Gary McMahon - The Concrete Grove

[H_P_Saucecraft]

Gary McMahon - The Concrete Grove (Solaris 2011)


Another library find. Very few new horrors that interest me in there, but a few more seem to be creeping in now, though the horror section is still overwhelmed with paranormal romance crap (to think, they used to have loads of Masterton & Smith).

This one looks promising & I've added it for a possible review or at the least I'll add some comments.Think I may have read one of Gary McMahon's short stories in best new horror.

Cover & Blurb

Vincent Chong

[dem]

amazed this one has found its way onto the library shelves! our local 'Idea Store' still has the occasional Masterton (the later stuff) and, if you're lucky, a recent Simon Clark or two but that's about it. Even Richard Laymon has gone missing in recent months. Gary McMahon has contributed four very strong stories to the Black Book Of Horror. if you read Concrete Grove would appreciate if let us know what you make of it, Dave.

[H_P_Saucecraft]

I'm about 30 pages from the end now & as long as the ending doesn't let it down, it's definitely recommended.

The council estate from hell, ruled pretty much by loan shark Monty Bright & his henchmen. Built on the site of a grove of trees worshipped by the Romans, something is still there, picking up on the negative energy of the place.

There's Lana, now on the estate after her husband dealt with gangsters he became involved with, by shooting them then shooting himself. She owes money to Bright, but will suffer anything not to let him at her daughter Hailey.

There's also Tom, caring for his paralysed & paranoid wife, who lost the use of her legs after a car crash with her lover. Tom is resentful, yet cares for her out of a sense of duty, but thinks of her as a sea cow/mannatee (there's later scenes where he sees one, very reminiscent of the Austrailian film 'Long Weekend')

The beings themselves, are a presence throughout, yet subtly at the edges. There's a real sense of the place being hopeless & something entirely wrong with it. I was getting a feeling of Saxon (Sean Harris film - & I could well see him playing Tom if The Concrete Grove were filmed) & Aphex Twin - Come To Daddy video (especially the room full of dead TVs that Bright seems to see something on & the estate in general).

I've really liked this one so far & look forward to the next book in April (it's planned as a Trilogy).

[H_P_Saucecraft]

I forgot to tie this one up. The ending doesn't disappoint, similarly to Horns, it has a bittersweet one, it may not work out completely how the characters would want it, but it's a fitting one. Also forgot to mention there's Machen influence, with some of his concepts covered & Monty Bright having a portrait of the man in his office.

Another modern horror worth bothering with (they are out there).