When most people think of Jack Ketchum, they think of horror. You think of horror again when you read a book blurb that sounds like a more realistic, friendlier version of Pumpkinhead. So hey, it’s a horror story right?

Well, not really. Life has decided to stop being predictable after all. Red is much more than the typical revenge story it touts itself as being. Av doesn’t believe a crime can’t be forgiven, but he doesn’t believe in scapegoats, liars, or not manning up to your mistakes and accepting responsibility. This story stands on the shoulders of a larger one which is slowly revealed to the reader.

The protagonist is an older widow with only his small self-owned store, empty house, and old dog left. They keep each other company as they’ve aged together and seen their loved ones pass on. The sympathy stake is buried firmer since his wife died tragically, and the dog was a birthday present from her to him. It’s not just anger at the act, but at the senselessness of it that gets to both Av and the reader who follows him on the ride.

Ketchum writes with a slow, sweeping grace. His writing is literary, but I do hold qualms with some of his sentence lengths and comma aversions the first few chapters. Thankfully this settles down.

I applaud the slow, believable progression of anger. The blurb reads like it’s a classic revenge tale, but it’s really not. The story is more intricate that you’d believe as he goes through every channel he can to try and see the boys admit to what they did and apologize. It’s not just about punishment and getting revenge, but something for the senseless act, even if it’s only an admission of guilt. The psychology behind this comes out as the story unfolds and why this is so important to the man.

The ending is heartbreaking as it reaches its inevitable conclusion, all that could be avoided, as the consequences swing to full closure on the karma wheel.
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I think I actually preferred the second novella, The Passenger, to Red. That's not to say I didn't enjoy Red. Maybe it's because Passenger feels an easy need for thrills and chills with a tidy, if sadistic, ending. Red disturbs you at a lower level as you try to interpret Ludlow's motivations, which are not as straight forward as a simple revenge story. He is a man dealing with resonating deaths that echo through his life, so when he finally calls for justice, it is not just for his dog but for his life. ( )

A nice, quick read that kept me interested the entire way! "Red" is just plain and simple - don't fuck with a man's dog. Especially an old man and his old dog!
The second part of this book is the novella "The Passenger" which adheres to the old saying, don't hitch a ride - even in an emergency! Janet does, and well, all hell breaks loose for her! And quite a ride it turns out to be!
Good reads both, and definitely worth the time! ( )

Another fantastic story!! This guy is the best author I have ever read!! ( )

Finished this in one sitting. Not a very long novel, but Ketchum managed to develop characters in his slightly over 200 pages to a degree that many novels don't do in three times that length. This is one of those novels that stays with you for some time. Out of the blue, it will come to mind and I'll find myself lost in reflection on some aspect of the story. Novels that stay with you like that are rare and this is one that I won't soon forget. I knock half a star off simply because I wanted to know more of the back stories on the boys....but man what a great read. ( )