Goon

Relentless as a Texas Death-Match, GOON is a no-holds-barred festival of body slams; an insatiable orgy of pile-drivers and sexual grotesqueries, of neck-breakers, drop-kicks, and more blood and guts than a fish-market floor... Six-foot-9 and 400 pounds, hailing from Parts Unknown, he is the one-man walking gore machine of the Deep South Wrestling Conference, and his name is Goon. But Detective Phillip Straker isn't a wrestling fan. The bodies pile up like dirty laundry: sex-obsessed tramps used as playthings by some unspeakable creature. Straker is determined to solve the rash of mutilation murders with trimmings that beg description. Is it just coincidence, or do all the victims have something in common? Investigative reporter Melinda Pierce will do anything to find out, by offering herself up as a sexual spittoon in order to infiltrate the arcane and lust-drenched warrens of the backstage of professional wrestling. There in malodorous locker rooms and unsavory motels, she partakes in carnal forays so gross, so downright nasty they'd make a porn star puke. Goon, this human juggernaut, this masked rack of guts, muscle and mayhem... Is Goon just a wrestler gone insane? Or is he something hideously worse? It just might leave you down for the count.

From the Publisher

The notorious long-sold-out classic of modern horror is back! Overlook Connection is proud to present this newly illustrated edition of one of the most talked-about–and outrageous--tales to ever be penned in the horror genre.

From the Inside Flap

Six-foot-nine and four hundred pounds, hailing from parts unknown, he is the one-man walking gore-machine of the Deep South Wrestling Conference, and his name is...GOON ... But police captain Philip Straker isn't a wrestling fan. The bodies pile up like dirty laundry: sex-obsessed tramps used as playthings by some unspeakable creature. Straker is determined to solve the rash of rape and mutilation murders with trimmings that beggar description. Is it just a coincidence, or do all the victims have something in common? ...GOON ... Investigative reporter Melinda Pierce will do anything to find out, by offering herself up as a sexual spittoon in order to infiltrate the arcane and lust-drenched warrens of backstage wrestling. There, in maloderous locker rooms and unsavory motels, she partakes in carnal forays so gross, so downright nasty, they'd make Linda Lovelace bend over and puke. All to track down...GOON ... This human juggernaut, this masked rack of guts, muscle, and mayhem... Is Goon just a wrestler gone insane? Or is he something hideously worse? Relentless as a Texas Deathmatch, GOON is a no-holds-barred festival of body slams and insatiable orgy, of pile-drivers and sexual grotesquerie, of neck-breakers, drop-kicks and more blood and guts than a fish market floor. It just might leave you down for the count...

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

"I liked that." Felander shuddered as he watched the tall man put the last of seven stitches into his torn lip. The man hadn't even removed his mask for the operation. The dead, flat nailhead eyes peered from the typical red canvas shell, with glittery blue trimming. Just his ruined mouth and flat, dead eyes exposed. "Who do I wrestle tomorrow?" "Slick Dare, Luntville," Felander answered. But this was obligatory too. He wasn't thinking about tomorrow night's card. "An easy work. You come after him with a bat, then he snatches it and hits you in the head. Same gimmick as the last three cards." "Um. Fine." The mammoth figure turned, disappearing behind the scarlet curtain. "Good night." Yeah, goodnight. Felander winced when he looked at the mutilated body on the floor. What a mess, he thought. The black Winnebago rumbled down the road. Trees on either side splintered the moonlight, a lambent webwork glissading over the vehicle's black-lacquered finish. Just a nice quiet ride through the woods, Jon Felander thought behind the wheel. Things could be worse, couldn't they? He couldn't wrestle anymore himself--blown knee. The promotion was about to get rid of him as manager for the big names like Dare and Ghoula and Funk. You've lost your spark, Jon, Virgil Watts had told him. But then Felander had brought in the spark. And, besides, the money wasn't bad. It was just these late-night drives that bothered him, and of course the clean-up duties. The Winnebago slowed at a spur on the road. Crickets chirruped when he rolled down the high window and tossed the bag into an adjacent ravine. There was a tiny splash in the night, then the massive vehicle pulled off. The bag contained two human hands and feet, twenty-eight teeth, and two eyeballs.

About the Author

EDWARD LEE has sold eighteen horror and suspense novels, including CITY INFERNAL and MONSTROSITY. His short stories have appeared in many mass-market anthologies, including THE BEST AMERICAN MYSTERY STORIES OF 2000, Pocket's HOT BLOOD series, and the award-wining 999. He lives on Florida's St. Pete Beach. Visit his official website at edwardleeonline.com. JOHN PELAN Author, editor, publisher, is the author of An Antique Vintage from Gargadillo Publishing. His first short story collection, Darkness, My Old Friend is forthcoming from Shadowlands Press. With Edward Lee, he is co-author of Shifters, Splatterspunk, Family Tradition and numerous short stories. John's solo stories have appeared in The Urbanite, Gothic.net, Enigmatic Tales, Carpe Noctem, Horrorfind.com and numerous anthologies, including Shivers, Bad News, Shadows & Silence, and Dark Arts. With a passion for professional wrestling that equals his enthusiasm for the horror genre, John has also (as a member of the legendary Workrate Cru) written extensive analysis and commentary on wrestling history for RAMPAGE!, and other publications. Under the screen name of "Old School John" he frequents the Other Arena and Death Valley Driver Video Review.

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