Extreme Graphic Violence

July 2013, Manchester, UK. A murder investigation team, led by DCI Mark Gunn is assigned to probe into the brutal mutilations of four women found dead from various locations around the city centre. The evidence gathered from the scene of the crimes, and the extreme nature of the women's deaths indicate that the team are looking for a dangerous, deranged maniac. As the case unfolds, and the team finds itself buried deep within the seedy, sleazy underworld of the city, characteristics between the murders increase proportionally with the body count. The only thing that the team cannot find is motive.

BOUND by Andrew Lennon and Matt Hickman has extreme graphic violence, and I really wish this novella had come with a warning. I think some readers are going to struggle with the details, particularly in the first gruesome scene. This is not the first time I've read this type of story, but I feel too much emphasis is placed on the torture and not enough on the interactions between the investigative team. The dynamics seem severely off. The ending is abrupt and sloppy.

I've enjoyed Lennon's work in the past, but I've never heard of Hickman until I read this book, so I have no idea what the latter's writing style is usually like. However, this is definitely below Lennon's ability. I'm not sure if this is one author's influence over the other, or a poor collaboration between two authors, but this is not the quality writing I've come to expect from Andrew Lennon.

To be crystal clear, even if the violent scenes were less graphic or removed entirely, the crime drama aspect is not well-written. This is torture porn.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Picnic of Death

Dave is a middle aged waste of space. His days drip away in a haze of drinking, smoking and stealing from his mother. But one night the sound of screams disturbs Dave’s habitual living, and everything changes. Something evil is on the loose, snatching people from the comfort of their own homes. Dave’s neighbour’s, his family, his friends are suddenly vanishing. No one is safe. Unfortunately for Dave, it’s up to him to put a stop to it. Even if it kills him.

A LIFE TO WASTE by Andrew Lennon is another example of the author leading readers down a specific path, and then brutally shoving them off the path, straight into hell. I should have remembered Lennon never writes in a straight line, and every twist has a jagged edge to it.

Even though I had read the book's description first, I became so lost in the ruin of Dave's life, I forgot the story is about something other than Dave. As his personal drama unfolds, I wondered what it would take to undo the damage. Nothing could have prepared me for Dave's late night visitor. If I see an ice cream truck at night, I will likely crap myself.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Thursday Thriller: Frenemy

Sick and tired of day to day life. John turns to his thoughts and imagination for a means of escape.

One day he meets Keith. He is taught that life doesn't have to be boring. It can be fun. You can go places, do things, meet people. For the first time in his life, John begins to enjoy himself.

However, he soon learns that Keith is not as he appears.
He has a dark side. He is out of control and he is taking John down with him.

KEITH by Andrew Lennon centers on a cubicle worker by the name of John. He crosses paths with a guy named Keith a couple of times, and believes he's made a friend. Unfortunately, Keith is a sadistic psycho, and he's determined to drag John into Hell.

I've read so many stories with this premise, I had a solid idea of what kind of entity Keith is. However, I didn't know if, or how, John would be able to get Keith out of his life. The ending is not a happy one. Overall, an interesting psychological novella, but none of the dark humor I've come to expect from the author.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Human-size Cow Pie

Justin managed to get the day off work. He has plans to make the most of it. Drugs, booze, hookers - total degradation. There's just one problem. Those damn flies!

FLIES by Andrew Lennon is a short story about a schmuck who is a jerk to everyone around him...and he keeps seeing flies. Lennon has a talent for creating unpleasant characters, while keeping readers interested in the fate of those characters.

While the ending is a bit predictable, I still got a kick out of seeing Justin's day fall apart. I'm not sure what the deal is with the guy talking to "Kevin," and that irked me a bit, but I still enjoyed the quickie with Justin.

STRANDS by Shaun Hupp is a bonus flash fiction piece about arachnophobia.

LITTLE ANGEL by Norman Turrell is another bonus story about a new father adjusting to a nightly ritual.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Never Will I See The Sun Again

From author Andrew Lennon comes a new collection of eighteen titles, including short stories, drabbles and poetry. This versatile collection will have you fearing those noises coming from the attic, questioning whether you should enter that haunted house at the fairground, thinking twice before you stay in a motel on a desert-stricken highway. It will touch you emotionally when you witness a person’s struggles, their discovery of new friends, how they can triumph and live to see another day, raising their heads to create their own Ode to Death.

ODE TO DEATH by Andrew Lennon is an interesting mix of horror, in various forms:

MY ODE TO DEATH is a poem.

HOUSE OF ILLUSION is a carnival nightmare.

LUNCHTIME is a flash fiction piece...literally.

GHOST STORY had a ghost, but not much story.

NO SLEEP is another poem.

CARAVAN seems like a headline turned into a story.

BURIED is a flash fiction funeral gone wrong.

SANTA CLAUS COMES AT NIGHT is one of the most horrific stories in the collection.

DOG RACE is a tribute to Stephen King's Cujo.

TRYING TO WRITE A HORROR STORY is a tribute to Stephen King's Misery.

HIDE BEHIND A SMILE: poem.

VISITING TIME is a zombie story.

STRESS BLANKET is a soup for the soul moment. Not sure how it fits in with the rest.

RED SHOES is extremely sick and twisted, but very well-written, with a superb ending. The best story in the anthology.

NEW BEGINNING...more poetry.

THE SECRET LIFE OF MY IMAGINARY FRIEND would make a fantastic crime-thriller movie.

LOVER is brutal.

ONE NIGHT IN HOTEL is a chilling combination of the supernatural and crime drama.

House of Illusion, Santa Claus Comes At Night, Red Shoes and The Secret Life of My Imaginary Friend are all such fantastic horror stories, the four of them make this collection worth getting. However, I'm not really impressed with the anthology as a whole, but I still plan on reading more of Lennon's work in the following months.

As always,
AstraDaemon