What do you think?
Rate this book
Jezebel
Book by Kessler, Gordon A.
- GenresHorror
388 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2001
8 people are currently reading
128 people want to read
About the author
Gordon A. Kessler
20 books10 followersI am a fulltime thriller novelist, living in the Kansas City metro area with my golden retriever, Jazzy Brass. I’ve taught novel-writing for several community colleges, worked over twenty years for the BNSF Railway, and I am a former US Marine Recon Scout, Super Squad team leader, parachutist, marksmanship coach and troop handler. I enjoys SCUBA, sailing, snow skiing and being with my kids and grandkids.
My first novel, Jezebel, landed a contract with a large publisher back in 1992. But nearly three years later, on the week they were supposed to make a 10,000-book print run, the publisher went bankrupt.
Since then, I’ve contracted with a couple of big name New York agents, have turned down a small publishing contract, had a verbal deal fall through before the written contract was made, and have had numerous manuscripts passed around the tables at the big NYC publishing houses. A senior editor from one of the largest publishers in the world has even emailed me asking “what are you working on, now?”
With the connections I’ve made, you’d think I’d stick with traditional publishing, wouldn’t you? I’m not that smart! Besides, I’m having a blast writing eBook thrillers—more fun than I’ve ever had in my life.
I currently have three thriller novels in both paper and eBook: Jezebel, Dead Reckoning and Brainstorm. All three of these are between 110,000 and 125,000 words long–typical, big thriller books.
My latest men’s action adventure novels are a part of ”The E Z Knight Reports” series. These books are a departure from the big thriller books I’ve focused on in the past. They consist of episodic yet standalone stories in the 50,000 word range with a number of recurring characters. They’re fast, fun reads; gritty, sexy, irreverent and sometimes humorous–with a modern-day, ramped up “The Rockford Files”/”Magnum PI” feel. But they’re also poignant looks at the darker side of life, crime and the human condition.
I’ve also published two short story eBooks: a humorous piece called “Toothpick for Two” and a nostalgic romance called “Jack Knight” (unrelated to the E Z Knight series). Please check them out.
Aside from my fiction, I’ve written a book specifically for novelists, Novel Writing Made Simple. It’s a great primer for beginners and an excellent refresher for the experienced wordsmith.
I am a founder and current president of the Kansas Writers Association, a sixteen-year-old organization of some very special people. Last year, I started a group to help support independent authors called the Indie Writers Alliance—another group of great people.
Life is great!
My first novel, Jezebel, landed a contract with a large publisher back in 1992. But nearly three years later, on the week they were supposed to make a 10,000-book print run, the publisher went bankrupt.
Since then, I’ve contracted with a couple of big name New York agents, have turned down a small publishing contract, had a verbal deal fall through before the written contract was made, and have had numerous manuscripts passed around the tables at the big NYC publishing houses. A senior editor from one of the largest publishers in the world has even emailed me asking “what are you working on, now?”
With the connections I’ve made, you’d think I’d stick with traditional publishing, wouldn’t you? I’m not that smart! Besides, I’m having a blast writing eBook thrillers—more fun than I’ve ever had in my life.
I currently have three thriller novels in both paper and eBook: Jezebel, Dead Reckoning and Brainstorm. All three of these are between 110,000 and 125,000 words long–typical, big thriller books.
My latest men’s action adventure novels are a part of ”The E Z Knight Reports” series. These books are a departure from the big thriller books I’ve focused on in the past. They consist of episodic yet standalone stories in the 50,000 word range with a number of recurring characters. They’re fast, fun reads; gritty, sexy, irreverent and sometimes humorous–with a modern-day, ramped up “The Rockford Files”/”Magnum PI” feel. But they’re also poignant looks at the darker side of life, crime and the human condition.
I’ve also published two short story eBooks: a humorous piece called “Toothpick for Two” and a nostalgic romance called “Jack Knight” (unrelated to the E Z Knight series). Please check them out.
Aside from my fiction, I’ve written a book specifically for novelists, Novel Writing Made Simple. It’s a great primer for beginners and an excellent refresher for the experienced wordsmith.
I am a founder and current president of the Kansas Writers Association, a sixteen-year-old organization of some very special people. Last year, I started a group to help support independent authors called the Indie Writers Alliance—another group of great people.
Life is great!
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
January 31, 2020
I knew we would have a devil dog, but I never saw the savagery and resulting chaos right out of the gate, every sentence oozing with foreboding, making me anticipate the next attack from around the corner of the house, behind the opening door, down the cellar steps and all I could think of when I was done…What about the critter lying beside you at night while you sleep…
To see more visit fundinmental
To see more visit fundinmental
January 30, 2016
This could give you nightmares!
It's scary to think that this could really happen! I'm an animal lover, so this story really creeped me out!
It's scary to think that this could really happen! I'm an animal lover, so this story really creeped me out!
October 24, 2011
Several dogs start turning on strangers and their owners alike while a Bible-thumping madman is leaving his mark all across town. Called to investigate alongside local police is animal control officer Tony Parker, put on the case after several vicious mauling incidents show evidence of human involvement. He works with his assistant Sarah Hill to help search for the cause before the growing group of roaming, murderous dogs claims even more victims. A rabies outbreak appears to be responsible at first, and yet the dogs are seemingly becoming increasingly organized and timed in their attacks. . . .
Jezebel is a fast-paced thriller that calls to mind Dean Koontz’s brainwasher thriller Night Chills and Stephen King’s rabid horror Cujo. I thought the story was well organized, albeit very notably action-packed. The different turns are delightful and the level of gore is a nice compromise between tasteful and horrific. The characters reflect a good level of development and the protagonist is likeable and believable. The short chapter written in Jezebel’s point of view is interesting and well placed, and I thought the final twist at the end was very good, although I found the repetitive language referring to that twist to be a little distracting. With that said, I recommend Jezebel to fans of contemporary horrors and thrillers who enjoy a lot of action in their books.
Jezebel is a fast-paced thriller that calls to mind Dean Koontz’s brainwasher thriller Night Chills and Stephen King’s rabid horror Cujo. I thought the story was well organized, albeit very notably action-packed. The different turns are delightful and the level of gore is a nice compromise between tasteful and horrific. The characters reflect a good level of development and the protagonist is likeable and believable. The short chapter written in Jezebel’s point of view is interesting and well placed, and I thought the final twist at the end was very good, although I found the repetitive language referring to that twist to be a little distracting. With that said, I recommend Jezebel to fans of contemporary horrors and thrillers who enjoy a lot of action in their books.
December 26, 2012
Okay, I really like books that deal with animals going kinda crazy. Especially ones involving animals that actually exist from your everyday dog to sharks. This book fit right in with that and provided me with a very interesting read.
One thing that I find important in any book like this is to have a reason revealed for why the animals are acting the way they are. I don't care if the reason is a sickness, electromagnetic waves, etc. That is what I found so good about this book. Nope! I am not revealing the reason.
Basically, the book starts with a dalmatian attacking the firefighters it works with. From there the attacks start coming one right after the other. Jezebel is the first dog to attack her owner and she becomes a kinda boogeyman to everyone in the town when she is not captured right away. The rest of the book deals with other dogs attacking and the humans trying to figure out the cause for these attacks.
Now, I have skipped a ton of plot because I don't want to give any important parts of it away also. I can say that at the end of the book, I wasn't mad at the dogs. Yes, they were monsters. I just felt bad for them. You'll know why if you read.
One thing that I find important in any book like this is to have a reason revealed for why the animals are acting the way they are. I don't care if the reason is a sickness, electromagnetic waves, etc. That is what I found so good about this book. Nope! I am not revealing the reason.
Basically, the book starts with a dalmatian attacking the firefighters it works with. From there the attacks start coming one right after the other. Jezebel is the first dog to attack her owner and she becomes a kinda boogeyman to everyone in the town when she is not captured right away. The rest of the book deals with other dogs attacking and the humans trying to figure out the cause for these attacks.
Now, I have skipped a ton of plot because I don't want to give any important parts of it away also. I can say that at the end of the book, I wasn't mad at the dogs. Yes, they were monsters. I just felt bad for them. You'll know why if you read.
March 11, 2015
During the time typically referred to as the 'dog days' of summer, Animal Control Director Tony Parker and his assistant, the beautiful and seductive Sarah Hill, witness the strangest phenomenon they have ever seen in their careers. For some inexplicable reason, large dogs are turning on their owners and savagely attacking them. And it seems that with each attack, Tony Parker is being taunted by an unseen madman. He must discover a reason for all this insanity, and fast, because these murderous attacks have to stop.
Meanwhile, Jezebel, a gigantic black Great Dane has killed her master and is on the loose, terrorizing the city and stalking Tony and his family. So, it falls to Tony and Sarah to unravel this mystery and somehow put an end to all this carnage. Jezebel's reign of terror must be stopped at all costs; in fact, it has become imperative.
Because, you see, there is one other complication: Tony seems to have come down with an annoying little virus. No, it's not one of those irritating summer colds. It means certain death. Sleep lightly tonight, America, if you can...Jezebel is on the loose! She's a murderess, huge and black as a Hell-bound night, so you had better beware...
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book - it was well-written and the plot was well-developed and fast-paced. The characters were sympathetically drawn and I really felt for them in their various troubled situations. I must say that even though they were vicious, bloodthirsty killers, I couldn't help feeling tremendously sorry for the dogs.
I just kept remembering back to watching the movie Cujo when I was about thirteen. Despite all the horrible mauling Cujo did, I still felt horribly sorry for the dog on some level. I would give this book a definite A! I'll certainly keep my eyes open for more books by Gordon A. Kessler to put on my Wish List.
Meanwhile, Jezebel, a gigantic black Great Dane has killed her master and is on the loose, terrorizing the city and stalking Tony and his family. So, it falls to Tony and Sarah to unravel this mystery and somehow put an end to all this carnage. Jezebel's reign of terror must be stopped at all costs; in fact, it has become imperative.
Because, you see, there is one other complication: Tony seems to have come down with an annoying little virus. No, it's not one of those irritating summer colds. It means certain death. Sleep lightly tonight, America, if you can...Jezebel is on the loose! She's a murderess, huge and black as a Hell-bound night, so you had better beware...
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book - it was well-written and the plot was well-developed and fast-paced. The characters were sympathetically drawn and I really felt for them in their various troubled situations. I must say that even though they were vicious, bloodthirsty killers, I couldn't help feeling tremendously sorry for the dogs.
I just kept remembering back to watching the movie Cujo when I was about thirteen. Despite all the horrible mauling Cujo did, I still felt horribly sorry for the dog on some level. I would give this book a definite A! I'll certainly keep my eyes open for more books by Gordon A. Kessler to put on my Wish List.
September 16, 2014
He figured he’d die of old age. Not with his throat in the mouth of his beloved Jezebel, his beautiful coal-black Great Dane.
Jezebel lover her master. Until she didn’t. And now she’s loose in the streets, in the dark.
Something is wrong with the dogs. They are turning on their masters, ripping and tearing, no trace of man’s best friend left in them.
We think we’ve tamed the long ago wolf that crawled out of the dark to share man’s fire. But it’s still in there, and now it’s at the fore. The sweet dog you cuddle with could rip off your face.
What could be the cause?
It’s up to Animal Control Officer Tony Parker to get to the bottom of it as more people are savaged and more die.
As a dog lover, I was worried about this story. I knew that the dogs would have to be stopped, that some would have to be destroyed, and that’s a bitter pill to swallow. But the author knew what he was doing. He put you right in the character’s shoes as they fought to survive. There could be no tender feelings, only kill or be killed.
And the animal control officer, Parker, was still humane, he still didn’t want to kill any dogs he didn’t have to.
The cause of all this was very interesting. You won’t be able to guess until the author gives you enough clues. It’s really quite creative and adds it own terror to the tale.
Imagine it. Every other house has at least one dog. We feed them, love them, trust them. What if they turned? What if that pet became a killing machine? And what if they travelled in packs? No one would be safe.
This book puts you there. There’s no mercy from the dogs. They will not stop. Many die. Add in a few sub plots and it gets disturbing on many levels. A tough story, written so you can handle it.
Jezebel lover her master. Until she didn’t. And now she’s loose in the streets, in the dark.
Something is wrong with the dogs. They are turning on their masters, ripping and tearing, no trace of man’s best friend left in them.
We think we’ve tamed the long ago wolf that crawled out of the dark to share man’s fire. But it’s still in there, and now it’s at the fore. The sweet dog you cuddle with could rip off your face.
What could be the cause?
It’s up to Animal Control Officer Tony Parker to get to the bottom of it as more people are savaged and more die.
As a dog lover, I was worried about this story. I knew that the dogs would have to be stopped, that some would have to be destroyed, and that’s a bitter pill to swallow. But the author knew what he was doing. He put you right in the character’s shoes as they fought to survive. There could be no tender feelings, only kill or be killed.
And the animal control officer, Parker, was still humane, he still didn’t want to kill any dogs he didn’t have to.
The cause of all this was very interesting. You won’t be able to guess until the author gives you enough clues. It’s really quite creative and adds it own terror to the tale.
Imagine it. Every other house has at least one dog. We feed them, love them, trust them. What if they turned? What if that pet became a killing machine? And what if they travelled in packs? No one would be safe.
This book puts you there. There’s no mercy from the dogs. They will not stop. Many die. Add in a few sub plots and it gets disturbing on many levels. A tough story, written so you can handle it.
May 30, 2015
The MC is an animal control officer, but his real job seems to be as an idiot. What the hell is he thinking?
Where did he train, the toilet store?
In other news, I love animals ( 'cept for baboons) but Cujo freaked me out when I was a kid, so I had braced myself for possible nightmares before I read this. Naaaah.
Not very frightening, but it was action-packed. Also I realized I was reading to see:
1. what would happen between his partner (what a homewrecker) and him
2. whether he would ever figure out what was going on
3. if it was possible I was wrong about what was wrong with him, and he would instead mutate into spider-dog (dog-man? Spider-Dog Man?)
It's not bad. The action scenes are good, and so is the storyline.
Guess this review is kind of mixed. The MC is sort of stupid, maybe more so than intended, but it kind of makes everything else happening more interesting so it's okay.
Yeah.
Read it.
August 3, 2015
Don’t let the 2001 publication date of Jezebel scare you (it was written even earlier in 1992.) However alarming you may find life with no cell phone, it’s not the really scary thing here. Animal Control Officer Tony Parker has serious trouble. Beloved family pets are unpredictably, and without provocation, turning on their owners. Most alarming, Jezebel, the first dog to “turn” is on the loose. It’s up Parker to find her, stop the emerging trend, protect his family…and keep his job.
Not a dog lover? Jezebel will confirm your suspicions. Dog lover? That’s OK too. You’ll read this with an eye on your best friend. I don’t typically read horror, yet found Jezabel intriguing, compelling, with a fascinating (even if far-fetched) premise. Not for the faint-of-heart, nor for those attracted to fine lit-ra-ture. But if you can suspend believe and ride a wave of tension, you’ll love Jezebel in the end.
Not a dog lover? Jezebel will confirm your suspicions. Dog lover? That’s OK too. You’ll read this with an eye on your best friend. I don’t typically read horror, yet found Jezabel intriguing, compelling, with a fascinating (even if far-fetched) premise. Not for the faint-of-heart, nor for those attracted to fine lit-ra-ture. But if you can suspend believe and ride a wave of tension, you’ll love Jezebel in the end.
August 26, 2014
A real thriller.
A real thriller.
Better than I expected. makes you stop and think--what if??. All in all I would like to see more books along this line. Of course I'm a big fan of nature fights back stories ,and God horror in general. This is a book worth reading
A real thriller.
Better than I expected. makes you stop and think--what if??. All in all I would like to see more books along this line. Of course I'm a big fan of nature fights back stories ,and God horror in general. This is a book worth reading
September 19, 2011
This book has some graphic scenes of dogs attacking people, but the story is compelling, and you can't stop reading until you find out what happens. It probably won't be what you think. Great atmosphere and suspense.
Read
January 2, 2014Relieved it ended the way it did. Good read. Descriptive style but not overdone.
Relieved it ended the way it did. Good read. Descriptive style but not overdone. learned a few things about rabies I didn't,t know.
Relieved it ended the way it did. Good read. Descriptive style but not overdone. learned a few things about rabies I didn't,t know.
September 20, 2011
Jezebel is exciting and scary all the way through. Gordon Kessler knows how to write!
June 6, 2016
Exceptional book
Enjoyed this book from beginning to the end. Jezebel is a must read for true horror fans like myself. Salute.
Enjoyed this book from beginning to the end. Jezebel is a must read for true horror fans like myself. Salute.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews