Slade House - A Review

SLADE HOUSE by David Mitchell

Slade House is mansion that stands down a narrow, dark alley in a working class part of London.  Those who know of it always think that it is very out of place.  Those who visit it find it’s garden enchanting, it’s hosts charming and the food better than any ever tasted before.  Those few never want to leave … then they do – desperately … none do.

Slade House is a short novel told in five vignettes.  Each part is told from the perspective of a different character.  Each telling gives the reader a little more information about what is actually going on in Slade House.  None of what we learn is good!  When we meet and get know the inhabitants of Slade House, brother and sister twins Norah and Jonah Grayer, things start to fall into place. 

Despite the fact that this book is written in what amounts to five separate stories Mr. Mitchell manages to write so that it all blends together quite seamlessly.  As each story began I foolishly hoped that this time it would be different; this time the visitor would best the twins.  It was not to be.  The author certainly kept me on a roller coaster of belief, hope and then despair for the victims, each consecutive story amplifying that sensation more and more.  That was some excellent writing.  As the final vignette began I was drawn in once more.  I was having that “boy who cried wolf” feeling and swore I would not get my hopes up again.  I needn’t have worried.  Mr. Mitchell did a superb job of keeping me in suspense and not so blissful ignorance.

The final outcome?  Let’s just say I could have screamed – and not only in horror.

As thoroughly as I enjoyed this book one drawback for me was the use of what I can only describe as “mystic psycho-babble”.  I got so bogged down in the names for the various locations and “rites” that I found myself concentrating more on the vocabulary than the narrative.  It resolved itself in the end and didn’t lessen my angst about what was happening but it was distracting.

As my last official “Halloween Read” for this year I’ll call it a very well written and frightening story.  The concept behind the evil was original and despite the “mystic psycho-babble” I “got it”.   Four ghosts for this one. 

* I received this ebook at no charge from Random House

via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review *

ABOUT THE AUTHOR (from Amazon)

David Mitchell is the award-winning and bestselling author of Slade House, The Bone Clocks, The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet, Black Swan Green, Cloud Atlas, Number9Dream, and Ghostwritten. Twice shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize, Mitchell was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time in 2007. With KA Yoshida, Mitchell translated from the Japanese the internationally bestselling memoir The Reason I Jump. He lives in Ireland with his wife and two children.

And now Hallowe'en is over for another year.

Some Hallowe'en Shorts

Just a couple of short story "Halloween Reads" ...

GHOST STORY by Jeff Brackett

 

I’ll start this review by saying that I started reading this story this morning with my coffee and then was almost late for work.  I did not want to stop reading until the end.  But that’s okay, its “Casual Friday” – who needs to do make-up and hair anyway?

Years ago the hunting lodge caught fire and since then it has stood neglected and abandoned with rumors swirling about ghosts.  Sima and her team of paranormal investigators begin to set up their equipment and prepare to spend the night investigating this haunted site.  It immediately becomes apparent that someone, or some-THING, doesn’t want them there.

Mr. Brackett knows how to write a short story.  He pulled me in slowly with the first few pages and took the time to tell me just enough about the characters to get me to like them.  How can you not start to care about a couple that makes a co-worker pine for “a love like that”?  Then, BAM, he started the bumps and moans.  The coffee I had in front of me turned cold because I didn’t want to take my eyes off the page.  Did the ghoulies get ‘em?  Sorry, can’t tell.

In his author’s note at the end of the book Mr. Brackett explains that he is not a writer of horror.  He was asked to submit a story to a planned anthology and was reluctant to take on the challenge because, once again emphatically, he is not a writer of horror.  Well, oh boy, you sure could have fooled me.  This is one of the most spine chilling short stories I have read in a good long while.  I have mentioned before that I am on a never-ending quest to find THE excellent ghost story.  Let me tell you – Mr. Brackett’s “Ghost Story” has made the list! 

I don’t always review stand-alone short stories because it seems like a bit of a cheat to add them to my yearly book count, but this one deserves to be reviewed.  I received this at no charge in an Amazon promotion but would not have regretted it one bit if I had had to pay for it.  So, in case I haven’t made myself clear … did I like this novella?  As a Halloween read this year it gets five ghosts all the way!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR (from his Amazon page)

Jeff Brackett is the author of "Half Past Midnight", "The Road to Rejas", and "Streets of Payne". After having lived almost his entire life in and around the Houston, Texas metroplex, circumstances recently brought him to Claremore, Oklahoma, where he, his wife, and two dogs (Bella and Cricket) have settled in to a smaller house, with a much larger yard. They are all adjusting to the new lifestyle quite well, and Jeff has even begun learning to garden.

His writing has won Honorable Mention in the action / adventure category of the "Golden Triangle Unpublished Writer's Contest", first place in the novel category of the "Bay Area Writers League Manuscript Competition", and was a finalist in the science fiction / fantasy / horror category of the "Houston Writer's Conference" manuscript contest.

His proudest achievement, though, is in having fooled his wife into marrying him almost thirty years ago, and helping her to raise three wonderful children. He is now a grandfather twice over.

DARK SCREAMS (VOLUME ONE) edited by Brian James Freeman and Richard Chizmar

I picked up this three-disc audio book at the library off their “Halloween Reads” shelf on the basis that it included short stories by Stephen King and Kelley Armstrong, two members of my favorite authors list.  The library had it right – it was definitely “Halloween-y”.

The stories and authors included were:

WEEDS by Stephen King.  Jordy Verill watches as a meteorite crashes into his property and imagines the money he will make by selling bits and pieces of it.  He should have imagined something much worse.

I know I have read this story in another anthology (possibly with a different title?).  It was good the first time I read it and it was still good as I listened to it this time.  Mr. King always manages to creep me out.

THE PRICE YOU PAY by Kelley Armstrong.  Kara and Ingrid have been friends since preschool.  They have shared a lot of experiences both good and bad … very bad.  Can their friendship be renewed after a years long separation?  Or is the price of some things too high?

Ms. Armstrong does an admirable job with this short story.  She kept my interest from the get go and never let up until the very end.  I had an inkling about where the story was going, but that never detracted from reading every last word.  I enjoyed it. 

MAGIC EYES by Bill Pronzini.  When you know you are the only sane person in an asylum whom can you tell without sounding insane?

The first half of this story didn’t really have me listening all the intently but then came the point when reality and insanity crash head long into each other.  After that it had my undivided attention.

MURDER BY CHAINS by Simon Clark.  Why was he waking up in an underground vault and why was he chained to a “grunting Goliath” of a man that he is fairly certain is a murderous lunatic.

As with the last story this had me less than enthralled through most of it, but did give me a little jolt with the ending.

THE WATCHED by Ramsey Cambell.  From the blurb on the back of the book … “Little Jimmy gets a glimpse of the cold truth when he finds out that it’s not always what you see that can get you into trouble; it’s who knows what you see.” 

 

This one did absolutely nothing for me other than make me glad it was the last story in the anthology.

Overall I was a little underwhelmed by this one.  Yes, it had a King story but it was a repeat.  In my opinion Ms. Armstrong’s story was the strongest of the five and the other three left me with nary a goose bump.  As a Halloween Read I give it three ghosts.

Two More Ghost Stories (sort of)

Two more additions to this year's list of "Halloween Reads".  While neither of these is definitively a "ghost story" they both have cringe-worthy moments and they both have "ghost" in the title so I am including them.

HUNGRY GHOSTS by Peggi Blair

 

Ricardo Ramirez is a homicide investigator in Havana.  It’s not a popular profession to have in Cuba nor does it come with much government support in the way of state of the art labs, DNA testing or even pencils.  However, Detective Ramirez has his own secret weapon … the ghosts of the victims he will be investigating.  Whenever Ricardo sees a new apparition he knows that a new case is about to come his way.  Unfortunately, these ghosts cannot speak to him, but somehow, they manage to help.

The latest victim appears when the body of a dead prostitute is found with nylon stockings tied in a bow around her neck … the same MO as his one and only unsolved murder.

Quick switch of locations where Charlie Pike finds a similar victim, also with stockings tied into a bow around her neck, on a First Nations Reserve in Northern Ontario.  Can these cases possibly be related?  Is there really an international serial killer on the loose?

For me this book was interesting on so many levels and, surprisingly, the ghost story was the least of them.  While the ghost added color and some comic relief to a rather grisly murder mystery, had the book been written without the inclusion of the apparitions it would have worked just as well.  I enjoyed the glimpse into the life of the local inhabitants of Havana that is a far cry from the tourist experience.  Contrasting and comparing Detective Ramirez in Cuba to Detective Pike on the First Nations Reserve was eye-opening … so many of the same issues face the population in both areas.  Ms. Blair incorporates the comparison so smoothly into her narrative that it never detracts from the story, yet makes a strong statement never the less.  It thoroughly added to my enjoyment of this well written book.  There were enough plot twists and red herrings to keep me turning the pages at a pretty brisk pace and the ending was a revelation I didn’t really see coming until Ms. Blair places her reader in the midst of the action.

I enjoyed all of the characters but have to give a special shout-out to the portrayal of Hector Apiro, the coroner.  He is one of the most original characters I’ve read in a long time and were I casting this as a movie Peter Dinklage would be my first and only choice.  If that’s not teaser enough to tempt you to pick up the book I don’t know what is.

This is the third in the Inspector Ramirez series and the first I have read.  It held up well as a stand-alone book and despite my protest of not wanting to get involved with another series I will be picking up book one and two somewhere along the way. 

There were specters, so I am including this in my Halloween reads and giving it 4 ghosts … not as a Halloween read but as a very good book overall.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR (from her blog)

I am a lawyer, realtor, and author living in Ottawa, Canada. I was a defence lawyer and prosecutor, but most of my legal career was spent in Aboriginal law. But my Inspector Ramirez mysteries series is set in Havana.

Why Cuba?

I spent  Christmas in Old Havana in 2006. I saw how bored the young police officers were, slouched against lamp posts, waiting for a crime, any crime to occur. I went to astonishing art museums, the book market (hundreds of thousands of used books), cigar and rum factories, artists’ stalls, and, of course, the Malecon.

I visited most of Hemingway’s favourite bars (no easy task — they’re all over the place) and learned how to make the perfect mojito.

Havana is colourful mimes on stilts, elderly cigar ladies, child beggars, feral cats and homeless dogs. It’s gorgeous, collapsing Spanish colonial architecture, crazy anti-George Bush billboards, one of the most educated populations in the world, and everywhere, music. Cuba is communism, extreme shortages and incredible generosity, corruption, inane bureaucracy and genuine kindness.

It is quite possibly the most interesting place I’ve ever been. How could I resist writing about it?

A HEAD FULL OF GHOSTS by Paul Tremblay

We meet Merry as an adult just as she is about to lead a journalist/author into her childhood home, a home that became a house of horrors for Merry.  When she was 8 years old her beloved older sister Marjorie began to show signs of instability – the nighttime stories she had always invented for Merry took on a dark cast and Marjorie herself became withdrawn, dark and moody.  Well, Marjorie was a teenager and these things were par for the course.  Or were they?  While Marjorie’s mother insisted that it was something visiting a counselor could take care of her father was not so sure and as his descent into unemployment and malaise deepened his religious convictions increased so he decided an exorcism was more along the line of what Marjorie needed.

Somehow the Barrett family and their troubles came to the attention of the media and before they knew it, they were the stars of a reality television show, “The Possession”, centered around Marjorie’s “affliction” and upcoming exorcism.

All of the events that unfolded in the Barrett household are told in alternating narratives of Merry discussing her past with the journalist/author, snippets of a blog Merry wrote (which were the parts of the book I enjoyed the most) and recounting the filming of the reality show as Merry rewatches episodes.

Was it possession, mental illness or playing to the media?  Who was the ill member of the family?  Marjorie?  Mr. Barrett?  Or, quite possibly someone else altogether?

I can’t honestly admit that I enjoyed this book as much as I expected to.  The writing is excellent.  I think Mr. Tremblay did an admirable job of capturing Merry’s young voice and then carrying that through to the present and an equally good job with Marjorie as the “possession” overtakes her.  And yes, there were those creepy unexplainable moments and yes, the “demonic possession” of Marjorie did seem like it was a real possibility.  I’ll even admit to a bit of angst about the actual exorcism (flashbacks to “The Exorcist” I think) but overall this book didn’t wow me even as a psychological thriller.

Overall, as one of my Hallowe’en reads gets 3 ghosts.  Just not my cup of tea, I guess.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR (from his blog)

Paul Tremblay is the author of the novel A Head Full of Ghosts. His other novels include The Little Sleep, No Sleep till Wonderland, Swallowing a Donkey’s Eye, and Floating Boy and the Girl Who Couldn’t Fly (co-written with Stephen Graham Jones).

Paul is very truthful and declarative in his bios. He once gained three inches of height in a single twelve hour period, and he does not have a uvula. His second toe is longer than his big toe, and yes, on both feet. He has a master’s degree in mathematics, teaches AP Calculus, and once made twenty-seven three pointers in a row. He enjoys reading The Tale of Mr. Jeremy Fisher aloud in a faux-British accent to children. He is also reading this bio aloud, now, with the same accent. He lives outside of Boston, Massachusetts and he is represented by Stephen Barbara, Inkwell Management.

Two Ghost Stories

So I'm finally catching up on posting some of the reviews for my "Halloween Reads".  Although told in very different styles these books had some similarities such as time period (1930's), female ghosts with an agenda and female protagonists, which I always enjoy. 

FIERCOMBE MANOR by Kate Riodan

Alice, a shy and inexperienced young woman working her first job in London, falls prey to a scoundrel (married, no less) and soon finds herself pregnant.  It’s 1933 and this situation is simply not acceptable.  To avoid the disgrace the news would bring down upon the family her mother concocts a story about tragic widowhood and makes arrangements to have Alice shipped off to an old school friend who is the housekeeper at Fiercombe Manor.  The manor is in a remote area of Gloucestershire so no one need know of Alice’s unfortunate circumstance.  Once the child is given up for adoption Alice can return to the loving embrace (at least that of her father – her mother is a bit of cold fish) family and her life in London.

The manor has quite a sad history and as Alice serves out her confinement of shame she begins to uncover the story of Lady Elizabeth Stanton, herself pregnant, when she was lady of the manor more than thirty years ago.  With the discovery of a long forgotten photograph and a hidden diary Alice begins to piece together Elizabeth’s tragic story … and begins to believe that Elizabeth is quite possibly haunting the manor.  Alice begins to fear that the same fate that befell Elizabeth’s baby might happen to hers as well.

Seamlessly told in two time lines, thirty years apart, Ms. Riordan gives the reader a many-layered story.  The reader experiences what life is like for a young women living in 1930’s London and then compares that cleverly with life at a isolated, virtually unwanted and mostly forgotten manor in the country.  The reader is also allowed to experience the life of the upper crust at the turn of the century through Elizabeth’s journal.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book.  As a book read around Halloween I give it four little ghosts. Only four because of the ending – while I enjoyed the big pink bow wrapping it all up neatly – it was, even for me, a little pat.  That being said this story does have a little bit of everything that, in my opinion, makes a good gothic mystery/horror.  Secrets, lies, love affairs, nosey servants, hidden rooms and long forgotten personal effects all tossed together with the perfect combination of angst, spookiness, atmosphere, mystery, drama and a love match thrown in for good measure.

Interestingly, the North American book was titled “Fiercombe Manor” while in the UK it was released under the title “The Girl in the Photograph”.  I'm not sure which is the title I prefer.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR (from www.kateriordan.com)

Kate Riordan is a writer and journalist who was born in London and grew up in

Warwickshire. She spent her first years in journalism as a staffer, first at The Guardian as an editorial assistant and later at Time Out London, where she went on to become deputy editor for the lifestyle section, covering everything from travel to property to beauty. After seven fantastic years of weird and wonderful assignments, she decided to go freelance in order to concentrate on writing fiction, which had for a long time been an ambition (not least when she was interviewing authors for Time Out).

After moving to Cheltenham in the Cotswolds, she wrote Birdcage Walk, which was published by Diversion as an ebook in 2012. Her second novel sold to Penguin in the UK and HarperCollins in the US and Canada, and was published in early 2015 – as The Girl in the Photograph and Fiercombe Manor respectively. A German edition will follow in the autumn of 2015. She is now hard at work on her next novel, a dual narrative story full of secrets and intrigue and moving between the years 1877, 1910 and 1922.

Kate lives in the Gloucestershire countryside with her husband and their dog Morris, a Staffordshire bull terrier they adopted from a shelter in 2013.

THE HAUNTING OF MADDY CLARE by Simone St. James

Sarah Piper lives a pretty hand to mouth existence.  Going from one temporary job to the next, usually alone and not very social she doesn’t have a lot going for her.  She often wishes that her life was just as tad more adventurous.  Be careful what you wish for Sarah!  Enter Alistair Gellis, WWII survivor, independently wealthy ghost hunter, who as fate would have it needs an assistant – specifically a female assistant – to help him on his next “hunt”.  Not exactly the kind employment you expect to receive when you work for a temp agency.  Sarah has her trepidations but jumps at the money to be earned AND the chance to do something exciting.

The investigation is in a haunting involving a 19-year old Maddy Clare who apparently committed suicide.  She is a very angry spirit who hates men (hence the need for a female assistant).  Maddy is very vengeful and soon wreaks chaos on anyone involved with the investigation.  Sarah, for some reason, feels empathy for Maddy and refuses to give up despite the horrific events that occur and when the truth comes out about the suicide both women are allowed relief from the nightmare that has become their reality.

Ms. St. James has given her readers an excellent story of a frightening haunting, atmospheric, tense and tingly with quite a few unexpected scares along the way.  She has also given her readers a mystery to solve and that, all in all, makes for a pretty good ghost story.

My complaint with this book is not at all about the story but rests on the shoulders of the characters actions.  I understand Sarah and her background, because it is very well written, but in her relationship with both Alistair and his original assistant she seems to step out of character.  Her actions just did not seem to fit in with her character.  I don’t want this review to include any spoilers, so suffice it to say that it bothered me enough to be an ever so slight hindrance to my complete enjoyment of the story.

So it’s three ghosts for this one.

I listened to this book on audio and the narrator, Pamelia Garelick, who is an excellent narrator did an superb job with the reading.  However, her voice is very similar to that of actress Penelope Wilton who plays Isobel Crawley on Downton Abbey … so very similar that I could not get Ms. Wilton’s image out of my head the whole time I was listening to the book.  I felt as if Isobel were telling me a story.  I found this so distracting at times that I feel the need to mention it here, but it does not reflect (I don’t think) on my overall rating of the book, just on my enjoyment of this book on audio.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR (from http://www.simonestjames.com/about/)

Simone St. James is a lifelong reader of ghost stories and other spooky reads, but it wasn’t until she was an adult that she discovered two wonderful genres: romances and old, classic gothics.

Wishing she could read something that combined the three, with a 1920’s setting thrown in as well (and having written two full novels that were rightfully rejected everywhere and will forever live under the bed), she wrote THE HAUNTING OF MADDY CLARE, which was the book she really wished to read. An agent’s representation and a publishing contract soon followed, and she has been happily writing in her chosen, made-up genre ever since. THE HAUNTING OF MADDY CLARE won two of Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA® awards, as well as Crime Writers of Canada’s Arthur Ellis Award for Best First Book.

Simone spent twenty years behind the scenes in the television business before leaving to become a full-time writer. She lives just outside Toronto with her husband and an elderly cat who is probably sleeping as we speak. When not writing, Simone can be found traveling, cooking, staying active and healthy, gardening badly, and reading, reading, reading. Among her favorite authors (besides the geeky history and research books she loves) are Mary Stewart, Daphne duMaurier, Deanna Raybourn, Susanna Kearsley, Jacqueline Winspear, Victoria Holt, Kate Morton, George R. R. Martin, and Stephen King. How’s that for a mix? She is also rather addicted to Sherlock on the BBC.

Simone loves to chat with readers on Facebook and Twitter, or through her contact page. You can also see her reading lists on Goodreads and the latest behind the scenes pictures she’s pinned on Pinterest.

Ghostly - A Review

GHOSTLY compiled by Audrey Niffenegger

Everyone should have a quest and mine is finding the perfect ghost story.  What better place to find a great ghost story than in a book of just such stories put together by Audrey Niffenegger (Time Traveler’s Wife, Her Fearful Symmetry)?

Each story has an introduction by Ms. Niffenegger that explains a little bit about the story’s author, some background on the story itself and why she decided to include it in this collection.  It also includes some charming illustrations drawn by Ms. Niffenegger.

The stories are quite diverse both in when they were written (some as early as the 1700’s) and their authors; some very well known as Poe and Bradbury and others unfamiliar to me.  Also included were more contemporary fiction such as the story by Ms. Niffenegger herself.  In my self proclaimed quest for a good, scary ghost story I've read many to it surprised me that the ones I enjoyed the most were the two included by Saki, an author I have not read before.  The stories were very tightly written, had the fright factor yet were on the humorous side.  “Click, Clack the Rattlebag” by Neil Gaiman was a definite favorite as well.

Haunted houses, possessed people, ghostly places and strange objects were all given a nod.  While, admittedly, not every story appealed to me – which is expected when reading a collection – overall, Ms. Niffenegger made some good choices.  Spanning many eras of writing I also found it interesting to see how writing and content changed over the years.  It was very clear when seeing stories brought together in one book.  The only drawback in my opinion (and the reason for my rating) was that some of the stories included left me wondering if it was truly a ghost story or a description of someone losing their grip on their own sanity … maybe sometimes it’s the same thing?

So have I found my “perfect” ghost story yet … probably not … but the journey is what makes the quest so much fun!

The stories in this collection are:

• 'The Black Cat' by Edgar Allen Poe
• 'Secret Life, With Cats' by Audrey Niffenegger
• 'Pomegranate Seed' by Edith Wharton
• 'The Beckoning Fair One' by Oliver Onions
• 'The Mezzotint' by M.R. James
• 'Honeysuckle Cottage' by P.G. Wodehouse
• 'Click Clack the Rattlebag' by Neil Gaiman
• 'They' by Rudyard Kipling

• 'Playmates' by A.M. Burrage
• 'The July Ghost' by A.S. Byatt
• 'Laura' by Saki
• 'The Open Window' by Saki
• 'The Specialist's Hat' by Kelly Link
• 'Tiny Ghosts' by Amy Giacalone
• 'The Pink House' by Rebecca Curtis
• 'August 2026: There Will Come Soft Rains' by Ray Bradbury

*I received this ebook at no charge from Simon and Schuster

via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review *

ABOUT THE AUTHOR (from Amazon) 

Audrey Niffenegger is a visual artist and a faculty member at Columbia College in Chicago. In addition to her bestselling debut novel, The Time Traveler's Wife, she is the author of two illustrated novels, The Three Incestuous Sisters and The Adventuress.

She lives in Chicago.

Some pretty exciting news from her website  …

“Currently, I am working on a sequel to The Time Traveler’s Wife. The working title is The Other Husband. I am also continuing to work on The Chinchilla Girl in Exile and artwork for an exhibition at Printworks Gallery in September 2016.”

My curiosity is piqued and I know I definitely want to read “The Other Husband”.

Secondhand Souls - A Review

SECONDHAND SOULS by Christopher Moore

I don’t even know where to start on a synopsis for this book?  This sequel to “A Dirty Job” is an “everything but the kitchen sink” kind of book brilliantly pulled together by the twisted mind of Christopher Moore.  He just makes it work and makes me laugh through the whole thing.

Since his own untimely “death” Charlie Asher has been stuck in the body of a 14-inch tall meat puppet, cobbled together by Audrey, his Buddhist nun girlfriend.  He is patiently waiting for a suitable body to become available so he can resume his life.  His daughter Sophie is living with his sister and her partner not knowing her father is still “alive”.  She still remembers not to point and utter the “K” word but is she the Big Death anymore?  Doesn’t seem so since the hellhounds appear to have deserted her.

When Charlie hears that souls are not being collected but are disappearing instead knows he has to do something about getting a body … and do it quickly.  Enter all the regulars from “A Dirty Job”.  Alphonse Rivera (retired cop), Lily, The Emperor of San Francisco and Minty Fresh all join in to get the body Charlie needs but then they learn the truth about all the ghosts hanging around the San Francisco Bridge.  All this while Sophie keeps mumbling about the coming battle for the future of human souls.

Throw in some Buddhist beliefs, Egyptian gods, squirrel people, and a taser-carrying Banshee and you’ve pretty much got this book covered.

It’s been 6 years since the publication of “A Dirty Job” and since I rarely do rereads I was concerned starting this one.  I needn’t have been.  Once the first few paragraphs were read I was right back at home with Mr. Moore’s well plotted insanity.  As expected this book is filled to the brim with profanity, bizarre situations, colorful characters, creatures from the dark side and death, lots of death – yet – its also a book filled with family and friends who will do ANYTHING to help each other out and a love story that will make you sigh.  And then there’s Sophie!  Foul-mouthed, disrespectful, cute, loyal, in the advanced 5^th grade reading class, ice-cream loving Sophie.  She has become my favorite character in this book and I can see hope that there might be a possibility of a third book in the series with Sophie as the main character.

“A Dirty Job” was one of the first books I listened to on audio and one of the first I downloaded on “Overdrive” so it just seemed right that, although I was lucky enough to score a signed hardcover, I should listen to “Secondhand Souls” on audio as well.  Therefore I must give praise to narrator Fisher Stevens.  His ability to give each character his/her own voice is truly amazing.  Going from Sophie’s cute cussing to Minty Fresh’s ghetto-slang to the squirrel people’s cult chanting cannot be an easy task.  Excellent job!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it as a must-read for fans of Christopher Moore.  For those few readers not familiar with Mr. Moore – I humbly suggest starting with “A Dirty Job”.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR (from his website)

Christopher Moore is the author of fifteen novels, including the international bestsellers, Lamb, A Dirty Job and You Suck. His lastest novel, Secondhand Souls, will be released in August 2015.

Chris was born in Toledo, Ohio and grew up in Mansfield, Ohio. His father was a highway patrolman and his mother sold major appliances at a department store. He attended Ohio State University and Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara. He moved to California when he was 19 years old and lived on the Central Coast until 2003, when he moved to Hawaii.

Before publishing his first novel, Practical Demonkeeping in 1992, he worked as a roofer, a grocery clerk, a hotel night auditor, and insurance broker, a waiter, a photographer, and a rock and roll DJ. Chris has drawn on all of these work experiences to create the characters in his books. When he’s not writing, Chris enjoys ocean kayaking, scuba diving, photography, and painting with acrylics and oils.

He lives in San Francisco.

ABOUT THE NARRATOR (from IMBD)

Fisher Stevens moved from his native Chicago to New York at the age of 13 to pursue an acting career. He tried, unsuccessfully, to get any kind of job and was, he recalls, even rejected as extra for a Crest commercial.

Despite having lived in New York City for more than a decade, where, with some other actors, Stevens has started an off-off-off Broadway theatre company called Naked Angels, he insists that he is still a fan of the Chicago Cubs.

Read This One With ALL the Lights On

SEIZE THE NIGHT edited by Christopher Golden

They’re not handsome/pretty or friendly and they do not exercise self-control.  They ARE ugly, vicious, gritty and evil.  Vampires – just the way I like ‘em!

I’m a bit of a purist when it comes to my vampires.  I don’t want Edward and daywalkers – I want creatures of the night and fog … Stoker’s Dracula, Lon Chaney Jr.’s bat, Christopher Lee’s chill, Nosferatu and blood dripping off fangs.  “Seize the Night” delivers on all counts.

Christopher Golden has edited this anthology written by some of the best horror writers of the 21^st century.

In his introduction Mr. Golden takes the reader through a very quick history of vampires as portrayed in different cultures and through the ages.  And he warns the reader in no uncertain terms, “In Seize the Night … what matters is the terror”.  This reader was not disappointed.  The challenge to the writers contributing to this anthology was to “strike back against the notion that the vampire has lost its ability to inspire fear”.  In my humble opinion all twenty tales in this book managed to inspire plenty of fear, as well as some squeezing shut of the eyes, groan and goose bump moments. 

In compilations of short stories, almost without fail, there seem to be some that do not appeal as much as others.  Not so in this book … there was nary a one I didn’t enjoy reading.  I don’t want to point fingers but even the one story that had me scratching my head in confusion and thinking “okay, here’s the dud” absolutely redeemed itself when it gave me that “Aha!” moment at the end – worth waiting for and most definitely cringe-worthy.

The stories were as varied as the authors, some based on ancient myths and native folklore, others borrowing from nature.  A few took place in the present and a few others in a post-apocalyptic near-future.  If you held a fang to my throat and forced me to pick a favorite I would have to go with “Up In Old Vermont” by Scott Smith, which happens to be the first story in the collection.  For originality it would definitely be “Paper Cuts” by Gary A. Braunbeck.

* I received this ebook at no charge via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review *

THE CONTRIBUTING AUTHORS

Scott Smith (Up in Old Vermont)

Seanan McGuire (Something Lost, Something Gained)

Michael Koryta (On the Dark Side of Sunlight)

Sherrilyn Kenyon (The Neighbors)

Gary A. Braunbeck (Paper Cuts)

Charlain Harris (Miss Fondevant)

Laird Barron (In a Cavern, In a Canyon)

Dana Cameron (Whiskey and Light)

Kelley Armstrong (We Are All Monsters)

Tim Lebbon (May the End Be Good)

Dan Chaon and Lynda Barry (Mrs. Popkin)

Leigh Perry (Direct Report)

John Langan (Shadow and Thirst)

Joe McKinney (Mother)

Robert Shearman (Blood)

Lucy A. Snyder (The Yellow Death)

Brian Keene (The Last Supper)

Rio Youers (Separator)

John Ajvide Lindqvist (What Kept You So Long)

David Wellington (Blue Hell)

ABOUT THE EDITOR (from his website) 

Christopher Golden is the award-winning, bestselling author of such novels as The Myth Hunters, Wildwood Road, The Boys Are Back in Town, The Ferryman, Strangewood, Of Saints and Shadows, and (with Tim Lebbon) The Map of Moments. He has also written books for teens and young adults, including Poison Ink, Soulless, and the thriller series Body of Evidence, honored by the New York Public Library and chosen as one of YALSA’s Best Books for Young Readers. Upcoming teen novels include a new series of hardcover YA fantasy novels co-authored with Tim Lebbon and entitled The Secret Journeys of Jack London.

A lifelong fan of the “team-up,” Golden frequently collaborates with other writers on books, comics, and scripts. In addition to his recent work with Tim Lebbon, he co-wrote the lavishly illustrated novel Baltimore, or, The Steadfast Tin Soldier and the Vampire with Mike Mignola. With Thomas E. Sniegoski, he is the co-author of multiple novels, as well as comic book miniseries such as Talent and The Sisterhood, both currently in development as feature films. With Amber Benson, Golden co-created the online animated series Ghosts of Albion and co-wrote the book series of the same name.

As an editor, he has worked on the short story anthologies The New Dead and British Invasion, among others, and has also written and co-written comic books, video games, screenplays, the online animated series Ghosts of Albion (with Amber Benson) and a network television pilot.

The author is also known for his many media tie-in works, including novels, comics, and video games, in the worlds of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Hellboy, Angel, and X-Men, among others.

Golden was born and raised in Massachusetts, where he still lives with his family. His original novels have been published in fourteen languages in countries around the world.