THE MOLOSSUS OF OLD MAN MOYER

An ex-con’s chance encounter with a reclusive billionaire may land him in the thick of something truly unsettling in this horror novel.

Freshly paroled Jimmy Myer is six weeks into his job as a hearse driver. During a body transport in Batesville, Ohio, he accidentally hits—and sadly kills—a large, black dog. The canine’s tag directs him to 83-year-old Colman Moyer, reputedly the “richest man in America.” Although Jimmy anticipates a lawsuit, Moyer unexpectedly responds calmly to the loss. Still, he lives up to his rumored eccentricity, claiming his dog was over 2,000 years old and offering Jimmy a new gig (Moyer’s mummification when he dies). Moyer tells Jimmy: “I’m glad to have you on my team.” Elsewhere, police Det. Artemis Blackwell investigates three missing locals. He seeks assistance from a psychic, who ultimately directs him to a spot that’s alarmingly close to Moyer’s property. This psychic warns Blackwell about the billionaire, who she claims is a murderer who will surely kill again. Will Jimmy hop back in the hearse and speed away, or can he not elude the sinister plan that Moyer is likely cooking up? Lyon’s story teems with mystery; both Jimmy and Moyer harbor gloomy pasts, and the detective’s case continues throughout the narrative. But horror reigns, starting with an unrelentingly grim tone; recurring images of blackbirds and a giant, snarling dog with glowing red eyes portray a sense of impending doom. There are even unmistakable signs of someone’s potential death in an early scene that pop up later. Moments between Jimmy and Moyer are this novel’s greatest strength, as something seemingly ordinary, such as the two splitting a cake, sears with tension (perhaps Jimmy should just run). While touches of the paranormal combine effectively with illuminating flashbacks, the story’s latter half turns decidedly more violent. This portion is indisputably shocking but not altogether necessary for a book that’s already bubbling with suspense.

Wonderfully mysterious characters populate a taut, spine-chilling tale.