Film: Charlie's Farm

Four friends head off on a road trip but when they mention their intended destination to the locals they are met with strong advice to turn around and go home. Do they listen? Of course not.

American Pie's Tara Reid heads the cast of this Australian slasher flick which also features former WWE wrestler Nathan Jones and Jason Voorhees himself, Kane Hodder.

This is standard slasher movie fare but there are some nice touches of humour and performances from all involved that elevate it above the usual straight to DVD efforts.

Horror fans will also be pleased at Hodder's mask free turn and the fight between him and Charlie (Jones) is a highlight.

Available on DVD now.

Ric's Rating: Good.
 

Book: Larry by Adam Millard

Back in the 70s Larry “Pigface” Travers was a prolific serial killer who went on several Friday The 13^th type summer camp killing sprees.

Move on 40 or so years and Larry is in his sixties and living with his eighty year old Mum..but the urges have come back.

Larry decides (against his Mother’s advice) to don his Pig mask one more time and pay a visit to this years inhabitants of the camp. Are his creaking old bones up to it?

Adam Millard has produced a serial killer comedy that works pretty well. Larry is hilarious as he huffs and puffs his way around attempting to terrorise some teenagers with names like Freddy, Jason and Myers.

Laughs spliced into horrific murders make for a gory but highly entertaining quick read and in the great tradition of cheesy horror films a sequel will be with us soon. You can’t keep a decrepit killer down!

Ric’s Rating: Good.    

Book: The Butcher by Jennifer Hillier

Meet eighty year old Edward Shank, former chief of police, highly respected pillar of the community.... and serial killer.

During his police career Shank famously cornered and shot dead a serial killer but unbeknown to anyone it was Shank himself who was the killer known as The Butcher.

Long retired and about to move into an old folks home Shank decides to let his Grandson in on the secret and although his body might not be what it used to be the old man is helpless to prevent the urges which are beginning to return on a frequent basis.

Jennifer Hillier’s first stand-alone thriller delivers an anti-hero unlike any other. Edward “The Chief” Shank is a thoroughly despicable but totally captivating character who completely dominates the book. The supporting cast of grandson Matthew, his girlfriend Sam and detective Sanchez add important elements but when The Chief appears it feels the same as when an acting legend with great screen presence appears in a movie.

In fact, The Butcher is prime movie adaptation material and my ideal choice for the part would be Clint Eastwood. Until that happens make sure you catch this absorbing and unique serial killer story.

Ric’s Rating: Highly Recommended.

Book: Field Of Prey by John Sandford

You wouldn’t think that it would be possible that the 24^th book of an ongoing series would be one of the best but that’s exactly what Field Of Prey by John Sandford is.

A young couple make a gruesome discovery and the hero of the Prey series, Lucas Davenport, is soon on the case. Aided by a local sheriff’s deputy Davenport must track down a killer responsible for the deaths of many young women as well as a colleague of his.

This is gripping stuff from start to finish and Davenport is back to his dangerous best as he throws protocol aside in the race to catch up with one of his most formidable foes yet.

As with all ongoing series I’d recommend starting at the beginning but Field Of Prey also works as an entry point to the series or a one off.

For more reviews of John Sandford books click the tab below.

Ric’s Rating: Essential. 

Book: Wolf by Mo Hayder

DI Jack Caffery returns and this time he’s off duty.

Jaded and disgruntled by his workload Caffery decides to take some time out, much to the chagrin of his superiors. This sabbatical will be spent finding out what became of his brother Ewan, who vanished when they were both children.

In order to progress his private investigation Caffery must first solve the puzzle of a lost dog that carries a note which simply says “help us”. The case of the little dog takes Caffery on a journey to trace her owners and find out if they really do need help.

The family are caught up in a hostage situation which unfolds alongside Caffery’s investigation and you are urging him on each step of the way as he slowly gets closer to them. But will he make it in time?

Wolf is another top notch thriller from Mo Hayder and assuming she continues with the series I can’t wait to find out what’s next for her captivating main character.

Ric’s rating: Highly Recommended.      

Film: Big Bad Wolves

A meek schoolteacher emerges as the main suspect in a series of grisly child murders in this black comedy from Israel.

Following a run-in with local police the schoolteacher is freed and the cop on the case finds himself suspended. Convinced he has the right man the cop decides to kidnap the suspect but soon has to co-operate with the Father of a murdered girl who is out for revenge.

The duo take the suspect to a remote house for interrogation but things don’t go as planned when the grieving Father becomes the subject of his own elderly parents’ attention.

This film features the harrowing subject of child abduction and murder but amazingly manages to be hilarious at the same time, without detracting from the serious nature of the issue. The introduction of the Grandad adds much to the comedy element, bringing real-life family dynamics into a potentially lethal situation.

Funny and disturbing in equal measures, it’s easy to see why Big Bad Wolves was called the film of 2013 by none other than Quinten Tarantino and a US remake is no doubt inevitable.

Do yourself a favour and see the original before that happens.

Big Bad Wolves is available on DVD in the UK from 28^th April 2014.

Ric’s Rating: Essential.    

Book: Poppet by Mo Hayder

DI Jack Caffrey investigates the bizarre goings on at a local Mental Hospital while also attempting to find closure for the troubled Mother of a missing young woman in the latest thriller from Mo Hayder.

Some years ago I read Hayder’s fantastic debut book, Birdman, which was closely followed by The Treatment. Those books lived long in the memory as they effortlessly combined a surreal feeling of horror with repulsion at the criminal acts described within their pages. The books also introduced the character of Jack Caffrey, a police officer haunted by the disappearance of his Brother when they were both children.

Much to my surprise Hayder’s next novel did not feature Caffrey, and neither did the next. Cafferey eventually reappeared in 2008’s Ritual but I hadn’t got round to catching up with him….until now.

Having long left events of the first two books behind we join Caffrey in Bristol, where reports of strange sightings of a figure known as The Maude followed by some particularly nasty incidents bring a concerned Mental Health Nurse to his office.

Can Caffrey get to the bottom of the mysterious sightings and will colleague Flea Marley tell him what happened to that missing girl?

Having read this sixth instalment of the Jack Caffrey series I now can’t wait to get my hands on the ones I missed. The author yet again manages to create a truly eerie atmosphere, the type of which is usually only found in quality horror novels, and combine it with fascinatingly macabre crime scenes. Throw in an interesting and complex cast of characters and you have a novel that will appeal to both crime and horror fans despite having a rather predictable twist.

Poppet is available everywhere now.

Ric’s Rating: Highly Recommended.  

Book: The Survivor by Sean Slater

It’s Detective Jacob Striker’s first day back on the job following stress leave and what a day it turns out to be. He gets called into the office of his Daughter’s school to discuss her absenteeism and while he’s there a massacre takes place. For the first time ever Striker is glad his daughter has skipped school! After the shoot-out Striker and his partner peruse a fleeing gunman but do not manage to capture him.

After starting with a literal bang this cop v killer tale descends into an onslaught of clichés. The author seems to have taken elements from all the police procedurals he’s read and tried to include them here.

We have the depressed rebellious cop who only takes shit from his equally rebellious daughter and one of the things she rebels against is his affair with his partner!

The Survivor had plenty of promise and I usually don’t mind stereotypical characters but I just didn’t like this main character enough to see past it all. 100 odd pages were enough.

Ric’s Rating: Abandoned.

Film: Sightseers

A socially awkward couple head off on a caravan tour of England in this offbeat British black comedy from 2012.

Still grieving the loss of her pet dog, Tina (Alice Lowe) agrees to let new boyfriend Chris (Steve Oram) take her on a meticulously planned caravan holiday. The plans soon change when the duo encounter a number of other travellers with murderous consequences.

There are some moments of humour in this otherwise dreary tale which only springs to life with the odd explosion of violence or totally inappropriate comment. Unfortunately it falls into the trap of not being funny enough to be a good comedy or serious enough to make a decent crime ridden road trip romp.

Lowe and Oram are good enough to hold the viewers attention but even their best efforts can’t elevate this above mediocrity.

Ric’s Rating: Dodgy. 

Film: No One Lives

A young couple travel across rural America as they move to a new home. Along the way they encounter a violent group of Rednecks but it looks like these guys have picked the wrong person to mess with.

A series of brutal killings and cheesy one-liners ensues with Luke Evans (Fast & Furious 6) perfectly cast as the seemingly unassuming traveller who turns the tables on the outlaws.

Director Ryuhei Kitamura’s previous work includes the under-rated The Midnight Meat Train and anyone who enjoyed that film will like this one too. It’s a crazy mash-up of films like Wrong Turn, Friday The 13^th and Saw so most horror fans should be satisfied, although after the initial surprise it delivers no more twists.

No One Lives is available on DVD in the UK from 23^rd September 2013.

Ric’s Rating: Good 

Film: Maniac

From the brutal opening scene this re-make of the 1980 film leaves the viewer in no doubt what this is all about. I suppose the title is a bit of a clue as well.

Elijah Wood (The Lord Of The Rings) is Frank Zito, a loner who lives in the run-down shop previously owned by his Mother. Their business was restoring mannequins but these days Frank spends more time talking to the dolls than repairing them.

When he isn’t interacting with the mannequins Frank goes cruising for victims who are despatched with increasingly graphic and violent methods, ending with Frank’s own peculiar fetish.

A professional photographer asks if she can use the mannequins in her exhibition and an uneasy friendship begins. Of course Frank’s distorted view of reality soon becomes apparent leading to trouble for all involved.

I haven’t seen the original but I imagine that this is a pretty close re-make. There are many scenes saw through Frank’s eyes and the soundtrack has a seventies slasher movie feel to it. Elijah Wood proves that his creepy turn in Sin City was no fluke as he delivers another convincing portrayal of a deranged killer.

The extreme violence here will put people off and despite the explanation of how the main character came to be what he is there is a distinct lack of any redeeming features.

Maniac falls into the category inhabited by films like Irreversible and the I Spit On Your Grave re-make in that it isn’t exactly a pleasant experience but I have to admire the gutsy presentation of horrible events and the exploration of a disturbed mind.

Ric’s Rating: Good.       

Film: Slice & Dice: The Slasher Film Forever

This documentary film explores the history of the slasher movie. Love them or hate them you simply can’t ignore them and everyone has a favourite slasher movie bad guy. Freddy Kruger, Michael Myers and Jason Voorhees have been with us for around 30 years and survived countless rubbish sequels and re-makes of varying quality.

Slice & Dice explores the origins of the genre. Psycho features heavily and the “video nasties” of the late seventies / early eighties are also covered extensively. Contributors include Corey Feldman, Tobe Hooper and Tom Holland along with recent slasher type directors Patrick Lussier and Jeffrey Reddick.

Unfortunately this is a bit too laden down with clips. There are countless showings of beheadings and various other death scenes and these too vary greatly in quality. From grainy straight to video flicks like The Burning to recent re-makes like My Bloody Valentine 3D.

This is more aimed at the slasher movie connoisseur than the casual fan but the feature packed 2 disc set does contain some fantastic footage that helps increase the value of the package on offer.

Slice & Dice: The Slasher Film Forever is available on DVD in the UK now.

Ric’s Rating: Good.    

Book: Sinema 3: The Troy Consortium by Rod Glenn

Hannibal Whitman returns in the third instalment of Rod Glenn’s serial-killer thriller series.

The world thinks Whitman is dead but he has been secretly rescued, rehabilitated and trained by a secretive organisation known as The Troy Consortium. Their purpose is to eliminate any form of threat to Great Britain that the courts can’t deal with.

Whitman, his appearance altered, is soon set up with a new identity, but it isn’t long until the consortium hand him his first murderous assignment.

Things work well for a while and despite Han’s longing for certain elements of his previous life he begins to settle into his new persona, and excels in his work for the consortium.

Events take a surprising turn when the powers-that-be decide to get rid of all of their “assets” leaving Han and his new-found allies no option but to fight back.

Following some spectacularly violent action scenes, which have become the hallmark of this series, we find ourselves back in the setting for the first Sinema novel, Haydon.

Haydon is now a ghost town of Whitman’s making which is haunted by the spirits of former friends that became victims in the notorious “experiment”.    

The reformation of a diabolical character continues here as this time out we are firmly behind Whitman, especially when a feared adversary threatens his former lover.

Sinema 3 is a continuation of the previous books and won’t work if you haven’t read the others, but if you’re a fan of serial-killer stories that aren't predictable whodunits then do yourself a favour and read this fantastic trilogy.

Click the Rod Glenn label for my reviews of the previous books and more.

Ric’s Rating: Essential.    

Film: Frozen Silence

An army detective hunts for a serial killer who easily hides during the carnage of World War II.

This Spanish film is set within a team of soldiers who are sent to help Germany fight against the Russian army.

It opens with a beautifully shot scene showing a frozen wasteland littered with the remains of both humans and horses. It is among these bodies that the first victim is found.

This wisely doesn’t get too bogged down in the politics of its setting and I wouldn’t consider this a war film as such. It is a detective drama set amongst war.

Unfortunately the initial promise isn’t built on and the investigation becomes somewhat stale. Maybe a few more war type battle scenes would have livened things up!

Frozen Silence looks fantastic but the story doesn’t match up to the cinematography. It’s available on DVD in the UK now.

Ric's Rating: Dodgy

Book: Murder By Prophecy by Gary Kassay

Detective Inspector Duke Becker and the Special Investigations Unit (Homicide) of New York City return in this sequel to the brilliant Murder In Silence, from cop-turned-author Gary Kassay.

This time Becker and the team are in pursuit of a serial-killer known as The Prophet, a killer who sends taunting letters to the Chief Of Police, who may know more than he is admitting to.

This novel is no whodunit, we are immediately introduced to Samuel Maxwell, a man hell-bent on avenging the brutal murder of his family by becoming The Prophet and eliminating those he holds responsible.

All the winning elements from the first book are back. Duke and the gang are on fine form and the reader again finds themselves able to relate to the character that would traditionally be presented as the bad guy.

Before picking this up I’d advise reading Murder In Silence as there are lots of recurring characters, even some peripheral characters are back. Wheelchair-bound Fred Haynes and reporter Marielle Wilson both return and it’s a nice touch, as all too often authors quickly ditch good characters for no apparent reason.

Maxwell’s meticulous planning leaves the cops struggling to keep up but will he succeed in his mission or will the lure of a possible new life knock him off course?

Exciting, fast-paced and loads of fun Murder By Prophecy is a cool follow-up to a fantastic series opener and I can’t wait to see what Becker and the team encounter next.

Click the Gary Kassay label for my review of Murder In Silence and more.

Ric’s Rating: Highly Recommended. 

Film: Bereavement

Following the death of her parents a teenage girl moves in with her uncle and his family and while out running she spots a young boy who went missing years earlier.

It turns out that the remaining occupant of a dilapidated family abattoir has been abducting young women (and the one boy) for years and subjecting them to procedures formerly carried out on the animals.

Bereavement is far better than many in this genre, particularly at the straight-to-dvd end. The production is reasonably good and there are some decent performances on display. Michael Biehn (The Terminator) is the most famous cast member and he is perfect as the estranged Uncle but Alexandra Daddario is excellent as the misguided and still grieving Allison.

Be warned though, there are some very uncomfortable moments involving the young boy, Martin. He has a rare condition which makes his brain unable to process pain, meaning that he is subjected to some vicious actions to which the character does not react. This makes for extremely unpleasant viewing but does make the film a pretty intense experience.

This is a superior horror / serial-killer film but many may find the scenes mentioned just too unpleasant to bear.

Bereavement is available on DVD in the UK from 1^st October 2012.

Ric’s Rating: Good. 

Book: Dark Room by Steve Mosby

Evil does not exist. That is the opinion of Detective Andrew Hicks, a man who has encountered many murders but firmly believes all such crime has a relatively mundane reason behind it.

The brutal murder of a woman recently separated from her partner is quickly categorized as a domestic case by Hicks but when the estranged Ex produces a solid alibi and more victims turn up he begins to realise that there is something going that isn’t easily explained.

As Hicks pursues the culprit there are also intermittent chapters in which a young boy recounts gruesome events he has witnessed. What relevance, if any, does this have to the case?

This is an immediately absorbing tale that explores strained family relationships and the consequences of them. Hicks is an intriguing and somewhat complex character who struggles with his own issues as the case envelopes him. There is also an old candle-maker, Hicks’ pregnant wife and the mysterious General, each of whom add depth to the story.

Dark Room can be labelled a traditional police procedural / whodunit novel but the surreal feeling and multi-layers created by the author elevate this high above standard fare.

See elsewhere on this page for my interview with Steve Mosby.

Ric’s Rating: Essential.             

Reviews News: Murder In Silence by Gary Kassay

Murder In Silence, the fantastic debut novel by Gary Kassay arrives in USA bookshops on Thursday 5^th July 2012 courtesy of Sapphire Star Publishing.

I was lucky enough to read an early copy and you can find my review by clicking the Gary Kassay tab at the foot of this post.

Here is a brief description:


Two police officers have been brutally killed by having their throats ripped out, but the wound appears to have been done with surgical precision. With no witnesses, no forensic evidence, and two bizarre clues to follow, the case falls to Inspector Duke Becker, head of the high profile Special Investigations Unit, Homicide.


Becker and his squad must find the killer before more cops are murdered. The case will lead Becker on a wild chase through the streets of New York City, back over 15 years into the past and to a cover-up that will rock City Hall.

In a first for Ric’s Reviews a quote from my review will appear in the book!

For more information you can check out the author’s website www.garykassay.com and his blog which you will find in the “visit these places” section on this page. You can also find him on Twitter.

Book: I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga

Is the son of a notorious serial killer about to follow in his Father’s footsteps?

People are being killed in the town of Lobo’s Nod and Jasper Dent soon recognises a modus operandi. The perpetrator is mimicking his Father, the most prolific serial killer in American history, Billy Dent.

Tormented by memories of his horrific upbringing, Jasper decides to use the terrifying skills taught to him by his deranged Dad to track the killer down while also resisting the murderous urges instilled in his psyche.

This is a treat for fans of Dexter and The Silence Of The Lambs. It has echoes of both of these excellent serial killer tales while retaining its own individuality. As well as Jasper and Billy there are some fantastic supporting characters. Connie, Jasper’s feisty girlfriend is a force to be reckoned with as she attempts to keep the troubled young man on the straight and narrow. Haemophiliac best friend Howie also contributes greatly to the tale and then there’s crazy Grandma Dent to contend with.

By using the unique perspective of the main character Barry Lyga has provided a refreshing twist in what is often a tired genre and even though I did manage to guess most of the ending, that didn’t make it any less enjoyable.

I Hunt Killers is available from 12th April 2012.

Ric’s Rating: Highly Recommended

Book: Text Message by William Malmborg

A Christmas shopping trip becomes a terrifying ordeal for sisters Mallory and Jenna in the new thriller from the author of Jimmy (see review elsewhere here).

While Mallory browses in a lingerie shop she sends her sister elsewhere and soon receives an ominous text message stating simply “I have your sister”.

The perpetrator then begins setting Mallory tasks and in order to spare Jenna from suffering she must complete each one, no matter how dangerous or degrading. A security guard, Dan, offers his help. But can he be trusted?

Enter the villain of the piece, Mr Campbell and we soon learn that he has become a predator due to some horrific incidents in his past.

This fast-paced tale takes place over the course of a single day in which the shopping mall has to close early due to adverse weather leaving the girls alone with the seriously unhinged Campbell.

The book will please fans of films like Saw and anyone who enjoys “horror” without silly monsters or anything supernatural going on.

Text Message is a heart-stopping and often disturbing thriller that remains easy to read but is not for the faint of heart.

For more information on the author and his other projects visit www.williammalmborg.com

Ric’s Rating: 74%