Jackpot

by David Bernstein

What if a serial killer won the lotto?

Booker has been playing the Powerball for years, randomly picking victims off the street and using their ages as his lucky numbers, carving the digits into their heads. He has come up empty time and time again. But tonight?

He feels lucky.

And when the ping pong balls are drawn, Booker realizes he is over $200,000,000 richer.

But a serial killer winning the lottery isn’t all it’s cracked up to be as Booker soon learns he’s become the one with the target on his back- from a scumbag, ambulance-chasing lawyer to a group of backwoods inbreds who believe the money is right-fully theirs.

With the hunter becoming the hunted, Booker must use his skills as a killer to outkill and outwit all who come between him and his winnings.

From David Bernstein, Adam Cesare, Shane McKenzie, and Kristopher Rufty.

Genres: Horror

143 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 23, 2014

Reviews

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

BE ADVISED: THIS BOOK CONTAINS EXTREME GORE AND GRAPHIC SITUATIONS

If you are sensitive to these type of books, then you will not want to read this book. For you hard core extreme gore lovers, then you will enjoy this one!

What to say about this book besides the warning above. For some reason I did really like this book as it makes you wonder what happens when the bad guy wins the lottery. Actually I never thought about it before as sometimes you just do not think about those things. Serial killers playing the lottery and maybe winning the big one. What would they do with their winnings if they did win? Well they would really go on a killing spree as then they would be able to buy anything they wanted to continue their murderous ways.

With that being said, let us get right to this story.

Booker a/k/a serial killer has been playing the lottery for a long time at the same store. He always has high hopes that each week he will hit as he has his own system of what numbers he thinks will be the right ones. When he finally does hit the "big one" he just goes on a spending spree and buys all kinds of torture tools as part of his house has been turned into a torture chamber. Did I mention that he has victims already placed in his house? No, well he has them strung up so that he can "play" with them whenever he wants.

What Booker doesn't expect is having people come across his path after his big win. A lawyer shows up wanting to help him invest his money, but not because he is looking out for Booker's best interests, but to swindle him out of his winnings. There is also a detective involved that is investigating the killings around town, but he has his own agenda and he is just wanting to have a good time.

But what happens when you have a family of serial killers that are also wanting the money? This is where the story really went into high gear as when they appeared on the scene, this book just took off. Backwoods family that live in the area wants not only a slice of the pie, but the whole enchilada! They want Booker's money and they will do ANYTHING to acquire it. So you want to know what happens? No spoilers here as you will just have to read the book!

I wasn't really expecting this book to be so extreme until I got into it. Interesting enough, I really didn't read the reviews of the book as I have had this book on my kindle for a couple of years. I was just looking for a quick read and I have read books by David Bernstein before so I knew I wouldn't be disappointed. But three other authors collaborated on this book which would explain the gore fest that took place within these pages.

This book has very extreme situations and not for the faint of heart. You will read about things that will send your heart racing, hands clenching as you hold the book and/or kindle tight within your hands, swallowing might be a problem as your throat will go dry, and your eyes will work their way up into your forehead as you become engrossed in reading all the gore flying left and right!

Now with all that being said. let me tell you why I didn't round this book up to five stars as normally that would be what I would do for a gore infested ride into horror.

A couple of things didn't make sense to me. The first thing: The detective came into the story, but the authors never fully developed him as he makes his appearance and then he also becomes a kidnapped victim of the family of serial killers. He never is actually part of the main storyline. He is just dangling out there off to the side. The second thing: the book ends weird as it just drops off like maybe there will be a sequel. Other than that I am giving this book four stars for a hellish gore ride!

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

What happens when a sadistic serial killer wins the lottery?

The possibilities are unimaginable! What's not to love about an extreme gore-fest of torture, mutilations, deceptions, and even bouts of ironic humor? This book had me captivated from the very start (and it WAS an extreme start!) I've read books written separately by these authors, but this combined effort was a fast-paced, reckless read that I "almost" feel guilty for liking so much.

If you like graphic situations combined with dark humor, I highly recommend you check this book out. If you're a reader of a more sensitive nature, steer clear!

Recommended to those with extreme tastes in horror.

[Karl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Four authors combine their talents to produce one heck of a blood and gore fest with their tongues firmly pushed against their cheeks.

Everybody wants to win the lottery. Not many folks have a plan. Psycho serial killer Booker has devised a plan on just how to predict the correct numbers, and he slices and dices his way to success. It's brutal (don't try this at home).

Every lottery winner also has their problems. In Booker's case his biggest problem is Winona Rollins, who was behind Booker in line at the Quicky Mart where he purchased the winning lottery ticket, her granddaughter, other members of Winona's family, including the family dog, who all believe the two hundred million should be theirs. Interestingly enough the whole family comprise a thrill kill cult.

Next we have Frank Lambrick, a money grubbing Lottery winner chaser of a lawyer. He cant wait to get his hooks into Booker in order to cheat him of his winnings.

Detective Eric Harper has been assigned to find the person or persons responsible for the brutal killings and dismemberment around town. However, he likes to spend his time cruising the local Walmart parking lot so he can pick up some "hot" sexy ladies.

What you get is an incredibly dark humored trip through the perils of becoming a lottery winner.

Caution is advised.

This Limited Edition Hardcover is limited to 95 copies, and is signed by David Bernstein, Shane Mckenzie, Adam Cesare, Kristopher Rufty. And there is a paperback and e-book version also available.

[exorcismemily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just want to say...HOLY FUCKING OPENING. Jackpot is one that will stick with me. I read it in one night & loved this weird book so much. This is a novella about a serial killer who wins the lottery in Texas. It's dark, amusing, and disturbing.

This one leans toward the splatterpunk side, so I would only pick it up if you're prepared for that. It's a nasty one, but such a fun story. Jackpot is creative, unique, and grim. I would love to read more if these authors collaborated again. Thank you so much to Sinister Grin for sending this!

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one from Bernstein, Cesare, McKenzie and Rufty. It is an extreme, fast, fun and bloody ride.

Booker won the lottery, hired a scumbag lawyer and is out to build himself a torture empire.

Me-Maw wants “her” money and she and her boys are going to go get it. May not be as easy as it sounds. Even for seasoned killers doing God’s work.

4.5+ Stars! Highly Recommended if you dig your good times dripping with gore.

Part of this reminded me of the Home Alone movie, but bloodier. Much, much bloodier. Bring on Jackpot 2!

[hotsake (André Troesch) · Rating 2 out of 5]

This had its moments but mostly this was just silly adolescent hogwash with a bullshit nonending.

[Mommacat · Rating 5 out of 5]

What happens when a serial killer wins a $200 million lottery? Get comfortable for a few hours and let extreme horror authors David Bernstein, Shane McKenzie, Adam Cesare and Kristopher Rufty take you on the thrill ride of your life.

Booker has figured out a system for picking his lottery numbers and he's sure that this week he's going to win. He can feel it. And sure enough, he's right! What will he do with his money? Go straight? Enjoy himself? So many choices...

This is extreme horror by four of dark fictionr's finest young writers. There are graphic sexual scenes as well. This is not for the squeamish. But, it's more fun than intense, so sit down, open the book, shut up and have fun reading JACKPOT!

[Horror Underground · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most Americans fantasize about wining the lottery. How would they spend the money? Which boss would they tell to kiss their ass? It is a fun thing to do, especially when the the jackpot climbs into the $100 million plus range. Most of us have thought about what we would do. But what happens when a serial killer wins the lottery? What happens when a serial killer hits a $200 million powerball jackpot?

Jackpot, seeks to answer this very question. Booker is a serial killer obsessed with winning the lotto…that is to say, he has a very specific way of playing and a very specific plan on how to spend the money. Booker’s victims are given numbers and…well, I don’t want to spoil it. Trust me, it is gruesome.

Booker winning the lotto is just the beginning of what came to be one of the most perfect horror tales I have read in a while. Author’s David Bernstein, Kristopher Rufty, Shane McKenzie, and Adam Cesare have splendidly crafted a pulse pounding story that is both vile and hilarious, oftentimes in the same paragraph.

The author’s tale really sticks out due to this book having no hero. The people in jeopardy are just as vile and depraved as the killer himself. As the plot twists and turns, you’ll lose sight of who you are rooting for. Yes, the writing is so good that you will lose sight of the fact that you are rooting for horrible people.

I want to go into further detail but the slightest plot description has the potential to give away too much. Just take my word, Jackpot is not to be missed. All of the authors on this book come with some heavy horror pedigree. I only hope that they can find a way to get a sequel made.

[Noigeloverlord · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to get ahold of an advance copy of this book. A brutal tale of twisted luck and twisted minds. Even though several writers wrote the book they all blend so well it's hard to tell who wrote what. A book that takes extreme to the line and bends the line but never breaks it. One of the top three books I have read this year.

[Nev Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

A copy of Jackpot was sent to Confessions of a Reviewer by the publishers, Sinister Grin Press, in exchange for an honest review. This is it.

Booker is a serial killer. He wants to win the lottery. He picks his numbers by randomly selecting victims, torturing them, and using their ages for his numbers. Tonight’s jackpot is over $200 million and he has just won it.

Enter Frank. He is a lowest of the low lawyer who wants a slice of the winnings. He intends to get his share by offering his services to Booker, or to be more exact, conning him and also expecting to play on the fact he thinks Booker is none too intelligent.

Enter Winona. This meek little old lady believes the money should be hers. She intends to get her hands on it by any means necessary, using her inbred family to help.

The hunter, Booker, has now become the hunted. Who will finally get their hands on the cash and at what cost?

Well now. Where do I start with this one? Definitely do not open this to read as you sit down to eat. What we have here is the definition of a gore fest. Torture on virtually every page. Blood on every page. Large amounts of blood I may add. Some of the subject matter in this story is probably at the very extreme of the spectrum of my tolerance levels. But do you know what? I “bloody” loved every bit of it!

The first thing that struck me about Jackpot is that although this is a collaboration from four different authors, you would never ever guess it. It is seamless. It is so well put together I challenge anyone other than the authors themselves to tell me who wrote which part. It all flows and fits together perfectly.

Next thing is the characters. Booker, the serial killer, is a horrible, vile individual. But, I challenge you again, this time not to like him. He’s just a harmless, slightly backward young man that wants to win the lottery. The fact he picks his numbers by torturing and killing people should be neither here nor there. Frank, the lawyer, is just as vile. All he wants is a slice of the money and will stop at nothing to get his hands on it. Winona is just a frail old lady that likes playing the lottery and eating ice cream. Or is she? Any other characters that play the minor roles fit like a glove in the rest of the story.

From the very first page, this story just takes off and doesn’t let up. It’s fast paced with little interludes to let you get your breath back. Only thing is these little interludes still include plenty of blood. There are three different angles to the story from the points of view of Booker, Frank and Winona. They all follow their own paths of destruction before all combining seamlessly for a finale that, if this was a movie, would include enough blood and guts to fill an Olympic size swimming pool.

Ever seen Rob Zombie’s House of 1000 Corpses? If you haven’t you really should. If you have seen it then the atmosphere and feel of Jackpot reminded me a lot of it. It has all the horror you would want in a horror novel but strikes me as being done in the same tongue in cheek way. If this is what the authors meant then they have done a damn good job of it.

To summarise: Blood. Horror. Chases. Vile characters, beautifully written that come together perfectly to make a perfect horror read in my opinion. This has definitely inspired me to read more from each of the four authors involved be it on their own or again as a collaboration. I would like to quote to you, the last three words that made me smile the most in a story with an abundance of its own dark humour:

“……….to be continued…….”

A very very easy 5 stars.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

An intense read that gives you all the grisly details. Seriously reconsider eating before, during, or after venturing into this story. Only two books have made me shudder from gore and torture; this is one of them. A crazy tale full of crazy people. If you think you can handle it, you will enjoy it. Each writer's style weaves together flawlessly. And yes, there will be more to come from Booker.

[Rodney · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the start, this pulled me in and never really left any of the awful details out. Violent, disturbing, and fast paced, perhaps the authors were attempting to one-up each other as they progressed from chapter to chapter. Regardless, the results were cohesive enough, making this a well rounded story, with plenty of gore and some dark humor to balance it.

[Douglas Castagna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was able to snag an advance copy of Jackpot, written by four horror writers, of which I was only familiar with two. That, and the premise of the book which was simply stated as: What if a serial killer won the lotto?, was enough for me to dive right into this short and violent tome. The writers, Bernstein, McKenzie, Cesare, and Rufty works seemlessly, all adding to the visceral pallatte of blood and gore and all sorts of violent acts. There is a sense of one-upmanship but not to the sense of over doing it and making it comical. Jackpot takes an interesting premise, adds a interesting insame serial killer protagonist, and then populates his world with equally vile and represhenible people. Oh, and there are a lot of victims as well who are dispatched in some very creative ways.

Jackpot is a love letter to splatterpunk fans who think the gorier the better. What makes this stand out above the others, those books that solely rely on shocks, is the fact that the underlying story is new and fresh. I hope to see more from this writing team in the future. And I intend on looking into the titles of the other two authors I was not familiar with previously. They have just earned a new fan.

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

What happens when a serial killer wins the lottery? The same thing that happens when you combine these four talents of modern horror and have them write a story. A pure blast of over the top balls out fun gorey mayhem.

[Justin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read it all in one sitting. This one was a fun, fast paced gore fest.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of fun from four of the best new writers of hardcore horror.Bizarre and gross and laugh out loud fun. This is one twisted tale. Highly recommended.

[Matthew Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read and reviewed two of these four authors, and I am very impressed with both. So when I heard they were combining their talents with two other horror writers to create a book, I knew instantly I had to check it out. I am not disappointed in the least, either; JACKPOT is a sadistically fun book that horror fans will be foaming at the mouth to finish. And if you’ve never heard of any of the four gentlemen above, this book alone will give you plenty of reasons to visit their work as individuals.

I was expecting to like JACKPOT, but I was totally unprepared for the ride it took me on. I would even go so far as to say the book blew me away. When it was finished, I sat for a moment with a grin on my face, replaying the last scenes in my head. This is definitely a book that haunts you long after its over.

JACKPOT is written well and flows quickly. It weighs in at 137 pages, so it’s not a lengthy story, but it doesn’t need to be. The authors convey A LOT in such a short number of pages. I read the book in just two sittings.

The characters are warped and believable, and they make the reader pray such people do not actually exist. I can’t really decide if I like the main character (Booker, the serial killer) or not, probably because saying I do would mean I’m a little off. But aren’t we all? Regardless of whether or not I actually like the guy, he is written well and is interesting enough to make you turn the pages.

I don’t want to give anything else away, because JACKPOT is a book you have to read to believe. It’s a hardcore, gut-wrenching shock to the senses, and I loved every minute of it. Horror fans and gore-hounds will love this book. I recommend it, but not if you have a weak stomach. It is available now in a variety of formats.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disgusting, filthy, reprehensible. These are just a few of the terms I would use to describe this novella. I mean them as compliments. I knocked off a star because it ends with "To be continued." Yech.

[Booked podcast · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hear the complete review on our website: http://www.bookedpodcast.com/2014/10/...

[Uptown Horror Reviews · Rating 2 out of 5]

Young serial killer Booker Walker wins the lottery and gets to live out his wildest, most demented, fucked up dreams. The only problem is that there's another psycopath out there who feels like they could put the money to better use. The two degenerates clash and we learn that even the most violent and criminally insane members of society fall victim to greed and envy if enough money is involved.

The book had an interesting concept, but for one - we dont really get to see the guy put the money to good use and live out all of his sick fantasies and second of all - the story was just boring for the most part. Nothing all that interesting or eventful happens and most of the book is just showing the reader how much the protagonist likes to make his victims suffer. I just didnt care at all....

Im giving this book 2 out of 5 stars ⭐⭐

For in-depth video reviews, please subscribe to my YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/c/UptownHorrorRev...

[RL Bailey · Rating 3 out of 5]

The core of this book is quit an original idea and this had a lot of promise. However, the brilliant payoff at the end got muffled by the overtop the gore leading up to it. Often times these collaborative books end up being a which author can come up with the grossest scenes and the book suffers for it. This one is pretty short with so many different scum bag characters, I found that the violence got too much focus.

[Rose 'I Have Too Many Books To Read And No More Room' Barrientos · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so messed up beyond belief. Concept was interesting, story was gory as hell...it's not for everyone. Be warned...this is a f*(ked up story.


That being said...I'm interested in a sequel if only to see how much more messed up it gets

[Vee · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book made me physically recoil

[Keelee James · Rating 3 out of 5]

I purchased a beautiful, signed hardcover edition of Jackpot from the Sinister Grin Press booth at Horror for the Holidays, an all-horror gift bazaar hosted by Blood Over Texas here in Austin once a year. When I asked the man minding the shop which of the books was his personal favorite, he protested that such a choice was like picking a favorite child, but still gave the nod to Jackpot in the end. With such a delightful premise as "What if a serial killer won the lottery?", I was happy to pick up a copy and support my local horror scene.

Now that I have read Jackpot, I have to admire the self-assuredness of that man in recommending this book to anyone he didn't have it on firm authority was a die-hard gore fiend. When I finished reading it, I closed the cover, and carefully tucked it away in my bag. I read it at work, and I could not risk accidentally leaving it behind in my library, where someone else might pick it up. I suspect there would be inquiries. The violence in this book is extreme, is what I'm saying. To a degree that would be almost comical if it weren't, in this reader's opinion, quite so vicious.

Jackpot positively assaults the reader with one crazed character and twisted torture scene after another. The smooth flow of the writing never betrays the shifting between the four authors, but there is a sneaking sense of one-upmanship as the story, utterly depraved from word one, builds and builds to its truly insane conclusion. As a fanatical horror fan I'm no shrinking violet when it comes to inventive methods of killing people, but some scenes in the climax of this book had my jaw dropping. Waaay over the top. Not that that's a bad thing!

Hyper-violence can certainly be entertaining, but it's very rarely scary, and this is no exception. You just keep watching to see what those zany psychopaths will come up with next. However, I like to have a character I can root for, and Booker is just kind of...bland. I did want him to succeed over his enemies, but only because they were actively unlikeable (and in comparison to him, that's saying something). It wasn't until the final scene with Frank, the ruthless lawyer, that I really started to warm to either of them. And then it was over! A perfect note to end on, I must admit, but it left me wanting more of that. Luckily, the brave bookseller at the booth assured me that a sequel was forthcoming.

[Kaisersoze · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sick, nasty, sadistic, twisted, and just plain wrong, Jackpot by four of the bigger up and comers within the horror genre is nevertheless an excellent read.

It starts out graphically and gets increasingly over-the-top as serial killer Booker wins the powerball and instantly becomes rich (and then some). Within days a sleazy lawyer is seeking to represent him, and soon thereafter Booker realises every one of his sick fantasies can be fulfilled by the money he has just won. If only he can keep it out of the hands of the family of murderers who have gotten a whiff of his windfall ...

Let me be clear. There is not a likable character within the pages of Jackpot. Virtually everyone is either a horrendous murderer or someone looking to take advantage of others. Of course, this is completely deliberate on behalf of Bernstein, Cesare, McKenzie, and Rufty. If their characters are all stains on the underside of humanity's shoe, then the reader won't mind too much when terrible things befall them. In fact, they might just be hoping for said terrible things to occur.

The writing here is quality. I could not distinguish one chapter from another in terms of which author wrote it, meaning the editing is either top notch, or the four gentlemen deliberately emulated each other as closely as possible. Either way, it works.

Here's to a return to the world of Jackpot in the not too distant future, or at the very least, these four writers sharing their combined talents again soon.

4 Numbers Carved in Flesh for Jackpot.

[Kathy Jenkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting concept. I think the amount of gore was a little over the top and that's saying something coming from me - I rather enjoy the gore - but I did enjoy this book. I just kind of wanted a little more out of it. I don't want to spoil anything, so it will suffice to say, it's worth the read.

[David Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vile, Gruesome, Shameless!
Not a single likable character!
A mix of Saw, Tarantino / Leonard, Silence of the Lambs and...I don't know what.

Read it in one sitting then threw my Kindle on the floor "No! Bad Kindle!"

Okay I liked it, I knocked one star off the rating cos Booker was not quite right / consistent

[Shawn O'Brien · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightfully demented and so much fun! Gorehounds rejoice and bask in it's glory!

[Tim Potter · Rating 3 out of 5]

It has some great moments, but overall JACKPOT doesn't live up to the abilities of each of its authors.

[Dixie · Rating 5 out of 5]

what a fresh concept! amazing story. David has done it again. Awesome read. Keep them coming