HERO AND THE TERROR

by Michael Blodgett ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 1, 1982

Thomas Harris, in last year's Red Dragon, demonstrated just how chilling, convincing, and restrained a mass-murder psycho-thriller can be; Blodgett (Captain Blood) seems determined to prove just the reverse--with this dull, implausible, crudely lurid tale of a sex-maniac-murderer and the cop who catches him. The killer is Simon Moon, a lawyer with a wretched past--child abuse, prostitutes as playmates--who hates his mother, and therefore hates all women, of course. (He does love wife Carol, however, wondering, ""how in the fuck do I integrate my selves?"") So Simon has become ""the Terror"" of L.A.'s west side, tearing out the throats of at least 20 women (with the usual gamut of sexual abuse too). But smug, handsome super-cop Herrara ""Hero"" Fiddleman is determined to catch the Terror--who has come out of retirement after a lull. And the narrative thus switches back and forth from Hero's sleuthing (plus his graphic sex life and his other kinky cases) to Simon's new wave of killings--with a hand-to-hand combat finale after Hero finds Simon's secret corpse-stash in the ceiling of a movie-house. (Hero ultimately breaks Simon's neck with his foot; Simon, whose wife has left him, whispers ""Thank you"" as he dies.) With a cop-hero who's almost as obnoxious as the killer--and dialogue of the ""Suck my cock, or I'll kill you"" school: psycho-porn for pulp titillation only.

Pub Date: Oct. 1, 1982

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Harmony/Crown

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 1982

Categories: FICTION