Review: The Last Book on the Left (2020)
The Last Book on the Left is a book that I’ve been looking forward to for a long time. I’ll say this right away: I love this book. It’s a great book and right in that sweet spot of informative and hilarious. However, one aspect nagged at me as I read and ultimately proved to be a problem for me.
The Last Book on the Left was written by Marcus Parks, Ben Kissel, and Henry Zebrowski. The illustrations in the book are by independent comic artist Tom Neely (The Humans). When I mention three authors, I should clarify that the bulk of the writing is on the shoulders of Marcus Parks; Kissel and Zebrowski are contributors who add a great deal, but this is firmly a project guided by the Texas ghoul.
What Works about The Last Book on the Left
How do you translate the format of the podcast to the written page? By just doing what the podcast is already doing. Marcus Parks writes down a chapter that covers one of the infamous killers while Ben Kissel and Henry Zebrowski pepper in their asides and occasional insights. Repeat this over nine chapters are you have The Last Book on the Left. This sounds a bit laconic, but that’s basically it. Throw in some pictures illustrated by the wonderfully talented Tom Neely and a final jokey item written by the authors (such as a letter from a “concerned neighbor” of Jeffrey Dahmer) and you have the entirety of The Last Book on the Left.
To the credit of the team, this works incredibly well. Marcus Parks’ writing provides the through-line of the chapter, balancing grim irony and shocking depictions of violent, abhorrent crime. Ben Kissel drops the written equivalent of drunk dad jokes and references. Zebrowski alternates between very messed up jokes and some solid insights. All of this is absolutely on-brand for the podcast and it translates to the page with paragraphs of Parksian description with interjections of his co-writers. It makes the book feel a lot like a textbook, only probably one of the most fun textbooks you’ll ever read.
The book covers nine fan-favorite “heavy hitters” from the podcast. This list includes such murderous luminaries as Ted Bundy, Richard Chase, Ed Gein, John Wayne Gacy, Richard Ramirez, David Berkowitz, BTK, Andrei Chikatilo, and Jeffrey Dahmer. Each profile ranges from around 20 to 30 pages and covers a little biography with an emphasis on the development of these figures as literal bogeymen. These are all figures who have been profiled extensively on the podcast and no information here is really brand new. The addition of Tom Neely’s illustrations, ranging from great splash pages, EC Comics style avatars for the podcasts (think Tales from the Crypt) to comic and cartoon parodies are some extra levity to the book.
However, the novelty of the book is to present something a little more refined and edited than the podcast (which is generally fairly thorough). The book works largely in the form of a “best of anthology” regarding content. Some stuff just ultimately feels missing, however. The insertions of jokes and comments by Kissel and Zebrowski are welcome and used an appropriate amount for the 20 to 30 pages per chapter (with the exceptions of BTK and Dahmer, who get the largest chapters). Ultimately, though this leads to a lack of one of the best parts of the podcast: the back and forth between the hosts. It’s not entirely possible here and something feels a little lost because of that. It’s not a complete one-to-one translation of the podcast, but it never could be.
Overall, the book largely succeeds in balancing the needs of appealing to fans and also being general enough for the casual book-buyer into murder. There is one major issue, however.
What Didn’t Work about The Last Book on the Left
As a whole, the book is excellent and mostly balances the tough challenge of being for the fans while also being general enough for anyone to enjoy. The voices of the contributors are quite clear even on the page, and for fans, it’s near impossible to read the book without hearing the voices of the podcasters describing every gold star moment and Bobby Bonilla reference.
The big problem for me with the book comes from me being a fan and having certain expectations. One great thing about the podcast is that the sources of the episodes are given relatively early into the first episode of a series. We are given information on the conducted research and it lends the podcast a certain level of credibility. Unfortunately, cited sources feel relatively few and far between in the different serial killer profiles. Parks does make references to certain texts but there is a lack of a resources section. This ultimately hurts the book for me because it seems like a huge oversight, particularly given the attention to detail on research presented in the podcast.
This leads to a larger issue: The Last Podcast on the Left is not necessarily an academic sort of production in a traditional sense, it’s ultimately a comedy-horror podcast. The same applies to The Last Book on the Left which is a comedy-horror book upfront. Regardless, the team at the Last Podcast Network has put out a lot of content that is generally well-regarded when it comes to research. It’s unfortunate that the podcast’s history of research isn’t so readily apparent in the book.
Final Verdict
The Last Book on the Left is a worthy companion to the massively popular comedy-horror podcast and well worth picking up for a casual read on some of the most notorious killers in history. The book, despite the lack of documentation, is well-sourced and provides some very accurate recounting of the origins of these killers in the podcast’s signature comedy style.
(4 / 5)
If you would like to buy a copy of The Last Book on the Left be sure to try ordering it through your local independent book store.
“You can’t win against the mountain. The mountain always finds a way.”
Published in July 2024, Alisa Alering’s debut novel, Smothermoss, is a chilling blend of folk horror and dark fairytale. Though concise, this novel packs a powerful punch, its narrative dense with metaphor and a suffocating atmosphere. Not for the faint of heart, Smothermoss is a haunting exploration of the sinister lurking beneath the surface of the ordinary.
The Story.
Set in the rugged Appalachian Mountains of the 1980s, Smothermoss follows the lives of sisters, Sheila (17) and Angie (12). The two live with their mother and an elderly woman in a crumbling cottage in the forest. Both Sheila and Angie are the object of ridicule and bullying within their school community, the sisters cope with this bullying in starkly different ways. Sheila retreats into silence, avoiding conflict and longing for escape. Angie, meanwhile, immerses herself in a fantasy world, battling imaginary Russians and believing her handmade cards hold prophetic power.
When two women hikers are brutally murdered on the nearby Appalachian Trail, Sheila becomes more withdrawn and avoidant of the world, while Angie becomes convinced she’s destined to capture the killer. Little do they know; a far greater evil lurks in the forest.
Highlights.
Alering’s masterful characterization of Sheila and Angie was the true gem of Smothermoss. Despite being told in the third person, the alternating chapters offer a bone deep immersion into each sister’s perspective. In recent fiction, author’s have not quite captured the authentic voice of a young character. However, Alering nails it. Angie’s pre-teen naivety shines through and never accidently matures past its 12-year-old existence. While Sheila’s late teenage anxieties and queer coming-of-age struggles are beautifully rendered.
Another highlight of this story is the lyrical prose. Smothermoss has a rhythm; it reads like poetry in places and in others could be mistaken for a children’s fable. Reading about the visceral and raw events and thoughts contained in Smothermoss, in such beautiful but simple language adds to the unsettling experience, and enjoyability, of reading this story
Drawbacks.
There were a couple of things that had me a little confused during this book. Several shorter chapters leave the sisters entirely behind and focus on rabbits and other forest animals. At first, I interpreted these to be metaphoric. The animals standing in for the killers point of view, or perhaps the murdered women. This book is so heavy with metaphor that this seems plausible, but I finished the book still questioning myself about this.
The other issue I found was that many of the subplots in this story are left unexplained or unfinished, turning to the last page with many questions that will never be answered. (Which has resulted in sleepless nights because I just want to know what exactly that rope is among other things!)
The Final Take.
At its core, this is the story of two sisters growing to understand each other and supporting each other through adversity.
Beyond that, Smothermoss feels like a fairytale dragged through the mud.
The small size of this book (just over 250 pages) might lead people to think it is a quick or easy read. Don’t be fooled, as Shakespeare said, “though she be but little, she is fierce.” This is a complex story, with heavy themes and dark subtext.
I could, and hope, to read this story again because I know that there is much more to uncover here. The metaphors are dark and unnerving, the characters deep and moving, the natural imagery thick. I was not at all surprised to find out that Alering grew up in the Appalachian Mountains. Only someone familiar with the area could have described the people and place with so much heart.
(4 / 5)
Book Reviews
The Unmothers.
“There was a horse that gave birth. There was a baby. There was a tree. There was a price.”
Leslie J. Anderson’s debut novel, The Unmothers, is a chilling folk horror that delves into the darkest corners of motherhood. Published in August 2024, this slow-burn tale introduces a world where women’s rights are under threat.
With a subtle touch of Eldritch horror, Anderson weaves a narrative that explores the complex themes of motherhood, choice, and the lengths a woman might go to maintain control over her own body and destiny.
The Story.
Journalist Carolyn Marshall is sent to cover the story of a horse giving birth in the rural American town of Reaford. The attraction of this occurrence for a newspaper? That the baby is a healthy human baby boy. Marshall quickly debunks this story but decides to stay in town and follow her journalistic instinct to a bigger scoop.
Beneath the town’s quaint facade, Marshall uncovers a web of dark secrets. A drug epidemic is ravaging the community, immigrant workers are dying under mysterious circumstances, and the town’s powerful patriarch, John Daily, seems to hold everyone in his debt. As Marshall delves deeper into these troubling issues, she becomes increasingly entangled in the lives of the locals.
Through her interactions with the townspeople, Marshall hears whispers of a sinister presence lurking in the nearby woods. The locals share chilling tales of what a young woman in Reaford might do to terminate an unwanted pregnancy. As the story unfolds, Marshall must confront the terrifying truth about the town’s hidden past and the dangers that lurk within its borders.
Highlights.
I was never a young girl that oohed and aahed at the sight of a horse. After reading The Unmothers though, yeah, I get it. Anderson’s vivid descriptions of these magnificent creatures brought them to life in a way I’d never experienced before. The way she portrays their gentle nature, combined with their raw power and potential for brutality, is both captivating and unsettling. It’s a testament to Anderson’s skill as a writer that she can make even the most mundane details of these animals feel extraordinary.
Drawbacks.
The Unmothers is a complex novel that delves into the interconnected events of a rural town, both past and present. In the first half of the book, the sheer number of characters and viewpoints can make it difficult to keep track of the plot. However, there are a few pivotal revelations that occur near the midpoint. This helps certain characters become more prominent and memorable, making the story easier to follow.
The Final Take.
The Unmothers is a haunting and unforgettable read that will leave you both terrified and deeply moved. Anderson’s masterful storytelling draws you into a world where the line between the natural and the supernatural is blurred.
The novel’s focus on horses, a subject I’m not particularly knowledgeable about, was a pleasant surprise. I was fascinated to learn about the unique characteristics of foals, including the tentacle-like growths on their hooves which had me Googling for proof.
This book is a must-read for fans of horror, folk tales, and thought-provoking fiction. It’s a powerful exploration of motherhood, choice, and the dark forces that can lurk beneath the surface of even the most seemingly idyllic communities.
(4 / 5)
If you’re looking for a page-turner to add to your October TBR search no more, Mason Coile has you covered with his new novel William, released September 2024. With its Frankenstein-esque plot, Coile delivers a 21st-century twist on the classic monster story, replacing the creature with an AI robot. Like Shelley’s original Frankenstein, William is a cautionary tale about the ethical and moral responsibilities that come with scientific discovery. Coile delves deeper, exploring not only the moral implications of a human-created life that is not actually human, but also the spiritual dimensions of the creation.
The Story.
Henry and his pregnant wife Lily are engineers, he works with robotics, she with computers. The house they live in is an old Victorian that has been retrofitted with the latest security features including impenetrable locking doors on every room (except on the outside of Henry’s laboratory of course), voice-controlled lights, hot water, and audio systems. Every morning Lily leaves the house to go to work leaving Henry to ascend to his third-floor attic lab. Henry has not left the house for months. He describes himself as, “an agoraphobe with a serious antisocial streak who’s working alone in his home on a project he won’t share with anyone.” When Lily invites her coworkers, Davies and Paige, over for brunch, Henry sees it as an opportunity to finally reveal his latest creation.
Henry has created several AI robots over the years. A dog that responds to voice commands and a creepy bicycle-riding magician that is reminiscent of the Saw franchise’s bicycle-riding Billy, but William is Henry’s pièce de resistance. A moving, talking robot that learns from experience and enjoys reading Faust.
The unveiling of William does not go to plan after the robot takes over the conversation and, in a scuffle, injures Lily’s arm. This is only the beginning of a series of events that unravel over the course of Halloween.
Highlights.
Anyone who enjoyed Frankenstein will have fun with this story. Coile has dealt with the subject of life creation and morality with a lot of thought. He asks what ‘being alive’ really means and forces the reader to question the reality of consciousness.
The atmosphere of the house is held taught throughout the novel. There were many times when I realized that I was unwittingly holding my breath. Henry’s agoraphobia and the anxiety it induces in him is intense. His internal monologue during times when the outside world seems to be intruding into his safe home is flawless and a cherry to the top of this unnerving narrative.
Like any good thriller horror, the twist at the end left my mouth gaping but of course, no spoilers here! Just know it’s all worth it!
Drawbacks.
There is little to complain about here. If pushed to find something I was occasionally confused by the layout of the house. Coile goes to great lengths to describe the left and right turns as each character moves about the house. I must admit there were a few times I felt a little lost and could have used a map.
The Final Take.
Read this.
Read this if you’re a horror fan, an AI fan or a science fiction fan.
William covers many genres and will please anyone who picks it up.
And when you’ve finished reading this book and have been surprised by the twist at the end. Go back and read the first line to have your mind blown again.
(5 / 5)
