Autopsy 1: Flesh of the Dead (2011)

Sex :
Violence :
Author Steve Gerlach
Publisher LegumeMan Books
Length 102 pages Reviewer :
Genre Psycho
Blurb We're all hiding something …
Country

Review

"It's the Anarchy symbol" - Nova

Matheson City is in the grip of a Psycho, named the Anarchy killer by the local press, who is preying on middle aged men. The killer, identified by a capital "A" within a circle cut into the chest of the victims is building up a body count as a murder is committed each month. Under pressure from the Mayor's office and the Press the local Police seem unable to gather a single clue as the killer's identity.

Detective Danny Lawrence and Deputy Coroner Nova Gordon are baffled by the case, there simply is no forensic evidence to help them, but all roads would appear to lead to the "The Gutter" Nightclub in a downmarket part of town where at least three of the victims can be placed on the night of their murders. When Clive, a young colleague of Novas' discovers an important clue, things might be breaking finally, however since Nova cannot raise either Clive or Lawrence on their mobiles she just might have to take a more active role in things and track Anarchy herself.

Steve Gerlach attacks the Psycho genre with a vengeance in the first of what promises to be a pivotal trilogy of novellas for the development of the genre in this Country. Flesh of the Dead does exactly what it sets out to do, lay down the murder riff, introduce characters who aren't paper cut-outs, and get the reader sweating on the release of the next instalment in the series. This is like The Green Mile in execution, except aimed at more dedicated fans, Gerlach takes no prisoners as he pillages a genre that has become somewhat predictable since Dexter marked out his territory.

Firstly we are introduced to one hell of an interesting setup in regards the Psycho on the end of the knife. I haven't run across such an impactful introduction to a killer since Se7en redefined the thriller movie. Gerlach locks and loads with his situation, plastic vaginas, and hits an intoxicating mix of sexual energy and grotesque imagery. I wasn't ready for where the opening scene went and it knocked my socks off. Having caught my attention with his resident psycho situation the Author then expands on it but leaves more questions than answers by book end. I'm certainly intrigue by the situation and will be counting down the days till the next instalment. What the hell does "when darkness burns" mean exactly? Steve Gerlach isn't saying but I have the feeling it's going to be crucial to the resolution somewhere in the future.

Hot on the trail of our resident Dexter is your typical rumpled Detective that appears slightly out of his depth. Danny Lawrence knows where things are going down but is getting increasingly anxious about the how, this isn't helped by the junior City staff offering their theories. Even better drawn is Nova Gordon who has a past that is haunting her, and is feeling like giving it all away and moving somewhere else. The two circle each other in an interesting relationship that promises some revelations down the track for the faithful reader. Don't worry guys we aren't heading into paranormal romance territory here, Steve Gerlach has your back covered.

The book finishes with more questions left unanswered than at a Coalition environment policy announcement. To be honest I had a slight dummy spit, I wanted my answers, and I wanted them now. But guess the anticipation is going to be worthwhile when the next instalment arrives. Gerlach knows how to leave his audience wanting more, be warned on this, you will want to know where things are going, and it promises to be a few months between drinks.

Steve Gerlach has his pacing and plotting exactly right in Flesh of the Dead, you are going to get one of those books that you will find hard to put down. I managed to find the time to read the novella between receiving it in the mail and today, which given my current schedule points to a book you are going to be reading at break neck speed. Public warning, watch out for whip lash yo, this one doesn't let up. Gerlach writes in this immediate sort of style that is totally suited to the subject matter and approach, fingers crossed he doesn't switch genres and start publishing crime novels!

I was rocking out with this one, a psycho novel with something different under the hood and a writer who knows how to string words together, as opposed to yours truly. Be warned things do get a bit graphic from time to time, but besides some shock value there's no wallowing in the gore going down. If you don't mind dialling into novels that put you in the cold and clinical then deal yourself into this trilogy, Steve Gerlach just might have hit us with the best outing of 2011.

If after a copy of Autopsy 1: Flesh of dead head on over to LegumeMan's Shop and pick one up for $16.95 (postage included). Follow the links if after an e-version.

Beyond Scary Rates this read as ...

  The first in a trilogy of novellas that promises to keep you dangling on the Author's hook