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DEATH YOU DESERVE, THE
by David Bowker
St. Martin's Minotauyr, June 2003
232 pages
$12.95
ISBN: 0312311788


Buy in the UK | Buy in Canada

THE DEATH YOU DESERVE is David Bowker's first American novel. Billy Dye is a struggling writer in England. He writes unpopular horror books that do not sell and works as a journalist to make ends meet. His publicist does not publicize his books, his editor cannot stand him and his last girlfriend walked out on him. After writing a short article on Malcolm Priest, an infamous gangster, THE gangster of Manchester, Dye's fortune changes. Priest loved the article (which Dye's editor completely rewrote) and hires Dye to write his memoirs. Unfortunately, Priest's opinion of Dye quickly changes and an assassin is hired to eliminate Dye. Luckily for Dye, the assassin is Steve, a schoolmate now going by the name of Rawhead. Dye refused to testify against Steve back in school and now Rawhead will protect him. Rawhead will also help him with his writing problems and any other situation that is unpleasant in Dye's life. Rawhead has lived up to his potential and has become a violent psychopath set on "helping" Dye. As Dye tries to piece his life back together, he must allude Priest and his men, as well as placate his "protector"

Bowker is an evocative writer. THE DEATH YOU DESERVE forces the reader to question their own ideas of friendship and the choices that are made every day. Dye is sarcastic, something of a punk and incredibly self-centered. Overall Dye is an unattractive protagonist. Yet in this book he faces his doppelganger. Rawhead originally went to jail protecting Dye and has merely become the monster Dye created. They were schoolmates together and once very close friends. Although their situations were different, they had the same love of horror stories, of movies and so forth. They were incredibly close friends and shared numerous personality traits; however, as adults Dye found a niche for himself while Rawhead remained on the outside. At times it seems like they had little choice in who they became; yet, Bowker hints that only one or two small changes would have caused Dye to turn into Rawhead.

Bowker's work appeals to a specific type of reader. He does have a sarcastic self-centered hero; yet his books also have a vein of melodrama. Elements of the story are reminiscent of Edgar Allen Poe. (His books also have elements of British movies such as SNATCH and TRAINSPOTTING as well.) Bowker is a modern author, who has embraced the "eeriness" common within the founders of modern horror. This blending is mostly successful and should help create numerous fans.

Reviewed by Sarah Dudley, June 2003

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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)


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