THINGS GET UGLY:
The Best Crime Stories of
Joe R. Lansdale
Crime Fiction / Mystery / Short Stories
Publisher: Tachyon Publications
Date of Publication: August 15, 2023
Number of Pages: 352 pages
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Edgar Award winner Joe R. Lansdale (the Hap and Leonard series) returns to the piney, dangerous woods of East Texas. In this career retrospective of his best crime stories, Lansdale shows exactly why critics continue to compare him to Elmore Leonard, Donald Westlake, Flannery O’Connor, and William Faulkner.
- In the 1950s, a young small-town projectionist mixes it up with a violent gang.
- When Mr. Bear is not alerting us to the dangers of forest fires, he lives a life of debauchery and murder.
- A brother and sister travel to Oklahoma to recover the dead body of their uncle.
- A lonely man engages in dubious acts while pining for his rubber duckie.
In this collection of nineteen unforgettable crime tales, Joe R. Lansdale brings his legendary mojo and witty grit to harrowing heists, revenge, homicide, and mayhem. No matter how they begin, things are bound to get ugly—and fast.
PRAISE FOR THINGS GET UGLY:
“A terrifically gifted storyteller.” -– Washington Post Book Review
“One of the best crime writers in the business.” -- Ace Atkins, New York Times bestselling author of The Revelators
“While Lansdale’s work is as varied as the regions of Texas, there is one common link through it all: his brilliant storytelling.” –- Grimdark Magazine
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Joe R. Lansdale (Savage Season, The Donut Legion) is the internationally bestselling author of more than fifty novels, including the popular, long-running Hap and Leonard novels. Many of his cult classics have been adapted for television and film, most famously the films Bubba Ho-Tep and Cold in July and the Hap and Leonard series on Sundance TV and Netflix. Lansdale has written numerous screenplays and teleplays, including for the iconic Batman: The Animated Series. He has won an Edgar Award for The Bottoms and ten Stoker Awards, and he has been designated a World Horror Grandmaster. Lansdale, like many of his characters, lives in East Texas, with his wife, Karen.
My Review:
Things Get Ugly lives up to its name as an anthology of crime fiction. While I won't provide trigger/content warnings out of respect, as it is something the author doesn't do, I will say that this collection is not for the faint of heart, weak of stomach, or even just casual readers. This book is for readers who want to see the nitty gritty, dark, noir, grotesque side of things. This isn't detective fiction or a mystery collection - this is a book full of ugly. Keep that in mind and go to sites that DO provide content warnings before picking this one up.
This collection features nineteen stories of varying lengths and focuses. There's a dash of the supernatural, a whole lot of murder, and a dark side of humanity that no one truly ever wants to see. I found this book to be disturbing and insane, yet somewhat thrilling. There were a lot of things that made me cringe, some things that made my eyebrows raise, and I'm pretty sure that's the point. All in all, that means it accomplished what it was meant to.
This book is not meant to be comforting or lighthearted in any way. It's meant to be gritty and gross. It shines a small, fading flashlight into dark corners. It's creepy, it's grim, it's bloody...and if that's what you want to read, you'll definitely get it here. If you're looking for crime fiction with random twists - including a few humorous because of how outlandish they are - this collection of stories will be perfect for you. It's very random and curious in its content.
However, if violence, sex, and general debauchery are things you actively avoid - stay away. You'll hate this book. It isn't for you by any means. I can't say that I love this book in a traditional way. It unsettled me, for sure. Yet it was an interesting read and I did enjoy my time with it in a bizarre way. Each story made me more curious about what else Joe R. Lansdale would come up with - and I can't help but wonder what his other works are like since I don't really have any experience with them. I like the varying lengths and how brief each story is overall. It's easy to get some bite-sized reading in, take some breaks, or to binge several in a row.
Things Get Ugly is a versatile collection that lives up to its name. Readers, beware, but if this is your cup of tea - definitely pick it up. It's a great study in how to approach crime stories in an untraditional way. It's also an interesting study in how to turn innocuous inspiration into disturbing, demented tales. I give this book a Lone Star rating of ✯✯✯✯ stars, because it does exactly what it's meant to do - and I can't blame it for being effective at it's goals!
GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!
THREE WINNERS:
Each receives print copies of
Things Get Ugly & Born for Trouble
(US only; ends midnight, CDT, 8/18/23)
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Readers be warned! Or welcomed! I get what you said about it being horrific, yet enjoying the stories in a bizarre way. Sounds like he's a talented writer, no matter what. Thanks for your review.
ReplyDeleteYour review is awesome. The writing scenarios vary, yet is excellent. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDelete