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DMV
Successful author Todd Klein and his wife Rosita live a quiet small town life. Todd's latest novel is selling well and despite recent budget cuts, Rosita relishes her job at the local library. After years of marriage, they're still in love, the mortgage to their suburban home is paid off, and their future is bright. Until, that is, Todd makes an appointment at the Department of Motor Vehicles to renew his license.
Jorge Guiterrez, Rosita's younger brother, hasn't been so lucky. A few months earlier, his bad temper finally caught up with him. After arguing with a supervisor, Jorge quit his cushy job and hasn't been able to find a new one. The bills are piling up and his wife is starting to pressure him. Until, one day, he is approached by a pair of mysterious strangers with an even more mysterious job offer...at the DMV.
Zal Tombasian, a young programmer at Data Initiatives, has a pretty boring existence. As his friend and co-worker Bernard tells him, "Your social life consists of sitting at home eating junk food and playing online games." Zal doesn't even bother to put up an argument. He's never been much for adventure. Until his company is hired to work on their largest account yet...by the DMV.
With his latest novel, Bentley Little's savage satire is on full display as he takes on everyone's worst nightmare, the DMV.
Jorge Guiterrez, Rosita's younger brother, hasn't been so lucky. A few months earlier, his bad temper finally caught up with him. After arguing with a supervisor, Jorge quit his cushy job and hasn't been able to find a new one. The bills are piling up and his wife is starting to pressure him. Until, one day, he is approached by a pair of mysterious strangers with an even more mysterious job offer...at the DMV.
Zal Tombasian, a young programmer at Data Initiatives, has a pretty boring existence. As his friend and co-worker Bernard tells him, "Your social life consists of sitting at home eating junk food and playing online games." Zal doesn't even bother to put up an argument. He's never been much for adventure. Until his company is hired to work on their largest account yet...by the DMV.
With his latest novel, Bentley Little's savage satire is on full display as he takes on everyone's worst nightmare, the DMV.
440 pages, ebook
First published April 14, 2023
168 people are currently reading
745 people want to read
About the author
Bentley Little
135 books2,566 followersBentley 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 118 reviews
December 10, 2023
DMV [2023] By Bentley Little
My Review 4.0 Stars Out Of 5.0 Stars
“The horror poet laureate” -STEPHEN KING
Bentley Little has been cranking out horror novels annually since 1990 if I understand correctly. You might say he is kind of an institution and has a dedicated fan base who loves his style. Is it “savage satire”? It is “Scary, funny, weird, satiric, surreal" according to Stephen King, so that description is good with me.
This is a long book with 400+ pages. It is reportedly about a few small clusters of people ----moderately successful author Todd Klein and Rosita, his wife; Rosita’s hot-headed brother Jorge and his wife Brenda; a pair of friends at Data Initiatives [Zal Tombasian and his co-worker and buddy Bernard].
The name of the novel is “DMV” and I understand that Bentley Little likes short titles for his horror novels. The folks mentioned above are destined to have an interaction with the DMV. Todd finds out to his horror that he may never be granted a driver’s license again in this lifetime. A clandestine group of former employees of the DMV (all maimed or scarred in some way) teach Todd how to pass the rigged testing at the DMV. Todd receives the license in the mail but it is not his number. It has the number on his license that was tattooed on his great great grandmother’s arm in the Nazi Death Camps. Later he is stopped by the police because he just looked like he might be up to something. The officer got a look at the number on the Driver’s License and Todd is put in restraints and taken to what was called an interment camp.
Jorge (Todd’s hot-headed brother-in-law) early on is picked up by Mr. Black and Mr. White and carted away to “Training Camp” ostensibly for a good paying job with the DMV. Except no one knows where he is, if he is still alive, etc.
In another case, a man dies of heart attack leaving his widow, a son and daughter (Danny and Jill). Initially the DMV tells them that because a vehicle that their dad had given to charity for auction years ago, they are going to repossess both of their currently owned vehicles. This family’s luck with the DMV does not improve. No one’s does for that matter. They first try to force Danny to accept a stolen car courtesy of the DMV. They call the police and the car is towed away. Then Danny and Jill are picked up and confined in an interment camp because of Danny’s failure to keep the stolen car, and Jill’s loss of her license (for personal reasons).
The DMV personnel are having fun and decide they need a crash dummy to show potential injuries when there are collisions. They decide a naked Jill will work to play the crash dummy. There is a collision and no air bag employs, Jill sustains a head injury and broken legs. She is taken away by what “looks” like an ambulance. Later, Danny is told they cut both her legs off and were fitting her with a prosthesis. Later he is told she died (“didn’t make it”).
I do not consider any of the above examples to be spoilers because the entire book is composed of similar or worse examples of people having a brush with the DMV.
I read this novel cold with no preconceptions, and oddly I had never read a book by Bentley Little. There were incidences of reanimated corpses and insect activity, notably bees and ants. I am sure happy I did not embarrass myself by documenting some of my thoughts about what was going on in the book. I will certainly not issue any spoilers.
My final take away is that I read some of the most outrageous, crazy, and completely off the rails stuff in this book, and yeah, they were killing people whenever they wanted to and had a dedicated graveyard, that I do not think I will ever forget it. If someone says on the TV that something is “surreal” I just go off. It is like “awesome.”
I want to revisit the use of “surreal” right now. Bentley Little, wherever you are, “You nailed it!” “DMV” was surreal from the first page to the last page. Bentley Little, you have been bringing a unique kind of horror into our homes for literally decades. It is with respect that I can now say I too have discovered your outrageous wit and biting satire.
My Review 4.0 Stars Out Of 5.0 Stars
“The horror poet laureate” -STEPHEN KING
Bentley Little has been cranking out horror novels annually since 1990 if I understand correctly. You might say he is kind of an institution and has a dedicated fan base who loves his style. Is it “savage satire”? It is “Scary, funny, weird, satiric, surreal" according to Stephen King, so that description is good with me.
This is a long book with 400+ pages. It is reportedly about a few small clusters of people ----moderately successful author Todd Klein and Rosita, his wife; Rosita’s hot-headed brother Jorge and his wife Brenda; a pair of friends at Data Initiatives [Zal Tombasian and his co-worker and buddy Bernard].
The name of the novel is “DMV” and I understand that Bentley Little likes short titles for his horror novels. The folks mentioned above are destined to have an interaction with the DMV. Todd finds out to his horror that he may never be granted a driver’s license again in this lifetime. A clandestine group of former employees of the DMV (all maimed or scarred in some way) teach Todd how to pass the rigged testing at the DMV. Todd receives the license in the mail but it is not his number. It has the number on his license that was tattooed on his great great grandmother’s arm in the Nazi Death Camps. Later he is stopped by the police because he just looked like he might be up to something. The officer got a look at the number on the Driver’s License and Todd is put in restraints and taken to what was called an interment camp.
Jorge (Todd’s hot-headed brother-in-law) early on is picked up by Mr. Black and Mr. White and carted away to “Training Camp” ostensibly for a good paying job with the DMV. Except no one knows where he is, if he is still alive, etc.
In another case, a man dies of heart attack leaving his widow, a son and daughter (Danny and Jill). Initially the DMV tells them that because a vehicle that their dad had given to charity for auction years ago, they are going to repossess both of their currently owned vehicles. This family’s luck with the DMV does not improve. No one’s does for that matter. They first try to force Danny to accept a stolen car courtesy of the DMV. They call the police and the car is towed away. Then Danny and Jill are picked up and confined in an interment camp because of Danny’s failure to keep the stolen car, and Jill’s loss of her license (for personal reasons).
The DMV personnel are having fun and decide they need a crash dummy to show potential injuries when there are collisions. They decide a naked Jill will work to play the crash dummy. There is a collision and no air bag employs, Jill sustains a head injury and broken legs. She is taken away by what “looks” like an ambulance. Later, Danny is told they cut both her legs off and were fitting her with a prosthesis. Later he is told she died (“didn’t make it”).
I do not consider any of the above examples to be spoilers because the entire book is composed of similar or worse examples of people having a brush with the DMV.
I read this novel cold with no preconceptions, and oddly I had never read a book by Bentley Little. There were incidences of reanimated corpses and insect activity, notably bees and ants. I am sure happy I did not embarrass myself by documenting some of my thoughts about what was going on in the book. I will certainly not issue any spoilers.
My final take away is that I read some of the most outrageous, crazy, and completely off the rails stuff in this book, and yeah, they were killing people whenever they wanted to and had a dedicated graveyard, that I do not think I will ever forget it. If someone says on the TV that something is “surreal” I just go off. It is like “awesome.”
I want to revisit the use of “surreal” right now. Bentley Little, wherever you are, “You nailed it!” “DMV” was surreal from the first page to the last page. Bentley Little, you have been bringing a unique kind of horror into our homes for literally decades. It is with respect that I can now say I too have discovered your outrageous wit and biting satire.
December 14, 2023
Definitely one of his more surreal novels. Despite it being horror i found it funny in parts. Im currently re reading it again. The DMV are the adversary in this book and its certainly an entertaining read
February 22, 2023
4.5 rounded to 5 for Goodreads.
I just put down the DMV, and I'm glad to have read this one. Bentley Little is an all time favorite author of mine, and of all of the horror authors from the 80's/90's/2000's that are still active, and or talked about, I don't see him being talked about enough.
This book was a blast, and contains many of the elements that you'd want in a Bentley Little book, however, it is missing some of the hallmarks. The satire is here, the weirdness is here. It seems to lack a bit in the violence department, especially in comparison to some of his other books, and the perversion that I remember from reading his books years ago wasn't present the way that I expect. Now, I'll be honest I don't have much experience with Little's later books, Once you get to "the academy" thats where I have many blank spots, and this is the first of the Cemetery Dance original publications that I've read from little. I know, some superfan I am.
All that being said, I really enjoyed this one. Its super weird, super absurd, and yet somehow still works, in a way that it seems only Little is capable of. If there is one hallmark of little that is here in spades, it is the weirdness, and I'm all here for it. The characters are all well done, too, and I found myself rooting for Todd, Jorge, Rosita, Beverly, Zal, and Violet. It's an eclectic cast of characters that just work well together. If I were to lodge some complaints about the book, I would say the ending happens pretty anticlimactically, and although I loved the characters in this book, I think they needed to go through more peril than they did. Kill your darlings.
I really liked this book, clocking in at over 400 pages, it still felt like a brisk read, and I really liked the time I spent with the characters in this one. Highly recommend to fans of Little, although I don't think this one is going to do much in the way of converting fans who didn't like what the author has done before this.
To me, reading Bentley Little is like slipping into a pair of warm, comfortable slippers. I'm glad Cemetery Dance is publishing him, and I hope this continues for as long as Little continues to write.
I just put down the DMV, and I'm glad to have read this one. Bentley Little is an all time favorite author of mine, and of all of the horror authors from the 80's/90's/2000's that are still active, and or talked about, I don't see him being talked about enough.
This book was a blast, and contains many of the elements that you'd want in a Bentley Little book, however, it is missing some of the hallmarks. The satire is here, the weirdness is here. It seems to lack a bit in the violence department, especially in comparison to some of his other books, and the perversion that I remember from reading his books years ago wasn't present the way that I expect. Now, I'll be honest I don't have much experience with Little's later books, Once you get to "the academy" thats where I have many blank spots, and this is the first of the Cemetery Dance original publications that I've read from little. I know, some superfan I am.
All that being said, I really enjoyed this one. Its super weird, super absurd, and yet somehow still works, in a way that it seems only Little is capable of. If there is one hallmark of little that is here in spades, it is the weirdness, and I'm all here for it. The characters are all well done, too, and I found myself rooting for Todd, Jorge, Rosita, Beverly, Zal, and Violet. It's an eclectic cast of characters that just work well together. If I were to lodge some complaints about the book, I would say the ending happens pretty anticlimactically, and although I loved the characters in this book, I think they needed to go through more peril than they did. Kill your darlings.
I really liked this book, clocking in at over 400 pages, it still felt like a brisk read, and I really liked the time I spent with the characters in this one. Highly recommend to fans of Little, although I don't think this one is going to do much in the way of converting fans who didn't like what the author has done before this.
To me, reading Bentley Little is like slipping into a pair of warm, comfortable slippers. I'm glad Cemetery Dance is publishing him, and I hope this continues for as long as Little continues to write.
April 17, 2023
Horror Bookworm Reviews
DMV by Bentley Little
https://horrorbookwormreviews.com/
A man attempts to renew his driver’s license, however odd circumstances surrounding this simple errand begins a bizarre downward spiral for him. A second man is approached with a rare opportunity to be gainfully employed by the DMV. The job opening seems to be a financial blessing until the “training camp” begins and freedom ends. Additional dubious events begin surfacing as the Department of Motor Vehicle becomes more and more strange.
Bentley Little brings his horrific oddness to the DMV. Administrators, examiners and desk workers all take part under the bright fluorescent lights of ultimate creepiness. Characters such as Mr. White & Mr. Black hold qualifications of the most unconventional kind as they await the readers presence. Along with these individuals are the strange DMV training camps and fiendish facilities that consists of barbed wire, disfigured guards and secretive doors. It’s the writing talent of this author that bring these bizarre procedures and protocols of being initiated into the DMV “family” to life.
Bentley Little is a one of a kind storyteller who creates an atmosphere of intense twisted deviance. Ominous context, repulsive individuals and an unholy creed create an environment that will leave a sick feeling in the pit of the reader’s stomach. This unorthodox brand of dark fiction often leaves an impression of hopelessness and of no escape from its disturbing pages.
When ticket number 666 is called, approach window 13 to take the written test of repulsive road signs, unnerving u-turns, petrifying parallel parking and traumatic traffic laws. Once achieving your divers license, you must worship at the DMV’s altar whilst living, working, eating and breathing all that is the DMV. Join the program today and repeat after me “All Hail The DMV!” A Five Star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Horror Bookworm Recommendation.
DMV by Bentley Little
https://horrorbookwormreviews.com/
A man attempts to renew his driver’s license, however odd circumstances surrounding this simple errand begins a bizarre downward spiral for him. A second man is approached with a rare opportunity to be gainfully employed by the DMV. The job opening seems to be a financial blessing until the “training camp” begins and freedom ends. Additional dubious events begin surfacing as the Department of Motor Vehicle becomes more and more strange.
Bentley Little brings his horrific oddness to the DMV. Administrators, examiners and desk workers all take part under the bright fluorescent lights of ultimate creepiness. Characters such as Mr. White & Mr. Black hold qualifications of the most unconventional kind as they await the readers presence. Along with these individuals are the strange DMV training camps and fiendish facilities that consists of barbed wire, disfigured guards and secretive doors. It’s the writing talent of this author that bring these bizarre procedures and protocols of being initiated into the DMV “family” to life.
Bentley Little is a one of a kind storyteller who creates an atmosphere of intense twisted deviance. Ominous context, repulsive individuals and an unholy creed create an environment that will leave a sick feeling in the pit of the reader’s stomach. This unorthodox brand of dark fiction often leaves an impression of hopelessness and of no escape from its disturbing pages.
When ticket number 666 is called, approach window 13 to take the written test of repulsive road signs, unnerving u-turns, petrifying parallel parking and traumatic traffic laws. Once achieving your divers license, you must worship at the DMV’s altar whilst living, working, eating and breathing all that is the DMV. Join the program today and repeat after me “All Hail The DMV!” A Five Star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Horror Bookworm Recommendation.
May 20, 2023
Of course the DMV is evil.
Great topic. Bentley should do a whole set of novels about government institutions…they are all the same.
This was good but not great.
Although Bentley inserted some creativity here and this seems on par with his recent novel “The Bank”, there just lacks a certain ingredient in his books of late. (I actually think The Bank had more of this missing ingredient).
Great characters, terrific observations about why these types of institutions are evil, injection of weirdness… but it seemed to be lacking something. Maybe it’s me, but the ridiculousness of the evil characters were just not as funny as they used to be and there was a lack of dread and creepiness that I always got out of his earlier novels. It started to move in that direction in certain scenes like the shooter in the library, the drivers coming back from the dead, Todd reminiscing about his first driver’s test, and the story of Danny and his sister. However, they seemed more like disjointed scenes… the reader never has a chance to experience that level of horror.
There is one part of the story I thought was really interesting. The character Todd seems to be modelled on Bentley himself and gave some insight to how he feels about some of the criticism directed towards his writing. I still think Bentley is an awesome author and I will continue to search out his latest output because he is unique. I’ve read almost everything he has written and he has more gems than duds. That is not an easy feat by any means especially when you are as prolific as Bentley.
Great topic. Bentley should do a whole set of novels about government institutions…they are all the same.
This was good but not great.
Although Bentley inserted some creativity here and this seems on par with his recent novel “The Bank”, there just lacks a certain ingredient in his books of late. (I actually think The Bank had more of this missing ingredient).
Great characters, terrific observations about why these types of institutions are evil, injection of weirdness… but it seemed to be lacking something. Maybe it’s me, but the ridiculousness of the evil characters were just not as funny as they used to be and there was a lack of dread and creepiness that I always got out of his earlier novels. It started to move in that direction in certain scenes like the shooter in the library, the drivers coming back from the dead, Todd reminiscing about his first driver’s test, and the story of Danny and his sister. However, they seemed more like disjointed scenes… the reader never has a chance to experience that level of horror.
There is one part of the story I thought was really interesting. The character Todd seems to be modelled on Bentley himself and gave some insight to how he feels about some of the criticism directed towards his writing. I still think Bentley is an awesome author and I will continue to search out his latest output because he is unique. I’ve read almost everything he has written and he has more gems than duds. That is not an easy feat by any means especially when you are as prolific as Bentley.
February 9, 2023
Two married couples and a team of computer programmers have their lives turned upside down by an encounter with the DMV.
I am a huge Bentley Little fan. I have read everything he ever wrote. That is not to say that every book has been a perfect hit with me, but he knocks it out of the park often enough to stay high on my list of must-read authors.
If you have never read this author before then I should warn you first that you can't expect a whole lot of realistic scenarios.
What you can expect is an everyday ordinary event to turn into something outrageous and over the top in a most entertaining and terrifying way.
This time it all revolves around the DMV where something as simple as renewing your license can lead to kidnapping, imprisonment, death, or worse. Where taking your written test has nothing to do with the rules of the road and the consequences of failure are far worse than having to rely on public transportation.
Bentley Little's DMV is not just a government-run nuisance, notorious for long wait times and workers on a power trip. This DMV is an all-seeing all-knowing entity that has existed long before cars or trucks and it is out to get you. "All Hail The DMV"
This book is now among my favorites by this author. It is equal parts hilarious and horrifying and I loved every insane minute of this darkly humorous delight.
This is Bentley Little at his mind-blowing best.
My thanks to Cemetery Dance Publications.
I am a huge Bentley Little fan. I have read everything he ever wrote. That is not to say that every book has been a perfect hit with me, but he knocks it out of the park often enough to stay high on my list of must-read authors.
If you have never read this author before then I should warn you first that you can't expect a whole lot of realistic scenarios.
What you can expect is an everyday ordinary event to turn into something outrageous and over the top in a most entertaining and terrifying way.
This time it all revolves around the DMV where something as simple as renewing your license can lead to kidnapping, imprisonment, death, or worse. Where taking your written test has nothing to do with the rules of the road and the consequences of failure are far worse than having to rely on public transportation.
Bentley Little's DMV is not just a government-run nuisance, notorious for long wait times and workers on a power trip. This DMV is an all-seeing all-knowing entity that has existed long before cars or trucks and it is out to get you. "All Hail The DMV"
This book is now among my favorites by this author. It is equal parts hilarious and horrifying and I loved every insane minute of this darkly humorous delight.
This is Bentley Little at his mind-blowing best.
My thanks to Cemetery Dance Publications.
June 10, 2025
Bentley Little has taken on a lot of annoying American things. He’s written satirical horror about big-box stores, insurance companies, homeowners associations, the education system…and now we have this book about one thing most Americans hate with a passion: The Department of Motor Vehicles.
Todd Klein is a normal person; he’s married, he’s an author, and he needs to get his driver’s license renewed. After a few glitches, he finally gets to take his written exam, but the questions are impossible, illogical and frankly, terrifying. He goes to the police, but his plan backfires when he finds out the police are powerless against the DMV.
Zal Tombasian is a computer programmer whose job is saved when his employer lands an account with the DMV. Unfortunately, Zal was pulled over for having expired tags on his car. He explains to the officer that the DMV made a mistake, but he is still given a ticket. He can either pay it, or take a driving class. Not wanting the points on his license, he takes the class - changing his life.
Jorge Guiterrez quit his job in a fit of anger, and his wife is afraid they’ll lose their house. One day, two men approach him and tell him that he would be perfect for the DMV. He tells them he’s not interested, but they ask (demand) that he take an aptitude test. The questions are disturbing and he refuses to answer them, but he is hired anyway and immediately sent to a “training camp” - and nobody, not even his wife, knows where he is or if he’ll ever come home.
All of the characters have one thing in common: the DMV. New licenses have disturbing codes that allow people to do disturbing things. People are SURE they are seeing dead family members killing people while driving, but that’s impossible, right? These classes in the training and re-education centers are confusing and horrifying. The DMV is stealing cars, “removing” people and playing with lives. And let’s not get started on the bees…
Bentley did it again with this one. It was absolutely mental, shocking and, at times, hilarious. That wry humor gets me with all of his books, and I never cease to be amazed by how small of a stretch it takes to take everyday things and make them heart-poundingly horrific. It took me over two years to get this book, but it’s going with the rest of the collection that I cherish. Five stars!
Todd Klein is a normal person; he’s married, he’s an author, and he needs to get his driver’s license renewed. After a few glitches, he finally gets to take his written exam, but the questions are impossible, illogical and frankly, terrifying. He goes to the police, but his plan backfires when he finds out the police are powerless against the DMV.
Zal Tombasian is a computer programmer whose job is saved when his employer lands an account with the DMV. Unfortunately, Zal was pulled over for having expired tags on his car. He explains to the officer that the DMV made a mistake, but he is still given a ticket. He can either pay it, or take a driving class. Not wanting the points on his license, he takes the class - changing his life.
Jorge Guiterrez quit his job in a fit of anger, and his wife is afraid they’ll lose their house. One day, two men approach him and tell him that he would be perfect for the DMV. He tells them he’s not interested, but they ask (demand) that he take an aptitude test. The questions are disturbing and he refuses to answer them, but he is hired anyway and immediately sent to a “training camp” - and nobody, not even his wife, knows where he is or if he’ll ever come home.
All of the characters have one thing in common: the DMV. New licenses have disturbing codes that allow people to do disturbing things. People are SURE they are seeing dead family members killing people while driving, but that’s impossible, right? These classes in the training and re-education centers are confusing and horrifying. The DMV is stealing cars, “removing” people and playing with lives. And let’s not get started on the bees…
Bentley did it again with this one. It was absolutely mental, shocking and, at times, hilarious. That wry humor gets me with all of his books, and I never cease to be amazed by how small of a stretch it takes to take everyday things and make them heart-poundingly horrific. It took me over two years to get this book, but it’s going with the rest of the collection that I cherish. Five stars!
December 23, 2024
Since there are already numerous reviews here on GR, and the book was already published in 2023, I don't think its necessary I to rehash the blurb here.
I own just about all Bentley Little's books (I ordered a copy of Behind last week) and read and re-read them. He's an absolute master in turning every day events and situations in absolutely creepy situations. My favourite is The Ignored by the way.
I just loved DMV! Where I live you don't have to renew your license every four years, but only every ten, and you never have to take a test except of course when you are caught speeding numerous times or some such things. Only when you turn 75, our 'DMV' will want to you take a test (and you need to visit a physician for a health check).
Even so, our DMV is an equally unpopular institution, and lots of people complain about complicated procedures, long waiting times to take a test and high expenses. So nothing new, and I gather it will be the same in other countries too.
I liked the characters although sometimes they started to sound more or less the same to me. Anyway, this is a book I will certainly read again.
I own just about all Bentley Little's books (I ordered a copy of Behind last week) and read and re-read them. He's an absolute master in turning every day events and situations in absolutely creepy situations. My favourite is The Ignored by the way.
I just loved DMV! Where I live you don't have to renew your license every four years, but only every ten, and you never have to take a test except of course when you are caught speeding numerous times or some such things. Only when you turn 75, our 'DMV' will want to you take a test (and you need to visit a physician for a health check).
Even so, our DMV is an equally unpopular institution, and lots of people complain about complicated procedures, long waiting times to take a test and high expenses. So nothing new, and I gather it will be the same in other countries too.
I liked the characters although sometimes they started to sound more or less the same to me. Anyway, this is a book I will certainly read again.
November 21, 2024
[TW/CW: Language, anxiety, death of parent, use of r-word, racial slurs, sexual assault, blood, gory scenes, violence, racism, sexism, drinking]
*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:
Successful author Todd Klein and his wife Rosita live a quiet small town life. Todd's latest novel is selling well and despite recent budget cuts, Rosita relishes her job at the local library. After years of marriage, they're still in love, the mortgage to their suburban home is paid off, and their future is bright. Until, that is, Todd makes an appointment at the Department of Motor Vehicles to renew his license.
Jorge Guiterrez, Rosita's younger brother, hasn't been so lucky. A few months earlier, his bad temper finally caught up with him. After arguing with a supervisor, Jorge quit his cushy job and hasn't been able to find a new one. The bills are piling up and his wife is starting to pressure him. Until, one day, he is approached by a pair of mysterious strangers with an even more mysterious job offer...at the DMV.
Zal Tombasian, a young programmer at Data Initiatives, has a pretty boring existence. As his friend and co-worker Bernard tells him, "Your social life consists of sitting at home eating junk food and playing online games." Zal doesn't even bother to put up an argument. He's never been much for adventure. Until his company is hired to work on their largest account yet...by the DMV.
Release Date: April 14th, 2023
Genre: Horror
Pages: 432
Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
What I Liked:
1. Writing
2. Everything was a mystery
3. The ending
4. Good gory scenes
What I Didn't Like:
1. Lots of spelling errors and incorrect sentences
2. Sexualization of characters not needed
Overall Thoughts:
{{Disclaimer: I write my review as I read}}
We meet 4 characters in this book;
• Todd: an author who is married to Rosita (she works at the library)
• Zal a web programmer who has been hired by the DMV to redo their website
• Jorge (Rosita's) brother who is down on his luck and with no money after quitting his job
• Danny a teenager in the middle of trying to get his drivers license
The chapters switch between each character.
There are so many weird things happening in this book.
Zal having to go to this driving class and I'm saying all hail the DMV is insanity. Coming home and getting on his computer and then getting a printout of his certificate for completing the class was so creepy. He's more worried about what it means but I'm just like how did they send it through his printer.
I can't get over how weird everything is in this book and the cliff ending of the chapters are making me have to finish this book.
Why is this book so obsessed with Danny and jill being in sexual moments together? First saying they are allowed to have sex with each other, them getting naked in the same room, and now jill being forced to strip. Why? So weird. (Edit: his mother in the room naked... What is the authors obsession with in family sexual moments?).
Final Thoughts:
Hate how the author over sexualites everyone. He does this in so many books.
I was utterly enthralled with this book. I had zero idea what was even happening with the characters or anything along the way. The chapters that left off on cliffhangers made me never want to stop reading this book.
This has been the best book I've read from the author so far. It was creative and weird and interesting.
I even like the ending which is a difficult thing for me to do. I liked that they took down only one camp but they were realistic and knowing that it wasn't the only one out there and they would have to face more DMV issues. Most books just act like the mystery is solved and everything is taken care of in this one camp but the whole world is not okay, but this book made an observation that it might not be over.
IG | Blog
*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:
Successful author Todd Klein and his wife Rosita live a quiet small town life. Todd's latest novel is selling well and despite recent budget cuts, Rosita relishes her job at the local library. After years of marriage, they're still in love, the mortgage to their suburban home is paid off, and their future is bright. Until, that is, Todd makes an appointment at the Department of Motor Vehicles to renew his license.
Jorge Guiterrez, Rosita's younger brother, hasn't been so lucky. A few months earlier, his bad temper finally caught up with him. After arguing with a supervisor, Jorge quit his cushy job and hasn't been able to find a new one. The bills are piling up and his wife is starting to pressure him. Until, one day, he is approached by a pair of mysterious strangers with an even more mysterious job offer...at the DMV.
Zal Tombasian, a young programmer at Data Initiatives, has a pretty boring existence. As his friend and co-worker Bernard tells him, "Your social life consists of sitting at home eating junk food and playing online games." Zal doesn't even bother to put up an argument. He's never been much for adventure. Until his company is hired to work on their largest account yet...by the DMV.
Release Date: April 14th, 2023
Genre: Horror
Pages: 432
Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
What I Liked:
1. Writing
2. Everything was a mystery
3. The ending
4. Good gory scenes
What I Didn't Like:
1. Lots of spelling errors and incorrect sentences
2. Sexualization of characters not needed
Overall Thoughts:
{{Disclaimer: I write my review as I read}}
We meet 4 characters in this book;
• Todd: an author who is married to Rosita (she works at the library)
• Zal a web programmer who has been hired by the DMV to redo their website
• Jorge (Rosita's) brother who is down on his luck and with no money after quitting his job
• Danny a teenager in the middle of trying to get his drivers license
The chapters switch between each character.
There are so many weird things happening in this book.
Zal having to go to this driving class and I'm saying all hail the DMV is insanity. Coming home and getting on his computer and then getting a printout of his certificate for completing the class was so creepy. He's more worried about what it means but I'm just like how did they send it through his printer.
I can't get over how weird everything is in this book and the cliff ending of the chapters are making me have to finish this book.
Why is this book so obsessed with Danny and jill being in sexual moments together? First saying they are allowed to have sex with each other, them getting naked in the same room, and now jill being forced to strip. Why? So weird. (Edit: his mother in the room naked... What is the authors obsession with in family sexual moments?).
Final Thoughts:
Hate how the author over sexualites everyone. He does this in so many books.
I was utterly enthralled with this book. I had zero idea what was even happening with the characters or anything along the way. The chapters that left off on cliffhangers made me never want to stop reading this book.
This has been the best book I've read from the author so far. It was creative and weird and interesting.
I even like the ending which is a difficult thing for me to do. I liked that they took down only one camp but they were realistic and knowing that it wasn't the only one out there and they would have to face more DMV issues. Most books just act like the mystery is solved and everything is taken care of in this one camp but the whole world is not okay, but this book made an observation that it might not be over.
IG | Blog
January 10, 2023
A group of folks in a small town, including a writer, his family, a new teenage driver, and a group of program coders, find themselves squaring off against an unimaginable and far-reaching evil older than mankind -- the DMV!
Yes, Bentley Little finally goes there after decades of taking mundane aspects of everyday life and turning them into gargantuan forms of supernatural institutional horrors in books like The Mailman, The Association and The Store, aiming his sights squarely on the Department of Motor Vehicles. The DMV is fruit ripe for the picking but, in true Bentley Little fashion, is also more than a little bit silly while also deeply ominous.
DMV starts somewhat innocently enough when author Todd Klein is required to renew his driver's license in person. The test he is administered, however, is designed to fail, asking him questions he has no way of answering correctly. His brother-in-law, Jorge, meanwhile, is abducted by a pair of DMV agents and whisked away to a concentration camp for reeducation, and his wife just barely survives a mass shooting by a disgruntled ex-co-worker who has just been licensed to kill. Events, and bodies, pile up as Todd and others begin to connect the growing horrors confronting them to the DMV.
Little makes no bones at all about transforming the DMV into a very Trumpian institution à la ICE, investing the bureaucracy with fascistic overzealousness as it kidnaps and transports its targets to black sites, and encourages bad behaviors by citizens and licensing them to carry out violent crimes. At point, a DMV agent even encourages a bystander to "Trump it," telling him of an injured woman that he "grab her by the pussy, do whatever you want."
For all it's similarities to institutional and governmental foulness under the orange ogre's regime, DMV can never quite overcome the inherit preposterousness of Little's satirizing. I found myself, more than once, wishing that Little had held back a bit more and played it more straight-faced, as he did in his spoofing of the inhumanity of big box chain stores like Wal-Mart in The Store. Little knows he's writing absurdist horror, and knows, too, that his readers know, and he leans a little too hard on that knowledge at times, to the point that he even gives the DMV agents manning the concentration camp silly little cars "that appeared to be made from old musical instruments." It's odd moments of incongruity like that that took me out of the already considerably outlandish story Little was crafting here.
Various plot-points and story elements never quite land or connect as fully as they should, either, and much of DMV feels like its treading water even as Little concocts one macabre imagining after another. There's a moment involving a podcaster who hangs up mid-interview with Todd at the barest mention of the DMV that I thought would go somewhere later on but never does. The burgeoning relationship between two Data Initiative co-workers, Zal and Violet, never quite paid off either, given the amount of page space devoted to their courtship and the secrets Zal uncovers about Violet and the DMV. I had hoped for more fireworks, but instead of a bang, their part in the story goes out with a fizzle.
DMV is not a total disappointment, though, when taken as a whole, even if its various parts feel somewhat incongruous when finally put all together. Little's latest a silly bit of horror fluff, but it at least has the good sense to be entertaining fluff and it's certainly never boring with its stockpile of oddities and ever-present undertones of menace and paranoia. And if Little happens to disappear suddenly around the time his license is up for renewal, we'll know why.
Yes, Bentley Little finally goes there after decades of taking mundane aspects of everyday life and turning them into gargantuan forms of supernatural institutional horrors in books like The Mailman, The Association and The Store, aiming his sights squarely on the Department of Motor Vehicles. The DMV is fruit ripe for the picking but, in true Bentley Little fashion, is also more than a little bit silly while also deeply ominous.
DMV starts somewhat innocently enough when author Todd Klein is required to renew his driver's license in person. The test he is administered, however, is designed to fail, asking him questions he has no way of answering correctly. His brother-in-law, Jorge, meanwhile, is abducted by a pair of DMV agents and whisked away to a concentration camp for reeducation, and his wife just barely survives a mass shooting by a disgruntled ex-co-worker who has just been licensed to kill. Events, and bodies, pile up as Todd and others begin to connect the growing horrors confronting them to the DMV.
Little makes no bones at all about transforming the DMV into a very Trumpian institution à la ICE, investing the bureaucracy with fascistic overzealousness as it kidnaps and transports its targets to black sites, and encourages bad behaviors by citizens and licensing them to carry out violent crimes. At point, a DMV agent even encourages a bystander to "Trump it," telling him of an injured woman that he "grab her by the pussy, do whatever you want."
For all it's similarities to institutional and governmental foulness under the orange ogre's regime, DMV can never quite overcome the inherit preposterousness of Little's satirizing. I found myself, more than once, wishing that Little had held back a bit more and played it more straight-faced, as he did in his spoofing of the inhumanity of big box chain stores like Wal-Mart in The Store. Little knows he's writing absurdist horror, and knows, too, that his readers know, and he leans a little too hard on that knowledge at times, to the point that he even gives the DMV agents manning the concentration camp silly little cars "that appeared to be made from old musical instruments." It's odd moments of incongruity like that that took me out of the already considerably outlandish story Little was crafting here.
Various plot-points and story elements never quite land or connect as fully as they should, either, and much of DMV feels like its treading water even as Little concocts one macabre imagining after another. There's a moment involving a podcaster who hangs up mid-interview with Todd at the barest mention of the DMV that I thought would go somewhere later on but never does. The burgeoning relationship between two Data Initiative co-workers, Zal and Violet, never quite paid off either, given the amount of page space devoted to their courtship and the secrets Zal uncovers about Violet and the DMV. I had hoped for more fireworks, but instead of a bang, their part in the story goes out with a fizzle.
DMV is not a total disappointment, though, when taken as a whole, even if its various parts feel somewhat incongruous when finally put all together. Little's latest a silly bit of horror fluff, but it at least has the good sense to be entertaining fluff and it's certainly never boring with its stockpile of oddities and ever-present undertones of menace and paranoia. And if Little happens to disappear suddenly around the time his license is up for renewal, we'll know why.
November 7, 2023
Didn't read much on holiday break, so it took me longer to finish this book than I had originally figured. The book was really good. Quirky and absurd...how one person thinks the DMV really runs. It's a government agency, so there might be a little truth to some of this (joking). The harrowing sequence of events caused by the DMV make the characters even more likeable. I enjoyed the story.
December 10, 2023
This book was tons of fun to read and I enjoyed it SO much! Everyone hates the DMV, right? What an amazing premise the author came up with!
I wouldn't really say this book was scary. It was more just super creepy and unsettling. It's filled with lots of bizarre goings-on and unpleasant moments. I was definitely able to feel all the confusion and discomfort right along with the characters. Speaking of the characters, I really liked them all! I felt like all of their little subplots were interesting and were all brought together well by the end. It's a little harder to pinpoint any major villains. Yes there are some cronies sprinkled around but the true villain is the DMV itself. It was a good time being with the characters, trying to figure out what was going on, and of course how to stop it.
The author's descriptions and world building are appealing and engaging. He did a good job of making me want to keep turning pages. It was always so hard to put the book down for the day!
Overall this book is definitely a thrilling ride and the suspense really ramps up towards the end! This was only the second book I've read by this author. I will for sure be reading more!
I wouldn't really say this book was scary. It was more just super creepy and unsettling. It's filled with lots of bizarre goings-on and unpleasant moments. I was definitely able to feel all the confusion and discomfort right along with the characters. Speaking of the characters, I really liked them all! I felt like all of their little subplots were interesting and were all brought together well by the end. It's a little harder to pinpoint any major villains. Yes there are some cronies sprinkled around but the true villain is the DMV itself. It was a good time being with the characters, trying to figure out what was going on, and of course how to stop it.
The author's descriptions and world building are appealing and engaging. He did a good job of making me want to keep turning pages. It was always so hard to put the book down for the day!
Overall this book is definitely a thrilling ride and the suspense really ramps up towards the end! This was only the second book I've read by this author. I will for sure be reading more!
March 29, 2023
I have long been a fan of Bentley Little, so I was more than a little delighted to see the twisted take he would deliver with DMV.
If you haven't read Little before, what you get is absurdist, sometimes crazy, horror that delivers some form of satirical social commentary. DMV is probably a little heavy-handed in that department, but it does not dissuade from the enjoyment of what is a typical Little book.
What we find out is that the DMV existed long before motorized vehicles, with some ancient force building their power over the centuries, creating literal worker bees in the process.
There are times when the absurdity gets a touch out of control, and I found the ending to be a bit underwhelming, but this was still an enjoyable book that fans of Bentley Little will definitely gobble up.
If you haven't read Little before, what you get is absurdist, sometimes crazy, horror that delivers some form of satirical social commentary. DMV is probably a little heavy-handed in that department, but it does not dissuade from the enjoyment of what is a typical Little book.
What we find out is that the DMV existed long before motorized vehicles, with some ancient force building their power over the centuries, creating literal worker bees in the process.
There are times when the absurdity gets a touch out of control, and I found the ending to be a bit underwhelming, but this was still an enjoyable book that fans of Bentley Little will definitely gobble up.
December 29, 2023
This is a must read for fans of the author. It is a typical Little book minus some gore and sex. I enjoyed the book but it's definately not one of my favorites.
December 24, 2022
DMV was a wild ride! It was a good read. Hard to put down. Nobody likes the DMV, and after this, they will dislike it even more! It will definitely make you think twice before stepping foot in your local DMV again.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
October 16, 2023
I would’ve enjoyed this more had I never read a Bentley Little novel before, but this is the most Bentley Little novel to ever Bentley Little.
One star to the book, and one star to me for finishing it.
One star to the book, and one star to me for finishing it.
December 12, 2023
What can I say… this book was hard for me to put down because it was so horrible that I wanted to get through it as quickly as possible. Of course, it’s relatively long (400 pages), so I wasn’t going to be able to zip right to the end in a single night’s reading.
The real problem for me was the writing style—simple, warm, friendly, matter-of-fact—describing horrors that you wouldn’t expect presented in that kind of narrative. Our heroes are regular people, nice folks; I liked them and cheered for them, except they were up against one of the great villains of this or any other age: bureaucracy and the people who benefit from and perpetuate it.
The fact that the DMV was omnipresent, above the law, and free to commit the most monstrous acts of physical violence with impunity was most disquieting and the feeling stayed with me all during the day between readings. Whether or not our little group of heroes can take down a system that is older than Earth itself seems improbable, and I gave up on the possibility way before the end of the book.
As one of the instructors in the DMV training center might tell a student who is about to have their miserable experience extended FOREVER...
"NICE JOB, Bently Little."
The real problem for me was the writing style—simple, warm, friendly, matter-of-fact—describing horrors that you wouldn’t expect presented in that kind of narrative. Our heroes are regular people, nice folks; I liked them and cheered for them, except they were up against one of the great villains of this or any other age: bureaucracy and the people who benefit from and perpetuate it.
The fact that the DMV was omnipresent, above the law, and free to commit the most monstrous acts of physical violence with impunity was most disquieting and the feeling stayed with me all during the day between readings. Whether or not our little group of heroes can take down a system that is older than Earth itself seems improbable, and I gave up on the possibility way before the end of the book.
As one of the instructors in the DMV training center might tell a student who is about to have their miserable experience extended FOREVER...
"NICE JOB, Bently Little."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 10, 2025
An absolutely fantastic book that will keep you turning page after page. A bit darker than some of his other books too. The DMV is a force to be reckoned with, in this satirical yet scary novel. Deserves reading more than once. Funnily enough all his books do. My number 1 horror author as I have every book by him. Might sound prejudiced but you definitely need to check him out. A well deserved 5 star read. Brilliant
May 31, 2024
It's another fun and weird horror novel from Bentley Little. The title alone is enough to scare anyone with a driver's license. But this DMV has a history...a LONG history.
A couple of Little's other novels made guest appearances in this one, but I won't say which because I don't want to spoil the surprise.
All in all, I recommend.
A couple of Little's other novels made guest appearances in this one, but I won't say which because I don't want to spoil the surprise.
All in all, I recommend.
April 4, 2023
I was fortunate to receive an advance review copy of DMV by Bentley Little. DMV has been one of my highly anticipated books for 2023. Bentley Little is one of the best horror authors today, and him writing a story about the DMV makes total sense.
One thing a person can expect when reading a Bentley Little novel is tons of creativity, and not knowing where the story is going. Bentley's novels has different levels of WTF, and DMV is on the tamer side compared to some of his other novels. The book embraces more of the weirdness and satire. Plus, it's about the DMV. We all know we all hate the DMV.
The novel follows a cast of characters and their encounters with the DMV. Bentley does a great job developing the characters. I'm not going to go into detail of each character, but the novel focuses on four stories with these characters. Bentley does a great job balancing and weaving each story, and making you care about the characters. The only criticism I have with the novel is the ending of the book (approximately the last 50 pages) feels rushed compared to the pacing of the rest of the story.
I definitely recommend the book for fans of Bentley Little, or for readers who are curious about the author. As I mentioned previously, the book is a lot tamer than some of his other stories. There are no worries about a first time reader throwing the novel down on the ground out of disgust.
One thing a person can expect when reading a Bentley Little novel is tons of creativity, and not knowing where the story is going. Bentley's novels has different levels of WTF, and DMV is on the tamer side compared to some of his other novels. The book embraces more of the weirdness and satire. Plus, it's about the DMV. We all know we all hate the DMV.
The novel follows a cast of characters and their encounters with the DMV. Bentley does a great job developing the characters. I'm not going to go into detail of each character, but the novel focuses on four stories with these characters. Bentley does a great job balancing and weaving each story, and making you care about the characters. The only criticism I have with the novel is the ending of the book (approximately the last 50 pages) feels rushed compared to the pacing of the rest of the story.
I definitely recommend the book for fans of Bentley Little, or for readers who are curious about the author. As I mentioned previously, the book is a lot tamer than some of his other stories. There are no worries about a first time reader throwing the novel down on the ground out of disgust.
August 6, 2024
How many of us have been frustrated with the DMV at one point? What is all your frustrations backfired and you were labeled and put on a hit list of types? This is just one of the strange happenings in this book.
January 10, 2024
Bentley Little has shown us the dark and twisted side of such things as the University, The Store, The Town, The Bank and the Association. While everyone knows there's something nefarious behind the Department of Motor Vehicles, Little now tackles the DMV with his unique brand of sinister dealings, rule and law breaking and the control the agency has over everyone. Todd Klein, a mildly successful author, fails his driver's test for renewal when the most bizarre and personal questions come up on the test; his brother-in-law Jorge is shanghaied into attending a DMV training program against his will and sealed off from the outside world; Zal, Bernard and Valerie all work for an IT company that has just signed on to revamp the DMV's computer system and online presence. Before it's over, they'll all find just how deep the strangeness and the power of the DMV really goes.
This novel has the typical formula of many of his books - a common day institution that has something sinister behind it doling out grief to those unfortunate to come into its sights. While a few instances were a bit ridiculous even by his standards and the book was too long, still, if you enjoy these kinds of books by Little, you'll have fun with this one.
This novel has the typical formula of many of his books - a common day institution that has something sinister behind it doling out grief to those unfortunate to come into its sights. While a few instances were a bit ridiculous even by his standards and the book was too long, still, if you enjoy these kinds of books by Little, you'll have fun with this one.
Read
April 8, 2023have not read a Bentley Little book since I was a teen (many years ago!) and I had forgotten how well written his books are. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I mean, how could you not? This book has the dreaded DMV, an agency that had changed so much. There were crazy people, crazy policies and reminders of past travesty’s; like racism, the Holocaust and subliminal messages. As each group of people began rushing towards each other, it became clear that not everyone could be turned into mind controlled zombies. This book was so thrilling and scary( technology is becoming a weapon) that I had to continue to read the book until I was finished. I am glad I did. 5⭐️
June 20, 2024
Somehow, amid the horror, the author found awkward ways to take jabs at ICE, Trump, people who didn't wear masks, etc. Oh, and the villains were mostly... you guessed it - white supremacists. Another author, ruined for me.
May 4, 2024
The story was utterly and completely idiotic but well written. However, the book was way, way, way too long which really hampered and nearly killed my enjoyment.
January 30, 2023
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I was looking forward to this book, as a long time reader of Bentley Little, so I was very happy when this came up in my review list. Little shines in the absurd and shocking, and this book is no different than his previous work in that respect. As always, we get everyday people up against enormous forces, and I was rooting for them all the way! Overall, this book shows that he is still on top of his game!
All of that said, I am disappointed in his use of slurs in the book. I felt like there was really no need, especially with the R word being used by a protagonist. Not that it's the worst word, but we're supposed to be on this person's side, and as a disabled parent of kids with disabilities, including one who is autistic, it was very off-putting.
I was looking forward to this book, as a long time reader of Bentley Little, so I was very happy when this came up in my review list. Little shines in the absurd and shocking, and this book is no different than his previous work in that respect. As always, we get everyday people up against enormous forces, and I was rooting for them all the way! Overall, this book shows that he is still on top of his game!
All of that said, I am disappointed in his use of slurs in the book. I felt like there was really no need, especially with the R word being used by a protagonist. Not that it's the worst word, but we're supposed to be on this person's side, and as a disabled parent of kids with disabilities, including one who is autistic, it was very off-putting.
March 14, 2025
Bentley Little's new book, DMV, is classic Little: creepy and funny, and this time, he's going after the DMV. Yeah, that DMV. He takes all those annoying things we hate about it—the lines, the bad photos—and turns it into this crazy conspiracy where the DMV is basically all-powerful. It's about these random people getting their lives messed with by this ancient, creepy agency. Little really nails that feeling of "wait, is this actually happening?" It's a wild ride, mixing laughs with legit scares, and honestly, it'll make you wonder what's really going on behind those counters. Seriously, check it out.
March 23, 2023
This is my first Bentley Little book and I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I can’t think of a more horrifying setting than the DMV. This story was full of weirdness and satire. All in all in was a good story. Looking forward to reading more from the author in the future!
July 25, 2024
What a wild ride this was. Bentley Little takes the power of the DMV and multiplies it until they become a power unto their own. From special drivers licenses to education camps to torturing uncooperative employees, it is like revisiting the Nazi regime. Very imaginative and a great read.
June 28, 2025
Bentley Little books are so much fun. This is definitely one of his best. Ludicrous at times, eerily realistic at others, and full to the brim with Little's satirical horrors, DMV is just a downright fun horror novel.
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