The Ultimate Lifestyle Shopping Experience: Horrorstor

Have you ever discovered a new author, gotten really into their book, praise them as a new find to anyone who’ll listen, puffing out your chest because no one else knew about them? You can go on for weeks about your discovery, and how they should be praised from the mountaintops and given movie deals and so on. Well, that’s my story with Grady Hendrix. (‘No one else’ in these stories usually means ‘tons of people, just not you’).

Awhile ago I came across his amazing history of 70s and 80s horror, Paperbacks from Hell, and was instantly hooked on his writing style. Then, last year, I received My Best Friend’s Exorcism for my birthday, and that’s when I rushed to the mountaintop.

I suddenly found out he’s been around for some time and has several novels under his belt, as well as a handful of movie scripts, with more to come. (If you don’t have Shudder, use the trial to watch Satanic Panic. It’s a lot of fun.)

So, properly chastened, I did…absolutely nothing. I didn’t edit out my mountaintop-shouting from my Exorcist review, nor did I stop recommending his work. And then, something happened. Valentine’s Day brought me his first novel, Horrorstor, a tale of a branch of Orsk, an Ikea-type store in Ohio that has more going on than it seems. People, even longtime employees, are easily lost in its mazes of furniture. There’s odd graffiti in the restrooms and unpleasant smears on the display furniture. (Big box stores? Graffiti? A tinge of unpleasantness? What could be more American?) Of course (Of Orsk?), I was instantly hooked.

Horrorstor is, in a nutshell, a lot of fun. We’re introduced to our protagonist, Amy, who has volunteered to spend the night in the store with officious deputy store manager Basil and another co-worker, Ruth Anne, to figure out why these things are happening each night.  We soon add two more employees to the mix, and off we go into a maelstrom of mind tricks, strange noises, and handcuffs. (Yes, handcuffs. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.) At the risk of giving too much away, I’ll just say that, once the plot takes off, and truths begin emerging, it’s a wholly satisfying ride.

Grady’s writing always holds a lot of heart, and our band of Orsk employees (‘Have a Question? Just Orsk!’) are never less than fully developed characters, people the reader can empathize with and understand. Amy is a college dropout, and feels trapped in her life. Gentle, older Ruth Anne, with a smile for everyone, has no life away from work. Basil, who toes the company line and comes across as overly strict, has very good reasons for doing so. There are no clichés here.

 As we move deeper into the story, and deeper into the night, the theme that emerges is one of being trapped by one’s circumstances. Amy needs money for rent. Ruth Anne wants to eventually retire. Basil needs to keep everyone (and the store) in line. This extends into the night, as they stumble upon the Beehive.

Horrorstor will grip you from the start, and keep you fascinated through its relatively short (roughly 250 pages) length. While it lacks some of the emotional intensity of My Best Friend’s Exorcism, it’s endlessly creative and will keep you on your toes throughout. Oh, and make sure to read the product descriptions that begin each chapter. They’re a hoot. 4 out of 5 Armchairs.