WEST HEART KILL......MORE OF AN MFA THESIS THAN A NOVEL....(**)

 West Heart Kill by Dann McDorman (2023)

             I'm at a complete loss as to whom this book would appeal to beyond graduate students or doctoral candidates seeking M.F.A.'s or PhD's in literature.

             Yes, there's a murder mystery that sporadically wanders and in and out of the book, but about 75 per cent of "West Heart Kill" is devoted to an exhaustive academic treatise on the murder mystery as a literary art form.......origins, beginnings, histories, the breakdown of all the sub-genres and their individual tropes. And the author uses the actual plot he's concocted as a sort of a slide-show visual aid for his 'Murder Mystery 101' college course lectures.

               While I admire the ambitious intent here, it makes for a tedious, annoying read. And I really began to run out of patience with the book as it swung back and forth from its whodunit storyline to the author's meticulous analysis of the characters and events as they apply to his literally forensic research into mystery genres. 

               The story used to illustrate the lectures involves a private eye who managed an invite to an uppercrust hunting lodge on the July 4th weekend of 1976. The vast upstate New York club's membership consists, naturally of ultra-wealthy families afflicted with endless dysfunctions and secrets........infidelities, shady finances, dark histories, and tragic accidents that maybe weren't accidental. So with such a toxic collection of individuals, more dead bodies don't come as a big surprise.

                 Once I realized the author's pushing these obnoxious characters around like chess pieces to illustrate his points, I lost all interest in who did what to whom. All the academia stuff does display some sharp wit from time to time, as do the P.I.'s interrogations of the various suspects.... and halfway through the book, Dann McDorman gives up on prose altogether, reducing the mystery sections to simple Q. & A's or in the form of stage play excerpts. 

                Just as well, since the plot's only used for the author's power point presentation anyway. English majors who read mysteries may get some overall entertainment out of this, but as for me....... sorry, but I didn't sign on for a college course. 2 stars (**).

THE HORROR AT PLEASANT BROOK.......THE GORE, THE MERRIER.....(*****)

 The Horror At Pleasant Brook by Kevin Lucia (2023)

            This book holds no interest in being some kind of mainstream, all-demographics=included type of frightfest. Prepare yourself for a deep deep dive into a bottomless abyss of nihilistic carnage.

           We're talking hardcore, take-no-prisoners horror in all caps here........ drenched in nightmarish imagery, indescribable agonizing deaths, and enough gore that would require Hoover Dam to contain it all

            . And I promise I don't exaggerate. It's been awhile since I came across a book so dedicated to taking a reader on such an uncompromising hellish ride. And I loved every oozing blood-drenched page of it.

              Pleasant Brook's a sleepy little slip of a town nestled up among the Adirondacks. Unfortunately for its sparse population, one of its residents got a hold of an ancient relic, a grotesque mask that spawns a demonic entity who feeds on humankind. Not only feeds, but converts its horribly slaughtered victims into an army of similar creatures, all of them hive-connected to 'The First'.....human victim zero.

              From that point on the town's reduced to a small core number of terrified people who find themselves tasked with wiping out this horrific scourge........which begs the question, can any of them survive the climactic battle?

             And I should mention that author Kevin Lucia does a more than worthy job in fully bringing these characters to life so you care deeply for them and fear for their lives every step of the way.

            Just keep in mind, this one's not for casual browsers of mild scares and a slightly chilly atmosphere. This is 5 star raw meat, suitable for only the hardiest of horror lovers. Don't say you weren't warned.......5 stars (*****).

HOLLY....THE ONCE SHY P.I. VS A PAIR OF SENILE REPTILES...(****)

 Holly by Stephen King (2023)

             Authors can show no greater love for one of their supporting characters than to bestow upon them a book all their own.....

                 And so it is written that the mighty Stephen King gifted a thriller for of his most poignant, vulnerable but stalwart heroines......

                  Who else could I be speaking of but Holly Gibney,  the formerly shy, forlorn, put-upon recluse of "Mr. Mercedes", "Finders Keeper", and "The Outsider".

                  To the delight of all us constant King readers, we're watched Holly come way out of her shell, discovering the bravery, determination and core of steel that was within her all along.  But quite a harrowing journey for her to get there......as the unlikely partner of investigator Bill Hodges, she faced down some of King's most other-worldly,  monstrous creations who took the shape of human beings. 

                   Now operating her own detective agency, she's enlisted by a distraught mom whose college student daughter mysteriously went missing. And Holly quickly discovers the girl's dropping out of sight resembles a slew of similar disappearances in the same general campus area......

                   You should know at this point that author King offers no big surprises or sudden twists and turns here. So don't expect any..... 

                  Our Uncle Stevie lays out exactly what's going on.......starting with the book's resident monsters, who in this case, are all too flesh-and-blood human.  They're the frail, harmless, octogenarian college professors Rodney and Emily Harris.   

                  Yes, indeedy.....those ancient geriatric Harrises, afflicted with a host of aged ills, have managed to snatch victims off the street and commit.....

                  Okay, I'll  follow standard review protocol and not reveal what the demented evil Profs do with their captives, but if you're a Stephen King reader, you'll easily guess what those creepy old ghouls are up to long before King reveals the ghastly, gruesome-beyond-description details.....

                 As Holly embarks on her painstaking, methodical investigation, you'll also have no trouble imagining the ultimate showdown when she finally makes her way to the Harrises. You could practically write the finale yourself, but leave it to King to rub your nerves raw with fear for Holly's safety and somehow drive you up the wall with suspense.......while delivering the richly satisfying finish you knew was coming. 

                 The author's enduring affection for Holly shows in every page, as well as his genuine heartfelt empathy for the hapless victims and the friends and families they leave behind. 

                 And while I'm thinking about it, here's a few words for some other reader-reviewers who carped about King inserting his views of current events into the book, which includes his utter disgust of Donald Trump......

                 Maybe you folks need to check out a few more of the author's earlier books.......you know, the ones that feature malignant authoritarians who seduce people into becoming mindless minions.  You'll discover there's hardly an iota of difference between "The Stand"s Randall Flagg,  "The Dead Zone"s Greg Stillson and the pathetic Orange wanna-be fascist still drooling about turning America into his own Third World Kingdom. 

                 As for "Holly".....maybe it won't stack up with the classic King chillers, but it's still a solid, thrilling and emotional 4 stars (****).....what a perfect way to kick off the spooky season......

THE NIGHT HOUSE.....TWISTIN' THE NIGHT AWAY.......(****)

 The Night House by Jo Nesbo (2023)

           Upon completion, I did thoroughly like this book........but I'm not sure it's such a great idea to market it as pure unadulterated horror, complete with a blood dripping phone and a looming haunted house.

          Here's what took me by surprise, in terms of the book not quite turning out the way its cover seems to promise. Jo Nesbo cleverly makes use of all the familiar tropes you'd find in a Stephen King bestseller. But he deploys them in service of the book's final explanatory chapter, the third section of three major chapters.

           As satisfying as that climactic chapter reads, with all "i"s dotted and all "t"s crossed, you come to realize that bone chilling, nightmarish horror was never the intention here......but rather a dark, unsettling but yet heartfelt, sympathetic excursion into psychological trauma.

            I realize that sounds deliberately vague and elusive, but "The Night House" is so packed to the rafters with twist, after twist, after twist that I can only risk a brief rundown of its opening. It's a barnburner alright, pretty much the inspiration for the lurid, eye popping front cover. Imagine a typical 800 page Stephen King blockbuster compressed into novella length, You'll find all the King-ian tropes in place, all coming at you, one on top of the other. Loads of fun to read, but to me anyway, it felt almost like a sly, deadpan spoof of "It". therefore not particularly scary. 

           Then comes the primary reason I ended up enjoying the book.......the way the next two extended chapters proceed to repeatedly pull the rug out from under you, leaving you dizzy with surprises......right up to the final page. So I'd most definitely recommend "The Night House" as a unique, entertaining thriller with a whole lot more on its mind (and its plot) than that blood soaked phone on the cover. You just need to hang in there for the twists.......4 stars (****)  

THE LAST EXCHANGE....A TROUBLED STAR, HER STEADFAST PROTECTOR - MARTIN-IZED FOR A 5 STAR READ.

 The Last Exchange by Charles Martin (2023)

                 

                Leave it to Charles Martin to once again take a reader on a whirlwind emotional journey........ and keep you compelled to abandon everything else in your life until you reach the final page.

                   Every time I find myself completely engulfed in a Martin book, my overall reaction is always the same......that this author's like Nicolas Sparks on steroids. He starts out by gripping you with a story and characters you can't resist........then along the way, he manages to impart some universal life lessons in love, loyalty, courage, faith and the power of good to overcome evil. 

                   Somehow (I don't know how he does it) he never makes it feel preachy, just common sense inevitable wisdom. You'll be pleased to know he's more than done it again with "The Last Exchange", a heartfelt, yet suspenseful saga of a celebrated, but much troubled movie star and her stalwart Scottish bodyguard.

                  The stoic, taciturn Scot MacThomas Pockets has traveled the world as a battle hardened warrior and when needed, a fearless, loyal protector and defender. It's in that last capacity that he finds himself guarding movie superstar Maybe Joe Sue. A gifted, gorgeous multiple Oscar-winning actress, 'Joe' survived a trauma filled childhood to become beloved by millions. But while she's admired and coveted worldwide, her drug addiction keeps her constantly in and out of rehab. And her equally popular movie star husband offers little help or solace...since the world doesn't know he's actually a self-aggrandizing jerk who only lives for his own fame while hopping from one movie set to another.

               But in her sturdy, steady bodyguard Joe develops a slow burn, unlikely (and yes, sometimes downright funny) friendship, which Pockets struggles to not cross the line into anything more than that.

               In true Charles Martin fashion, multiple terrible calamities befall Joe, seemingly all at once. And it's up to Pockets to put things right and thwart some hateful people, who've no idea of the fierce depths of his loyalty (and obvious unspoken love) for his besieged client.

               Fair warning here - by the time you arrive at this book's grand slam finale, you're not going to move a muscle other than your finger furiously turning the pages or swiping across your e-reader. It's a prime Martin-ized wrap-up filled with stunning revelations, gut wrenching emotions and even some surprising humor along the way. All of that makes "The Last Exchange" easily one of the best 5 star books I've read all year......and highly recommended (*****)

LET HIM IN....IMAGINARY FRIEND? OR REAL SCARY FIEND.....(****)

 Let Him In by William Friend (2023)

                 Unquestionably one of the best, most evocative front covers for a scary book this year. In many ways the book more than fulfills the promise of that cover - to take you on a creepy tour of a cursed, possibly haunted house and keep you in a state of unease, dread and worry for its occupants throughout the story.

                  But any reader who thinks they're in store for decaying corpses, floating sprits and gallons of flowing gore.......this is not that book.

               Despite all its traditional supernatural trappings, "Let Him In" tends to veer more in the direction of psychological horror, of psychosis spawned by grief, tragedy and all too human frailty. The Victorian style Hart House, as it's called, bears a reputation every bit as forbidding as Shirley Jackson's Hill House. The history of the first family who inhabited Hart House is filled with murderous calamities. And the current family who've taken up residence there suffer through their own particular miseries - including a background of religious fanaticism and some freakish, tragic fatal accidents. 

               One of those bizarre deaths widowed Archie and left Sylvie and Cassia, his 8 year old twin daughters without their loving, vibrant mother Pippa. And adding to Archie and the girls' dysfunction as they work their way through their grief, a new presence comes to live among them. . From the twins' synchronized imaginations (or so it seems) springs "Black Mamba, an unseen shape-shifting friend whom they treat as all too real. Uncomfortably, creepily so.. 

               To Archie's growing horror, this invisible entity, who manifests himself as either a man or various beasts evolves from a therapeutic playmate to a sinister evil force......and maybe, just maybe something more than imaginary. Even to the point of unleashing violence.

                I should point out here that none of this transpires at any kind of breathless pace, it that's what you're hoping for. "Let Him In" functions as a slow burn, steadily building up its increasing levels of frightening moments to keep a reader shuddering.

                 Personally, I couldn't think of a better book to curl up with under a comfy blanket on a cold dark night. It's clear that author William Friend wanted a cumulative growing sense of anxiety rather than "gotcha" jumps. And I thought he pulled off that difficult, risky task of straddling the line between what's other-worldly and what derives from the dark recesses of the mind.

                 While I fully embraced and enjoyed what the author accomplished here, I'm aware that hardcore fans may find the wrap-up mild, abrupt and inconclusive. For sure, this is no carnival funhouse ride.....but a more of an unsettling trip through the wounded hearts of a damaged family. And that itself, fellow readers, can be plenty scary.  4 stars (****)