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After two raids turn up zero evidence, narcotics detective Dwayne Spare infiltrates a crumbling apartment building where the suspected manufacturer of krokodil is hiding -- and finds something much worse. The chemist Gerald Metzger isn't after money, he's lulling his most 'dedicated' customers into catatonia to make contact with an eldritch being and when Dwayne's cover is blown, he becomes Metzger's new test subject, an involuntary pilgrim into a world where "it's all just in your head" is far from a reassuring statement.
- GenresThriller
Unknown Binding
First published February 21, 2020
41 people want to read
About the author
Andrew Post
28 books71 followersAndrew Post is the author of CHOP SHOP, AFTERTASTE, RUSTED HEROES, THE SIREN HOUSE, SIRED BY STONE, FABRICK, and KNUCKLEDUSTER.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 27, 2020
I almost don't know where to start with this review and I'll be honest, I'm going to keep my summary pretty vague because I'm afraid I'll end up rambling and give too much away. Suffice to say, Andrew Post can certainly write some pretty messed up plots and I love them!
Dwayne Spare is a cop who has spent quite a bit of time chasing Gerald Metzger, a krokodil dealer. He ends up going undercover as one final hail mary to apprehend Metzger and gets more than he bargained for. Dwayne is in for the "trip" of his life. Dwayne's stay in the rundown apartment complex is best compared to some sort of limbo and honestly, I'm not sure how Post came up with everything.
So I jumped at the chance to be on this tour because the Post's Chop Shop was one of my favorite reads of last year. Needless to say, the author writes dark, gritty characters and horrible desolate scenarios and I have a feeling people will either love or hate his tales. Post does not really offer any morally grey characters in (S)witchboard as the people here are pretty much bad and worse. However, I did find myself cheering on Dwayne and also felt a connection to another one of Metzger's employees, Connie.
So from now Andrew Post is an auto-read for me. I can't wait to see what twisted tale he shares with his readers next. If this sounds like something you'd like, then I'd say take a chance. You might be pleasantly surprised.
And by the way, if you haven't heard of krokodil, look it up. It's a truly terrifying drug.
Dwayne Spare is a cop who has spent quite a bit of time chasing Gerald Metzger, a krokodil dealer. He ends up going undercover as one final hail mary to apprehend Metzger and gets more than he bargained for. Dwayne is in for the "trip" of his life. Dwayne's stay in the rundown apartment complex is best compared to some sort of limbo and honestly, I'm not sure how Post came up with everything.
So I jumped at the chance to be on this tour because the Post's Chop Shop was one of my favorite reads of last year. Needless to say, the author writes dark, gritty characters and horrible desolate scenarios and I have a feeling people will either love or hate his tales. Post does not really offer any morally grey characters in (S)witchboard as the people here are pretty much bad and worse. However, I did find myself cheering on Dwayne and also felt a connection to another one of Metzger's employees, Connie.
So from now Andrew Post is an auto-read for me. I can't wait to see what twisted tale he shares with his readers next. If this sounds like something you'd like, then I'd say take a chance. You might be pleasantly surprised.
And by the way, if you haven't heard of krokodil, look it up. It's a truly terrifying drug.
May 14, 2020
Switchboard is one of those novels that leave you asking a predominate question – What the fuck did I just read? This is in no way a negative emotion. I was immersed into the seedy underbelly of the plot in which time had no relevance, so, I didn’t have an opportunity to fully process the implications and the impact the themes brought about within me. Within the box that Andrew Post created was essentially a haunted house story but with a visceral edge that completely unseated you and crafted so superbly that you felt as though your brain had developed an unreachable itch.
Police Lieutenant Dwayne Spare has obsessed his entire career about catching notorious cook/chemist, Gerald Metzger. His focus is entirely singular and all previous attempts at catching him have failed but now, he has the opportunity to go undercover and finally nail him with every charge he can muster. The place – Dunsany Arms apartments. The suspicion – the manufacture of the street drug – Krokodil ( I did my own research, having never heard of the drug before and boy did I get my eyes opened. Never has another drug terrified me as much. Rotting limbs and appendages sent a chill through me).
At this point the narrative in Switchboard seems straight forward, right? Buckle up soldiers. Dwayne is found out and pumped full of Krokodil, a test subject if you will. The victims are used to turn them into a telephone line that can connect to a despicable otherworldly creature. The experience of reading Switchboard was ethereal. The author has managed to confuse time, reality and dreams into a hazy glow. The reader can try as they might to see through the fog it just becomes thicker and it will suffocate you before allowing its secrets to be revealed.
Dwayne is not the only helpless victim that seems to be captive to this fate. We are also introduced to paraplegic surgeon, Connie and body mutilated Jack, the drugs runner. Their struggle was also futile and have given up in their struggle, the power exerted over them limitless. The characters emitted a sense of desperation and although I wanted character arcs that would come full circle and see them getting a happy ever after, this isn’t going to happen and if you think it is then, well, you haven’t been paying attention.
Post has created such a deliciously dark tale that brings the horror of human existence and how one can fall far. Some scenes are absolutely repulsive, but he does emit small amounts of light into the story that give you the smallest amount of hope that things might turn out alright. It might seem as though things take inordinate amount of time to make sense but please stick with it. The mechanics of the story connect with such intelligent execution that you have an extreme sense of satisfaction at having stuck and stayed faithful to the story.
Switchboard is larger than life. A story that examines the human condition and the lengths it will go to when lost within its own psyche. Andrew Posts characters, whether they be relatable or pure evil are completely believable.
Police Lieutenant Dwayne Spare has obsessed his entire career about catching notorious cook/chemist, Gerald Metzger. His focus is entirely singular and all previous attempts at catching him have failed but now, he has the opportunity to go undercover and finally nail him with every charge he can muster. The place – Dunsany Arms apartments. The suspicion – the manufacture of the street drug – Krokodil ( I did my own research, having never heard of the drug before and boy did I get my eyes opened. Never has another drug terrified me as much. Rotting limbs and appendages sent a chill through me).
At this point the narrative in Switchboard seems straight forward, right? Buckle up soldiers. Dwayne is found out and pumped full of Krokodil, a test subject if you will. The victims are used to turn them into a telephone line that can connect to a despicable otherworldly creature. The experience of reading Switchboard was ethereal. The author has managed to confuse time, reality and dreams into a hazy glow. The reader can try as they might to see through the fog it just becomes thicker and it will suffocate you before allowing its secrets to be revealed.
Dwayne is not the only helpless victim that seems to be captive to this fate. We are also introduced to paraplegic surgeon, Connie and body mutilated Jack, the drugs runner. Their struggle was also futile and have given up in their struggle, the power exerted over them limitless. The characters emitted a sense of desperation and although I wanted character arcs that would come full circle and see them getting a happy ever after, this isn’t going to happen and if you think it is then, well, you haven’t been paying attention.
Post has created such a deliciously dark tale that brings the horror of human existence and how one can fall far. Some scenes are absolutely repulsive, but he does emit small amounts of light into the story that give you the smallest amount of hope that things might turn out alright. It might seem as though things take inordinate amount of time to make sense but please stick with it. The mechanics of the story connect with such intelligent execution that you have an extreme sense of satisfaction at having stuck and stayed faithful to the story.
Switchboard is larger than life. A story that examines the human condition and the lengths it will go to when lost within its own psyche. Andrew Posts characters, whether they be relatable or pure evil are completely believable.
August 11, 2020
Every so often I come across a book that is so mind blowing I need a long while to collect my thoughts for a review – Switchboard by Andrew Post is one of those books. “Awesome” sums it up, but that would hardly tell you why you should read this novel. The storyline, characters, and writing style were all so captivating, it was one of those rare gems you come across where you want to reread it as soon as you’re finished.
There’s an undercover narcotics detective, body modification surgeries, drug induced visions, ghosts inhabiting papier-mâché people, and burner phones connected to another dimension. It’s a wild ride to say the least!
In Erie, Pennsylvania, narcotics detective Dwayne Spare is certain the dilapidated Dunsany Arms apartment building is at the centre of Gerald Metzger’s drug operation. Previous raids haven’t produced the evidence, so Dwayne goes undercover as a new tenant. But his cover doesn’t last long, and he’s injected with Metzger’s special drug. When Dwayne awakens there’s a voicemail on his phone from himself, from somewhere beyond.
I don’t want to say more about the plot for fear of spoiling it, but I will say it’s gripping and nearly impossible to put down.
Besides the detective, the novel also goes deep into the lives of other apartment tenants, all connected to Metzger’s business. Connie, a specialist in body modification, cuts pockets into people’s skin for drug smuggling and is responsible for removing dead tissue from junkies. Jack, a drug runner, turns to suicide as an ultimate escape, but soon finds Dunsany Arms won’t let go of his soul. Even the apartment building itself is like a character. A place as broken down as its residents, and a place where time figuratively and literally has no bearing.
And speaking of time, author Andrew Post brilliantly handled playing around with the concept of time throughout the book. Each character is battling an aspect of their past, and to heighten the desperation of the characters the story unfolds in a nonlinear way, causing old and new torments to collide in unexpected ways. A disrupted narrative can be dicey in novels, but Post uses the technique to add another layer to the story and it pays off in a big way. I never felt confused by the narrative because of Post’s attention to detail which beautifully tied everything together.
While I was reading Switchboard, I was awestruck by the strong images of even the smallest details, and it wasn’t until I was finished that I realised how each element circled back to impactful moments in each character’s life. Even the choice of Metzger’s drug being Krokodil was used to foreshadow the sufferings of the Dunsany Arms tenants as they unravelled and fell apart mentally as well as physically. If you’ve never heard of Krokodil and would like some nightmare fuel, Google images of its side effects. Just be warned, it’s also known as the zombie drug due to the skin necrosis it causes. Andrew Post does an excellent job of describing all the gory details of the rotting drug users, and one of my favourite lines was “Screams from a jawless mouth sound very different.”
This novel is my top read of the year so far, that’s how much I loved it. Switchboard is a thrilling tragedy sure to haunt you long after you’ve closed the covers.
*This review first appeared on Kendall Reviews*
There’s an undercover narcotics detective, body modification surgeries, drug induced visions, ghosts inhabiting papier-mâché people, and burner phones connected to another dimension. It’s a wild ride to say the least!
In Erie, Pennsylvania, narcotics detective Dwayne Spare is certain the dilapidated Dunsany Arms apartment building is at the centre of Gerald Metzger’s drug operation. Previous raids haven’t produced the evidence, so Dwayne goes undercover as a new tenant. But his cover doesn’t last long, and he’s injected with Metzger’s special drug. When Dwayne awakens there’s a voicemail on his phone from himself, from somewhere beyond.
I don’t want to say more about the plot for fear of spoiling it, but I will say it’s gripping and nearly impossible to put down.
Besides the detective, the novel also goes deep into the lives of other apartment tenants, all connected to Metzger’s business. Connie, a specialist in body modification, cuts pockets into people’s skin for drug smuggling and is responsible for removing dead tissue from junkies. Jack, a drug runner, turns to suicide as an ultimate escape, but soon finds Dunsany Arms won’t let go of his soul. Even the apartment building itself is like a character. A place as broken down as its residents, and a place where time figuratively and literally has no bearing.
And speaking of time, author Andrew Post brilliantly handled playing around with the concept of time throughout the book. Each character is battling an aspect of their past, and to heighten the desperation of the characters the story unfolds in a nonlinear way, causing old and new torments to collide in unexpected ways. A disrupted narrative can be dicey in novels, but Post uses the technique to add another layer to the story and it pays off in a big way. I never felt confused by the narrative because of Post’s attention to detail which beautifully tied everything together.
While I was reading Switchboard, I was awestruck by the strong images of even the smallest details, and it wasn’t until I was finished that I realised how each element circled back to impactful moments in each character’s life. Even the choice of Metzger’s drug being Krokodil was used to foreshadow the sufferings of the Dunsany Arms tenants as they unravelled and fell apart mentally as well as physically. If you’ve never heard of Krokodil and would like some nightmare fuel, Google images of its side effects. Just be warned, it’s also known as the zombie drug due to the skin necrosis it causes. Andrew Post does an excellent job of describing all the gory details of the rotting drug users, and one of my favourite lines was “Screams from a jawless mouth sound very different.”
This novel is my top read of the year so far, that’s how much I loved it. Switchboard is a thrilling tragedy sure to haunt you long after you’ve closed the covers.
*This review first appeared on Kendall Reviews*
May 27, 2020
Switchboard by Andrew Post is one of them books that has you sitting back in your seat and saying "Wow!" You feel like you are in a dark vortex with nothing but nightmares around you reading this book.
Police Lieutenant Dwayne Spare has spent his career attempting to pin down Gerald Metzger a chemist who has a product called Krokodil, a horrific product that should not be on the streets, but everytime they fail to get him. Dwayne has the opportunity to go undercover and find everything out he can in order to throw the book at Gerald Metzger.
You would think everything would be great now..Nope, Dwayne is found out and pumped full of Krokodil in order to be a test subject for Gerald's experiment in using people to be something similar to a telephone , to connect to a horrific dark monster. The story is a rather surreal, dark experience in which nightmares seem to become reality or is reality a nightmare?
Andrew Post has most definitely written a dark, dark tale of the machinations of the human psyche. Scary and horrific in parts, it highlights how far people will go to to get what they need. There are lighter parts as well where hope shines through, we all need that. Thank you Anne Cater from Random Things Tours for allowing me to be a part of this dark book!
Police Lieutenant Dwayne Spare has spent his career attempting to pin down Gerald Metzger a chemist who has a product called Krokodil, a horrific product that should not be on the streets, but everytime they fail to get him. Dwayne has the opportunity to go undercover and find everything out he can in order to throw the book at Gerald Metzger.
You would think everything would be great now..Nope, Dwayne is found out and pumped full of Krokodil in order to be a test subject for Gerald's experiment in using people to be something similar to a telephone , to connect to a horrific dark monster. The story is a rather surreal, dark experience in which nightmares seem to become reality or is reality a nightmare?
Andrew Post has most definitely written a dark, dark tale of the machinations of the human psyche. Scary and horrific in parts, it highlights how far people will go to to get what they need. There are lighter parts as well where hope shines through, we all need that. Thank you Anne Cater from Random Things Tours for allowing me to be a part of this dark book!
May 15, 2020
Well, what can I say about Switchboard, this is a trippy nightmare that grabs you by the throat and won’t let go…….
Dwayne Spare is a cop, he has been chasing George Metzger for some time but somehow he knows when they are coming and all evidence of his Krokodil production has disappeared. So he decides to go undercover and moves into the same apartment block, he sets up his surveillance cameras and phone tap…..what could go wrong?
Well Metzger knows and uses Dwayne as another of his ‘dreamers’……
Can he hear him?
It starts off like a solid police procedural, but oh dear god! It descends into a nightmarish tale of a twisted limbo….where the worlds of the living and the dead meet in ‘dreams’ to the extent no one knows who or what are real……..it’s not all in your head! The more damaged you are the worse it gets……
Metzger controls this, listening for voicemail from the thing in the basement……phones connecting to the dead……a switchboard to a ghostly world where time no longer exists and reality unravels….
Bizarre, brutal and horrific at times but utterly compelling…….I need a lie down now, but not on a stained carpet!!!!!!!
Thank you to Anne Cater and Random Things Tours for the opportunity to participate in this blog tour, for the promotional materials and a free copy of the book. This is my honest, unbiased review.
Dwayne Spare is a cop, he has been chasing George Metzger for some time but somehow he knows when they are coming and all evidence of his Krokodil production has disappeared. So he decides to go undercover and moves into the same apartment block, he sets up his surveillance cameras and phone tap…..what could go wrong?
Well Metzger knows and uses Dwayne as another of his ‘dreamers’……
Can he hear him?
It starts off like a solid police procedural, but oh dear god! It descends into a nightmarish tale of a twisted limbo….where the worlds of the living and the dead meet in ‘dreams’ to the extent no one knows who or what are real……..it’s not all in your head! The more damaged you are the worse it gets……
Metzger controls this, listening for voicemail from the thing in the basement……phones connecting to the dead……a switchboard to a ghostly world where time no longer exists and reality unravels….
Bizarre, brutal and horrific at times but utterly compelling…….I need a lie down now, but not on a stained carpet!!!!!!!
Thank you to Anne Cater and Random Things Tours for the opportunity to participate in this blog tour, for the promotional materials and a free copy of the book. This is my honest, unbiased review.
May 1, 2021
Review coming soon!
March 7, 2021
Switchboard is one of those books that are very difficult to review without spoiling the plot. The main reason being that it is a very, very original book and that's always something I am really happy to see.
This book starts as a fairly straight-forward police story: good guy goes undercover to catch bad guy, responsible for popularising a drug called Krokodil, that sounds a far-fetched substance made up for shock value in a dark fiction novel, but it is actually a real thing.
From there, Andrew Post leads the reader in a journey where you never really know if you're awake, dreaming, awake in a dream or what. Your perception often feels like you're standing staring the wall in front of you, only for you to realise - with a vertigo - that you're actually standing on the wall staring at the floor.
The story touches the cosmic-horror at times and although it doesn't really make a big fuss about it, it also has its fair share of philosophy regarding the human condition and our society.
The characters are all fleshed out very well (none is a jolly one, though, be warned) and I have to say that Post's dialogues are ones of the best I read in a while.
This is a very original and good novel. The only two warnings are: it is fairly dark and at times you'll be a bit lost and find yourself pushing through hoping that there will be a payoff at the end. The good news is that there is.
This book starts as a fairly straight-forward police story: good guy goes undercover to catch bad guy, responsible for popularising a drug called Krokodil, that sounds a far-fetched substance made up for shock value in a dark fiction novel, but it is actually a real thing.
From there, Andrew Post leads the reader in a journey where you never really know if you're awake, dreaming, awake in a dream or what. Your perception often feels like you're standing staring the wall in front of you, only for you to realise - with a vertigo - that you're actually standing on the wall staring at the floor.
The story touches the cosmic-horror at times and although it doesn't really make a big fuss about it, it also has its fair share of philosophy regarding the human condition and our society.
The characters are all fleshed out very well (none is a jolly one, though, be warned) and I have to say that Post's dialogues are ones of the best I read in a while.
This is a very original and good novel. The only two warnings are: it is fairly dark and at times you'll be a bit lost and find yourself pushing through hoping that there will be a payoff at the end. The good news is that there is.
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