There’s Something Wrong with Joey by S. Lee Glick, sleeglick.com
Genre: Horror
Length: 242 pages
Date Published: Published in 2022
Publisher: Atmosphere Press
Reviewer: Dave Rank, director@novelbookcamp.org
Three out of Five Stars
There’s Something Wrong with Joey by S. Lee Glick is an ambitious horror novel about demonic possession, the corruption of the extended Luchk family, and the boundless ensnarement of evil. A picaresque tale told by teenager Simon set in the 1970s and largely centered on the descent of his 10-year-old first cousin Joey Luchk.
First touched by a supernatural force in a county fair fun house, the small and usually timid Joey later falls under the influence of a Voodoo-possessed mask that slowly overwhelms Simon’s cousin with psychopathic impulses.
“He was different that summer, and we were all mighty wary of him. My cousins were concerned where Joey’s gently, loving self had gone.” – Chapter 5, Page 44.
In the ensuing months and years, Joey draws his siblings and cousins into his web of murderous revenge and horrific atrocities some do not survive and permanently haunting the rest of the family. “It could kill us and break us apart or make us solid. We had each other’s back to the end. We had no choice.” – Chapter 8, Page 70.
I must pause here to praise the remarkably good cover art of the 242-page book graphically draw in blood red, shadowy black, with white fonts.
Glick’s book is subtitled The Uncut Version and unfortunately the story could benefit from a thorough trim by a concientious editor. Typos, grammatical issues, and repetitive phrasing, the bane of self-published works, hamper a reader’s enjoyment of this book.
Published this year, There’s Something Wrong with Joey is Glick’s third book following The Testament and Six Haunting Tales.
About the Reviewer:
Author, editor, recovering journalist, in 40-plus years Dave Rank has published hundreds of articles and more than 35 short stories and flash fiction pieces. Founder and director of the nonprofit Novel-In-Progress Bookcamp & Retreat writing programs. A member of several writer organizations, he joined the Wisconsin Writers Association in 2009.
