Red

A novel of a man and his dog... Red... who is ruthlessly attacked by rich kids who don't appreciate life.. of any kind. And before the whole thing is done there'll be more red. Red for blood... "...intelligent and real ...deeply felt..." -Ed Gorman

From Publishers Weekly

Hints of class warfare and generational conflict add layers of interest to this otherwise formulaic tale of a heartless crime redressed in blood. The victim is Red, a harmless mutt whom a trio of shotgun-toting juvenile delinquents shoot for spite during an attempted robbery. The avenger is Red's owner, Avery Allan Ludlow, a crusty down-Mainer who can't understand the insensitivity of his dog's killers. Avery's efforts to extract a simple apology from the boys get support from the town sheriff, the district attorney and even a local television reporter, but fall apart for lack of evidence. A direct appeal to the father of two of the boys, nouveau riche real estate developer Michael McCormack, only earns Avery a burned-down store and tense confrontations with the family. When the hitherto peaceable man begins stalking the boys to intimidate them into a confession, the stage seems set for a hardboiled variation on the theme of von Kleist's classic tale, "Michael Kohlhaas." But the novel's roots are anchored in the crime potboiler tradition, and the acorn doesn't fall far from the tree. Though its characters talk about people not being what they seem, everyone but Avery proves transparently one-dimensional. The plot advances predictably, ominously hinting at but never elaborating dark deeds by the McCormack clan. Ketchum (The Lost) (a pseudonym for Dallas Mayr) succeeds in inspiring the reader with righteous rage at Avery's plight for the story's duration, but some readers may find the providential justice in the novel's appropriately violent finale to simply be the cap for a shaggy dog story. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From the Publisher

Jack Ketchum's latest novel hit home with me in so many ways. The injustice that life will sometimes brings you, you want to fight back. In "Red" Ketchum gives us that chance to fight back for what's right. And gives this character a new chance at life, in many ways. One of Ketchum's brightest moments in publishing, and like The Girl Next Door, a very different book than he's ever attempted before. Give this one a read, it will get to you, like it did me. I know, because I had to publish it. Dave Hinchberger, Publisher of Overlook Connection Press

About the Author

Jack Ketchum is the pseudonym for a former actor, singer, teacher, literary agent, lumber salesman, and soda jerk. He is also a former flower child and baby boomer who figures that in 1956 Elvis, dinosaurs and horror probably saved his life. His first novel, Off Season, prompted the Village Voice to publicly scold its publisher in print for publishing violent pornography. He personally disagrees but is perfectly happy to let you decide for yourself. His short story The Box won a 1994 Bram Stoker Award from the HWA and he has written ten novels, including The Girl Next Door, Off Season, and Stranglehold. His stories are collected in The Exit At Toledo Blade Boulevard and Broken on the Wheel of Sex.

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