Although Laymon died in 2001, his U.K. novels have only recently gotten an American release; this 1997 title is a sordid, flawed gem, both stomach churning and erotic, and not infrequently at the same time. Narrated by paranoid, defiant 26-year-old Alice, the book opens on a peaceful night of house-sitting—but as Alice warns, "You can never be sure it's safe." Indeed, shortly after midnight she spots a strange man emerge from the woods and go swimming naked in the family pool. A fortunately timed phone call that's a wrong number gives Alice the chance to drive off the stranger, but sets in motion a 24-hour whirlwind of murder, terror and madness, beginning when Alice splits open someone's head with a Civil War saber—and escalating precipitously from there. Alice's matter-of-fact attitude toward her grisly handiwork can make her hard to sympathize with ("I felt rotten about killing him, but not particularly guilty"); supporting characters are easier to like, but don't get too attached. As the night wears on, Laymon piles on gory details and violent sex with perverse, over-the-top glee; it's definitely not for everyone and can strain credibility, but Alice proves to be one of Laymon's most original and memorable protagonists, and should keep hardened horror fans reading well past the stroke of midnight. (Mar.)
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作者简介
Richard Laymon is the author of over 30 novels and 65 short stories.Though a mative of Illinois and a Long-time Californian,his name is more faniliar to readers in Great Britain,Australia and New Zealand,as well as much of the rest of the world,where he is published in fifteen foreign languages.He has writ-ten such acclaimed novels as To Wake the Dead,No Sanctuary, Island,Among the Missing,One Rainy Night,In the Dark,and Bite.The Traveling Vampire Show won a Bram Stoker Award for Novel of the Year in 2001. Two of his earlier novels (Flesh and Funland)and a short story collection (A Good,Secret Place)previously had been nominated for Bram Stoker Awards as well. |
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