HUSKER
As a young teenager, running away after her mother died and never returning home, Jennifer Rollins’ fear of forfeiting her mind to the schizophrenia that took her mother has followed Jennifer throughout her life. Jennifer got some lucky breaks. She became a popular model, but her fears, and lifestyle in the fast lane finally take their toll. While Jennifer is recovering she receives news of her father’s brutal murder and comes home. Jennifer’s true nightmare begins. As she reconnects with old friends and her beau from high school, Jennifer sees horrific images, hears terrifying things and is sure her worst fears are now manifesting. While grappling with her sanity, Jennifer is convinced the killer is coming for her after, hidden away in the attic of her childhood home, she discovers a connection to the murders from the distant past. When she takes it to the police, knowing her much publicized history they dismiss her. As the police believe they are closing in on the maniac, and Jennifer wrestles with her demons, neither have a clue of the true horror about to descend.
Writing this review has taken me a couple of days because it has several subjects I'd like to highlight. It's been difficult though, to put my mind together, because I can't reveal most of the scenes that will get you glue-stuck to the book. I couldn't leave it, and when someone talked to me I got upset because they were interrupting my connection with the story.
Well, that said.
Marc W Johnson is in my list of "Writers Extraordinaire". He is a screenplay writer, and you're going to find that influence on the book. Is it a bad thing? Hell, no. The writing is agile, fresh, always keeping you anxious to find out what's next.
I already liked the treatment of his characters in his second book LEGACY, but he has improved it in HUSKER.
Several books listed as "extreme horror" don't affect me at all. Because blood, torture and guts it's nothing that steals my sleep. The psychologic (psychotic, if you allow me) factor in the stories IS what turns into nightmare material.
Well, Johnson has conquered this quicksand territory with astonishing ease.
We have a confused Jennifer diving in her hurtful memories and pieces of her past with her father (who she never remembers being loved by) and her schizophrenic mother who took away her own life in a horrible way.
Amy, her unconditional friend tries to keep her pace during this trip to madness.
What happens in this book that steals your whole attention? Ah, connected perturbing murders multiply as the ghosts of the past hunt our protagonists. The tagline "Even the wicked seek vengeance" couldn't be more appropriate.
The gore scenes are very poetic through the voice of a very complex... character. Again, I can't reveal. Bloody verses and caresses will create a veil before your eyes.
The scene changing can be a struggle in many books but not in this one. He crafts it without a single pause between scenes. Only a couple times you find asterisks breaking the chapter. That is part of the shuddering element, together with the present tense, keeps you at the edge of your chair.
At the same time, we have the police officers trying to figure out what on Earth is going on, followed by the phantoms of their own fathers who have a lot to do in this explosive story.
Johnson lets you think you're the smart one and that you know how this macabre tale is going to finish. LOL, you're not. And I'm a very difficult one to surprise, believe me.
I can imagine the author writing like "I've got a hundred problems but to catch the reader off guard ain't one" *smirk*
And it is certainly not. I found myself several times talking to myself "it's this one! No wait, this one! Dammit, no, then what...?" And I got it all wrong, in the end, I could only laugh saying out loud, "Chapeau, Marc!!"
May I be 10000% sincere? I can't ruin the book explaining WHY this book turns into paths that will bring you such a horrific delight, I just can tell you "Believe me, and check it out by yourself."
Summarising: impressive extreme horror, justice coming straight from Hell, with several poetic licenses that mark the story with the most important of Johnson's prints: REVENGE, VISCERA and love for all BROKEN SOULS.
Fantastic. I had lots of fun with this book, and I honestly hope you give it a try and enjoy it as well.
Find the book on Amazon: http://mybook.to/husker
Barnes&Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/husker-marc-w-johnson/1129967587
And Google Books: https://goo.gl/Syg45n
