Review by Jimmy Z

VIGILANTES OF LOVE 2004 by John Everson Twilight Tales 131 pages $12.00 ISBN: 0-9711309-6-5 Reviewed by Jimmy Z

John Everson has a flair for starting a story down one path and then just when we know where it is going and how it will end, he turns it around and reminds us that life is unpredictable. VIGILANTES OF LOVE is a collection of fifteen well written stories that range from fantasy to horror. Some are hardcore horror stories and some are lighter fare. All of them are worth reading.

"Trick and Treat" is a Halloween story, but with a title like that what else could it be. Well, it could be about a hooker. It's both. A man who dislikes being alone on holidays so much that he decides to satisfy himself with a prostitute. An early story in the book that whets the appetite for some of the horrors to be discovered within.

You never know when love may come crashing into your life. Occasionally it even happens when you are already married. We all have choices to make. Some choices are harder than others and sometimes the choices are made for you. In "After the Fifth Step" we are treated to an exploration of love and marriage within a traveling circus.

"Lovesong" is the story of music and a young man with a crush. He frequents a local record store mostly for the attention of Lissa, a worker in the store. From his time spent in the store he discovers more than just the great musicians of the 80's.

In "Vigilantes of Love" we are treated to a New Orleans style Voodoo mystery. This was a wonderful tale of adultery and the undead. A story which might easily be expanded into a longer work.

I don't kill, I preserve. After that opening line we are off on a chilling story of a taxidermist in "Preserve." Arthur has taken the art of taxidermy to new heights. And to new subjects as well.

It is hard to pick a favorite tale from these stories because I enjoyed them all. Whenever I thought that a particular story was my favorite I would be drawn to another title and then another. Each one vying for the top spot.

One of the better collections I have read in some time. I give it 5 bookwyrms.

This review copyright 2003 E.C.McMullen Jr.

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