Fiction and Funeral Homes

Funeral Homes and mortuaries figure prominently in these two thrillers. In the first, John Wayne Cleaver grows up in a house attached to the family funeral home and assists in embalming bodies. In the second, a funeral home director is paid lots of money to store remains in his mortuary’s freezer in preparation for a catastrophic hurricane.


I Am Not a Serial Killer by Dan Wells

John Wayne Cleaver knows that one wrong move will put him over the edge and transform him into the monstrous serial killer he knows is lurking inside him. But this 15-year old sociopath has rules; rules that will prevent him from becoming a killer. Unfortunately it looks like his hometown has become home to a serial killer and now John has to decide what to do… Hunt the hunter? Or join in on the fun?

While identifying with a sociopath is not something most people can do, you can completely identify with the teen angst John encounters while battling his inner demons. He is a likeable character with a unique and interesting voice. This fast paced story takes twists and turns that I certainly didn’t see coming and I’m looking forward to reading the sequel that was recently released, Mr. Monster.


Damaged by Alex Kava

A large fishing cooler is found in the waters of the Gulf filled with carefully wrapped human remains. It is obvious that the remains belong to at least two different people since three hands are found in the cooler. Is it a serial killer? Or something even more devious? Time is not on the side of the good guys as a Cat 5 hurricane is headed their way.

I’m a big fan of FBI Agent Maggie O’Dell who returns in Alex Kava’s latest. Kava is great at taking topics in the news and making it into a great thriller. This one is no exception.