Synopsis/blurb......
In the southern town of Lake Castor, the old mill closed, and jobs vanished. But Calvin Cantrell doesn’t care for those jobs anyway. Instead, he dreams of becoming a famous serial killer. When sleazy restauranteur Tom London hires Calvin to kill his ex-wife, Calvin’s dreams begin.
And so do Lake Castor’s nightmares.
An interesting tale devoted in part to an oddball's efforts to secure his legacy as one of America's most famous serial killers. All he has to do is keep the body count rising and keep himself moving up the league table. His unlikely ambition of securing a role as a paid hitman, the go-to guy when you want someone wiped out, will surely follow. Calvin while possessing balls and a fondness for the wet work, may not be the sharpest tool in the box.
We spend a fair bit of time with Calvin our killer as well as his first client, Tom London. London loves his son, but that aside is a full-on sleazebag. Brains in his pants and a hate directed toward his ex-wife who wants to share access to their young son. London hires Calvin to remove his ex-wife. That his latest conquest Rhonda, his restaurant manger is also Calvin's wife, further complicates matters.
Rhonda herself has her issues and a less than idyllic upbringing as we explore her past and her role in Calvin's plan.
There's plenty of death on display, but Pruitt injects enough humour within the tale to elevate it above more than just a gore-fest. There's a small town setting which I liked and an eccentric cast of characters, not especially likeable but interesting enough to command your attention and have an investment in where Pruitt wants to take them.
Never a dull moment. Not everyone's cup of tea, but definitely mine.
4.5 from 5
I've read Eryk Pruitt's Hashtag before, thoughts here.
Eryk Pruitt has his website here and you can catch him on Twitter - @reverenderyk. He has a new one out next month - What We Reckon.
Read in August, 2017
Published - 2014
Page count - 201
Source - purchased copy
Format - Kindle
I do like the setting for this one, Col. Somehow, it seems to work for this sort of novel. I don't know as it would be my cuppa, as you say, but I'm glad you enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteSmall town works for me nearly every time, Margot. We'll agree to go our separate paths on this one!
DeleteCol – This one sounds really strange, and with a small-town setting, it might be my kind of book, too. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteElgin, another one that might be worth a look. Hashtag was equally as enjoyable.
DeleteThe setting sounds interesting, but the serial killer aspect puts me off. It does sound like it would be good reading if I did not have that prejudice.
ReplyDeleteI think the black humour lightens the tone. There's a sense of absurdity surrounding the killer which differentiates it from other books with the serial killer trope in them.
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