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Clown in the Moonlight
CLOWN IN THE MOONLIGHT is based in part on the true story of Ricky Kasso, the so-called Acid King, who murdered a friend in the Northport woods back in '84 claiming Satan told him to do it, then proceeded to bring high school classmates to view the mutilated body for days afterward. Occult, hardboiled, and noir matters enter the mix as a nameless drifter teaches Ricky and friends what the true nature of hell is really all about. Extras include the first chapter of Tom's forthcoming Bantam hardcover THE LAST KIND WORDS (due out June 5), the first chapter of his digital-only dark fantasy novel NIGHTJACK, and the short horror story "Shadder."
125 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 12, 2012
10 people are currently reading
131 people want to read
About the author
Tom Piccirilli
186 books386 followersThomas Piccirilli (May 27, 1965 – July 11, 2015) was an American novelist and short story writer.
Piccirilli sold over 150 stories in the mystery, thriller, horror, erotica, and science fiction fields. He was a two-time winner of the International Thriller Writers Award for "Best Paperback Original" (2008, 2010). He was a four-time winner of the Bram Stoker Award. He was also a finalist for the 2009 Edgar Allan Poe Award given by the Mystery Writers of America, a final nominee for the Fantasy Award, and the winner of the first Bram Stoker Award given in the category of "Best Poetry Collection".
Piccirilli sold over 150 stories in the mystery, thriller, horror, erotica, and science fiction fields. He was a two-time winner of the International Thriller Writers Award for "Best Paperback Original" (2008, 2010). He was a four-time winner of the Bram Stoker Award. He was also a finalist for the 2009 Edgar Allan Poe Award given by the Mystery Writers of America, a final nominee for the Fantasy Award, and the winner of the first Bram Stoker Award given in the category of "Best Poetry Collection".
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
January 12, 2018
Clown in the Moonlight lacked depth to support context, hindered by a disjointed narrative broken into three stanzas which had little to connect them aside from a flimsy theme, core character (who, like the story, felt shallow), and name-dropped recurring characters, the book didn’t deliver the experience I’d come to expect from books by Tom Piccirilli. Other books I’ve read consisting of short stories telling a single broader tale work well, here, the lasting impression is one of frustration as each stanza reads independent.
There are elements of horror but they lack an accompanying rationale to justify the inclusion in what essentially is a story about a mysterious guy with anger management issues who has a link to the occult and partakes in violent sexual acts with willing partners.
My rating: 2/5 stars, I just couldn’t connect with this one.
There are elements of horror but they lack an accompanying rationale to justify the inclusion in what essentially is a story about a mysterious guy with anger management issues who has a link to the occult and partakes in violent sexual acts with willing partners.
My rating: 2/5 stars, I just couldn’t connect with this one.
October 10, 2014
Visceral, smart, and transgressive occult horror fiction.
Imagine taking Hubert Selby, Jr.'s LAST EXIT TO BROOKLYN but setting it in a world teeming with occult magick (or those who THINK they are working with occult magick)....that's kind of what this book is like.
Imagine taking Hubert Selby, Jr.'s LAST EXIT TO BROOKLYN but setting it in a world teeming with occult magick (or those who THINK they are working with occult magick)....that's kind of what this book is like.
November 26, 2012
Clown in the Moonlight is an interesting short work. It is more a sequence of vignettes than a real story, but they are well written and entertaining.
The main character, who is never named, is an older delinquent hanging around with the high school drug and occult crowd. Through them he meets Ricky, a charismatic dealer and leader of a Satanic cult. Ricky is based on a real life murderer, and the story begins with the narrator's current girlfriend/fuckbuddy showing him the body of Ricky's victim.
This novella felt more like the beginning of a longer work, or perhaps a synopsis. The end of the story in particular was very rushed, and in the end resolved nothing.
I thought the writing was excellent. It's very free-flowing with a stream-of-consciousness feel. The narrator is never demonstrated to be reliable. Exactly how much of what's going on conforms to the narrator's version of it makes the possible implications of the tale quite chilling.
I gave this novella a 3 for excellent prose, but a weak third act. If it had finished more strongly, this was an easy 4.
The main character, who is never named, is an older delinquent hanging around with the high school drug and occult crowd. Through them he meets Ricky, a charismatic dealer and leader of a Satanic cult. Ricky is based on a real life murderer, and the story begins with the narrator's current girlfriend/fuckbuddy showing him the body of Ricky's victim.
This novella felt more like the beginning of a longer work, or perhaps a synopsis. The end of the story in particular was very rushed, and in the end resolved nothing.
I thought the writing was excellent. It's very free-flowing with a stream-of-consciousness feel. The narrator is never demonstrated to be reliable. Exactly how much of what's going on conforms to the narrator's version of it makes the possible implications of the tale quite chilling.
I gave this novella a 3 for excellent prose, but a weak third act. If it had finished more strongly, this was an easy 4.
July 28, 2012
A fierce, fierce book. A story that will haunt you, because it's real. The legend of Ricky Kasso lives on through the hard words of expert wordsmith Tom Piccirilli. It reads like your worst nightmare. It crawls inside your skull, pries it open and lets a something terrible inside your mind. It's a short, but potent exemple of what Piccirilli can do to creep the hell out of you. Dark, psychological horror, mixed with sublime character development. It may not feel as well wrapped as his other books I've read, but holy shit, it's terrifying.
August 2, 2012
Prefer his crime stories. Intense and moving, but not my cuppa
October 11, 2012
If by chance you were hoping this book was about a clown, then I hope you're sitting down; I have some bad news. If I can offer some measure of consolation, it comes in the form of Tom Piccirilli's impeccable writing. Clown in the Moonlight tells the story of a deeply troubled young man who becomes embroiled in the inner circle of Ricky Kasso. Who is Ricky Kasso, you ask? Oh boy.
The narrator of the tale, who never reveals his name, recounts his introduction into the world of the Acid King by way of a masochistic vixen named Linda. She leads him back into the Aztakea Woods to get a look at a dead body. The body is that of an unfortunate young man murdered by Ricky Kasso, and since that night classmates have been getting the fifty cent tour to see the rotting and mutilated corpse. The narrator and Linda feel a bit like Sid and Nancy on a first date. He's young and simmering with anger and violence, while Linda is an almost manic sex kitten with a mean streak a mile long. Together, they leave the corpse to join a party where they are supposed to meet up with Mr. Acid King himself. On one hand, it feels like a portentous event in the making, but the narrator already seems to know that the man isn't going to measure up to the myth.
Now, prior to reading this novella, I had no clue that it was based on (or at least inspired by) a real event. By the midway point, however, I started to get that sense there was something rooted in our world, which really amped up the unsettling feeling this book provokes. Tom Piccirilli's ability to squeeze tension and emotion for all its worth is on full display with this relatively brief story (I think it clocks it at a little more than a hundred pages). Linda feels like a mix between a siren and a broken wing. At points it feels like she is leading a poor sap on a road to ruin, but as the story progresses, the narrator reveals he has as much or more rage roiling under his skin than the most sadistic of those he meets.
The story doesn't stick to the one moment in time, actually moving forward several years later in the book, which took me much by surprise. The undercurrent remained, but the progression of the narrator's life takes such a divergent turn that I almost wondered if I was reading from the same character's perspective.
The book as a whole may feel a bit disjointed, not just with shifting ahead in time, but with the very mindset of the narrator, but it's such an engaging read that it all whips by at a furious pace. When Tom settles in with a particular scene, like the party the narrator and Linda go to, everything is fleshed out with such excruciating detail that you are instantly there and irreparably involved with the characters and all their frailty. It's grim and bordering on nihilistic, so I don't think it's going to be the kind of book to attract more casual readers--especially if they have their hopes up for a clown in the story.
The narrator of the tale, who never reveals his name, recounts his introduction into the world of the Acid King by way of a masochistic vixen named Linda. She leads him back into the Aztakea Woods to get a look at a dead body. The body is that of an unfortunate young man murdered by Ricky Kasso, and since that night classmates have been getting the fifty cent tour to see the rotting and mutilated corpse. The narrator and Linda feel a bit like Sid and Nancy on a first date. He's young and simmering with anger and violence, while Linda is an almost manic sex kitten with a mean streak a mile long. Together, they leave the corpse to join a party where they are supposed to meet up with Mr. Acid King himself. On one hand, it feels like a portentous event in the making, but the narrator already seems to know that the man isn't going to measure up to the myth.
Now, prior to reading this novella, I had no clue that it was based on (or at least inspired by) a real event. By the midway point, however, I started to get that sense there was something rooted in our world, which really amped up the unsettling feeling this book provokes. Tom Piccirilli's ability to squeeze tension and emotion for all its worth is on full display with this relatively brief story (I think it clocks it at a little more than a hundred pages). Linda feels like a mix between a siren and a broken wing. At points it feels like she is leading a poor sap on a road to ruin, but as the story progresses, the narrator reveals he has as much or more rage roiling under his skin than the most sadistic of those he meets.
The story doesn't stick to the one moment in time, actually moving forward several years later in the book, which took me much by surprise. The undercurrent remained, but the progression of the narrator's life takes such a divergent turn that I almost wondered if I was reading from the same character's perspective.
The book as a whole may feel a bit disjointed, not just with shifting ahead in time, but with the very mindset of the narrator, but it's such an engaging read that it all whips by at a furious pace. When Tom settles in with a particular scene, like the party the narrator and Linda go to, everything is fleshed out with such excruciating detail that you are instantly there and irreparably involved with the characters and all their frailty. It's grim and bordering on nihilistic, so I don't think it's going to be the kind of book to attract more casual readers--especially if they have their hopes up for a clown in the story.
February 29, 2012
I must admit that this was the first book by Tom Piccirilli that I've read; he's been one of those authors who I've heard great things about but never got around to reading. This novella was an excellent read and I look forward to reading more of Piccirilli's work. The only complaint (and a miniscule one at that) about the book was the ending; otherwise, a fast-paced and gripping story which will have you eagerly turning the pages.
The background to the novella is inspired by true events, the 1984 murder case of a teenage boy by Ricky Kasso, also known as The Acid King, who was a self-proclaimed Satanist. The novella deals with Ricky Kasso in Part 1, and then the consequent "ghost" of Kasso which follows the protagonist and narrator in Parts 2 and 3.
The nameless protagonist of the story is all the more intriguing because the same dark and violent elements, which his antagonists exhibit, also dwell within him constantly threatening to rise to the surface. The latent occultic aspects of the main character make him the antihero of the story, but he clearly has the potential to be one of the bad guys, obtaining just as much pleasure from sadistic and violent acts.
The first-person, present tense narrative draws the reader deeper into the novella. Piccirilli's straight-forward and fast-paced writing style were also a pleasant surprise; I abhor long, drawn-out narratives which take forever to get going and where the author insists on using twelve dollar words in order to appear fancy. Those elements are fine in some genres, but not in horror or thrillers in my opinion.
The only complaint was the ending, and it's not really a complaint. I usually don't mind if a story ends with no complete resolution, but this story just seemed to hit a brick wall and stop. The final part of the novella (only a couple of pages) is basically an epilogue of sorts, but I still wanted more once I was done reading. Maybe I just hated to see the story come to an end.
The background to the novella is inspired by true events, the 1984 murder case of a teenage boy by Ricky Kasso, also known as The Acid King, who was a self-proclaimed Satanist. The novella deals with Ricky Kasso in Part 1, and then the consequent "ghost" of Kasso which follows the protagonist and narrator in Parts 2 and 3.
The nameless protagonist of the story is all the more intriguing because the same dark and violent elements, which his antagonists exhibit, also dwell within him constantly threatening to rise to the surface. The latent occultic aspects of the main character make him the antihero of the story, but he clearly has the potential to be one of the bad guys, obtaining just as much pleasure from sadistic and violent acts.
The first-person, present tense narrative draws the reader deeper into the novella. Piccirilli's straight-forward and fast-paced writing style were also a pleasant surprise; I abhor long, drawn-out narratives which take forever to get going and where the author insists on using twelve dollar words in order to appear fancy. Those elements are fine in some genres, but not in horror or thrillers in my opinion.
The only complaint was the ending, and it's not really a complaint. I usually don't mind if a story ends with no complete resolution, but this story just seemed to hit a brick wall and stop. The final part of the novella (only a couple of pages) is basically an epilogue of sorts, but I still wanted more once I was done reading. Maybe I just hated to see the story come to an end.
March 9, 2012
A dark and twisted tale of desire and consequence inspired by actual events, which makes this brief trilogy of interwoven tales even creepier. Ricky Kasso, the so-called Acid King, murdered a "friend" in '84 because Satan told him to do it. This story, seen through the eyes of an unidentified acquaintance of Ricky's, tells that tale, but also shed's light on the story of the protagonist who is dealing with demons of his own. Piccirilli's writing is visceral in his description of what drives the antihero to do the terrible things he does.
Overall I enjoyed the mood, the party scene, particularly, captures the a sense of being lost in a crowded setting. I will warn you, if you are looking for a moral to the story or a definitive end to the tale. Don't expect to find one on the written page. The kindle version of this book is free, from the Lending Library, for Amazon Prime members or for $2.99 and includes a preview of Piccirilli's latest book "The Last Kind Words."
Overall I enjoyed the mood, the party scene, particularly, captures the a sense of being lost in a crowded setting. I will warn you, if you are looking for a moral to the story or a definitive end to the tale. Don't expect to find one on the written page. The kindle version of this book is free, from the Lending Library, for Amazon Prime members or for $2.99 and includes a preview of Piccirilli's latest book "The Last Kind Words."
July 13, 2012
I don't remember the real life events from which this was based, but who cares. This story is so tight it sings.
I read a ton of books just to get to one like this. It doesn't matter what the subject is when the writing is this good. Some care was taken with the words, there were probably a bunch of rewrites. All the work shows.
This is the work of a professional. Anyone who writes should read stuff like this several times in hopes that the awesomeness of it rubs off.
Thanks, Pic. I'll read you any time!
I read a ton of books just to get to one like this. It doesn't matter what the subject is when the writing is this good. Some care was taken with the words, there were probably a bunch of rewrites. All the work shows.
This is the work of a professional. Anyone who writes should read stuff like this several times in hopes that the awesomeness of it rubs off.
Thanks, Pic. I'll read you any time!
July 19, 2014
Oh my, what a dreadful ending.
Perhaps it was because I was reading it as an eBook and according to my err adder I still had another 56 pages to go, and yet when I flip over to page 106 I'm greeted with a preview of the authors other works .....
"Hang on, that was the end of the story on page 105, really?"
Perhaps it was because I was reading it as an eBook and according to my err adder I still had another 56 pages to go, and yet when I flip over to page 106 I'm greeted with a preview of the authors other works .....
"Hang on, that was the end of the story on page 105, really?"
March 12, 2012
Blech, glad this book was free and short. I don't mind violence or vulgarity but felt it was forced in this book.I am not sure how much of this story was real but the entire book was a real waste of my time. Luckily that time was only about an hour.
October 3, 2012
Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. This guy makes it seem like all teenagers are satan worshipers and sexual deviants. COMPLETELY ridiculous. The story had no flow and there was no driving force behind any of it. It was very vague and jumped time a lot. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.
June 13, 2013
Very uneven and disjointed. Some decent prose but doesn't follow a true story and the ending is just sudden and uneventful. Felt like it was missing the actual plot. Confusing in spots and too uneven to be anything but a shock read. Very graphic and brutal.
March 2, 2014
Does every teen in the world love to see death and celebrate Satan? If you think so, this book is for you. It started out pretty good and interesting but somehow this novella became redundant, a difficult task to pull off in only 100 pages. Dud.
March 31, 2012
Another great one from Pic. The man simply has a way with language, not many authors have. His prose just sings off the page. Highly enjoyed this one.
April 19, 2012
A nice, dark read. I loved the first part among all, the darkness just naturally flows. The ending seemed kind of abrupt. I wanted more flashbacks, more story, more Ricky. A nice book anyway.
June 24, 2012
Brutal and powerful. The book reads like the roar of an old Mustang fueled by rage and hate.
September 8, 2014
I really enjoyed "The Last Kind Words", but I have not been able to find any enjoyment in his "horror" books. This book seemed pointless to me.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews