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Doom Cabaret
This is the stage. These are the players.
A young woman’s sexual appetites prove too powerful to be undone by death. Hedonistic clubbers covet a drug that warps flesh rather than the mind. A wealthy cannibal encounters a meal too beautiful to be eaten. The Lullaby Man ushers another eager victim into his clockwork lair. Here is where such stories are told. Blood and beauty, defilement and deformity, musicians and monsters.
Welcome to the Doom Cabaret.
A young woman’s sexual appetites prove too powerful to be undone by death. Hedonistic clubbers covet a drug that warps flesh rather than the mind. A wealthy cannibal encounters a meal too beautiful to be eaten. The Lullaby Man ushers another eager victim into his clockwork lair. Here is where such stories are told. Blood and beauty, defilement and deformity, musicians and monsters.
Welcome to the Doom Cabaret.
137 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 24, 2020
1 person is currently reading
53 people want to read
About the author
John McNee
32 books96 followersJohn McNee is the writer of numerous strange and disturbing horror stories, published in a variety of strange and disturbing anthologies, as well as the novel 'Prince of Nightmares'.
He is also the creator of Grudgehaven and the author of 'Grudge Punk', a collection of short stories detailing the lives and deaths of its gruesome inhabitants, as well as its sequel, 'Petroleum Precinct'.
He lives in Scotland, where he is employed as a journalist.
He is also the creator of Grudgehaven and the author of 'Grudge Punk', a collection of short stories detailing the lives and deaths of its gruesome inhabitants, as well as its sequel, 'Petroleum Precinct'.
He lives in Scotland, where he is employed as a journalist.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
March 12, 2021
The author gave me this book of short horror stories in exchange for an honest review.
His writing is impressive, this particular book is straightforward, easy to get into and I enjoyed it - he makes writing look easy and I'm wondering to myself "Maybe I can do this."
So, bonus points for being influential to me.
The stories themselves are mysterious, disturbing and there wasn't one that I disliked.
Welcome to the Doom Cabaret!
A+
His writing is impressive, this particular book is straightforward, easy to get into and I enjoyed it - he makes writing look easy and I'm wondering to myself "Maybe I can do this."
So, bonus points for being influential to me.
The stories themselves are mysterious, disturbing and there wasn't one that I disliked.
Welcome to the Doom Cabaret!
A+
April 15, 2020
Do you remember the first time that your read Clive Barker or Poppy Z. Brite? Or the first time you discovered books published under the old Dell Abyss imprint or the splatterpunks of the 1990s? That feeling – that excitement – of knowing that horror can be both brutal and beautiful? That’s where I am with John McNee’s Doom Cabaret.
Like Brite and Barker, McNee has perfected the art of presenting taboo acts of extreme horror, violence, and gore as art. He makes the grotesque palatable by painting it with smooth curves and soft edges – acceptable in its brutality.
John McNee’s Doom Cabaret is available on April 24th 2020 and I highly recommend that you pre-order it now!
Please note that I did receive this title as a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
Like Brite and Barker, McNee has perfected the art of presenting taboo acts of extreme horror, violence, and gore as art. He makes the grotesque palatable by painting it with smooth curves and soft edges – acceptable in its brutality.
John McNee’s Doom Cabaret is available on April 24th 2020 and I highly recommend that you pre-order it now!
Please note that I did receive this title as a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
May 16, 2020
I read the stories in John McNee’s Doom Cabaret over the course of last week, and I’m seriously impressed.
The collection wasn’t quite what I was expecting. After reading Bebbel, I was excited by the idea that all of the stories could be set in this wonderful world of macabre cabaret. While it turns out that isn’t the case, it meant there was a great deal more variety in the collection, and I got to see a wider range of McNee’s talents on display. The writing throughout is exquisite, and the plots too are imaginative. With some truly heinous characters doing hideous things, there’s certainly a feeling thatin many cases, people get what they deserve.
Let me take you through each of the stories.
Bebbel
Bebbel is a performer is a grotesque cabaret show. It serves as a great introduction to the collection. It feels almost voyeuristic as we watch the show, and the delight in the pain is somewhat reminiscent of Barker’s work in the The Hellbound Heart.
Dead Deanna
I loved this tale. At first, I wasn’t sure it would be for me: I was worried we were departing from the cabaret of the first story, but I enjoyed this thoroughly. Characters sometimes deserve the horrors they experience. I felt a great sense of justice here. It’s the story of a return, but taken to such delightful extremes. Fabulous.
Man Holding Razor Blade
This one reminded me of Candyman. Not that it’s similar story-wise, but there’s something in the tone of it. Hannah’s crashing at a friend’s house to avoid a crazy ex-boyfriend. From Nasreen’s window she can see a graffiti mural featuring a man holding a razor blade among other scenes of debauchery. As the mural grows, Hannah becomes convinced there’s more to it than meets the eye.
Slaughterhouse Sweetheart
This is an odd one. Again, the pleasure in the taboo here is an intriguing part of the story. I felt uncomfortable about some of the things the protagonist did (not the eating thing… I was strangely okay with that), but the end made for a satisfying conclusion.
Skunk Jr
This one may have been my favourite. It starts with a fatal car accident, with some horrific injury detail, and it only escalates from there. The hunt for Skunk Jr is incredibly well done, with tension rising throughout the piece. His backstory augments the story, and you feel sympathy for him by the end.
Repulsive Glamour
This one returns to the aesthetic of the cabaret, the pleasure in pain etc. It may be the strangest of the stories in the collection, but the body modifications/mutilations are described with such rich language.
The Lullaby Man
I loved the ending of this one. There’s something about confronting childhood fears, but in the last part, when we come to understand why, it elevates it beyond the typical.
Midnight at the Doom Cabaret
I like that we ended with the cabaret. While it’s not the same as Bebbel’s it felt like we’d come full circle. It’s an intriguing tale too. There are also stories within the story here, some told to some degree, others only hinted at, but it’s indicative of the rich imagination McNee has.
All in all, it’s a fabulous collection.
The collection wasn’t quite what I was expecting. After reading Bebbel, I was excited by the idea that all of the stories could be set in this wonderful world of macabre cabaret. While it turns out that isn’t the case, it meant there was a great deal more variety in the collection, and I got to see a wider range of McNee’s talents on display. The writing throughout is exquisite, and the plots too are imaginative. With some truly heinous characters doing hideous things, there’s certainly a feeling thatin many cases, people get what they deserve.
Let me take you through each of the stories.
Bebbel
Bebbel is a performer is a grotesque cabaret show. It serves as a great introduction to the collection. It feels almost voyeuristic as we watch the show, and the delight in the pain is somewhat reminiscent of Barker’s work in the The Hellbound Heart.
Dead Deanna
I loved this tale. At first, I wasn’t sure it would be for me: I was worried we were departing from the cabaret of the first story, but I enjoyed this thoroughly. Characters sometimes deserve the horrors they experience. I felt a great sense of justice here. It’s the story of a return, but taken to such delightful extremes. Fabulous.
Man Holding Razor Blade
This one reminded me of Candyman. Not that it’s similar story-wise, but there’s something in the tone of it. Hannah’s crashing at a friend’s house to avoid a crazy ex-boyfriend. From Nasreen’s window she can see a graffiti mural featuring a man holding a razor blade among other scenes of debauchery. As the mural grows, Hannah becomes convinced there’s more to it than meets the eye.
Slaughterhouse Sweetheart
This is an odd one. Again, the pleasure in the taboo here is an intriguing part of the story. I felt uncomfortable about some of the things the protagonist did (not the eating thing… I was strangely okay with that), but the end made for a satisfying conclusion.
Skunk Jr
This one may have been my favourite. It starts with a fatal car accident, with some horrific injury detail, and it only escalates from there. The hunt for Skunk Jr is incredibly well done, with tension rising throughout the piece. His backstory augments the story, and you feel sympathy for him by the end.
Repulsive Glamour
This one returns to the aesthetic of the cabaret, the pleasure in pain etc. It may be the strangest of the stories in the collection, but the body modifications/mutilations are described with such rich language.
The Lullaby Man
I loved the ending of this one. There’s something about confronting childhood fears, but in the last part, when we come to understand why, it elevates it beyond the typical.
Midnight at the Doom Cabaret
I like that we ended with the cabaret. While it’s not the same as Bebbel’s it felt like we’d come full circle. It’s an intriguing tale too. There are also stories within the story here, some told to some degree, others only hinted at, but it’s indicative of the rich imagination McNee has.
All in all, it’s a fabulous collection.
August 22, 2020
‘Bebbel’ is actually the name of the character through whose eyes we watch the story unfold. Bebbel is a member of a travelling troupe under the leadership of Sally and her sidekick, Fat Charlie. Theirs is a dark and twisted display, hidden within the larger funfair of rides and stalls, hiding this one, lonely tent that caters to an exclusive clientele. Well-dressed men and women watch as creatures once human, since transformed by Sally’s cruel hands, are paraded onstage, showing all signs of transformation. Bebbel is hung from an overhead crane, wires fed through hooks embedded in skin. All the while, Sally holds sway over the congregation. However, the true horror really occurs with the audience participation. McNee has a flair for the theatrical (as evidenced by the promotional videos he uploaded to social media to promote the book) and this is evident in his writing. From the grandiose dialogue of Sally, to the descriptions of the stage and surroundings, it makes for beautiful prose, even when he describes the alterations to Sally’s stars.
‘Dead Deanna’ is a change in style from the last story. The sentences are short. The inner dialogue of protagonist Ray is abrupt and tinged with seething anger. When he reaches the bar, the tone gets a little sleazier, as barmaid Deanna turns on her charm, in a far from subtle way. It isn’t long before they are rolling around, tearing each other’s clothes off. But then it takes a sinister turn. Ray is twenty-five years her senior, and was unhappily married when he first met her. What began as a steamy affair went off the rails when Ray began to voice some doubts, causing Deanna to make some serious allegations. Ray’s life fell apart, and he has harboured some dark thoughts ever since. We can’t really say what happens after the events at the bar without giving the whole thing away, but McNee gets to stretch his extreme-horror muscles with some of the gruesome descriptions, leaving nothing to the reader’s imagination. Deanna seems to take great pleasure in making Ray squirm and, presumably, so too will McNee when he hears that the ending to this one gave us goose-bumps. Wonderfully horrifying.
Reviewer Ben Walker likened ‘Man Holding Razor Blade’ to the movie Candyman, and we’d definitely agree. Hannah escapes an abusive relationship by sleeping on the couch in friend Nasreen’s council flat. From the kitchen window, they can see a mural on an exterior wall, depicting a disturbing scene of a man with a razor blade, standing before a bonfire, surrounded by hideous creatures. Hannah feels herself drawn to the painting and discovers upon investigation that the artist is an asylum seeker from Belarus who lives on the housing estate. He claims he is compelled to paint the mural by an unseen force, which only adds to the tension. Soon, the line separating reality and fantasy becomes blurred, and Hannah isn’t sure what to believe. This gives her an opportunity to deal with her own problem. But it comes at a price. It isn’t a brand-new idea, but McNee puts a wonderfully dark and bleak twist on it.
‘Slaughterhouse Sweetheart’ takes place in Norway, where producer Miletto has ventured to meet reclusive Dr Olaffson. He arrives just in time for dinner, the meal deliciously described, before McNee drops the bombshell that they are eating human. It comes up fairly early in the story, so isn’t spoiling anything. It turns out that Miletto has developed a taste for human flesh, and Dr Olaffson is something of an expert in trading it. As it happens, he has developed a way to biologically grow humans like cattle, at an accelerated rate to meet demands, and offers to give Miletto the grand tour. Most of the subjects are docile and cattle-like in their demeanour; eyes devoid of intelligence, simply moving along a conveyer belt. But one of the subjects catches Miletto’s eye, one deemed surplus to requirements. Against Olaffson’s better judgement, he allows Miletto to take her away. Naturally, disaster strikes. It is an unusual concept for a story, quite grotesque in a way, as Miletto oversteps a terrible boundary with his new pet. But the truly terrible horror comes at the end when Miletto must face the ramifications of his actions.
‘Skunk Jr’ takes us to some small, rural area in America, where local police officers respond to a terrible car crash. The passenger was heavily pregnant at the time of the accident but, when emergency services arrive, she is dead and her baby is missing. What follows is a desperate manhunt into a heavily forested area, while the leader of the small group, Lieutenant Teddy Warner and his men discuss the inhabitants of the shacks on the creek, specifically Skunk Arlen and Lynne Tavish. Their personal and family history is complicated, to put it mildly. The group are greeted by something disturbing in the woods, which leads them to a final confrontation with the one who took the baby. Bloody and gory imagery abounds in this prime example of extreme horror, and a fine example of McNee’s range in horror fiction.
In ‘Repulsive Glamour’, Agbal is a man who from a far-off country who claims to have a drug that does not affect your mind, but will alter your body. He has built up a cult around the drug, Munzur, and those who know of the drug and worship it congregate at a nightclub called Cathedral. Two early users of the drug, Pox and Degradatia, lord it over other followers, proclaiming themselves gods, even toying with Agbal. But he soon has his revenge when he unleashes something even worse on them. A moral tale of being careful what you wish for, as well as a take on what greed can do to the human mind, it is another gore-splattered affair, with some gruesome visuals, as well as a great setting.
‘The Lullaby Man’ concerns a monster who stalks the dreams of the innocent, transporting those who sleep to his labyrinthine Muddle House and tormenting them with childish rhymes. Jenny discovers an artist, Heather, whose only subject for her canvas is the delightfully creepy Lullaby Man. Jenny wants to find out what Heather knows about this bogeyman, so hangs around after an exhibition. The action cuts between their conversation, and Jenny’s appearance in the Muddle House, at least proving the existence of some place with a creepy man stalking her. But how real is he? And what are Jenny’s intentions? This story felt very cinematic in its style, like it could be easily adaptable in film, possibly as an episode on the new iteration of Creepshow. While creepy creatures haunting the dreams of the innocent is far from original, we found McNee’s take on it truly terrifying, and the descriptions of the Lullaby Man eerie. The way he builds the tension, flitting between the two scenes, is excellent, and the pacing of the final confrontation is brilliant.
The final story, ‘Midnight at the Doom Cabaret’, concerns the eponymous club, and its latest recruit. Street performer Natalie Bell is approached by a mysterious and alluring woman, Carmen, while she is playing violin on the streets of Glasgow. She is invited to audition for an exclusive club that very night but, upon arrival, she is greeted by the creepy Mr Bramwell and thrust straight into that night’s performance. She finds it difficult at first, unable to fully understand the music or concentrate when the beautiful Carmen is onstage. But when Bramwell appears, she finds she can play the music effortlessly, along with the rest of the small group of musicians, although she can’t quite explain why. Despite her reservations, she accepts the full-time employment, which comes with the caveat that she must stay in the underground club and not venture outside. It soon becomes clear that this cabaret is even stranger than it first appears, but her growing feelings for Carmen force her to stay. Until it brings her into confrontation with Bramwell. It is another deliciously dark tale, reminiscent of the first story, and again benefiting from McNee’s theatrical voice. The way the ending calls back to the beginning of the story is also very well done, and makes for a very strong finish to the collection.
Although there are only seven stories, they showcase a great range of horror, from the theatrical tales that bookend the collection, to the more extreme ‘Dead Deanna’ and ‘Skunk Jr’, even these differing, with one more sultry and intimate, the other action-packed. Then we have the cinematic and nightmarish with ‘The Lullaby Man’ and ‘Man Holding Razor Blade’, the fantastical ‘Repulsive Glamour’ and the disturbing cannibalism hinted at with ‘Slaughterhouse Sweetheart’. While they differ in levels of darkness and subject matter, they are all truly horrific and pitch black in tone. The imagery is strong throughout, McNee seemingly free to paint the most terrifying ideas from his imagination directly into our own. It speaks to McNee’s strength as a storyteller that there isn’t a dud amongst the stories, and more people ought to be reading his work.
‘Dead Deanna’ is a change in style from the last story. The sentences are short. The inner dialogue of protagonist Ray is abrupt and tinged with seething anger. When he reaches the bar, the tone gets a little sleazier, as barmaid Deanna turns on her charm, in a far from subtle way. It isn’t long before they are rolling around, tearing each other’s clothes off. But then it takes a sinister turn. Ray is twenty-five years her senior, and was unhappily married when he first met her. What began as a steamy affair went off the rails when Ray began to voice some doubts, causing Deanna to make some serious allegations. Ray’s life fell apart, and he has harboured some dark thoughts ever since. We can’t really say what happens after the events at the bar without giving the whole thing away, but McNee gets to stretch his extreme-horror muscles with some of the gruesome descriptions, leaving nothing to the reader’s imagination. Deanna seems to take great pleasure in making Ray squirm and, presumably, so too will McNee when he hears that the ending to this one gave us goose-bumps. Wonderfully horrifying.
Reviewer Ben Walker likened ‘Man Holding Razor Blade’ to the movie Candyman, and we’d definitely agree. Hannah escapes an abusive relationship by sleeping on the couch in friend Nasreen’s council flat. From the kitchen window, they can see a mural on an exterior wall, depicting a disturbing scene of a man with a razor blade, standing before a bonfire, surrounded by hideous creatures. Hannah feels herself drawn to the painting and discovers upon investigation that the artist is an asylum seeker from Belarus who lives on the housing estate. He claims he is compelled to paint the mural by an unseen force, which only adds to the tension. Soon, the line separating reality and fantasy becomes blurred, and Hannah isn’t sure what to believe. This gives her an opportunity to deal with her own problem. But it comes at a price. It isn’t a brand-new idea, but McNee puts a wonderfully dark and bleak twist on it.
‘Slaughterhouse Sweetheart’ takes place in Norway, where producer Miletto has ventured to meet reclusive Dr Olaffson. He arrives just in time for dinner, the meal deliciously described, before McNee drops the bombshell that they are eating human. It comes up fairly early in the story, so isn’t spoiling anything. It turns out that Miletto has developed a taste for human flesh, and Dr Olaffson is something of an expert in trading it. As it happens, he has developed a way to biologically grow humans like cattle, at an accelerated rate to meet demands, and offers to give Miletto the grand tour. Most of the subjects are docile and cattle-like in their demeanour; eyes devoid of intelligence, simply moving along a conveyer belt. But one of the subjects catches Miletto’s eye, one deemed surplus to requirements. Against Olaffson’s better judgement, he allows Miletto to take her away. Naturally, disaster strikes. It is an unusual concept for a story, quite grotesque in a way, as Miletto oversteps a terrible boundary with his new pet. But the truly terrible horror comes at the end when Miletto must face the ramifications of his actions.
‘Skunk Jr’ takes us to some small, rural area in America, where local police officers respond to a terrible car crash. The passenger was heavily pregnant at the time of the accident but, when emergency services arrive, she is dead and her baby is missing. What follows is a desperate manhunt into a heavily forested area, while the leader of the small group, Lieutenant Teddy Warner and his men discuss the inhabitants of the shacks on the creek, specifically Skunk Arlen and Lynne Tavish. Their personal and family history is complicated, to put it mildly. The group are greeted by something disturbing in the woods, which leads them to a final confrontation with the one who took the baby. Bloody and gory imagery abounds in this prime example of extreme horror, and a fine example of McNee’s range in horror fiction.
In ‘Repulsive Glamour’, Agbal is a man who from a far-off country who claims to have a drug that does not affect your mind, but will alter your body. He has built up a cult around the drug, Munzur, and those who know of the drug and worship it congregate at a nightclub called Cathedral. Two early users of the drug, Pox and Degradatia, lord it over other followers, proclaiming themselves gods, even toying with Agbal. But he soon has his revenge when he unleashes something even worse on them. A moral tale of being careful what you wish for, as well as a take on what greed can do to the human mind, it is another gore-splattered affair, with some gruesome visuals, as well as a great setting.
‘The Lullaby Man’ concerns a monster who stalks the dreams of the innocent, transporting those who sleep to his labyrinthine Muddle House and tormenting them with childish rhymes. Jenny discovers an artist, Heather, whose only subject for her canvas is the delightfully creepy Lullaby Man. Jenny wants to find out what Heather knows about this bogeyman, so hangs around after an exhibition. The action cuts between their conversation, and Jenny’s appearance in the Muddle House, at least proving the existence of some place with a creepy man stalking her. But how real is he? And what are Jenny’s intentions? This story felt very cinematic in its style, like it could be easily adaptable in film, possibly as an episode on the new iteration of Creepshow. While creepy creatures haunting the dreams of the innocent is far from original, we found McNee’s take on it truly terrifying, and the descriptions of the Lullaby Man eerie. The way he builds the tension, flitting between the two scenes, is excellent, and the pacing of the final confrontation is brilliant.
The final story, ‘Midnight at the Doom Cabaret’, concerns the eponymous club, and its latest recruit. Street performer Natalie Bell is approached by a mysterious and alluring woman, Carmen, while she is playing violin on the streets of Glasgow. She is invited to audition for an exclusive club that very night but, upon arrival, she is greeted by the creepy Mr Bramwell and thrust straight into that night’s performance. She finds it difficult at first, unable to fully understand the music or concentrate when the beautiful Carmen is onstage. But when Bramwell appears, she finds she can play the music effortlessly, along with the rest of the small group of musicians, although she can’t quite explain why. Despite her reservations, she accepts the full-time employment, which comes with the caveat that she must stay in the underground club and not venture outside. It soon becomes clear that this cabaret is even stranger than it first appears, but her growing feelings for Carmen force her to stay. Until it brings her into confrontation with Bramwell. It is another deliciously dark tale, reminiscent of the first story, and again benefiting from McNee’s theatrical voice. The way the ending calls back to the beginning of the story is also very well done, and makes for a very strong finish to the collection.
Although there are only seven stories, they showcase a great range of horror, from the theatrical tales that bookend the collection, to the more extreme ‘Dead Deanna’ and ‘Skunk Jr’, even these differing, with one more sultry and intimate, the other action-packed. Then we have the cinematic and nightmarish with ‘The Lullaby Man’ and ‘Man Holding Razor Blade’, the fantastical ‘Repulsive Glamour’ and the disturbing cannibalism hinted at with ‘Slaughterhouse Sweetheart’. While they differ in levels of darkness and subject matter, they are all truly horrific and pitch black in tone. The imagery is strong throughout, McNee seemingly free to paint the most terrifying ideas from his imagination directly into our own. It speaks to McNee’s strength as a storyteller that there isn’t a dud amongst the stories, and more people ought to be reading his work.
June 16, 2022
The first thing to say is that John McNee is an articulate and skilled writer and reading this book, in a technical sense, was wonderful because every story is crafted with beautiful sentence structure and personality. He has a real way with pacing too - every story was just the right length for what it was and kept me turning the pages. There were sentences so poignant that I underlined them so I could go back and find them to admire them again afterwards.
Also, McNee knows how to write a story. The last 3 stories were all entirely different from each other and were my favourites, but this collection is worth buying for the final story MIDNIGHT AT THE DOOM CABARET alone. I can't stop thinking about it.
So often, I read books that are either beautifully written but the stories are dull, or the stories are made up of good ideas but are too poorly executed for me to just forget real life and sink into the book for a while. This collection is the best of both worlds and gave me that full immersion I always look for - it was a joy and a pleasure to read, and I honestly think there's something for all types of horror fans in it.
Also, McNee knows how to write a story. The last 3 stories were all entirely different from each other and were my favourites, but this collection is worth buying for the final story MIDNIGHT AT THE DOOM CABARET alone. I can't stop thinking about it.
So often, I read books that are either beautifully written but the stories are dull, or the stories are made up of good ideas but are too poorly executed for me to just forget real life and sink into the book for a while. This collection is the best of both worlds and gave me that full immersion I always look for - it was a joy and a pleasure to read, and I honestly think there's something for all types of horror fans in it.
April 17, 2024
Nasty, creepy, seedy, and nasty again.
If Paul Kane ever does a Hellbound Hearts 2, I hope John McNee gets a story in it.
If Paul Kane ever does a Hellbound Hearts 2, I hope John McNee gets a story in it.
October 25, 2022
Nasty, creepy, gooey. Just what I was in the mood for. Definitely recommended.
September 30, 2020
*I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
How do you get a burlesque dancer to read your collection? With this title and cover! 'John McNee's Doom Cabaret' was brutal, hypnotic, and not for a faint hearted audience.
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-
Being a cabaret fiend myself I couldn’t resist a horror collection with a cover and title like this, and I’m glad I gave into temptation. Doom Cabaret is a set of eight horrific stories ranging from grotesque freak shows that go beyond any freak show you’ve ever seen before in ‘Bebbel‘, to a gruesome mural that comes to life in ‘Man Holding Razor Blade‘. McNee weaves a tapestry of violence, gore, passion, and revenge shrouded in shadows and as entertaining as it is stomach churning.
McNee’s writing relies heavily on the realistic characters that he creates. There is no such thing as holding back with McNee’s stories, no line that he won’t cross in service of the story.
This collection is bookended by a first and last story of some very different, yet equally hypnotic performances, ‘Bebbel’ and ‘Midnight at Doom Cabaret‘. Hitting you with the hard stuff first, the crunchy middle of the collection ramps down just a little, but always with the shadow in the background of that no holes barred beginning. Horrific performances with horrific stage managers, McNee’s stories are not easily forgotten, and not easy to put down either.
How do you get a burlesque dancer to read your collection? With this title and cover! 'John McNee's Doom Cabaret' was brutal, hypnotic, and not for a faint hearted audience.
-
-
Being a cabaret fiend myself I couldn’t resist a horror collection with a cover and title like this, and I’m glad I gave into temptation. Doom Cabaret is a set of eight horrific stories ranging from grotesque freak shows that go beyond any freak show you’ve ever seen before in ‘Bebbel‘, to a gruesome mural that comes to life in ‘Man Holding Razor Blade‘. McNee weaves a tapestry of violence, gore, passion, and revenge shrouded in shadows and as entertaining as it is stomach churning.
McNee’s writing relies heavily on the realistic characters that he creates. There is no such thing as holding back with McNee’s stories, no line that he won’t cross in service of the story.
This collection is bookended by a first and last story of some very different, yet equally hypnotic performances, ‘Bebbel’ and ‘Midnight at Doom Cabaret‘. Hitting you with the hard stuff first, the crunchy middle of the collection ramps down just a little, but always with the shadow in the background of that no holes barred beginning. Horrific performances with horrific stage managers, McNee’s stories are not easily forgotten, and not easy to put down either.
May 11, 2020
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. I really savored this book, took my time reading a story at a time and really letting the words take hold of my imagination. The way the stories each sucked me in and allowed my imagination to grow as the story progressed was something I haven’t experienced in a long time reading a book. Each story in and of itself was enough, but put together in one space really brought things to a head within my mind. My favorite of the bunch??? Midnight at the Doom Cabaret, why??? Because simply it spoke to me. The characters were rich, the descriptions were enticing and the way it ended I did not expect. Simply a fantastic novel, one in which I will be reading again and again. Highly recommend.
April 29, 2020
Good Horrific Fun
In my years of reading horror I've come to see authors who do visceral horror and who do quiet horror. This collection shows off the authors ability to do both. These stories are eerie and creepy but also don't shy away from showing you what is sometimes looked away from.
I first read the first story 'Bebbel' in its first publication and it stuck with me. Even in recent times it'd come up. The rest of the stories were new to me but in general hit just as hard. I would highly recommend this collection.
In my years of reading horror I've come to see authors who do visceral horror and who do quiet horror. This collection shows off the authors ability to do both. These stories are eerie and creepy but also don't shy away from showing you what is sometimes looked away from.
I first read the first story 'Bebbel' in its first publication and it stuck with me. Even in recent times it'd come up. The rest of the stories were new to me but in general hit just as hard. I would highly recommend this collection.
May 20, 2020
This was a -- well, "delight" seems like an odd choice of word for something with this much flesh-ripping, but you get my point. I'm not overly thrilled with a lot of the newer splatterpunk/extreme horror available on Amazon since so much of it seems so mechanical and joyless, but this book reminded me of early Clive Barker in its ability to show gruesome body horror with great flashes of style, wit, and beauty. Very glad I stumbled across this.
July 31, 2025
Impulse buy at a Comic Con - was looking for a horror anthology and this was genially described as Barker-esque. I really enjoyed this - some great set-piece ideas played out grand guignol style. The prose was clean and precise (I find Barker's narrative style to be unnecessarily dense) and the pacing was brisk and focussed. Read like a demented series of amoral cautionary tales.
May 6, 2023
A tremendous collection of short stories. The breadth of imagination and writing on display keeps you hooked.
Reminded me more than once of Barker’s Books Of Blood; a thorough grasp of the genre on display.
Another book that deserves far more attention.
Reminded me more than once of Barker’s Books Of Blood; a thorough grasp of the genre on display.
Another book that deserves far more attention.
March 23, 2021
horror stories, that will remain in your mind for a while.
March 30, 2022
Bloody amazing
I first heard of John McKee when I read Bebble and I was hooked. Doom Cabaret did all it offered and more. Original and awfully mesmerising, I want more.
I first heard of John McKee when I read Bebble and I was hooked. Doom Cabaret did all it offered and more. Original and awfully mesmerising, I want more.
June 14, 2025
The first story in this really disturbed me. I read a lot of horror so that is hard to do. A lot of the stories stick in my brain to. Well done John. Nice to read something by a local author to.
January 14, 2024
Fabulous Collection!
Macabre and grotesque stories fill these pages. Beautifully written tales of blood, terror, mutilation and torture. I loved every single story and really don't think I could pick a favorite.
This collection has definitely not gotten the recognition it deserves.
Macabre and grotesque stories fill these pages. Beautifully written tales of blood, terror, mutilation and torture. I loved every single story and really don't think I could pick a favorite.
This collection has definitely not gotten the recognition it deserves.
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