The Shrewsdale Exit

by John Buell

An awe inspiring and thought provoking book!

Genres: Horror, Fiction, Mystery

288 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 1972

About the author

John Buell (1927-2013) was a lifelong resident of Montreal, where he taught English and Communication Studies at Concordia University. Upon his retirement in 1987, he was made professor emeritus. Buell's five novels--The Pyx (1959), Four Days (1962), The Shrewsdale Exit (1972), Playground (1976), and A Lot to Make Up For (1990)--were lauded by Edmund Wilson, amongst other prominent critics. Three of Buell's novels have been made into feature films.

Reviews

[Grady Hendrix · Rating 4 out of 5]

Any review is a spoiler so all I'll say is that this is the most complete deconstruction of the "avenging my dead wife and child" trope I've ever read.

[Oliver Clarke · Rating 4 out of 5]

After the first third this ended up being not what I was expecting at all, but was all the more effective for that. It's an interesting take on the revenge genre that feels more credible than a lot of the better known entries.

[J McEvoy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting and often understated revenge thriller, perhaps middle America's reply to the then fashionable biker novels. Joe Grant's car is run off the road by a gang of Hell's Angels - when he comes to he finds his wife and daughter have been raped and murdered. Getting no satisfaction from the authorities he attempts to take matters into his own hands. As ever. The Shrewsdale Exit has some very striking and affecting scenes: Grant's shocking discovery of his family's brutal end, told through an almost unbearable concussion; his excuses to his wife's family as to why only he survived; his lame and amateur attempts to track the killers while submerging himself into increasingly fugitive identities - until he becomes a full-fledged fugitive. Not from justice or the law - he doesn't get that lucky - but from his own desperate desire for revenge.

Buell is a writer to trust - his characters are well-drawn and his prose has a vivid, anticipatory air that allows the reader to enter and exit (hence the title) the revenge fantasy with emotional baggage intact, if a little roughed up. This novel is reminiscent of the work of David Morrell; in fact, it's probably a little better. Recommended.

[Joey Willis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spoiler Alert
This book had me from start to finish. A couple of surprises along the way. What I assumed was going to be an eventually satisfying and resolved story about revenge, wound up having a few twist and turns that were definitely not expected. This book went from a suspenseful story of a man seeking revenge for the horrible crimes done to his wife and daughter at the hands of three bikers belonging to a gang that infests a small town that despises them, to more of a philosophical, metaphoric tale of coming to terms with ones anger and want for revenge. Basically accepting reality and moving on, as there is really no other option but to so. Still very entertaining to the end, despite the very abrupt, and almost "open to the imagination" type ending. I recommend this book.

[Paperback Papa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this 1972 novel as a beat-up paperback for fifty cents. I loved the ambiguity of the back cover blurb. It simply says that a family is on vacation, driving in the middle of nowhere, when they suddenly realize they are being followed by four motorcycles. Ominous, for sure. But this book is so much more than just an evil motorcycle gang story. Again and again, it took off in surprising directions. I loved it and highly recommend it.

[Dick Grunert · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love revenge stories. When I picked this up, I was expecting DEATH WISH with a normal guy hunting down the motorcycle gang that raped and murdered his wife and daughter. Instead, I got something more subtle, nuanced and haunting that will stick with me. It’s a little gem of a book.

[BLRBrazil · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's been a while since I read this, so I won't attempt to describe the story. What I do remember is that I was glad I wasn't put off by the trashy cover of the Pan edition, since I found the story remarkably good and involving, to the point that I recommended it to my wife and friends.
Well I've just read it again, to see if it's worth keeping in my collection, and it is (it's really a 3.5). Although I still think the author should sue the publisher for the thousands of lost sales caused by the trashy cover.
It's a story about a young family on holiday, a shocking crime, a thirsting for revenge and an unexpected crossroads, where the hero has to decide whether the pursuit of revenge is worth risking the prospect of an unforeseen new start.
On the journey, we see how much easier it is for the law to convict an honest person who errs than a dishonest one who is adept at manipulating the system to their advantage. No wonder the police (and private citizens) are so sorely tempted to take the law into their own hands!

[pilar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un libro de novela negra e intriga que me gustó. De lectura fácil y rápida tiene una trama sencilla y muy entretenida. Si quieres evadirte y no parar de leer hasta la última página, el suspense está garantizado.

[Gloria]

3 in 1 book, Odhams Press.Includes "Appleby’s answer”, and “An explosive situation”.Not sure when I finished this but guessing 1975