The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires

Title: The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires Author: Grady Hendrix Genre: Supernatural Thriller Audio: Bahni Turpin Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Whew. Slow breath. This marks the beginning of my journey into the world of Grady Hendrix. He honestly flew under the radar for me, and that is a crime. The story is incredibly complex and yet easy to follow, so my discussion might be a bit longer. No worries, I won’t reveal any significant plot points, which should help keep things from getting too out of hand. Our protagonist, Patricia Campbell, tells this story from a limited third-person point of view. Patty (as her friends call her) is the picture-perfect wife, mother, and Southern lady… or so we think. To be frank, Patty is somewhat dissatisfied with her home life and career choices now that her kids are getting older, having left nursing to be a housewife. I’m not entirely sure if she genuinely wanted to do this, especially since her husband, who is a psychologist, can be pretty manipulative and completely overbearing. I must admit, the men in this book made me so angry that I could practically taste the rage. I had a strong and immediate dislike for almost every single one of them in this book, so consider yourself warned. If themes like misogyny, abuse, and manipulation bother you, then this story may not be for you. Getting back to Patty… As an avid reader, Patty was part of a book club, but the books they chose felt dull and uninspiring. After being selected to lead a book discussion on a novel she hadn’t read (and being totally humiliated when caught), she started her own book club, where they could discuss true crime and serial killer books. I know. I know., I know. I, too, wished to be a member of that book club. But the introduction of the book club is the last semi-normal thing that happens in this book, so buckle up. Now, I will tell you that this book is noticeably manic in all the best ways. I experienced a range of emotions, from tears and laughter to outbursts of anger. The humor had me in stitches. The uncomfortable horror elements were effectively juxtaposed with deeply moving social commentary about economic inequality, racism, gender power dynamics, toxic religious undertones, narcissism, and domestic abuse, making for a powerful and relevant narrative. These themes were expertly integrated into the narrative and never felt overdone. I was so engrossed that I listened at all hours, and last night, for the first time in my reading journey, I wore my headphones to bed and listened to the ending in the dark. The moment it was over, I remained there, contemplating the ending and understanding its purpose. It’s important for me to mention Bahni Turpin as well! This woman’s performance was incredible, as she played a whole cast of characters, drawing me in so completely that I forgot it was a single narrator. For audiobook lovers, this one is a must-listen. It truly was remarkable. Sigh. I honestly believe that Grady Hendrix trapped lightning in a bottle with this story, and I'm left with a book hangover, the kind you savor. I assure you, The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires will become a beloved treasure on your bookshelves. Happy reading, and keep the windows closed and the lights on.

I first became aware of Grady Hendrix a number of years ago, when he gave his Paperbacks from Hell presentation at a Writer's Retreat I attended, and the man was funny. Downright hysterical. I don't remember the last time I laughed so hard. So naturally, I assumed his books would be just as funny. So on my next trip to the bookstore, I grabbed a copy of Horrorstor... And hated it. The book just wasn't funny. No, wait... I take that back. There were maybe two funny lines in the entire book, and they occurred very early on in the book. Like maybe Chapter 1. Possibly Chapter 2. The rest was a slog with a bunch of very unlikable characters. I wanted to give the author another chance, though. I mean, everyone is entitled to have an off day (off book), so it was with some reluctance that I picked up The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires. It was described as Steel Magnolias meets Dracula, and I like both of those, and while it didn't WOW! me, I did end up enjoying it more than my previous excursion into Hendrix Country. The premise is nothing new: handsome stranger (James Harris), who is not who or what he claims to be, worms his way into the lives of a close-knit community, while on the outskirts of town, children are either disppearing or committing suicide. The events happen to coincide with each other, but is he responsible? Patricia Campbell eventually stumbles onto the man's secret and takes it to her book club, and it's up to them to put an end to his reign of terror. But it's not as simple as it sounds because Patricia can't come right out and say the man is a vampire. Who would believe here? They don't even want to believe her when she accuses the man of being a child molester and a drug pusher who's selling drugs to children. It takes her three years to finally gather enough evidence, but even then they're reluctant to believe her because Mr. Harris has so firmly ingrained within their circle as an upstanding citizen, best friend and business partner to their husbands, and becomes idolized by their children. And as long as he doesn't hurt those within the community, that he continues to target the "poor" part of town, they're content to look the other way. But Patricia won't let it rest, and it's only when he attacks one of the book club members and sets his sights on Patricia's children that they decide something needs to be done. While the book isn't as funny as I wanted it to be after seeing Hendrix's presentation, it does have its moments that had me chuckling, and it was 100x better than Horrorstor. There's a large cast of characters you need to keep track of, not all of which are likeable, but if feel like Hendrix drew a line on the floor and told all the good characters need to be on one side, and the bad characters on the other, and after everyone had chosen their sides, it's pretty much guys vs girls, which pretty much reflects the southern society of the time. I did find the pacing to be inconsistent. The book starts of strong, but about halfway through, it flatlines, at least for me (at this point I almost put the book aside), and doesn't pick up again until you're about three-quarters of the way through, at which point it moves like an express train toward the climax. Would I recommend it? If you only read "serious" horror, I don't think this is the book for you, but if you don't mind your horror on the light side with a smattering of humor, it's definitely worth checking out. 4/5 stars But now I need a tie breaker. Which Hendrix book should I read next? Hmmmm...

I love how the characters developed throughout the story. It has your heart racing, but it also is so relatable especially for a mom and wife. It's a must read.

Overall it was a good book. Took me only a few days to read which means it kept my attention. But I just can’t decide if I really enjoyed it or was just slight curious what was going to happen. There were some inconsistencies, there was more detail than there needed to be, and yet I don’t know if changing those would help. It’s definitely worth reading, but also I can foresee some people finding it just too hard to finish. 3.5 stars

A fun read with great characters. I found some part a little too disturbing, but a credit to the author for making my skin crawl. I enjoyed the visualization and could really place myself in many of the scenes and the Charleston setting. There were clever lines, and a funny parts. I was angry at the book club ladies that they let so much time pass, but it also showed how powerless they felt. James Harris is a vampire, and a unique one different from the typical throat-biting Dracula model. Fighting the monster is just half of the horror, though. This book is a story of dual horror. Not just the obvious vampire trope, also the story line concerning the "ordinary" lives we lead. The relationships we cultivate, and what is left when things get hard. The horror themes from the everyday lives were the terrible instances of abuse, gaslighting, and manipulations that the husbands all engaged in over their wives. There is the theme of money, power, and corruption. There is the theme of racism and murder in the South. It is a much heavier and deeper book than I expected it to be going in. If you are paying attention, there is a lot to think about from a friendship/relationship perspective here. If you are paying attention, much of this book will make you angry. After all, you expect a monster to be a monster, but we don't expect our husbands and our friends to be monsters. The ladies are flawed and late to take action as well, and sometimes it is hard to like them ... but they are relatable.

Lo leí en kindle y me encantó tanto que a fuerzas debía de tenerlo en físico y en cuanto vi que hay una versión pasta dura, no lo dudé nadita. Viene protegido, cero detalles, un poquito sucio de las hojas pero le da ese encanto de libro de librería. Es un libro de casi 400 páginas pero en cuanto lo empiezas a leer ya no lo sueltas. Me encanta. Una lectura 100% recomendada!!!

I LOVED this book! It was full of humour and horror and excellent writing throughout. It's longer than books I normally read but I flew through this. Patricia Campbell attends a book club every month with four other women in her Southern town, Mt Pleasant. Mt Pleasant is the kind of place where people write down the license plates of unknown vehicles, where doors are left unlocked at night, and where neighours queue up in the street with casseroles when times are tough. When stranger James Harris moves nearby, Patricia is initially taken with him. He's from somewhere up north, is charming, can talk his way through anything, and has a bag full of cash that opens her eyes as much as her willingness to help him settle in their neighbourhood. But then weird things start happening: young children are going missing and found dead days later, and animals begin behaving strangely. It all leads back to James. But as a wife in a town with old values, Patricia's voice is lost amongst the ones who welcome James with enthusiasm. The more she raises questions about him, the more she is shouted down, until eventually, Patricia can't ignore the truth of what she thinks James really is. He must be stopped. But what can a book club do about it? The book is told in 3rd person and mainly follows Patricia. I was so sympathetic towards her and throughout most of the book I just wanted to give her a hug and tell her it would be okay! She really tugged at my heartstrings. The women she attended book club with also captured my heart. They were all so wonderfully unique and each had their own ticks etc. They were a pleasure to read. The horror was nicely balanced with humour, and I genuinely laughed out loud on several occasions. If you're new to horror (like me) then this is a great one to pick up.

Full of suspense but also funny - excellent novel. Grady Hendrix is the only male writer I know who really gets women.

«He thinks we’re what we look like on the outside: nice Southern ladies. Let me tell you something…there’s nothing nice about Southern ladies.» 🔎SINOPSIS: Patricia Campbell siempre había planeado una gran vida, pero después de dejar su carrera como enfermera para casarse con un médico ambicioso y convertirse en madre, la vida de Patricia nunca se sintió más pequeña. Los días son largos, sus hijos son ingratos, su esposo está distante y su lista de tareas pendientes nunca termina. Lo único que tiene es su club de lectura, un grupo de madres de Charleston unidas únicamente por su amor por el crimen y el suspense. En estas reuniones, es más probable que hablen tanto del reciente asedio de Waco por parte del FBI como de los altibajos del matrimonio y la maternidad. Pero cuando un extraño se muda al vecindario, las reuniones del club de lectura se convierten en especulaciones sobre el recién llegado. Patricia se siente atraída inicialmente por él, pero cuando algunos niños locales desaparecen, comienza a sospechar que el recién llegado está involucrado. Ella comienza su propia investigació y lo que descubre es mucho más aterrador de lo que esperaba. Las amas de casa de su club de lectura son las únicas personas que se interponen entre el monstruo que han invitado a sus hogares y su comunidad desprevenida. ✏ OPINIÓN: Este ha sido uno de mis primeros thrillers/terror y he agradecido el toque sobrenatural que es una dinámica con la que estoy acostumbrada. Si bien la historia me ha parecido super interesante, el libro se me ha hecho largo y pesado a ratos, sobretodo hacia mitad de la historia y hasta las últimas 50 páginas que son lo realmente bueno de este libro. Creo que el autor pierde demasiado tiempo en construir el ambiente sueño de los años 90 y complica demasiado las cosas a lo largo de sus relato para llegar a un final esperado, pero sin duda bien articulado y redactado. No ha sido una mala introducción al mundo del suspense, pero creo que no he podido vivir la experiencia al completo porque en ocasiones el libro me ha aburrido. Aunque considero que para los amantes del géneros esta es una muy buena lectura. Resaltar como se retrata a los vampiros en esta novela, que aunque tienen algunos del los clichés de siempre, se agradece la perspectiva y definición diferente con la que lo aborda. Del mismo modo, la supresión y posterior empoderamiento de la mujer a lo largo del libro ha sido una grata sorpresa.