Furry Crime Noir

Eric Bear thinks he has escaped his violent past, but when crime boss Nicholas Dove threatens Eric's beloved wife Emma Rabbit, Eric has no choice but to do what he asks: find a way to remove Dove's name from the Death List. Problem is, no one knows if the Death List really exists. Nevertheless, Eric gathers his old team together - sadistic male prostitute Sam Gazelle, sweet but dangerous Tom-Tom Crow, and wily Snake Marek - and they set off to find the elusive list.

What Eric learns will forever change the way he thinks about his life, his family, and his town.

AMBERVILLE by Tim Davys is a crime noir with stuffed animals. I chose to read this book based on the cover. A teddy bear near a street lamp really captured my attention. All the characters are stuffed animals that live in a place where only stuffed animals exist. It sounds stupid, but it is surprisingly interesting.

This plot is like Animal Farm meets Who Framed Roger Rabbit. The names of the characters took some getting used to, but when Eric talked about the chauffeurs driving around at night, I couldn't put the book down until I found out what was really going on. Their personalities are quite dark, and I love the twist at the end!

One of my favorite parts is the animal getting beat and coughing up stuffing. Surprisingly intense with several unexpected twists. Not for children.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Supernatural Crime Noir

MONSTERS by Thomas Smith is more mystery-thriller than horror. The author has mixed a familiar supernatural concept with crime drama into something resembling noir fiction, with the narrator being both a victim and killer in equal measure. Smith also maintains a solid balance between action and dialogue, complete with a coming of age flashback. No dull moments, and entertaining enough to become a preternatural crime series.

While the premise is similar to a certain Marvel movie series, the tone is less campy, more personal, and I'd love to see Smith bring back Jack for another case file.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Fighting The Good Fight

Demon in the Lines by Joriah Wood is another supernatural crime noir that I stumbled upon. In this story, two characters attempt to break up a cult ritual, although they have different reasons. There is a lot of action and a few surprises, but I didn't feel any concern for the main characters, not even enough to dislike them. I'm not sure if this story simply wasn't to my personal liking, or if the author failed to create a sharp hook.

To be completely honest...I enjoy breaking away from my usual horror preferences to check out other genres, but I have to admit that I rarely get excited over crime noirs, even with supernatural elements mixed in. Perhaps other readers will enjoy Wood, but it just wasn't enough to satisfy me.

As always
AstraDaemon

Doom and Gloom

World of Pulp (Book 1) by Skyler Isaac is the first in a new anthology series featuring several different sub-genres from various authors. Most of the stories are more like novellas, with themes ranging from crime noir and the paranormal to mystery and dystopian fantasy. Many of the characters appear to be on a downward spiral or trying to escape from a personal hell. Essentially, this is a collection of lost souls.

As always,
AstraDaemon