In Leather Maiden we are introduced to Cason Statler, who is returning to his hometown of Camp Rapture in East Texas in disgrace. Cason is damaged goods, and sinking fast; he’s drinking too much, stalking the woman who abandoned him while he was in Iraq and is regretting the loss of a promising career as a journalist in Huston. After all, even a Pulitzer nomination won’t keep you out of the ranks of the unemployed when you’re crazy enough to sleep with your editor’s wife—and his daughter. Cason does manage to land a job with the local news daily as a columnist, where he discovers notes left behind by his predecessor about a college student who disappeared six months ago. His pursuit of a come back story quickly leads him into dangerous territory.

Leather Maiden isn’t Lansdale’s best work; Cason lacks definition as a first person narrator and the story seemed to drift in spots. That being said, it’s still a good book full of what I’ve come to expect from Lansdale; quirky characters, vulgar humor and just the right amount of over-the-top violence and destruction.

http://raindogthoughts.wordpress.com/... ( )

Well, another great read by Joe Lansdale. It doesn't really matter what genre he is writing, you will always get great, interesting characters and a plotline that steadily builds ever more violent, disturbing and laced with dark humor. ( )

Once again Joe R. Lansdale stands out. ( )

Well, this guy could really make a shopping list an interesting and entertaining reading. "Leathr Maiden" begins in quite an unexpected way: the protagonist is a funny loser, we get to laugh at his attempts of finding back his identity as a man and a worker after his experience in the Army during the war in Iraq. After a few chapters, the novel turns into a Lansdale classic, a more and more disturbing and violent thriller, till the dramatic and twisted ending. Lansdale doesn't lose the magic touch of his pen (or better, his PC) and he writes an intriguing 'black' story, which actually isn't very original or surprising, but makes a good and lively reading for those who appreciate the genre.
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Innanzitutto, bisogna dire che quest'uomo saprebbe come rendere avvincente anche la lista della spesa. "La ragazza dal cuore d'acciaio" (questo il titolo in italiano) comincia in modo quasi inaspettato: il protagonista è un simpatico perdente e si ride di gusto dei suoi tentativi di ritrovare un'identità umana e lavorativa dopo il suo ritorno dalla guerra in Iraq. Pochi capitoli e il romanzo diventa un Lansdale classic, ovvero sempre più un thriller disturbante e violento, fino al drammatico e macchinoso finale. Senza perdere il tocco magico della sua penna (o PC che dir si voglia) Lansdale confeziona così un giallo-nero, in effetti non troppo originale né sorprendente, ma che si legge d'un fiato e lascia soddisfatti i cultori del genere. ( )