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Scapegoat
March 29, 1987... For metalheads Mike Rawson, Lonnie Deveroux, and Pork Chop, an RV road trip to Wrestlemania III becomes a one-way ticket to hell. While delivering an illegal shipment of counterfeit wrestling merchandise, an ill-fated shortcut through the Kentucky backwoods leads them to a teenaged girl carved head to toe in arcane symbols.
Soon our unlikely heroes are being hunted through the boonies by a cult of religious crazies who make the Westboro Baptists look like choirboys… a cult that will stop at nothing to get the girl back and complete a ritual that has held an ancient evil at bay for centuries…
Until now.
From Adam Howe, writer of Die Dog or Eat the Hatchet, and the winner of Stephen King's On Writing contest... and James Newman, acclaimed author of Odd Man Out and Animosity.
Soon our unlikely heroes are being hunted through the boonies by a cult of religious crazies who make the Westboro Baptists look like choirboys… a cult that will stop at nothing to get the girl back and complete a ritual that has held an ancient evil at bay for centuries…
Until now.
From Adam Howe, writer of Die Dog or Eat the Hatchet, and the winner of Stephen King's On Writing contest... and James Newman, acclaimed author of Odd Man Out and Animosity.
230 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 5, 2018
9 people are currently reading
380 people want to read
About the author
Adam Howe
26 books185 followersAdam Howe writes the twisted fiction your mother warned you about. A British writer of fiction and screenplays, he lives in London with his partner, their daughter, and a hellhound named Gino. Writing as Garrett Addams, his short story Jumper was chosen by Stephen King as the winner of the international On Writing contest, and published in the paperback/Kindle editions of King’s memoir. His fiction has appeared in Nightmare Magazine, Thuglit, Mythic Delirium, Year’s Best Hardcore Horror, and other places. He is the author of One Tough Bastard, Scapegoat (with James Newman), Tijuana Donkey Showdown, Die Dog or Eat the Hatchet, and Black Cat Mojo, and the editor of the Wrestle Maniacs anthology. In the pipeline: The Polack, a gritty 1930s noir co-written with Joseph Hirsch. Stalk him at Facebook, Goodreads, and Twitter @Adam_G_Howe.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
September 16, 2024
I was very hesitant in starting this book, despite loving my past experiences with both Adam Howe and James Newman. If you haven’t read either yet, I highly suggest Newman’s Odd Man Out and Howe’s One Tough Bastard. But I had an awful experience with a similar plot in Ryan Harding’s Pandemonium, and that jaded me a lot here. But I dove in and was pleasantly surprised. Both authors put their creative minds together and gave one helluva showing here. Tons of action and gore and creatures and all sorts of solid entertainment here. Going a bit deeper, the main cast of characters were all unique and had great backstories and arcs throughout. Lonnie was just a mess, but he had a good heart. His dialogue was the funniest by far. Now with the story’s plot revolving around a group of old friends taking a trip to Wrestemania in the late 80s, I loved how it wasn’t overkill with all the wrestling talk here. That was one if my biggest complaints with Pandemonium, even as a wrestling fan of almost 25 years now. Howe and Newman had lots of references throughout, but they were sparce and didn’t feel forced. The religious cult also gave me the heebie jeebies, but even each of its members and ‘the goat’ were all developed and used so well. The ending was not necessarily expected, but fit as an adequate finale to this adventure. This was just a blast of a book and I very highly recommend it. Yes folks, this is officially Topsider approved.
October 6, 2018
4.5 stars.
Okay, so I loved the heck outta this book.
It starts off when Mike Rawson decides to go to WrestleMania with his old buds Lonnie and Pork Chop. They show up in Lonnie's cool ride.
Then Mike finds out that Lonnie doesn't have those free 'rasslin tickets in hand but that he will get them after delivering some Hulkamania 'goods' at the event.
You kinda have to know if Pork Chop is dressed in a kilt with no underwear that things are not going to go smoothly for this group. They end up in the boonies and almost run over an escaped "goat."
The goat is a young woman with carvings all over her body. Who is being hunted by a group that MUST get her back.
This book was just what I wanted. I loved every single second of it.
I'm kinda friendly with one of the authors (Adam Howe) meaning I'll read anything the dude writes because even though he is English..he totally gets the redneck 'rassling loving part of my heart.
The other guy James Newman..I haven't read anything by YET. I will though because he may have just found a new stalker.
Okay, so I loved the heck outta this book.
It starts off when Mike Rawson decides to go to WrestleMania with his old buds Lonnie and Pork Chop. They show up in Lonnie's cool ride.
Then Mike finds out that Lonnie doesn't have those free 'rasslin tickets in hand but that he will get them after delivering some Hulkamania 'goods' at the event.
You kinda have to know if Pork Chop is dressed in a kilt with no underwear that things are not going to go smoothly for this group. They end up in the boonies and almost run over an escaped "goat."
The goat is a young woman with carvings all over her body. Who is being hunted by a group that MUST get her back.
This book was just what I wanted. I loved every single second of it.
I'm kinda friendly with one of the authors (Adam Howe) meaning I'll read anything the dude writes because even though he is English..he totally gets the redneck 'rassling loving part of my heart.
The other guy James Newman..I haven't read anything by YET. I will though because he may have just found a new stalker.
April 14, 2019
”A squeal of tires. The roar of an engine. A chugging guitar riff and pounding drums. And above it all: A high-pitched rebel yell, as if the Devil himself had a red-hot grip on the singer’s nuts, and was squeezing them like a stress ball.”
Before I introduce you to the three metalheads who are, for better or much worse, our gladiatorial heroes of this story, I need to report on something that has just come to my attention. You see the Devil, instead of going to Georgia like he does every humid, hot summer, actually is going to London. He has a very specific task. He is there to whisper something in the ear of James Newman while he is buying wine and cheese at the local shop. The Devil whispers two words to him:
“Adam Howe.”
He then punches James Newman in the forehead, for that is the best way for his demands to stick in the mind of a normal human being. Newman goes down in a heap. Wine bottles burst, and cheese floats in the red puddles like chunks of intestines. It is as if Bacchus himself has been split open on the shop floor. Newman rubs his forehead where three entwined red 6s are emerging. He runs out of the store, brushing away all the helping hands. His butt is soaked with wine, and cheese clings to the legs of his flapping corduroys.
And that is how this collaboration comes to be. They are doing the Devil’s work fine on their own, but Satan is an impatient fellow and thinks they’ll do better recruiting his minions if they work together.
Mike Rawson, Lonnie Deveroux, and Pork Chop are on a road trip to Wrestlemania III, which is scheduled to be held in the Silverdome. They are traveling there in Lonnie’s 1975 Vogue Villa Grande RV.
Along for the ride is Cyndi-from-the-Bar.
”Shock of bottle-blonde hair held stiffly in place by enough hairspray it probably punched its own hole through the ozone layer. Fashionably-ripped fishnet tights. Butt-hugging Daisy Duke shorts held up with suspenders, and a HULKAMANIA tube-top that looked so much better on her than Lonnie’s muscled shirt looked on him.”
Hey, if I was heading to a WWF match in 1987, Cyndi would be the perfect slutty accouterment to my shellacked Elvis hair, ripped AC/DC t-shirt, and motorcycle wreck battered leather jacket. Now, Lonnie thinks he is going to be performing all kinds of illicit sexual escapades with Cyndi-from-the-Bar because obviously she has the proper amount of self esteem issues that guys like Lonnie have to exploit to ever get laid. In 2018, Lonnie might have been a good recruit for Incel, the involuntary celibate group, although frankly, he is probably a rung or two higher than those guys on the social scale of sexual success. *shudder*
Now even though Mike is in a loving relationship back home, Cyndi is making his pecker have thoughts of conquest. Pork Chop is most of the way to oblivion from steadily sucking beer and Jack through the straws dangling from his beer infested helmet, but he does make some half hearted attempts to woo Cyndi with lame innuendos. So the RV is a cocktail of booze, desire, guilt, and envy, not to mention all the black market wrestlemania souvenirs that Lonnie plans to unload at the Silverdome.
It’s a devil’s brew...as planned.
When Lonnie hits the naked girl, who springs out of nowhere, with the front end of the Vogue Villa Grande, little does he know that he would be doing the world and the girl a favor if he’d splatter her all over creation. She has been tortured. Arcane symbols have been carved into her flesh along with the words of the deadly sins. As crap your pants and pee down both legs as that sounds, there is something more insidious that has been done to that poor girl. ”Something darker than blood, viscous and bubbling and stinking of rot, oozed from the symbols and words carved into her flesh. The words seemed to glow like molten lava in the lantern light.”
It is so obvious that something isn’t right that even Pork Chop in his inebriated state is starting to experience a cascade of creeping willies up and down his spine of impending doom. Those words carved into her flesh have real meaning and power...well as words should.
The wild card in all this, that our heroes are quickly made aware of, is the Bible thumping, gun humping Trinity Baptist Church membership is trying to get the girl back...before the world ends? WTF? ”God help us all if we fail to destroy what we’ve put inside her.” What the hell have these redneck, religious cult following, Kentucky backwoods, banjo playing, flagellating, squirrel hole screwing, inbred ingrates been up to?
Well, it all leads to something like this: ”Within seconds, they were soaked to the skin, gore slopping down their faces and arms like scarlet slime, their eyes shining wide through crimson masks.
The wind banshee-howled.
The blood-rain hissed on the road, churning to pink froth.”
This is not for the faint of heart, but do you really feel you can afford to ignore the fine work of the Devil? Do you think ignoring the hiss in your ear will just make him scurry back to Hell? I think the only way you can save Adam Howe and James Newman from eternal damnation is to go on this journey with them. You must get a ”loop of grey intestine stuck to your sneaker like an untied shoelace.” Who at the end of the day is going to yank these two brave writers back from the bowels of hell except a legion of readers who want them to write book two? Souls are at stake, and no one wants anyone ending up the Scapegoat.
If you wish to see more of my most recent book and movie reviews, visit http://www.jeffreykeeten.com
I also have a Facebook blogger page at:https://www.facebook.com/JeffreyKeeten
Before I introduce you to the three metalheads who are, for better or much worse, our gladiatorial heroes of this story, I need to report on something that has just come to my attention. You see the Devil, instead of going to Georgia like he does every humid, hot summer, actually is going to London. He has a very specific task. He is there to whisper something in the ear of James Newman while he is buying wine and cheese at the local shop. The Devil whispers two words to him:
“Adam Howe.”
He then punches James Newman in the forehead, for that is the best way for his demands to stick in the mind of a normal human being. Newman goes down in a heap. Wine bottles burst, and cheese floats in the red puddles like chunks of intestines. It is as if Bacchus himself has been split open on the shop floor. Newman rubs his forehead where three entwined red 6s are emerging. He runs out of the store, brushing away all the helping hands. His butt is soaked with wine, and cheese clings to the legs of his flapping corduroys.
And that is how this collaboration comes to be. They are doing the Devil’s work fine on their own, but Satan is an impatient fellow and thinks they’ll do better recruiting his minions if they work together.
Mike Rawson, Lonnie Deveroux, and Pork Chop are on a road trip to Wrestlemania III, which is scheduled to be held in the Silverdome. They are traveling there in Lonnie’s 1975 Vogue Villa Grande RV.
Along for the ride is Cyndi-from-the-Bar.
”Shock of bottle-blonde hair held stiffly in place by enough hairspray it probably punched its own hole through the ozone layer. Fashionably-ripped fishnet tights. Butt-hugging Daisy Duke shorts held up with suspenders, and a HULKAMANIA tube-top that looked so much better on her than Lonnie’s muscled shirt looked on him.”
Hey, if I was heading to a WWF match in 1987, Cyndi would be the perfect slutty accouterment to my shellacked Elvis hair, ripped AC/DC t-shirt, and motorcycle wreck battered leather jacket. Now, Lonnie thinks he is going to be performing all kinds of illicit sexual escapades with Cyndi-from-the-Bar because obviously she has the proper amount of self esteem issues that guys like Lonnie have to exploit to ever get laid. In 2018, Lonnie might have been a good recruit for Incel, the involuntary celibate group, although frankly, he is probably a rung or two higher than those guys on the social scale of sexual success. *shudder*
Now even though Mike is in a loving relationship back home, Cyndi is making his pecker have thoughts of conquest. Pork Chop is most of the way to oblivion from steadily sucking beer and Jack through the straws dangling from his beer infested helmet, but he does make some half hearted attempts to woo Cyndi with lame innuendos. So the RV is a cocktail of booze, desire, guilt, and envy, not to mention all the black market wrestlemania souvenirs that Lonnie plans to unload at the Silverdome.
It’s a devil’s brew...as planned.
When Lonnie hits the naked girl, who springs out of nowhere, with the front end of the Vogue Villa Grande, little does he know that he would be doing the world and the girl a favor if he’d splatter her all over creation. She has been tortured. Arcane symbols have been carved into her flesh along with the words of the deadly sins. As crap your pants and pee down both legs as that sounds, there is something more insidious that has been done to that poor girl. ”Something darker than blood, viscous and bubbling and stinking of rot, oozed from the symbols and words carved into her flesh. The words seemed to glow like molten lava in the lantern light.”
It is so obvious that something isn’t right that even Pork Chop in his inebriated state is starting to experience a cascade of creeping willies up and down his spine of impending doom. Those words carved into her flesh have real meaning and power...well as words should.
The wild card in all this, that our heroes are quickly made aware of, is the Bible thumping, gun humping Trinity Baptist Church membership is trying to get the girl back...before the world ends? WTF? ”God help us all if we fail to destroy what we’ve put inside her.” What the hell have these redneck, religious cult following, Kentucky backwoods, banjo playing, flagellating, squirrel hole screwing, inbred ingrates been up to?
Well, it all leads to something like this: ”Within seconds, they were soaked to the skin, gore slopping down their faces and arms like scarlet slime, their eyes shining wide through crimson masks.
The wind banshee-howled.
The blood-rain hissed on the road, churning to pink froth.”
This is not for the faint of heart, but do you really feel you can afford to ignore the fine work of the Devil? Do you think ignoring the hiss in your ear will just make him scurry back to Hell? I think the only way you can save Adam Howe and James Newman from eternal damnation is to go on this journey with them. You must get a ”loop of grey intestine stuck to your sneaker like an untied shoelace.” Who at the end of the day is going to yank these two brave writers back from the bowels of hell except a legion of readers who want them to write book two? Souls are at stake, and no one wants anyone ending up the Scapegoat.
If you wish to see more of my most recent book and movie reviews, visit http://www.jeffreykeeten.com
I also have a Facebook blogger page at:https://www.facebook.com/JeffreyKeeten
September 20, 2019
I finished this a few days ago and had to give myself some time to get back some perspective. These guys pissed me off!
I haven't read either author (though I have books by both on a wish list), but the reviews were so good I had to give it a go.
So, I apologize if my thoughts seem a bit unbalanced. Think of ME, MYSELF & IRENE - I'm going to try to write this as level-headed Charlie, but Hank may come out a little.
This story is about three guys and a girl on their way to Wrestlemania III, who takes a short cut, gets lost, run over somebody and run into a doomsday cult...you know, like these things do. They try to survive the rest of the night, but some will fall...
Here goes:
The story starts off well, and you get that WRONG TURN feel fairly early in the story. The pacing is good and action keeps coming, moving the story along at a brisk pace while upping the tension regularly.
And then comes the showdown in the church...
You just had to Hollywood the shit out of it, didn't you? Yep, channel that inner Michael Bay, shove a stick up reality's ass and toss it out of the window like a rotten kebab. I'm not going to give spoilers, but I have to ask:
Teeth? Really??
(Breathe in, breathe out)
Sorry about that. Here's the thing about me. All the way through, a 4.5 star story. The very end, superb. I just can't accept that at such a crucial part in the story somebody does something impossible...I just can't get past that.
It's like watching an action movie where the hero shoots with a revolver that takes 6 bullets and kills the baddy by shooting him with a seventh...
Yep, I count them buddy. I'm THAT guy...
Really good story, but that one crucial element brought me down. Recommended to those who like 'cult' horror and isn't THAT guy...
I haven't read either author (though I have books by both on a wish list), but the reviews were so good I had to give it a go.
So, I apologize if my thoughts seem a bit unbalanced. Think of ME, MYSELF & IRENE - I'm going to try to write this as level-headed Charlie, but Hank may come out a little.
This story is about three guys and a girl on their way to Wrestlemania III, who takes a short cut, gets lost, run over somebody and run into a doomsday cult...you know, like these things do. They try to survive the rest of the night, but some will fall...
Here goes:
The story starts off well, and you get that WRONG TURN feel fairly early in the story. The pacing is good and action keeps coming, moving the story along at a brisk pace while upping the tension regularly.
And then comes the showdown in the church...
You just had to Hollywood the shit out of it, didn't you? Yep, channel that inner Michael Bay, shove a stick up reality's ass and toss it out of the window like a rotten kebab. I'm not going to give spoilers, but I have to ask:
Teeth? Really??
(Breathe in, breathe out)
Sorry about that. Here's the thing about me. All the way through, a 4.5 star story. The very end, superb. I just can't accept that at such a crucial part in the story somebody does something impossible...I just can't get past that.
It's like watching an action movie where the hero shoots with a revolver that takes 6 bullets and kills the baddy by shooting him with a seventh...
Yep, I count them buddy. I'm THAT guy...
Really good story, but that one crucial element brought me down. Recommended to those who like 'cult' horror and isn't THAT guy...
September 29, 2018
Mike Rawson leaves his wife and baby behind for a weekend to go on a road trip to Wrestlemania III with Lonnie, Pork Chop, and Cyndi-from-the-bar. When they take a wrong turn and find a teenage girl with symbols carved into her body, what brand of hell have they gotten into?
Wrestling fiction is hard to come by and Adam Howe and James Newman have written some of the best. When Adam came knocking with Scapegoat, a book written by both of them, I couldn't turn him away.
While wrestling didn't turn out to be a big part of this, Scapegoat was still a fun read, a B-horror book about rock and roll and the end of the world. It's also hilarious.
Mike is the straight man of the tale, the member of the band that grew up and got a job. Lonnie and Pork Chop, still living in the days of Wrathbone, the band they thought would make them famous, have not grown up in the least. Cyndi-from-the-bar is a whole other animal. When they find a would-be teenage sacrifice, they find themselves hunted by a fundamentalist Christian sect. Hilarity and gore ensue.
Scapegoat was a lot of fun and avoided a lot of the cliches this type of book normally encompasses. Mike's not a hero or a bad ass. Neither are Pork Chop or Lonnie, though they all have their good points. It feels like a lost '80s satanic panic tale Joe Lansdale might have written.
Scapegoat is a funny, gore-strewn good time. Four out of five stars.
Wrestling fiction is hard to come by and Adam Howe and James Newman have written some of the best. When Adam came knocking with Scapegoat, a book written by both of them, I couldn't turn him away.
While wrestling didn't turn out to be a big part of this, Scapegoat was still a fun read, a B-horror book about rock and roll and the end of the world. It's also hilarious.
Mike is the straight man of the tale, the member of the band that grew up and got a job. Lonnie and Pork Chop, still living in the days of Wrathbone, the band they thought would make them famous, have not grown up in the least. Cyndi-from-the-bar is a whole other animal. When they find a would-be teenage sacrifice, they find themselves hunted by a fundamentalist Christian sect. Hilarity and gore ensue.
Scapegoat was a lot of fun and avoided a lot of the cliches this type of book normally encompasses. Mike's not a hero or a bad ass. Neither are Pork Chop or Lonnie, though they all have their good points. It feels like a lost '80s satanic panic tale Joe Lansdale might have written.
Scapegoat is a funny, gore-strewn good time. Four out of five stars.
December 2, 2018
Set to a rock n roll soundtrack in the 1980's, SCAPEGOAT should appeal to any fan of 80's horror, and 80's hair/metal bands. If these things are your bag, you should just buy this book now and get to reading!
Lonnie, the barely-dressed Cindy, Mike, and Pork Chop are on a road trip in Lonnie's R.V. heading to Wrestlemania 3. Since the guys were in a band,(Wrathbone), together they've drifted apart. Mike has a wife and child now and couldn't be happier. He's only on this trip for a brief vacation and to see some wrestling. Both Lonnie and the kilt-wearing Pork Chop seem to be the same people they were in high school and Mike realizes he doesn't have much in common with them anymore. Just as he's beginning to regret his decision to come with, something runs in front of their camper and gets hit. What was it? Will our group ever make it to Wrestlemania 3? You'll have to read this book to find out!
I've read the work of both of these authors before, so the quality and depth of this book did not surprise me. What did surprise me was the way this tale played out. Being a horror fan, I've read many, many books about cults, both fiction and non, because if Jim Jones isn't a real life horror story, I don't know what is. I've also read tales about dark religions and hillbillies, and very few of them had the courage to take the route that this story took. (One or two of the true stories did, to be honest, because real life is horrific, isn't it?)
The other thing about this book that makes it special is the characters. I developed true feelings for all of them, though my feelings often changed throughout. Thing is, I knew all these people at some point during high school. At first, Cindy reminded me a bit of myself. (But then that changed.) I loathed Lonnie for quite a while and I thought Pork Chop was the biggest loser ever, and then those feelings changed too. There are no flat characters here-they seemed real to me, they had depth and they were more complicated than I originally thought. I love when that happens!
The only issue I had was that the denouement went a little too quickly for me. I would have liked to have learned a bit more about the cult and the town in which it flourished. Perhaps that would have slowed the story down too much and that's why the authors wrapped it up the way they did? I'm not sure, but this was a damn good story either way.
Adam Howe and James Newman are both authors to watch. Anytime either of them puts out something new, it's automatically added to my "To Be Read" list. But this? A novel with both of them writing together? Just the thought of it put a smile on my face and the fact that the novel is actually fun, fast paced, intriguing, and creative? That's just the icing on the cake.
Highly recommended!
*I received an e-ARC of this book, in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it.*
**During the month of December, 2018 both of these authors are joining in a group read at Horror Aficionados, a Goodreads group I help to moderate. They will be available to answer your questions and comments about SCAPEGOAT. Please come join us here: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
We'd love to have you!
Lonnie, the barely-dressed Cindy, Mike, and Pork Chop are on a road trip in Lonnie's R.V. heading to Wrestlemania 3. Since the guys were in a band,(Wrathbone), together they've drifted apart. Mike has a wife and child now and couldn't be happier. He's only on this trip for a brief vacation and to see some wrestling. Both Lonnie and the kilt-wearing Pork Chop seem to be the same people they were in high school and Mike realizes he doesn't have much in common with them anymore. Just as he's beginning to regret his decision to come with, something runs in front of their camper and gets hit. What was it? Will our group ever make it to Wrestlemania 3? You'll have to read this book to find out!
I've read the work of both of these authors before, so the quality and depth of this book did not surprise me. What did surprise me was the way this tale played out. Being a horror fan, I've read many, many books about cults, both fiction and non, because if Jim Jones isn't a real life horror story, I don't know what is. I've also read tales about dark religions and hillbillies, and very few of them had the courage to take the route that this story took. (One or two of the true stories did, to be honest, because real life is horrific, isn't it?)
The other thing about this book that makes it special is the characters. I developed true feelings for all of them, though my feelings often changed throughout. Thing is, I knew all these people at some point during high school. At first, Cindy reminded me a bit of myself. (But then that changed.) I loathed Lonnie for quite a while and I thought Pork Chop was the biggest loser ever, and then those feelings changed too. There are no flat characters here-they seemed real to me, they had depth and they were more complicated than I originally thought. I love when that happens!
The only issue I had was that the denouement went a little too quickly for me. I would have liked to have learned a bit more about the cult and the town in which it flourished. Perhaps that would have slowed the story down too much and that's why the authors wrapped it up the way they did? I'm not sure, but this was a damn good story either way.
Adam Howe and James Newman are both authors to watch. Anytime either of them puts out something new, it's automatically added to my "To Be Read" list. But this? A novel with both of them writing together? Just the thought of it put a smile on my face and the fact that the novel is actually fun, fast paced, intriguing, and creative? That's just the icing on the cake.
Highly recommended!
*I received an e-ARC of this book, in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it.*
**During the month of December, 2018 both of these authors are joining in a group read at Horror Aficionados, a Goodreads group I help to moderate. They will be available to answer your questions and comments about SCAPEGOAT. Please come join us here: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
We'd love to have you!
October 3, 2018
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
For Lonnie, Mike and Pork Chop this road trip was simply supposed to be a little boys’ getaway and a chance to experience some firsthand . . . .
The beer was flowing, the tunes were playing, the counterfeit easy-shred Hulkamania T’s were ready for selling, there was a tag-a-long hot piece of ass in the form of the local bar fly. They were even riding in style in a Gen.U.Ine. R.V. . . . .
It was great . . . until they ran over a nekkid chick while attempting to short-cut it through the backroads followed by a crossbow bolt through one of their tires. You know what that means, right????
Nope. Something even more terrifying . . . .
Now the boys (and girls) need to channel their inner CCR ‘cause these suckas are gonna have to “run through the jungle.”
You can take this “review” with a grain (or mountain) of salt if you like. At this point it's obvious I’m an Adam Howe fangirl. I won’t even get into Mitchell’s relationship with him because I’m fairly certain it’s illegal in at least 47 states. All I’m going to say is if you are looking for some gory good times this October jam-packed with action, humor and some twists and turns that make this not-your-average “lost in the woods” slasher story, Scapegoat is getting released right on time.
ARC provided by Honey Badger Press in exchange for an honest review.
For Lonnie, Mike and Pork Chop this road trip was simply supposed to be a little boys’ getaway and a chance to experience some firsthand . . . .
The beer was flowing, the tunes were playing, the counterfeit easy-shred Hulkamania T’s were ready for selling, there was a tag-a-long hot piece of ass in the form of the local bar fly. They were even riding in style in a Gen.U.Ine. R.V. . . . .
It was great . . . until they ran over a nekkid chick while attempting to short-cut it through the backroads followed by a crossbow bolt through one of their tires. You know what that means, right????
Nope. Something even more terrifying . . . .
Now the boys (and girls) need to channel their inner CCR ‘cause these suckas are gonna have to “run through the jungle.”
You can take this “review” with a grain (or mountain) of salt if you like. At this point it's obvious I’m an Adam Howe fangirl. I won’t even get into Mitchell’s relationship with him because I’m fairly certain it’s illegal in at least 47 states. All I’m going to say is if you are looking for some gory good times this October jam-packed with action, humor and some twists and turns that make this not-your-average “lost in the woods” slasher story, Scapegoat is getting released right on time.
ARC provided by Honey Badger Press in exchange for an honest review.
September 21, 2018
It was supposed to be a simple road trip. Three guys and one gal in a Coors-laden motorhome (do NOT call it a camper), on their metal tuned journey to Wrestlemania III. What could go wrong? Well, the motorhome might collide with a naked young woman with symbols carved all over her body. There may be a cult with a mission to find this young lady, and these Bible thumpers turn out to be armed and brutal. Things get serious and scary, and before you can say HULKOMANIA, events spin out of control and into cosmic horror territory. Collaborating authors Adam Howe and James Newman have put together an adventure unlike any other road trip that I have had the pleasure of witnessing. Humor and horror mix well in a thought-provoking, violent trip through the backwoods and hell, and neither author releases the accelerator until the trip turns into a nightmare. I was lucky to received an ARC of this novel, and I recommend it to every horror and grit-lit fan once it hits the shelves this October. You want to see something scary? Just wait.
September 16, 2018
As with any collaboration, there will be parts of this book that readers may not like... James Newman wrote those parts. ;)
October 29, 2018
4.5 stars!
SCAPEGOAT is a genre-blending novel co-written by authors Adam howe and James Newman. I went into this one blindly--not even reading the synopsis--and my first reaction when I reached the end of it was an astonished, "Wow!" This novel was simply a non-stop action fest; including laugh out loud comedy, a reunion of unlikely characters, religious zealots, emotions, torture, gore, and things that defy ANY attempt at classification.
". . . There was no reasoning with stupid . . . "
Mike Rawson, a married man with a young child, agrees to go on a "road-trip" with two of his old bandmates, Lonnie Deveroux, and 'Pork Chop', to a Wrestlemania event. From the very start--when Lonnie comes to pick him up in the RV--Mike begins to question the wisdom of his choice.
". . . In case the engine wasn't loud enough--and it was loud enough to wake . . . Mrs. Peterson, and she'd died six months ago . . . "
From that moment forward, things go comically, any way except smoothly. Even listening to their old recordings failed to bring on a pleasant sense of nostalgia.
". . . he remembered: Nope, that's just how badly we played . . . "
This story was one that I never wanted to put down. The comedy mixed in with non-stop action, and blended with horrific elements was a combination that held me captive to their every word, movement, and situation. Additionally, I felt the environment--no matter what the scene--was painted so well that it felt as if I were watching everything happen before me. The characters, road, woods . . . everything encountered on the journey took on a realistic feel, despite the lighter, more comedic moments. A movie in book form, sums this one up pretty well.
". . . he'd seen enough horror movies to know that nothing good ever came from a shortcut through the woods . . . "
There is a deeper meaning lying just beneath the surface action and dialog, that was brilliantly paced, as well. Comments and clues along the way don't slap you in the face with it; rather, they subtly stick in your brain, accumulating until the end when your mind takes notice of everything as a whole.
". . . doing 'the right thing' took on a whole new meaning when it was a matter of life or death . . . "
Overall, I absolutely enjoyed every minute of this book. (If that makes me warped by some people's standards, so be it). There was never a dull moment. Periods of comedic banter and bloody action scenes were interspersed with some realistic, somber moments from these well defined characters. I found myself liking all of them--even the most "unlikeable"--to some extent by the end of the novel. I attribute that to the way the authors portrayed them--unflinchingly "human", with flaws that anyone could have.
". . . Worst road trip ever . . . "
I'm hoping to see these two authors team up again in the future, as their individual styles meshed so well together.
Highly recommended!
SCAPEGOAT is a genre-blending novel co-written by authors Adam howe and James Newman. I went into this one blindly--not even reading the synopsis--and my first reaction when I reached the end of it was an astonished, "Wow!" This novel was simply a non-stop action fest; including laugh out loud comedy, a reunion of unlikely characters, religious zealots, emotions, torture, gore, and things that defy ANY attempt at classification.
". . . There was no reasoning with stupid . . . "
Mike Rawson, a married man with a young child, agrees to go on a "road-trip" with two of his old bandmates, Lonnie Deveroux, and 'Pork Chop', to a Wrestlemania event. From the very start--when Lonnie comes to pick him up in the RV--Mike begins to question the wisdom of his choice.
". . . In case the engine wasn't loud enough--and it was loud enough to wake . . . Mrs. Peterson, and she'd died six months ago . . . "
From that moment forward, things go comically, any way except smoothly. Even listening to their old recordings failed to bring on a pleasant sense of nostalgia.
". . . he remembered: Nope, that's just how badly we played . . . "
This story was one that I never wanted to put down. The comedy mixed in with non-stop action, and blended with horrific elements was a combination that held me captive to their every word, movement, and situation. Additionally, I felt the environment--no matter what the scene--was painted so well that it felt as if I were watching everything happen before me. The characters, road, woods . . . everything encountered on the journey took on a realistic feel, despite the lighter, more comedic moments. A movie in book form, sums this one up pretty well.
". . . he'd seen enough horror movies to know that nothing good ever came from a shortcut through the woods . . . "
There is a deeper meaning lying just beneath the surface action and dialog, that was brilliantly paced, as well. Comments and clues along the way don't slap you in the face with it; rather, they subtly stick in your brain, accumulating until the end when your mind takes notice of everything as a whole.
". . . doing 'the right thing' took on a whole new meaning when it was a matter of life or death . . . "
Overall, I absolutely enjoyed every minute of this book. (If that makes me warped by some people's standards, so be it). There was never a dull moment. Periods of comedic banter and bloody action scenes were interspersed with some realistic, somber moments from these well defined characters. I found myself liking all of them--even the most "unlikeable"--to some extent by the end of the novel. I attribute that to the way the authors portrayed them--unflinchingly "human", with flaws that anyone could have.
". . . Worst road trip ever . . . "
I'm hoping to see these two authors team up again in the future, as their individual styles meshed so well together.
Highly recommended!
August 22, 2019
If you’re feeling like you need some fun, gory 80’s insanity then do I ever have a book for you!
This is the review quote that won me over:
"As if Joe Lansdale wrote, and John Carpenter directed, the Jonestown massacre. SCAPEGOAT is Howe and Newman's Kool-Aid and you'll want to drink it to the very last drop." (Eryk Pruitt, What We Reckon)
It doesn’t lie.
This book is pure madness from beginning to end. Set in the late 80’s, that fabulous time before cell phones and back when hair-metal reigned supreme, a group of old childhood friends reconnect to head out to Wrestlemania III. Mike is now a family man and because of the wife, the baby and work he hasn’t seen his old buddies Lonnie and Pork Chop in far too long. After spending a few minutes in a smelly RV with them, Mike remembers why! Pork Chop is half in the bag, wearing a Rowdy Roddy Piper kilt with nothing under it (ahhh!) and Lonnie’s drinking, driving and doobie smoking have Mike wondering if he’ll make it home alive but he’s trapped in the passenger seat and quickly embraces the mayhem. Along for the ride is a scantily clad beauty and a trunk load of counterfeit wrestling merch.
Sound like fun? It is! And it is so much more.
Lonnie gets stuck in traffic and freaks out that they’re going to miss Wrestlemania and decides to get off at the next exit - remember these are the days before GPS. Little does he know that he’s just driven straight into a scene from hell and it’s only going to get worse from here . . .
There are religious cults, carved up ladies, buckets of gore and an ending that isn’t afraid to go there! I loved it. This book is an experience. If you enjoy the madcap adventures of Joe Lansdale’s Hap & Leonard series I’m pretty sure you’re going to love Scapegoat too.
The writing is terrific and the dialogue is spot-on and sometimes hilarious. I’m pretty sure I knew some of these people in the 80’s. Hell, I might even know a few of them now. The story moves fast and somehow the writers manage to fully flesh out the characters and create a plot that continually surprised and sickened me in the best way. It made me laugh and it made me cringe and that’s not something that usually happens when I read because I am grumpy, tired and jaded at the end of the day.
It is the darkest kind of fun and if is this is your thing and you haven’t read Scapegoat yet I think you need to fix that!
4 1/2 Stars
This is the review quote that won me over:
"As if Joe Lansdale wrote, and John Carpenter directed, the Jonestown massacre. SCAPEGOAT is Howe and Newman's Kool-Aid and you'll want to drink it to the very last drop." (Eryk Pruitt, What We Reckon)
It doesn’t lie.
This book is pure madness from beginning to end. Set in the late 80’s, that fabulous time before cell phones and back when hair-metal reigned supreme, a group of old childhood friends reconnect to head out to Wrestlemania III. Mike is now a family man and because of the wife, the baby and work he hasn’t seen his old buddies Lonnie and Pork Chop in far too long. After spending a few minutes in a smelly RV with them, Mike remembers why! Pork Chop is half in the bag, wearing a Rowdy Roddy Piper kilt with nothing under it (ahhh!) and Lonnie’s drinking, driving and doobie smoking have Mike wondering if he’ll make it home alive but he’s trapped in the passenger seat and quickly embraces the mayhem. Along for the ride is a scantily clad beauty and a trunk load of counterfeit wrestling merch.
Sound like fun? It is! And it is so much more.
Lonnie gets stuck in traffic and freaks out that they’re going to miss Wrestlemania and decides to get off at the next exit - remember these are the days before GPS. Little does he know that he’s just driven straight into a scene from hell and it’s only going to get worse from here . . .
There are religious cults, carved up ladies, buckets of gore and an ending that isn’t afraid to go there! I loved it. This book is an experience. If you enjoy the madcap adventures of Joe Lansdale’s Hap & Leonard series I’m pretty sure you’re going to love Scapegoat too.
The writing is terrific and the dialogue is spot-on and sometimes hilarious. I’m pretty sure I knew some of these people in the 80’s. Hell, I might even know a few of them now. The story moves fast and somehow the writers manage to fully flesh out the characters and create a plot that continually surprised and sickened me in the best way. It made me laugh and it made me cringe and that’s not something that usually happens when I read because I am grumpy, tired and jaded at the end of the day.
It is the darkest kind of fun and if is this is your thing and you haven’t read Scapegoat yet I think you need to fix that!
4 1/2 Stars
October 1, 2018
Howe and Newman collaborating together. How cool is that?
And with a goat in the title to boot. This is going to be good. Here we go...
Wrathbone! Back in the saddle. Hell, yeah! Hop on in Jezebel, the ‘75 Vogue Villa Grande and hit the highway for ringside seats at Wrestlemania III. Sweeet!
Only thing that could possibly make this road trip any cooler for the gang would be one of those super sweet drink holder hard hats with the long straws filled with Jack Daniels. And maybe a hot girl-from-the-bar in a skimpy, busting at the seams, Hulkamania tube top.
This was exactly what I was hoping it would be from two of my favorite authors. Fast, funny, violent, bloody, and oh yeah, entertaining as hell. I don’t know how many times I laughed out loud at some of the wildly inappropriate scenes.
It was also deeper than its entertaining facade. There were several concepts around the religious group and the “goat” carvings that really intrigued me and could have been a separate story of themselves.
Tittyfuck Camp hijack, Pork Chop commando kilt, Purgation Salvation, crispy critter Johnny Space Commander and raspberry jelly on toast.
Howe and Newman are good. Real good. Separate and now together. I have thoroughly enjoyed everything that I have read from them.
4.5 Stars and Highly Recommended for all who like some heavy sarcasm and wit with plenty of violence and blood sprinkled on top.
“This trip has officially shit its drawers.”
And with a goat in the title to boot. This is going to be good. Here we go...
Wrathbone! Back in the saddle. Hell, yeah! Hop on in Jezebel, the ‘75 Vogue Villa Grande and hit the highway for ringside seats at Wrestlemania III. Sweeet!
Only thing that could possibly make this road trip any cooler for the gang would be one of those super sweet drink holder hard hats with the long straws filled with Jack Daniels. And maybe a hot girl-from-the-bar in a skimpy, busting at the seams, Hulkamania tube top.
This was exactly what I was hoping it would be from two of my favorite authors. Fast, funny, violent, bloody, and oh yeah, entertaining as hell. I don’t know how many times I laughed out loud at some of the wildly inappropriate scenes.
It was also deeper than its entertaining facade. There were several concepts around the religious group and the “goat” carvings that really intrigued me and could have been a separate story of themselves.
Tittyfuck Camp hijack, Pork Chop commando kilt, Purgation Salvation, crispy critter Johnny Space Commander and raspberry jelly on toast.
Howe and Newman are good. Real good. Separate and now together. I have thoroughly enjoyed everything that I have read from them.
4.5 Stars and Highly Recommended for all who like some heavy sarcasm and wit with plenty of violence and blood sprinkled on top.
“This trip has officially shit its drawers.”
December 20, 2018
Yes! I needed this fun, gory, 80s romp this week. Full review to come for the Sci Fi and Scary website!
When an ebook boasts a badass metal playlist before the first page of the book, YOU LISTEN TO IT. At about 10% in, I chose my favorites from the list, turned it up, and enjoyed the atmosphere.
To begin in ‘Scapegoat’, friends from Mike Rawson’s “wilder” days show up in spectacular fashion – a dirty, smoke-belching RV (it is NOT a camper), a louder than life “bestie”, and plans to “road trip it” to Wrestlemania III. Stereotypical metal heads past their prime? I say no AND yes. These characters are so well-drawn they don’t deserve the negative connotation that the word “stereotype” conveys, but man, if they don’t conjure up familiar memories and a sense of an era gone by. These characters are FUN.
The synopsis above mentions a “cult of religious crazies who make the Westboro Baptists look like choirboys” and who are tasked with completing a ritual to hold off evil. This group of characters has a bit less depth. However, they are designed with care and fit with the flow of the story. Next, when the two seemingly disparate groups are forced together, this book really gets moving. Towards the end, as the climax nears and the reader learns just what this cult is up to, be sure to hold on as the gore and guts ramp up into some of the most visceral scenes I’ve read this year.
Finally, the writing in ‘Scapegoat’ is akin to watching a movie on a drive-in theatre’s big screen. It moves well, the dialogue is true to the characters and I can envision this playing out. Another plus: the writing between the two authors is seamless. It is difficult to tell where Howe stopped and Newman started or vice versa, and I love it. I think if I go back and re-read I’d be able to pick it out. I was too engaged in a well-flowing story to be bothered with that the first time through. This book is well-executed and well-edited. I will definitely check out more from both of these authors.
When an ebook boasts a badass metal playlist before the first page of the book, YOU LISTEN TO IT. At about 10% in, I chose my favorites from the list, turned it up, and enjoyed the atmosphere.
To begin in ‘Scapegoat’, friends from Mike Rawson’s “wilder” days show up in spectacular fashion – a dirty, smoke-belching RV (it is NOT a camper), a louder than life “bestie”, and plans to “road trip it” to Wrestlemania III. Stereotypical metal heads past their prime? I say no AND yes. These characters are so well-drawn they don’t deserve the negative connotation that the word “stereotype” conveys, but man, if they don’t conjure up familiar memories and a sense of an era gone by. These characters are FUN.
The synopsis above mentions a “cult of religious crazies who make the Westboro Baptists look like choirboys” and who are tasked with completing a ritual to hold off evil. This group of characters has a bit less depth. However, they are designed with care and fit with the flow of the story. Next, when the two seemingly disparate groups are forced together, this book really gets moving. Towards the end, as the climax nears and the reader learns just what this cult is up to, be sure to hold on as the gore and guts ramp up into some of the most visceral scenes I’ve read this year.
Finally, the writing in ‘Scapegoat’ is akin to watching a movie on a drive-in theatre’s big screen. It moves well, the dialogue is true to the characters and I can envision this playing out. Another plus: the writing between the two authors is seamless. It is difficult to tell where Howe stopped and Newman started or vice versa, and I love it. I think if I go back and re-read I’d be able to pick it out. I was too engaged in a well-flowing story to be bothered with that the first time through. This book is well-executed and well-edited. I will definitely check out more from both of these authors.
January 11, 2019
4 stars.
🇺🇸🏴☠️
🇺🇸🏴☠️
September 17, 2018
2018 has been a phenomenal year for reading, with a number of titles already in the running for my best of the year list, but in terms of sheer entertainment value alone Scapegoat will be a hard one to beat.
Adam Howe and James Newman have written one hell of a crackling read here with a story that is all about the escalation of threats. Mike Rawson, Lonnie Deveraux, and Pork Chop are travelling by RV to attend WrestleMania III, accompanied by Cindi the Bar Girl, who just so happens to be way more than she appears. After taking a drug and booze-fueled detour, the gang find themselves lost in the woods, a situation Lonnie worsens even further when he accidentally runs over a woman fleeing for her life. Turns out, the woman’s own situation is damn severe even before she found herself on the wrong side of a speeding RV – she has been beaten and cut up from head to toe, the seven deadly sins engraved on her skin. Stopping to help her puts the guys right into the crosshairs of the men chasing her – a band of redneck cultists hell-bent on reclaiming their sacrificial scapegoat.
Scapegoat is just all kinds of wild, and if you’ve read Howe’s two Reggie Levine novels previously you already know redneck backwoods shenanigans is this dude’s bread and butter. This is an odd thing, indeed, as Howe is a Brit, but thanks to American globalism and the spread of Hollywood commercialism in particular, it’s pretty clear he grew up on a steady of diet of Burt Reynolds flicks like Smokey and the Bandit and Deliverance. Howe is apparently obsessed with crafting the ultimate cross-over between these films, at least when he’s not obsessing over Nic Cage movies and skunk apes. But, you know what? I honestly wouldn’t have it any other way. Howe gets it and he knows how to craft a damn fine story that chugs along with the speed and grace of the Bandit’s own Trans Am.
To sweeten the pot even further, though, is fellow Howe fan James Newman, author of Odd Man Out, who also wrote an introduction to Howe’s Tijuana Donkey Showdown and shares co-writing credit here. Newman, hailing from the American south, clearly knows his way around the backwoods, too. Both authors inject in Scapegoat a clear affinity for wrestling, heavy metal, and Lost In The Woods And Chased By Maniacs horror. In terms of collaboration, it’s pretty clear these two guys are writing with a singular purpose and a shared hive mind. And once they get going, there’s no slowing them down.
Scapegoat is a quick, down and dirty kind of read, pared to the bone and trimmed of all the fat. While plenty of the book is a run-and-gun affair, we still get some great character beats and moments of introspection and reminiscing that illustrate the relationship between Mike, Lonnie, and Pork Chop. There’s also plenty of carnage, threatening portents of occultism, explosions galore, moments of wonderfully shocking violence, and an incredible climax that spins this story into some wonderfully dark realms. Now look, I would have been more than content to have Howe and Newman tell me a story of redneck cultists chasing after our lost losers, but the few extra miles they travel in upping the ante here is absolutely perfect. The ending in particular is incredibly gutsy and I had to take a few moments to simply appreciate the verve of these authors.
Scapegoat is a mile-a-minute blast, the type of book that’s pure joy fuel. You might even be compelled to hop into an RV and storm into the Tennessee woods looking for trouble. Just remember, those seven deadly sins serve as a warning for a reason…
[Note: I received an advance reading copy of this title from the authors to provide a publication blurb. I have chosen to review Scapegoat here as well because I just flat-out loved this damn thing.]
Adam Howe and James Newman have written one hell of a crackling read here with a story that is all about the escalation of threats. Mike Rawson, Lonnie Deveraux, and Pork Chop are travelling by RV to attend WrestleMania III, accompanied by Cindi the Bar Girl, who just so happens to be way more than she appears. After taking a drug and booze-fueled detour, the gang find themselves lost in the woods, a situation Lonnie worsens even further when he accidentally runs over a woman fleeing for her life. Turns out, the woman’s own situation is damn severe even before she found herself on the wrong side of a speeding RV – she has been beaten and cut up from head to toe, the seven deadly sins engraved on her skin. Stopping to help her puts the guys right into the crosshairs of the men chasing her – a band of redneck cultists hell-bent on reclaiming their sacrificial scapegoat.
Scapegoat is just all kinds of wild, and if you’ve read Howe’s two Reggie Levine novels previously you already know redneck backwoods shenanigans is this dude’s bread and butter. This is an odd thing, indeed, as Howe is a Brit, but thanks to American globalism and the spread of Hollywood commercialism in particular, it’s pretty clear he grew up on a steady of diet of Burt Reynolds flicks like Smokey and the Bandit and Deliverance. Howe is apparently obsessed with crafting the ultimate cross-over between these films, at least when he’s not obsessing over Nic Cage movies and skunk apes. But, you know what? I honestly wouldn’t have it any other way. Howe gets it and he knows how to craft a damn fine story that chugs along with the speed and grace of the Bandit’s own Trans Am.
To sweeten the pot even further, though, is fellow Howe fan James Newman, author of Odd Man Out, who also wrote an introduction to Howe’s Tijuana Donkey Showdown and shares co-writing credit here. Newman, hailing from the American south, clearly knows his way around the backwoods, too. Both authors inject in Scapegoat a clear affinity for wrestling, heavy metal, and Lost In The Woods And Chased By Maniacs horror. In terms of collaboration, it’s pretty clear these two guys are writing with a singular purpose and a shared hive mind. And once they get going, there’s no slowing them down.
Scapegoat is a quick, down and dirty kind of read, pared to the bone and trimmed of all the fat. While plenty of the book is a run-and-gun affair, we still get some great character beats and moments of introspection and reminiscing that illustrate the relationship between Mike, Lonnie, and Pork Chop. There’s also plenty of carnage, threatening portents of occultism, explosions galore, moments of wonderfully shocking violence, and an incredible climax that spins this story into some wonderfully dark realms. Now look, I would have been more than content to have Howe and Newman tell me a story of redneck cultists chasing after our lost losers, but the few extra miles they travel in upping the ante here is absolutely perfect. The ending in particular is incredibly gutsy and I had to take a few moments to simply appreciate the verve of these authors.
Scapegoat is a mile-a-minute blast, the type of book that’s pure joy fuel. You might even be compelled to hop into an RV and storm into the Tennessee woods looking for trouble. Just remember, those seven deadly sins serve as a warning for a reason…
[Note: I received an advance reading copy of this title from the authors to provide a publication blurb. I have chosen to review Scapegoat here as well because I just flat-out loved this damn thing.]
April 2, 2019
Review copy
James Newman lives in North Carolina, USA, and Adam Howe makes his home across the Atlantic in England. Thanks to the power of the internet collaborations like this one are possible. The result is both wondrous and wonderful.
So what's Scapegoat about? Well, I'm glad you asked...
For metalheads Mike Rawson , Lonnie Deveroux, and Pork Chop, an RV road trip to Wrestlemania III becomes a one-way ticket to hell. While delivering an illegal shipment of counterfeit wrestling merchandise, an ill-fated shortcut through the Kentucky backwoods leads them to a teenaged girl carved head to toe in arcane symbols. Soon our unlikely heroes are being hunted through the boonies by a cult of religious crazies who make the Westboro Baptists look like choirboys… a cult that will stop at nothing to get the girl back and complete a ritual that has held an ancient evil at bay for centuries… Until now.
The end result is equal measures of violence and humor. Junk food horror, if you will. Or what I like to call, "Brain Candy."
I wasn't able to attend Wrestlemania III, but I was glued to my TV to see that epic matchup with Andre the Giant colliding head-on with Hulk Hogan and with that event as a backdrop for Scapegoat, I was immediately drawn to this story.
Mike Rawson, was the one levelheaded member of the trio headed to the Silverdome...
Mike muttered something about how he'd seen enough horror movies to know nothing good ever came from a shortcut through the woods.
So much carnage, with loads of horrifying images along the way. And be sure to stick around for the story notes after you finish the book for insight into how Scapegoat came to be, as well as a list of recommended viewing and a playlist. These guys have thought of it all.
The end result is a great collaboration and a fun read. Recommended.
Scapegoat is currently available for the Kindle. If you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited you can read it at no additional charge. Also, if you are an Amazon Prime member you can read it for FREE using the Kindle Owners Lending Library.
About the authors...
James Newman lives in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in western North Carolina with his wife, Glenda, and their two sons, Jamie and Jacob. He's best known for his novels Midnight Rain, The Wicked, Ugly As Sin and Animosity and the novella Odd Man Out.
Adam Howe - Adam Howe writes the twisted fiction your mother warned you about. A British writer of fiction and screenplays, he lives in London with his partner, their daughter, and a hellhound named Gino. He is the author of Tijuana Donkey Showdown, and two novella collections, Die Dog or Eat the Hatchet, and Black Cat Mojo.
James Newman lives in North Carolina, USA, and Adam Howe makes his home across the Atlantic in England. Thanks to the power of the internet collaborations like this one are possible. The result is both wondrous and wonderful.
So what's Scapegoat about? Well, I'm glad you asked...
For metalheads Mike Rawson , Lonnie Deveroux, and Pork Chop, an RV road trip to Wrestlemania III becomes a one-way ticket to hell. While delivering an illegal shipment of counterfeit wrestling merchandise, an ill-fated shortcut through the Kentucky backwoods leads them to a teenaged girl carved head to toe in arcane symbols. Soon our unlikely heroes are being hunted through the boonies by a cult of religious crazies who make the Westboro Baptists look like choirboys… a cult that will stop at nothing to get the girl back and complete a ritual that has held an ancient evil at bay for centuries… Until now.
The end result is equal measures of violence and humor. Junk food horror, if you will. Or what I like to call, "Brain Candy."
I wasn't able to attend Wrestlemania III, but I was glued to my TV to see that epic matchup with Andre the Giant colliding head-on with Hulk Hogan and with that event as a backdrop for Scapegoat, I was immediately drawn to this story.
Mike Rawson, was the one levelheaded member of the trio headed to the Silverdome...
Mike muttered something about how he'd seen enough horror movies to know nothing good ever came from a shortcut through the woods.
So much carnage, with loads of horrifying images along the way. And be sure to stick around for the story notes after you finish the book for insight into how Scapegoat came to be, as well as a list of recommended viewing and a playlist. These guys have thought of it all.
The end result is a great collaboration and a fun read. Recommended.
Scapegoat is currently available for the Kindle. If you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited you can read it at no additional charge. Also, if you are an Amazon Prime member you can read it for FREE using the Kindle Owners Lending Library.
About the authors...
James Newman lives in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in western North Carolina with his wife, Glenda, and their two sons, Jamie and Jacob. He's best known for his novels Midnight Rain, The Wicked, Ugly As Sin and Animosity and the novella Odd Man Out.
Adam Howe - Adam Howe writes the twisted fiction your mother warned you about. A British writer of fiction and screenplays, he lives in London with his partner, their daughter, and a hellhound named Gino. He is the author of Tijuana Donkey Showdown, and two novella collections, Die Dog or Eat the Hatchet, and Black Cat Mojo.
October 15, 2018
If ya want blood...
YOU GOT ITTTTTTTTTTTTTTT.....
Adam Howe and James Newman want you to bleed for them.
I'm not doing a synopsis. Instead, I'll give you instructions:
Go check out James Newman on social media. Nice guy, writes horrific stuff, general cool dude.
Then go check out Adam Howe. Obviously the PREE-VERT of the bunch.
Then, just go mash a bunch of cool stuff together in a blender, forget about it until it ferments into a heady brew, smelling of...pork chops.... And call it SCAPEGOAT.
Blood on the rocks... blood on the streets. Blood in the SKYYYYY....blood on the seats! If ya want blood, they got it.
YOU GOT ITTTTTTTTTTTTTTT.....
Adam Howe and James Newman want you to bleed for them.
I'm not doing a synopsis. Instead, I'll give you instructions:
Go check out James Newman on social media. Nice guy, writes horrific stuff, general cool dude.
Then go check out Adam Howe. Obviously the PREE-VERT of the bunch.
Then, just go mash a bunch of cool stuff together in a blender, forget about it until it ferments into a heady brew, smelling of...pork chops.... And call it SCAPEGOAT.
Blood on the rocks... blood on the streets. Blood in the SKYYYYY....blood on the seats! If ya want blood, they got it.
November 24, 2018
It's all fun and games until a religious nut job turns up. This story went all dark and crazy in a damn hurry. My full review is posted here ---> https://wp.me/p5t5Tf-1JH
March 31, 2021
This was my first book by Howe and Newman but it will definitely not be my last! Scapegoat takes place in 1987 and in a way is a homage to heavy metal and classic b-movies, and I mean that in a very good way. Laced with dark humor, the authors turn out a grizzly tale, but this is not really a splatterpunk read. While there are no big moral or ethical takeaways, Scapegoat is still a very fun and engaging read that has the makings of a great b-movie!
The plot is a simple one, well worn in the horror genre, but Howe and Newman give it enough twists and turns to make it somewhat unique-- especially the ending! Mike, Pork Chop and Lonnie are old buddies who once had dreams of forming their own metal band. Mike has moved on, now married with a newborn, and works in a family business. Lonnie and Pork Chop, however, are as wild as ever. In any case, Lonnie and Pork Chop are heading to Wrestlemania III in Michigan (they start off in Tennessee) to see the show and deliver some bootleg swag regarding the event (they hope for tickets as promised as a payment). Mike agrees to come along and they pile into an old camper (Motorhome!) and set out. Once under way, a women emerges from the camper's bathroom-- Cyndi-- who claims to be a wrestling fan and is also heading to the show. On the way they decide, due to a traffic accident, to take a short cut...
Again, the premise of about a dozen b-movies, but instead of inbred rednecks, they stumble upon something worse-- small town biblethumpers on a mission! I will stop with the plot as the authors really take you on a ride here and I do not want to spoil the fun.
I loved the humor amidst the seriousness of the dire situations the group finds themselves in, and also the depiction of the biblethumpers. The postscripts prove that the authors had a lot of fun writing this and it shows. I also liked the recommendations of various b-movies and rock/metal that are suggested at the end. Alas, I have seen most of the movies and was humming the songs as I read along. This stated, you do not have to be an initiate in all things 80s to enjoy this, but that may give you some extra pleasure. 4.5 rock'in stars!
The plot is a simple one, well worn in the horror genre, but Howe and Newman give it enough twists and turns to make it somewhat unique-- especially the ending! Mike, Pork Chop and Lonnie are old buddies who once had dreams of forming their own metal band. Mike has moved on, now married with a newborn, and works in a family business. Lonnie and Pork Chop, however, are as wild as ever. In any case, Lonnie and Pork Chop are heading to Wrestlemania III in Michigan (they start off in Tennessee) to see the show and deliver some bootleg swag regarding the event (they hope for tickets as promised as a payment). Mike agrees to come along and they pile into an old camper (Motorhome!) and set out. Once under way, a women emerges from the camper's bathroom-- Cyndi-- who claims to be a wrestling fan and is also heading to the show. On the way they decide, due to a traffic accident, to take a short cut...
Again, the premise of about a dozen b-movies, but instead of inbred rednecks, they stumble upon something worse-- small town biblethumpers on a mission! I will stop with the plot as the authors really take you on a ride here and I do not want to spoil the fun.
I loved the humor amidst the seriousness of the dire situations the group finds themselves in, and also the depiction of the biblethumpers. The postscripts prove that the authors had a lot of fun writing this and it shows. I also liked the recommendations of various b-movies and rock/metal that are suggested at the end. Alas, I have seen most of the movies and was humming the songs as I read along. This stated, you do not have to be an initiate in all things 80s to enjoy this, but that may give you some extra pleasure. 4.5 rock'in stars!
August 29, 2019
Solid read. At first I was a bit leery starting this, because I am definitely NOT the WWE/F demographic but it took a turn towards classic horror. Quick, dirty fun for anyone looking for a fun horrific tale to sink their teeth into
December 13, 2019
Tightly written novel. Deliverance meets Race With The Devil. Edge of your seat horror action and suspense. Highly recommended
January 29, 2019
Irreverent with witty tongue-in-cheek humor, gutsy, and brimming with balls-to-the-wall horror, Scapegoat is the backwoods horror romp I didn’t know I wanted, and all I really have to say is rock the hell on.
Wrestlemania III is the destination. Three metalhead friends are getting back together: two who are stuck in the old days of beer, boobs, and body odor and the other who grew up, got a job, and started a family. A big ole motor home along with boxes of illicit goods are going to get them to their destination, that is, unless an unplanned shortcut doesn’t do them in.
That unplanned shortcut through the Kentucky backwoods happens to run them right into a girl—cut up, terrified, running for her life—and the cult of religious crazies who are looking to finish what they started.
A mash-up of Grady Hendrix’s rock odyssey We Sold Our Souls, Kealan Patrick Burke’s remote clan of nasties in Kin, and the strange ceremonial unknown of Adam Nevill’s The Ritual, this book really has everything a horror fan could hope for. It is a truly unique narrative—offering those comparisons is my way of (hopefully) piquing your interest and getting potential readers amped up. You won’t have read anything quite like this.
Howe and Newman are obviously an excellent writing team. The humorous style, seamless transitions, and character growth all give this little horror novel a lot more depth than you would immediately assume of such a raucous narrative. I figured I was just in for a fun, bloody ride, but on top of that I got writing I really connected with, characters who made me laugh, and a plot that just kept going—this Energizer Bunny powered by death metal is comin’ atcha and it ain’t slowing down!
I was completely hooked all the way to the last page. This is one of those books that I could clearly see in my mind like a movie (which, coincidentally, it would be brilliant as). When you can really see the action of a book happening, you know it’s good.
My thanks to author Adam Howe for sending this one my way. I couldn’t be more chuffed—seriously. I’ll happily be looking for more works by both authors.
Wrestlemania III is the destination. Three metalhead friends are getting back together: two who are stuck in the old days of beer, boobs, and body odor and the other who grew up, got a job, and started a family. A big ole motor home along with boxes of illicit goods are going to get them to their destination, that is, unless an unplanned shortcut doesn’t do them in.
That unplanned shortcut through the Kentucky backwoods happens to run them right into a girl—cut up, terrified, running for her life—and the cult of religious crazies who are looking to finish what they started.
A mash-up of Grady Hendrix’s rock odyssey We Sold Our Souls, Kealan Patrick Burke’s remote clan of nasties in Kin, and the strange ceremonial unknown of Adam Nevill’s The Ritual, this book really has everything a horror fan could hope for. It is a truly unique narrative—offering those comparisons is my way of (hopefully) piquing your interest and getting potential readers amped up. You won’t have read anything quite like this.
Howe and Newman are obviously an excellent writing team. The humorous style, seamless transitions, and character growth all give this little horror novel a lot more depth than you would immediately assume of such a raucous narrative. I figured I was just in for a fun, bloody ride, but on top of that I got writing I really connected with, characters who made me laugh, and a plot that just kept going—this Energizer Bunny powered by death metal is comin’ atcha and it ain’t slowing down!
I was completely hooked all the way to the last page. This is one of those books that I could clearly see in my mind like a movie (which, coincidentally, it would be brilliant as). When you can really see the action of a book happening, you know it’s good.
My thanks to author Adam Howe for sending this one my way. I couldn’t be more chuffed—seriously. I’ll happily be looking for more works by both authors.
December 11, 2018
4.5 stars!!!
May 5, 2019
Enjoyable mashup of junky '70s and '80s B-movies, horror...and yes, wrestling. Lurid and funny, which is an Adam Howe trademark.
February 14, 2019
Okay….Here we go on another wildassed adventure.
A house on wheels, three mangy rednecks and a Wrestlemania road trip. I feel nothing can go wrong. ‘as I chuckle under my breath’
Some men never grow up, and Mike’s friends, Lonnie and Pork Chop are a perfect example.
They decide to take a shortcut and I know nothing good can come of that, but I sure am eager to find out what kind of trouble they find. They, literally, run into the “goat”, causing a crazy band of vicious, coldblooded cultists to chase them down.
Have no fear. Adam has a way of taking his flawed and twisted characters and turning them into lovable friends that come through at the end, but at what cost. He kills his characters off with no shame, probably laughing with glee as Another One Bites the Dust.
This action packed, fire and brimstone apocalyptic tale leaves me wondering…does anyone survive when the line between good and evil is blurred? Be careful…if you let pride…think you know it all….Arrogance is not an asset.
One minute I felt the truth of it all and the next I felt I was in hell with Sam and Dean Winchester.
Adam Howe shattered my expectations, leaving me loving and hating Mike and his band of misfits…and looking forward to their next twisted adventure.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Scapegoat by Adam Howe.
See more at fundinmental
A house on wheels, three mangy rednecks and a Wrestlemania road trip. I feel nothing can go wrong. ‘as I chuckle under my breath’
Some men never grow up, and Mike’s friends, Lonnie and Pork Chop are a perfect example.
They decide to take a shortcut and I know nothing good can come of that, but I sure am eager to find out what kind of trouble they find. They, literally, run into the “goat”, causing a crazy band of vicious, coldblooded cultists to chase them down.
Have no fear. Adam has a way of taking his flawed and twisted characters and turning them into lovable friends that come through at the end, but at what cost. He kills his characters off with no shame, probably laughing with glee as Another One Bites the Dust.
This action packed, fire and brimstone apocalyptic tale leaves me wondering…does anyone survive when the line between good and evil is blurred? Be careful…if you let pride…think you know it all….Arrogance is not an asset.
One minute I felt the truth of it all and the next I felt I was in hell with Sam and Dean Winchester.
Adam Howe shattered my expectations, leaving me loving and hating Mike and his band of misfits…and looking forward to their next twisted adventure.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Scapegoat by Adam Howe.
See more at fundinmental
October 12, 2018
Yessss! I loved everything about this book. 80s like horror. Fun read. Creepy. My kind of book. Definitely a favorite for me.
March 14, 2019
Adam Howe and James Newman make a great team and this book is a hell of a lot of dark, dreadful fun.
October 17, 2018
‘March 29, 1987... For metalheads Mike Rawson, Lonnie Deveroux, and Pork Chop, an RV road trip to Wrestlemania III becomes a one-way ticket to hell.’
This is literally the funnest book I’ve read for ages. Mike, Lonnie and Pork Chop embark on a road trip accompanied by Cindi the bar girl. It starts to go seriously wrong after a drug and booze fuelled episode which finds them lost. When they run over a naked woman whose been beaten up and has the seven deadly sins carved into her skin, things go from bad to worse - they encounter an insane religious cult and all hell breaks loose.
The characters in this book are fun for sure. But they are also fully realised, and I enjoyed the portrayal of enduring friendship in all its ugliness and glory. The writing is clean and uncluttered, and Howe and Newman obviously work well as a team. There are no pauses or breaks where you feel you’re being handed from one to the other.
Howe is English, but he seems to ‘get’ something about American culture that he translates onto the page in all his work, and this book is no exception. It’s all written tongue in cheek but actually the fanatical zealots are pretty scary and well thought out and there are some pretty deep moments between our motley cru.
It’s horror I think, and it’s full of gore and pulse racing moments. It’s also got clever unexpected twists and turns that you won’t see coming and it’s heavy on nostalgia which I love.
Go grab a copy, I mean. Metal, deranged cult, wrestling what’s not to love…
This is literally the funnest book I’ve read for ages. Mike, Lonnie and Pork Chop embark on a road trip accompanied by Cindi the bar girl. It starts to go seriously wrong after a drug and booze fuelled episode which finds them lost. When they run over a naked woman whose been beaten up and has the seven deadly sins carved into her skin, things go from bad to worse - they encounter an insane religious cult and all hell breaks loose.
The characters in this book are fun for sure. But they are also fully realised, and I enjoyed the portrayal of enduring friendship in all its ugliness and glory. The writing is clean and uncluttered, and Howe and Newman obviously work well as a team. There are no pauses or breaks where you feel you’re being handed from one to the other.
Howe is English, but he seems to ‘get’ something about American culture that he translates onto the page in all his work, and this book is no exception. It’s all written tongue in cheek but actually the fanatical zealots are pretty scary and well thought out and there are some pretty deep moments between our motley cru.
It’s horror I think, and it’s full of gore and pulse racing moments. It’s also got clever unexpected twists and turns that you won’t see coming and it’s heavy on nostalgia which I love.
Go grab a copy, I mean. Metal, deranged cult, wrestling what’s not to love…
February 28, 2021
This. Story. Rocked!!! (And Rolled???)
So, this story is about Mike and his two long friends Lonnie and PC. They're heading to the Silverdome to see WrestleMania lll, to Mike's dismay. Along for the ride is a vengeful chick, Cyndie (Was that her name?), who may be in it for more than just wrestling. On the way to Michigan, they run into a girl with carvings all over her body. Pride. Greed. Lust. Envy. Gluttony. Wrath. Sloth. These are the symbols that create... *Dramatic Noise* Chemical Goat! (That's a Powerpuff Girl Reference ...) She's called the goat, but really she's a sacrificial lamb. And with this newly added acquisition you have where this story really starts. And boy are you in for a ride!
I'm giving this one five stars. FIVE STARS!!! It was that good! I loved the characters! I just adored them all! This Hellish RV Trip is one you don't want to miss!
I can't find one thing I didn't like about this story. I have nothing to complain about. This is my second book that I've read that James Newman co-wrote with someone (The first being In The Scrape by James Newman and Mark Steensland), and man do I want to continue reading more by him.
The villains were hateful, bible-thumping religious cult that actually made for good bad guys. Oh, and man were some scenes in this book downright dark and creepy!
In the end I really enjoyed this epic tale of three old bandmates going on a seemingly innocent trip to the Silverdome to see a scripted fight. It was really entertaining and I recommend it to anyone who wants a wild ride.
So, this story is about Mike and his two long friends Lonnie and PC. They're heading to the Silverdome to see WrestleMania lll, to Mike's dismay. Along for the ride is a vengeful chick, Cyndie (Was that her name?), who may be in it for more than just wrestling. On the way to Michigan, they run into a girl with carvings all over her body. Pride. Greed. Lust. Envy. Gluttony. Wrath. Sloth. These are the symbols that create... *Dramatic Noise* Chemical Goat! (That's a Powerpuff Girl Reference ...) She's called the goat, but really she's a sacrificial lamb. And with this newly added acquisition you have where this story really starts. And boy are you in for a ride!
I'm giving this one five stars. FIVE STARS!!! It was that good! I loved the characters! I just adored them all! This Hellish RV Trip is one you don't want to miss!
I can't find one thing I didn't like about this story. I have nothing to complain about. This is my second book that I've read that James Newman co-wrote with someone (The first being In The Scrape by James Newman and Mark Steensland), and man do I want to continue reading more by him.
The villains were hateful, bible-thumping religious cult that actually made for good bad guys. Oh, and man were some scenes in this book downright dark and creepy!
In the end I really enjoyed this epic tale of three old bandmates going on a seemingly innocent trip to the Silverdome to see a scripted fight. It was really entertaining and I recommend it to anyone who wants a wild ride.
November 14, 2018
Prepare yourself for a rip-roaring trip through the End of Days as seen through the eyes of three white trash heroes. This book was a ton of fun to read! I was cracking up at the antics of Mike Rawson, Lonnie Deveroux, and Pork Chop, as they try to get to WrestleMania 3 with a load of counterfeit merchandise. The ending had a twist that blew me away! Highly recommended!
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