Lee Thomas (1)

Review for The Letter

While Lee Thomas is no newcomer to GLBT-themed horror it's possible you've not heard of him before. If so, this quiet-looking book is your chance to experience a dazzling, sometimes blistering, example of queer horror.

In the Closet, Under the Bed is a collection of fifteen horror tales that range in scope from the horrors of being gay, to the the unique, strange and sometimes erotic horror drawn to an unconventional life. You'll never think of bears the same way again show more after “Down to Sleep”. Thomas tackles shame, the delicate difficulty of pretending to the point of maintaining a “traditional” family and even the hidden complications of gay spousal abuse. And the one story told from a female perspective, “They Would Say She Danced” is perhaps the most poignant despite addressing the intricacies of gay life from an outside point of view.

Absolutely dark, absolutely queer Thomas' collection would collapse without with either the gay or horror aspects. Breathtaking only begins describe this example of what horror, science fiction and fantasy could be, if it could just drag itself out of the closet. Highly recommend. show less

Luther's Bend is a quiet, tiny town where very little happens. Despite a rocky marriage and personal trouble, Sheriff Bill Cranston has the responsibility to ensure the safety of the town's citizens. Unfortunately, his world begins to fall apart when little Maggie Louise Mayflower disappears one evening.

As the town organizes a search for the little girl, Cranston realizes too late that Maggie was only being used as bait when a member of the search is taken. Soon a naked stranger named show more Douglas Sykes is taken into custody, and Cranston begins to uncover a truth that is stranger than fiction. Sykes claims to be a creature of sorts that is being hunted by a pack of his kind. The pack will stop at nothing, destroying everything in its path, until their prey is killed. Unless Cranston and his men can stop the pack, the townspeople, including Cranston's own family, are doomed.

The Bottom Line: You'll want to sleep with the lights on after reading this one. This tightly written novella features a nice balance of story and plot that will keep you in suspense until the end. As Book 23 in the Cemetery Dance Novella Series, it also features fantastically realistic and gruesome black and white illustrations by Vincent Chong. "Torn" contains graphic descriptions of violence and is highly recommended for mature fans of horror who enjoy stories with a little twist of sadness.

This review also appears at The Mini Book Bytes Book Review Blog: http://minibookbytes.blogspot.com/ show less

So so good, darkly atmospheric with at least one compelling character, until that limp noodle of an ending! Oh well, it was fun along the way.

Serviceable novella about a pack of werewolves who descend upon a small rural town in search of one of their own. It begins with a child abduction and ends with a showdown and the revealing of secrets. It's not worthy of a limited edition or a $30 price tag; I'm glad I got it on clearance, at least.