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God Is A Killer
The end of the world. MacDougall, a violent and ruthless prophet with visions of the apocalypse, returns to his old compound - and his old family. Sheriff Fitzroy, the man who put him behind bars, must protect Bentham County while protecting himself from the DEA. Meth cooks, biker gangs, and a corporation named Lokust should all say their prayers, because everyone knows -
God Is A Killer
God Is A Killer
151 pages, Paperback
Published May 23, 2022
3 people are currently reading
78 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
December 4, 2022
As a debut novel this is truly something very special. The prose is tight, blunt and reads like the work of a seasoned author.
Probably one of the best examples of noir I’ve read recently. The characters feel extremely real as though Thrax investigated them as a real life psychotherapist. There’s darkness here. A lot of it but the words and the story will remain like scars long after you’ve closed the book.
Highly recommended.
Probably one of the best examples of noir I’ve read recently. The characters feel extremely real as though Thrax investigated them as a real life psychotherapist. There’s darkness here. A lot of it but the words and the story will remain like scars long after you’ve closed the book.
Highly recommended.
June 6, 2022
Finally the long awaited debut of Max Thrax is here and it lives up to expectations as he throws everything at this tale of a misguided holy man and a crooked sheriff pitting wits in small town New Hampshire.
Thrax evokes the spirit of Thompson and Higgins as well as that of Cormac McCarthy in this novel in a novel of great dialogue and blistering violence.
The Koreshian MacDougall has returned to the site where he built his cult looking to regain the glory he once held, but is opposed by Sheriff Fitzroy who has taken a hold of the county in his own way in MacDougall's absence. Federal and corporate interests in the area add to the intrigue of the story.
Thrax's tale moves apace, but he is able to make his characters so distinctive from each other. Thrax writes in the tradition of the noir before him taking the religious, duality of man aspects and merging them with the corporate, the legal and most of all, the human condition to bring us a all out assault of a debut novel that'll have you eager for more!
Thrax evokes the spirit of Thompson and Higgins as well as that of Cormac McCarthy in this novel in a novel of great dialogue and blistering violence.
The Koreshian MacDougall has returned to the site where he built his cult looking to regain the glory he once held, but is opposed by Sheriff Fitzroy who has taken a hold of the county in his own way in MacDougall's absence. Federal and corporate interests in the area add to the intrigue of the story.
Thrax's tale moves apace, but he is able to make his characters so distinctive from each other. Thrax writes in the tradition of the noir before him taking the religious, duality of man aspects and merging them with the corporate, the legal and most of all, the human condition to bring us a all out assault of a debut novel that'll have you eager for more!
June 23, 2022
It's unfair to call this noir because it moves across a few different genres. Nevertheless it's an epic tale told short and succinctly. There's a seriousness and depth you don't usually get from your standard noir stash. You've got your corrupt small town sheriff who wants nothing more than to finally get rid of a mad cult leader who's just gotten loose and wants to bring about a local apocalypse.
Told with economical prose, God Is A Killer reads like a compressed procedural written by Stephen Graham Jones. It doesn't tell much, just shows it. The dialog is tight, concise. For being a novella, the characters are well fleshed out. Some of them are similar to characters you'd read in a Jim Thompson novel. A great debut. Here's hoping there's more coming very soon from Max Thrax. A lot of new and old writers could pick up a tip or three on how not to overwrite from this release.
Told with economical prose, God Is A Killer reads like a compressed procedural written by Stephen Graham Jones. It doesn't tell much, just shows it. The dialog is tight, concise. For being a novella, the characters are well fleshed out. Some of them are similar to characters you'd read in a Jim Thompson novel. A great debut. Here's hoping there's more coming very soon from Max Thrax. A lot of new and old writers could pick up a tip or three on how not to overwrite from this release.
June 23, 2022
This looks and reads like a classic with such sharp convincing characters and dialogue. I got carried away and into its world pretty much instantly and couldn't put it down. The messed-up small-town atmosphere with morally bereft characters and situations is both addictive and extremely well crafted.
I've read Thrax's short stories before and knew this was going to be good. Just how good though: I was truly blown away.
A must-read for lovers of Jim Thompson, Donald Ray Pollock and Paul D. Brazill.
I've read Thrax's short stories before and knew this was going to be good. Just how good though: I was truly blown away.
A must-read for lovers of Jim Thompson, Donald Ray Pollock and Paul D. Brazill.
June 5, 2022
Close to the Bone have been publishing a series of high quality crime novellas for quite some time now. The latest edition to their list is GOD IS A KILLER by Max Thrax.
Terry ‘Touchdown’ Donovan has spent the night in a tent, in possession of six thousand dollars in large bills, a loaf of bread and a gun.
A great opening.
Pretty soon, a stranger turns up. The stranger asks Donovan a question:
‘Have you met your Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ?’
Anyone familiar with the genre knows whatever Donovan says, things aren’t going to end well for our man Donovan.
The stranger is the recently out of jail, Alex MacDougall - self proclaimed prophet and erstwhile cult leader. Think Anton Chigurth from No Country for Old Men with an evangelical zeal, and you’ll get pretty close to what MacDougall is capable of.
It’s not long before we witness the power MacDougall has over his disciples - on this occasion, a badly injured - and therefore useless - Brewster:
MacDougall coughed and squatted down behind Brewster. The skinhead drew a deep breath, rested his head on MacDougall’s boot.
“Close your eyes,” said MacDougall. “In a moment, you will leave these woods. Think of the Kingdom as we say the Healing Prayer.”
Together they intoned the words:
Blessed is the wound
Blessed is the skin
Blessed is the bone
Blessed is the throne
On which He sits.
Blessed is the touch
Blessed is the hand
Blessed is the tongue
Of the Holy One
Who heals us now.
Over time and space
The creator of the race
Rules the world
And all its flesh.
Blessed is the skin
Blessed is the oil
Rubbed on the sores.
Blessed be the door
That opens to health.
It’s easy to skip these passages in the book - and there are money - but reading them word for word gives you a real sense of the absolute madness of MacDougall.
The scene ends with MacDougall reaching into his back pocket, wiping his nose and pressing the muzzle against the unsuspecting Brewster’s forehead.
The story follows MacDougall’s attempt to re-establish the cult, facing off against all sorts, especially Fitzroy - the local, somewhat bent, local sheriff.
With the DEA breathing down his neck, local meth cooks and biker gangs to deal with, and even his own family stretching his last nerve, Fitzroy really doesn’t need a lunatic like MacDougall turning up.
GOD IS A KILLER is a fantastic read. In terms of the writing, think the callousness of Jim Thompson and the bleakness of Cormac McCarthy, all leading to an absolute blistering clmax.
Cannot recommend this book highly enough.
Terry ‘Touchdown’ Donovan has spent the night in a tent, in possession of six thousand dollars in large bills, a loaf of bread and a gun.
A great opening.
Pretty soon, a stranger turns up. The stranger asks Donovan a question:
‘Have you met your Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ?’
Anyone familiar with the genre knows whatever Donovan says, things aren’t going to end well for our man Donovan.
The stranger is the recently out of jail, Alex MacDougall - self proclaimed prophet and erstwhile cult leader. Think Anton Chigurth from No Country for Old Men with an evangelical zeal, and you’ll get pretty close to what MacDougall is capable of.
It’s not long before we witness the power MacDougall has over his disciples - on this occasion, a badly injured - and therefore useless - Brewster:
MacDougall coughed and squatted down behind Brewster. The skinhead drew a deep breath, rested his head on MacDougall’s boot.
“Close your eyes,” said MacDougall. “In a moment, you will leave these woods. Think of the Kingdom as we say the Healing Prayer.”
Together they intoned the words:
Blessed is the wound
Blessed is the skin
Blessed is the bone
Blessed is the throne
On which He sits.
Blessed is the touch
Blessed is the hand
Blessed is the tongue
Of the Holy One
Who heals us now.
Over time and space
The creator of the race
Rules the world
And all its flesh.
Blessed is the skin
Blessed is the oil
Rubbed on the sores.
Blessed be the door
That opens to health.
It’s easy to skip these passages in the book - and there are money - but reading them word for word gives you a real sense of the absolute madness of MacDougall.
The scene ends with MacDougall reaching into his back pocket, wiping his nose and pressing the muzzle against the unsuspecting Brewster’s forehead.
The story follows MacDougall’s attempt to re-establish the cult, facing off against all sorts, especially Fitzroy - the local, somewhat bent, local sheriff.
With the DEA breathing down his neck, local meth cooks and biker gangs to deal with, and even his own family stretching his last nerve, Fitzroy really doesn’t need a lunatic like MacDougall turning up.
GOD IS A KILLER is a fantastic read. In terms of the writing, think the callousness of Jim Thompson and the bleakness of Cormac McCarthy, all leading to an absolute blistering clmax.
Cannot recommend this book highly enough.
June 18, 2022
I bought this book because I liked the cover. I liked the retro look and feel to it, and the colours. It reminded me of an old cocktail book my grandfather had, which now sits barely held together on one of my bookshelves. I no longer drink, but I take that book down every now and then just to thumb through the art-deco illustrations, imagining what it must have been like at one of those fancy parties in the roaring twenties, sipping a Martini and doing the jitterbug, although probably not at the same time. He was a professional musician in his younger days, and would play the clarinet as part of a dance band that toured the high-society calendar, and boy did he have some stories to tell. None of that is relevant to this review of this story though, God is a Killer.
It took me a couple of chapters to get into this, but once it got going, it really got going. This is a well-written, gritty thriller which I ripped through in no time at all. It places you right in the centre of the action and doesn't let up throughout. The overall concept, a cult leader coming back to claim what's left of his legacy, has been done so well, with a solid cast of characters, good pacing and dialogue. My only real criticism is the length. There was a lot going on plotwise, which would have lended itself to a book about twice as long to do justice to it all. I look forward to reading more from Max Thrax and would highly recommend this book.
It took me a couple of chapters to get into this, but once it got going, it really got going. This is a well-written, gritty thriller which I ripped through in no time at all. It places you right in the centre of the action and doesn't let up throughout. The overall concept, a cult leader coming back to claim what's left of his legacy, has been done so well, with a solid cast of characters, good pacing and dialogue. My only real criticism is the length. There was a lot going on plotwise, which would have lended itself to a book about twice as long to do justice to it all. I look forward to reading more from Max Thrax and would highly recommend this book.
June 4, 2023
A haunting, brutal story of a killer who once led a cult returning to his old town to reclaim old debts and settle old scores. A crime/cop thriller in which a sheriff, his deputies, and a biker gang weave a tangled web as they try to find and stop the killer. Compelling characters, fast paced storytelling with multiple character perspectives, and taut dialogue. The biblical references are well executed. The action is well done and the climax is tense and exciting. The woman who escaped the cult and her young son are really well written.
September 9, 2022
This was one of my most anticipated reads of 22 and did not disappoint. I was sold on Thrax’s writing from the short stories I’ve read and from hearing the first chapter on Darkwaters podcast, but nothing prepared me for this page turner. God is a Killer drew me in with perfectly executed characters and locations. The plot is beautifully directed keeping me one pace behind at all times. Highly recommended
July 17, 2023
An engaging story from the first page. Intense themes are handled deftly and the chief antagonist, religious inspired megalomania is captivating, disturbing while never becoming cartoonish. There is sadness and the mundanity of man's inhumanity too, which adds depth to a fast paced story.
July 13, 2022
A fairly short, concise story very well told with some grim, foreboding characters. I enjoyed it and look forward to seeing what Max writes next!
September 6, 2022
A great neo-noir that revolves around a rural sheriff and a mad preacher. Check it out
July 11, 2024
A nice and nasty little piece of meth fueled crime fiction.
April 16, 2025
Short, punchy, pulpy. Characters sometimes left a little to be desired. Got a bit better as the story went on but never really went away.
June 1, 2025
written as tautly as one of those sleeve gun rigs
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews