Punch

by J.R. Park

It’s carnival night in the seaside town of Stanswick Sands and tonight blood will stain the beach red.

Punch and Judy man, Martin Powell, returns after ten years with a dark secret. As his past is revealed Martin must face the anger of the hostile townsfolk, pushing him to the very edge of sanity.
Humiliated and stripped of everything he holds dear, Martin embarks on a campaign of murderous revenge, seeking to settle scores both old and new.

The police force of this once sleepy town can’t react quick enough as they watch the body count grow at the hands of a costumed killer.

Can they do enough to halt the malicious mayhem of the twisted Punch?

Genres: Horror

210 pages, Paperback

First published November 15, 2014

About the author

J. R. Park is a writer of Horror Fiction based in Bristol, UK.

Regularly citing Guy N Smith as an influence and inspiration, it was an interview with the said author in Darkside Magazine that was the catalyst for Park to begin his career in literature.

He writes his books as if they were video nasties beamed straight from the golden era of exploitation cinema.

Reviews

[Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was awesome!



I actually felt super bad for Mr. Punch and the blood and gore rained down on this town was well deserved!



Warnings Graphics scenes of man rape and gore of course

I read this on kindle unlimited US

Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾

[Peter Topside · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was really looking forward to this book. The premise sounded fantastic, and the author came highly recommended. The tone and concept for the story is comparable to Dee Snider’s Strangeland, which was super creepy. However, the story jumped right in, without giving adequate depth or background to Martin. That was all saved for the very end, which was far too late, as I needed all that earlier to have some kind of vested interest in this troubled main character. This would have also made the town seem more sensible and justified in their ugly behaviors towards him, too. And it took the story quite a while to find its footing, making the beginning seem very slow and long-winded, while the ending portion was like warp speed. So the pacing was off throughout. But Martin was a good character with a simple enough set of motivations and background to go berserk. Mr Punch is a great alter ego, and made me reminiscent of the dynamic of one of my favorite Batman villains, in The Ventriloquist. There were a lot of good things here, but there was an equal amount that contradicted all that. I agree with some of the other reviews that this could have benefited from further editing to really make it shine.

[John The Crippledgimp · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off J.R. Park is a awesome writer \storyteller and if you haven't checked him out yet you definitely should. Punch definitely lives up to its name. This story is just a brutal story of a innocent man just pushed to the limit And has everything taken from him until he just fucking snaps. It's like that movie Falling Down meets Walking Tall. Just the ultimate revenge \ vigilante justice served up Louisville Slugger style. This was a fun and bad ass read.

[Jon Von · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you want to read a book about an innocent Punch & Judy man who is broken down by society and goes on a baseball bat rampage, then boy howdy are you in the right place!

[Nev Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I was surprised at how this story was going after reading Mr Park’s efforts in Upon Waking. It was reading as a totally different style altogether until the turning point in the story."

See here for the full review:

Punch

[Sea Caummisar · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a perfect example of how far a human being can be pushed until they break. You can take the nicest person in the world, but if you drag them through enough mud, they're going to snap.
I loved the main character so much that I got mad at how he had been treated.
When he lost the plot and got revenge, I was cheering for him.
PS> a side note. I had no clue what a Judy and Punch man was before this story. Don't let that deter you from enjoying a great story. Also, that cover? I love it bunches

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked Punch for my first read of 2017 mainly because I loved the cover and had been wanting to read it since I seen it. On top of that I do love a sea side story. I grew up going trips to little caravan parks in sea side towns with my mum and my gran and often these tales bring back fond memories, even if they are horror stories. Punch was no exception. J.R. Park's descriptions of the ageing town are excellent and there is lots of little details along the way to make you feel like you know the setting personally. On top of that the film reads like a movie. I could picture every scene and felt like I was watching a slasher flick from the 80s. Once the book kicked in that is. The first half of the book is the set up and I love the back story and characters as well. I can't recommend this book highly enough and I'll be picking something else up from Mr Park now.

[Duncan Bradshaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Punch, J.R. Park's follow up is another solid novella. The first half of the book creates a wonderful empathy with Martin Powell, who is trying to give his old town a second chance after a particularly nasty event. However, the past catches up with him, and the second half of the book is a whirlwind of a crushing breakdown and a psychotic vengeful rebirth.

By the end, you're not sure who can survive the evil machinations of Punch and even if they do, will there be anything left untouched by one night of madness?

[Daniel Chant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fans of classic slashers and exploitation would do well to pick up a copy of this book. A rousing combo of parental angst and seething evil - Punch is a tip of the hat to the genre while being a great spin on the post-modern serial killer.

Punch embraces it's genre with sincerity. You'd be wise to do the same. Don't miss out.

[Benjamin Langley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brutal. One of the hardest thing to do when writing is to create sympathy for a character who does awful things. Punch manages to do that. The first part of the novel tells the story of one man's return to his former home, and we begin to suspect that he may not be made wholly welcome there. His persecution at the hands of the seaside town's residents is understandable to some, but then when we come to understand the injustice of the situation, we can follow the character through to the end when things become particularly intense.
I read this in a couple of sittings. I was so eager to read more throughout. Park writes the action scenes well, bringing them all to gory life. Very good.

[Keith Chawgo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent intriguing read

J R Parks is one of the new faces in horror who looks outside of the box and produces extraordinary work with no easy answers. With perfectly well drawn characters with each perfectly described to form well defined pawns in his plot game.

Punch is an excellent case and like his outstanding Upon Waking, he does not pursue easy answers. Dealing with a tough topic of a small town and the history of one of its once well loved citizens returns home to start again, he delves into the story with the soft lilt of a master. As the story gravitated towards towards its conclusion, his world unravels at a quick rate creating a world where small kindness takes over in the small community.

Parks is heading towards an outstanding career which is definitely one to watch. Punch is a work to be cherished by any horror writer. This a start of a new masters work in his new horrific new canon that is developing. Highly recommended.

[Ash Hartwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This tale of lies, deceit and revenge could take place in any of Britain's old seaside towns. A terrible lie told a decade before destroys Martin's life and after an unsuccessful attempt to forgive and forget he takes revenge on those that perpetrated that lie. Punch packs a punch that will leave the reader reeling. When it comes to telling a story, JR Park knows 'that's the way to do it!'

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, my god. I am gutted....
Just.... gutted from J.R. Park's strikingly realistic, dramatically powerful portrayal of a good and honest man pushed and pulled (head first) over the brink of his sanity.
Martin Powell is a broken man, his hopes and dreams cruelly crushed years ago, 10 years ago to be exact, he's been 'away' for 10 long gruelling torturous years, away from his home in the idyllic seaside town of Stanwick Sands where he ran the popular Punch and Judy show.
He loved children, he loved performing, he loved life, he was a great puppeteer and his booth was a show stopping spectacle with the kiddos, and adults.
With flashback pieces peppered throughout, you quickly get up to speed on the where's, how's, and why's regarding our Mr. Powell and his going-ons of the past decade.

Now, back in town simply to get his affairs in order, mainly fix up his old house so he can sell it and move on with his damaged destitute life, elsewhere.
Well, 'simple' doesn't take too kindly to him, once the townsfolk pick up on his scent.
Even the paper runs a frontpage 'announcement'.
Small town close knit communities really can be a fickle rabid bitch and he's met with a hateful vigor.
Buuuut, he's trying his damnedest to not let it bother him, the carnival is in town that week and he's feeling all nostalgic, plus, he's met himself a gal. She really fancies him and he's really feeeling good for the first time in ages.
Sadly, the bothers get beyond bothersome, they get downright violent, which breeds more violence.
Ya know, even the most pleasant, sweet natured, and forgiving man has his limits, you can only bend, twist, and wretch someone so much, before an inevitable snap into a dozen schizophrenic pieces befalls.

So now, a little revival is in show stopping store for the residents of Stanwick Sands.
YEP, Mr. Powell is gonna host his own happy reunion welcome back party. The Punch and Judy show is baaaack, with a few new puppeteer characters.
Gotta keep up with the times and give the public what they want, what they deserve....

OH man, does this gets brutal in the 2nd half!!

You will flat out loathe quite a few of these characters but never Martin, even after all the eye popping (gouging) and stomach turning (...disemboweling) atrocious acts he 'performs', you still can't find fault in him. Especially when it comes to a couple horrid young women....prissy little twunts.

They've taken everything from him; his years, his life, his entire livelihood, including his spirit and now finally, his sanity.
You care and feel for him. Aaand then you hoop, rally, and cheer him on in this little purging punitive comeuppance exhibition of his.
I felt so dirty, yet it was quite cleansing.

This book affected me deeply, I can't shake it off, I'm trying but the whiplash is affecting me more. Oh it just made me sick, all the juvenile injustices, so unfair....just tragic. Made my blood boil!
I felt like I was right there going through all that with Martin.
The cringing, the crying, and of course, the gagging...yea, I went a bit batshit over this suckerPunch of a book. And it was actually uncomfortable to read at times, I had to take little breaks.
That's ALL due to Mr. Park's amazingly captivating, all consuming (all inclusive) writing style.
It's totally absorbing, you just get soaked right into it....through it...
Whisked away into this cathartic retributive tale in this coastal town as if it's a virtual reality feature playing on the 4D screen. Could even smell the salty air.
I actually read in the acknowledgments that this was originally written as a script for a movie!?
Make that happen Mr. Park!!
Bryan Cranston would make for a perfect lead, a little older but considering what the character has gone through, premature aging would fit well.
OR, if you insist on a British bloke, I vote Gary Oldman. Oh Yeah!

I simply cannot believe this book is not more popular, come on people, what's the deal ~ READ IT, live in it, dream in it. So what if you get a vivid nightmare or two....
No seriously, if you want an incredibly well written and deeply profound, plus yucky gross book ~ THEN THIS IS IT!! :D
I LOVE it when a book (i.e. phenomenal author) has the power to suck, errr..soak you in like this.
Definitely (and defiantly) one of my favorite recent reads and I read bunches.
Creepy as hell cover too.

Terror Byte shall be my next read from him, about a killer computer program....it might be a tad bit over my head because I am a self professed (ok, majority professed) cyber-tard but hey, I may learn a thing or two. Possible don't gotta be plausible...right???..... :/ Lol

[Thomas Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. As far as horror stories about slashers go, this is perfect. Quiet, unassuming Martin is heading home to the seaside attraction town of Stanswick Sands. He meets a woman and child on the bus, heading there for their holiday, and they warm to the nice man who speaks so enthusiastically about his home town. He bumps into a lone woman and she is drawn to his charm. Everything seems to be going great for the former puppeteer. Until the truth about the last ten years becomes clear, and the ugly side of this seaside town comes to the fore. And, in so doing, it creates an iconic horror monster.
If this had been written in the 70s or 80s, we'd be talking about Mr Punch in the same breath as Michael Myers and Jason. Mr Punch masks would be sold alongside those mangled Shatner masks and Ghostface from the Scream franchise. And, despite not being released alongside those horror luminaries, this really ought to be considered just as cinematic. I recently heard that the story had been optioned for a movie adaptation and I reckon the story is perfect for the big screen. But I don't want it to stop there; I firmly believe this could be the beginning of a UK horror franchise to rival anything America has produced.

[Syon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book by J R Park that I have read, and I was not disappointed. “Punch” manages to be extremely brutal and disturbing in its content, while also having more literary merit than a lot of other books I have read in the revenge/hardcore horror genre. Park has a very poetic writing style, and an uncanny ability to continuously work in gorgeous metaphors and vivid imagery without interrupting the flow of the story in the slightest. His pacing was fabulous, and really added to the overall impact the story had when it came to the fate of certain characters. I had the pleasure of listening to the Audible version, and was thoroughly impressed by James Deverell’s top notch narration. This is a twisted love letter to the genre of hardcore horror and fans of dark literature. I highly recommend it.

[Lydian Faust · Rating 5 out of 5]

**Slightest of spoilers**

I don't think I've ever felt so bad for a murderous psychopath! This is the story of Martin, a showman, a "Punch and Judy" puppeteer who spends his days lovingly entertaining children until he is convicted of a heinous crime. Upon his release from prison, he returns to his seaside town, hopeful for a chance at a new life, but is dismayed by the reception he receives from the townsfolk. I love that Park keeps us in suspense about the exact nature of Martin's crime. I felt ambiguity towards both the killer and his victims- I reveled in the shades of grey. I wish I could've gotten a bit more insight into the exact moment of Martin's psychotic break and his personal history.

[Nat · Rating 4 out of 5]

An unusually good indie horror! A quick read but an involving one where the first half is a character study and the second half is pure slasher. The author creates a wonderfully dilapitated seaside town atmosphere and the main character is very well drawn but some of the lesser characters are a bit one dimentional. Overall i really enjoyed this and will be trying out more of this authors work.

[Craig Detheridge · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was quite an enjoyable read overall, although I do think that the author lost his way a little.
Would have got a slightly higher rating if it had been more closely proof-read.

[Jacob B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really fun.

[Sam Ray · Rating 3 out of 5]

An all too rare truly pulpy, classic horror ride. I LOVE these kinds of stories, and Park's execution here is fantastic. This story knows what it is and doesn't hide it, and god damn do I respect that. Even the design of the book fits perfectly for what it is; capturing the creepiness of Mr. Punch and weaving a sense of unease through the entire reading experience.

I would love to give this book 4 stars, and I have very little in the way of criticism for the writing and design, but I have only 1 major gripe that makes me drop a whole star. The blurb on the back spoils about 80% of the novel, and I might not have seen the ending coming if I had gone in more blind.

Thank you Mr Park and the awesome folk at Sinister Horror Company for providing me a signed copy. It will have a treasured place in my horror collection for the rest of my life.

[Chad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really great read. I've kind of had my fill with clowns as of late so I wasn't sure how I would like this one. Thankfully this is further proof that it's all in the execution. Park has crafted a great story here. The main character is interesting and dynamic and his descriptions are fantastic. Top rate prose really makes this story.

I had one very minor complaint and that was that the main character has a crucial, transformative moment about halfway through. It's the kind of moment that is what pitches the story towards the end. I kind of wished that moment could have been hashed out a little bit longer so as to really demonstrate his mindset.

Like I said though, minor. This doesn't affect my rating or enjoyment of the book. Really entertaining.