Reaping the Dark is the first work by Gary McMahon that I have read, and I am very favorably impressed. The story about a freelance getaway driver has elements of both a suspense thriller and a supernatural horror story. Clarke, or Driver Z as he is professionally known, is hired as the getaway driver for a huge heist that goes terribly wrong. Only he survives with the money, and he makes a plan with his pregnant girlfriend to flee the area a start live anew. Unfortunately, the master criminal behind the robbery figures out where Clarke is hiding and kidnaps his girlfriend – with the instructions to join him (and the girl) in a rundown area of town later that night. What originally starts out as a fast-paced adventure thriller turns into a white-knuckle horror story as the three individuals find themselves hiding within the deserted, run-down building while a demonic creature stalks them outside. The reason? The group who was robbed just happens to be a secret order of satanic cultists.
McMahon has a fine ear for dialogue and characterizations. Clarke and his girlfriend, while borderline sociopaths with brutal pasts, have a humanness that is quite believable. Their concern for their unborn child is remarkably normal. When the “bad guys” are talking, there is nothing forced or over the top. The dialogue rings true – in a manner that you would think a group of people with antisocial personality disorder would speak. I actually found myself caring for safety of all of the characters – McMahon is that good in generating empathy.
The pace of this novella is quite swift, and the author has you turning the pages wondering about the outcome. As the supernatural elements take over, the sense of danger escalates and you are at the mercy of the author’s narrative ability. And the ending – well, it had a nifty surprise twist. Overall, a great tale.
McMahon has a fine ear for dialogue and characterizations. Clarke and his girlfriend, while borderline sociopaths with brutal pasts, have a humanness that is quite believable. Their concern for their unborn child is remarkably normal. When the “bad guys” are talking, there is nothing forced or over the top. The dialogue rings true – in a manner that you would think a group of people with antisocial personality disorder would speak. I actually found myself caring for safety of all of the characters – McMahon is that good in generating empathy.
The pace of this novella is quite swift, and the author has you turning the pages wondering about the outcome. As the supernatural elements take over, the sense of danger escalates and you are at the mercy of the author’s narrative ability. And the ending – well, it had a nifty surprise twist. Overall, a great tale.
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