A devilishly satisfying work of twisted comedy starring the exploits of an unrepentant alcoholic joker.
In Kempf’s horror novel, a troubled addict adds revenge to his long list of missteps.
Prolific horror writer Kempf’s knack for deft characterization is on vivid display with his Pennsylvanian protagonist Jack Lively, a recovering alcoholic, raging drunk driver, wife batterer, father of one, and “three-time loser.” After a series of drunken blackouts and arrests, resulting in “three DUIs in two years,” he is placed on nine months of house arrest. Oddly, he is allowed a travel radius that includes a small bar where he performs onstage. Lively is a comedian whose penchant for raunchy black humor often leaves audiences angry. Adding misery on top of despair is Emily—his embittered “heartless, cruel, and mean” ex-wife—for whom he harbors a seething resentment despite the temporary relief found at Twelve Steps meetings and regular romps with Riley, a local escort. Between check-up visits from his community corrections officer and random breathalyzer tests, recurring dreams of murdering Emily haunt him. While his comedy routine is consistently offensive (including a skit involving a bloody stuffed bunny), Lively’s interactions with his appalled, heckling audiences result in several rousing sequences in Kempf’s short novel. Also notable is the author’s realistic portrayal of Lively’s alcoholism, which manifests itself in painful cravings he calls his “sleeping giant.” In the ultimate vengeance ruse to rob and murder Emily, Lively conspires with Riley, who desperately needs a cash infusion to repay her pimp, and the expected mayhem ensues. Kempf’s first-person narration dives deep into Lively’s psyche to expose his fear of failure, his devotion to alcohol, and the dark, murderous nature of a revenge plot. The author manages to evoke sympathy for his protagonist within his innate struggle to survive and to make sense of his misled life. In Kempf’s world, there are no happy endings, but there are unquestionable comeuppance and wry humor in spades. This potent novel will appeal particularly to fans of bleak humor and bad-guy characters who remain shameless from beginning to end.
A devilishly satisfying work of twisted comedy starring the exploits of an unrepentant alcoholic joker.Pub Date: Dec. 1, 2020
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: 172
Publisher: Graylyn Press
Review Posted Online: May 25, 2021
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A grim yet gleefully gratifying tale of lost innocence and found family.
A woman fears she made a fatal mistake by taking in a blood-soaked tween during a storm.
High winds and torrential rain are forecast for “The Middle of Nowhere, New Hampshire,” making Casey question the structural integrity of her ramshackle rental cabin. Still, she’s loath to seek shelter with her lecherous landlord or her paternalistic neighbor, so instead she just crosses her fingers, gathers some candles, and hopes for the best. Casey is cooking dinner when she notices a light in her shed. She grabs her gun and investigates, only to find a rail-thin girl hiding in the corner under a blanket. She’s clutching a knife with “Eleanor” written on the handle in black marker, and though her clothes are bloody, she appears uninjured. The weather is rapidly worsening, so before she can second-guess herself, former Boston-area teacher Casey invites the girl—whom she judges to be 12 or 13—inside to eat and get warm. A wary but starving Eleanor accepts in exchange for Casey promising not to call the police—a deal Casey comes to regret after the phones go down, the power goes out, and her hostile, sullen guest drops something that’s a big surprise. Meanwhile, in interspersed chapters labeled “Before,” middle-schooler Ella befriends fellow outcast Anton, who helps her endure life in Medford, Massachusetts, with her abusive, neglectful hoarder of a mother. As per her usual, McFadden lulls readers using a seemingly straightforward thriller setup before launching headlong into a series of progressively seismic (and increasingly bonkers) plot twists. The visceral first-person, present-tense narrative alternates perspectives, fostering tension and immediacy while establishing character and engendering empathy. Ella and Anton’s relationship particularly shines, its heartrending authenticity counterbalancing some of the story’s soapier turns.
A grim yet gleefully gratifying tale of lost innocence and found family.Pub Date: Oct. 7, 2025
ISBN: 9781464260919
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Poisoned Pen
Review Posted Online: Aug. 2, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2025
SEEN & HEARD
Have tissues ready as you read this. A small package will do.
A love story about a life of second chances.
In Nassau, in the Bahamas, casino detective Vincent LaPorta grills Alfie Logan, who’d come up a winner three times in a row at the roulette table and walked away with $2 million. “How did you do it?” asks the detective. Alfie calmly denies cheating. You wired all the money to a Gianna Rule, LaPorta says. Why? To explain, Alfie produces a composition book with the words “For the Boss, to Be Read Upon My Death” written on the cover. Read this for answers, Alfie suggests, calling it a love story. His mother had passed along to him a strange trait: He can say “Twice!” and go back to a specific time and place to have a do-over. But it only works once for any particular moment, and then he must live with the new consequences. He can only do this for himself and can’t prevent anyone from dying. Alfie regularly uses his power—failing to impress a girl the first time, he finds out more about her, goes back in time, and presto! She likes him. The premise is of course not credible—LaPorta doesn’t buy it either—but it’s intriguing. Most people would probably love to go back and unsay something. The story’s focus is on Alfie’s love for Gianna and whether it’s requited, unrequited, or both. In any case, he’s obsessed with her. He’s a good man, though, an intelligent person with ordinary human failings and a solid moral compass. Albom writes in a warm, easy style that transports the reader to a world of second chances and what-ifs, where spirituality lies close to the surface but never intrudes on the story. Though a cynic will call it sappy, anyone who is sick to their core from the daily news will enjoy this escape from reality.
Have tissues ready as you read this. A small package will do.Pub Date: Oct. 7, 2025
ISBN: 9780062406682
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: July 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2025
SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
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