Cold in July

COLD IN JULY by Joe R. Lansdale is one of the author's earlier novels. The book was first published in 1989, and is just as fast paced, thought provoking, and violent as his newer ones. This is the story of Richard Dane, a nice man with a beautiful wife, Ann, a lovely little boy named Jordan, and is the owner of a framing shop in LaBorde, Texas. Late one night in their home, a strange noise wakes Ann. She elbows Richard awake, and it isn't long before he realizes that a burglar has broken into their house. He grabs a .38 snub-nose revolver from the closet and goes out into the living room to investigate. When he surprises the burglar, the man takes a shot at him and misses. Richard returns fire and kills the intruder. Later, the police tell him that the burglar's name was Freddy Russel. Unfortunately for Richard, the dead man's father, Ben Russel, has just gotten out of prison after serving a twenty-year term. When Ben learns of his son's death, he swears revenge against Richard and his family, promising to kill little Jordan Dane. What neither Ben, nor Richard, comprehend until later, is that both of them have unintentionally been set up by the local police. There's something going on behind the scenes, and it has to do with Freddy Russel's death, along with a cover up that's tied into the FBI. Both men quickly realize that they're going to need some outside help, if they want to solve the mystery. Russel's old friend, Jim Bob Luke (BAD CHILI and CAPTAINS OUTRAGEOUS) who's an ex-Green Beret, a master of the Korean martial art Hapkido, and is now a private eye in Houston, is called in to help find the answers. It isn't long before all three of them begin to understand that the answers they're seeking are going to have a high price. The answers will involve both a ring of people that make snuff movies and death on a massive scale. Before the novel is over, Richard, Ben, and Jim Bob will have to take the law into their own hands, charging in with guns blazing, killing the scum that torture, rape, and murder innocent women for fun and profit. COLD IN JULY, as Mr. Lansdale might say, is true East Texas noir. Filled with plot twists that keep the reader constantly on his/her toes, the journey from beginning to end is one of adventure, edge-of-your suspense, intense violence, down-to-earth humor, and an array of memorable characters that stay with you long after the story is finished. In many ways Jim Bob Luke steals the entire show. He's egotistical, over-confident, fearless, the best at what he does, funny in a redneck sort of way, and as deadly and fast as a striking cobra. Jim Bob certainly needs to have a novel of his own! One thing that I've notice after reading several of Mr. Lansdale's novels is that he writes extremely strong female characters. Ann Dane is not only beautiful and highly intelligent, she's almost as tough in her own way as Jim Bob Luke is. She's not afraid to get down and dirty and to do what's necessary

While the book starts out reminding the reader of The Executioners by John D Mcdonald, it doesn't take long before Lansdale quickly turns out one of his classic twists and takes you on another ride into the dark.This is one of the first books that I ever read by Mr. Lansdale and I have been hooked ever since. I recommend it highly.

A very entertaining read. Early Lansdale, and you can tell that he's still finding his voice, but it's a lot of fun. Funny dialogue and suspenseful situations. Well worth reading. Good to see where Lansdale came from.

COLD IN JULY starts out with a bang - literally - when everyman Richard Dane is forced to shoot an intruder intent on robbing and possibly murdering his family. Never having murdered someone, Richard is having a hard time of it. He's replaced the bloodstained couch and painted the wall but he still can't forget that awful night. Overwhelmed with guilt, he attends the funeral of the small time crook and is spotted by the dead man's dangerous ex-con father. Dear old Dad is none too happy with his son's murderer and while he's not dumb enough to come right out and say it he alludes to what a shame it would be if something were to happen to Dane's four-year-old son. An eye for an eye and all that. This is only the beginning of Dane's weird introduction into a world chock full of bizarre goings-on. Dane's quiet little life will never be the same as he comes face to face with the darkest side of human nature. Although COLD IN JULY is by no means a light book - it's dark and as suspenseful as a books gets - the best thing about it is it's well drawn, flawed characters and the wickedly funny dialogue. I would excerpt some of my favorite lines but going back through the book I realize they're all pretty nasty. Lansdale's humor probably isn't for everyone but those who like humorous, earthy dialogue will be in for a good howl.

Take two guys with an old-fashioned "stand up for what's right" western mentality, stick them in a situation with no clear-cut right and wrong, and watch them work through it. That, in a nutshell, is Cold in July. It's a book that will crawl around in your head a long time after you read it