By Matt Molgaard
Joe Lansdale will always be a unique character because of his versatility. You could read 10 of his stories and swear they were written by 10 different authors, even though you’d probably love every one of them. Bloody December is more in line with the work of Hap Collins and Leonard Pine than it is with Drive-In, and while that’s indicative of the work not being extremely bleak or outright terrifying, it doesn’t mean it’s of poor quality, fundamentalJoe can write. He can write a lot.
The story follows Tom Chan and a few old comrades who reunite after Tom witnesses a hit-and-run murder committed by a high-ranking local criminal. Tom believes the man is nearly invincible, but Tom decides to go to the police station and not only report the murder but agrees to testify about what he saw, which triggers an attack from the outlaw and his vicious gang of thugs. How do you put out a fire? With fire, of course. The hot December day quickly turns into an intricate and deadly game of cat and mouse, and the only question is: who is more resourceful? Tom Chan has some powerful allies, and he’s willing to turn this into a real free-for-all, whether he can get away with it or not.
With excellent character development, intriguing twists, and a complete disregard for all the clichés, Bloody December is one of the true gems of 2013. As a long-time fan of Lansdale’s work, I was not disappointed at all with the concept of this novella. In fact, if I had one complaint, it would be that the story is too short. The last page was turned, but I wasn’t ready to pull away from the story. It’s completely engrossing and almost guaranteed to be read in one sitting. It’s not easy to walk away from a great story, and that’s exactly what Joe gives us here.
If you like horror and love mystery, you will love this. Also, if you are a fan of the works of the late great author John D. MacDonald, then get ready for a stunning work that echoes the extraordinary Travis McKee series and one of the best suspense novels ever written, The Executioner. Bloody December is very different from these works, but as soon as you pick up this book, you will feel an interesting sense of nostalgia, which I don’t think is entirely accidental. In my opinion, this book is a highly respectful tribute to one of the greatest writers in history.
Excellent, Mr. Lansdale. You have done it again. I am inclined to believe that if MacDonald were still alive he would have turned this book over!
Stay tuned to Dark Regions for this opportunity!
grade:5/5
