Cavern of Rage

African-American author W. Warner Jackson was born in Spur, Texas, and worked as a railroad porter, painter, mail carrier, machinist, and cook, among other jobs. He spent most of his life in Kansas City, although no other details are really known about him. Jackson wrote three novels, beginning with The Birth of the Martyr's Ghost, a 1957 hardcover published by Comet Press. He followed with the paperback Lust for Youth (1960), and Cavern of Rage (1961). Cutting Edge Books has all three of Jackson's novels available in new paperback and digital editions. As a newcomer to the author, I decided to read Cavern of Rage. It was originally published by Newsstand Library with cover art by Robert Bonfils. 

The book, set in Kansas City, features the common tropes of sleaze fiction – adultery, greed, and guilt. David and Nora have experienced six years of marriage, highlighted by their elevated social status in the community. Yet David's work has suffered a tremendous collapse, leading the couple to financial ruin. As the novel begins, Nora is hosting one more extravagant party to cement their status as pillars of the community. David knows this is the last grand event before things spiral into ruin.

The party featured a performance dancer, Peggy, that has eyes for David. In his weakened state as both a husband and provider, David is enthralled with Peggy. The two leave the event, exploring each other's bodies in David's car. Meanwhile, as the party ends, Nora is flirting with the band leader, a vile individual named Vincent. He drugs Nora's drink and rapes her, but already has plans to violate one of Nora's friends that he met earlier in the evening.

The book's second half is a roller-coaster of events that thrust these four individuals into some very dark places. Readers learn that Vincent is a serial rapist and killer, a revelation that Jackson twists and turns as Nora is held in torturous captivity. It is this aspect of the book that really elevates the anxiety and tension – will Nora submit to this maniac or fight back? Also, there is a flood that isolates both David and Peggy in a cave, forced to fight for their own survival. This leaves time for David to contemplate his life. Continue with Peggy? Return to Nora? It's a balance beam of emotion for both the character and the reader.

I wish I knew more about Jackson, because his literary work certainly deserves more recognition. Cavern of Rage is an excellent crime-noir that reveals humanity's eternal desires – sex, money, and power. Jackson's ability to shift perspectives allows readers to view these seedy quests from different communities and financial platforms – the criminal, the underfed, and the powerful. It's clever storytelling that exposes these morally bankrupt characters and their motives. It's also highly entertaining. Cavern of Rage gets a strong recommendation.

Get this book and the other Jackson novels HERE.