76 & the Odd 93 by Paul Jameson

This is my second novel by Paul Jameson (I also read and reviewed his novel, Nightjar), and I’m now confident in saying he is equal parts a masterful storyteller and a marvelous crafter of words. (And I say that as someone who doesn’t usually read either folklore or horror.)

Grim, gritty, and atmospheric (the author describes it as crime-noir which I felt was highly accurate), with dark Catholic overtones, 76 & the Odd 93 is the story of the transformation of an innocent child into a ruthless and brutal killer. Set in London, the novel intricately weaves together its timelines and storylines to create a story that both left me turning the pages to see what would happen next while at the same time I wanted to linger long and carefully to savor the author’s exquisitely crafted prose. Jameson’s writing style is better experienced than described; it is lyrical and dream-like, somewhat unconventional in punctuation and formatting, but not so much as to be frustrating or inaccessible.

Literary horror at it’s absolute finest. Very highly recommended.