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Preacher Book Five diverges from the main story and takes us on a little detour to a small Texan town. It is here that we meet a whole new cast of heroes and villains. Race and gender are prominent themes in this 300 page tale. Jesse Custer reconnects with someone lost from his past in a little town called Salvation. Meanwhile Tulip is living her own personal hell with Cassidy. There’s no telling what will happen next.

Once again, spoilers lay ahead. Proceed with caution.

A Preacher Becomes a Sheriff

After seeing Tulip and Cassidy together, a heartbroken Jesse has found himself back in a small town called Salvation, Texas. Being the smooth talker that he is, he quickly becomes sheriff of the small town and comes face-to-face with the self-proclaimed Meat Man, Odin. Odin is a repulsive racist with connections to hate groups, hit men, lawyers, and the biggest meat factory in Salvation. Jesse, always looking for a purpose in life bigger than him, becomes persistent in getting rid of Odin.

One of the most touching moments in Preacher Book Five is when Jesse realizes a local bar owner named Jodie is actually his mother, Christina. Having thought she was dead for most of his life, this realization is a shock to both of them. Christina recounts her past, which fills all the plot holes that have been plaguing Jesse’s life.

Salvation, Texas is an enthralling adventure for both Jesse and us readers. It is a whirlwind of a trip.

Meet Tulip O’Hare

The last hundred pages of Book Five brings us back to Tulip and Cassidy, who have spent the past six months jumping around various hotels in various states. The two still think Jesse is dead from the Arizona bombing, and Tulip has turned to pills and alcohol to cope. She is exceptionally vulnerable and depressed, and Cassidy continues to take advantage of her.

Finally, after six months, Tulip can’t take anymore. She doesn’t want to keep living in a state of drugged-out consciousness under Cassidy’s control. So she packs her bags, shoots Cassidy into the sun, and heads to find Amy in New York.

Tulip stands up to Cassidy

Finally, we get to learn the story of Tulip O’Hare. From the day she was born, her life has been an adventure of grief, joy, and rejection. When her mother died from childbirth, her father wasn’t too keen on having a daughter. That luckily changes as soon as he holds baby Tulip and realizes he can love her just as much as he would if she were a boy. (A realization worthy of a big, long eye-roll.) The bond and love they share is illustrated throughout the pages as he gives her all the love and support any parent should give their child.

Like Father Like Daughter

We quickly stroll through Tulip’s past, from the day she is born and the day her father dies to when she meets her best friend Amy at boarding school and Jesse Custer in a bar. While I wish some of the backstory was a little longer, Ennis ties Tulip’s past in nicely with the present day, where Tulip is now in New York at Amy’s apartment. It is there that Tulip and Jesse, after spending half a year in heartbreak and grief, reunite. (And yes, the illustration of their first moment back together makes me smile ear to ear.)

The Verdict

Preacher Book Five is the penultimate book before Book Six, where the beloved Preacher series comes to an incredible end. I loved getting to see Jesse interact with new characters and reunite with loved ones from his past. We see various sides of him; we see him work through grief and heartbreak (sometimes in the unhealthiest of ways), and watch him gradually regain the strength to open his heart again and finish his mission of finding God once and for all.

Not your typical Peyote trip...

The transitions between present and past also have a smoother flow than in earlier issues. This is particularly the case with Christina’s story, where the flashbacks intertwined with her reunion with Jesse feel that much more powerful. Dillon’s artwork, as always, completes the story with detailed panels and emotional closeups. The drawings are sexy and disgusting and gruesome, the coloring is vivacious. The story is a page-turner and it hasn’t even begun to reach its peak.

4 out of 5 stars (4 / 5)

The more I reread this series, the more difficult it is to pick a favorite book of the six. I can’t wait to indulge in the finale with you all. Until then, check out what else we’re reading here at Haunted MTL.

And while you’re at it, snag a copy of Preacher Book Five by clicking this link below!

Book Reviews

Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke.

“What have you done today to deserve your eyes?”

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Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke and Other Misfortunes, Eric LaRocca’s June 2021 debut collection, is a dark and disturbing exploration of human connection and the desperation for intimacy. These stories burrow under the skin, blending psychological horror sprinklings of body horror and a disturbing undercurrent of religious obsession.

The Stories.

Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke and Other Misfortunes features a novella followed by two short stories.

‘Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke.’

Presented as a true crime investigation and told through a series of increasingly disturbing emails and instant messages,Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke charts the twisted relationship between Agnes and Zoe. What begins with the sale of an heirloom apple peeler quickly spirals into obsession, control, and unsettling discussions about life, death, and dominance. Winner of the 2022 Splatterpunk Award for Best Novella.

‘The Enchantment.’

Set in our world, but where the afterlife has been proven to not exist. A couple (Olive and James) welcomes their teenage son Milo home, eager to celebrate his 17th birthday. Milo, a highly religious person, is in no mood to celebrate. Milo is convinced that science is wrong, God exists, and he is willing to go to great lengths to prove his devotion.

‘You’ll Find It’s Like That All Over.

Gerald Fowler’s garden discovery—a bone—leads him to his mysterious neighbor, Mr. Perlzig. A seemingly simple question about the bone’s origins quickly devolves into a series of escalating bets that Gerald can’t seem to lose, with darkly comedic and increasingly unsettling consequences. What lengths is Mr. Fowler willing to go to to ensure he remains a polite neighbor?

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Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke
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  • Eric LaRocca (Author) – Laurie Catherine Winkel (Narrator)
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Last update on 2025-02-03 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Highlights.

The main highlight in this collection was the first story, ‘Things Have Gotten Worse Since We last Spoke’. This story felt like a rollercoaster and it ended with me wanting more. The body horror toward the end was so well written, LaRocca doesn’t resort to drawn-out bloody descriptions or visceral language, the body horror here feels more mature than that. It is slight cramping and nausea and knowing the cause and how it’s all going to end. Also please pay attention to the nuances of who enters and leaves the chats first and how quickly (or slowly) emails are returned. It is in these details that LaRocco shines, you can feel the desperation oozing from the page.

‘You’ll Find It’s Like That All Over’ is Stephen King-esque; for me, that’s a big win! I’m not sure what it is exactly, perhaps it is Mr. Fowler who feels he could walk into Castle Rock, in particular of the Needful Things era, and not be noticed, or maybe it’s the Americana feel of the story itself. There’s just something there that makes me want to pick up anything of King’s and reread it.

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Needful Things
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  • Stephen King (Author) – Stephen King (Narrator)
  • English (Publication Language)

Last update on 2025-02-03 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Drawbacks.

Notice how I skipped a story in the ‘Highlights’ section. Let’s talk about ‘The Enchantment’. Look, I didn’t hate it. It just felt disjointed and unfinished. Like LaRocca had a great idea but perhaps had some trouble with the execution. The first scene was great and I was ready to completely enjoy it. The characters are so well developed in this first scene, the parental angst and the teen anger are palpable. But then there is the ‘Six Months Later’ jump and we are thrown onto Temple Island. Despite the parents being there, they are not the same people and I didn’t completely buy the reason for them being there, or being there together. The stranger who appears and the reason behind it feels contrived and enters into deus ex machina territory.

The Final Take.

This collection has much to offer, with the eponymous novella being the strongest of the three in my humble opinion. While ‘The Enchantment’ is less impactful, it does contribute to the book’s exploration of religious ideas and provides a thematic bridge between the other stories. Might someone skip who feels inclined to do so? Yes, I think they could without missing out on too much.

3.5 out of 5 stars (3.5 / 5)

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Book Reviews

Let’s Do Lunch Review – A Witchy, Whimsical Recipe for Chaos

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Ever wonder what would happen if a witch, a mythological dreamscape, and a kitchen disaster collided at full speed? Jennifer Weigel’s Let’s Do Lunch (Witch Hayzelle’s Recipes for Disaster Book 1) doesn’t just answer that question—it serves it up on a flaming silver platter with a side of snarky humor and alliterative goodness.

This fast-paced, genre-blending novella is part mythological adventure, part obsessive investigation (Moby Dick style), and part cookbook. Yes, you read that right. The book sprinkles in recipes—some of which might be surprisingly edible (looking at you, tofu dish). I think the mix of this worked really well. At times, and this might be because of my background, I thought that the book was pushing into Gargantuan territory and then it slipped back into a real recipe.

A black and white book cover for Witch Hayzelle’s Recipes for Disaster: Let’s Do Lunch by Jennifer Weigel. The cover features a minimalist line-art drawing of a skull wearing a crooked witch’s hat adorned with flowers. A floral vine border surrounds the title, giving the cover a whimsical, hand-drawn aesthetic.

Where Let’s Do Lunch really shines is in its world-building. The mythology of dreams is an intriguing and immersive element that keeps the story grounded in a unique and whimsical lore. The characters, while more like vehicles for humor than deep personalities, fit well within the book’s quick and quirky style. There’s also a delightful meta-layer to the storytelling, making it feel self-aware in the best possible way.

Let’s Do Lunch (Witch Hayzelle’s Recipes for Disaster Book 1)
  • Amazon Kindle Edition
  • Weigel, Jennifer (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)

Last update on 2025-01-29 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Another thing that worked really well, even on Kindle, is the art the author produces. The drawings really do make a lot of the book pop and work remarkably well in black and white (or paperwhite, as the case may be). Even the cover is a mix of void space set aside by white–the creation of art through erasure of darkness.

Kindle Caveat:

One small hiccup–if you’re reading the Kindle version, be prepared for footnotes that don’t always play nice with e-readers. They can be tricky to navigate, making it tough to appreciate some of the book’s side notes without breaking the flow. This is something the publisher seems to agree with (as the amazon page has a similar warning).

Overall and Score

Overall, Let’s Do Lunch is a light, fun read perfect for anyone who enjoys their fantasy with a heavy dose of humor and a sprinkle of culinary catastrophe. If the rest of the Recipes for Disaster series keeps up this level of playful mayhem, fans are in for a treat (or at least a hilarious food-related accident).

4 out of 5 stars (4 / 5)

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Book Reviews

The Midnight Feast: Come for a romp in the Woods.

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“It’s the thing they say about Tome. Everyone returns in the end-“

Lucy Foley’s 7th and newest page-turner was released in June 2024. The Midnight Feast, demonstrates to readers why her name keeps appearing on the New York Times best sellers list. Blending a mystery/ thriller story with folkloric horror, Foley had me sitting up past my bedtime and considering moving Tome.

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Last update on 2025-01-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

The Plot.

The Manor, an exclusive retreat nestled deep within the woods, opens its doors on a weekend of glitzy chaos. Founder Francesca Meadows, is the picture of serene wellness. A meditating, green juice-drinking, organic linen-wearing type, at least on the surface. The Manor was left to her by her Grandfa (no this is not a typo!) and she summered here as a teen.

Francesca is rather stressed because it is opening night and the construction is still in progress. The next stage in the renovation is the building of treehouses for guests to stay in. Inspired by one that Francesca had as a child. However, this means cutting down trees in the woods. Though this part of the woods is technically private property the locals are not happy, and neither are the strange bird-like creatures in the woods. These are Elder trees after all, and cutting them down would be bad luck without asking the trees’ permission first…

As a diverse cast descends upon The Manor, each harboring concealed pasts, the idyllic facade begins to crumble. Locals, masquerading as glamorous outsiders, mingle with the elite, revealing a web of interconnected secrets and unspoken resentments.

Beneath the veneer of tranquility lies a simmering undercurrent of tension, fueled by unspoken desires, long-buried grudges, and the unsettling feeling that everyone, in their own way, is seeking redemption at The Manor.

Highlights.

The Midnight Feast brims with subtle and insightful social commentary. One of the most compelling aspects is Foley’s ingenious portrayal of the affluent imitating the pagan, and vice versa. The elite, led by Francesca Meadows, strive to embrace “natural living” with white robes, floral headpieces, and a veneer of eco-consciousness. Ironically, they are aping the very rituals of the local townsfolk, who hold deep-rooted pagan beliefs. Meanwhile, these locals are donning formal attire and dropping their accents to navigate the social circles of The Manor. This fascinating dynamic, presented with understated humor, highlights the performative nature of social identity and the blurred lines between genuine connection and superficial imitation.

On a more profound level, Foley grapples with the complex issue of land ownership and the historical injustices it can perpetuate. Francesca Meadows, with her inherited wealth and privileged position, asserts absolute dominion over the land. She views it as her exclusive domain. She attempts to restrict access to the woods, a vital thoroughfare for the local community, sparking a conflict that raises important questions about land rights, historical dispossession, and the inherent unfairness of a system that allows a few to claim ownership over land that has been traditionally used and revered by others for generations.

Drawbacks.

My only criticism of this book is for something Foley is known for doing; 5+ points of view. There’s Bella, Owen, Francesca, Eddie, DI Walker, and local fishermen, then add to this journal entries from the summer of 2010 and it really does feel like you are drowning in the beginning. Despite this overwhelm, as you become more familiar with the characters it becomes easier to follow. Foley is excellent at making her characters’ voices distinct from one another. So much so that you almost don’t need the names at the top of the chapters. But buyer beware.

The Hunting Party: A Novel
  • Amazon Kindle Edition
  • Foley, Lucy (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)

Last update on 2025-01-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

The Final Take.

Having thoroughly enjoyed all of Foley’s novels that I’ve read, I can confidently say that The Midnight Feast is a standout. The seamless integration of folkloric elements – a personal favorite – truly elevates the narrative. From the enigmatic markings to the otherworldly creatures lurking within the forest and the intriguing use of solstice as chapter markers, Foley masterfully weaves a captivating and atmospheric tale that kept me utterly engrossed. This is a true page-turner that I wholeheartedly recommend.

5 out of 5 stars (5 / 5)

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