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Book Review: Terror Is Our Business: Dana Roberts’ Casebook of Horror by Joe R. Lansdale and Kasey Lansdale

Terror Is Our Business: Dana Roberts’ Casebook of Horror by Joe R. Lansdale & Kasey Lansdale

Cutting Block Press, 2018

ISBN-13: 978-1732009004

Available: Paperback, Kindle edition

 

Now there are two Lansdales writing– watch out world! Joe’s readers know that the man branches out into whatever direction he wishes to, and most often, succeeds.

His daughter Kasey, a very talented singer/songwriter, brings a breath of fresh air with her as she joins her father in this collection, which defies simple categorization.

Dana and Jana are investigators of the “supernormal,” but very different in their approaches. Dana’s is reminiscent of Lovecraft and Holmes, while Jana is more of a Scully/Buffy character.

Dana (written by Joe) enters an old men’s club that will remind many of the Chowder Society (the group of fogies from Peter Straub’s Ghost Story), who sit back and entertain themselves with scintillating tales of the weird. She has been summoned to share her adventures, which she terms “supernormal,” since she believes everything under the sun can be explained– somehow. While she begins slowly and properly, her stories eventually become less restrained and more colorful.

Jana (penned by Kasey) kicks off the second half of the book. These accounts lighten the mood and leave the reader wanting more. By comparison, Joe’s stories feel almost stiff and forced, a possible homage to classic styles of Doyle, Lovecraft, and Machen. Jana is the Mulder to Dana’s Scully, more Kolchak than Holmes, and a great foil to Dana’s character.

Since Lansdale is notorious for falling for characters and having them reappear in subsequent books, we can hope to see Dana and Jana again. Recommended for any fan of good storytelling.

 

Posted on September 19, 2018 by , Reply

Book Review: Blood Crimes, Book One by Dave Zeltserman

Blood Crimes: Book One by Dave Zeltserman

Amazon Digital Services, 2010

Available: New

ISBN: Kindle Edition

Jim thought when he escaped from Serena, the vampire that turned him, he would be free of her and her companion, Metcalf, but he hasn’t been that lucky. Jim and his girlfriend Carol keep moving on to new cities, Jim feeding on the dregs of society, with Carol acting as bait. Serena has continued to search for Jim since his escape. She sets a private investigator on Jim, and his feeding pattern is discovered, leading Serena right to him. While Serena is occupied with Jim, Metcalf has continued to carry out his sadistic experiments. A vampire himself, Metcalf wants to know exactly what can and cannot kill a vampire. His tortuous experiments are carried out on people he has infected. Those poor individuals deemed unworthy to be turned are instead forced to be “cattle”. Strong language, gore, violence, and sexual situations give the first book in Dave Zeltserman’s series a high-octane feel. The fight scenes are graphic and leave you feeling as breathless as the characters. Highly recommended.

Contains: Strong language, gore, violence, and some sexual situations.

Reviewed by: Brandi Blankenship

Posted on September 13, 2018 by , Reply

Book Review: A Girl, A Ghost, and the Hollywood Hills by Lizabeth Zindel

A Girl, a Ghost, and the Hollywood Hills by Lizabeth Zindel

Viking Juvenile, 2010

ISBN-13: 978-0670011599

Available: Hardcover, Kindle edition

 

    In the introduction to A Girl, a Ghost, and the Hollywood Hills, the author explains that her intent is to portray a “Hamlet-inspired ghost story unlike any other”, and there are obvious similarities. Holly has gone off to the East Coast at the start of her freshman year of high school, just a few months after her mother’s death. Not long after her departure for high school, her father drops the bomb that he has begun seeing her aunt; Holly’s late mother’s sister, Claudia. Naturally, Holly is extremely upset with her father and puts off returning home for breaks or holidays to cope with the situation until Christmas break. Shortly after her arrival home for Christmas break, Holly begins seeing her dead mother’s ghost, who asks Holly to seek revenge on Claudia. All of this is very much reminiscent of Hamlet, including the idea that Prince Hamlet may be mad in his visions of the ghost of King Hamlet. In A Girl, a Ghost, and the Hollywood Hills, however, Holly finally agrees toward the end that she is creating these visions, thus ending the idea of a ghostly element.   

   I had high hopes for this novel given the excerpt on the back, but very quickly, I discovered dialogue that seems contrived accompanied by an easily determinable conclusion. No thrills and chills are to be found within the pages. Instead, the reader will likely find themselves feeling a bit slimy from the content as it includes interjections of sexual content, including a scene in which Holly overhears her father and Claudia having sex.

    As there is no real paranormal/ghostly presence, but instead a distraught teenager who struggles to cope with her mother’s death and her father’s indiscretions, this wouldn’t really fall into the horror category.

     The publisher’s information says the book is for ages 12 and up; grades 7 and higher, but I would be more apt to say ages 14 and up and grades 9 and higher given the sexual content. If added, I would suggest this be included in a YA public library collection.

Contains: Sexual content

Reviewed by Kelly Fann

Posted on September 12, 2018 by , Reply
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