Remorseless
by Thomas Tessier
Trade Paperback, 204 pages
Sinister Grin Press 2013
Reviewed by Mario Guslandi
A successful and prolific novelist ( The Nightwalker, Fog Heart,Rapture and many more), Thomas Tessier is also the author of a fair number of short stories, some of which assembled in a previous collection, Ghost Music and Other Tales.
Remorseless includes fifteen “tales of cruelty” that formerly appeared in different venues during the last fifteen years, providing an excellent showcase of Tessier’s extraordinary ability and versatility as a storyteller.
Some of the tales deserve a special mention, such as “In the Sand Hill”, a breathtaking thriller set in a queer location, featuring a killer haunting a thief who ‘s entitled to a severe punishment, “For No One”, an intense, fascinating piece exploring the darker, dangerous side of love, “If You See Me, Say Hello”, a brief, moving Twilight Zone-like story and “The Woman in the Club Car”, a gentle, modern ghost story about a mysterious and lovely young woman.
Other superb tales are “The God Thing”, a compelling, very entertaining portrait of a body-builder getting intoxicated by a medley of drugs to win an important award, “Premature Noxia” , a mesmerizing and puzzling tale disclosing the mystery of a deserted house, “Back in My Arms I Want You”, a well crafted story featuring a loser with a violent disposition and a fondness for girls and knives .
Worth mentioning are also “Club Saudade”, where a man trapped inside an abandoned building has to face the ultimate horror, “Goo Girl”, a tale of eroticism and vengeance with a horrific ending, and “Something Small and Gray and Quick” depicting a man’s tragic obsession for moths.
A great collection of accomplished and fascinating dark fiction.
