By Ian Rogers
Stonebunny Press
ISBN: 978-0986854743
Review by: Dana Bell
Review posted 2/05/2012
Deadstock by Ian Rogers is a fun little read full of supernatural creatures. Dryden and Raisy arrive in a small western town to help out a rancher whose cattle are being gutted and left for him to find. They meet all the members of the family before setting out to discover who or what is killing the cows.
Eventually, they discover a cave inhabited by ghouls. Yes, that's right ghouls, the proper name for what has been morphed into Zombies. There is a battle in which the creatures survive, but at least our hero and heroine now know what they're up against.
They meet Bonnie, the oldest not quite right in the head daughter, mourning the loss of her sister who dies because a rattlesnake bit her. She is found naked and muttering at an old creek bed.
Although, short, the tale is delightful and set in the wild west, complete with a mysterious sheriff who seems to know something about the Dryden and Raisy, but who allows them to do what they were hired to do. And thus the question arises, who was the man really and was he the true sheriff of the town?
Truth be told, the reviewer was expecting a UFO tale of mutilated cattle in the old west and was delighted to discover the true culprits were ghouls. The ultimate twist of the story is an interesting turn and keeps the real perpetrator a secret until almost the very end.
Not to mention an unusual use of a wolf who is summoned to help the hero and heroine. Oh, and a mysterious cat who travels with Raisy and has its own roll heroic roll in events.
A highly recommended read for fans of ghouls, zombies and old west supernatural tales and not as graphic as one would expect. Kudos for the writer.
