Bloody Sheets caught me off guard and left me speechless. As I began reading, I was sure that this was all happening long ago, in the time of Jim Crow, I assumed. However, the more I read, I realized that this book is happening in the here and now! Yes, it was as if someone had just punched me in the chest. I lost my breath and could not go on for many minutes. This book is powerful.
Synopsis of Bloody Sheets:
When a young black man is lynched in a small Alabama town, his estranged father — a crime world enforcer — sets out for revenge, embarking on a blood – soaked journey that will leave the ravaged bodies of dead Klansmen in his wake.
“Rausch unleashes a flurry of gut-punches both painful and thrilling, his prose brimming with righteous anger and stark, no-bullshit wit. This racially charged and crackling tale reads like a startling mash-up of Jim Thompson and Iceberg Slim, making Bloody Sheets that rare achievement: hardboiled and hard-hitting, but transcendently heartfelt as well.”
My Review of Bloody Sheets:
Will is excited to be a father and is busy getting ready for his date with Allie where they are going to talk about getting out of Alabama. They want nothing more than to get away where people are more sympathetic to an interracial couple. Will is happily making plans in his head when there is a knock on the door.
I’m going to leave it right there so you can read it for yourself and feel the power of what comes after.
This novel is well-written and feels more like watching a movie than reading a book. I was right there with these characters. Every time I thought I knew what was going to happen, turns out, I didn’t.
The whole book is a roller coaster ride of adrenaline and torment.
I have no complaints about the book, so I will use this space to warn readers that this book is gory. Blood and grossness occur on every page, yet it adds to the feel of the book. It isn’t gory just for the sake of being gory. The gore is central to the characters and the novel.
I am awarding Bloody Sheets a full 5 out of 5 stars. I have never read a book like this before. It was a quick read, but the message and the effects will be with me for a lifetime. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys dark fiction.
About Andy Rausch – Author:
Andy Rausch is an American film journalist, author, screenwriter, film producer, and actor.
He is the author of several novels and novellas including Elvis Presley, CIA Assassin. He also wrote the screenplay for Dahmer versus Gacy and is the author of some twenty non-fiction books on popular culture.
Books: Riding Shotgun, Bloody Sheets, A Time for Violence, Layla’s Score
You can usually find Andy on Twitter @writerrausch1, and he maintains a blog at https://authorandyrausch.wordpress.com/.
Thank you to Henry and Isobel from Blackthorn Tours for providing me a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
If you would like to pick up a copy for yourself, you can purchase it on Amazon.com. If you use my special link in the image below, I earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.
