Succulent Prey by Wrath James White

Every once in a while you run into a book that just sits heavy on your psyche. As far as mass market paperback's go, I can actually count the ones that have done that to me on one hand. This book is one of them. Be warned, this book is just about as extreme as they come.

15 years ago Joseph Miles was abducted, tortured and almost killed by a pedophiliac serial murderer with the taste for human blood, but Joseph got away. He is the only survivor. Now Joseph has a problem - he is slowly turning into a serial killer. Convinced that his torturer passed a virus on to him that will eventually make him like his assailant, Joseph must find a cure before the woman he loves - the woman who is currently chained to his bed - becomes his next victim.

White's ability to write in an utterly disgusting and descriptive manner is incredible and far from common in the horror genre. The ghastly detail involved in every kill is expertly researched and truly gross and you'll be sure to feel the need for a shower after reading even only half of this book.

Thankfully, while we endure the foray into the actions of a psychopath, Succulent Prey does not just leave the reader with a rather bloody and slick mess of bodily fluid. White obviously went to great lengths to make sure that he not only succeeded in grossing out whomever was reading his book, but also in giving us a truly sympathetic killer. To think of Joseph Miles as "just a murderer" is impossible. Instead, White gave us a victim who is doing what he does in order to find a cure for his "disease".

Over all, Succulent Prey is NOT for the faint of heart. It depicts scenes of graphic torture, mutilation, and ultimately - death. If you're looking for something truly extreme, written by someone who has the chops to do so in an entertaining fashion, then this one is for you.

PBH

Dweller by Jeff Strand

While this book won't grab you and shake you like a Jack Ketchum or Richard Laymon novel, Dweller will most definitely make a place for itself in your heart as one of the most endearing and saddest monster stories of all time.

The first time Toby met the monster, he was 8. The experience was short and terrifying, but the memory lasted forever. Monsters, Toby knew, were real, but his parents believed it to be a part of his imagination. The next time Toby met the monster, he was 15, a loner, and very unhappy. The monster would be his friend, and take care of him and keep him safe from harm. Even if that meant things were going to get a little dangerous.

Where most modern horror writers want to smack you across the face with visceral action and suspense, Jeff Strand chooses to creep into your psyche and tear at your heart from the inside. To say that this book doesn't deliver in the gore as well, would be a lie. There's plenty here for all types of horror fans, not just the gore hounds or those who like there horror from a "different" perspective. Every page offers something new and unique to the genre, and basically ensures that the reader will be taken along on an exciting journey, made to think, and entertained, all without force.

This is a very powerful book with incredible characters and an addictive story structure. It starts off incredibly strong, and doesn't relent. In my opinion, this is the best book of 2010 so far.

PBH

Cover by Jack Ketchum

Most people regard horror as the retarded second cousin of "real" literature. On the other hand, most people don't know what they're talking about. There's an assumption that horror fiction, by definition, can't possibly encompass the beauty of the classics alongside its trademark brutality. Jack Ketchum proves the naysayers wrong with this one.

Cover tells the story of an Vietnam war vet named Lee who is experiencing flashbacks so fierce that he's exiled himself to the woods with his wife, son and dog. Plagued by paranoia and making a living by growing marijuana for a man named McCann, Lee soon finds himself alone in the woods, as his wife and son have left for fear of their own safety. Lee's delusions are just getting worse when McCann informs him that there is a thief on the loose in the forest, stealing from some of the other growers in the area. When a young group of campers on a weekend getaway happen upon Lee's crop he snaps into action, prepared to do anything to protect his livelihood, all while being plagued by the ghosts of his past.

Ketchum's writing style is vastly different in this novel than most fans are used to. Gone are the blunt and vicious descriptions of violence and depravity, replaced with stark realism and a hauntingly beautiful descriptiveness. Some of the scenes in this book will seduce you at the same time as they chill you to the bone. The amount of research that the author put into this piece of work is also an incredibly formidable achievement. Ketchum speaks at length about this in the introduction of the Leisure MMPB (2009) reprint of this novel.

I'm going to go on the record and state that this is one of the most beautiful books I have ever read. Ketchum's ability to make the reader feel sympathy for those you ought to shy away from is incredible. Throughout the novel you fear for the safety of the campers, all the while feeling sorry for the eternally cursed protagonist, Lee. It's a different brand of horror writing - one we see way too seldom in this day and age.

Highly recommended book (and author).

PBH

The Jigsaw Man by Gord Rollo

The Jigsaw Man saw Gord Rollo break into the world of Mass Market Paperback Horror as a mid-list writer, and what an entrance it was. Written in the first person (which I usually hate but Rollo seems to make work brilliantly) the reader is forced into the mind of the vagrant main character, Michael Fox.

Now get this - the story is centered around one question: How far would you go to get your hands on $2 million. That's a damned good question. Most of us would posture and say "pretty far!", but for the life of us we don't know how far that actually is. Michael Fox is about to find out.

In the midst of a suicide attempt, Michael is interrupted by a very rich stranger who has a lucrative offer for him...and no part of it is illegal. All he has to do to get the cash is give up his right arm. "S'cuse me?" you say, "His right arm? Like, his right arm?"

Yes. His whole right arm. And that's only the beginning of the story.

With The Jigsaw Man, Rollo relies heavily on his incredibly strong descriptive ability. The reader feels every nuance of the story, from Mike's trepidation upon first being offered the money to his sheer terror later on. While Rollo can create incredibly believable characters, it's the way he weaves his words when describing actions and emotions that are the true stars of the tale. The reader can't help but just feel everything, and as the terror mounts, you can rest assured that your blood pressure will skyrocket as well. Gord Rollo will take you on a journey that will definitely change the way you look at paperback horror novels.

Brilliantly crafted and expertly written, Jigsaw Man is surely one of the best Leisure Books has to offer.

PBH