The nitty-gritty: Mystery meets mind-bending supernatural terror in Dead First, a unique tale of revenge, redemption and murder. “Sometimes, people leave part of themselves in a horrible place, creating an eternal scar.” Dead First surprised me in just about every possible way. This is a gritty, violent and emotional story that mostly leans into mystery/detective […]
The nitty-gritty: A powerful family grapples with tradition, loyalty and a powerful demon in Alma Katsu’s latest, a horror story heavy on family drama and light on the supernatural elements. Demons seem to be having their day lately, and Fiend is yet another take on the subgenre. Alma Katsu veers away from historical fiction to […]
The nitty-gritty: Unexpected twists and laugh-out-loud humor make this assassins-turned-good guys story an excellent sequel. “’Yo, snakes are attracted to sound,’ Booker says. ‘You a herpetologist now?’ I ask. ‘No, but remember that episode of The Simpsons where Lisa used stereo speakers to attract the snakes?’ ‘Okay, you are not a herpetologist. We don’t make […]
The nitty-gritty: Josh Winning mixes slasher horror and cancel culture in his latest, an entertaining blend of elements with layered characters and plenty of blood. Heads Will Roll was lots of fun, even if there were a few story elements that didn’t make sense. This is yet another entry into the “camp slasher horror” sub […]
The nitty-gritty: Rob Hart delivers a thrilling assassin story with heart, humor and unforgettable characters. Who knew that a story about a deadly assassin who is trying to quit killing people would turn out to be one of my favorite books of the year? Assassins Anonymous surprised me in every possible way, and I can’t […]
The nitty-gritty: The “cursed movie” trope is alive and well in Josh Winning’s latest, a creepy, madcap adventure that, while a lot of fun, falters when it comes to the characters and their actions. It pains me to give Burn the Negative anything less than five stars, since I really expected to love this. Josh […]
The nitty-gritty: Alma Katsu’s signature atmospheric prose elevates this eerie, domestic thriller set on the ill fated Titanic, with mixed results. The Deep was one of my most highly anticipated books of 2020, and I’m sorry to say it didn’t quite live up to my expectations. I was expecting a ghost story set aboard the […]
The nitty-gritty: Dark, complex and terrifying, The Hunger fuses historical events with a creeping, supernatural horror, making this a standout book of 2018. A quick note for those who might be sensitive to the use of the word “Indian” when talking about Native Americans: Please note that during the timeframe of these events, Native Americans […]