The Desecration of Susan Browning By Russell Martin

The Desecration of Susan Browning
By Russell Martin
1981 Playboy Press
Paperback, 254 pages

 

                This is Martin’s second foray into the world of Satan and his loyal followers, hot on the heels of 1980’s Rhea. His writing is crisp and fluid and I even had to look up a few words! Educational! While this isn’t an entirely satisfying read, it is quite good, and it moves by quickly.

 

                Marty and Susan Browning are two Hollywood up-and-comers who have a wonderful marriage. On the way to their car after a movie date, they witness a woman being assaulted in the parking lot and Marty comes to her rescue. Three days later, the Browning’s get a visit from the victim, Wanda Carmichael, with an invitation to a swank party at her mansion. From there on, the desecration begins.

 

                Wanda takes over Marty, makes him (willingly?) divorce Susan and grinds Mrs. Browning’s life to dust. Just what does Wanda have that enthralls Marty so much? Susan’s friend Max tries to comfort her but soon his constant presence starts to be annoying… until she becomes his willing sex slave. Yeah, things are in a weird slide for poor Susan! Why is all of this happening? Perhaps the sleazy private dick will find answers, or perhaps the cute, young Father Crabbe can help her sort things out.

 

                Yes, this is like an X-rated soap opera and that’s exactly why it is so much fun. None of the characters are particularly likeable; Susan herself has many flaws, so we just sit back and watch the shitshow. While God and faith do come into play, it is never heavy handed. My only real complaint story-wise would be that I wanted more Satan!! Rituals are fine but gimme some Ol’ Scratch!

 

                Being that one of the main characters is transsexual and this book was written in 1981, there is a lot of dated transphobia that will make the modern reader cringe a bit, but that’s the way things were (or are for some of the shit slices out there). It’s all part of 80s Hollywood where life is cheap, property is expensive, and Satan brings good things to evil people.

 

                I found this in the children’s books section at a thrift store!

The Accursed By G.S. Burdick

The Accursed

By G.S. Burdick
1982 Playboy Press
Paperback, 256 pages

 

                I’d had this book on my shelf for over a decade. One night, I just grabbed it and dug in. Hey, wait… no gore? No lurid sex? No dinosaurs? Am I going to like this? Yes, I did.

                More medical thriller than horror, the story follows a pair of divorced (from each other) plastic surgeons whose high-end clinic is having an unlucky streak. A nurse going ballistic on a patient, unexpected heart failure, the woman half of the team, Dr. Rebecca Meehan, getting assaulted, and more misfortunes befall the clinic. Rebecca thinks they are all related but that couldn’t be! Could it? Her partner, Dr. Nicholas Christoff thinks not, but after a few more incidents, even he starts to wonder.

                I’m not sure who G.S. Burdick is; I can find no information or other books by him/ her. The female characters, like Dr. Meehan and Detective Anita Lopez, are brilliantly written, so I’m leaning towards a woman writer. So many nuances, warts and all, are believably written. The re-budding romance between the estranged doctors is handled delicately and with sensitivity.

                So, the cover. A 3-headed dog. Cerberus. Obviously, that’s why I bought the book. Well, he does figure into the story a little, as does a large helping of other Greek Mythology, but it’s not heavy-handed and Burdick makes it work. Not as much suspension of disbelief is needed as you might think when I mention ancient Gods and their descendants, a Cyclops and good ol’ Cerberus.

                Stepping outside of my comfort zone gave me an excellent read and a palette cleanser between nature-strikes-back novels. But yeah, I bought it for that kick-ass cover. I admit it. No idea who painted it, though.

  Midnight Magazine