Essential Saltes

by Don Webb

Matthew Reynman, an Austin used bookstore owner and fireworks devotee, investigates the strange disappearance of his late wife's ashes, finding himself suddenly deeply involved in an unlikely criminal world.

Genres: Horror, Fantasy, Humor

243 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Don Webb teaches High School English in a reform school in rural Texas by day, Creative Writing for UCLA Extension by night. He has a had a mystery series at St. Martin's Press, a series of books on contemporary and Late Antique magical practice from Runa Raven Press, and more than 300 published short stories of SF/F/H. His work has been translated into 11 languages.

Reviews

[K. Wilbanks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Matthew Reynman, still miserable with grief over his wife's murder and emotionally depleted after two years of mourning, emerges from self-imposed isolation to throw a party to help himself reconnect with what remains (no pun intended) of his old life without his wife, Haidee. In the wake of a successful party, however, he discovers one of his friends has stolen Haidee's ashes. The party had been a way to help him let go of her so he could move on with life, but he cannot let her ashes go because he must do what he can to see to it that her wish for her ashes and his to be made in a stream of stars in a fireworks display. What ensues is a weird, wonderful romp through all the strange connections that create a life as Matthew tries to figure out who took Haidee's cremains and -- even more mysteriously -- why.

Under all the apparently farcical strangeness of Matthew's quest, there is a subtlety at work that you must experience to understand. My dad once told me with great gusto that Stephen King had a way of making the most everyday details interesting and that, because of that, he would gladly sit and read the ingredient list on a cereal box and all the back copy over and over if the man had written it. Don Webb also possesses a talent for this. Essential Saltes is one of those rare treats -- a book I wanted to read immediately upon finishing, just to be able to enjoy all those little goodies in their totality.

[Audrey Driscoll · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a weird compound of love and loss, books (real and fictitious), fireworks, murder, sex, and alchemy. The main story of Matthew the bookseller's search for his murdered wife's ashes worms its way through some strange parts of Texas. References to weird literature (H.P. Lovecraft, Robert W. Chambers, Edgar Allan Poe et al.) abound. There's even a recipe for what looks like a devilishly good chocolate cake. I found the first few pages off-putting, but decided to keep reading as one of those 'get out of your comfort zone' exercises. Altogether, it was an interesting read, with a surprise ending.

[Elene · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took a few pages to get into his world. Once in I had a good time and enjoyed the book. Will be looking for more