Mr. Monster

August 30, 2010
Near-psychopath John Wayne Cleaver channels his murderous urges into taking down serial killers in this dark, fast-paced, gripping horror novel. Having slain the Clayton Killer in March 2010's I Am Not a Serial Killer, John feels a strong compulsion to draw blood again. He's fighting those urges when another serial killer starts up. Investigative agent Forman discovers John's psychiatric history and suspects him of being involved with the current string of murders, and when John finally faces his adversary, he's offered a tempting pact that he may not be able to resist. A brutal, bloody read with overtones of soft-core torture porn, this tale inevitably recalls Jeff Lindsay's Dexter novels and their TV adaptation. It nonetheless stands out with taut, sharp writing, strong plotting, vivid angst, and a compelling portrayal of a disturbed man's struggles for self-control.