Harrow Lake

Hailing from New Wales, Kat Ellis writes young adult horror fiction. Her novels Breaker and Blackfin Sky were published by Running Press Kids. Through Penguin Random House, Ellis has authored Wicked Little Deeds (aka Burden Falls) and Harrow Lake. I haven't had any experience with the author. But, my teen daughter let me borrow Harrow Lake and the premise immediately grabbed me.

Years ago, fictional screenwriter and director Nolan Nox created a horror movie known as Nightjar. The film was about a small town that is nearly destroyed by a landslide. Trapped inside the town, the residents begin eating each other to survive. Nightjar became a cult classic built off the tragedy associated with the film. Nolan shot the movie in a small Indiana town called Harrow Lake, a place where he met his wife, Loralei. During the filming, a crew member disappeared within the town's complex cave system. Fans link this unfortunate disappearance with the film's terrifying plot.

Ellis demands the reader's attention within the first few pages of Harrow Lake. In these non-linear pages is an interview with Nolan about the film, the tragedy and the fact that his own daughter, Lola Nox, has gone missing in the mysterious little town. After this interview segment, the author begins the narrative by going back one year before the interview takes place. 

Lola's mother ran away from her and her father years before. Lola and Nolan have a great relationship, but that is put in jeopardy when Lola finds her father stabbed on their apartment floor. With a long rehab at the hospital, Nolan sends Lola to Harrow Lake to temporarily live with her grandmother. 

Once Lola arrives in Harrow Lake, strange things begin happening. Her quirky grandmother keeps mistaking Lola for Loralei. Lola finds a strange girl always watching her. There's a myth that a creature called Mr. Jitters haunts the town. Beyond physical things, Lola talks to an imaginary friend named Mary Ann, but she could be a ghost. Things in Harrow Lake are very, very odd. 

As a 300-page hardcover, Ellis mostly keeps the reader engaged through a small-town mystery surrounding Lola's mother and her mysterious relationship with Harrow Lake. There's a looming problem regarding Lola's grandmother and some hints that the Mr. Jitters myth is a legit supernatural creature. Enhancing the narrative are Harrow Lake residents that Lola befriends, although she's very introverted and private. Throughout the story, Lola's communications with Nola are severed, creating a sense of isolation and abandonment.

My main issue with the book is that it is written in present tense. This style of narration has gained in popularity, but is an acquired taste. I like the first-person narration, but I don't necessarily want to be in the moment with Lola as she's living this rather abstract existence before my very eyes. This isn't to suggest Kat Ellis isn't a good writer or that the narrative is lacking, it's just not my preference. The presentation subtracted from the overall enjoyment. Otherwise, Harrow Lake is interesting, slightly scary and often disturbing. Get a copy HERE

The Death Hunter

Steve Frazee was a prolific western author that served as president of the Western Writers of America. Before authoring full-length paperbacks in the 1950s, Frazee was a heavy contributor to the western and adventure pulps of the 1940s. We've covered several of his books and stories here on Paperback Warrior, so I was happy to locate another of his short stories. "The Death Hunter" appeared in the July, 1952 issue of Adventure Magazine.

When the story begins, Buchanan (no relation to William Ard's character) is boarding a train toting a hunting rifle. But, he doesn't plan on hunting game. Instead, his target is a man named Roy Sargent. In the backstory, readers learn that Buchanan served in WW2 with a fellow named McKee. During a fierce shoreline battle, Buchanan became badly wounded. McKee saved Buchanan by hefting him over his shoulder and racing for the safety of a boat. Because of this, Buchanan feels he owes McKee his life.

Months ago, Sargent trespassed on McKee's farm, hunting birds. McKee kindly asked him to leave, but there was a disagreement. When McKee was found shot to death, clues pointed to Sargent as the murderer. After a police inquiry, there wasn't sufficient evidence to prosecute Sargent. When Buchanan finds that Sargent is headed upstate on a hunting trip, he decides he will bring about his own form of justice.

Frazee's dark tale is one of revenge, but it teaches an important lesson on trust and forgiveness. The story takes some unexpected turns with character development that quickly escalates as these two characters find themselves in the depths of the wilderness. I was pleasantly surprised by the story's finale and really loved what Frazee was able to accomplish over such a small word count. 

You can read a copy of this story, as well as the entire magazine, HERE.

Chandler: Red Tide

James Steranko (b. 1938) could be considered a true Renaissance man. Early in his life he became a talented illusionist, magician and musician. By 1966, Steranko's comic book pursuits led to the iconic Stan Lee and Jack Kirby of Marvel Comics. He penciled and inked issues of Strange Tales, Nick Fury, Captain America, X-Men, etc. In 1969, Steranko began painting covers for paperbacks and pulps, including Wildcat O' Shea and The Shadow. 

In 1976, Steranko's love of crime-noir and pulp-fiction led to a graphic novel called Chandler: Red Tide. Steranko penciled, inked and authored the book in a very specific format. Each page features 26 lines of text with two panels of art above each page. This is not to be confused with a standard graphic novel or comic because there are no dialogue bubbles. For all purposes, this is a unique novel with accompanying artwork, similar to a vintage pulp magazine. 

Set in the 1940s, Chandler explains to readers that he was originally a professional boxer. After a knockout defeat, Chandler stopped boxing and fought in the Mexican Revolution, became an arms dealer and eventually moved to New York City to become a skip tracer for a bail bondsman. Later, he became a special investigator for the District Attorney's office. When the new administration arrived, he was bounced. Now, he works on 47th as a private-detective, complete with a sexy secretary, long coat, and a Colt. 45.

An older gentleman named Todd approaches Chandler about finding a murderer. Todd explains that he was a guest on a yacht off of New York Harbor when a gangland slaying took place. Unfortunately, he was one of a handful of witnesses that saw the gunman. Now, the witnesses are being killed off and Todd is next. Chandler can’t protect Todd because his murder has already happened. Todd was poisoned, and, according to medical professionals, has 72-hours to live. Nearing his demise, Todd offers Chandler a stack of bills to find his murderer before he dies.

Chandler is a glorious nod to the early, hardboiled private-eye stories and novels. The hero's name is a tribute to Raymond Chandler, but the book's most striking resemblances are Dashiell Hammett's Continental Op and Carol John Daly's Race Williams. Chandler possesses all of the genre tropes: sleuth, big appetite, attractive, fighter. He is quick with a gun, smooth with the ladies and uses a lot of stealth and intuition to locate clues.

On a frenzied, shortened timeframe, Chandler paws through leads and interviews various people connected to the ship. The cold trail eventually leads to an old flame named Ann. Chandler rekindles a spark with her, but begins to suspect Ann's motives and network of associates. 

With intense gunplay, sexiness and a bold hero, the narrative moves quickly through New York’s brightly lit streets. The vivid artwork panels purposefully align with each page's dialogue and scene, enhancing what was already a rock-solid and compelling story. 

Unfortunately, as remarkable as Chandler is, it didn't meet sales expectations. A planned story-arc for Penthouse never came to fruition and Chandler was shuffled into forgotten history. If you can get your hands on this masterpiece, pay whatever the asking price is. Steranko’s Chandler kicks total ass. Buy a copy of this book HERE

Invisible Fences

Norman Prentiss is a Maryland author that has appeared in Baltimore's City Paper, Writer Online, and Southern Poetry Review. He won a Bram Stoker award in 2009 for his short story "In the Porches of My Ears". His work includes The Fleshless Man, Four Legs in the Morning and The Narrator. His novel, Invisible Fences, won a Stoker Award in 2010 for Superior Achievement in Long Fiction.  The story was published by Cemetery Dance and is available in both physical and digital versions.

Invisible Fences begins in the post-hippie 1970s and features a young boy named Nathan and his slightly older sister Pam. Their mother suffers from agoraphobia, the fear of the outside. Her sickness leaves a deep etching in Nathan and Pam's growth. The idea of an "invisible fence" is created by their father through the use of scary stories or horrifying events that securely keep the family from exposure to the horrors of the outdoors.  

As the narrative advances through the years, it's an emotional roller coaster through Nathan's childhood and eventually the transition into adulthood. As a man, Nathan is now experiencing a hefty emotional weight related to something from his past. He also is burdened with taking care of his parents, which leads to some recollections of his early childhood and the things that happened.

For the most part, Invisible Fences is revealed to readers through a murky, broken looking glass. That is the main reason this 150-page novel works so well. It requires some imagination from the reader while also forcing them to arrive at their own conclusions. Was there something evil outside? Did Nathan and Pam's parents protect them for a reason? Or, was it all a cautionary tale from challenged parents? Prentiss asks these questions in a subtle and clever way. The book's emphasis on growing and evolving is important. Invisible Fences forces us all to face dark truths. 

As a short novel, Invisible Fences is extraordinary. If you love dark, emotional rides that span a lifetime, then Norman Prentiss will amaze you with his storytelling gift. This was a non-stop page turner. Highly recommended. Get your copy HERE

Terminator Salvation: Cold War

I've enjoyed the entire series of Terminator films. I remember watching Terminator 2: Judgment Day on VHS back in the early 90s and was astounded by the storyline and special effects. I experienced mixed reactions on Terminator 3 but overall, I thought it served its purpose. Those two films are important for my review of Greg Cox's Terminator Salvation: Cold War (2009). This novel is set in the time period between the second and third films. This was the day Skynet started World War 3. Cox chooses the year 2003 to place the story's action.

The book's narrative includes a Russian submarine firing on Alaska in retaliation for Moscow's bombing. The submarine Commander hears an urgent message broadcast by John Connor (the series hero). The radio message explains Skynet's hostile takeover and the need for humanity to unite to combat the machines. Later, the Commander and his crew team up with the Resistance forces to fight Skynet. 

The events in the book occur over a 15 year period. Additionally, Cox's narrative also simultaneously presents events in 2015 from the perspective of a Russian resistance force in the Alaskan wilderness. They are attempting to destroy a Skynet train that is transporting uranium to Canada to improve weapons.

The book describes some awesome scenes of T-600 machines fighting the Russians in the snow and forest. I think this would have looked fantastic on film while also presenting a different look to the franchise. The book also includes the familiar Hunter-Killer machines and some really unique snowmobile Terminators - T-600 torsos mounted on snowmobile treads. 

Greg Cox is no stranger to movie and television tie-in novels. He has authored books in franchises like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Star Trek, Underworld, Roswell and many others. I felt that with Cold War, Cox was able to deliver an alternative look at the Terminator machines while still creating an action-packed story. If you are a fan of these films or graphic novels, you should find this book enjoyable. Get a copy HERE

The Association

Bentley Little (b. 1960) was born in Mesa, Arizona. He earned degrees in communications and comparative literature at California State University Fullerton. His first novel, The Revelation (1990), won a Bram Stoker Award for best novel by a new author. Since then, Little has averaged nearly one horror novel per year since 1990. I've had the opportunity to read many of his novels, including The Association. It was originally published in 2001 by Signet and most recently has been reprinted by Cemetery Dance.

In the opening chapters, Barry and Maureen move from Los Angeles into a gated suburban community in Utah. Upon moving into their new house, Barry and Maureen receive a book of "conditions, compliance and restrictions" regarding the Homeowners Association that they are required to comply with. Unfortunately, with the hustle and bustle of moving in and becoming situated in their new home, the couple fails to read it. They are later shocked when they discover what type of community they are residing in. 

The HOA contract prohibits the two from hosting any minorities in their house. Caucasian is the only prohibited race. Additionally, no one that is gay is allowed to be residents or guests in the community. Further, both Barry and Maureen are prohibited from reproducing offspring. The two quickly find that they aren't allowed to work from home (Barry is a writer). They also find that they must arise bright and early to clear off any pine cones, dead grass, twigs and branches from their property each day. They are prohibited from planting any shrubs, they aren't allowed to paint and they can't include any family photos as home decor. 

These outrageous rules and regulations require that each house must have a camera inside that is monitored by the HOA. Barry and Maureen are subjected to sexual harassment and the HOA is allowed to use deadly force whenever a resident breaks the rules. The local police aren't allowed jurisdiction inside, prompting a legal war between the town and the HOA.

Like Little's The Store (1998), The Policy (2003) and The Resort (2004), The Association follows the same formula - corporations wielding authority on unsuspecting people. The novel's sadism is turned down compared to Little's other works, but there are still some violent and unsettling scenes for readers. If you are familiar with this author, you'll find no surprises. The Association is a disturbing horror novel with a unique perspective on home buying.

Get a copy HERE

Cop with Wings

In 1950, Bruno Fischer became a success story with his bestselling novel House of Flesh. Prior to that, Fischer was concentrating on writing full-length mysteries while also contributing to the dime magazines and pulps. He authored hundreds of stories in the 1930s and 1940s for magazines like Dime Mystery, Dime Detective, and Black Mask. I recently located a July, 1946 issue of Mammoth Detective and was happy to find a Bruno Fischer story inside. 

Fischer's "Cop with Wings" is a 5,600 word short story with illustrations by H.W. McCauley. In the story, Van Sheridan is the protagonist, a bold detective sergeant working in a crime-infested town. The city's town hall and most of the businesses and interworking are controlled by a savvy criminal named Peter Holland. Sheridan has butted heads with Holland before, but on this night it's over something unexpected.

Tonight, Van Sheridan and his girlfriend Emily are in Peter's house asking for his marriage blessing. Confused? Emily is Peter's daughter. Van Sheridan is forced to swallow his pride, accept a partial defeat, and ask his nemesis for a marriage blessing. Peter is outraged by the request and angrily advises Emily that she won't receive a penny of his fortune if she marries Van Sheridan. Further, Peter swears that he controls the city's police force and that Van Sheridan will be fired. After the heated argument, Emily asks Van Sheridan to leave the house and that she will discuss the affair with Peter alone.

As Van Sheridan is leaving the house, he overhears Peter telling Emily that she is "messing around with other men..." Contemplating the accusation, Van Sheridan strolls the streets and decides to go back to the house. In the drive, Van Sheridan overhears Peter yelling at someone before the booming sound of a gunshot. Racing into the house, Van Sheridan discovers Emily is standing over a dead man. Shockingly, he also sees Peter holding the smoking gun.

This was such an effective story and Fischer's writing is top-notch. I found the character development as a smooth presentation that changed the roles significantly by the story's end. Fischer's ability to transform this simple "whodunit" into a riveting mystery is reliant on the key statement of "...other men." Just that simple piece of dialogue creates a completely different narrative. The reader is aligned with Emily, but then doubt and suspicion quickly sweep in to create emotional confusion. This is just brilliant writing and I loved the way it was presented. You can read this story for free HERE.