Mondays With Richard: Big Update

I know that I do my Monday’s With Richard every third Monday but I have big news this Monday. Next month Grade Z Horror will be celebrating the life and works of Richard Laymon with what we are calling APRIL’S WITH RICHARD!

I’m really excited about this and I’ve enlisted the help of some EXTREMELY talented friends to make it a great time. In April we will postpone our normal reviews to bring you posts that relate to all things Laymon. It will be a blast!

Oh and of course there will be a new contest and it certainly will be Laymon related.

Down The Drain by Daniel Pyle

I would first like to state that Down the Drainis a short story about a killer tub. That’s right, a killer bathtub. I went into this expecting an overload of cheese and maybe some cheap laughs, but what I got was a well crafted tale that played the horror completely straight.

Bruce is a contractor who is way behind schedule. He is putting in grueling 12 hour days to catch up. After work he enjoys a few beers and a nice shower. Unfortunately for Bruce, there really isn’t anything all that nice about his particular shower.

Down the Drainis exactly what you would want out of a short story. The novella is overflowing with scares as Pyle showers us with some cringe inducing images. In fact, the story was so stark and brutal that I was taken completely off guard (in the best way possible). Any thoughts that a story about a crazed bathtub would be funny and good-natured are wiped away after the first chapter. Pyle plays it straight and, ultimately, that is what elevates Down the Drainabove other silly monster fare. This isn’t to say that Pyle doesn’t have fun with his audience. He does maintain playful prose throughout which helps to tie the whole story together. It is that wonderful juxtaposition of a silly-idea-taken seriously and serious-horror-written playfully that makes Down The Drain a novella that every horror fan should check out.

Pick it up from Amazon for .99!

Succulent Prey by Wrath James White

I once referred to Wrath James White as “the new king of hardcore horror” and Succulent Prey only serves as another piece of grisly evidence to support that claim.

As a young boy, Joseph Miles was abducted and tortured by another child. He managed to escape relatively unscathed…….. until now. It is 15 years later and Joseph is slowly turning into his childhood captor. He has urges to destroy and devour those around him. The only hope he has to save his life- and the life of his only love- is to confront the monster that abused him so many years ago.

In a genre that revels in the disturbing and grotesque it is rare to find a writer who can elevate the level of brutality and gore to the point where the reader is actually shocked. Well, Wrath James White has done exactly that. He has crafted a gag-inducing story that will shock even the most calloused genre veteran. White’s graphic descriptions of Joseph’s exploits are disgustingly engaging. We endure as Joseph meticulously consumes his victims and savors their taste but the ecstasy that jolts through Joseph makes the experience almost beautiful.

Wrath is not content with producing a full out gagfest. Instead he uses the graphic cannibalism to stun the reader while he slowly works a very thought-provoking idea into the mind of the reader. White uses Joseph to introduce the concept that serial killers may be “infected” and, therefore, curable. Joseph cites examples to support his theory and ultimately seeks out the man who infected him. The end result is a novel that will not only challenge the reader’s stomach, but their mind as well.

Head over and pick Succulent Prey
up here!

New Forum Added!!!!!!!!

I am planning a few changes for the site in the upcoming months and the first thing I wanted to do was add a forum where we could revel in our mutual love of dark fiction. With that said I present to you......

GRADEZHORROR.PROBOARDS.COM

Feel free to stop on by, ya hear!

Abominable by William Meikle

Nobody knows exactly what happened on the last ascent of Mallory and Irvine in 1924. No details have been passed down to us. The heights of the tallest mountain have kept their secret. -- Until now.

Meikle delivers the goods with this fast paced short story. He uses the limited space to create a sprawling tale of survival, terror and friendship through the use of three separate narrative voices. He masterfully tells the story through a series of diary entries so the reader gets a first-hand glimpse of the terror that lives at the top of the world. He weaves these journal entries together in a very imaginative fashion (which I won’t give away). The result is a fun and exciting read that you never want to end.

Sure it was a short story but it was entirely satisfying. Frankly, I can’t think of a better way to spend an hour on a cold winter night.

Pick it up for .99 here.

Free Fiction: Crooked Stick Figures by Lee Thompson

As an agent for the Child Protective Services, John McDonnell has seen his share of evil people and evil acts. But nothing has prepared him to face what's behind the door of his most recent assignment.

Crooked Stick Figures gets into the mind of the protagonist and delves into the dark depths of his sanity. It is a haunting little affair with the perfect amount of ambiguity, leaving the reader to draw many of their own conclusions. The result is a very quick read that will stick with you long after you’ve finished.

Head over to Darkside Digital and get your free copy today.

The Separation by Ronald Malfi

The Separation is the first Delirium’s new line of novellas.

In an effort to help an old friend through the breakup of his marriage, psychotherapist Marcus Llewellyn arrives in Germany to find up-and-coming prizefighter Charlie Pronovella in a state of such deep depression, he takes his old friend on as a client. But soon Marcus's faith in his own abilities to help Charlie comes into question when Charlie's behavior grows increasingly bizarre. Is Charlie suffering from a nervous breakdown, or are otherworldly forces at work?

In my review of Malfi’s Snow I said, “Malfi is relentless with the horror and action”. The Separation takes the opposite approach to its horror. Malfi weaves subtly disturbing images together with grace and elegance. It really is amazing to see an author create horror in these two extremes. Malfi plants the seed of terror and slowly brings it to full bloom- resulting in a fantastic final page.

The Separation is another testament to Malfi’s talent as a storyteller and writer. He is a genre author that deserves to be appreciated on a mainstream level. Do yourself a favor and pick up The Separation and become formally introduced to your new favorite author.

Unfortunately the beautiful Limited Edition HC is sold out but, fear not, you can stop by Amazon and pick up the digital copy here.