One of the issues with reviewing books for so many outlets is that I often don't get a chance to read the books I buy for myself. I've decided to make a change there—and one way I can force myself to do things I'll enjoy is to set a goal that involves other people. (Don't read too much into that.)
Once a month, or as often as I can, I'll be digging into my very large, very scary TBR pile (and book wishlist) along a theme. This month, it feels appropriate to try some spooky reads: murder mysteries, horror, and the like. These may be books recommended by friends, books written by friends, or things I've just had lying around.
DEATH AT THE DRESS REHEARSAL
by Stuart Douglas
A new book by a lovely friend who also happens to be the head of Obverse Books.
Edward Lowe and John le Breton are actors of an age. The stars of 1970s BBC sitcom Floggit and Leggit, the two are complete opposites both onscreen and in person. But when Lowe discovers the body of a young woman at the reservoir near the show's current filming location, the Northern actor and his posh co-star discover a surprising shared affinity: solving murder mysteries.
The local constabulary are convinced that the death is an unfortunate accident, but Lowe and le Breton are less convinced. In between filming, the two begin chasing down leads in the small town, uncovering a surprising link to a similar death during the War. Even so, everything seems relatively circumstantial—until more young women turn up dead, each with their own familial link to the past death. Now the actors are fighting against the clock, the locals, and occasionally each other to solve this mystery before another life is lost.
Death at the Dress Rehearsal has so many layers, all of them exceptional. The fictional Floggit and Leggit, and the production surrounding it, will be all too familiar to fans of a certain era of Brit-com. The mystery itself is exceptionally handled, with plenty of red herrings but no true dead ends. And if you think you know where the story is going... no you don't. For American readers in particular, this will feel like a dose of nostalgic mid-90s PBS at its best: both the comedy and the mystery. Lowe and le Breton are already shaping up to be the next great detective duo. If they don't get their own TV series, it will be a crime.
DOCTOR WHO: SCRATCHMAN
by Tom Baker and James GossI bought this book during my last trip to London five years ago; like many books I bought then, it's been languishing.
The Fourth Doctor has been called before a council of Time Lords to account for his actions—again. And he has a hell of a story to tell them. It starts in a small village on a small island, where the locals have begun turning into animate scarecrows. Accompanied by Sarah Jane Smith and Harry Sullivan, the Doctor tries to get to the bottom of this horrifying mystery. But the roots of this transformation extend past our universe and into the domain of the Devil himself.
Following a folk horror flavored first act, the second plunges directly into Hell. To save his companions and protect the universe, the Doctor must go toe to toe with the Scratchman in a series of larger-than-life games. The past and the future collide, and the very nature of fear itself is explored, as the Doctor and his companions navigate a hellscape designed to drive them to despair.
Scratchman is based on a concept conceived of by Tom Baker and Ian Marter during Baker's first season as the Doctor. Adapted and ghostwritten by James Goss (one of the best Doctor Who novelists currently working) with Baker acting as consultant, this is a pitch-perfect book. The Doctor, Sarah Jane, and Harry's voices ring out loud and clear, especially in the Doctor's first-person narration. As the book comes to a close, it becomes a musing on the franchise as a whole, past and future. What is the Doctor afraid of? Why does he keep fighting? And what does it really mean to be the Doctor? This book manages to be both terrifying and playful the whole way through, and it's the exact sort of Doctor Who story I personally love. This may be my new favorite tie-in book for the show.
THE FINAL GIRL SUPPORT GROUP
by Grady HendrixThis book came in a care package from friend and coworker Paul Chapman.
In Lynnette Tarkington's world, horror villains—and their final girls—are real. Slasher franchises are fictionalized takes on very real killings, with their plucky survivors becoming celebrities in their own right. But killing a killer takes an emotional toll, which is where the Final Girl Support Group comes in. But this week, one of the survivors has decided she's terminating her membership. And another member has been quite literally terminated.
Now, Lynnette—whose trauma has left her mostly friendless and extremely vigilant—is convinced that someone is out to take out the entirety of their group. But between her status as a "fake" final girl, her paranoia, and some leaked files, no one is willing to trust her. Now, Lynnette must use everything at her disposal to survive, all while protecting new final girl Stephanie from the horrors the rest of them have endured. But the true danger may be closer than anyone thinks.
I wasn't sure what to expect with The Final Girl Support Group, but I can see why it took off. It's always nice to see a female lead allowed to be flawed, much less many, many female leads. Lynnette is an absolute mess; she's also the narrator. But she's one of several examples of what trauma can do to a person both inside and out. It's a skillful pastiche of several slasher genres, but also takes into account that trauma does not necessarily make you noble. It can make you messy, unpleasant, paranoid, and not fun to be around. You'll like it if you're a horror aficionado; you'll love it if you've Been Through Stuff yourself.
GARTH MARENGHI'S TERRORTOME
by Garth MarenghiWhile I was already a Darkplace fan, this book was brought to my attention by Mach Dent.
As a book reviewer, I read a lot of good books. I also read a lot of... less good books. And just as Garth Marenghi's Darkplace hit just right with its pastiche of poorly-produced television, Garth Marenghi's TerrorTome is a note-perfect parody of frankly awful books by people who believe they are God's gift to writing. Penned by Matthew Holness as his horror writer, dreamweaver, and visionary, plus actor, it's also a reminder that writing terribly on purpose takes a unique level of talent.
TerrorTome is actually a trilogy of books starring Nick Steen, a thinly-veiled author stand-in for Marenghi himself, as he and his strong but often misguided lady editor Roz Bloom navigate the horrors haunting Stalkford. After a torrid psychosexual relationship with a cursed typewriter, Steen discovers that the inner workings of his mind are coming to life. His heroes, his monsters, and even his darker selves threaten to destroy the world. How will he fix it? And, more importantly, could this have been prevented if Roz had listened to him?
This book is definitely written for those who have seen and enjoyed Garth Marenghi's Darkplace. If you haven't, you can probably still appreciate the inherent satire. But so much about this book is even better when you have a clear picture of the man behind it. If you are a Darkplace fan, and especially if you're an editor or reviewer who's had to slog through difficult reads, you'll love this book. It's both shocking and impressive how perfectly he nails not only the common mistakes, but also the kind of ego that refuses to fix them.
STARVE ACRE
by Andrew Michael Hurley
This book has definitely been making the rounds, but I picked it up specifically on a recommendation from Johnny Chiodini.Richard and Juliette Willoughby's young son Ewan died suddenly, and both of them are navigating the resulting grief very differently in Richard's family home of Starve Acre. Richard, given paid time off from his teaching job to "do research," has immersed himself in digging up—both literally and metaphorically—legends of an old tree once used for hangings. Juliette has turned to local occultists in hopes of finding some sort of solace. But both of them discover something much darker lingering on their land.
As Richard remembers Ewan's final months—his odd changes, his violent moods, and his claims of being spoken to by a being called Jack Grey—something else begins to take hold. Juliette's friends reveal a truth she is unwilling to divulge, but also sense something sinister at work in the house. And then there's the hare Richard finds at the foot of the tree, whose presence defies all logic but which refuses to be sent away.
Starve Acre is one of those books I've been putting off for no reason other than no time, but I absolutely regret not having read this sooner. It's a very personal story, and not just because its core cast is very small and it takes place largely within one family's house and land. As an allegory for grief, it's a sobering reminder that how we cope (and what we do to ourselves) is not a monolith. As an entry in the genre of folk horror, it's a terrifying story whose influence is large enough to spread to a whole town and small enough to fit in a baby carriage. An absolute must-read, and one that should move quickly to the top of your list.