Weed

by Joseph D'Lacey

Fortescue Hall - the palatial stately home of Lady Cynthia Fortescue and the hub of her global business empire. The Hall is a pressure cooker, simmering with the secret resentments of abused staff and her rival sons, Jacob and Herbert.

On her birthday, Jacob and Herbert vie for their mother’s favour with lavish gifts, one of which is a rare and unusual seedling. Pincher, Her Ladyship’s cannabis-cultivating head gardener, is fascinated by the new plant but it goes missing before he can inspect it more closely. Then people begin disappearing.

It soon becomes clear that Fortescue Hall is infected with a genetically enhanced parasitic organism – a species of plant which uses humans as hosts and food.

As the Hall is overtaken by sentient growth, the Fortescue's and their staff find themselves in a fight not only for their lives but for the future of the world. Could it be that mild-mannered Pincher is the only one who can save them all?

Genres: Horror

370 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 2, 2021

About the author

Became vegetarian after writing MEAT. Fond of meditation, unfathomable questions and cats.

Repped by Robert Dinsdale.

"Joseph D'Lacey rocks!" Stephen King.

Reviews

[Michael Hicks]

DNF at 33%
Two things: 1) finding myself kind of bored, with not much happening here. 2) After perusing the author’s Twitter feed and seeing all the COVID denial, anti-lockdown (in my mind, this equals being pro-pandemic), and Trump sympathizing posts I really don’t want to waste any more of my time on this author or his work.

Many thanks to Horrific Tales Publishing for the ARC, but I’m bowing out.

[Richard Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Day of the Triffids meets Downton Abbey

I have had Joseph D’Lacey’s novel ‘Garbage Man’ on my ‘to be read’ for a long time and just never got round to it. So, having intended to try the authors work for a while, I jumped at the chance to get an Advance Reading Copy of his new novel, ‘Weed’.

The story centres on the Fortescues, a beyond wealthy family who live on the sprawling grounds of Fortescue Hall. The family matriarch is Cynthia, who rules her household unflinchingly and without question, along with her two adult sons, Jacob and Herbert. Jacob is set to inherit the families vast fortune and Herbert is adrift in life, wasting his days in a haze of booze and debauchery. The family’s estate is managed by a large cast of staff, many of whom have their own secrets and desires but feel trapped under the tyrannical reign of the Fortescues.

When a new plant is brought into the grounds as part of Lady Fortescue's upcoming birthday, the groundsman thinks nothing further of it, until the plant disappears, and the lady is seemingly attacked in her greenhouse. A group of experts is soon brought in to investigate but things have been set in motion that cannot be stopped. The former masters and servants must put aside their differences to work together before they find themselves all moving one step down on the food chain.

I feel like I may have misled so far, insomuch that a description of a wealthy English family and comparisons to Downton Abbey may suggest a pleasant, slightly twee, quiet horror story.

That is not this book.

What starts out as an intriguing murder mystery involving a brilliantly realised cast of characters soon devolves into carnage, violence and depravity. Weed does not tread lightly and the horror, when it really gets going at the midway part, is not for the faint of heart. The body horror on display is some of the most vivid and harrowing I have read in a long time and some characters meet some particularly memorable and nasty ends.

There is also a strong vein of black humour throughout and I found myself laughing out loud more than once despite the unpleasantness the characters were being subjected to. The book, clocking in at over 400 pages, dedicates a lot of time to character work and this pays off in a big way. Each character develops and changes throughout, as their circumstances change, and not everyone reacts or deals with events how you would expect. D’Lacey deftly plays with our expectations and the characters who come out as the heroes or victims are not necessarily who you would think.

Weed was an entertaining, action-packed, gory ride that I couldn’t put down. Fans of body horror, murder mysteries, or just good solid character work will find a lot to like here and I, for one, have a some more Joseph D’Lacey books to catch up on without further delay. 4 stars


You can read more reviews of new and upcoming horror releases at https://www.myindiemuse.com/category/...

[Yodamom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holy Shiitake ! That was a family drama garden nightmare. This family are the rich and powerful but never feel they have enough. They are vile, ruthless, disgusting people who are not so different from the weeds.
The matriarch has her eyes on ruling the world and is training up her son to continue her vision. Well one of her sons. There are family issues, skeletons in their closets. They abuse, belittle, crush their staff, they are horrible.
The Deaths, whoah ! Seriously, demented ways of dying. The is one that was so twisted, I wanted to turn away in disgust and laugh at the same time. TWISTED !
The characters we are pretty unlikeable for me, some I cheered their deaths. This book has all the triggers, beware. this is true horror and it’s not all the weed doing the bad.
Did I like it ? I don’t know. Parts of it dragged on too long, the bad things were really bad. It was hard to read a couple scenes. It was what it said it was, horror. I’d give it 4 stars for being what it said it was and horrifying me.
I was given a copy of this book by the publisher for an honest review

[Graeme Reynolds · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. What starts out as a Downton Abbey-esque character drama, albeit dripping with sarcasm, resentment and very dark humour, turns by the midway point into a hilarious, brutal and gore-soaked body horror novel, with some - ahem - memorable demises. Throw a little social commentary into the mix, along with Mr D'Lacey's fluid, easy to read and descriptive writing style and you end up with a truly enjoyable horror novel

[Corrina Morse · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although I ended up enjoying this book to a degree, it was a long, slow process getting anywhere. I very nearly DNFd a couple of times. If you enjoy a long, slow burn, youll probably enjoy this more than I did.

[Horror Bookworm Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

https://horrorbookwormreviews.com/
A large estate housing Lady Fortescue, her two sons and the properties hired help, face an incursion worthy of a horticulturist worst nightmare. The wealthy manor encompassed by sex, power and domination is now infested with a parasitic vegetation. The only thing standing between life and death for the occupants is a terrifying undergrowth of the botanical kind.
Joseph D’Lacey breathes life into a rare species of plant life akin to the Venus Flytrap and other forms of greenery. This horrific botanical enhancement merits revulsion and dread not only for the individuals in this book, but for the reader as well. Building the plot around a house of hidden motives and desires while an ever growing menace endures and thrives are key elements to the success of this disturbing novel. With its lewd, crude and rude no holds barred approach, Weed stands on its own rootlet fictional foundation. A living pipework of infestation waiting for a human host from which to develop...think of The Ruins meets The Thing, and you have one heck of a creepy novel.
Not very many novels have grabbed me the way this edgy eco-horror novel did. Joseph D’Lacey has easily made this a top read of 2021. Be aware when reading Weed, not to fear those hair thin green capillaries beneath your skin slowly stirring. I’m sure they are only goosebumps. A five star must read recommendation from the Horror Bookworm.

[Gavin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Weed is some of the best fun I've had reading a book in ages.

Brutal in its violence and gore whilst keeping its tongue very firmly in cheek.

Several scenes had me smiling with the horrific destruction being set upon a cast of characters that mostly deserved it.

One scene in particular is one of the most hilariously offensive things I think I've ever read.

It's all so preposterous yet I was hooked. Bar being a little too slow initially to get going Weed is a frantic, sex filled, grotesque body horror thrill ride that had me turning pages with glee.

Imagine Swamp Thing and the Marquis de Sade throwing a party, add a subtle political/ecological message and a bucket load of body horror to inflict on guests who are all mostly rich arrogant types that deserve what's coming.

Weed is very highly recommended.

[Janine Pipe]

Due to recent events and this book being removed from the publisher, I am also removing this review.

[Lia Silva · Rating 4 out of 5]

This ARC was provided to me in exchange for an honest review. Trigger warnings: body gore, rape, sexual themes.

This story focuses on Fortescue Hall in all its glory. The head of the family, Lady Cynthia Fortescue, is a ruthless business woman with a passion for plants. Then you have the sons: Jacob the “mama’s boy” and heir and Herbert, drunk, cynical and a bastard. You also get to meet all the staff of the imposing manor: Leabank, the butler that likes to be dominated; Miss Ketley, the domineering governess; Nora, the quiet maid; Julio, the Spanish chef; Sophie, the stable girl with a secret; and of course Pincher, the cannabis crazed gardener. The action ensues when a new exotic plant enters the Lady’s gardens and all is not what it seems.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. It’s weird, spooky and has a gothic vibe to it. Maybe the trigger warnings put you off, but the book has actually some comedy about it, a bit of comical nonsense to it.The best thing about it was definitely the atmosphere. You could feel the weirdness throughout the book.

Secondly I really liked the characters, there’s quite a lot of them, but each and everyone has such a distinct personality and was presented to us in such a fun way that it would be impossible to forget any of them.

There is a lot of action, sometimes more fast paced than others. The only “major” fault were the sometimes long descriptions.

[CR · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was a little skeptical when I first started the story but ended up getting hooked on the book. I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of gore and violence. It reminded me of one of those horror flicks that you just can’t stop watching. The descriptions in this book are so vivid I could picture the gore as the plants took over the humans. It was a little slow to start but once the action picked up it’s highly entertaining. I’d definitely recommend this to anyone who loves horror stories.



Go Into This One Knowing: Trigger warning: Rape, drug use, extreme violence

[BookLoversLife]

DNF at 30%. I'm bored and have no interest in the story so am giving up on it.

[Oliver Clarke · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an odd book to review, given that it sounds like it might never get published. I was provided with a pre-release copy by the publisher, who later pulled the release after the author made some pretty objectionable comments on social media about COVID-19 amongst other things.

By the time that all came to light, I had read and reviewed the book, so am posting my thoughts here in case anyone is interested. Whilst I certainly don't agree in anyway with the author's views, I also think that art should be judged on it's own merits. If I only read books by people I knew I agreed with, I wouldn't read much. In that vein, here's my review.

‘Weed’ is a weird ass book. Some of that weirdness is deliberate - graphic scenes of blackly comic kinky sex and splattery horror abound. But a lot of the weirdness (for me at least) came from the fact that it often feels like it doesn’t always know what kind of a book it is. I had fun with it, but to say it’s not likely to be for everyone is an understatement.
It’s set in a British country house in the Home Counties, a sprawling mansion owned by an enormously powerful and wealthy woman, Lady Cynthia Fortescue. Lady Cynthia is served in the house by a staff – a chef, a maid, a housekeeper, a butler and a gardener. They’re also joined by her two sons, Jacob and Herbert. With that varied cast assembled, Joseph D’Lacey builds a plot around them involving unexplained deaths and very unusual flora.
By the end the book is properly bonkers and very entertaining, the problem is it takes a long time to get there. At over 400 pages it’s a fair bit longer than the content really merits and parts of it kind of drag. It certainly takes a long time for the horror to kick in. The first 100 or so pages read more like a modern take on the ‘Downton Abbey’ or ‘Brideshead, Revisited’ style of aristocratic melodrama. It’s not unenjoyable, in fact the strong writing throughout makes it a pleasure to read. But when you start a book expecting a gross out horror novel, you want a gross out horror novel.
Don’t worry though, when ‘Weed’ gets going, it really gets going. It’s got more deviant sex than any book I’ve read in the last few years (I even had to get my dictionary out at one point) and the gore is similarly graphic. There’s also a vein of psychological horror running through the relationship between Lady Fortescue and her sons. It’s the kind of mother horror that’s familiar and sometimes a bit played out, but it works well enough here.
Because of the bizarro explicitness, and the slightly awkward mix of country house drama and splatterfest, I wouldn’t recommend it unreservedly. But if the promise of weird ass sex and violence appeals, I expect you’ll enjoy it.

[hogandbear · Rating 2 out of 5]

I try to keep a distance between artists real life and their work when it comes to any form of medium. But I do not agree with his actions/opinions after finding out what happened. I rated it two out of five. The first 50% of the book was a little monotonous and boring, I understand it has to set the scene and introduce characters, etc. But I felt like it dragged on. The last 50% did pick up speed a little, but I got the impression since there was a lot of characters that the author didn’t really know what to do with them all, so some characters sort of tailed off and were quickly wrote out of the book. The end was a little predictable and left with potentially more sequels in the future, even though it will most likely be a rinse and repeat formula. I found my concentration levels wavering with the writing format of the book. It felt unnatural, and I couldn’t really immerse myself into the book. I liked the idea. I liked the setting. But I wouldn’t read this book again, I would look for something similar.

[Melissa Overby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unfortunately, I wasn't the biggest fan of this. I wanted it to be as good and memorable as Meat, but it just wasn't, to me.

[Steve Stark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic slice of sci-fi body horror. It’s like a demented blend of The Thing and Downton Abbey as the manor of an elite family is overrun by a botanical mutant parasite.

It’s exactly as fun as that sounds and more so, with barbs of wicked humour amid the horticultural horrors.

[Randi Robinson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I requested this book because I thought it had an interesting cover. What I discovered was Downton Abbey meets The Little Shop of Horrors with a touch of Fifty Shades of Gray thrown in. Lady Cynthia Fortescue is a wealthy member of the privileged class who wants to dominate the world. For her upcoming birthday Herbert brings a nondescript plant in a rather garish pot but then decides it is not good enough and instructs the gardner Pincher to throw it out. Pincher sets it aside and forgets about it and it is gone when he later goes to get it. Fast forward through the cruelty to the staff and the weird sexual habits that almost had me tossing the book (and my cookies) aside. The Fortescue's were definitely not a likable bunch and in fact were some really warped characters with no redeeming qualities I could see. Perhaps this was the author's purpose. But it is the plants who steal the show. They are sentient beings who also want to take over the world. They make Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors look like a dandelion! The descriptions of the plants and their actions were fascinating, appalling, and horrifying.
I kept reading this book only because I had promised a review. It has cruelty, sex, and a lot of gore. It also has some humor, albeit of a warped sort. I found the ending especially humorous. I will give it 2 stars on the premise of the book and the plant descriptions alone. I would caution those with a weak stomach to skip it.
As I finished the book I discovered that the publisher has withdrawn it from publication due to comments on social media by the author. The publisher, a small independent publishing house, felt the author's comments on the COVID pandemic and Qanon were dangerous at this time and detrimental to the success of his publishing house. Indeed other authors had threatened to pull their books if he published this one. Although I don't approve of censorship I admire the independent publisher for standing up for his principals. He returned a fully edited and promoted manuscript ready to be published that the author can now self-publish, so he is not really censoring it and has indeed given it more publicity than it deserves. Let the book find more fertile soil and grow where it will if it will.