YOUR TURN TO SUFFER - Tim Waggoner


 A secretive organization called The Cabal believe that Lorelai "Lori" Palumbo has committed unspeakable crimes in the past and now she must pay. To that end, The Cabal slowly rips apart Lori's safe, organized life. The Cabal ruins Lori's job, her health, everything and everyone she loves. And Lori has no idea what The Cabal thinks she's done to deserve this punishment.

After being pushed to the brink, Lori has nothing left to lose and she decides to take her questions (and her anger) directly to the Cabal.  But they are not exactly easy to find, either. Lori's direct approach takes her into a mind-spinning world where anything can (and often does) happen.

Your Turn to Suffer is more than just horror fiction, it is weird horror fiction.

I've been a fan of author Tim Waggoner's work since reading his Shadow Watch novels back in 2014/2015 (you want weird horror ... it doesn't get much stranger than those!).  His work is fresh (with a strong scent of decay), highly original, gruesome and dark, and often bitingly humorous.

Your Turn to Suffer seems an apt title as nearly everyone here does, indeed, suffer. And suffering in a Waggoner novel is usually pretty gruesome.  I mean ... really gruesome. If you can't handle some putrefaction and a side of gangrene, then this is definitely not the book for you. But if you don't mind a little flesh-ripping in your horror, then you really need to check this out.

Lori starts out being a bit of an unreliable character. She doesn't know what's going on and she's lost and afraid, and yet she's clearly our main focus. Her character grows as the story grows. But it's the Cabal who are the true mystery here.  What ... or who ... are the Cabal? (Is the Cabal?) Not quite human? More than human? And what is their problem with Lori?  The answer lies somewhere beyond reality.

This is a fun and fast read, but I don't want to undersell how gruesome and gross it can be.  Waggoner doesn't pull any punches or hide his fangs. 

My only real complaint with the book is the humor.  Generally humor in a book like this is a relief. Sometimes it's the focus.  In the case of the other Waggoner books I mentioned earlier, it's totally appropriate for a character to crack wise.  Here I felt the humor - the jokes and wise cracks - were a tad forced. It didn't flow naturally from the characters.

Looking for a good book? If you are ready for a dark, twisted, flesh-peeling horror book, then pick up Tim Waggoner's Your Turn to Suffer.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars

* * * * * *

Your Turn to Suffer

author: Tim Waggoner

publisher: Flame Tree Press

ISBN: 1787585182 

hardcover, 256 pages

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