No Rest For The Wicked

NO REST by Joslyn Chase is a collection of fourteen short stories, with author notes for each one. Unfortunately, the notes are placed before each short, so I skipped them altogether, not wanting to risk having the stories ruined for me. (I read the notes after I finished all of the shorts.)

I've never read anything by Chase before, so I had no idea what to expect, but I was not disappointed. The author is a great storyteller. Ranging from crime drama to mystery-suspense, these shorts feature the best and worst of human nature.

This anthology is making my TOP 2020 list.

As always,
AstraDaemon

The Power of One Day

On the brink of a major, life changing event, Michael Holler is offered the advice to recall his best day. He then takes a trip through a childhood memory that shows the powerful effect one day can have on the trajectory of a person's entire life.



THE TROPHY by Scott Luper is a horrific human tragedy. This story is so much like real-life events, I cried several times while reading this.

The domestic violence might be a trigger for some, but this story definitely deserves an award.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Crossings and Choices

BROKEN by Christopher Motz is a well-written personal drama about a man who has suffered so much personal loss in his life, he finds himself drowning in the pain. Essa tries to show him a way to survive, but he isn't having it. He's so focused on his suffering, he's forgotten what is worth living for.

I wasn't expecting anything like this from Motz, but I'm impressed nonetheless. This is the perfect example of something I once wrote in a Facebook post in 2011:

"...many peeps involved in the horror industry are not in it just for gore, nor or they dark or depressing...they just have a unique view of social commentary & appreciate detailed realism, even in the surreal; most of them are caring peeps who do a lot for their communities, & because they work in the horror genre, they appreciate their blessings, since their imaginations have seen how easily we could lose it all."

I recommend this story to everyone.

As always,
AstraDaemon

When Fiction Is Prophetic

In a future uncomfortably close to the present day, the apocalypse has surpassed all expectations. Hideous demons roam the streets in an orgy of terror, drawing pleasure from torturing humans as sadistically as possible. Ira, a young San Francisco artist, becomes involved with a strange group of scientists and philosophers desperately trying to end the bloody siege. But the most shocking revelation is yet to come...

DEMONS by John Shirley is a book I've read more than once, and I've enjoyed this story every time. I don't understand why this novel bombed with horror fans when first released. I've always felt Shirley created an amazing origins story for the demons. Many readers complained about the mix of comedy and horror, and I can't help but wonder if they actually read the book or just skimmed through it because there's nothing funny about seven clans of demons terrorizing the planet. When the source of the demonic invasion is revealed, the author uses a metaphysical twist to expose the worst humanity has to offer. Just imagine if a group like the Illuminati were Cthulhu worshippers.

This novel is two books bound together. The second part takes place nine years after the first one, with most everyone in denial about what happened around the world. Unfortunately, another group is making a new attempt to allow the demons back into our world, using pesticides to induce a mass murder as a form of sacrifice. Some of the details are quite similar to real life events, giving Shirley's story the appearance of a prophetic warning.

If you enjoy horror movies such as Lord of Illusions or Hellraiser, you should give this novel a chance.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Hopeless Hope

EDEN by Andrea Kleine begins with two sisters, Hope and Eden, kidnapped as teenagers. As adults, Hope finds out the man who assaulted them is up for parole. She then searches for Eden, who became a stranger almost immediately after they were found. Everything is told through Hope's POV, but she flashes back and forth between the kidnapping, her past and her current search.

At first, Eden appears to be the damaged one, but eventually Hope's life seems so much worse. At one point, when her father essentially told her to get over it, I wondered why she didn't just kill herself. Everyone seemed so focused on Eden's well-being in the beginning, and supportive of her Bohemian lifestyle later on, while Hope was left to twist in the wind for the rest of her life.

However, there is the possibility Hope is an unreliable narrator and her take on events could be extremely inaccurate. Upon closer scrutiny, Hope continues to play the victim in her interactions with pretty much everyone in her life (i.e., all her problems are the result of someone else's actions, she takes zero personal responsibility), yet she criticizes Eden for not dealing with what happened to them. Hope tends to be self-destructive, but she judges Eden for her life choices.

The end of the novel is extremely anti-climactic, and any sympathy or concern I had for Hope had dissipated into apathy. I really wish readers would have been given Eden's POV as well. As the novel stands, I did read the story in one sitting, and I never lost interest in the unraveling of events. I just find it ironic Hope seems so hopeless. Eden, in contrast, seems to have found her namesake.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Diving Drama

In the late 1990s, Sven Fiedler and his girlfriend, Antje, left Germany for the island of Lanzarote, rejecting what Sven considered a vulgar culture of materialism and judgment. The young couple set up a diving service catering to tourists eager to bask in the warm sunshine and explore the silent, gleaming marine paradise that makes this otherwise barren volcanic island such a remarkable retreat. Sven’s approach was simple: take the mechanics of diving seriously, instruct his clients clearly, and stay out of their personal business as best he can.

And life on the island goes smoothly until two German tourists--Jola von der Pahlen, a daytime soap star on the verge of cinematic success, and Theo Hast, a stalled novelist--engage Sven for a high-priced, intensive two-week diving experience. Staying in a guest house on Sven and Antje's property, the two visitors and their hosts quickly become embroiled in a tangle of jealousy and suspicion.

Sven is struck by Jola's beauty, her evident wealth, and her apparently volatile relationship with the much older Theo. Theo quickly leaps to the conclusion that Sven and Jola are having an affair, but, oddly, he seems to facilitate it rather than trying to intervene. Antje, looking on, grows increasingly wary of these particular clients.

As the point of view shifts from one character to the next, the reader is constantly kept guessing about who knows what, and, more important, who is telling the truth. A brutal game of delusion, temptation, and manipulation plays out, pointing toward a violent end. But a quiet one, down in the underwater world beneath the waves.

DECOMPRESSION by Juli Zeh is told through two opposing POVs: Jola and Sven. Jola writes about an affair developing between herself and the diving instructor, while being abused by Theo. Sven writes about the toxic and reckless relationship between Jola and Theo, and how he wishes he could just end the diving job. Jola's POV is very self-centered, while Sven acknowledges how his business relationship with Jola has affected his girlfriend, their mutual friends and his diving colleagues.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I usually read horror stories, with mystery-thrillers taking a close second. I would describe this as a suspense-drama, and my main reason for choosing to read this novel is my fascination with self-destructive characters. All of their relationships seem toxic, none of them seem capable of good choices. The way Zeh throws the four together is almost sadistic.

While the ending is shocking and highly entertaining, the pace of the story is excruciatingly slow. The dialogue is sporadic and the action is very limited. I feel this novel would have been far more interesting if the POVs of Theo and Antje had been included. As is, the novel reminds me a little of Gone Girl, so, if you like that story, you might enjoy this one.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Living Secret Lives

Josephine Wattley had called the police three times already and was still no closer to finding her son. “I don’t think you understand,” Josephine coughed into the receiver, “I can’t find him. Something’s wrong. Ronnie’s always been a good boy.”

A GOOD BOY by Haldan Black is a flash fiction story about a psychological affliction which affects many families. The realism of Josephine's personal horror is heartbreaking. The ending is somewhat predictable, but no less devastating.

I applaud the author for bringing attention to a problem which is often hidden behind closed doors, but affects many different kinds of people.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Blood Runs Cold

Mickey Bannon is an artist living in Chicago who specializes in a type of anamorphosis (seeing hidden shapes and pictures in random places). Amidst caring for his disabled son and coming to terms with a failed marriage, he receives a call that his father has been killed in a logging accident in northern Minnesota. 

Upon his arrival in his hometown he begins to experience terrifying and unexplainable occurrences that push the boundaries of his sanity. Soon he must face the reality that his father may not have been the man he thought he was. 

And there are other, darker forces waiting for him as a powerful snowstorm bears down, trapping him with secrets that are far from dead.

Leave The Living by Joe Hart had me guessing from beginning to end...what secret was Mickey's dad keeping? What kind of dark forces were waiting for him? The incident in the morgue set the tone for the story, but the paranormal activity in and around the house served as misdirection while increasing the suspense by ten-fold. I forgot that evil comes in many forms.

I read this story during a freezing night in December, and I recommend this as perfect reading material for winter. I could feel the chill seep off the pages as the horror unfolded around poor Mickey. Joe Hart once again uses his superb story-telling to remind readers, blood does, in fact, run cold.

As always,
AstraDaemon

The Unending Deep

Born a poor lobster fisherman's son on the stark, Maine coastline, Jason Kingsley has always struggled with becoming more than what his father intended for him. After meeting and falling in love with the beautiful Delphi Arans, he feels his destiny has finally been fulfilled.

Their joy is unrivaled, something he's only ever dreamed of.

But soon disturbing events begin to invade the couple's life, and Jason starts to doubt the nature of their relationship as well as his sanity.

As his world unravels around him, Jason comes to realize that some secrets are better left untold, and others are worse than death itself.

And The Sea Called Her Name by Joe Hart reminds me a little of Night Ocean by H.P. Lovecraft and R.H. Barlow. With so much emphasis on the couple's happiness in the beginning, there's only one way for the story to progress. The family issues both Jason and Del dealt with in their younger years hints at the trouble they soon face within their marriage. Despite a few moments of the "stranges," this story is largely familiar: disappointment and resentment, followed by suspicion and confrontation.

However, Hart takes the marital discord to a nightmarish depth with the inclusion of an ancient mythos. The ocean serves as a perfect reminder of the unknown, a constant threat to peace of mind. As the sea reveals a leviathan of a secret to Jason, his life will change in all possible ways.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Reality or Delusion? You Decide.

An ancient evil born in the fire at the dawn of time with an insatiable hunger for violence and dread. Cursed with a weak physical form in our plane of reality HEINOUS seeks out hosts to do his bidding and feed his need for brutality and atrocity. Gavin Wagner is a decent kid from a happy home-not exactly the kind of person you think of as an instrument of evil. Gavin spends his time hanging out with his friend, smoking ganja, and wandering around the woods. After making a sinister discovery in the woods Gavin becomes the newest host for HEINOUS, a monster unlike any other. Gavin is forced to witness the despicable visions of former hosts as the demon instructs him to destroy those he loves most. Gavin struggles for control as Heinous unleashes him on a wild spree of terror with only one possible outcome.

Heinous by Jonathan Moon is not shocking, frightening or gory, and that left me a little confused about what the author had planned for this story. There is an incredible build up of the madness and suffering that Gavin felt and thought before he committed his atrocities - under duress, as he claims, but when it comes to the actions of Gavin, Moon sort of glosses over the monstrous carnage...with the exception of his dreams. So, I can't be sure if that was the author's way of showing the reader how Gavin was deluding himself.

I did find Heinous interesting because the author uses a lot of psychological symbolism that will have you questioning the sanity of the main character, Gavin Wagner, from the very beginning. The one attribute of Heinous that is somewhat scary is the thought that some people reading this book might be able to relate to Gavin's predicament with the source of his sickness: blaming a force beyond his control, and not being able to tell anyone about it.

I especially enjoyed the way Moon divides up the book by alternating between Gavin's dream sequences and Gavin's descriptions of major events in his life (I've only seen this style in one other book). Moon moves beyond foreshadowing, and paints a macabre picture of the struggle between the subconscious and the conscious that could eat away at anyone's sanity. Moon runs with that particular theme, and creates a desperate climax towards the close of Gavin's story.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Feeling Wrecked

A mother becomes suspicious of her daughter’s preschool teacher.

Is Teacher Dalton who she appears to be, or is something more sinister afoot?

Astrid by JT Lawrence is an excellent short story drama about mother who starts to question everything about her daughter's preschool. I knew the author had something painful in store for readers when the husband also seems distraught, but the ending still caught me off guard.

I recommend this story to anyone who enjoys a good suspense-drama.

As always,
AstraDaemon

He Said, She Said

Whose body lands up being unzipped by fish on the ocean floor?

Court, Marry, Kill by JT Lawrence is a story about an abusive relationship, told from alternating POVs between the abuser and the victim. It is fascinating to see how differently the two characters view all their interactions. It is also upsetting to see how Curtis is able to get away with isolating and hurting Monica. The ending reminded me of the movie Enough.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Monstrous

A man, walked on his entire life by others, discovers his wife's infidelity, and decides to do something about it. After a deadly encounter in an alleyway he must look into the depths of himself to find the line unseen, and face the horror beyond.

The Line Unseen by Joe Hart has all the elements of classical horror: drama, suspense and psychological terror. Even though this is a short story, Hart's characters are well-developed, adding a gut-wrenching depth to Tim's misfortune. The details in every scene emphasize the dread and panic Tim is feeling, until the grotesque nightmare overwhelms him.

I'd love to see this story get some screen time.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Baby Daddy

Denise Perkins is thrilled to be expecting, but her happy pregnancy quickly becomes terrifying when she experiences abnormal morning sickness and an insatiable craving for meat.

Morning Sickness by Justin Tate is a chilling story about a woman's obsession with her pregnancy plans. This story is more of a psychological thriller and, even with background info about Denise's life, the ending is still an extremely disturbing surprise. The worst part is that I knew someone like Denise once upon a time...

As always,
AstraDaemon

Spring Break Gone Wrong

Mules: A Novel
by Jarred Martin
309 pages
$.99 Kindle Version

Mules by Jarred Martin is a story that doesn't need supernatural monsters to frighten you. Instead, readers are pulled into a landscape filled with serial killers, armed robbers, and many other characters with dark secrets. When two young college girls are abducted, their spring break plans become a thing of the past. One girl is forced across the US border from Mexico, with drugs surgically implanted in her body. She soon realizes that her traumatic childhood just might be the key to saving herself and her friend.

This is an excellent novel, but it is one of the most violent, graphic stories I have ever read. Just about every type of violence you can imagine takes place at least once. Some scenes are so detailed, it is hard to stomach. None of it is gratuitous - the point is to show readers how desperate people are to get the things they want...and Martin gets his point across very well.

This is not just a story about drugs, violence and corruption, but also a story of young woman coming to terms with the way she was raised. The flashbacks and inner dialogue are outstanding, and help bring the emotional turmoil front and center.

I would not classify this as horror. Rather, I would call it a suspenseful thriller with lots of drama. I am very impressed with the author, and I think you will be too.

As always,
AstraDaemon