The Bank

by Bentley Little

Band 9 der Reihe CEMETERY DANCE GERMANY, signiert von Bentley Little und beiden Künstlern: Ben Baldwin (Cover & Signaturseite) sowie Glenn Chadbourne (Innenillustrationen). Privatdruck ohne ISBN, 999 Expl. numeriert

Du wirst den Sachbearbeiter deiner Bank nie wieder auf dieselbe Weise betrachten.

»Wir wissen, wer Sie sind! Kann Ihre derzeitige Bank das auch behaupten? Wir glauben, nicht. Aber wir legen Wert darauf, Ihre Bedürfnisse zu kennen, und wir sind stolz, all unseren Kunden einen unvergleichlichen Service zu bieten. Auch für Sie!«

In der Kleinstadt Montgomery, Arizona, kann sich Kyle Decker mit seinem Buchladen gerade so über Wasser halten. Als nebenan eine Bank eröffnet, erhofft er sich mehr Laufkundschaft. Allerdings hat bisher niemand von der First People's Bank gehört und die örtliche Filiale ist auf mysteriöse Weise über Nacht aufgetaucht.

Die neue Bank bietet verlockende Anreize für Neukunden und ihre Konditionen scheinen vernünftig zu sein ... zunächst. Doch ist es Zufall, dass die Identität von Kyles Frau gestohlen wird und sein Sohn E-Mails erhält, die seine privatesten Geheimnisse enthüllen?
Oder als der Manager eines konkurrierenden Finanzinstituts einen grausamen Tod stirbt?

Bald haben die Menschen keine andere Wahl, als bei einem Autokauf, einer Hausfinanzierung oder einem Firmenkredit mit der First People's Bank zusammenzuarbeiten. Und als die Bank immer bizarrere Forderungen an ihre Kunden stellt, wird den Einwohnern von Montgomery, Arizona, klar, dass es vielleicht bereits zu spät ist ... denn die Vorfälligkeitsentschädigungen dieser Bank sind zu schrecklich, um sie sich vorzustellen.

Bentley Little nimmt in dieser düsteren, messerscharfen Satire die schlimmsten Praktiken unseres Bankwesens in einer zunehmend digitalen Welt aufs Korn.

Cover & Illustration Signaturseite: Ben Baldwin
Innenillustrationen: Glenn Chadbourne

Stephen King: »Wenn es um Horror geht, traut sich keiner das, was sich Bentley Little traut. Er ist so verdammt gut, dass er praktisch sein eigenes Genre ist.«

Midwest Book Review: »Ein Meister des Horrors, auf Augenhöhe mit Koontz und King.«



"We know who you are! Can your current bank say that? We pride ourselves on providing unparalleled service to all of our customers. We're looking forward to banking with YOU!"

In the small town of Montgomery, Arizona, Kyle Decker's book shop is barely breaking even. When a bank opens in the empty storefront next door, he hopes the new establishment will bring in more foot traffic. Trouble is, nobody has ever heard of The First People's Bank, and the local branch has appeared mysteriously overnight. Their incentives for new customers seem reasonable... at first. But is it a coincidence when Kyle's wife has her identity stolen, and his son receives emails that seem to know his private thoughts? Or when the manager of a competing financial institution dies a gruesome death?

Soon, if people in Montgomery, Arizona, want to buy a new car or home, or if they need a small business loan, they have no choice but to work with The First People's Bank. As The Bank makes increasingly bizarre demands on its customers, it becomes clear the town may be in too deep... and the penalty for an early withdrawal is too terrifying to imagine.

With his latest original novel, Bentley Little's dark, razor-sharp satire takes on the worst practices of our banking industry, and you'll never look at your loan officer the same way again.

Genres: Horror, Fiction, Audiobook, Supernatural, Fantasy, Adult, Novels

447 pages, Hardcover

First published March 23, 2020

About the author

Bentley Little is an American author of horror fiction. Publishing an average of a novel a year since 1990, Little avoids publicity and rarely does promotional work or interviews for his writing.

Reviews

[Matt (TeamRedmon) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was fine. This is now my 4th Bentley Little book and honestly I feel like they've all hit the exact same notes. There's an evil faceless organization that has evil intentions. They slowly take over the town and it seems no one notices all the weird stuff. If there are Bentley Little books that don't follow that same formula I'd love to hear about them because I genuinely enjoy his writing but I'd like to have a different plot.

[Rachel (TheShadesofOrange) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars
I enjoy how this author turns everyday life into horror through his extreme form of satire. As usual with this author, this one contained harm to animals and weird sex stuff. Sometimes the author pushes it too far, but sometimes I find it funny. Honestly the banking system is already a horror so the author didn't have to go far to making this one bizarre and horrifying.

[Cody · Rating 4 out of 5]

Major thanks to my friend Tracy for sending an ARC of this book my way. You rock, Tracy!

In the last couple of years I’ve become a fan of Bentley Little, though I can admit (and this isn’t an unpopular opinion) his work can feel formulaic: evil besieges small town, and the town must eventually rise up to destroy said evil. Or become consumed by it.

This can feel repetitive. Luckily, Little is talented as hell and keeps his readers coming back for the tried and true formula. (If non-typical Little books exist, I’d love to know about ‘em; I’ve admittedly read only a handful of his releases.)

The Bank is a prototypical Little novel, reminding me most of The Store in the sense it’s very topical (what aspect of our life isn’t ruled by finance and banking, especially in this dawning new recession?) and takes place in a well-developed town populated with well-developed characters—especially for genre horror. The author has his satire hat on, and more than once I laughed out loud while reading. And more than once was I tense, nearly terrified. Little’s books are a trifle repetitive, true, but dammit the guy knows how to scare me.

I docked a star for a rushed and too-tidy ending, and some of the characters made glaringly bone-headed decisions, none of which I will discuss here lest I spoil anything.

This is a quick and FUN read. It’s Bentley Little doing what he does best.

[Sue (sussudio1970) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book and I absolutely love Bentley Little! This book went in my "favorites" category.

[inciminci · Rating 5 out of 5]

A hilarious, biting, sarcastic, FANTASTIC book in which "Needful Things" meets the United States subprime mortgage crisis!

A spectre is haunting the small town of Montgomery, Arizona - the spectre of The First People's Bank! They're haunting in the truest sense of the word though, and work with really disgusting methods. Although the promisses and premisses of The Bank may sound enticing to some, not everybody is readily lured and they will soon unite!

Seriously though, what horrified me most in this book was that I actually could imagine a bank doing some of the things The Bank does, didn't find anything too far-fetched. A great book this is, I will be looking for more by Bentley Little.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ach, was für selige Zeiten waren es, als Doktor Faustus Pakt mit dem Teufel das schlimmste war, was ein Mensch tun konnte. Hat Bentley Littles mit THE BANK gerade mal eben ein neues Sub=Genre erschaffen, den Banken=Horrorroman? Immerhin hat er in The Handyman den Typus des mehr als unheimlichen Handwerkers ins Visier genommen und nun also die Vertreter der Bankenzunft, die nur unser Bestes wollen.

Vielleicht hätte der Roman etwas kürzer sein können, vielleicht ist er zum Schluss etwas sehr überdreht, vielleicht ist der Ruf nach einer Überwachung des Bankensystems in einem Horrorroman stellenweise etwas zu aufdringlich, aber, und das zählt doch am meisten: Ja, THE BANK war ein ausgesprochen unterhaltsamer und gut zu lesender Horrorroman. Er rückt den Autor Bentley Little in die Nachbarschaft von Ira Levin (der mehrfach explizit erwähnt wird, Rosemary's Baby, The Stepford Wives) und Stephen King.

[OutlawPoet · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is...a standard Bentley Little novel.

While I hesitate to use the word formula (I know authors often find that insulting and I don't mean it to be), the word comes to mind. Should I say 'pattern' instead? The novel follows the same pattern as his other novels.

The book is suspenseful, includes important social commentary (MAGAs beware), and, much of the time, has you on the edge of your seat.

Oddly, I found this one a little less bizarre than some of his previous books - but this just could be that I've read so many of them.

Definitely an enjoyable and entertaining read.

[Jannelies · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, Bentley Little really overdid it this time. I'm a big fan of his books, but my mind started wandering while reading The Bank. Not that there's nothing going on, on the contrary. There's just too much going on. I recognized ideas from almost all of his previous mix, thrown into a not so interesting mix. The sheriff, the school teacher, the men clad in black, the hideous violence. I was just in time to avert my eyes when I stumbled upon a scene with horrendous animal cruelty. Not for me!
I think this could have been an interesting story if Little had just toned it down, thought up some really interesting characters and above all a less predictable end.

[Alisi ☆ wants to read too many books ☆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hm... It was okay. This is an archetypal Little book. All his tropes are here. Random guy whipping out his penis? Check. Random deaths for no apparent reason besides horror book? Check. Random things happening for not reason other than horror book? Check. Random satanic ritual-type thing that's ominous? Check.

I used to *love* his books when I was younger but now I realize I need more plot to sustain me. His books are like some mysterious thing appears in town and strange things start happening. The bulk of the plot is strange things happening or people reacting to said strange things. There's never really any deeper meaning then the act itself.

It was archetypal Little. If you like his books, I'd imagine you'll enjoy this too. I enjoyed it for what it was but wished there was more to it. I think he could've, especially with the son and that "shadow" he saw (you'll understand a bit of the end -- the whole aspect of that was never explored at all.) They're just so predictable now. It was listening to this literally thinking "when is some random guy gunna whip out his junk and invite a character to some fun sexy times?" and "I wonder when the weird satanic ritual stuff will happen." If this is your first Little book, you'll probably really enjoy it. At this point, though, having read most of his books, I just roll my eyes and think "alright, alright, let's put the penis away and get back to the rest of the story already."

[Becky Spratford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review in the April 1, 2020 issue of Booklist and on the blog: http://raforall.blogspot.com/2020/04/...

Three Words That Describe This Book: fast paced, multiple points of view, extreme discomfort

[Russ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Amusing at times due to the creepy and comically offensive behavior of a sinister bank and its employees. They take over a small town and mayhem ensues. It created a menacing atmosphere but this was all a bit too silly to take it as serious horror. An ensemble cast of characters made this a bit remote or distant. The anti-bank political message was a bit strong at times though, in fairness, the author peppered in enough non-political elements to sustain mainstream reader interest.

[Richard Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A new Bentley Little book is always something to get excited about. His unique style and peerless mix of the mundane and the bizarre have served him well over an impressive 30 years in the horror industry, with 27 novels and 3 short story collections to his name to date. Little has been on something of a hot streak in recent years with his last two books, ‘The Consultant’ and ‘The Handyman’ being two of his most critically acclaimed works since his mass-market heyday in the 1990s, so I was excited to try his latest.

Kyle Decker owns a failing bookshop in the little town of Montgomery, Arizona. In fact, a lot of businesses in town are struggling financially. When there’s talk of a new bank opening in town, Kyle is cautiously optimistic that this may be a turning point.

When the bank springs up overnight, and begin making strange demands of their customers, the town starts to worry about what they have let into their once peaceful community. Then, when the bank begins targeting Kyles family, and mysterious deaths and disappearances begin to go unexplained, the citizens of Montgomery begin to suspect that they may have unwittingly allowed a force of evil to take over their town, and it may already be too late.

Anyone who has read Bentley Little before knows exactly what to expect here. His own brand of horror-based satire is often copied and never matched, and The Bank is another solid example of what he does so well.

The subject matter is especially relevant in 2020, with themes of financial struggles, racism, and systematic imbalance. The Bank tackles a lot of themes and manages a big cast of characters without ever overstepping into overtly preachy, or overstaying it’s welcome. At 375 pages, this is not a short book, but I blew through it in a day. It is as tense and unpredictable as you expect from the author and, once you’ve started, it’s a hard book to put down.

Although it is a strong novel by most standards, as a Bentley Little book, it is not one of his best. The Bank is something of a victim of Little’s own success and talents, in that a good book can be a disappointment when measured against such an impressive back catalogue. The Bank hits all the right notes but lacks something unique or standout to mark it out from the crowd of his other horror novels.

Fans of Bentley Little won’t leave disappointed. The Bank is another winning mix of the full-on supernatural horror with a social message. Newcomers, however, may wish to sample one of his other books beforehand (I would highly recommend ‘The Association’, or ‘The Mailman’) to get a better appreciation for what Little is capable of.


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

[Richard K. Wilson · Rating 1 out of 5]

Well, I just wasted 9 hours of time that I will never get back in my life listening to this ridiculous excuse of 'wanna be horror' from one of my favorite horror authors of all time; Bentley Little.

I had listened to this on Scribd and thank god I didn't waste the $29 to buy, because I thought MAYBE this would surprise me and be as good as some of his best classics like 'The House', 'The Mailman' or 'Dominion' but there was no such luck.

If I could give this crap no stars, i would because it is that bad of a story. When I read the synopsis of the book before it was ever even released i thought to myself.....Hmmmm? This sounds familiar, but from where? This book is just a bad, BAD rehash of Little's own 1989 novel 'The Store' but the setting is in a bank, that 'is just too big to fit in a retail space that small!'. I am not going to go into the plot of this waste of time, because this is what it is all about: Ready?
With a scenario that starts out with this 'bank' being built completely overnight with nobody seeing or hearing anything, you think; Hmmmm? Then take that stupid thought of the author thinking; "Oh! this is creepy!.......and just flush it down the toilet with sex, gratuitous sex, (in which he tried to out do Laymons cheesy sex scenes in his books) and even more sex with people so old, that it is more stomach sickening than creepy. Then Repeat:
Or: Take an authors weird obsession with 'old, toothless saggy breasted women performing sloppy oral sex on men in suits', throw in Stephen Kings 'Needful Things (but done terribly!!!) and then take those creepy as hell little hooded creatures from the original 'Phantasm' for wanna be creepy scenes.......Ta Da!!! You have got 'The Bank'. This waste of 330 pages ends up with the dumbest ending to a story that i have probably ever read in the last 20 years. Little must have had to rush out another book before his contract was up, because this was just the worse. Don't waste your time. If you think you must read this, check it out at your local library when it opens back up...I am SURE every copy will be on the shelves.....

[Mylene · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Bentley Little of old

Good little story. Reminds me of the stuff Bentley used to put out (ie: The Store, The University...) although this time he made the message much less subtle than he used to. This was more of a ‘in-your-face’ narrative of the evils of
the banking industry, with some addendums about systematic unfairness for people of colour.

Although I continuously read Bentley Little stories, and have enjoyed many of his books, this one was not exactly at the same level. I’m not sure if it was because the message was ‘dummied-down’ or because he did not flesh out all the characters and the horror they endure at the hands of institutions. Perhaps a lack of depth...? Regardless, it is the reason I rated it a 4, rather than a 5. Understand that this rating is not in comparison to other horror writers, as Bentley has a style all his own, but rather in comparison to other Bentley stories.

There was one great quote: ““Don’t worry.” The banker grinned. “People will send their thoughts and prayers. That always solves the problem.”

[Irene Well Worth A Read · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the same vein as his previous novels The Store, The Policy, The Resort The Consultant etc Bentley Little's newest twist on ordinary mundane events that turn into supernatural disasters is The Bank.
How many banks does one little town need? Especially a town that already has 2 banks and a credit union as does the small town of Montgomery. Still, they are about to get a new one, whether they like it or not. The First People's Bank is opening, and they are here to help whether you need help or not. In fact if you don't need help you're in trouble because they will make you need help. and once you need help they will provide it with a smile until it is time to collect. As the Bank begins to take hold of the town, knowing all their secrets and habits, more and more "customers" fall prey. I enjoyed this one more than The Consultant but probably not quite as much as the Handyman.

[Jerri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Little is hit and miss with me. The Bank read a lot like The Store to me but thankfully (unlike in The Store) Little didn’t spend a majority of the book up on his soapbox. For that I was extremely grateful. As I said, there was a strong similarity between The Bank and The Store. There was also a Needful Things feel about the story except The Bank failed to expand upon the “favors” and tie them together. There were a lot of characters to follow and I am left wondering what was the point of many of them. I felt like Little was throwing everything into The Bank that might have worked for him in previous books without pulling it together and making it a cohesive story. The ending was simply rubbish. While I enjoyed aspects of the story, ultimately it disappointed.

[Aaron Lindsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my third Bentley Little novel, and I'm beginning to recognize his style.
This one was fun, but I have a couple of nitpicking complaints.
1. The Sheriff in the novel, as well as his employees, referred to their place of employment as The Sheriff's Department. Anyone who knows anything about law enforcement knows it's a Sheriff's OFFICE. The Police have departments. Sheriffs have offices.
2. The preacher in the novel lacks basic preschool Sunday School knowledge and proves it on a number of occasions.
These may seem like small offenses, but they instantly and violently pulled me out of the wonderful world of lose-yourself fiction back into the real world.

[Armand Rosamilia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The characters are, as per the usual, topnotch and interesting. The interactions between them are unorthodox and unsettling at times, too, which is a good thing. My only negative about the book was that it read like The Store, with a very similar premise and plot.

[Cujo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Evil bank pops up in a small town and eventually has a stranglehold over it. Kinda like "The Store" with less supernatural occurrences

[Debra]

Stephen King recommended author and book. He said: "When it comes to horror, nobody does what Bentley Little does. His new one is The Bank. Scary, funny, weird, satiric... surreal. Cemetery Dance. Order a copy before they're gone."

[Alan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many of Little's books follow a particular formula. If you like his style, usually the formula works, though not always. In this case, The Bank solidly nails the blueprints as such other successful Little novels The Store, The Association, The Policy. Something as mundane as a bank opens up in a small town and with some malignant entity behind it, slowly it begins to take over the lives of the town's residents. However, unlike most of Little's books, this one is more reserved with the action and craziness. It's there, but in much smaller quantities than his usual fare. On top of all else, the book is loaded with social commentary about the economic issues in our country, especially for the middle and lower classes, how banks treat these people as tools, and even has a group of far right crazy conspiracy nuts. Elements definitely felt like they were reflecting or current American society.

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found there were too many people to keep track of. People died and I didn't know if I should care or if they were just collateral damage.

[Daniel Pyle · Rating 3 out of 5]

As with most Little books, this one had a pretty novel concept, but this time the execution seemed more disjointed than usual. The focus was so spread out that I'm not sure which character I would call the main character, and many of the subplots ended up having no real relevance. The ending also felt rushed and unsatisfactory. Unless you're a completist, I would skip this one.

[Dustin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though he does branch out from the formula from time to time ("Dominion"; "His Father's Son": "The Disappearance", etc.) a huge percentage of Little's books go as follows: a X arrives/opens/operates in a small Arizona town and very bizarre things begin to happen and people act WEIRD. Fill in X with a Store, homeowners association, mail carrier, school, etc. In my opinion Little did this best with "The Store", a sort of satanic Walmart that perverts an entire town. This time around it's a bank. What proceeds is...bizarre. Don't approach a Little novel for realism by any means. I think he shares as much with Kafka (in terms of atmosphere and intent, not in writing style or weight) as he does Lovecraft or King as there's a surreal absurdity in all that he presents to readers. Suspend your belief to enjoy the ride. "The Bank" is...okay to pretty good. By the end I had come around to enjoying the novel for what it was and far-fetched though it may be its conclusion was satisfying to me. The main detractors from this one I think are that the characters are less defined and thus likeable and some of the scenarios feel rushed and/or repetitive. But if you're a Little fan you'll enjoy this one and if you've never read him before it's a nice introduction to what he's about even if it's far from his best book (which I think is either "The Store" or "The Ignored", maybe "The Mail Man"). I also found it less unsettling and unique that its immediate predecessor ("The Handyman" which despite it's bemoaned ending, which I actually liked, is a page-turner that creeps you out throughout). However, there are a few moments in these pages that really, really work--for instance the real estate agent's "other family" which I found simply terrifying.

[Jon Von · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little continues his late period hot streak with The Bank. Falling back to his earlier formula, it's a horror satire of a common public institution as it gradually goes from "too good to be true" to "horrific and deadly". The added advantage is that the satire has a sharper bite in today's predatory loan economy.
Like any good Little novel, it's pretty funny in places and sometimes very eerie, often both at once. This one is distinguished by an atypical ending for the author which takes a moment to reflect on how greed and evil become an American industry, as it is a system which creates those who perpetuate it. It's a little less action packed than some of his other recent books but also a little more absurd and comic. Kind of along the lines of The Association and The Policy. While I enjoyed The Consultant and The Handyman more this is a solid outing that suggests not only that the author's still got it, but not going anywhere.

[Joe · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The Bank" is Bentley Little's take on Stephen King's "Needful Things." In a small Arizona town, a new bank (The First People's Bank) pops up overnight. At first it seems too good to be true and since this is a horror book, it is. People don't read the fine print and ultimately a lot of blood shed ensues.

I enjoy the mounting horror and chaos as the bank gets out of control and takes over the town but the story itself doesn't quite work and it ultimately feels like the author limps across the finish line with a rushed ending. I feel like there were many more scares and plot that could have been developed here. Still, it's a short enjoyable read so I'm sure I'll check out more from Little in the future.

[Asia · Rating 2 out of 5]

If someone asked who my favorite author is, my immediate answer would be Bentley Little. I have read all of his books. So when I say I was excited about this book, I mean I was EXCITED! However, this book fell short for me. It jumped around to too many characters, it was boring, and it just seemed chaotic without much really happening. It took me 2 weeks to force myself to finish this book, when usually I complete a Bentley Little book in 1-2 days. Overall, I'm disappointed but I was happy to be reading him again.

[Anthony O'Connor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid if unexceptional Bentley Little effort. In line with the likes of The Association and The Store, with typically memorable, creepy horror scenes and a typically abrupt, slightly undercooked conclusion.

Not the book to start with if you're new to Little (that would be The Walking or The Association, I reckon. Perhaps The Store?) but a good time for fans of this singular weirdo.

[Ash · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sometimes the god of money demands terrible sacrifices

In the town of Montgomery, Arizona, The First People's Bank appears overnight, seemingly with no planning permission, no town vote and with blatent disregard for the rest of the businesses in Montgomery. As time goes on, the townspeople realise that The Bank is not like any other bank, and, Mr Worthington, The Banks manager, is not like any other manager.

I didn't really enjoy this book, which is a shame as I've enjoyed all of the other Bentley Little books I've read. It follows the same, formulaic premise and story arc as the rest of his books that I've read (although there's some that don't, I am yet to read those ones!) As with his other works, a small town in Arizona is taken over by something that should be completely normal but, of course, is not.

I didn't like this one specifically as the story was kind of all over the place. There was a few character arcs that just kind of died off and weren't mentioned again, and there wasn't one person or family that I would consider the 'main characters'

The ending/explanation was super rushed and really glossed over, so I felt a bit cheaped out by the end!

That being said, there are some pretty scary scenes (the shadow!) I just feel like this book totally missed the mark.

I wouldn't reccomend you read this as your first Bentley Little book - I would suggest looking at The Store, or The Mailman.

[Fred Rayworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been a big fan of Bentley Little for many years and have been waiting a long time for The Bank to come out. I guess some local bank where he lives finally pissed him off and hence, here we go with another outstanding and addictive horror novel.

While his style usually falls into a unique but similar style from novel to novel, each one is still a fun ride and that’s what makes them so addictive to read. The writing in The Bank was outstanding with solid third-person limited and past-tense. While the narrative was somewhat literary in a way, the story still moved. The author has a way of bringing out details all too common to real life and weaving them into his horrific world.

At times horrific, shocking, gross, funny and true to life, I found that I couldn’t put it down. While some might not be too happy with the ending, I was expecting something like that, having experienced similar in past novels. I don’t want to give away spoilers but let’s just say I loved it and it keeps me wanting for more. Like AC/DC, don’t fix something that isn’t broken.

This is outstanding icky bug written like it should be. Highly recommended.