THINGS GET UGLY
The Best Crime Stories of
Joe R. Lansdale
Crime Fiction / Mystery / Short Stories
Publisher: Tachyon Publications
Date of Publication: August 15, 2023
Number of Pages: 352 pages
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Edgar Award winner Joe R. Lansdale (the Hap and Leonard series) returns to the piney, dangerous woods of East Texas. In this career retrospective of his best crime stories, Lansdale shows exactly why critics continue to compare him to Elmore Leonard, Donald Westlake, Flannery O’Connor, and William Faulkner.
In the 1950s, a young small-town projectionist mixes it up with a violent gang.
When Mr. Bear is not alerting us to the dangers of forest fires, he lives a life of debauchery and murder.
A brother and sister travel to Oklahoma to recover the dead body of their uncle.
A lonely man engages in dubious acts while pining for his rubber duckie.
In this collection of nineteen unforgettable crime tales, Joe R. Lansdale brings his legendary mojo and witty grit to harrowing heists, revenge, homicide, and mayhem. No matter how they begin, things are bound to get ugly—and fast.
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Praise
“A terrifically gifted storyteller.” -– Washington Post Book Review
“One of the best crime writers in the business.” — Ace Atkins, New York Times bestselling author of The Revelators
“While Lansdale’s work is as varied as the regions of Texas, there is one common link through it all: his brilliant storytelling.” –- Grimdark Magazine
I am not sure how I have never read anything by this author, but now that I have gotten a taste of his writing, there will be no turning back now!
I am generally not a crime story type of reader, but these short stories provide a twisted look at what could potentially happen if you let your imagination run wild. Take, for example, the story about a certain bear that many of us might remember from television commercials way back in the day to help prevent forest fires. Now take that same bear, and insert him into society as you would a human with a twisted sense of morality. The end result just might be this story.
I really enjoyed reading how he came up with the ideas for the stories. It gave me a sense of his thought process, but I by no means totally understand it! Writers are unique, and the stories they create will entertain or haunt us long after they are done.
The title of this book is also very appropriate because things do get ugly in most of the tales. However, you might uncover some witty moments that might surprise you. I remember chuckling through a few of the stories, surprised at the humor that was included. But sometimes, all you can do is laugh.
Each story is unique and varies in length. There is a warning from the author that if you are a sensitive reader, you might want to skip this book. I might agree. While none of the stories bothered me, I can see where it might bother some. But if you are open and not squeamish, you just might enjoy these tales.
We enjoyed this book and gave it 5 paws up.
Joe R. Lansdale (Savage Season, The Donut Legion) is the internationally bestselling author of more than fifty novels, including the popular, long-running Hap and Leonard novels. Many of his cult classics have been adapted for television and film, most famously the films Bubba Ho-Tep and Cold in July and the Hap and Leonard series on Sundance TV and Netflix. Lansdale has written numerous screenplays and teleplays, including for the iconic Batman: The Animated Series. He has won an Edgar Award for The Bottoms and ten Stoker Awards, and he has been designated a World Horror Grandmaster. Lansdale, like many of his characters, lives in East Texas, with his wife, Karen.
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THREE WINNERS:
Each receives print copies of
Things Get Ugly & Born for Trouble
(US only; ends midnight, CDT, 8/18/23)
Visit the Lone Star Literary Life Tour Page
For direct links to each post on this tour, updated daily,
or visit the blogs directly:
| 08/08/23 | Bibliotica | Review |
| 08/08/23 | Hall Ways Blog | Excerpt |
| 08/09/23 | The Clueless Gent | Review |
| 08/09/23 | LSBBT Blog | BONUS Stop |
| 08/10/23 | The Book’s Delight | Review |
| 08/11/23 | Forgotten Winds | Review |
| 08/12/23 | Jennie Reads | Review |
| 08/13/23 | The Real World According to Sam | Review |
| 08/14/23 | It’s Not All Gravy | Review |
| 08/15/23 | StoreyBook Reviews | Review |
| 08/15/23 | Chapter Break Book Blog | Excerpt |
| 08/16/23 | Rox Burkey Blog | Review |
| 08/17/23 | Boys’ Mom Reads | Review |
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I, too, was surprised my path of reading missed this author. It is a gritty sampling of fabulous writing. Thank you for sharing.
Great review! You know, a lot of books that I like I am sure others won’t and vice versa. That’s the joy of reading, isn’t it? We all have our reading parameters for escapes, and I imagine these stories are (thankfully) about as far from our reality as can be. I can’t wait to read it.