Casket For Sale (Only Used Once)

Andrew Mayhem is back, and in this book he is responsible. And still getting in trouble. This is yet another phenomenal book by Jeff Strand. The action starts on page one, and doesn't let up for the entire 159 pages. I'm amazed in every book I read by Strand at the range of emotions he can draw out of me. At points I'm laughing out loud, and then I'm on the verge of tears. I hope that we see this cast of characters again in another Andrew Mayhem thriller.

Andrew Mayhem seems to have learned his lesson. He has stopped taking money from strange women in coffee shops to do vague odd jobs, has resolved to be more responsible, and has even gotten a (gasp!) real job. After the adventures chronicled in his previous two books (Graverobbers Wanted (No Experience Necessary) and Single White Psychopath Seeks Same), a vacation is in order, but he just cannot seem to stay out of trouble. That is unlucky for him, but lucky for us, because Jeff Strand's Casket for Sale (Only Used Once) is another terrific blend of humor and horror. This time the trouble is not really Andrew's fault, however. With his wife Helen, and their two children Kyle and Theresa, along with Andrew's friend Roger and his new girlfriend Samantha (who Andrew despises, though he doesn't know why) along, he made sure the camper's gas tank was full, and he even heeded the mysterious warning from the old man at the "Last Chance 4 Gas" station ("I want to check the expiration date on their beef jerky," Roger quips. "I'm guessing late eighties.") that Wreitzer Park (their chosen destination) is full of "bad, dangerous, and deadly elements." After some argument that perhaps Andrew is being too responsible, they decide to turn back the way they came, but after about two miles, their passage is hindered by a green truck parked in the middle of the road. Soon after discovering that the truck does not intend to move, and that Andrew is going to have to drive the camper backwards until they get to another turnaround point, they are blocked at the rear by another green truck. Looks like those bad, dangerous, and deadly elements weren't at Wreitzer Park, after all. It is just as they find out that the denizens of these oddly similar vehicles are named Ghoul, Troll, Goblin, Ogre, and Witch, that Andrew realizes that he has, despite his best efforts to the contrary, gotten his loved ones mixed up in yet another misadventure, one that will cause him to experience paralysis, limb loss, and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to become a cyborg! Echoing the choice to show Roger's side of the events chronicled in Single White Psychopath Seeks Same, Helen gets her turn at the keyboard in Casket for Sale (Only Used Once), and it is much more successful this time around. Helen is the most fascinating discovery in this novel; her turns in the previous chronicles consisted primarily of responses to Andrew's ineptitude, but here she comes to full flower, as the newly pregnant mother is forced to protect her children from a high-class killer dressed in red and named Medusa somewhere in the wilds of Georgia. Casket for Sale (Only Used Once) offers the most intense time I have had reading a novel in years -- and I didn't think it could get more intense than some of the scenes in Single White Psychopath Seeks Same! If it weren't for the consistent thread of humor that runs throughout, and often helps to break the tension, that intensity would, I think, have been ov

Andrew Mayhem has had trouble finding a steady job. Let's face it, with Andrew's track record of killing people (in self defense, of course) getting hired is not easy. And anyone in close proximity to Andrew always ends up having his awful luck spill over onto him. But Andrew is really trying to be a responsible adult. He has two kids and a pregnant wife to consider. So no more accepting jobs in a bar from beautiful women offering him lots of money or jobs that pays big money for one night of work. Things are looking up for Andrew. His best friend, Roger Tanglen, seems to be having better luck too. Roger now has a gorgeous blond girlfriend named Samantha. Andrew cannot help but feel threatened by Samantha though. Andrew was in short supply of friends and he feared Samantha might take Roger away. So Helen, Andrew's wife, decides they all need take a vacation for a short while. Andrew rents a camper (pays extra for insurance too since he is now being responsible) and they all take off for Wreitzer Park. Someone suggests a short cut, but Andrew's luck has proven bad when it comes to short cuts. Therefore, Andrew refuses to stray from the map. So that is how they end up trapped in the woods by crazy people wanting to take them to a mad scientist's lab. Andrew's luck remains constant. ***** I have often been quoted as saying that this author, Jeff Strand, is one sick puppy. Well, I now stand corrected. Jeff Strand is NOT one sick puppy. Jeff Strand is one totally insane, foaming at the mouth, rabid demon. And yes, you may quote me on that too. This is the third book featuring Andrew Mayhem and his rotten luck. If you do not like your horror involving children and innocents being killed and/or tortured, do NOT read this. If you like your horror to be at its worst, but with some laughter thrown in, then this is the book for you! There were parts that had me laughing aloud and there were parts where I wondered if I really wanted to continue reading. Sound like a book for you? Then snatch up this book as soon as you can. Highly recommended for totally sick people. ***** Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

Now before we even get started I want to make something crystal clear, even though there is comedy throughout the book it never overshadows and takes over the story. What's that mean in layman's terms? This isn't a beach book that only requires a quarter of your attention with the option to skim. This story involves you, sucking you in page-by-page until your heart's racing right along with the characters. And yes, Strand is aware of the hurdles that must be jumped in order to create something unique, but don't worry he came prepared. Been-there-done-that situations are acknowledged, stereotypes are noted, and the setting is welcomed - then all are thrown out the door without even a pat or kiss. Kicking off with intrigue, the pace picks up speed as you delve deeper into Mayhem's world and never loosens its vise until the end. I promise that by the time you close the book, the momentum that was created and sustained throughout will leave you breathless with beads of sweat dripping down your face. The setting is detailed, but not overwhelming. The location is random. It can be any back-road, in any town, and that is what makes it memorable. Between the eerie atmosphere and the scent of perspiration mixed with blood, Strand manages to evoke pure desperation. With gallant honesty and tense prose, Strand's style of writing is easy to read, but very intense. He keeps it simple without dumbing it down. With nothing to prove or preach about, he pens his tale for entertainment for both you and himself. Yes, I actually do think this is one author who laughs out loud when he reads over the banter and sarcastic remarks during editing. You can tell he had fun writing this, and that is just as important as the story itself. Taking a somewhat conventional story in which focuses more on the characters and less on the actions, he exposes what would happen in reality. Bringing forth characters that while are not always brave or admirable, are true. Mayhem's life may constantly be filled with danger and adventure, but it's the bond between all the characters that truly makes this story. Their interaction with both each other and the group of adversaries is what endears you to them. They elicit sympathy and respect, friendship and affection. My only complaint - I must now abuse my credit cards in order to get everything and anything Jeff Strand has ever written! I suggest you do the same.