Stirring The Sheets by Chad Lutzke- Bloodshot Books

Grief can make a man do things that he normally wouldn't consider. They say it's vital to move on and complete the stages of grief after the loss of a loved one but we never really move on, do we?  We just get used to a life without that person in it anymore as we learn to cherish the memories that time hasn't stolen from us.

In, "Stirring The Sheets", Chad Lutzke introduces us to Emmit, a widowed mortuary cosmetologist who misses his wife dearly. He is thankful for his job, it not only keeps his mind off the loss of his wife but offers a sense of purpose that retirement would not.  He has allowed his grief to turn into a shrine to worship his memories at he can't let go. He's become comfortable living with those memories.

I like Emmit. He's a guy who takes pride in his work, is polite to the widow who makes him brownies, and wants to kick the ass of his dipshit neighbor even though he knows he isn't as young as he once was. He loved his wife, misses her and thinks about her daily- he hasn't changed the sheets on his bed since she left him and he can't stop thinking about the young lady who looks exactly like his wife did when she was in her thirties. The only problem is that she is dead.

Chad Lutzke has once again crafted a compelling, relatable, heart-breaking tale of lost love and the strange things we do to cope with that loss. Lutzke effortlessly engages the reader into feeling the repercussions of grief and the meltdown of common sense that follows is a heartbreaking journey through the dark hallways of a grief-stricken mind.

Lutzke has proven he is a master at macabre, realistic horror. "Of Foster Homes and Flies" and "Wallflower" are tragic masterpieces of dark fiction and I think "Stirring the Sheets" may just be his best yet. Lutzke owns his style- much like Jack Ketchum, Joe Lansdale, and James Newman imprint their brand of horror onto their readers and there is nothing better than watching a good author evolve into a great one.

Go ahead, allow Lutzke the opportunity to tuck you in for the night... No guarantees how good you'll sleep through the night.

-Cory Cline

Pick up a copy of "Stirring The Sheets", here.

Check out Chad Lutzke's other work, here.

Mike Duke- Low- Stitched Smile Publications

As an ancient evil descends on Pleasant Grove, Mark Adams and Chad Bigleby are pushed to the limits of their morals. Each man backed into a corner, forced to face the sins of their past, present, and future as the city they live in becomes a playground for Hell’s finest.

 Mark is a cop fed up with everything; his wife, his job, the lack of justice that seems to spread into every crevice of his existence. He has a lot going through his mind and has some tough decisions to make about the moral path he finds himself on. Chad is a lawyer, stuck in a situation that could find him losing his license. Lawyers don’t make the law, they defend it, and he must now make decisions that may morally bankrupt his soul.  

The sinister Mr. Phailees & Phobos are well depicted as the evil in this unique good vs. evil story and are as addicting as any guilty pleasure. Everything from their dialogue, to the subtle descriptions that the author uses to build the characters as the shining beacon of suffering they are meant to be keeps the reader turning the page wondering what they will do next.

Mike Duke has created a strong cast of unique characters with emotional baggage, secret motives, and haunted pasts to expose to his version of hell. How low will they go? Read and find out. You may find yourself asking the very same question. Low is really fun, twisted, and dark with well planned and executed action and chase sequences through a hell that only Mike Duke can create. Low makes the readers think about their own sins and dark past and brings up questions about forgiveness and revenge, and throws in some twisted humour to add to this perfect recipe for a hell of a good time! 

-Cory Cline

Get your own copy of Low, here!

Find more books by Mike Duke, here!

Chad Lutzke's Punk Rock Re-Animator & Holes- Double Barrel Horror Vol. 2- Pint Bottle Press

Chad Lutzke has an uncanny ability to mesmerize his readers with his stories. His skill in creating real-world characters and leading them through a beautifully horrific tale is awe inspiring to say the least.

"Of Foster Homes and Flies" and "Wallflower" are two of my favourite books from the past few years and it is a joy to see him cutting loose in these two short stories. Lutzke knows how to create a darkness that blurs the harsh edges of his monsters; allowing readers the opportunity to get closer to the monsters contained within. This time his monsters are hungry for blood.

In his Double Barrel Horror offering from Pint Bottle Press, Lutzke offers two very different stories that allow him to show how hardcore he can get. "Punk Rock Re-Animator" is a first-person account of a virgin concert goer's reluctant trip to a Punk Rock club that takes full advantage of the small print on the back of the concert tickets. The slow build-up is even-paced and steady and leads readers towards an explosive ending that will please even the most fastidious of the Elder Gods in this fun, bloody, Lovecraftian homage.

A nosey neighbour with voyeuristic tendencies watches a local bully get what is coming to him in, "Holes", the second offering from Lutzke in this short collection. Lutzke allows readers to peer through his binoculars in this brilliantly crafted first-person account of a voyeur with questionable morals watching other people with questionable morals doing things to a person with questionable morals. The tension is thick and Lutzke is at his best in this gore-soaked revenge thriller as he snares readers into his web of horrific realism. Don't even get me started on the ending on this one... Just read and enjoy.

Lutzke's ability to create a kinetic atmosphere with realistic characters is evident in these shorter stories just as much as his longer ones. He doesn't force anything and easily engages his readers into a weird bond with his characters. Lutzke is a natural story-teller who can move his stories along at any pace and bloodthirsty readers will be well rewarded with these juicy morsels from an author future generations will be calling a "Master of Horror."

Matt Weber chose wisely in his decision to add Lutzke to the growing roster of Double Barrel Horror authors. With K.Trap Jones, The Sisters of Slaughter, Patrick Freivald and many others, this series is available in two collections or individually by the author so there is no excuse for any reader to be empty handed this Halloween season.
-Cory Cline

Get your copy Here!
Multiply the fun and get the whole collection Here!
Be sure to check out Chad's website Here!

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Book Review- Vortex: A Moffett & Keoph Investigation by Ray Garton

Vortex is one of those books that has consistently avoided my vicarious attempts to read. Originally published as a limited edition hardcover, it quickly became a collectible and all of my attempts to acquire a reasonably priced copy on eBay were always met by some jerk sniping me at the last moment.

Of course, it was only natural that I jump at the chance to read a review copy of the ebook that Ray has now released as his first self-published title. I know... many of you hate ebooks; and there is a special place in my heart for real books too, but until I can throw around money on books like Donald Trump's son at a strip club, I've got to read 'em when I can. To be honest, I would read Ray Garton's work if he hand wrote it on a roll of toilet paper if I had too.

Vortex continues the adventures of Garton's weird detective duo, Karren Moffett and Gavin Keoph who have been hired by the same guy who brought them together in the first place, Martin Burgess. The type of guy who can afford a copy of all of Garton's rare books, and the type who can afford to impress his new girlfriend by hiring these investigators to look into the strange things going on at Mt. Shasta, a spiritual and New Age retreat where something isn't as it should be.

Fans of Garton's Night Life and Beastial will love to see a return of familiar, well-loved characters who jump to life with Garton's high energy and engaging dialogue. Garton moves the story along with his simple mastery of adding all kinds of action, humor, and enough weird science fiction paranormal goodies to make the writers of season ten of The X-Files feel ashamed of themselves.

This is a novelette, so expect to want more when you're done with this one. You don't need to read Night Life or Beastial in order to enjoy Vortex, but, fair warning, you may seek them out when you're done if you happen to be one of the neglected souls who have yet to read either of those classics.

Ray Garton may be one of the architects of Splatter Punk, but he doesn't always make things Splatter. Sometimes he just gives us what we need... Thrills, spills, and smiles. I wish Mr. Garton all the best with his stroll into self-publishing, he just raised the bar... Like a boss.

-Cory Cline

Get your own copy here...

Check out all of Ray Garton's work here. Once you start, you won't stop!

Sleep Deprived- By Dawn Cano

Sleep deprivation is a terrible thing. It is not healthy for the mind or the body and Dawn Cano tells a perfect little story about those dangers. Sleep Deprived is a short read and the author does not sugarcoat her story with niceties at all, the reader will know where this story is headed right from the get-go and I never turn down a good dare set forth by an author who writes a "spoiler" right into the first page.

Sleep Deprived introduces us to Anna, who is suffering from sleep deprivation and beginning to allow the madness to affect her reality. When the voices kick in, she tries to ignore them, but a broken mind can only ignore so much and the baby she is watching for two days won't let her get any sleep...

Dawn Cano comes out swinging and there were never any gloves to take off. She expertly guides us through this show of a woman's unraveling descent into madness and while it gets messy and deranged at times, it's no different than a motorist passing by a horrific accident and sneaking a peak at the gory remains. Only there isn't a traffic cop here to tell you to keep it moving... there's nothing to see here. 

There is plenty to "see" here. Images you won't get out of your head while you're reading it, and possibly even after you've read it. Dawn Cano backs you up to the edge and then pushes you over it with glee so do not take the warning on the cover of this story lightly. This is an extreme horror short. If you suffer from triggers of any kind, this book is not for you. You will be shocked and disturbed. If you like to be shocked and disturbed, then what are you waiting for... you've got a dinner date with Anna!

-Cory Cline

Pick up Sleep Deprived for your Kindle here...

Chantal Noordeloos- Even Hell Has Standards- Wrath

Fatima Oni, forced into marriage at a young age by her parents, is helpless against her husband's abuse. It doesn't help that he is her Uncle, but she does her best with what she is given. Her time spent on Earth is more wicked than any version of Hell in any bible and when her children are taken from her, she will face her biggest struggle yet... the wrath bubbling under her scarred human shell.

I did not read the first book of this series prior to Wrath and did not feel the need to, though, I am eagerly awaiting the opportunity after reading this gem of a glimpse into Chantal's version of Hell. Anyone who says girls can't do horror has not witnessed the darkness that seeps from this girl's fingertips.

While Fatima is on Earth, Chantal will show us how dark this world is. It isn't easy to write about things that really happen. She allows us to see what it's like to live in a third world country that does not frown against abuse, child brides, incest, and rape. The last book I read that made me feel this dirty after reading it was Jack Ketchum's The Girl Next Door, a brilliantly dark thriller that doesn't hold back on showing us what was going on in the 1960's behind closed doors.

Some books don't scare you because of the monsters and gore you laugh at while reading. Everyone knows that Vampires don't exist. Zombies aren't going to force us to barricade ourselves in our farmhouses anytime soon. The only place evil truly exists is in mankind, and Chantal forces herself to explore those dark crevices as she weaves her way through the craziness that is our reality. I am sure she felt it as she was writing this story; I don't know any writer who enjoys exploring the pain of losing a loved one or watching helplessly as something bad happens to that loved one.

As dark as this story gets, Chantal finds a way to put a leash on her reader. Her voice is strong, confident,  and yet strangely beautiful. This girl is a writer; powerful and full of emotion, and if this is the kind of horror that girls are able to produce... well, damn... I'd be perfectly fine being told I write "like a girl".

What are you waiting for? Go support Chantal and buy this book!

-Cory Cline

The Void- Albert Kivak & Michael Bray

There are very few books that I read in just over a day. I have a day job, 4 kids, an Ebay bookstore, and I write. I picked this one up on a promotional post so it was free, and after reading a couple of chapters, I was hooked. This is a busy book that has a big story to tell, but you won't notice that until the end.

I was not familiar with Bray or Kivak's work prior to reading this, so I have no idea who wrote what in this book. To be honest, they are both competent writers who can move a story and bounce it back and forth to each other and I couldn't tell that two authors worked on this. It is seamless and so tightly woven that you never get taken out of the story and will keep turning pages as each chapter gets darker and crazier.

Morgan Brewster can feel what the things in the sinkhole outside his home really are. He senses them and knows what it is. When he crosses paths with a man destroyed by cancer, a man who now has a reason to live even though his body tells him he's done, and the two form a bond as they try to stop the evil that is trying to escape from the sinkhole.

Lots of fucked up shit happens in this book as the people start acting strange, and spiders, political people acting like assholes, spiders, humans doing horrible things to each other, things they would have never done before that sinkhole opened, and spiders.  One of my favorite scenes is when Meredith and her neighbor are having a discussion about Morgan, and Meredith finds herself defending her life as her neighbors anger escalades into murderous rage. Meredith is shocked by the lengths she must go in order to protect herself, and her reactions are more than justified.

This is a fantastic ride into a horrible apocalyptic vision that these two authors paint with their words. The landscape is full of evil and depravity, we all know it... Be glad you don't have a sinkhole outside of your home... things can always be worse.

Original, gripping, shocking, and well written. I had fun reading this story and look forward to what they come up with for the sequel. I will be checking out more work from both authors, we all should be.

Head over to Amazon and get The Void now!

Meet the authors on Facebook-
Michael Bray
Albert Kivak

-Cory Cline