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Things Get Ugly: The Best Crime Fiction of Joe R. Lansdale
Edgar Award winner and bestselling author Joe R. Lansdale (the Hap and Leonard series), one of America's most essential crime writers, heads back to the dangerous woods of East Texas. In his first crime career-retrospective, including previously uncollected work, Lansdale shows exactly why critics continue to compare him to Elmore Leonard, Donald Westlake, Flannery O’Connor, and William Faulkner.
“Pulpy, blackly humorous, compulsively readable, and somehow both wildly surreal and down-to-earth. Lansdale is a national fucking treasure.”
—Christa Faust, author of Money Shot
In the 1950s, a young small-town projectionist mixes it up with a violent gang. When Mr. Bear is not alerting us to the dangers of forest fires, he lives a life of debauchery and murder. A brother and sister travel to Oklahoma to recover the dead body of their uncle. A lonely man engages in dubious acts while pining for his rubber duckie.
In this collection of nineteen unforgettable crime tales, Joe R. Lansdale brings his legendary mojo and gritty, dark humor to harrowing heists, revenge, homicide, and mayhem. No matter how they begin, things are bound to get ugly—and fast.
“Pulpy, blackly humorous, compulsively readable, and somehow both wildly surreal and down-to-earth. Lansdale is a national fucking treasure.”
—Christa Faust, author of Money Shot
In the 1950s, a young small-town projectionist mixes it up with a violent gang. When Mr. Bear is not alerting us to the dangers of forest fires, he lives a life of debauchery and murder. A brother and sister travel to Oklahoma to recover the dead body of their uncle. A lonely man engages in dubious acts while pining for his rubber duckie.
In this collection of nineteen unforgettable crime tales, Joe R. Lansdale brings his legendary mojo and gritty, dark humor to harrowing heists, revenge, homicide, and mayhem. No matter how they begin, things are bound to get ugly—and fast.
385 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 15, 2023
46 people are currently reading
2788 people want to read
About the author
Joe R. Lansdale
818 books3,891 followersChampion Mojo Storyteller Joe R. Lansdale is the author of over forty novels and numerous short stories. His work has appeared in national anthologies, magazines, and collections, as well as numerous foreign publications. He has written for comics, television, film, newspapers, and Internet sites. His work has been collected in more than two dozen short-story collections, and he has edited or co-edited over a dozen anthologies. He has received the Edgar Award, eight Bram Stoker Awards, the Horror Writers Association Lifetime Achievement Award, the British Fantasy Award, the Grinzani Cavour Prize for Literature, the Herodotus Historical Fiction Award, the Inkpot Award for Contributions to Science Fiction and Fantasy, and many others. His novella Bubba Ho-Tep was adapted to film by Don Coscarelli, starring Bruce Campbell and Ossie Davis. His story "Incident On and Off a Mountain Road" was adapted to film for Showtime's "Masters of Horror," and he adapted his short story "Christmas with the Dead" to film hisownself. The film adaptation of his novel Cold in July was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival, and the Sundance Channel has adapted his Hap & Leonard novels for television.
He is currently co-producing several films, among them The Bottoms, based on his Edgar Award-winning novel, with Bill Paxton and Brad Wyman, and The Drive-In, with Greg Nicotero. He is Writer In Residence at Stephen F. Austin State University, and is the founder of the martial arts system Shen Chuan: Martial Science and its affiliate, Shen Chuan Family System. He is a member of both the United States and International Martial Arts Halls of Fame. He lives in Nacogdoches, Texas with his wife, dog, and two cats.
He is currently co-producing several films, among them The Bottoms, based on his Edgar Award-winning novel, with Bill Paxton and Brad Wyman, and The Drive-In, with Greg Nicotero. He is Writer In Residence at Stephen F. Austin State University, and is the founder of the martial arts system Shen Chuan: Martial Science and its affiliate, Shen Chuan Family System. He is a member of both the United States and International Martial Arts Halls of Fame. He lives in Nacogdoches, Texas with his wife, dog, and two cats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
August 6, 2024
The Best of Joe Lansdale was my gateway drug to the work of the Champion Mojo Storyteller. I've gone from there to reading more of his novels and short stories and I've even started collecting his books. This collection is right up there with "The Best of" collection, and I had a blast with it!
A few of these stories I've read in other collections and as stand alone tales in ebook form. But the new-to-me stories here were honestly....delightful!
It's delightful when Smokey the Bear goes awry. It's kind of funny to read about two guys at a drive in movie with one date. (Sure it's pretty damn icky, but you gotta admit, it's funny too. Is there a word for vomiting while laughing?)
In DIRT DEVILS a group of gangsters stop for gas and an elderly man comes out to help them.
Can you picture him? Delightful!
I'll tell you BILLIE SUE did a terrible thing when she left her man. But he's thinking about forgiving her. (Here is another tale where I'm laughing and ewwwwing at the same time.)
I very much enjoyed rereading The Projectionist, which I previously read in a terrific anthology based on the artwork of Edward Hopper.
Now don't get me wrong, here you will find brutal crimes and murders, criss-crossers, dirty cheats and wanna-be mobsters. There's blood and gore and sex and beatings. Like I said: Delightful!
These are my thoughts on only a few of these stories. All based on crime and crimes gone wrong. Each tale is preceded by a tidbit from Lansdale himself and I loved those peeks behind the scenes. Whenever he speaks about his process, he makes it sound so natural and easy, but I know it's not for most people. With him, it seems effortless and over the last decade or so he and his effortless storytelling have turned me into a huge fan.
Highly recommended!
*ARC from publisher*
A few of these stories I've read in other collections and as stand alone tales in ebook form. But the new-to-me stories here were honestly....delightful!
It's delightful when Smokey the Bear goes awry. It's kind of funny to read about two guys at a drive in movie with one date. (Sure it's pretty damn icky, but you gotta admit, it's funny too. Is there a word for vomiting while laughing?)
In DIRT DEVILS a group of gangsters stop for gas and an elderly man comes out to help them.
"He looked as if he had once been wadded and was now starting to slowly unfold. His hair was as white as the sand and floated when he walked."
Can you picture him? Delightful!
I'll tell you BILLIE SUE did a terrible thing when she left her man. But he's thinking about forgiving her. (Here is another tale where I'm laughing and ewwwwing at the same time.)
I very much enjoyed rereading The Projectionist, which I previously read in a terrific anthology based on the artwork of Edward Hopper.
Now don't get me wrong, here you will find brutal crimes and murders, criss-crossers, dirty cheats and wanna-be mobsters. There's blood and gore and sex and beatings. Like I said: Delightful!
These are my thoughts on only a few of these stories. All based on crime and crimes gone wrong. Each tale is preceded by a tidbit from Lansdale himself and I loved those peeks behind the scenes. Whenever he speaks about his process, he makes it sound so natural and easy, but I know it's not for most people. With him, it seems effortless and over the last decade or so he and his effortless storytelling have turned me into a huge fan.
Highly recommended!
*ARC from publisher*
August 14, 2023
I am not sure how I have never read anything by this author, but now that I have gotten a taste of his writing, there will be no turning back now!
I am generally not a crime story type of reader, but these short stories provide a twisted look at what could potentially happen if you let your imagination run wild. Take, for example, the story about a certain bear that many of us might remember from television commercials way back in the day to help prevent forest fires. Now take that same bear, and insert him into society as you would a human with a twisted sense of morality. The end result just might be this story.
I really enjoyed reading how he came up with the ideas for the stories. It gave me a sense of his thought process, but I by no means totally understand it! Writers are unique, and the stories they create will entertain or haunt us long after they are done.
The title of this book is also very appropriate because things do get ugly in most of the tales. However, you might uncover some witty moments that might surprise you. I remember chuckling through a few of the stories, surprised at the humor that was included. But sometimes, all you can do is laugh.
Each story is unique and varies in length. There is a warning from the author that if you are a sensitive reader, you might want to skip this book. I might agree. While none of the stories bothered me, I can see where it might bother some. But if you are open and not squeamish, you just might enjoy these tales.
We enjoyed this book and gave it 5 paws up.
I am generally not a crime story type of reader, but these short stories provide a twisted look at what could potentially happen if you let your imagination run wild. Take, for example, the story about a certain bear that many of us might remember from television commercials way back in the day to help prevent forest fires. Now take that same bear, and insert him into society as you would a human with a twisted sense of morality. The end result just might be this story.
I really enjoyed reading how he came up with the ideas for the stories. It gave me a sense of his thought process, but I by no means totally understand it! Writers are unique, and the stories they create will entertain or haunt us long after they are done.
The title of this book is also very appropriate because things do get ugly in most of the tales. However, you might uncover some witty moments that might surprise you. I remember chuckling through a few of the stories, surprised at the humor that was included. But sometimes, all you can do is laugh.
Each story is unique and varies in length. There is a warning from the author that if you are a sensitive reader, you might want to skip this book. I might agree. While none of the stories bothered me, I can see where it might bother some. But if you are open and not squeamish, you just might enjoy these tales.
We enjoyed this book and gave it 5 paws up.
June 24, 2023
The title tells it all. Joe R Lansdale is a prolific writer, known across several genre and the author behing the long running Hap and Leonard series, many of which have been adapted for film. Since publishing his first book in 1988, he's managed to build many memorable characters and communities, most of which you will meet or enter in this book of many of his BEST crime fictions. I'm pretty sure that a library with no Lansdale titles is not complete. His books are some of the best reading anyone could ask for. Try this one and join the fan club with the rest of us.
November 6, 2023
I've been reading a lot of Joe Lansdale's (and related work) lately. I love his sensibility, use of dialogue, and style of writing. This is a 2023 published collection of his crime related short stories. Really got a kick out of the "mouth" on the little sister in "Driving to Geronimo's Grave" and the concept behind "Mr. Bear" was one I had not seen coming. I gave it four stars instead of five because these stories get very dark (darker than I enjoy). These are horror stories, where the horror is humanity. Many of the stories had unanticipated twists at the end, just when you think it can't get any bleaker...
Trigger warning. This is a rough book. For example: " You get tired, you sleep. You get horny, you kill and fuck." [in that order] This is taken from a discussion on if it is better to rape women, or kill them and then have sex with the body.
These are not "fun" stories, but still demonstrate Lansdale's excellent skill in story telling.
Trigger warning. This is a rough book. For example: " You get tired, you sleep. You get horny, you kill and fuck." [in that order] This is taken from a discussion on if it is better to rape women, or kill them and then have sex with the body.
These are not "fun" stories, but still demonstrate Lansdale's excellent skill in story telling.
November 8, 2023
A well-rounded collection. Man, there were a few stories in here gritty as they come. Uncomfortable even. Lansdale continues to remain a favorite.
January 3, 2024
I received an eARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley...
Joe R. Lansdale knows how to craft a story, with an instinctive grasp of character development. His language is such that he connects with readers and makes the task of reading an enjoyable escape.
While all of the stories in this book fall into the "crime" category, this is a very loose grouping. There is such a mixed bag of offerings here, from the noir to the really freaking weird. As with most collections, some stories hit with me better than others, but there really aren't any duds here.
Joe R. Lansdale knows how to craft a story, with an instinctive grasp of character development. His language is such that he connects with readers and makes the task of reading an enjoyable escape.
While all of the stories in this book fall into the "crime" category, this is a very loose grouping. There is such a mixed bag of offerings here, from the noir to the really freaking weird. As with most collections, some stories hit with me better than others, but there really aren't any duds here.
May 31, 2023
My friends, mark down August 16, 2023, on your calendar, app, post-it note, written it in lipstick on your medicine cabinet mirror, or however you keep track of such things—that’s when Things Get Ugly: The Best Crime Stories of Joe R. Lansdale releases. You’ll want to take the day off, settle into a comfortable chair (or onto a barstool, you do you) with a tumbler of good scotch within reach, and prepare yourself to get lost in one of the best collections of crime fiction I’ve ever read.
There are 19 stories here, each one a poisonous gem, and before I call out a few individual stories, some general thoughts:
• Because Lansdale is so versatile, and so prolific, it’s easy to forget just how good he is in the various genres he calls home. He is, without a doubt, a master of crime fiction.
• The title Things Get Ugly is extremely apt—These are dark, dark stories that explore the ugly side of life, the sordid alleys of human existence. Believe me when I tell you that these are harrowing tales teeming with revenge, murder, and all manner of appalling behavior. There aren’t really any heroes here, just criminals of different shades and degrees.
• Having said that, the profane, laugh-out-loud humor Lansdale is famous for is very much in evidence. Gallows humor, but still humor.
• Because I’ve read my fair share of Lansdale, I was afraid I’d find that I had read many of the included stories. Happily, that was not the case. These stories are drawn from throughout Lansdale’s long career, and most were new to me. And the ones I had read before, I still found myself diving right in, like visiting old, much-loved but ne’er-do-well friends.
• Although the Hap and Leonard novels and stories certainly fall into the category of crime fiction, those two gentlemen do not make an appearance here. They have their own much-deserved story collections (Hap and Leonard, Born for Trouble, Blood and Lemonade, Of Mice and Minestrone). If you haven’t read them, why the hell not? Get on that.
On to some of the stories. I’m not going to mention all of them (every one hits hard and strong), but here are a few of my favorites:
Driving to Geronimo’s Grave
Yes, this one involves a rotting corpse, but it’s one of the lighter stories in the collection, and it’s damn funny while still keeping the tension ratcheted up.
Mr. Bear
I can’t even begin to describe Mr. Bear. No, seriously. There’s an anthropomorphized bear with some terrible habits. Bad, bad things happen.
The Shadows, Kith and Kin
This one drags you kicking and screaming into the mind of a killer. Left me feeling very unsettled.
I Tell You It’s Love
Lansdale plays with pulp fiction tropes throughout this collection, and I Tell You It’s Love is one of the pulpiest. Short, sordid, and brutal.
Boys Will Be Boys
A portrait in acid of two teenage boys on the road to hell. Deeply disquieting, it feels like something Andrew Vachss would have appreciated.
Drive-In Date
Possibly the most disturbing story in the collection, and that’s saying something. You’ve been warned.
Incident On and Off a Mountain Road
I’ve saved my favorite for last. This is a stone cold classic, literally one of the best pieces of crime fiction ever written, with a twist you won’t see coming. Worth the price of the book all by itself.
Like I said, these are some of my favorites, but they’re all excellent, and your list of favorites may be completely different. As an added bonus, there’s an introduction by S.A. Cosby, one of today’s best crime writers.
Things Get Ugly: The Best Crime Stories of Joe R. Lansdale is available for pre-order now. Don’t miss out on this one.
There are 19 stories here, each one a poisonous gem, and before I call out a few individual stories, some general thoughts:
• Because Lansdale is so versatile, and so prolific, it’s easy to forget just how good he is in the various genres he calls home. He is, without a doubt, a master of crime fiction.
• The title Things Get Ugly is extremely apt—These are dark, dark stories that explore the ugly side of life, the sordid alleys of human existence. Believe me when I tell you that these are harrowing tales teeming with revenge, murder, and all manner of appalling behavior. There aren’t really any heroes here, just criminals of different shades and degrees.
• Having said that, the profane, laugh-out-loud humor Lansdale is famous for is very much in evidence. Gallows humor, but still humor.
• Because I’ve read my fair share of Lansdale, I was afraid I’d find that I had read many of the included stories. Happily, that was not the case. These stories are drawn from throughout Lansdale’s long career, and most were new to me. And the ones I had read before, I still found myself diving right in, like visiting old, much-loved but ne’er-do-well friends.
• Although the Hap and Leonard novels and stories certainly fall into the category of crime fiction, those two gentlemen do not make an appearance here. They have their own much-deserved story collections (Hap and Leonard, Born for Trouble, Blood and Lemonade, Of Mice and Minestrone). If you haven’t read them, why the hell not? Get on that.
On to some of the stories. I’m not going to mention all of them (every one hits hard and strong), but here are a few of my favorites:
Driving to Geronimo’s Grave
Yes, this one involves a rotting corpse, but it’s one of the lighter stories in the collection, and it’s damn funny while still keeping the tension ratcheted up.
Mr. Bear
I can’t even begin to describe Mr. Bear. No, seriously. There’s an anthropomorphized bear with some terrible habits. Bad, bad things happen.
The Shadows, Kith and Kin
This one drags you kicking and screaming into the mind of a killer. Left me feeling very unsettled.
I Tell You It’s Love
Lansdale plays with pulp fiction tropes throughout this collection, and I Tell You It’s Love is one of the pulpiest. Short, sordid, and brutal.
Boys Will Be Boys
A portrait in acid of two teenage boys on the road to hell. Deeply disquieting, it feels like something Andrew Vachss would have appreciated.
Drive-In Date
Possibly the most disturbing story in the collection, and that’s saying something. You’ve been warned.
Incident On and Off a Mountain Road
I’ve saved my favorite for last. This is a stone cold classic, literally one of the best pieces of crime fiction ever written, with a twist you won’t see coming. Worth the price of the book all by itself.
Like I said, these are some of my favorites, but they’re all excellent, and your list of favorites may be completely different. As an added bonus, there’s an introduction by S.A. Cosby, one of today’s best crime writers.
Things Get Ugly: The Best Crime Stories of Joe R. Lansdale is available for pre-order now. Don’t miss out on this one.
August 10, 2023
The short story: Violent, clever, at times funny, crime stories
Things Get Ugly by crime author Lansdale is a compilation of his best short stories and together they pack quite a punch. If you are not familiar with the setting of Lansdale’s characters, prepare yourself; it's a dark, gritty, dog-eat-dog world and not for the faint of heart. Lansdale drills down into the genesis of crime: greed, jealousy, desperation and a total absence of morality. His characters are laced with violence, anger, a strong survival instinct and a total lack of compassion for their fellow humans. For every bad dude there’s an ever badder one lurking around the corner. Most would probably terrify their psychiatrist, if they had one.
The stories, for the most part, are set in rural Texas locations which lends them a Deliverance vibe. Most are contemporary but my favorite, Driving to Geronimo’s Grave, is set in the past and is laugh out loud funny with a killer ending.
It’s not just the humans that are committing the crimes, as the author offers up stories of talking bears, ghosts and ghouls. Nothing and no one is off limits.
Well crafted with a stiletto sharp wit, Lansdale carves up his victims with imaginative glee, dispatching them in the most horrific of manners. Hannibal could take lessons from this book.
Things Get Ugly by crime author Lansdale is a compilation of his best short stories and together they pack quite a punch. If you are not familiar with the setting of Lansdale’s characters, prepare yourself; it's a dark, gritty, dog-eat-dog world and not for the faint of heart. Lansdale drills down into the genesis of crime: greed, jealousy, desperation and a total absence of morality. His characters are laced with violence, anger, a strong survival instinct and a total lack of compassion for their fellow humans. For every bad dude there’s an ever badder one lurking around the corner. Most would probably terrify their psychiatrist, if they had one.
The stories, for the most part, are set in rural Texas locations which lends them a Deliverance vibe. Most are contemporary but my favorite, Driving to Geronimo’s Grave, is set in the past and is laugh out loud funny with a killer ending.
It’s not just the humans that are committing the crimes, as the author offers up stories of talking bears, ghosts and ghouls. Nothing and no one is off limits.
Well crafted with a stiletto sharp wit, Lansdale carves up his victims with imaginative glee, dispatching them in the most horrific of manners. Hannibal could take lessons from this book.
August 27, 2023
Can’t recommend this enough, assuming you have a strong stomach! I love Lansdale’s writing and can’t wait to check out more of his work.
August 11, 2023
After reading these short stories by author Joe R. Lansdale, one thing became crystal clear: Joe R. Lansdale writes what Joe R. Lansdale wants to write. That may seem an odd thing to say, but between the words I’m telling you that this author makes no pretense of being “politically correct” with his stories.
Admittedly, this is my first experience with Joe R. Lansdale, and I think the title of this anthology—Things Get Ugly—says it all. I imagine that Lansdale’s fans accept this kind of writing from him. Those that don’t accept it—well, it’s their loss in my opinion.
Someone once said that it takes much longer to write a short letter than to write a long letter. I agree with this. However, I don’t think that fully applies to short stories and novels. But I definitely think that being a great short story writer takes a skillset beyond that used by average novelists. There is much less time for character development, less time to immerse a reader in a scene, and good pacing becomes something much harder to achieve.
I’m sure this is likely true of his other anthologies, but Things Get Ugly is a masterclass on short story writing. The story Dead Sister, for example, has some wonderful pacing. It’s a classic gumshoe tale with a supernatural twist. The author gets to the climax somewhat quickly, but then he prolongs that climax with the addition of a small disaster.
Santa at the Café is another great story! What I enjoyed the most was the number of plot twists that the author could squeeze into it.
I previously mentioned that this author does not worry about being politically correct, nor does he seem to worry about offending his readers. As I said, if you’re a fan, you accept this. For example, in one story two men are sent to beat up a grade school girl to teach a lesson to the girl’s father. Another story has a young man and his younger sister hauling the two-week-old corpse of their uncle in the back seat of their car during a Texas summer. (The description the author uses in that story is pretty ripe, I’ll tell you!) Another story touches on necrophilia.
Before each story, the author has a little blurb about how he came to write the following story. Maybe this is meant to show that some of the “subject matter” of the stories actually had some meaning to them. (That’s just a guess.)
I think my favorite story is Mr. Bear. In this story, there is a bear. But this bear is somewhat of a celebrity, and he walks and talks and does pretty much everything a human does, including having sex with humans. It turns out that the bear is somewhat despicable. I can understand how a story like this can ruffle some feathers (or fur, as the case may be), but I just tell myself that it’s only a story. Complete fiction—obviously. Some of the things they do in cartoons are also somewhat despicable if you take them out of context.
These short stories may not be fully enjoyed by everyone, but if you’re game to give this book a read and you have the thick skin to accept the innards at face value, I can say without any hesitation that you’ll enjoy it!
Admittedly, this is my first experience with Joe R. Lansdale, and I think the title of this anthology—Things Get Ugly—says it all. I imagine that Lansdale’s fans accept this kind of writing from him. Those that don’t accept it—well, it’s their loss in my opinion.
Someone once said that it takes much longer to write a short letter than to write a long letter. I agree with this. However, I don’t think that fully applies to short stories and novels. But I definitely think that being a great short story writer takes a skillset beyond that used by average novelists. There is much less time for character development, less time to immerse a reader in a scene, and good pacing becomes something much harder to achieve.
I’m sure this is likely true of his other anthologies, but Things Get Ugly is a masterclass on short story writing. The story Dead Sister, for example, has some wonderful pacing. It’s a classic gumshoe tale with a supernatural twist. The author gets to the climax somewhat quickly, but then he prolongs that climax with the addition of a small disaster.
Santa at the Café is another great story! What I enjoyed the most was the number of plot twists that the author could squeeze into it.
I previously mentioned that this author does not worry about being politically correct, nor does he seem to worry about offending his readers. As I said, if you’re a fan, you accept this. For example, in one story two men are sent to beat up a grade school girl to teach a lesson to the girl’s father. Another story has a young man and his younger sister hauling the two-week-old corpse of their uncle in the back seat of their car during a Texas summer. (The description the author uses in that story is pretty ripe, I’ll tell you!) Another story touches on necrophilia.
Before each story, the author has a little blurb about how he came to write the following story. Maybe this is meant to show that some of the “subject matter” of the stories actually had some meaning to them. (That’s just a guess.)
I think my favorite story is Mr. Bear. In this story, there is a bear. But this bear is somewhat of a celebrity, and he walks and talks and does pretty much everything a human does, including having sex with humans. It turns out that the bear is somewhat despicable. I can understand how a story like this can ruffle some feathers (or fur, as the case may be), but I just tell myself that it’s only a story. Complete fiction—obviously. Some of the things they do in cartoons are also somewhat despicable if you take them out of context.
These short stories may not be fully enjoyed by everyone, but if you’re game to give this book a read and you have the thick skin to accept the innards at face value, I can say without any hesitation that you’ll enjoy it!
March 9, 2024
It’s hard to express the love of a book, those that conjure up the darker side of humanity, without feeling a since of guilt as I bear witness to the depravity of man, woman, and in one story an actual bear, towards others as a means of entertainment.
However, as one who is interested in the inner workings of the criminal mind, the quiet subtle, and at times darker side of society . . .
Sorry Not Sorry—I Love Joe R. Lansdale’s Collection, THINGS GET UGLY: THE BEST CRIME STORIES!
I hope you enjoy the nineteen crime stories within, the following are my favorites:
‘The Steel Valentine’ — That Was Good!
Even before Morley told him, Dennis knew things were about to get ugly. A man did not club you unconscious, bring you to his estate, and tie you to a chair in an empty storage shed out back of the place if he merely intended to give you a valentine.
‘Driving to Geronimo’s Grave’ – Love this one, love Terri—she is my favorite kind of smart-*ss who takes after her Ma . . .
‘“Uncle Smat’s dead?” I said.’
‘“We wouldn’t want to bury him otherwise,” Mama said, “though it took a lot longer for him to get dead than I would have figured, way he honky-tonked and fooled around with disreputable folks. Someone knifed him. Stuck him like a pig at one of them drinking places, I figure.”’
‘Mr. Bear’ – HAHAHAHA – Creepy Good! Who’da thunk, that’s how Smokey rolls?....
“For a moment Jim thought the bear had gone to sleep, but no, the bear spoke again. “Now that we’ve got that out of the way, you want to talk, we can talk. Don’t want to, don’t have to, but we can talk, just don’t want to talk about the job and me and the television ads, all that sh*t.”
‘“You know what I’d like to talk about?”’
‘“What’s that?”’
‘“Poontang.”’
‘Six Finger Jack’ – That Was Good!
“Jack had six fingers. That’s how Big O, that big, fat, white, straw-hatted son-of-a-bitch, was supposed to know he was dead. . . . So he put the word out whoever killed Jack and cut off his paw and brought it back was gonna get one hundred thousand dollars and a lot of goodwill.”
‘The Shadows, Kith and Kin’– That Was Very Dark! Pun may or may not be intended *winks*
“The wind howls and the night is bright and the shadows twist and the moon gives them light to dance by. They are many and they are one, and I am almost one of them.”
‘The Ears’– That Was Creepy Good!
‘Santa at the Café’ – Love This One!
‘I Tell You It’s Love’ – Good! H*lla Creepy, But Good!
‘Dead Sister’ – That Was Creepy Good!
‘Booty and the Beast’ – That Was Good, Love The Ending!
‘Billie Sue’ – HAHAHAHAHA—Love The Ending!
‘The Phone Woman” – All Kinds Of Creepy!
“Dirt Devils’ – That Was Good!
‘Drive in Date’ – Dark And All Kinds Of Creepy
‘Rainy Weather’ – That Was Good!
‘Incident On and Off a Mountain Road’ — That Was Creepy Good—Love The Ending!
‘The Projectionist’ – Love This One!
Thank you, NetGalley and Bizarre Hands LLC (Tachyon Publications LLC), for providing me with an eBook of THINGS GET UGLY: THE BEST CRIME STORIES at the request of an honest review.
August 15, 2023
Mr. Landsdale brings readers along like a fly fisherman teasing the water, hoping for a nibble. Then he masterfully shifts direction, increases tension, and busts open doors to the unexpected. Each story depicts crimes, many heinous, sharing sights, sounds, smells, and emotions of the victim and the perpetrator. Things Get Ugly is the perfect title for this book as it shows the worst side of humankind in three-dimensional sensations far too realistic to be simply dark imagination.
These are the first works of Joe R. Lansdale I have read; each was executed perfectly. The tales are fast-paced, with realistic exchanges between characters. It was a bit darker than my norm and memorable as it prickled my spine with fear. These are works of a gifted imaginative creator who uses concise language to keep the story moving from page one to the unexpected end.
I suspect nineteen stories in the collection have a specific meaning to Mr. Lansdale, and I imagine that asking the why might provoke an additional tale. I enjoyed exploring the unexpected shifts in well-executed stories, was enthralled with the crimes, and was appalled at the characters’ behaviors. Highly recommended to those who love small-town crime fiction combined into a perfectly titled package—buckle up for this ride to the dark side.
These are the first works of Joe R. Lansdale I have read; each was executed perfectly. The tales are fast-paced, with realistic exchanges between characters. It was a bit darker than my norm and memorable as it prickled my spine with fear. These are works of a gifted imaginative creator who uses concise language to keep the story moving from page one to the unexpected end.
I suspect nineteen stories in the collection have a specific meaning to Mr. Lansdale, and I imagine that asking the why might provoke an additional tale. I enjoyed exploring the unexpected shifts in well-executed stories, was enthralled with the crimes, and was appalled at the characters’ behaviors. Highly recommended to those who love small-town crime fiction combined into a perfectly titled package—buckle up for this ride to the dark side.
Read
October 7, 2024As per usual with a DNF, I'm not rating this one.
And, I have to be honest, I'm shocked that I'm DNFing a Lansdale book, as he's easily in my top ten authors. But this collection of 19 crime stories—that should have been an easy slamdunk, rip-through-it-in-a-day-or-two read—turned into a month-long effort of avoidance.
I'm not a prude, I'm truly not. I'll take sex scenes, I'll take extreme violence, hell, I'll even take the silly as long as it all serves the story. But this collection...well, okay, the fourteen stories I got through...seemed to have far too much sex for sex's sake. The violence quotient seemed about right for a Lansdale story, so that was okay. But the bear? More ridiculously terrible than silly.
But the biggest issue was, of the fourteen stories I read, I might have actually enjoyed two of them. None left a really positive lasting impression.
Honestly, I'm disappointed as hell, as I always look forward to reading Lansdale. Always.
But man, not this one.
And, I have to be honest, I'm shocked that I'm DNFing a Lansdale book, as he's easily in my top ten authors. But this collection of 19 crime stories—that should have been an easy slamdunk, rip-through-it-in-a-day-or-two read—turned into a month-long effort of avoidance.
I'm not a prude, I'm truly not. I'll take sex scenes, I'll take extreme violence, hell, I'll even take the silly as long as it all serves the story. But this collection...well, okay, the fourteen stories I got through...seemed to have far too much sex for sex's sake. The violence quotient seemed about right for a Lansdale story, so that was okay. But the bear? More ridiculously terrible than silly.
But the biggest issue was, of the fourteen stories I read, I might have actually enjoyed two of them. None left a really positive lasting impression.
Honestly, I'm disappointed as hell, as I always look forward to reading Lansdale. Always.
But man, not this one.
September 25, 2024
I've read a lot of Joe R. Lansdale and he doesn't tend to disappoint. Even his most underwhelming work would be considered strong by another hand and it's rare for him to dip in quality. That said, I do wonder how this particular collection will be received by the public, because the title is fair but the subtitle not so much.
Ostensibly this is a collection of crime stories and, if we stretch that genre a little past where it has any business being, that's kinda-sorta true, but a lot of these stories shift well over the border into horror territory, some so far that any thought about what crimes are being committed vanishes in a puff of imagination. I can see some die-hard crime fans reading this and wondering why so many of the stories don't play well to them. Hopefully they remind themselves of the main title, because things do get ugly in this book, pretty much across every story it has to offer, sometimes more ugly than crime fans might expect.
Lansdale, of course, doesn't shrink from that and, quite frankly, embraces it. The first story is crime without a doubt, but it's also violent and vicious. Plus the dog dies. Well, one of them. The other is happy to get testicles to feast on. While attached. Like I said, this may not be for you. If you're not put off, read on because Lansdale is a master storyteller and there are some real gems coming up.
One of my favourites arrives next, a glorious tall tale about two kids driving to collect a dead body. By sheer coincidence, I read this after Josh Rountree's 'The Ballad of Charlie Fish' and there are a host of similarities, even if this story doesn't feature a gillman. No wonder I caught a Lansdale feel to that book. Lansdale wrote something similar as 'Driving to Geromino's Grave'. Even though this one features a bloated corpse left well past its burial date, which stinks as bad as you can imagine, it's also a more lighthearted story, in the Lansdale storyteller style. It's the sort of thing he might recite to us one night, if we happen to be sharing a porch with him and a cooler of beer.
It's firmly crime too, as is 'Santa at the Café', a straightforward story of betrayal but one with neat layers. It's about as close to the opposite of a Christmas feel-good movie as it gets. 'Booty and the Beast' is pure crime too, even if it trawls in Nazi treasure and one of the Virgin Mary's hairs. I was caught up by Lansdale's storytelling here, but not necessarily by his story, and the same goes for a later pure crime story, 'Rainy Weather'. Most of these stories are about human weakness and how low we can go catering to that. Like the title says, things get ugly.
Nobody's going to argue about those stories being crime, but they're about greed and money and things we tend to associate with crime. Serial killers are criminals too, but how their stories unfold can be horror as much as crime and Lansdale tells a lot of horror stories about serial killers here. I don't know how else to look at 'Mr. Bear', for instance, which is a dark story indeed, that gives us a famous anthropomorphic bear that talks and hurls his story into a cesspool. 'The Ears' is short and sweet, done and dusted in only three pages, but it tells all that it needs to. 'I Tell You It's Love' is a love story, but one for serial killers. 'The Shadows, Kith and Kin' is an attempt to get into the mind of a mass shooter.
And Lansdale digs deeper than those. 'Boys Will Be Boys' is clearly part of something bigger, with the introduction here suggesting that it was meant to be part of the novel 'The Nightrunners' but was taken out before publication. It's less a story and more a character study of psycho kids, told in a slice of life way. 'The Phone Woman' is initially a lot more weird than it is horrific; especially as it was based on a real person who barged into Lansdale's house. However, he fictionalises the event into something more twisted, especially given that the character obviously based on himself finds himself a murderer and a necrophile.
And talking of that topic, necrophilia comes up surprisingly often here, because it's also a pivotal part of both 'Dead Sister' and 'Drive In Date'. The former is the better piece but it's also very much a horror tale, told in the niche genre of hardboiled occult detective. That's where the horror genre meets film noir and has its twisted baby. I liked this one a lot and it would easily count amongst my highlights, along with 'Driving to Geronimo's Grave' and 'The Projectionist', a character study that wraps up the book.
Top of the list for me, though, is 'Incident on and Off a Mountain Road', which is the purest horror piece here, so much so that it was adapted by Don Coscarelli, the director of the 'Phantasm' films, as well as one of Lansdale's most outrageous stories, 'Bubba Ho-Tep', into the first episode of the 'Masters of Horror' series of TV movies. It's another serial killer story, but one that's unfolding in private in the woods below a mountain road until a young lady driving too fast crashes into a van and finds herself slap bang in the middle of it. It's cleverly told and cleverly evolved.
All in all, there are nineteen stories here, making this a substantial book even if it doesn't look too daunting. It only runs a little over three hundred pages in trade paperback form but that's not as short as it seems. I've skipped over a few, such as 'The Job', which is short, sweet and twisted; 'Six Finger Jack', which is a slice of life and death without a happy ending; 'Billie Sue', which takes a big left turn but not the one we expect; and 'Dirt Devils', which is a characterful gangster tale set back in the depression era. As always with collections, some are better than others but none disappoint and the best are gems.
If I had to throw out a negative, it wouldn't be about the stories themselves but the presentation they're given in this Tachyon book by the designer John Coulthard. What is that on the page after each story? Is that the imprint of an iPhone that's been dropped in the mud? But hey, if that's the worst thing to say about this book, then it's pretty highly recommended. You won't find anything here about Hap and Leonard but, if you're a Lansdale fan and you're OK with that and a trip into the darkness, then this ought to be right up your dark alley. Just switch the streetlight on first.
Originally posted at the Nameless Zine in August 2023:
https://www.thenamelesszine.org/Odds-...
Index of all my Nameless Zine reviews:
https://books.apocalypselaterempire.com/
Ostensibly this is a collection of crime stories and, if we stretch that genre a little past where it has any business being, that's kinda-sorta true, but a lot of these stories shift well over the border into horror territory, some so far that any thought about what crimes are being committed vanishes in a puff of imagination. I can see some die-hard crime fans reading this and wondering why so many of the stories don't play well to them. Hopefully they remind themselves of the main title, because things do get ugly in this book, pretty much across every story it has to offer, sometimes more ugly than crime fans might expect.
Lansdale, of course, doesn't shrink from that and, quite frankly, embraces it. The first story is crime without a doubt, but it's also violent and vicious. Plus the dog dies. Well, one of them. The other is happy to get testicles to feast on. While attached. Like I said, this may not be for you. If you're not put off, read on because Lansdale is a master storyteller and there are some real gems coming up.
One of my favourites arrives next, a glorious tall tale about two kids driving to collect a dead body. By sheer coincidence, I read this after Josh Rountree's 'The Ballad of Charlie Fish' and there are a host of similarities, even if this story doesn't feature a gillman. No wonder I caught a Lansdale feel to that book. Lansdale wrote something similar as 'Driving to Geromino's Grave'. Even though this one features a bloated corpse left well past its burial date, which stinks as bad as you can imagine, it's also a more lighthearted story, in the Lansdale storyteller style. It's the sort of thing he might recite to us one night, if we happen to be sharing a porch with him and a cooler of beer.
It's firmly crime too, as is 'Santa at the Café', a straightforward story of betrayal but one with neat layers. It's about as close to the opposite of a Christmas feel-good movie as it gets. 'Booty and the Beast' is pure crime too, even if it trawls in Nazi treasure and one of the Virgin Mary's hairs. I was caught up by Lansdale's storytelling here, but not necessarily by his story, and the same goes for a later pure crime story, 'Rainy Weather'. Most of these stories are about human weakness and how low we can go catering to that. Like the title says, things get ugly.
Nobody's going to argue about those stories being crime, but they're about greed and money and things we tend to associate with crime. Serial killers are criminals too, but how their stories unfold can be horror as much as crime and Lansdale tells a lot of horror stories about serial killers here. I don't know how else to look at 'Mr. Bear', for instance, which is a dark story indeed, that gives us a famous anthropomorphic bear that talks and hurls his story into a cesspool. 'The Ears' is short and sweet, done and dusted in only three pages, but it tells all that it needs to. 'I Tell You It's Love' is a love story, but one for serial killers. 'The Shadows, Kith and Kin' is an attempt to get into the mind of a mass shooter.
And Lansdale digs deeper than those. 'Boys Will Be Boys' is clearly part of something bigger, with the introduction here suggesting that it was meant to be part of the novel 'The Nightrunners' but was taken out before publication. It's less a story and more a character study of psycho kids, told in a slice of life way. 'The Phone Woman' is initially a lot more weird than it is horrific; especially as it was based on a real person who barged into Lansdale's house. However, he fictionalises the event into something more twisted, especially given that the character obviously based on himself finds himself a murderer and a necrophile.
And talking of that topic, necrophilia comes up surprisingly often here, because it's also a pivotal part of both 'Dead Sister' and 'Drive In Date'. The former is the better piece but it's also very much a horror tale, told in the niche genre of hardboiled occult detective. That's where the horror genre meets film noir and has its twisted baby. I liked this one a lot and it would easily count amongst my highlights, along with 'Driving to Geronimo's Grave' and 'The Projectionist', a character study that wraps up the book.
Top of the list for me, though, is 'Incident on and Off a Mountain Road', which is the purest horror piece here, so much so that it was adapted by Don Coscarelli, the director of the 'Phantasm' films, as well as one of Lansdale's most outrageous stories, 'Bubba Ho-Tep', into the first episode of the 'Masters of Horror' series of TV movies. It's another serial killer story, but one that's unfolding in private in the woods below a mountain road until a young lady driving too fast crashes into a van and finds herself slap bang in the middle of it. It's cleverly told and cleverly evolved.
All in all, there are nineteen stories here, making this a substantial book even if it doesn't look too daunting. It only runs a little over three hundred pages in trade paperback form but that's not as short as it seems. I've skipped over a few, such as 'The Job', which is short, sweet and twisted; 'Six Finger Jack', which is a slice of life and death without a happy ending; 'Billie Sue', which takes a big left turn but not the one we expect; and 'Dirt Devils', which is a characterful gangster tale set back in the depression era. As always with collections, some are better than others but none disappoint and the best are gems.
If I had to throw out a negative, it wouldn't be about the stories themselves but the presentation they're given in this Tachyon book by the designer John Coulthard. What is that on the page after each story? Is that the imprint of an iPhone that's been dropped in the mud? But hey, if that's the worst thing to say about this book, then it's pretty highly recommended. You won't find anything here about Hap and Leonard but, if you're a Lansdale fan and you're OK with that and a trip into the darkness, then this ought to be right up your dark alley. Just switch the streetlight on first.
Originally posted at the Nameless Zine in August 2023:
https://www.thenamelesszine.org/Odds-...
Index of all my Nameless Zine reviews:
https://books.apocalypselaterempire.com/
August 11, 2023
Things tend to get ugly when Joe Lansdale is involved. And dark, too. Sometimes brutally dark. But Joe, to his credit, also tends to bring about some good times – depending on one’s perspective.
Things Get Ugly is subtitled as he Best Crime Stories of Joe R. Lansdale and is an assorted collection of hits; some misfires too. Again, it’s all about perspective and Joe delivers some honest storytelling set to the poetic beat of his Texas cadence. His writing is biting and compelling. Things Get Ugly makes for a great read. Even on a sunny day.
Writing short stories is a distinct artform and Lansdale is a master craftsman. Where his skill particularly excels is with his opening sentences. They perfectly set the tone and immediately captivate the reader into following. And Joe’s Pied Piper will take you down some unfortunate alleys, too. But away you most certainly go. And the trip is fun.
Highlights within include:
The Steel Valentine – An adulterer tries to escape capture and torture from his lover’s husband. And their dogs. Woof.
Driving to Geronimo’s Grave – A coming-of-age type story set in the Dust Bowl Depression where two siblings run into trouble while trying to bury their uncle. An overly ripe uncle at that.
Six-Finger Jack – An assassin makes his mark. Now he just wants his payday. Is that so bad?
Santa at the Cafe – A department store Santa becomes involved in a late-night stick up. Ho-ho oh-no.
Incident On and Off a Mountain Road – A woman with a basic understanding of survivalism becomes hunted on a mountain road by a serial killer straight out of an eighties horror movie. Sharp knives included.
The Projectionist – Being a movie theater projectionist back in the days of those grand, single-screen houses was probably the safest job around. Right? Wrong.
Lansdale takes chances within the crime fiction genre. He will break new ground, even if that’s only used for a grave. The stories about the serial killers taking their prey to the drive-in movies; one about two rather nasty teens and their mutual attractions; and oh yeah, the high-flying, low-talking Mr. Bear did not carry the same resonance as other chapters. Sometimes the dark and dirty gets downright filthy.
Then again, the book is called Things Get Uglyafter all.
Muchas gracias to NetGalley and Tachyon Publications for one ugly read.
For some sunshine in your day, head on over to Read @ Joe's
Things Get Ugly is subtitled as he Best Crime Stories of Joe R. Lansdale and is an assorted collection of hits; some misfires too. Again, it’s all about perspective and Joe delivers some honest storytelling set to the poetic beat of his Texas cadence. His writing is biting and compelling. Things Get Ugly makes for a great read. Even on a sunny day.
Writing short stories is a distinct artform and Lansdale is a master craftsman. Where his skill particularly excels is with his opening sentences. They perfectly set the tone and immediately captivate the reader into following. And Joe’s Pied Piper will take you down some unfortunate alleys, too. But away you most certainly go. And the trip is fun.
Highlights within include:
The Steel Valentine – An adulterer tries to escape capture and torture from his lover’s husband. And their dogs. Woof.
Driving to Geronimo’s Grave – A coming-of-age type story set in the Dust Bowl Depression where two siblings run into trouble while trying to bury their uncle. An overly ripe uncle at that.
Six-Finger Jack – An assassin makes his mark. Now he just wants his payday. Is that so bad?
Santa at the Cafe – A department store Santa becomes involved in a late-night stick up. Ho-ho oh-no.
Incident On and Off a Mountain Road – A woman with a basic understanding of survivalism becomes hunted on a mountain road by a serial killer straight out of an eighties horror movie. Sharp knives included.
The Projectionist – Being a movie theater projectionist back in the days of those grand, single-screen houses was probably the safest job around. Right? Wrong.
Lansdale takes chances within the crime fiction genre. He will break new ground, even if that’s only used for a grave. The stories about the serial killers taking their prey to the drive-in movies; one about two rather nasty teens and their mutual attractions; and oh yeah, the high-flying, low-talking Mr. Bear did not carry the same resonance as other chapters. Sometimes the dark and dirty gets downright filthy.
Then again, the book is called Things Get Uglyafter all.
Muchas gracias to NetGalley and Tachyon Publications for one ugly read.
For some sunshine in your day, head on over to Read @ Joe's
August 14, 2023
There’s a reason that Joe Lansdale is considered one of the top writers of mystery, suspense, and horror working today. That’s because he’s one heck of a storyteller.
You don’t have to like the horror genre, or the explicit gore that often pops up in his suspense, to appreciate the scope of his talent. In fact, I’m a reader who doesn’t particularly care for horror or graphic violence, but I can recognize, and appreciate, craft that is used so well, and I’ve enjoyed several of Lansdale’s books before this one.
Lansdale doesn’t pull away from tough stuff. Not human depravity. Not graphic violence. Not graphic sex. But he presents that to the reader in stories that pull you in, along with characters not easily forgotten. Then there are the descriptions that rise so far above the ordinary. A good example is this from the story Rainy Day. “The man shook the cigarette out, lit it and puffed. Smoke went up and over the man’s head and sucked out the window, as if it were in a hurry and had some important place to go.”
The first book of Lansdale’s that I read was The Bottoms, and I could see why it won The Edgar. It’s still one of my favorites. I’ll admit that I haven’t read all of his books as I don’t enjoy the ones that focus heavily on horror elements, but I could never fault the writing. His novels and short stories run a gamut of topics and styles and it’s always a pleasure to dig into one to see what’s in the offing. Lansdale can write in almost any genre and pull it off.
Every story in Things Get Ugly has some kind of twist, or two, and Santa in the Cafe had so many I felt like a pretzel after reading it. Never saw the surprise at the ending coming, but I should have, knowing how Lansdale likes to toss in a zinger just when you think the story is over. That was one of my favorites in this collection.
I also really enjoyed Driving to Geronimo’s Grave, a story that has two young kids driving a dilapidated old car to Oklahoma to pick up Uncle Smat’s dead body that is currently residing in a hen house. Set in the Depression Era, the time and place were an integral part of the story, and it was laced with humor that had me chuckling. That mix of sardonic wit and dipping into the dark side of humanity is a specialty of Lansdale’s.
Driving to Geronimo’s Grave wasn’t so much a horror story as a suspense, and maybe that’s why I liked it best of all the stories in this collection. If you’ve yet to give his books a try, I highly recommend starting with this one. Then maybe picking up The Bottoms and work your way down his list of published work.
You don’t have to like the horror genre, or the explicit gore that often pops up in his suspense, to appreciate the scope of his talent. In fact, I’m a reader who doesn’t particularly care for horror or graphic violence, but I can recognize, and appreciate, craft that is used so well, and I’ve enjoyed several of Lansdale’s books before this one.
Lansdale doesn’t pull away from tough stuff. Not human depravity. Not graphic violence. Not graphic sex. But he presents that to the reader in stories that pull you in, along with characters not easily forgotten. Then there are the descriptions that rise so far above the ordinary. A good example is this from the story Rainy Day. “The man shook the cigarette out, lit it and puffed. Smoke went up and over the man’s head and sucked out the window, as if it were in a hurry and had some important place to go.”
The first book of Lansdale’s that I read was The Bottoms, and I could see why it won The Edgar. It’s still one of my favorites. I’ll admit that I haven’t read all of his books as I don’t enjoy the ones that focus heavily on horror elements, but I could never fault the writing. His novels and short stories run a gamut of topics and styles and it’s always a pleasure to dig into one to see what’s in the offing. Lansdale can write in almost any genre and pull it off.
Every story in Things Get Ugly has some kind of twist, or two, and Santa in the Cafe had so many I felt like a pretzel after reading it. Never saw the surprise at the ending coming, but I should have, knowing how Lansdale likes to toss in a zinger just when you think the story is over. That was one of my favorites in this collection.
I also really enjoyed Driving to Geronimo’s Grave, a story that has two young kids driving a dilapidated old car to Oklahoma to pick up Uncle Smat’s dead body that is currently residing in a hen house. Set in the Depression Era, the time and place were an integral part of the story, and it was laced with humor that had me chuckling. That mix of sardonic wit and dipping into the dark side of humanity is a specialty of Lansdale’s.
Driving to Geronimo’s Grave wasn’t so much a horror story as a suspense, and maybe that’s why I liked it best of all the stories in this collection. If you’ve yet to give his books a try, I highly recommend starting with this one. Then maybe picking up The Bottoms and work your way down his list of published work.
August 8, 2023
In the second introduction to this collection of short stories, Things Get Ugly, the author, Joe Lansdale, states that he doesn’t use trigger warnings, which I appreciated, though I’d argue that that is a form of trigger warning. Still, if you haven’t read any of Lansdale’s previous work (I haven’t), you should know that his use of coarse language, rough sex, and extreme violence makes Stephen King’s work seem PG-13. So, yes, these stories are gritty, earthy, violent. They combine horror, noir, and pulp-fiction. They will push you to the edge of your comfort zone, and leave you feeling a little squeamish. But good writing and good storytelling should provoke a reaction.
They are also BRILLIANT. Lansdale’s writing is vivid and visceral. Even when I was confronted by content I would not typically choose (the first entry in this collection, “The Steel Valentine” would require an entire page of entries at Does the Dog Die, if it were included there), I could not stop reading. The characters leap off the page, capture you in a strangle-hold, and do not let go until you’ve finished their story.
For the most part, these are not people I’d want to meet, but the stories are quirky, original, and interesting. Sure, some of them, like the afore-mentioned “The Steel Valentine” feel like the violence is almost gratuitous, but then there’s “The Ears,” which is the kind of Hitchcock -meets-O. Henry thriller that I love, and “Billie Sue,” which manages to be poignant in places. “Santa at the Cafe” is perfectly layered, and truly funny, while “Dead Sister,” is a truly unique take on ghouls (and may I take a moment to applaud the author for understanding the ghouls and zombies are totally different things?) . And then there’s “Mr Bear,” which introduces us to a side of Smokey Bear (yes, that Smokey Bear) that I almost wish I could un-read, except that as dark and twisted as it is, it’s also perfect.
Things Get Ugly includes nineteen stories in all, each with a short introduction from the author. I’m not going to review every one of them. They may not be everyone’s cup of tea – or fifth of gin – but they’re definitely worth the time spent reading, and you can tell that the author put care into every word. The beauty of short story anthologies is that you can read one, skip around in the book, or even keep it for bathroom reading (though if you’re like me, your feet will fall asleep if you do that).
Goes well with: A juicy steak and a glass of Scotch.
They are also BRILLIANT. Lansdale’s writing is vivid and visceral. Even when I was confronted by content I would not typically choose (the first entry in this collection, “The Steel Valentine” would require an entire page of entries at Does the Dog Die, if it were included there), I could not stop reading. The characters leap off the page, capture you in a strangle-hold, and do not let go until you’ve finished their story.
For the most part, these are not people I’d want to meet, but the stories are quirky, original, and interesting. Sure, some of them, like the afore-mentioned “The Steel Valentine” feel like the violence is almost gratuitous, but then there’s “The Ears,” which is the kind of Hitchcock -meets-O. Henry thriller that I love, and “Billie Sue,” which manages to be poignant in places. “Santa at the Cafe” is perfectly layered, and truly funny, while “Dead Sister,” is a truly unique take on ghouls (and may I take a moment to applaud the author for understanding the ghouls and zombies are totally different things?) . And then there’s “Mr Bear,” which introduces us to a side of Smokey Bear (yes, that Smokey Bear) that I almost wish I could un-read, except that as dark and twisted as it is, it’s also perfect.
Things Get Ugly includes nineteen stories in all, each with a short introduction from the author. I’m not going to review every one of them. They may not be everyone’s cup of tea – or fifth of gin – but they’re definitely worth the time spent reading, and you can tell that the author put care into every word. The beauty of short story anthologies is that you can read one, skip around in the book, or even keep it for bathroom reading (though if you’re like me, your feet will fall asleep if you do that).
Goes well with: A juicy steak and a glass of Scotch.
April 19, 2025
Jo. „Things Get Ugly“ je asi ten nejlepší a nejvýstižnější název, jaký může kniha Joe R. Landsalea mít. Zvláště, když se jedná o jeho sborník kriminálních povídek.
Asi nejdřív bych měl říct, co od toho nečekejte – šokující pointy. Ono tady může celkem stačit to, že sám obsah je dost šokující. Třeba začnete číst příběh o tom, jak dva kámoši přijedou do autokina na rande a vzájemně se pošťuchují, aby pak z kufru vytáhli právě zabitou ženskou, oba s ní měli sex a potom jí hodili do vody. A přitom se bavili o vztazích, o análu, o tlustých nohách, o tom, že je naprosto logické a správné souložit mrtvoly… prostě takové ty obvyklé hospodské plky.
A co taky nečekejte, je bujarý humor. Tedy, spousta věcí vtipná je, ale spíš takovým suchým, cynickým, redmeatovským způsobem. Takže, i když povídka začne tím, že si v letadle vedle hrdiny přisedne medvěd a začne se s ním bavit, velmi rychle to nebere hodně drsných obrátek.
V knize najdete hned devatenáct povídek. Něco už člověk zná (především Incident on and off a Mountain Road… a Boys will be Boys je vlastně jen prolog ke knize Nightrunners - tam je asi ta nejdrsnější scéna, s koťátkem a sekačkou na trávu), ale dost toho jsem neznal. Asi nejvíc mě chytlo Driving to Geronimo´s Grave, což je prostě ikonický Lansdale. Odehrává se to v době krize, kdy nezletilý hrdina dostane od matky úkol, jet do Oklahomy a odvézt odtamtud ubodaného strýčka. Ten už nějakou dobu leží poblíž kurníku, a majitelé pozemku (poté, co mrtvému vyluxovali kapsy a sebrali boty) poslali alespoň dopis, že si mají příbuzní strýčka vyzvednout. Takže hrdina vyráží na cestu a samozřejmě, všechno se to ještě zkomplikuje. A tím nemyslíme jen to, že strýček už smrdí natolik, že se stává cesta s ním téměř nemožnou.
Jsou tu samozřejmě různé sexuální úchylky, občas nějací ti ghúlové a především stále gradující řadu násilných činů, které jsou impulzivní a často i zcela náhodné. Svět Joe R. Lansdalea je dost brutální (ale zároveň fascinující) místo k životu, a je lepší ho sledovat z bezpečné vzdálenosti. Ale je dobré ho sledovat. Joe R. Lansdale je skvělý vypravěč, který často až bodře přátelským stylem vypráví o děsivých věcech.
A můžete si být jistí, že i když je začátek roztomilý, věci vezmou hodně rychle zatraceně ošklivý obrat.
Asi nejdřív bych měl říct, co od toho nečekejte – šokující pointy. Ono tady může celkem stačit to, že sám obsah je dost šokující. Třeba začnete číst příběh o tom, jak dva kámoši přijedou do autokina na rande a vzájemně se pošťuchují, aby pak z kufru vytáhli právě zabitou ženskou, oba s ní měli sex a potom jí hodili do vody. A přitom se bavili o vztazích, o análu, o tlustých nohách, o tom, že je naprosto logické a správné souložit mrtvoly… prostě takové ty obvyklé hospodské plky.
A co taky nečekejte, je bujarý humor. Tedy, spousta věcí vtipná je, ale spíš takovým suchým, cynickým, redmeatovským způsobem. Takže, i když povídka začne tím, že si v letadle vedle hrdiny přisedne medvěd a začne se s ním bavit, velmi rychle to nebere hodně drsných obrátek.
V knize najdete hned devatenáct povídek. Něco už člověk zná (především Incident on and off a Mountain Road… a Boys will be Boys je vlastně jen prolog ke knize Nightrunners - tam je asi ta nejdrsnější scéna, s koťátkem a sekačkou na trávu), ale dost toho jsem neznal. Asi nejvíc mě chytlo Driving to Geronimo´s Grave, což je prostě ikonický Lansdale. Odehrává se to v době krize, kdy nezletilý hrdina dostane od matky úkol, jet do Oklahomy a odvézt odtamtud ubodaného strýčka. Ten už nějakou dobu leží poblíž kurníku, a majitelé pozemku (poté, co mrtvému vyluxovali kapsy a sebrali boty) poslali alespoň dopis, že si mají příbuzní strýčka vyzvednout. Takže hrdina vyráží na cestu a samozřejmě, všechno se to ještě zkomplikuje. A tím nemyslíme jen to, že strýček už smrdí natolik, že se stává cesta s ním téměř nemožnou.
Jsou tu samozřejmě různé sexuální úchylky, občas nějací ti ghúlové a především stále gradující řadu násilných činů, které jsou impulzivní a často i zcela náhodné. Svět Joe R. Lansdalea je dost brutální (ale zároveň fascinující) místo k životu, a je lepší ho sledovat z bezpečné vzdálenosti. Ale je dobré ho sledovat. Joe R. Lansdale je skvělý vypravěč, který často až bodře přátelským stylem vypráví o děsivých věcech.
A můžete si být jistí, že i když je začátek roztomilý, věci vezmou hodně rychle zatraceně ošklivý obrat.
August 11, 2023
This collection of short stories by author Joe Lansdale of Things Get Ugly, The Best Crime Stories of Joe R. Lansdale warns readers early on that he doesn’t use trigger warnings for his stories. If it did then the trigger warnings would overshadow the stories themselves.
His stories are a complex mixture of coarse language, sex, and violence that makes any Quentin Tarantino film seem tame.
The stories in Things Get Ugly are graphic and fierce, yet surprising. This collection of stories combines dark noir and pulp fiction into snippets that transport readers into a realm of Joe’s mind and writing talent. Some of these stories push you to the edge of your comfort zone.
One story stands out for me and that is the story of Ellen in the Incident on and Off A Mountain Road. Loved how he wrote this story that gave the brilliant, did not see coming, high-five ending. That could so be a movie in and of itself. Another favorite is The Shadows, Kith and Kin which is poetic, and yet haunting due to the character’s storm raging inside him and around him. It is in this story that Lansdale’s writing shines.
While these crime stories are harsher than Quentin Tarantino could ever imagine, I love how Lansdale takes the time to give insight into how he came up with these unique crime stories.
Things Get Ugly is a book that makes your skin crawl, until you come to Ellen’s story. Good writing and storytelling are meant to provoke reactions of either good or bad. If you want to sink your teeth into original, noir true crime then this book is a must. Also, I highly recommend you do not read this book before falling asleep or while riding a plane, in case the passenger sitting next to you glances over at your screen. They might interrupt and might start asking questions.
His stories are a complex mixture of coarse language, sex, and violence that makes any Quentin Tarantino film seem tame.
The stories in Things Get Ugly are graphic and fierce, yet surprising. This collection of stories combines dark noir and pulp fiction into snippets that transport readers into a realm of Joe’s mind and writing talent. Some of these stories push you to the edge of your comfort zone.
One story stands out for me and that is the story of Ellen in the Incident on and Off A Mountain Road. Loved how he wrote this story that gave the brilliant, did not see coming, high-five ending. That could so be a movie in and of itself. Another favorite is The Shadows, Kith and Kin which is poetic, and yet haunting due to the character’s storm raging inside him and around him. It is in this story that Lansdale’s writing shines.
While these crime stories are harsher than Quentin Tarantino could ever imagine, I love how Lansdale takes the time to give insight into how he came up with these unique crime stories.
Things Get Ugly is a book that makes your skin crawl, until you come to Ellen’s story. Good writing and storytelling are meant to provoke reactions of either good or bad. If you want to sink your teeth into original, noir true crime then this book is a must. Also, I highly recommend you do not read this book before falling asleep or while riding a plane, in case the passenger sitting next to you glances over at your screen. They might interrupt and might start asking questions.
September 17, 2023
Things Get Ugly: The Best Crime Stories of Joe R. Lansdale [Tachyon, 2023].
A collection of Joe R. Lansdale’s best stories including:
“Driving to Geronimo’s Grave”—During the Great Depression, siblings from Texas, drive north to Oklahoma to claim the body of their Uncle Smat, who had been killed by his confederate in a bank robbery. Like a cross between As I Lay Dying and “A Good Man is Hard to Find;” funnier than both.
“Mr. Bear”—a quasi-anthropomorphic bear (think: Smokey Bear’s psychotic cousin) abducts a man he was drinking with at an airport bar and brings him back to his home at Yellowstone.
“Six Finger Jack”—- a bounty hunter chases a gangster named Six Finger Jack to rural east Texas…and learns that he doesn’t die easy.
“Dead Sister”—an attractive woman hires a private eye to guard her sister’s grave which was being violated by a supernatural entity: a ghoul who was hanged during the Great Depression.
“Billie Sue”— WTF did I just read? LOL
“Incident on and off a Mountain Road”—after a car accident a woman fights a deadly adversary…a serial killer disposing of his latest victim.
“Shadows, Kith and Kin”—a chilling first-person account of Charles Starkweather’s murderous rampage at the University of Texas.
“The Projectionist”—inspired by artwork by the naturalistic American painter Edward Hopper. A projectionist fights back when his employer is targeted by an extortion racket.
With an introduction by S.A. Cosby.
***
Joe R. Lansdale, “…the last surviving Splatterpunk, sanctified in the blood of the walking Western dead.” (The Austin Chronicle), is the author of the Hap and Leonard series and the Edgar Award-winning novel The Bottoms. He lives in Nagadoches, TX where he is writing the latest Hap and Leonard novel.
A collection of Joe R. Lansdale’s best stories including:
“Driving to Geronimo’s Grave”—During the Great Depression, siblings from Texas, drive north to Oklahoma to claim the body of their Uncle Smat, who had been killed by his confederate in a bank robbery. Like a cross between As I Lay Dying and “A Good Man is Hard to Find;” funnier than both.
“Mr. Bear”—a quasi-anthropomorphic bear (think: Smokey Bear’s psychotic cousin) abducts a man he was drinking with at an airport bar and brings him back to his home at Yellowstone.
“Six Finger Jack”—- a bounty hunter chases a gangster named Six Finger Jack to rural east Texas…and learns that he doesn’t die easy.
“Dead Sister”—an attractive woman hires a private eye to guard her sister’s grave which was being violated by a supernatural entity: a ghoul who was hanged during the Great Depression.
“Billie Sue”— WTF did I just read? LOL
“Incident on and off a Mountain Road”—after a car accident a woman fights a deadly adversary…a serial killer disposing of his latest victim.
“Shadows, Kith and Kin”—a chilling first-person account of Charles Starkweather’s murderous rampage at the University of Texas.
“The Projectionist”—inspired by artwork by the naturalistic American painter Edward Hopper. A projectionist fights back when his employer is targeted by an extortion racket.
With an introduction by S.A. Cosby.
***
Joe R. Lansdale, “…the last surviving Splatterpunk, sanctified in the blood of the walking Western dead.” (The Austin Chronicle), is the author of the Hap and Leonard series and the Edgar Award-winning novel The Bottoms. He lives in Nagadoches, TX where he is writing the latest Hap and Leonard novel.
August 8, 2023
Unlike many conventional crime fiction novels, Things Get Ugly manages to transcend mere horror, delving into the complexity of the human psyche and the profound consequences of an individual's actions. Imagine the worst of humankind and what they can do. Now, take one more (or a few more) steps into even more horrific, and that's where most of these stories landed for me.
This collection is some of Lansdale's favorites, and while they might not be his best, the stories clearly demonstrate that the author's strength lies in his portrayal of characters who are the worst of our world yet realistic. Lansdale skillfully weaves their backgrounds, motivations, and flaws, making them relatable, authentic, and that much more scary for this reader.
The collection falters in maintaining a consistently high standard across all the stories. Some tales lack the punch and depth of others, leaving readers with a sense of unevenness that may not appeal to traditional short story readers. Additionally, the book occasionally delves into clichéd plotlines, diluting the freshness established by its authentic characters.
While the book may not be for me, (3.5 Stars) I would recommend it because I appreciate the talent needed to make these stories so realistic and creepy. Lansdale's prose demonstrated an undeniable talent for crafting vivid and atmospheric settings, immersing readers into the murky underworld of crime. The stories are rife with unexpected twists and turns, successfully keeping the audience engaged throughout.
This collection is some of Lansdale's favorites, and while they might not be his best, the stories clearly demonstrate that the author's strength lies in his portrayal of characters who are the worst of our world yet realistic. Lansdale skillfully weaves their backgrounds, motivations, and flaws, making them relatable, authentic, and that much more scary for this reader.
The collection falters in maintaining a consistently high standard across all the stories. Some tales lack the punch and depth of others, leaving readers with a sense of unevenness that may not appeal to traditional short story readers. Additionally, the book occasionally delves into clichéd plotlines, diluting the freshness established by its authentic characters.
While the book may not be for me, (3.5 Stars) I would recommend it because I appreciate the talent needed to make these stories so realistic and creepy. Lansdale's prose demonstrated an undeniable talent for crafting vivid and atmospheric settings, immersing readers into the murky underworld of crime. The stories are rife with unexpected twists and turns, successfully keeping the audience engaged throughout.
August 31, 2023
The most impressive thing here? Is it the ease, the incredible command of rhythm and timing with which Lansdale slides you into these stories? Is it the snap and sawed-off wit of the dialogue, which is a salty and funny and barbed frontier humor? (Favorite here: the Portis-like Depression tale about the kids driving to get their rotting dead uncle.) Maybe the crackerjack plotting and the turnabouts, a couple of which I anticipated and most of which I didn't? His sheer gusto in storytelling and his willingness to punish everyone for everything, whether it's burying a protagonist in concrete or the layered slapstick violence doled out to progressively less-informed possessors of a possible holy relic? Or maybe how much he relishes desecrating icons, including himself in one story, criminal Santa and--a story I'm not sure I can, or want to, ever scrub from memory--a degenerate Smokey Bear? There are maybe a few too many plotlines for my taste that villainize and then punish women (even if his notes point to the ironic distance at which he's writing such stories), but the inventiveness here and pure joy of telling a yarn makes this just an endlessly fun, and often quite dark, collection.
August 28, 2023
This is not a book for the faint of heart or stomach for that matter, the level of violence in some of these stories and the graphic descriptions could be off-putting for some. That said, these are all very well written and very good stories, considering they are short stories, the characters are developed very well. The author includes a blurb at the start of each story describing how he was inspired to write it, very interesting on its own. A couple of my favorites were 'The Steel Valentine' - a man takes his anger out on the man who was having an affair with his wife, didn't end the way he expected, 'Driving to Geronimo's Grave' - I especially liked the young girl in this story, she's quite the spark. A couple that I found more disturbing 'Boys will be Boys' - this two boys are the ones you never want to cross, 'Mr Bear' - this one was a little out there for me, the Bear is a riff on Smoky the Bear, but he's a real badass in this story. I would highly recommend this collection as long as you are not easily offended. Thanks to #Netgalley and #Tachyon Publications for the ARC.
August 12, 2023
There is absolutely nothing I can say or write that could compare to what Mr. Lansdale’s own peers have already raved about. I’m a reader not a writer, suffice it to say I adore the author’s vast collection of stories. I watched the Hap and Leonard series – unbeatable characters. He’s from my home state and portrays the nuances of its people and places like no one else. The forward by S. A. Crosby says everything far more eloquently than I could.
I rarely read short stories but, as gritty and disturbingly dark this collection of hard-boiled fiction is, I was glad to take a break between chapter. I could only read in small spurts, it was miles beyond my usual comfort zone. I did have a favorite in Geronimo’s character.
Thanks to NetGalley, Joe R. Lansdale and Tachyon Publications for the digital advance reader copy of “Things Get Ugly: Best Crime Stories”. These are all my own personal, honest thoughts and opinions given voluntarily without compensation.
I rarely read short stories but, as gritty and disturbingly dark this collection of hard-boiled fiction is, I was glad to take a break between chapter. I could only read in small spurts, it was miles beyond my usual comfort zone. I did have a favorite in Geronimo’s character.
Thanks to NetGalley, Joe R. Lansdale and Tachyon Publications for the digital advance reader copy of “Things Get Ugly: Best Crime Stories”. These are all my own personal, honest thoughts and opinions given voluntarily without compensation.
August 25, 2023
Well, this was pretty much the most aptly-titled work ever.
Joe R. Lansdale is absolutely one of my favorite authors to read, and I particularly like reading him in the summer when things feel the most Texas-like. That said, some of his content can be pretty brutal. I generally don't mind the grimmer content, as long as its wrapped around memorable characters and Lansdale's trademark prose.
That might be why this one hit a bit different. The brutality of these crime stories is ever-present, but the characters are not, or at the very least, not always. Some are more memorable than others (including a nasty take on Smoky the Bear that will haunt me forever) but sometimes the tales feel dark without much anything else.
With all that said, Lansdale maintains his gripping prose and storyteller tone to make these pieces work in the long run. This collection is probably best enjoyed for fans of EC Comics and pulp - but just know it can be pretty brutal at times.
Joe R. Lansdale is absolutely one of my favorite authors to read, and I particularly like reading him in the summer when things feel the most Texas-like. That said, some of his content can be pretty brutal. I generally don't mind the grimmer content, as long as its wrapped around memorable characters and Lansdale's trademark prose.
That might be why this one hit a bit different. The brutality of these crime stories is ever-present, but the characters are not, or at the very least, not always. Some are more memorable than others (including a nasty take on Smoky the Bear that will haunt me forever) but sometimes the tales feel dark without much anything else.
With all that said, Lansdale maintains his gripping prose and storyteller tone to make these pieces work in the long run. This collection is probably best enjoyed for fans of EC Comics and pulp - but just know it can be pretty brutal at times.
June 25, 2025
So I’ve not read many of Mr Lansdale’s numerous works before this but I have watched plenty of movies and tv shows based on his work including the Hap and Leonard tv series and movies like the cult classic Bubba Ho-Tep. I know he writes many different genres and his stuff includes a bit of humor mixed into the darkness of his subject matter which the short story, Mr Bear, in this collection perfectly demonstrates.
My favorite story has to be The Ears. In 3 short pages he is able to invoke such a feeling of fear, for the female reader anyway. I also thought Billie Sue and Incidents On and Off A Mountain Road rounded out my top 3 stories.
I definitely plan to read more of his works after reading this collection. His stuff can be gruesome and dark and he himself states in the introduction that if you need a trigger warning then his stuff isn’t for you.
**Thanks to the author and Tachyon for the e-arc I received via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.**
My favorite story has to be The Ears. In 3 short pages he is able to invoke such a feeling of fear, for the female reader anyway. I also thought Billie Sue and Incidents On and Off A Mountain Road rounded out my top 3 stories.
I definitely plan to read more of his works after reading this collection. His stuff can be gruesome and dark and he himself states in the introduction that if you need a trigger warning then his stuff isn’t for you.
**Thanks to the author and Tachyon for the e-arc I received via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.**
August 25, 2023
Whether read cover-to-cover or in single, intermittent bites, this collection of Lansdale’s short stories will mesmerize and entertain.M
>Things Get Ugly, a collection of some of author Joe R. Lansdale’s best crime stories, is not for the faint of heart; each story is raw and gritty, handcrafted by a master storyteller. They will mesmerize, shock, and sometimes deliver a gut punch, but satisfy and entertain; they definitely do.
The book contains nineteen stories hand-picked and introduced by Lansdale, relating what prompted him to write the story or how it came to be, and his background explanations are good reading on their own. I laughed out loud over his remarks preceding the very first story, The Steel Valentine, and it sets the tone for the entire collection.“I do remember that I originally wrote it for a crime Valentine anthology, and it was rejected because it offended the editor. It was good to know I hadn’t lost my touch.”
Each story is a gem, telling an unfiltered and dark tale of human interaction. No punches are pulled, and there’s blood and gore and death. Their telling is riveting, and I couldn’t, nor wanted to, put the book down. From the first selection to the last, I was gripped by a desire for more and resented any interruptions to my reading. No, Joe hasn’t lost his touch.I recommend THINGS GET UGLY to Lansdale fans and new readers who enjoy grittier, tougher tales of crime and the darker side of human relations.
I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Lone Star Book Blog Tours.
August 17, 2023
If you enjoy crime with bits of horror tossed in, dive right into Things Get Ugly. I can not say if it is the best crime fiction written by Joe R. Lansdale since I have not read all of his fiction, but it is a mixed bag of short and longer pieces covering all phases of crime. There are murder tales, twisted tales, and horror of several flavors mixed into the crime tales. My favorite stories were "Driving to Geronimo's Grave," "Santa at the Cafe," and "The Projectionist" (which I had read in the Lawrence Block anthology). "Incident On and Off a Mountain Road" has a very interesting twist ending that makes it memorable. A nice feature of a Lansdale story collection is the intro he provides. If you enjoy Lansdale, pick up this volume and enjoy!
Thanks Netgalley for the chance to read this title!
Thanks Netgalley for the chance to read this title!
October 15, 2023
Nobody tells a story quite like Joe Lansdale, and although Lansdale transcends genre, the ones collected here generally fit under the umbrella of crime. Even with that catch-all, there's still a great deal of variety, and therein lies the strength. From the over-the-top and very funny "Mr. Bear" to the midnight dark "The Shadows: Kith and Kin", one of the most harrowing stories I've read in recent memory, Things Get Ugly shows off the distances Joe Lansdale can cross using only a keyboard. Fans of Lansdale's Hap & Leonard series will find some like-minded tales inside, like "Booty and the Beast", but readers who dig Lansdale's ability to push the envelope will find enough material like "Drive-in Date" to make them squirm. It's a great addition to the Lansdale library and a great starting place for the uninitiated.
July 30, 2023
I'm sure Joe R. Lansdale cannot write a bad or boring story. He can write stories that brings very far from my comfort zone, dark story, story where the dog dies or mix of all the possible elements.
But he always write great stories that make you face the darker side of life.. And always add a pinch of dark humour that makes you smile even if you are immersed in blood up to your here.
This is not a book for you if you do not want to read about the darker side of life or hate too much violence and gore
But if you want to read an anthology of excellent crime/thriller/noir/etc stories be read to get it and start a wilde ride
I thoroughly enjoyed it and strongly recommend it.
Many thanks to Tachyon Publications for this ARC, all opinions are mine
But he always write great stories that make you face the darker side of life.. And always add a pinch of dark humour that makes you smile even if you are immersed in blood up to your here.
This is not a book for you if you do not want to read about the darker side of life or hate too much violence and gore
But if you want to read an anthology of excellent crime/thriller/noir/etc stories be read to get it and start a wilde ride
I thoroughly enjoyed it and strongly recommend it.
Many thanks to Tachyon Publications for this ARC, all opinions are mine
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