This affront forced the onlooker to compare and judge with extreme prejudice the beauty that should have been and the ugliness that was … – Line from Suzanne Smith’s “The Scalp Collector”
I have been a major fan of Suzanne’s writing ever since I first read “The Mortal Vampire” in the “Mystic Desire” anthology. https://virginiawallace.com/2020/08/21/mystic-desire-a-review/
Having read most of her published works, I can tell you that there are two earmarks that are always present in her writing. The first is her flowing, descriptive style. Good writing isn’t over-dramatic, nor does it call attention to itself. You often don’t realize that you’re reading good writing precisly because you’re reading good writing. Suzanne’s words are a powerful portal to another world, one so mesmerizing that you hardly even notice the portal that led to it.
The second earmark of Suzanne Smith’s writing is her morally ambiguous characters. She has a knack for making even the worst characters relatable, and finding an element of darkness in the best ones.
Both of these characteristics merge in the wickedly irresistable novella “The Scalp Collector.” It starts off a deliberately deceptive ‘true crime’ note, and—somewhere along the line—evolves into a tale that would give Thomas Harris the willies. The forensics and police procedures become almost incidental when placed alongside the maelstrom of horrors swirling in the characters’ heads.
Fans of The Silence of the Lambs, Primal Fear, and Seven will love this book! And, naturally, fans of Suzanne Smith will love it as well. The Queen of Dark Romance has now moved into psychological horror …
Be afraid.
Be very, VERY afraid!
Meet Suzanne Smith here: https://virginiawallace.com/2021/03/03/a-chat-with-suzanne-smith/
Take a peek at some of Suzanne’s older work here: https://virginiawallace.com/2020/11/21/the-brute-and-i-by-suzanne-smith-a-review/
Order “The Scalp Collector” here: https://www.amazon.com/Scalp-Collector-Suzanne-Smith-ebook/dp/B0C31GC6BF
Many thanks Virginia! Your kind words are a true inspiration.