Junkie Jack

by John Franz

Functional heroin addict PI, Junkie Jack, supports his junk habit by inspecting a world of phantoms and jazz clubs in an alternate version of Chicago where the sky is always red from the breath of a chained demon larger than the Sears Tower. Jack is hired by Tony Twofingers to investigate Tony's daughter, Whinnie, whose saxophone performances make Jack hallucinate.

61 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 21, 2024

About the author

John Franz is the author of the Blue Seven Mainline series and writes literary horror and weird fiction for people who should know better.

A small number of review copies are available for readers who are interested in strange books and leaving an honest review:

https://booksprout.co/reviewer/review...

Reviews

[Lia's Haunted Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love when a book sets the mood right from the start, and the transcriber’s note here does exactly that. Franz positions himself as merely a vessel, giving us just enough background to make the world feel lived-in before letting the chaos unfold and making us, the reader, feel like we’re there.

So, Junkie Jack. He’s a man who loves two things: drugs and, apparently, jazz. He’s also a PI—though “detective type-ish” might be more accurate—operating in an alternate Chicago where the skyline is beautifully adorned by a bigger chained demon. Jack gets hired by the mayor to keep tabs on his daughter, Whinnie, whose saxophone performances have… unusual effects.

Through Jack’s eyes, we get snippets of the city’s lore: its creatures, its strange rules, and the unnerving way it still feels tethered to our own world. The line between reality and hallucination blurs constantly, and you’re never entirely sure if what you’re reading is happening or if it’s just Jack’s addiction twisting the lens.

Also, the integration and interaction of genres felt incredibly smooth: noir-drenched surrealism with fantasy and cosmic horror simmering somewhere in there. It’s short and well done, and I want to know more about this world.

Now that I’ve finished writing this... What does Franz know? Are they actually tethered to this world? Hmm, intriguing.

[Maddi Hoffman · Rating 5 out of 5]

“𝙉𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙛𝙧𝙚𝙚. 𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙄 𝙨𝙪𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙄 𝙝𝙖𝙙 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙥𝙖𝙞𝙙.”

First and foremost, thank you so much to John Franz for the gifted copy! 🤩

This was a wild ride! Junkie Jack is a tale unlike any I’ve read before. It blends science fiction, fantasy, and a little bit of horror to keep you on your toes.

This is a short story (it was only 27 pages on my Kobo) and the story told in those pages will stick with you. There’s an eerie, unsettling feeling you get when Franz mixes an unexplainable sax-wielding woman, the trenches of addiction, and a demon cleansing the “free” world. Add all of that to a PI case to be solved and you’ve got me locked in. The prose and dialogue were so well done. I could see and hear each character as if I was standing in front of them.

I wished so badly for more of Whinnie’s character, but know the mystery is the heart of it all.

I truly hope I get to read more of Junkie Jack’s adventures. He’s a dude you hate to love, but can’t help yourself.

I would suggest this to anyone looking for a gripping, cosmic horror-esque short story.

Make sure to check the triggers. We always read responsibly around here. 🖤

[MikeLikesBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short story was a trip. I couldn’t tell if Jack was having hallucinations or things were actually happening the way he saw them. All I know is that I would have liked to have watched a performance by Whinnie. Strictly because I play saxophone too, of course.

If you are looking for a short story that will make you question what you are reading, I think you will love this one.

This is the second book I’ve read by this author and I really like him.

[The ARC Bro · Rating 4 out of 5]

🔥 BRO vs. JUNKIE JACK 🔥

🥊 The Book: JUNKIE JACK throws us into an alternate Chicago where demons roam freely, and a Godzilla-sized one in the city center breathes free healthcare into the air. Junkie Jack, our heroin-addicted PI, takes a job from gangster Tommy Twofingers to spy on his daughter, Whinnie. What follows is a surreal, noir-drenched trip through the city’s underworld, where the line between reality and hallucination is razor-thin.

💪 The Bro: Noir and fantasy? Sign me up. Throw in a city-sized demon as part of the healthcare system? Now we’re talking. But is this just a gimmick, or does it actually deliver something fresh?

🥊 ROUND 1: First Impressions
• The world is wildly original—gritty detective work meets supernatural absurdity.
• Franz leans hard into the noir elements, and it works.
• Feels like a fever dream right from the start.

🥊 ROUND 2: Midway Feels
• The surrealism is strong—some sequences feel like an acid trip, leaving you wondering what’s real and what’s just Jack’s heroin-fueled perception.
• Despite all the weirdness, there’s surprising heart and empathy underneath it all.
• Definitely gives off Laird Barron vibes but never feels like a copy. If anything, it’s Laird Barron meets Ray Bradbury’s One Woman Show on a bender.

🥊 ROUND 3: Final Verdict
• What really makes JUNKIE JACK shine is how personal it feels beneath all the genre madness. Noir, fantasy, and surreal all blend together, but at its core, this is an intensely human story.
• The uniqueness alone makes it worth a read.

🔥 FINAL BELL: The ARC Bro Scorecard 🔥

🛎️ Unanimous Decision 🛎️– JUNKIE JACK is bizarre, trippy, and completely original. Noir with a hallucinatory edge, fantasy with real emotional weight—Franz swings big, and it lands. If you want something truly different, this is it.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Jasmine Plaunt · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’re in the mood for a short story that blends science fiction and fantasy with the gritty feel of 1950s pulp noir, this is a must-read! The protagonist’s struggle with addiction adds depth to the narrative, making it even more compelling.

Without giving too much away, John has crafted an incredible world that feels eerily close to our own, yet the sci-fi and fantasy elements elevate it to a whole new level—literally! The story also carries strong mafia-inspired vibes, which I absolutely loved (shoutout to Tony Twofingers).

Junkie Jack, the main character, is fascinating and complex—a protagonist I’d love to see more of in future stories. This is a solid, gripping tale, and I can’t wait to see where John takes Jack and his wild, chaotic world next!

[BookMadLibrarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’re looking for a short story that brings together science fiction and fantasy, reads like a 1950s pulp noir story and has a protagonist struggling with addiction- go check this out!

I don’t want to give anything away but John has created such a crazy world not too far removed from our own but the sci-fi/fantasy elements add a whole other dimension to it (literally!). There were definite mafia-influenced vibes throughout the story which I loved (here’s looking at Tony Twofingers) and the main protagonist Junkie Jack is an intriguing character who I would love to read more about.

A solid story and I can’t wait to see what John does next with Jack and the crazy world he inhabits.

[Veronica Valentina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am positive I didn't understand any of this story. It feels like it means a lot to one specific person (I guess the author), but those feelings are so specific that no one else can fully get the same feeling.

But, in spite of that, it's good? I like the writing, I like the pacing, I like the ideas presented. But it feels like I'm reading a massive novel in Spanish after only taking a semester of it. I can read it, but CAN I REALLY?

This sounds like I didn't like it. That isn't true. In spite of the meaning being hard for me to pull out, something about this story is very engaging. It is worth a read for sure.

[T.D. Lawler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Junkie Jack read like an old 50s pulp noir story. It has a great main character and takes place in a world that I definitely want to read more about. It has some sci-fi and fantasy elements that really work for this story and the world Jack lives in. I really hope I get to read more about Jack because I have a feeling he has more stories to tell.

Overall a very fun read, so much that I read it all in one sitting.

[Josh White · Rating 5 out of 5]

JUNKIE JACK is a gritty, brain-melting plunge into a Chicago where demons handle healthcare and a drug-addled PI spirals through a cityscape stitched from noir, fantasy, and hallucination. The world feels like a fever dream, but somehow there’s real heart beating under the chaos. It’s like Laird Barron and David Lynch got high and wrote this—it’s strange, personal, and unforgettable.

[Alison Goodhall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well this was definitely a completely different story than i’m used too but my oh my was I intrigued.
This was such a good fast paced story, with characters you can instantly like, you feel like being a part of this story and adventure.
This has Sci-fi and fantasy which really give this an awesome twist which different keeps you wanting more.
Looking forward to more to come and to see what else this incredible author has in store..
definitely go check this out. 👌🏻

[Nick (MyFantasyReview) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would love to see more of this character. Loved this short story.

Jack gives me major Harry Dresden vibes and that is a huge compliment.

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent and fun read. The characters and the world were wonderfully written.

[Tracey King · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you, John Franz, for gifting me a copy of your book! “Junkie Jack” is a quick read that is over too soon! Jack, a PI and functioning heroin addict, navigates a city where reality bends under the weight of a chained demon looming over the skyline. The premise alone is captivating, but it’s the execution - chaotic and strangely poetic - that makes this surreal novel stand out. For fans of the dark and twisted, you’ll want to grab a copy of this sci-fi/fantasy/horror book that is a pulsing symphony of chaos and hypnotic storytelling.

[Sarah Leis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely enjoyed the fascinating and complex enigma that was Junkie Jack. It's an interesting mix of weird, sort of eldritch horror and pulp noir. It definitely feels like you are in the middle of a bizarre, otherworldly acid trip at times.

Jack is an intriguing character, and the odd, cosmically shifted world he inhabits is also quite captivating, so I would be very eager to hear more about both.

If you are into surreal, 50s type detective stories with a cosmic horror feel, then I highly recommend giving this a read. 4.5⭐️