Bring Me Children

by David Lozell Martin

John Lyon, a veteran but emotionally unstable newscaster, is drawn into a sinister web of evil in the heart of Appalachia when he investigates a woman's bizarre story about a West Virginia doctor who has been killing babies.

Genres: Horror, Thriller, Crime, Fiction

Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1992

About the author

David Martin is the author of ten novels that range from the international bestselling thriller Lie To Me to the acclaimed love story, The Crying Heart Tattoo.

Reviews

[Joshua Hair · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best advice I can give someone interested in this book is to answer the following question: are you prepared for a sadistic pediatrician accused of killing eighteen children, a misunderstood dwarf who breeds vicious dogs, a hoodoo woman who can turn invisible and play dead, murder, torture, and allusions to rape? Most importantly, are you prepared for Mr. Gigli and Mr. Spoon?

If these things disgust you, don't buy Bring Me Children. If they disgust AND intrigue you, congratulations, this book won't disappoint. Prior to finding a copy I had heard of David Martin and, particularly, of this book. I was told it was "messed-up", "zany and wrong", and "super disturbing." Those people were all correct. This is not for the faint of heart. It is also not for those who can't lose themselves in a book. Look too hard at this one and you'll find cracks abound, elements that are unnecessary, and plot points that go nowhere. All that said, Bring Me Children is so unique and exciting and enjoyable to read that none of that mattered in the end.

[Steven Sidor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book would've made a great second-tier Brian DePalma movie, somewhere between Body Double and Raising Cain. Martin is a really good writer. I think he thinks he's slumming in the genres, smirking and giving them the finger, tweaking their cliches, and turning all the knobs up to eleven. Regardless, the book moves at a suspenseful clip. It's a grotesque. Filled with hoodoo, mad doctors, nervous laughter, forest-dwelling hermit dwarves, superfat deputies, amputations, stolen babies, face-eating dogs, necrophiliac role-playing, eye-gouging . . . I could go on. Like DePalma, Marin lingers on the visuals with panache. He's a voyeur, a sadist, and one kinky twisted sick dude. Bring Me Children swings back and forth from horrifying to wickedly funny. I loved it.

[Craig]

While ultimately it doesn't leave the reader feeling like it had much purpose, this one is very engaging and one of the more frightening novels written in the past couple decades. The villain is about as sinister as most any on record in fiction. Also has some eccentric characters and situations that feel like scenes ripped from classic screwball comedies amid the morbid premise.

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

I tink not!
A dark thriller with some shades of horror sprinkled throughout. A very creepy and evil blind doctor, a dwarf who rescues babies and breeds huge wolf dogs, a disgraced news reporter, a small West Virginia town and a cave with a voodoo priestess. Nice combination for a novel. Not a dull moment in this story by David Martin. You will laugh, squirm and gasp aloud before you are finished.

[Bob Box · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read in 1998. I'd forgotten this author completely but I read his horror novels in the 1990's. This one was about a doctor in West Virginia who was killing babies.

[Anj_1 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Much better than expected. A good read.

[Симеон Трифонов · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Носете ми деца" е рядко бижу в света на хорър/трилъра, което за щастие все още може да бъде намерено в антикварните сайтове или уличните кашони. Незнайно защо дори в Амазон книгите на Мартин ги е обзела липсата и се създава впечатление за някакъв маргинален, незначителен писател. Досегът ми със стила, идеите и героите на Мартин обаче убеждава в друго.

"Носете ми деца" е брутален, оригинален, садистичен и циничен поглед върху жанр, който позволява разчупване на границите. Препоръчителен за всеки, който се е наситил на клишета и препрочитане на познати до баналност сюжетчета. "Носете ми деца" не оставя сън, преди да бъде дочетена. От страниците пружинират като от детска поп-ъп книжка толкова уродливи - душевно и физически - люде, че неусетно се оказваш хипнотизиран от аурата им и започват да ти идват странни идеи.

Челно място в класацията ми за извратени черни книги, редом до "Триптих" на Слотър, "Ти" на Кепнес и още няколко, побиращи се в една длан.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

First time reader of David Martin and it didn’t disappoint!! The first 50”ish” pages were so chilling and gripping, I told my friends I may have to stop reading this book before bed!! Definitely not for the faint of heart. The middle section was more “strange” and tended to drag on a bit, however, a great ending with no questions pertaining to what happened to any of the characters. Actual rating 4.5

[Blake Fleming · Rating 5 out of 5]

First novel I've read by David ,but wow. It was never a dull moment. Always keeps you on edge. Wanting to know more about the doctor and his plans. Looking forward to read more of his work.

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this read. Initially the title screamed cheesy horror, but turned into an engaging crime drama with a somewhat satisfying ending.

[Emily Ley · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book consists of a complex and unique plot, and the same goes for the book’s characters. dr. quindell’s class (if you can call his character classy) and lunacy rival that of hannibal lecter.

[Sadie Jury · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read it only because i am one of those who will finish no matter what.... an easy read for a long weekend on the beach but not one I will be recommending as a great read to friends..

[Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read David Martin before - Lie to Me was very good. And - Cul-de-Sac: A Novel also, with the same Det. character was good also.
"Bring Me Children".....has one demented/monster/Hannibal character....that you just want to rip a page in half, fantasizing you're doing that to him. Back woods of West Virginia, with a beautiful young lady, raised on the voodoo legend, out for revenge, some strange local folk....you have at times a gruesome, fast moving read.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was creepy, disturbing, scary, and fast-paced. I didn't like the title, I thought it was kind of corny, but the book itself was very good. I hesitate about giving it three or four stars.I gave it four, but my main problem was that the main characters, Claire and Lyon, were not very likable. I had a hard time sympathizing with them. But the bad guy was terrifying, and very well drawn, despicable in his actions in the book really held my interest until the end. So overall, it was good – a better than average horror novel.

[Beqi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Though out of print now I went out of my way to obtain another copy of this book after my first copy was destroyed. This was the first David Martin book I ever read and by far my favorite. If you have are into romance novels (which I'm not) and are looking to move into more of a "murder-mystery" genre this book is a great segway. This novel has just the right amount of horror, mystery and gratuitous sex.

[Jan Strydom · Rating 5 out of 5]

In both books and films I've known many villains who are the boogeymen that now haunt our dreams. But none could come close to the sadistic Dr Mason Quinndell. A villain that would even haunt the dreams Freddy Kruger himself.

David Martin's Bring Me Children is a mind bending psychological thriller with a collection of interesting and disturbing characters and a plot that will have you turning pages like crazy.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book years ago and came across it again in a used book store. I re-read it and was once again sickened, appalled and frightened - I loved it!

[Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

This just might be the dumbest book title ever conceived, but the story is gripping, compelling, and interesting.

[Elizabeth Nesbit-comer · Rating 5 out of 5]

soo creepy. I loved it. This guy is certainly twisted, but in a nice to read sort of way.

[Nadia · Rating 4 out of 5]

i read this book twice

[Autumn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining despite the racist necrophilia!