Tom Deady | Musings of the Monster Librarian

Book Review: The Rack: Stories Inspired by Vintage Horror Paperbacks edited by Tom Deady

The Rack: Stories Inspired by Vintage Horror Paperbacks, by various authors

Greymore Publishing, 2024

ISBN: 9780990632771

Available: Paperback, Kindle edition

The Rack is a mixed bag. That’s surprising, considering the pedigree of the authors involved, many whom I’ve read before. There are some really good ones, but when the best one is a Stephen King one borrowed from his ’80s collection Skeleton Crew, that tells you something. If you really want good ’80s style horror stories, track down the original ones from that era on Ebay,

The reason it’s a bit of a disappointment is that for the five or six really good ones, there are an equal number of clunkers. The rest are somewhere in the middle: they provide some entertainment, but nothing you are likely to read again. The writing and ideas are fine, but most of them just don’t have any real “grab” to them. Still, there are some that have plenty of zip,

“White Pages” is one of the best and most creative stories, illustrating how prank calling could go horribly wrong in the old days of rotary phones. “Fuzzy Slippers” is straight, messy, ’80s-inspired lunacy, with yes, killer slippers, and a great twist at the end. This one really captures the feel of the gory, free-for-all stories that marked some of the best ’80s horror. “Blood of my Blood” may be the most unusual, with its blood-drinking health zealots. Mixi them into a marriage ceremony with a groom who has no idea what type of family he’s marrying into, and you have a wonderfully dark humored story. “The Keeper of Taswomet” and “Lips Like a Scythe” are solid, vintage-inspired monster mashups, with enough character interactions to keep the story humming. They’re not just focused on the monsters and carnage, although there is plenty of that too! The best story, King’s “The Raft”, is one that doesn’t need to be mentioned; you already know how good it is.

As for the rest…again, this is strictly opinion. There’s nothing lacking in how the stories are written, they just really aren’t page turners, which is my main requirement for a good short story. Other readers may feel differently..

Bottom line? If you want to read the best ’80s shorts, go back to the originals: they truly hit the mark. King’s Night Shift or Skeleton Crew, Robert McCammon’s Blue World, or Clive Barker’s Books of Blood are all prime examples of what made the ’80s such a fertile period for creativity in the horror field.

Reviewed by Murray Samuelson

Book Review: Haven by Tom Deady

Haven by Tom Deady
Greymore Publications, 2017
ISBN-13: 978-0990632726
Available: Paperback, Kindle edition

With the release of Haven, it is clear that Tom Deady is ready to make his mark in the horror world. While “coming home” and “coming-of-age” stories have been done masterfully before in books like Dan Simmons’ Summer of Night, Robert McCammon’s Boy’s Life, and the monumental IT, Haven is a fresh take on the trope. With characters who stand out and plot twists that push comparisons to the side, the pages fly by. Deady weaves a story of mystery and horror that will leave readers not just frightened, but feeling a powerful emotional impact.

Paul Greymore has been locked away in prison for 17 years, serving a sentence for being a child murderer, despite evidence to the contrary. Disfigured in childhood, and already an outcast when the murders occurred, he was blamed for the deaths as he emerged from a lake with a wounded girl. With his imprisonment, the killings stopped. The town of Haven has not been a “safe haven” for him.

Paul’s main ally, the local priest, believes it best for Paul to return home and start anew, yet the killings begin again just as he arrives. Sheriff Crawford, the cop who put Paul away despite the evidence, is still hellbent on putting him back behind bars. Along with his friend Billy and young Denny, the damaged crew set out to solve the mystery of who, or what, is actually killing the children. More than any monstrous outside force, though, Haven explores the the darkness within the human characters, and how that line of good and evil burns pieces of our souls off with each struggle.

Deady’s writing is strong here, sidestepping many of the first novel pitfalls, a big accomplishment for a story that tops five hundred pages. The characterization, especially of Paul, shines. Haven is definitely one of the best debuts of the year. Highly recommended.

Reviewed by Dave Simms