Decades: Compiling the Ultimate Library with Oli Jacobs

This weekend is Halloween so Decades is going full on horror this week as Oli Jacobs unleashes five chillers to tempt your TBR.

But as this is Decades this isn’t just a case of a guest recommending books to read there are rules to follow too. Here’s your weekly Decades recap….

I am assembling the Decades Library, a collection of the very best books as recommended by my guests. In January I started this challenge with no books in my Library but as we reach Halloween there have been over 200 titles recommended. Each week I invite my guest to nominate any five books which they would want to include in the Ultimate Library (so we can ensure the very best books are represented). When selecting their five books my guests can only pick one book per decade from five consecutive decades – a fifty year publication span.

I wanted to make sure the Halloween weekend added some horror titles to my Library and took to Twitter to see if anyone fancied taking on the challenge. Not only did Oli Jacobs step up to help in my hour of need, he has absolutely smashed it out of the park with his selections. I have read four of his nominations and you can bet I will be picking up the fifth book.

Oli Jacobs is a bearded fellow who is mostly found patrolling the streets of Southampton in search of good beer, fine company, and fried chicken. Due to his anxiety, please approach with kindness.

His works include the Space Comedy series Kirk Sandblaster, Revenge Thriller series Mr Blank, and Horror titles The Station 17 Chronicles, The Children of Little Thwopping, and (at time of writing) BBNYA 2021 semi-finalist Wilthaven. He hopes you enjoy.

DECADES

THE LONG WALK – RICHARD BACHMAN (aka STEPHEN KING) (1979)

In truth, I could have chosen Stephen King books for each of these choices, but for the sake of variety I’ve simply chosen this title, not just because it’s one of my favourites, but because it comes via King’s infamous pseudonym Richard Bachman. The story is simple in its cruelty: 100 teenage boys are forced to take part in a gruelling walking marathon known as the titular Long Walk. There are no breaks, firm rules, and armed guards to make sure things go along smoothly. As we meet our ever-decreasing circle of characters, and the world is built around their experiences, we bear witness to all the simple agonies that this event would bring, from cramp to sleep deprivation.

SONGS OF A DEAD DREAMER – THOMAS LIGOTTI (1985)

Thomas Ligotti is one of those horror authors where you either know him and absolutely love him, or are blissfully unaware but intrigued by his work when he is mentioned. Songs of a Dead Dreamer is his first collection of short stories – a format Ligotti mostly deals in – and introduces the reader to his nihilistic carnival of dread. Starting with a seemingly basic tale of child abduction in The Frolic, the stories become more weird and dream-like. Tales such as The Greater Festival of Masks also highlight Ligotti’s unnerving use of masquerades and puppets, and you certainly feel the influence of the likes of Lovecraft through every inch of the purple prose.

AMERICAN PSYCHO – BRET EASTON ELLIS (1991)

Probably the most well known and infamous on my list, everyone knows American Psycho thanks to the brilliant performance by Christian Bale in the film adaptation. What they don’t know, unlike those who have read this story, is how brutal Patrick Bateman is in the book. Throughout Bateman’s adventures in sadism, the levels are heightened and violence more absurd as he falls deeper into his own psychosis. But, of course, the question of whether all this horror is real or not lingers over the whole tale, settling on the greasy sheen of 80s capitalism that stains the whole narration through lists of musicians, appliances, and other aesthetic ghouls.

HOUSE OF LEAVES – MARK Z DANIELEWSKI (2000)

I will confess now this is one of my all-time favourite books, not just because of the multi-layered story, but how the whole twisted tale is presented. Mark Z Danielewski doesn’t just tell us the story of a heroin addict going through the files of a film critic, who was studying a documentary about a strange house, and the notes about the strange house from the family who lived there… yep, immediately it’s one of those stories. A labyrinth tale that Danielewski presents in a fashion that is as artistic as it is engrossing. It is an exercise in reader patience, but one that rewards with a nightmarish tale and true sense of discontent at the back of the mind.

THE LAST DAYS OF JACK SPARKS – JASON ARNOPP (2016)

This was one of these books I discovered thanks to the wonderful world of author networking that social media has provided us these days. Jason Arnopp is a man well-versed in horror and all things terrifying, given his love for VHS and history of rock journalism. The Last Days of Jack Sparks takes the idea of exorcisms, curses, and hauntings, and twist reality around them along with all the modern technology the titular Jack Sparks introduces to try and save his own skin. The atmosphere is tense from the start, and certain set pieces leave you with a shiver down your shoulder. The music studio bit is a stand out for yours truly…

I love a good horror story and always feel I should read more than I do. If you are on Twitter then I recommend searching under the #PromoteHorror hashtag where there are always some gems to be find.

My thanks again to Oli – these are mighty selections and I now find myself shopping for Songs of a Dead Dreamer (I need to complete the set)

DECADES WILL RETURN

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November 3

Ghoster – Jason Arnopp

Kate Collins has been ghosted.

She was supposed to be moving in with her new boyfriend Scott, but all she finds after relocating to Brighton is an empty flat. Scott has vanished. His possessions have all disappeared.

Except for his mobile phone.

Kate knows she shouldn’t hack into Scott’s phone. She shouldn’t look at his Tinder, his texts, his social media. But she can’t quite help herself.

That’s when the trouble starts. Strange, whispering phone calls from numbers she doesn’t recognise. Scratch marks on the door that she can’t explain.

And the growing feeling that she’s being watched . . .

My thanks to Tracy Fenton at Compulsive Readers for the chance to join the blog tour and to Orbit for my review copy.

Ghoster is the most impressive contemporary horror tale I have read. It also seamlessly blends the traditional themes of a strong horror tale, loss, isolation, obsession, terror and paranoia and drops it into a modern day tale with social media, smart phones and our societies expectations. Clever, chilling stuff.

Kate Collins is looking for her soul mate. On Valentines Day she is browsing Tinder looking for possible matches when one profile picture leaps out at her. This guy has a handsome but vulnerable look and Kate feels an immediate connection. She clicks on the super-like and waits. And waits. But when she gets a like back it is not from the guy she clicked on. Instead she ends up with a disasterous match which subsequently forces her off social media.

In a bid to purge her obsessive online fascination with her ex-boyfriend’s activities Kate books into a weekend retreat digital detox clinic. Also booked onto this course is Scott, the handsome guy she had Super Liked on Tinder. He doesn’t recognise her, why would he? But Kate certainly recognised him and over the weekend the pair find themselves drawn together and they seem to click.

Moving forward a few months and Kate is leaving Yorkshire to move to Brighton where she is moving into Scott’s house. She has given up her paramedic’s role in Leeds and making full commitment to their deepening relationship. So imagine her horror in arriving at Scott’s house to find it entirely empty. No Scott, no furniture and no indication as to where he may have gone. Scott has totally vanished. Is he Ghosting her? Is he dead? Has she been dumped or is she the victim of an elaborate hoax? Kate’s life is in turmoil and she has no idea where to turn. The only clue she may have is that Scott’s mobile phone is found hidden outside his flat on his balcony. Can Kate somehow piece together the life Scott was leading while she was still in Leeds?

Narrative swings between the current day as Kate tries to juggle her investigations and her new job in the Brighton paramedic team and then back to six months earlier as we read how Kate and Scott’s relationship grew while they spent time together.

Kate goes through an emotional wringer and she makes some shocking discoveries about the man she thought she knew but seemingly massively misjudged. Kate needs to know the truth and her quest to uncover Scott’s secrets threaten everything she holds dear. But where is Scott?

I was kept guessing on Ghoster and at times I wasn’t even sure I was reading a horror tale. Well until a ghost appeared that it. Kate’s story was one of loss and personal drama but where does the horror lie? Everywhere. And at times it is so normal I didn’t even see it for what it was.

This is sublime, clever and chilling writing. Ghoster is a modern horror classic. If you love this genre then you need to read this book.

Ghoster is published by Orbit Books and is available in paperback, digital and audiobook format. You can order your copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B06X3V9VSX/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

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March 1

More Catching Up – Belsham/Arnopp

I recently shared a catch-up post where I covered three books in one go. I was aiming for a more rapid review to let me catch up on sharing my thoughts on some of the great books I have been reading (but my non-blogging commitments prevented me from reviewing them in a more timely manner).

Happy with how that first post was received I am revisiting the rapid review format to do a bit more catching up…

THE TATTOO THIEF

A policeman on his first murder case
A tattoo artist with a deadly secret
And a twisted serial killer sharpening his blades to kill again…

When Brighton tattoo artist Marni Mullins discovers a flayed body, newly-promoted DI Francis Sullivan needs her help. There’s a serial killer at large, slicing tattoos from his victims’ bodies while they’re still alive. Marni knows the tattooing world like the back of her hand, but has her own reasons to distrust the police. So when she identifies the killer’s next target, will she tell Sullivan or go after the Tattoo Thief alone?

I received a review copy from the publisher through Netgalley.

I was at Bloody Scotland in 2016 when I first heard of The Tattoo Thief. Alison Belsham had just won the Pitch Perfect panel and the halls were buzzing with whispers of a story where a killer was stealing tattoos from the body of his victims. It sounded terrific. Two years later I finally read it and it was as dark and twisted as I had hoped.

The murders and the detail of the tattoo depictions were high points in the story. I became completely caught up with the murder scenes and when the investigation began to focus on tattoos I loved the detail and discussions about the art and styles. It was engaging and fascinating and gave a fresh feel to a crime thriller.

The investigating officers were a bit more challenging to like. The lead character, DI Frances Sullivan, has just been promoted and at 29 years of age is running his first murder case. His second in command feels he should have got the job Sullivan holds and there is conflict from the outset. The power struggle detracted from the investigation at times and personal rivalries seemed to get in the way of getting the investigation running correctly. That said, the conflict brought out some strong characters – more memorable as a consequence of their conflict.

Dark murder mysteries are what I enjoy and my time with The Tattoo Thief was time well spent.

The Tattoo Thief is published by Orion and is available in paperback, digital and audiobook format. Order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0719VZB2Z/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

The Last Days of Jack Sparks – Jason Arnopp

It was no secret that journalist Jack Sparks had been researching the occult for his new book. No stranger to controversy, he’d already triggered a furious Twitter storm by mocking an exorcism he witnessed.

Then there was that video: forty seconds of chilling footage that Jack repeatedly claimed was not of his making, yet was posted from his own YouTube account.

Nobody knew what happened to Jack in the days that followed – until now.

This was a great read. A chilling supernatural thriller which got far darker than I had originally anticipated – and that only increased its standing in my estimation.

Jack Sparks is a writer. He has a chaotic lifestyle, addictions, a “secret” love for his flatmate (which she knows about) and he wants to debunk the supernatural. To achieve this task Jack is going to attend an exorcism to record events and, he believes, highlight the ridiculousness of the event. Things do not go to plan.

Jack comes to the attention of dark forces, forces which are far beyond his understanding and it is not long before Jack’s life starts to come unstuck. People are going to die. Horribly. Jack will be in peril, he will lose everything he holds dear and the manner of his decline will stick with you.

Jason Arnopp will put his cast through the wringer and doesn’t hold back when he shocks and repulses his readers. Many horror tales can be crass or lurid at the expense of good writing, not so here. Arnopp is a great storyteller and he will captivate readers and keep them hooked.

The Last Days of Jack Sparks is published by Orbit and is available in paperback, digital and audiobook format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B010PIFZMO/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

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July 10

Beast In The Basement – Jason Arnopp

In a big house in the countryside, a recently bereaved and increasingly unstable author toils over a novel which will close the best-selling trilogy of Jade Nexus fantasy books.

Speculation and rumour are rife among hardcore Jade Nexus fans that their heroine will die at the novel’s conclusion – a possibility against which they loudly protest via social media as the release date nears.

How do you deal with grief, under such intense pressure? How do you cope with distractions from your work such as a violent intruder, panicked messages from your agent and a potential love interest moving into the cottage across the field? And far worse than any of those problems… what do you do about the Beast in your basement?

Normally I write my reviews by discussing the story and flagging/highlighting what I liked. I may discuss the characters that stood out and cover some of the subject matter (it’s a murder story, an espionage thriller, a dark comedy…). Normally that’s what I do.

Not with Beast In The Basement.

First rule on my blog is NO SPOILERS. So I am not even going to hint at Beast In The Basement, not going to discuss the story, not going to even name the characters. I AM going to tell you that this is a cracking story and I really enjoyed it.

Jason Arnopp has penned a wonderful wee shocker of a story. One of the stories that draw you in really quickly and keep you guessing right up to the point the clues fall into place and your jaw hits the floor. From that point (after you have picked up your jaw) you devour the rest of the book as you need to know what will happen next.

Beast In The Basement is recommended for those that enjoy their stories to have a bit of a twist, some tragedy, a shock or two and basically anyone that enjoys a bloody good read.

Don’t spoil it for anyone.

Only discuss it with people that have also read the book.

Tell others to read it too.

Get your copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beast-Basement-Novella-Jason-Arnopp-ebook/dp/B0099Y6EVM/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1468189945&sr=1-2&keywords=jason+arnopp

Beast In The Basement is published by Retribution Books and is available in digital format.

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