The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires

Title: The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires Author: Grady Hendrix Genre: Supernatural Thriller Audio: Bahni Turpin Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Whew. Slow breath. This marks the beginning of my journey into the world of Grady Hendrix. He honestly flew under the radar for me, and that is a crime. The story is incredibly complex and yet easy to follow, so my discussion might be a bit longer. No worries, I won’t reveal any significant plot points, which should help keep things from getting too out of hand. Our protagonist, Patricia Campbell, tells this story from a limited third-person point of view. Patty (as her friends call her) is the picture-perfect wife, mother, and Southern lady… or so we think. To be frank, Patty is somewhat dissatisfied with her home life and career choices now that her kids are getting older, having left nursing to be a housewife. I’m not entirely sure if she genuinely wanted to do this, especially since her husband, who is a psychologist, can be pretty manipulative and completely overbearing. I must admit, the men in this book made me so angry that I could practically taste the rage. I had a strong and immediate dislike for almost every single one of them in this book, so consider yourself warned. If themes like misogyny, abuse, and manipulation bother you, then this story may not be for you. Getting back to Patty… As an avid reader, Patty was part of a book club, but the books they chose felt dull and uninspiring. After being selected to lead a book discussion on a novel she hadn’t read (and being totally humiliated when caught), she started her own book club, where they could discuss true crime and serial killer books. I know. I know., I know. I, too, wished to be a member of that book club. But the introduction of the book club is the last semi-normal thing that happens in this book, so buckle up. Now, I will tell you that this book is noticeably manic in all the best ways. I experienced a range of emotions, from tears and laughter to outbursts of anger. The humor had me in stitches. The uncomfortable horror elements were effectively juxtaposed with deeply moving social commentary about economic inequality, racism, gender power dynamics, toxic religious undertones, narcissism, and domestic abuse, making for a powerful and relevant narrative. These themes were expertly integrated into the narrative and never felt overdone. I was so engrossed that I listened at all hours, and last night, for the first time in my reading journey, I wore my headphones to bed and listened to the ending in the dark. The moment it was over, I remained there, contemplating the ending and understanding its purpose. It’s important for me to mention Bahni Turpin as well! This woman’s performance was incredible, as she played a whole cast of characters, drawing me in so completely that I forgot it was a single narrator. For audiobook lovers, this one is a must-listen. It truly was remarkable. Sigh. I honestly believe that Grady Hendrix trapped lightning in a bottle with this story, and I'm left with a book hangover, the kind you savor. I assure you, The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires will become a beloved treasure on your bookshelves. Happy reading, and keep the windows closed and the lights on.

“The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampire’s” is a bit of a misnomer. You don’t really get a “guide” and there is just the one “vampire”, and the lore around that particular vampire is unlike any I’m familiar with. But that was part of the fun of this book. Or, not fun, as this was an intense commentary on gaslighting, sexism, and racism in Charleston in the early 90’s. Or as intense of a commentary as a white man can make, but I think the point was infuriatingly well made. And while there is no mystery around the vampire, even if it takes these housewives awhile to see it for themselves, the writing was easy and creepy and managed to make me absolutely rage at all the right places. This book really was a look into just how vital the invisible support system of running a household is, the overlooked emotional labor, and just how overtly that gets taken advantage of, in no small part thanks to the burden of hospitality ingrained in each of these women. This was my first book by this author so I was a bit hesitant at first as horror is hit or miss for me, but I thoroughly enjoyed this satirical horror story. I am a new mom and a big true crime fan so already the ladies in this book resonated with me. These moms, despite being very different from one another, are all easy to like and root for. And it’s also very easy to wish every single one of their husbands would burn in a fire. And that’s before the “villain” shows up. But really, James isn’t just a vampire. He’s a symbol of the socio-economic divide between communities. The fact that no one cared about what he did in the poorer, predominately Black neighborhoods until it started to affect the upper-class white neighborhoods, for example. It would have been nice if Mrs. Greene was more of a main character for that very reason, but as Patricia was the only main character in the entire book club, I’ll try not to get hung up on it too much. This book is satire, and while some people may claim it feels more like the 1950’s instead of the 1990s, I KNOW a lot of places in the South still operate the way Hendrix portrays this community (I lived in a suburb of New Orleans for a few years and can attest to that). Hendrix may be the only male writer I’ve read that really captured the utter rage and frustration of how these women are constantly talked over and how condescending their husbands are to them. I honestly went to bed mad so many times because of it, but that was also the point, so kudos to the author there. However the book is a bit slow in the middle. Which is why I am giving it 4 stars; the pacing was my only real issue. It felt like it took such a long time for the housewives to go up against James in, as Hendrix says, “Dracula vs. my mom” once Patricia knows what she’s up against. When the showdown did happen, it was perfectly gory and unsettling and Patricia and Kitty were so clutch that I was mentally clapping for them the entire time. Even Slick and Grace, who I liked the least, had my sympathy at the end and I wanted nothing more than for them to win. Well, maybe not Grace so much, but I liked how Ms. Greene called her out, too. The ending was a little bittersweet, but it also felt right for the characters and their families, as well. All this to say, not only did I really enjoy this book, but I’m excited to read more by this author in the future!

Though he’s regarded by some as drenched in irony and snark, I’ve never found Grady Hendrix’s forays into horror to be less than great, embracing all sorts of horror tropes with the ease of an expert, all while finding some way to marry the themes of the horror to something larger – the dangers of defining yourself by your work in Horrorstör, for instance, or the way that we grow apart from our friends as filtered through demonic possession in My Best Friend’s Exorcism. And in Hendrix’s hands, The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires turns from a typical vampire novel a la Salem’s Lot (mysterious stranger comes to small town, etc.) into an exploration of motherhood and what it’s like to try to find your way through parenting when you can’t even find time for yourself. That metaphor isn’t quite as tight as usual for Hendrix, which both frees up the book to go in different directions but also makes it a little looser in terms of structure, with some odd beats that never quite feel tied into the novel. (I can’t help but feel there was more to the story of our main character’s son than ended up in the final version of the story, where it simply feels disquieting but also unresolved.) But the result is a pretty fun tale about a group of suburban women who start bonding after they start a book club that’s less pretentious than the “official” one, becoming tight friends and each other’s lifelines when life is hard. And when a young man named James Harris moves in down the street, as good Southern women, they want to reach out, but, well, he’s never that active during the day, and the windows are darkened… Hendrix nicely leans into the dramatic irony brought about by the name of the book, letting the reader be aware of what’s going on well before the main characters, but that doesn’t stop him from taking the idea of vampires into far more unexpected territory, as Harris both plays to the desire for money by the men folk and the willingness of a small town to overlook crimes happening in the Black neighborhoods of the city. Indeed, if there’s another central conceit to the novel beyond the motherhood one, it’s the reframing of the vampire not as the romantic Count Dracula, but as the wandering serial killer, one without ties, human morality, or any connection to the world around him, and in doing so, Hendrix gives us a vampire that’s both true to our ideas of the creature and yet doesn’t remind us of anyone but himself – a hard thing to do in vampire fiction these days. I really enjoyed Book Club a lot; yes, the book isn’t quite as thematically tight as Hendrix’s other works, but it gains from the way that that looseness allows Hendrix to take the plot into ways that examine classism, sexism, racism, parenting, suburbia, and more, all while never forgetting that he’s delivering a horror novel and has to bring the goods on that front. And he definitely does here, with a few knockout sequences that show that there’s more to Hendrix than the unfair labels that have been put on him by some. For my money, Hendrix is four for four, and Book Club is just further proof that he’s not just a lover of pulp horrors, but a solid writer for any horror fan to enjoy.

Overall this was an entertaining read. If I could I would give it 3.5 stars rather than just 3 but the star entry doesn't allow me to do that. It was an easy read and fairly entertaining. There are some scary parts but mostly gross parts with bugs and rats. The blood doesn't happen until the very end of the book. This is more like a black comedy I would say since there are some zingy one liners in the middle of some dramatic moments. Having lived in the South and driven to Charleston area to spend weekends, I'm very familiar with the overprivileged characters in the book. They men are somewhat lazy too. Some of the characters just run their inherited plantations and don't have jobs, like Horse and his wife Kitty. Yes his name is actually Horse. Their son is Pony...this is also typical of that region. The women do everything their men say and I found that to be annoying but maybe in that time that happened? It was only in the 90's. I will say that the economy has changed and many women do have jobs now but a lot still stand by their man...or something I noticed even while living in Charlotte, NC. There characters are also extremely gullible and stupid. You are almost rooting for the vampire at times. He does get them into some shady business deals but also gives them more opportunity like telling Carter to start his own private practice or selling some of the land that Kitty and Horse own in order for them to raise money. The women are also willing to turn their heads to the fact that Black children are going missing and all signs point to their neighbor the vampire but in their minds, they don't seem to care because the vampire is making them rich. This is an easy beach read but know none of the characters are likeable other than Miss Mary who warned them all from the beginning and Mrs. Greene the housekeeper who has to do all the heavy lifting at the end.

I first became aware of Grady Hendrix a number of years ago, when he gave his Paperbacks from Hell presentation at a Writer's Retreat I attended, and the man was funny. Downright hysterical. I don't remember the last time I laughed so hard. So naturally, I assumed his books would be just as funny. So on my next trip to the bookstore, I grabbed a copy of Horrorstor... And hated it. The book just wasn't funny. No, wait... I take that back. There were maybe two funny lines in the entire book, and they occurred very early on in the book. Like maybe Chapter 1. Possibly Chapter 2. The rest was a slog with a bunch of very unlikable characters. I wanted to give the author another chance, though. I mean, everyone is entitled to have an off day (off book), so it was with some reluctance that I picked up The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires. It was described as Steel Magnolias meets Dracula, and I like both of those, and while it didn't WOW! me, I did end up enjoying it more than my previous excursion into Hendrix Country. The premise is nothing new: handsome stranger (James Harris), who is not who or what he claims to be, worms his way into the lives of a close-knit community, while on the outskirts of town, children are either disppearing or committing suicide. The events happen to coincide with each other, but is he responsible? Patricia Campbell eventually stumbles onto the man's secret and takes it to her book club, and it's up to them to put an end to his reign of terror. But it's not as simple as it sounds because Patricia can't come right out and say the man is a vampire. Who would believe here? They don't even want to believe her when she accuses the man of being a child molester and a drug pusher who's selling drugs to children. It takes her three years to finally gather enough evidence, but even then they're reluctant to believe her because Mr. Harris has so firmly ingrained within their circle as an upstanding citizen, best friend and business partner to their husbands, and becomes idolized by their children. And as long as he doesn't hurt those within the community, that he continues to target the "poor" part of town, they're content to look the other way. But Patricia won't let it rest, and it's only when he attacks one of the book club members and sets his sights on Patricia's children that they decide something needs to be done. While the book isn't as funny as I wanted it to be after seeing Hendrix's presentation, it does have its moments that had me chuckling, and it was 100x better than Horrorstor. There's a large cast of characters you need to keep track of, not all of which are likeable, but if feel like Hendrix drew a line on the floor and told all the good characters need to be on one side, and the bad characters on the other, and after everyone had chosen their sides, it's pretty much guys vs girls, which pretty much reflects the southern society of the time. I did find the pacing to be inconsistent. The book starts of strong, but about halfway through, it flatlines, at least for me (at this point I almost put the book aside), and doesn't pick up again until you're about three-quarters of the way through, at which point it moves like an express train toward the climax. Would I recommend it? If you only read "serious" horror, I don't think this is the book for you, but if you don't mind your horror on the light side with a smattering of humor, it's definitely worth checking out. 4/5 stars But now I need a tie breaker. Which Hendrix book should I read next? Hmmmm...

I have read three of his books. Two hits and one miss. This is an entertaining book with suspence, a little horror, characters I liked and a couple I disliked a lot, and that is because of the good writing. Would definitely recommend! I wouldn't consider it horror but I could see how some might. There are some dark somewhat scary sections, but nothing too bad. The title alone made me want to read it. Thinking about proper southern women hunting a vampire made it worth giving it a chance. It makes me want to have my brother and sisters get a copy and have our own book club.

Hey there book lovers! It is your old pal, Ninetoes, coming at you with a review of Grady Hendrix’s The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires. I got my thinking cap on, coffee in my system, so let’s do this! I love vampires, the kind of vampires that will rip your head off to suck the bloody stump and not the sparkly ones. I am always on the hunt for a new take on the vampire novel, and that is exactly what I got with The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires. Patricia is a member of a book club in Mt. Pleasant, SC. The book starts where she is a bundle of nerves because she is next to do a presentation for the book club, and she never read the book. A million reasons came up as to why she did not read it. When she falters with her presentation, she finds that she is not the only one who did not read it. The leader of the group is upset, and the group shuffles out. In the parking area, Patricia comes across a group of women who are reading a true crime book instead. The kind you find at the supermarket with pictures in the middle. They form their own club, and they are off to the races. In the meantime, Patricia is attacked by an elderly neighbor, who bites a chunk out of her ear. The neighbor dies and Patricia does the thing most southern ladies do…she bakes a pie to bring to the nephew. When she delivers the pie, she finds the nephew in a sorry state, to the point that she thinks he is having a heart attack. Her nursing instincts take over and she “saves” him. This starts a journey that Patricia will never forget. Her new neighbor is different. Strange things start happening on the outskirts of town. Young children disappear or kill themselves. Her mother-in-law is killed by a swarm of rats. And Patricia starts to feel like she is slowly losing her mind. Slowly the truth begins to come out. It takes all Patricia has to convince her friends of what is really going on. The question is can a group of middle-aged ladies who belong to a book club stop the evil that is menacing their town? This book rocks! Grady Hendrix brought me back to a time in my life when I lived in North Carolina, and he nailed the very essence of the Southern way of life in this book, AND he gave me such a wave of nostalgia that I am still riding it! The pace is consistent to the point that there is no lag in the middle and I lost all track of time. It is the kind of book as when you get deeper into it, the lights dim around you, and if you have a pet/spouse/kids/partner, and they tap you in any way, they will have to peel you off the ceiling. I give this book 6 bookmarks out of 5! Yes, it is that good! How good? I might just be buying this as Christmas gifts for all my friends!

Wow! What started off as a bit of a campy, light-hearted, Southern-fried horror tale turned very dark (and went way deeper than I expected). Set in Charleston, SC, the ladies are old-fashioned housewives of the 1980s -1990s, but if you have ever lived or traveled there, you will know that trends move slower in the South. Reading murder books at book club is how the ladies get some excitement in their life. At first, we are treated to some hilarious "Southernisms" and anecdotes in the beginning of the book. Everyone is eating cheese straws, shopping at the Piggly Wiggly, delivering casseroles, reading Redbook, and keeping their houses up to par. Until, one night, Patricia happens upon her elderly neighbor, Ann Savage, eating a raccoon while she is taking her trash out one night. I died laughing when Patricia's response was a well-cultivated "May I help you?" Patricia is attacked and has her earlobe bitten off. Pretty soon all hell breaks loose from there. Ann Savage's mysterious nephew moves into her home and begins wreaking havoc. James Harris is a vampire, and a unique one from the typical throat-biting Dracula model. Fighting the monster is just half of the horror, though. This book is a story of dual horror. One story line concerns the "ordinary" lives we lead. The relationships we cultivate, and what is left when things get hard. The horror themes from the everyday lives were the terrible instances of abuse, gaslighting, and manipulations that the husbands all engaged in over their wives. There is the theme of money, power, and corruption. There is the theme of racism and murder in the South. It is a much heavier and deeper book than I expected it to be going in. If you are paying attention, there is a lot to think about from a friendship/relationship perspective here. If you are paying attention, much of this book will make you angry. After all, you expect a monster to be a monster, but we don't expect our husbands and our friends to be monsters. The ladies are flawed and late to take action as well, and sometimes it is hard to like them. Quotes that I kept for my reading journal: P. 61: "Everyone knew that any place up north was roughly the same: lawless, relatively savage, and while they might have nice museums and the Statue of Liberty, people cared so little for each other they'd let you die in the street." P. 77: "What are you reading that other people didn't pick out for you?" P. 224: "My family is my rock," Slick said. "You've never lost everything. I have. Let Destiny's mother worry about Destiny. I know you think this makes me a bad person, but I need to turn inward and be a good steward to my family right now. I'm sorry." P. 228: "You're on your side," Mrs. Greene said. "Don't ever fool yourself about that." P. 270: "No one cares about us out here except when they need us to clean up their mess." P. 351: "Let me tell you something...there's nothing nice about Southern ladies." P. 363: "I am singular in this world. I am what you people make legends from."

A fun read with great characters. I found some part a little too disturbing, but a credit to the author for making my skin crawl. I enjoyed the visualization and could really place myself in many of the scenes and the Charleston setting. There were clever lines, and a funny parts. I was angry at the book club ladies that they let so much time pass, but it also showed how powerless they felt. James Harris is a vampire, and a unique one different from the typical throat-biting Dracula model. Fighting the monster is just half of the horror, though. This book is a story of dual horror. Not just the obvious vampire trope, also the story line concerning the "ordinary" lives we lead. The relationships we cultivate, and what is left when things get hard. The horror themes from the everyday lives were the terrible instances of abuse, gaslighting, and manipulations that the husbands all engaged in over their wives. There is the theme of money, power, and corruption. There is the theme of racism and murder in the South. It is a much heavier and deeper book than I expected it to be going in. If you are paying attention, there is a lot to think about from a friendship/relationship perspective here. If you are paying attention, much of this book will make you angry. After all, you expect a monster to be a monster, but we don't expect our husbands and our friends to be monsters. The ladies are flawed and late to take action as well, and sometimes it is hard to like them ... but they are relatable.

Lo leí en kindle y me encantó tanto que a fuerzas debía de tenerlo en físico y en cuanto vi que hay una versión pasta dura, no lo dudé nadita. Viene protegido, cero detalles, un poquito sucio de las hojas pero le da ese encanto de libro de librería. Es un libro de casi 400 páginas pero en cuanto lo empiezas a leer ya no lo sueltas. Me encanta. Una lectura 100% recomendada!!!

Full of suspense but also funny - excellent novel. Grady Hendrix is the only male writer I know who really gets women.

«He thinks we’re what we look like on the outside: nice Southern ladies. Let me tell you something…there’s nothing nice about Southern ladies.» 🔎SINOPSIS: Patricia Campbell siempre había planeado una gran vida, pero después de dejar su carrera como enfermera para casarse con un médico ambicioso y convertirse en madre, la vida de Patricia nunca se sintió más pequeña. Los días son largos, sus hijos son ingratos, su esposo está distante y su lista de tareas pendientes nunca termina. Lo único que tiene es su club de lectura, un grupo de madres de Charleston unidas únicamente por su amor por el crimen y el suspense. En estas reuniones, es más probable que hablen tanto del reciente asedio de Waco por parte del FBI como de los altibajos del matrimonio y la maternidad. Pero cuando un extraño se muda al vecindario, las reuniones del club de lectura se convierten en especulaciones sobre el recién llegado. Patricia se siente atraída inicialmente por él, pero cuando algunos niños locales desaparecen, comienza a sospechar que el recién llegado está involucrado. Ella comienza su propia investigació y lo que descubre es mucho más aterrador de lo que esperaba. Las amas de casa de su club de lectura son las únicas personas que se interponen entre el monstruo que han invitado a sus hogares y su comunidad desprevenida. ✏ OPINIÓN: Este ha sido uno de mis primeros thrillers/terror y he agradecido el toque sobrenatural que es una dinámica con la que estoy acostumbrada. Si bien la historia me ha parecido super interesante, el libro se me ha hecho largo y pesado a ratos, sobretodo hacia mitad de la historia y hasta las últimas 50 páginas que son lo realmente bueno de este libro. Creo que el autor pierde demasiado tiempo en construir el ambiente sueño de los años 90 y complica demasiado las cosas a lo largo de sus relato para llegar a un final esperado, pero sin duda bien articulado y redactado. No ha sido una mala introducción al mundo del suspense, pero creo que no he podido vivir la experiencia al completo porque en ocasiones el libro me ha aburrido. Aunque considero que para los amantes del géneros esta es una muy buena lectura. Resaltar como se retrata a los vampiros en esta novela, que aunque tienen algunos del los clichés de siempre, se agradece la perspectiva y definición diferente con la que lo aborda. Del mismo modo, la supresión y posterior empoderamiento de la mujer a lo largo del libro ha sido una grata sorpresa.

J'aime beaucoup le style d'écriture de cet auteur, à la fois drôle, effrayant et critique à l'égard de la société.