The Bone Parade

Enter the world of artistic sculpting. Lauren Reed teaches sculpting at Bandering University in Portland OR, using many structural forms including sandstone, duct tape, wire, and bronze. She is visited by Ry Chambers, a handsome journalist writing a book about the top sculptors, who interviews her for his book. Lauren's student, Kerry, has been chosen to intern with the renowned Ashley Stassler, bronze sculptor of the 'Family Planning' series, and next on Ry's interview list. Stassler is famous for the twisted and contorted bodies of his bronze work, each series depicting torturous pain. How does he manage such perfect work? By using real models, of course. Ashley Stassler is a serial killer, kidnapping entire families and keeping them caged beneath his barn, where his Bone Parade dances in frozen eternity. He first molds their bodies with special diet combined with built-up tension and terror, then creates his masterpieces. When Kerry arrives, she is surprised that Stassler puts her up in the huge, empty house on his ranch, informing her that he lives in the guest quarters above the barn. Kerry discovers that Arizona is perfect for her hard-core biking, and meets a young man named Jared who she quickly falls for. Soon, Kerry finds more than she bargained for when she goes hunting for Stassler only to find him busy at work. Now Kerry is in the cage too. When Lauren hears about Kerry's disappearance, she travels with Ry to Arizona to search the Stassler ranch and find Kerry, for Lauren doesn't believe Stassler's story of Kerry's mishap on a bike path any more than Jared does. The search is on, and though Stassler is a suspect, there is not a fragment of evidence to support Lauren's claim that he had anything to do with Kerry's disappearance. Will Jared find Kerry? Will Lauren? Or Ry? How is 'Family Planning #9' coming along? Is Stassler really as impenetrable as he thinks he is, or has someone learned how to manipulate him the same way he manipulates his corpses? 'The Bone Parade' is a great serial-killer thriller, but definitely bloodier and more descriptive than the average thriller, leaving itself a lovely red notch in the horror genre. I found Mark Nykanen's prose to be more stilted than it was in his previous novel, 'Hush', which works well for the psychopathic Stassler but not so well with Lauren or Kerry. This tendency of Nykanen's had me skipping pretty quickly through the third-person telling of Lauren and Kerry, rushing to the first-person POV chapters of Stassler. Kind of like pulling the cheese out of your sandwich and eating it first. Overall, I really enjoyed 'The Bone Parade' and didn't feel much need to compare Nykanen's work with Harris's. Stassler is as psychotic as you could ask a villain to be, and his methods of madness are graphically portrayed and uniquely frightful. Enjoy!

I just loved this book. I've been reading horror novels for the last 20 years and haven't been this knocked over by a book in a very long time. I read the whole book in 2 days. Mark Nykanen is a true dark horror writer, and has given me hope since the passing of my next favorite author, the late great Richard Laymon. Mr. Nykanen gives such spine tingling descriptions of the most torturous, achingly painful and fear-inducing physical and mental trials, I actually felt some of the victim's fear. My breathing became quicker, and my heart rate increased parallel in time with the characters' fear, his writing is that crisp. His villian is suave, intelligent, and very much an everyday person on the outside-always the best "monster" in books, for real people are indeed the scariest monsters of all. Great analogies between perception and reality in art and life, fantastic sexual imagery, and some true surprises and twists I couldn't have predicted. Do yourself a favor, if you're seeking a real creepy trip into a world so bizarre it seems real, buy this book. It is one of the best I've read in years. His other book "Hush" is also incredible, with one of the cruelest psychopaths ever invented.

I have been around some, two tours in vietnam, police officer, government security, etc., and thought there wasn't an author out there who could get to me. Wrong. Mark Nykanen's Bone Parade is simply wonderful in it's genre. Phooey on the comparisons to Red Dragon, etc., this one stands in it's own spotlight as a truly literate, frightening and original (yes, original - rare these days)tale of madness, obsession, art, love, courage and other worthwhile traits in his characters.Buy this book now and keep the lights on and the doors locked while you read......better yet, hide all the statues, graven images, etc. Maybe they are looking at you.

Nykanen's writing has been favourably compared to that of Thomas Harris, and after reading "The Bone Parade", I can see why. Nykanen has written a tightly paced,deeply disturbing, and brilliantly constructed story, and Ashley Stassler stands shoulder to shoulder with Hannibal Lecter as one of the darkest (yet strangely enduring) psychopaths ever conceived. Lauren Reed is a strong, intelligent protagonist, and Diamond Girl will no doubt go down as of the most repulsive, fascinating, and unique characters ever imagined by an author. While "The Bone Parade" is definately not for the faint of heart (one chapter in particular is absolutely terrifying), it gives a fascinating insight into one man's "heart of darkness". A dark, hugely entertaing read - I cannot recommend it enough!

Enjoyed might not be exactly the right word for how I felt in reading this book, but it was certainly thought provoking and hard to put down. Stassler, the sculptor, was particularly strong. Having been involved in art myself, I thought Stassler's thoughts about his sculpture were very believable, though evil in the extreme. The dynamics among the Vanderson family was intriging -- especially Diamond Girl. I am hoping to find out more about her in a future book.