Lincoln Crisler

This is Wrath’s long-awaited sophomore Leisure novel, following 2008′s Succulent Prey. As in his first novel, Wrath takes on a challenging and innovative concept: Dale McCarthy, a killer with the ability to resurrect his victims over and over again, moves into a new neighborhood and shortly thereafter one particular neighbor couple, Sarah and Josh Lincoln, is plagued with memories of being killed, an unexplicably bloody mattress, and the like.

The Resurrectionist isn’t the merciless, nonstop barrage of uncomfortably brutal violence that Prey was; Wrath still brings his ‘siction’ A-game, but every so often there’s a pause in the gory festivities, a poignant, non-violent scene that makes the inevitable return to butchery even worse in contrast.  His writing has definitely improved, as well; I remember a rather jarring perspective shift or two while reading Prey, and noticed nothing of the sort in The Resurrectionist.

Of particular note is the excellent twist ending, part of which I saw coming roughly two-thirds of the way into the book. I’m pretty sure Wrath did that on purpose, though, and the rest of the twist (the final flick of the wrist, perhaps) doesn’t come until the very last page. I have to say I didn’t see it coming, and it’s a sad, though realistic and satisfying, ending. The only thing I didn’t like is Wrath’s lack of explanation for Sarah’s memories of being murdered; Dale’s victims are usually resurrected with no memory of what happened. I don’t see her memories as being unrealistic or outside the realm of possibility, though, and it does nothing to take way from the story.

All in all, Wrath promised me a good book that was different from Prey but still enjoyable, and I have to say he delivered. 9.5/10; if you love no-holds barred horror and aren’t afraid to cringe a little, this is the book for you.