Reporter Lacey Allen senses a story when Elsie Hoffman asks her about ghosts.  Elsie is the owner of a local supermarket and the pranks by an unseen force begin escalating to a deadly level, leaving Lacey on the run. Author Scott Bradley wants to help but can he save her from what can’t be seen?

BEWARE is not for those with weak stomachs.  Richard Laymon doesn’t hesitate to portray the stark details of such horrific events as rape, murder, and torture.  However, BEWARE doesn’t glorify the darkness but rather propels the reader to see the effects of such malevolence in sharp contrasts.  The rape scenes are particularly brutal but Laymon offers up the hope of seeing a survivor emerge from evil.  The reader is thus able to see the ray of light shining despite the sense of hopelessness the rapist is aiming for.  Please note, however, that the rape scenes are not easy to read as Laymon certainly knows how to evoke strong emotions.

BEWARE is also flashback to the horror of youth, when slasher flicks prevailed and being scared of what you couldn’t see made perfect sense.  More than once I wanted to scream at a character about not making such a stupid mistake. But isn’t that part of the fun of reading a horror novel?  The cathartic effect of sensing such evil, practically experiencing it, and surviving, knowing that you, the reader, would certainly never do such things.  It provides a sense of safety.  Richard Laymon is one of the masters of the horror genre and BEWARE is a perfect example of why.

Publisher: Leisure (Dorchester) Reissue November 2008