by Adrian Messmer
Synopsis
It starts on Facebook—an update that Nell doesn’t remember making. It’s bad enough that she’s dying and none of her friends know. Now, she’s pretty sure she’s going crazy. She sees the Sewercide Man everywhere she goes.
The bright, safe little town of Bandon is descending into darkness, dragging the inhabitants along for the ride. Death follows madness for those bound to the Sewercide Man’s will.
But the Sewercide Man is more than just a ghost or a monster. He is death without justice. He is destruction without remorse. He doesn’t have a plan.
He just wants to bring everyone home.
"A blend of gritty realism and dark supernatural, Psychopomp and Circumstance is Heathers meets It Follows, with a sprinkling of The Twilight Zone, all told with black humor, nihilist teen angst, and a buried need to be loved and accepted."—Richard Thomas, author of Tribulations
A character-driven horror novel? Yes please!
Psychopomp and Circumstance is a complex story that reminds me of the horror stories and movies I used to watch in my teen years (we're talking 90s-early 2000s). Many might see this as an insult, but from me? Trust me, it's a compliment. I love how the author writes - almost artistically, if that makes sense? The focus is on the characters and their progress through the story which is what makes this story unique. Something that I truly enjoy is that each chapter is told from a different perspective. I feel that a story has so much more to say by doing so - the many angles make up a puzzle. There is such a thing as having too many POVs, but I don't find that happening here.
I don't want to say much especially considering that it is a horror novel! What I will say is that the novel reads very much like retro-horror, and just like a classic horror movie - you're left rooting for each character as they fight. I recommend this book for anyone up for some unique horror and detailed characterization. We all know I'm a sucker for both!