The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix (#97 in 2020)
It starts out when Patricia Campbell fails at reading the boring pick for her monthly book club and finally finds her people - a group of moms who prefer thrillers and true crime. But when a new and mysterious man moves to town without much of a backstory, Patricia launches her own investigation to prove that he is responsible for disappearing children in a nearby town. When Patricia thinks that she has uncovered a horror more terrible than Ann Rule's account of Ted Bundy, she turns to the only people she can: her true crime loving book club.
When I checked the genres on Goodreads, I saw horror, fantasy, thriller, and mystery, but I didn't see anyone mention satire! This book is most certainly a satirical take on the white male-domainated society in which we live. There exists paranormal danger plaguing the black community, a danger that remains ignored until that same danger shifts its focus from the black children of a nearby town to the children of an affluent white community. The plot addresses how white America remains silent to the plights of the BIPOC community until those same dangers knock on the doors of white people. Throughout the story, the misogynist society views Patricia as a silly housewife in her quest to help the BIPOC community and implicate their neighbor of such heinous crimes. The husbands of the core group underestimate their wives and dismiss their concerns on the basis of horrific plotlines leading to delusions.
While this plot includes gory scenes and crimes that are both sexual and violent, there is a satirical undertone that leaves readers awkwardly chuckling as events unfold. Keep in mind that most of the chuckling comes from the realizations about society as satire is known to include elements of humor. Grady Hendrix's writing is full of that sarcastic, dry, dark humor that propels the story forward, and his allusions to pop culture keep you on your toes.
Five huge stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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