“The Deal Maker” is the new demonic tale from the mind that brought you “Hellhound”, “When the Sun Sets” and “We All Scream for Ice Cream”.
Ted’s girlfriend has vanished from the face of the earth and conventional methods of finding her have failed miserably. So, when a devilish entity that calls itself Jack appears and offers him a solution, Ted finds himself agreeing to its terms, no matter how bloody and painful they may be. How far will he go to find her?
Kelly lives for one thing and one thing only: vengeance. The trouble is those who should be feeling her wrath are remarkably good at hiding. Is she prepared to lose everything to find them?
“The Deal Maker” looks at how far people are willing to go to chase their goals. How much are we prepared to lose until we cease to be human? What are we willing to give up?
If demons, gore, and hellish creatures are your thing, dive right in!
The Deal Maker is a brilliant new novel from horror author Lou Yardley who once again manages to deliver another unique and original Story. This time mixing her trademark dark macabre humour and violence, with a mystery thriller which is driven by obsession and revenge. Add into the mix an unconventional demon offering deals in exchange for body parts and you have one of the most entertaining books of the year.
The often-thin line between good and evil in horror is often subjective to the events which lead up to the violence and in the case of The Deal Maker this line is extremely blurred.
We are introduced to several seemingly unconnected characters, as we follow the events in their lives simultaneously over a three-month period. The events interweaving inconsistently between the past and present. In the same way Jack feeds information to entice his victims, we are provided with information which we begin to form our conclusions regarding events, only for it to be changed as new information is uncovered, or characters altered as a consequence of the events.
It is always difficult to create a new horror villain which stands out as something original, but Jack is definitely a character who I would describe as unique. Like his physical appearance which has been collated together from various sources, there seems to be a multitude of sources available at his disposal and abilities which we have barely on touched on the surface. As well as the ingenious executions in the more elaborate ways in which he collects his body parts, the enjoyment of collecting the body parts, seeming almost as important as the necessity. It is his shrewdness of his personality during his dealings that makes him stand out, but also leaves you wanting to see what he plans to do next to raise up the stakes.
Because of the way in which the events unfold and perceptions are changed throughout the book it is difficult to describe the characters without giving too much away. Apart from Jack who despite modifications, his disturbing appearance and matching personality remains unchanged.
If you have read some of Lou Yardleys previous work, you will know that she does not shy away from the gore and The Deal Maker once again delivers some brilliantly innovative and graphic moments. With a detailed descriptions of events that will either have you laughing out loud or wincing in disbelief. I would say even the most desensitised of horror fans will find some of the events slightly disturbing, but at the same time they will have you siding with the demon. It becomes intuitive and you are intrigued to see not only what he wants to claim next, but how he wants to do it. Although the actions have left me with a fully conscientious decision to no longer use the lose terms of; “I will give my left arm/leg/nut” in exchange for anything!
The book ties up the events brilliantly, but it still leaves it open for a sequel and with the events as they are it left me wanting to see more. There are several ways in which the story can be expanded, with several paths that the remaining characters can go. This is by far my favorite story form Lou Yardley, which had me laughing one minute and then squirming the next.
The Deal Maker superseding the brilliant Hellhound as her best work to date, Lou Yardley once again proves herself as an emerging new writer and one to keep an eye out for as she will be a name which horror fans will become more familiar with over the next few years.
You can find out more about Lou Yardley on her website http://louyardley.com/ and keep up to date by following her on social media Twitter – Instagram
The Deal Maker is now available as an eBook or paperback from the following:
Book Review The Deal Maker
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The Deal Maker
Published in various websites, Philip is a reviewer who is best known for his interviews and media coverage of independent projects including; films, books, theatre and live events. Always on the lookout for something different to cover!
