My TL:DR Five Word Review : Southern bookclub meets supernatural horror.

I loved the idea of TSBCGtSV as soon as I read the description and decided to pick up a copy in audio – which turned out to be a great choice.  The narration was excellent and I had a really good time with this one.

Patricia Campbell is a mom and housewife in this 90s South Carolina tale.  Her life is chaotic as she rushes from one thing to the next in her busy day but at the same time she longs for a little something more, which is how she finds herself joining a book club and making friends.  Life seems to be good right up to the point where a neighbour attacks her and tries to bite off her ear, after that, well, things are never quite the same again.

A new neighbour has moved into town, James Harris.  James came to look after his elderly aunt and ends up sticking around and Patricia seems strangely drawn to him and to helping him find his feet, even inviting him to take part in the monthly book club meetings, going even further and inviting him into her home.  Things are peachy until children start to go missing and Patricia and her friends begin to join the dots and wonder whether the new arrival to town and the disappearing children are coincidental or not.

Dubbed ‘Fried Green Tomatoes and Steel Magnolias meet Dracula’ – this was an entertaining ride, although to be clear, the only resemblance to Dracula is the inclusion of a vampire and a few other supernatural tidbits – which isn’t to say this wasn’t a good read because frankly I had a ridiculously good time with it.  Very entertaning.  Downright bloody in parts, without doubt creepy as hell on occasion, very creepy in fact, and with an ick factor ending that I never envisaged, and I am talking Ick.

Now, to be sure there are a few little things that I would point out.  Annoying things – not deal breakers for me but definite irritants.  I all but wanted to punch Patricia’s husband in his face – seriously this guy, and a few of the others annoyed the bejesus out of me.  Like I said though, it didn’t stop me being hooked.  There was also a bit of a surprising time jump at one point in the story.  I really didn’t see that coming and it was a little perplexing at first.  But, as mentioned, this book definitely kept me hooked.

In terms of characters, Patricia is the main person we get a feel for and probably the most well rounded although I had no difficulty forming a picture of the others.  James is a creepy character, not just because of the fundamental monster that he is but because he’s so self assured.  He knows how to play people, how to recognise them, their needs, desires and dreams and he is a player, a con man who basically manipulates people and makes them think he’s the good guy.

What really worked for me with this particular book was that it’s so very different from what I expected.  On top of that there is this whole element of crazy, entertaining fun.  It might not be perfect.  I had a few issues here and there but eagerness to continue with the book was never one of them.

I bought an audio copy from Audible.  The above is my own opinion.

My rating 4 of 5 stars