge. Will any of them be able to survive, or will they fall prey to the malevolent secret Grandma Anne is harboring from her past? Find out more by clicking here. If you have a horror genre lover on your holiday list, have no fear! I've got you covered with some horror book suggestions for every type of reader. Check out my recommendations below and feel free to drop your own favorites in the comments. Happy shopping and reading! 1. For the psychological horror loverI recommend this book to anyone and everyone who will listen. Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage is a true psychological horror that has a domestic setting. It focuses on a child with eerie, creepy tendencies. I really loved the quiet creepiness to this novel. It was such a rush and, although the ending wasn't my absolute favorite, this book is one that has really stuck with me. 2. For Stephen King fansIf you have a fan of Stephen King on your reading list but you feel like they've read all of his works, be sure to check out Stuart James. His writing style is right up there with the horror master. His books are well-crafted, have twisted plots, and have so many well-developed characters. I adore the book Turn the Other Way. Essentially, a couple sees a white transit van with two people in the bag with bags on their heads. The couple follows the van and is transported into a horrifying world at a farm house filled with terrors you can't even imagine. It has a Texas Chainsaw Massacre vibe but with way more twists and turns. Stuart James has a ton of other amazing books, too, so you're sure to find a book for any Stephen King fan on your list. 3. For fans of the paranormal/haunted buildingsWhat if a horrifying asylum existed in modern times? The Redwood Asylum is about an insane asylum tucked away in a forgotten town in modern times. When Jessica, a new nurse, starts working there, she begins to realize the place is filled with secrets. As she tries to solve the mystery, she is drawn to the mysterious quality of the patient in room 5B. She begins to realize he is the secret to many of the sinister happenings at the asylum, but is it too late for her to get out in time? In addition to the mystery in modern times, the book also dives into the haunted legends of the asylum. The stories about the building take on a life of its own and make the asylum its own character. Fans of paranormal or haunted stories will love this book and the fact that several other books are written in this world. If you want to try out Redwood Asylum before you gift it, you can download a free sample here. 4. For readers who like a slow burnThe Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon is horror in a very introspective way. The terror is built completely psychologically as the girl who is lost in the woods tries to find her way out. I loved the chilling play with the themes of darkness and being alone. I also loved the subtle horror built into the character's mind. This is a book that isn't always noted as King's best, so the reader on your list might not have read this. I also think it's a great gift for writers because it really is a wonderful study in craft and style. 5. Mark Edwards Follow You HomeIf you have a Stephen King fan on your shopping list, this one will be another awesome choice. This super dark story of two travelers who get caught up in an international house of horrors will keep you flipping the pages. It is horrifying in such a dark way, you won't stop thinking about some of the scenes. I loved how dark and twisted the tale was, and I loved how it was told. The format kept you guessing the entire time. This one isn't for the weak stomached as some of the scenes are very gruesome, but it's definitely one that stuck with me. Mexican Gothic Book ReviewI have been seeing this horror book all over Instagram and couldn't wait to get my hands on it! Perhaps it was because of all of the hype that I felt a little bit let down by this one because it definitely wasn't one of my favorites (as I'd anticipated). What I liked: I loved the eerie atmosphere in this book. From the beginning, it has a "Yellow Wallpaper" vibe, which is my FAVORITE creepy read of all time. I loved the almost haunted feel from the very beginning of the book when Noemi first arrives at the mansion looking for her cousin. So many creepy things occur right away--from the staff at the house to Virgil to the silent dinners. I loved how the author established that vibe right away. I also liked the last 20% of the book because it was intriguing--very, very weird, but intriguing all the same. It was unlike any book I'd ever read before, which was a good thing. I liked how Noemi's character wasn't predictable and was a strong protagonist. What I didn't like: I didn't like the pure Rebecca vibes at the beginning of the book. It felt so similar to the movie I watched (I didn't read the book), and for me, that detracted from the story. I also felt like the pacing/flow was off. It seemed almost like two different books. The first sixty percent of the book was pretty dull, slow, and rooted in realism. The fantasy elements that were introduced in the last part of the book, thus, didn't feel as rooted in the story and I had a hard time suspending disbelief. While there were some creepy scenes for sure, I was pulled out of the horror element by the truly odd storyline. This one is memorable, but it definitely didn't resonate with me. I found myself skimming the last chapter just to finish it because I wasn't as invested as I would like. All in all, I gave this one a 3.5 stars. The writing is certainly stellar. It was just the overall plot and pacing that fell flat for me. I definitely recommend you check it out, though, if you like a dark, gothic read with a strong supernatural element. Synopsis: After receiving a frantic letter from her newly-wed cousin begging for someone to save her from a mysterious doom, Noemí Taboada heads to High Place, a distant house in the Mexican countryside. She’s not sure what she will find—her cousin’s husband, a handsome Englishman, is a stranger, and Noemí knows little about the region. Noemí is also an unlikely rescuer: She’s a glamorous debutante, and her chic gowns and perfect red lipstick are more suited for cocktail parties than amateur sleuthing. But she’s also tough and smart, with an indomitable will, and she is not afraid: Not of her cousin’s new husband, who is both menacing and alluring; not of his father, the ancient patriarch who seems to be fascinated by Noemí; and not even of the house itself, which begins to invade Noemi’s dreams with visions of blood and doom. Her only ally in this inhospitable abode is the family’s youngest son. Shy and gentle, he seems to want to help Noemí, but might also be hiding dark knowledge of his family’s past. For there are many secrets behind the walls of High Place. The family’s once colossal wealth and faded mining empire kept them from prying eyes, but as Noemí digs deeper she unearths stories of violence and madness. And Noemí, mesmerized by the terrifying yet seductive world of High Place, may soon find it impossible to ever leave this enigmatic house behind. Honest Review of Stuart James 'Turn the Other Way'
If you are looking for a horror read with twists, turns, secrets, and nightmarish scenes, Turn the Other Way by Stuart James it the perfect book for you to grab this summer.
The book focuses on two story lines, past and present, in which readers follow a doctor who has just been accused of a botched surgery and many other characters who are undergoing horrors in a town. The two story lines come together impeccably well to create a story that is simply horrifying. I loved that the author was able to incorporate so many viewpoints of the tale. There were tons of characters and also different timelines happening. In some books, this gets overwhelming. However, James did an amazing job at developing all of the characters in a way that you could keep them all straight. The multiple viewpoints enhanced the eeriness of the tale and also led to a satisfying conclusion in which the characters' lives come full-circle and intertwine. I loved that there were tons of twists in the narrative as well. I had plenty of jaw-dropping realizations during my reading. The main setting and conflict is very frightening and suspenseful. I would liken it to a Texas Chainsaw Massacre feel or a pay it forward concept with a very dark, sinister twist. Some of the characters made choices that you just knew were going to play out poorly. However, I found myself rooting for them and being on the edge of my seat wondering how it would all work out. The farmhouse setting was painted in a dark, menacing fashion that truly came through in the writing. Overall, I flew through this book and was very happy with the way it ended. The author is gritty, raw, and dark in his writing. He is also extremely talented. I found his writing voice to be skilled and appealing. I would highly recommend this read if you love a dark thriller in the same vein as Stephen King. An honest review of 'Baby Teeth' by Zoje Stage
Zoje Stage truly horrifies in her thriller, 'Baby Teeth.' I promise if you pick up this book, you'll not only fly through it, but you'll be left pondering it long after the book closes.
The book is unique in the fact that the villain is a young child, Hanna. It becomes clear to the reader from the beginning that there is something severely wrong with seven-year-old Hanna--and her mother, Suzette, is aware of this fact, too. The book is told from both Suzette and Hanna's voices and highlights a very tenuous mother-daughter relationship that surges into something terrifying. I like that this book focused on a child as the main antagonist because it really added to the eerie feeling. Suzette and the reader both struggle with the fact that Hanna is truly plotting and evil because she is a child. We like to think of children as innocent, and we like to think that with the proper nurturing environment, children learn right from wrong. This book flips those notions on their head and makes us reconsider the nature vs. nurture argument in a thrilling way. I could not put this book down because I needed to see how the author would resolve this horrifying situation. I could feel Suzette's guilt, anger, and pain building as my own did. There were times I was seriously angry at the characters, which in my opinion is a sign of quality writing. This book was tense and horrifying in a way few other books in this genre are. I admired the author's ability to write about touchy subjects in a deep and meaningful way while also focusing on the horror of the situation. This book will give you chills and make you reconsider everything you thought you knew about parenting, children, and the evil that lurks within. 5/5 stars *********************************** Do you love dark, eerie thrillers like Baby Teeth? Click here to get a free excerpt of the dark, eerie thriller, The Widow Next Door, a USA TODAY and International bestseller about the evil that lurks within us all. What secrets are the elderly in your life hiding?
When you look at the elderly, what do you see?
Someone fragile and frail with wrinkled, shaking hands? Someone with a longer list of things they can't do than a list of what they can? Someone near death, harmless, and washed up? In many cultures, the elderly are revered and respected...but I would argue that in American culture, the elderly are often overlooked, forgotten, and discounted. I think often about how frustrating that must be. Because behind those fading eyes and those shaking hands, there is a person with a history that they haven't necessarily forgotten. Behind that elderly person's eyes are stories, regrets, memories, fears, sorrows, rejections, and guilt. There is a lifetime of living....and a lifetime of choices. When I started writing first romance and then thriller, I was drawn to this idea. I tend to write stories centered around emotions. I want to dig into the gritty, raw feelings of life, even if they're hard to face. No, especially if they're hard to face. Aging provides a perfect backdrop to all sorts of heavy emotions. I think the second reason I wanted to write about the elderly in my thrillers is because it just seemed like an exciting idea. I know, I know....it seems like a terrible match to write a thriller about someone who is aged. Aren't thrillers supposed to feature the young, vibrant, sexy leads? For me, the answer was: not necessarily. I started thinking about the fact that darkness lurks in everyone, and that regrets and guilt probably play the loudest near the ends of our lives. Thus, I started imagining characters whose bodies perhaps were declining but their sinister minds were still intact. What would it be like to be a villain with malicious plots and desires....but a failing body? How would it feel to be trapped by physical limitations? And most of all, what secrets are harbored behind those eyes we assume are nothing but innocent? An aged person often becomes a different persona in our minds. We look at an aged person with unassuming viewpoints. We stereotype them in our heads. Elderly equals calm, frail, and sweet. Elderly equals slowing down and innocent. The elderly are paragons of morality in our minds. But I wanted to ask the question: Are they really? What secret desires, guilt, and frustrations could be lurking in an overlooked and misjudged group of the population? What sinister capabilities could they still be hiding? And, above all, how would the fact that no one would suspect an elderly person of something evil and malevolent play into the story? These were the reasons I wrote my debut thriller novel, The Widow Next Door, the way I did. I've had some reviewers comment that the tale was too depressing because of the age of the protagonist. Others found it boring to follow an elderly woman's point of view in a thriller. I get that. It's not typical. It's not expected, and it may not even be desired by some. But I also know this is the story I felt compelled to tell because it was the story that spoke to me. The widow isn't the typical thriller protagonist--and I'm more than okay with that. Because I think the tale she tells can open our eyes to the way we look at aging and to the way we look at our own physical demise. Her story forces us to tap into our darkest, deepest versions of ourselves and ask: When I'm older, what regrets will haunt me? And what parts of my true self will perhaps unearth themselves? It's a question terrifying in its own right, and its a question I was happy to explore. What do you think? Do you think the elderly can house dark secrets? Do you think a thriller can feature an elderly protagonist? Let me know in the comments. Stay Safe and Be True, L.A. Detwiler
L. A. Detwiler is an English teacher and a thriller author with Avon Books, HarperCollins UK. Her debut novel, The Widow Next Door, is available now. Be sure to click the button below to connect with her on Facebook and learn more about her upcoming novels, appearances, and more.
Are you a fan of eerie, twisty thrillers?
Thank you so much for joining me here! For those of you new to the space, I am a thriller author with Avon Books/HarperCollins UK and a high school teacher in Pennsylvania. My debut novel, The Widow Next Door, released in ebook format in November and in paperback on January 24th. It's a slow-burning, super eerie novel about the secrets we harbour and the evil in us all. It's been rocking the Amazon UK charts in horror since it's release, and I'm so thankful that the widow's story is reaching so many new readers.
The Widow Next Door will always hold a special place in my writer heart because it's the book that showed me who I really am as a writer. However, I'm also super excited about book two that will be releasing later this year. It's another eerie, twisty tale full of dark reality, secrets, and a whole lot of deaths. It challenged me as a writer in new ways, and I can't wait to tell you all more about it in the coming months. Dark realism. Emotion so deep, you'll feel like you're there. Harsh truths others shy away from. These are my goals with my thriller writing. These are my focal points. Thanks again for joining me to talk all things creepy and real. I'd love to learn more about you! Tell me a little bit about you in the comments and feel free to list your favorite thriller. I'd love to hear from you. Also be sure to connect with me on Facebook, where I share a whole lot about my author journey. Stay Safe and Be True, L.A. Detwiler 5 Reasons I Absolutely Love and Recommend 'Bird Box'
Bird Box.
Two words that, when put together these days, can stir either unstoppable praise or sniveling, complaining, and disgust. Love it or hate it, the Netflix original has taken the world by storm. But is it worth your time? I watched Bird Box over winter break (I'm a teacher by day), and I'll say this: I didn't regret one second of that time. I know that there are plenty of critics who have called Bird Box boring, bland, overdone, and unoriginal. However, for the two hours I watched, I was sold on the brilliance of the story line. Check out my Top 5 reasons I adored this film and will be checking out the book. Then, tell me in the comments what side you are on: #probirdbox or #antibirdbox. 1. The beginning had me hooked with questions
In the first few minutes of the movie, so many questions arose. Who are the children? Why do they have to be quiet? Where are they going? And what in the living hell are they doing with a box of birds?
I was hooked from the first few minutes, the tension and suspense of the scene set well. The movie technically begins in medias res, with us trying to figure out how the heck Sandra's character ended up in this position on the river. I loved that the movie played with chronology to keep you guessing. I also loved the whole setup of one adult being in charge of two children alone. It added to the terror. 2. Sandra Bullock was a kick-ass protagonist
I'll go ahead and say it: I'm not Sandra Bullock's biggest fan.
I have never been crazy about the movies she's been in. I'm not sure what it is. But this movie changed my mind. She did an amazing job at playing a kick-ass woman who found the will to survive in an apocalyptic world. I also really appreciated that Malorie wasn't painted as the typical woman. Pregnant at the very beginning of the story, she does not actually want to be a mother. The movie says a lot about mothering and the mothering instinct. It is her lack of a desire to be a mother and her somewhat cold nature towards the idea of children that allows the movie to unfold as it does. I found her character to be realistic and easy to relate to. She is not the perfect hero in an apocalyptic world. She shows us that sometimes life puts you in a predicament and you have no choice but to rise to the challenge. I appreciated that. 3. It had the feel of A Quiet Place but with less plot holes
This may be an unpopular opinion, but I was not a fan of A Quiet Place. The premise was amazing, but I was just left with too many questions. Also, I felt there were way too many plot holes and issues with the story and details.
Bird Box certainly had that silent, tense feeling of A Quiet Place. The idea of living in a world without one of your sense is terrifying, and I liked putting myself in the characters' shoes and thinking about how hard life would be. However, Bird Box did a much better job at explaining all of the plot holes. Any time I thought of a specific question, the movie answered. I really felt like every detail went together, and the entire conflict made sense. Nothing felt out of the realm of possibility, which is something I look for in horror/thriller. The story did a good job, in short, of helping me suspend disbelief along with the characters. 4. I love that the flashbacks answered so many questions
I liked that the movie chose to use so many flashbacks. I thought it was interesting to piece together Malorie's story through the flashbacks. They were perfectly spaced so the movie wasn't boring (despite what some critics are saying). I thought the flashbacks also helped take some of the edge of and give me a second to breathe...which was needed as the movie went on.
It also made Malorie feel more human. You understand exactly who she was and what she lost in this new world....and also what she gained. 5. The ending was well-planned
This will be spoiler-free, so feel free to read on even if you haven't yet watched.
I thought the ending of the movie made complete sense and gave a satisfying ending to this dark, twisted tale. I hadn't really thought about the ending and didn't expect what happened. Some critics argue the ending was weak, but I disagree. If you haven't seen the movie, be sure to check it out on Netflix and then let me know what you thought in the comments.
L.A. Detwiler is a thriller author with Avon Books, a division of HarperCollins UK. Her debut novel, The Widow Next Door, is available wherever books are sold. To learn more about her, visit her on Facebook.
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L.A. DetwilerUSA TODAY Bestselling Thriller author with Avon Books (HarperCollins), The Widow Next Door, The Diary of a Serial Killer's Daughter, and other creepy thriller books Categories
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