Horror World Book Reviews
July, 2006

PRESSURE by Jeff Strand
Review by Mark Justice

Unputdownable.

That's a word I just made up. Sorry if you find it jarring, but I had no choice. Your everyday garden-variety words seem inadequate when used to describe PRESSURE, the new thriller from Jeff Strand.

After Alex Fletcher commits petty theft, his parents send him away to a strict boarding school. There he meets Darren Rust, a quiet, secretive kid. They don't hit it off until a late night trip off-campus to stand vigil outside the back door of a strip club. After that Alex and Darren are tight, until Darren is found doing something very bad to a beloved pet. Alex and his other roommates carry out an act of revenge that goes wrong. Darren's payback damages them all. The boys are split up and Alex believes that phase of his life is over.

When he becomes a college student, Alex meets Darren again. His old nemesis seems to be a changed man, but gradually the old Darren emerges. Or, rather, the new Darren, with new appetites. He wants to prove to Alex that they have the same twisted needs, so he forces Alex to commit an unspeakable act before he disappears from Alex's life again.

Year later, Alex, now a husband and father, has moved past the tragedy Darren brought into his life. Things aren't perfect, yet he's happy. But the inevitable return of Darren changes all of that in a most barbaric way.

PRESSURE is one of the best-written thrillers in recent memory. It doesn't rely on ancient codes or terrorist threats for its intrigue. Instead, Strand captivates us by pitting one good man - a regular guy -- against a human monster.

Alex narrates the book in a voice so real and likable that the reader is never once tossed out of the story by a clumsy phrase or implausible plot twist. Instead, one event hurtles right through to the next in a breathtaking display of craftsmanship. Strand's style is nearly invisible in PRESSURE. By that, I mean he never stops the flow of the story to say, "Look at me. I'm the writer. Aren't my words pretty?" He just lets Alex tell the story in a very believable, warts-and-all kind of way.

And fans of Strand's horror-comedy hybrid fiction need not worry, there's plenty to make you smile here, mostly in the dialogue between Alex and his friends or Alex and his girlfriend/wife.

PRESSURE is a novel that demands to be read in one sitting, followed by staying up all night, listening for any unusual sounds outside.

Like I said, unputdownable.

Earthling Publications

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THRILLER: STORIES TO KEEP YOU UP ALL NIGHT ed. James Patterson
Review by Tom Piccirilli

An extraordinary anthology of first-rate, often best-selling authors who are members of the International Thriller Writers, a newly established organization devoted to the art of thriller writing. Thirty outstanding, diverse stories cover the wide-ranging arena of suspense fiction, including political intrigue, crime heart-stoppers, ticking-clock page-turners, noir fiction, legal dramas, historical hijinks, captivating mysteries, and everything that falls between. Taken as a whole this is a comprehensive compendium covering the breadth of the thriller genre and the powerful talents that currently make up the literary landscape.

Included herein are such recognizable names as David Morrell, F. Paul Wilson, James Rollins, Steve Berry, Lee Child, Eric Van Lustbader, and James Patterson who edited the anthology. Although most of the contributors are best known for their novels, every offering here in the short form characterizes what Patterson calls an "intensity of emotions." These tales are rich with the vigor, violence, alarm, panic, and excitement which make up the best in thrilling fiction.

David Morrell returns to the world of his memorable novel THE BROTHERHOOD OF THE ROSE and reintroduces husband & wife super spy team Saul and Erika Grisman in "The Abelard Sanction," which delves into the concept of safe houses for agents on the run seeking sanctuary and what happens when enemy counterparts threaten to break centuries-old rules.

Ultra-cool vigilante Repairman Jack returns in F. Paul Wilson's lightning-fast "Interlude at Duane's," where we meet an old friend of Jack's who proves herself almost as quick-witted and action-bent as Jack during a convenience store holdup.

J. A. Konrath's "Epitaph" is used to put the spotlight on Phin Troutt, a secondary character in his Jack Daniels mystery series, which springboards him into a much darker territory featuring an extremely vicious act of revenge.

"Kowalski's in Love" by James Rollins is a speedy, heart-thumping tale involving killer baboons, an island full of booby-traps, a possible bioweapons infection, and a lot of cool guns and explosions. Action adventure in the best tradition because it's so fun.

Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child first short story together "Gone Fishing," while ostensibly a tale featuring Vincent D'Agosta, is really a piece about two lightweight museum thieves who've made off with an ancient Incan sacrificial knife that becomes a terrifying foray into horror with a finale that is sure to stick with you for quite a while.

Other stand-outs include pieces by James Siegel, John Lescroart & M.J. Rose, Gregg Hurwitz, Steve Berry, Denise Hamilton, and Alex Kava. But really, choosing a favorite from this gathering of impressive stories is a lost cause. They're all noteworthy, wonderful examples of the best that the genre has to offer. THRILLER is, simply put, a book that no one interested in any variation of the suspense field can do without. Nab it immediately, and forego sleep.

Mira

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EYE OF THE BURNING MAN by Harry Shannon
Review by Nate Kenyon

Psychologist Mick Callahan has a knack for getting into trouble. A recovering alcoholic, womanizer and fighter (as a child his stepfather forced him to fight for money), he's now on the straight and narrow after barely escaping his last scrape with his life (the events of Shannon's previous novel, Memorial Day). In fact, things are finally looking up; he's got a pretty young girlfriend and a new hit radio talk show.

But when Callahan and his date are mysteriously assaulted in the parking lot by a huge tattooed man wearing a black mask, and his housekeeper's adopted son is kidnapped, it seems that trouble has once again found him. Things quickly get worse: an old friend, drug addict and prostitute named Mary calls him with a plea for help, and he can't resist going after her.

The problem is, Mary has fallen in with a very bad group of people, and Callahan quickly finds himself swept up into a dangerous plot. Nothing is as it seems, and he must call in every favor and use every ounce of his strength and cunning to stay alive. Assault, prostitution and child pornography are par for the course as Shannon's taut thriller moves with lightning speed to a thrilling conclusion.

Shannon's prose is effortless as he propels the story along with the practiced ease of a master. There's enough intrigue and plot twists to keep any reader interested, but the real hook of this novel is Callahan himself.

Eye of the Burning Man is, in a word, astonishingly good. This novel is lean, dark and one hell of a lot of fun. Although it's not necessary to read Shannon's previous Callahan novel, Memorial Day, it's worth doing so, if only to see the character change and grow from one book to the next. Callahan is more than an echo of the hard-boiled sleuths from other standout detective series from Parker, Crais, MacDonald and Thompson; he is a fresh new voice, a flawed everyman hero who knows his own demons and his own limitations and is strong enough to overcome.

Put simply, Eye of the Burning Man stands with some of the very best noir mystery fiction around. Shannon deserves a much wider audience for this series, and one can only hope he will land a mass-market deal so that many more readers can become acquainted with Mick Callahan Highly recommended.

5- Star Press

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WORLD OF HURT by Brian Hodge
Review by Nanci Kalanta

"U never told me how u died." The opening line of Brian Hodge's World of Hurt sets the stage for a darkly disturbing novel of good and evil. Andrei Lepik died when he was 17 - dead for 38 minutes under the icy waters of the Allegheny River. Now, 14 years later he's fighting for his life again. His memories of his original crossing, complete with the white light at the end of the tunnel have been replaced with a more horrific vision, leaving Andrei near housebound with the fear that he may die again. When his on-line confident and fellow returnee, Kimmy, is brutally and sadistically murdered, Andrei works with the enigmatic Manon to come to terms with Kimmy's death. In the process, Andrei learns the true nature of life and death.

Brian Hodge doesn't back down. He hits you full on, right between the eyes and doesn't take the easy way out. World of Hurt is an emotional gut punch that will leave you breathless and questioning your beliefs.

Read the first chapter of World of Hurt here .

Earthling Publications
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LICKER by Michael Arnzen
Review by Nate Kenyon

Young Robert Harper is having a problem with his tongue.

He's at the carnival and on his very first date. Sheila, a deaf-mute cheerleader, is gorgeous, and Robert has prepared well for this evening, even going so far as to learn some sign language. But the trouble is, he's got these sores on his tongue that just won't go away. In fact, they seem to be getting worse, and the pus that's leaking from them is making him sick.

Still, by the time Sheila and Robert get on the Ferris Wheel, the date has been going pretty well, all things considered. But a quick kiss at the top leads to Sheila's tragic death, and Robert quickly finds himself dragged away and locked up behind bars in a shadowy room inside the carnival walls.

It seems that Robert has something the carnival's owner wants. And he'll stop at nothing to add Robert to his list of freaks. For this isn't any ordinary carnival; but then again, Robert is no ordinary teenager.

And this is no ordinary pus.

The latest from the author of Play Dead, Licker is an over-the-top, gross-out laugh riot. Arnzen clearly had a lot of fun in trying to outdo himself, from the very first paragraph all the way to the last. It's not his ordinary style or subject matter, but Arnzen has more than enough skill to pull it off.

Licker is not to be taken seriously, and that's the point. The result is a like a World Horror Convention gross-out contest on steroids. The novelette length is perfect for this kind of work, because it's long enough to allow the reader to get into the story, without allowing the joke to get stale.

There's only so much gross-out humor one can take, after all. But Licker is the perfect dose. Give this one a try; you'll never look at a canker sore the same way again.

Novello Publishers

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THE BLACKBURN AND SCARLETTI MYSTERIES, VOL. ONE by Karen Koehler
Reviewed by Patricia Snodgrass

Composed of three novellas, The Blackburn and Scarletti Mysteries trace the adventures of January Blackburn, FBI agent, and Dorian Scarletti, a priest from an ancient and enigmatic order of the Vatican. Between the two of them they fight off werewolves, screwed up angels and a host of other creatures of the night. And Scarletti has secret of his own, and a past that turned him from a contented musician into a cynical, paranoid misanthrope. Ironically, Scarletti is just the kind of partner January Blackburn likes. Or not. Blackburn has issues of her own.

Blackburn and Scarletti's relationship is complex and ambiguous, and that ambiguity makes them seem all the more human. For example, Blackburn hates Scarletti, and she can't tell if the feeling is mutual yet. Nor is she completely sure she really hates the man. Or is he a man? And who is the spectral Jackal that seems to have control over Scarletti? She must know, but then again, does she really?

Tightly written, and interesting, there are no stereotyped characters, no flatness, no bad pacing that often plagues mysteries. I recommend The Blackburn and Scarletti Mysteries. It's a fun summer read.

Black Death Books

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THE DARK DOMAIN by Stefan Grabinski, translated by Miroslaw Lipinski.
Review by Steve Middaugh

The Dark Domain contains eleven tales penned by the turn-of-the-twentieth-century writer from Poland, Stefan Grabinski. This is the writer nobody's ever heard of. At least, yours truly never did until now. Foreign writers are usually good when it comes to translations. Lousy translations usually make the writers look bad. However, Miroslaw Lipinski, in my opinion, did an excellent job with translating Grabinski's work. The prose was at times poetic, decadent, but never boring. Eleven stories are not enough in my most humble opinion. There should have been more. Still, a reader should look at it as simply an appetizer to more of Grabinski's work.

FUMES. A surveyor, tired out for the day's work, decides to seek shelter from the snow storm that arrives. He comes upon what looks to be a convenient inn. A strange giant of an innkeeper kindly lets him in. During his stay, he gets suspicious when innkeeper behaves oddly and keeps disappearing and a strange woman appears and disappears as well. Towards the end, he discovers that nothing's what it seems at first glance. The surveyor will regret ever finding such an inn.

THE MOTION DEMON. A passenger has a habit of switching from one train to the next. It's only when the conductor shows up in the man's compartment that the reader would discover what the passenger really is.

THE AREA. A writer decides not to write anymore weird tales and shuns public life. He wants to bring about certain realities culled from his mind's eye, the imagination if you will. When he opens his window of his own apartment and sees the mansion across the street, he finds familiar looking people peaking through the windows, like something out of his own weird tales.

SZAMOTA'S MISTRESS is a strange ghost story. I wouldn't seriously call it "a love story". The protagonist is way too infatuated for the girl in question. She has a habit of covering her face in a veil during their love making entanglements. All it took was for him to rip away that veil. Need I tell you more? Read this and find out.

VENGEANCE OF THE ELEMENTALS. What happens when a fireman has an ideal and an ingenious way to fight fires and does away with the fire elementals? The elementals will have none of it.

THE GLANCE. After reading this little tale, it will certainly make you question the reality around you. Especially when you don't want to go to places with hidden "spaces" where doorways might open unexpectedly. That's what the protagonist wants to do, live in areas where there's wide open spaces like the rural areas. A place without buildings bunched together, and narrow streets with sharp turns and hidden alleyways-and the alien presence that is always there.

There are several more stories to mention but due to space of this article, I have to limit it to a handful. Like I said, these are the appetizers.

Lipinski did an excellent job translating Grabinski's work. The stories are not exactly a walk in a park, more like a walk in a nightmare. And they don't lack originality. It's unfortunate that Stefan Grabinski is sorely overlooked; he deserves to be read.

Dedalus books

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