Matt Shaw really surprised me with this one. I have to admit, I was basing my judgement on the covers of some of his other books which are full of blurbs citing the inclusion of extreme horror, sex, and gore.
Instead of what I would call "extreme" I found myself mesmerized by Shaw's ability to lay down a subtle plot with despaired and flawed characters before he slams the doors on your fingers with glee.
Kim and Kirk are two birds of a feather that come from completely different backgrounds. Shaw has the ability to make the reader care for Kim, a prostitute desperate for a change at the same time he makes the reader doubt the "too good to be true" intentions of an outwardly gentle john. Kirk seems nice and all, but it is obvious he has a secret and problems of his own.
When Shaw performs his big reveal, he gives us the blood and unnatural jolt you would expect from an author who writes books with titles such as Rotting Dead F*cks.
Great characterization, a fast plot that bounces from the present to the near past with ease, believable dialogue, and a pinch of darkness make for the perfect recipe for a great tale.
Shaw seems to be a great storyteller and I will purposefully seek out more of his work, extreme warnings or not!
Get this book or one of the other many Matt Shaw books to choose from here...
-Cory Cline
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