Listen to Me Now
Listen to Me Now
By A.I. Nasser
The Sexton’s musings (spoilers are likely):
I’m going to start this one out by saying that A.I. Nasser is an excellent writer. I enjoy his style and structure. I have read two other short stories by him previous to this short novel. Polly’s Haven and This is Gonna Hurt. Both were well written and I have written reviews on Amazon for both stories.
As for this story, there is nothing that irritates me more than an unfaithful partner and this one wastes no time involving that particular element. It’s less about the act itself than the weakness of character that rears its ugly head. John Kirk, writer (romance novels), husband, father….adulterer. At his editor’s recommendation, as he has a very bad, three year case of writers block, he goes to a small New England town to see if a change of scenery can help him breakthrough. Unfortunately it seems that the house has an effect on him right away and he starts hearing a voice that ultimately aids him in sluffing off his writer’s block, unfortunately the story that this voice helps him write is a true story about what occurred to the last of the Dean family. It takes him less than a week to hop into bed with the daughter of his next door neighbor. This is not to say that at first he tried to refuse her flirtations and advances. She knows he’s married because he makes sure that she sees his ring. This however does not stop her from coming to the house at 1AM under the guise of wanting to see the house (apparently daddy does not want her near the house) and ends up stripping off her clothes and he just gives in and fucks her, and this is only the first of three times that this happens. Both parties here are guilty. I understand that the house is more poisonous than a coral snake and that there was some influence on John in this situation but let’s face it…the first time was three days into his stay at the house. It wasn’t having THAT much of an effect on him. And as for her…Eva, a little rich bitch that is used to getting what she wants. So he’s a weak dumbass and she’s a spoiled fucking slut. Oh and based on her description she’s a dime a dozen these days. There are beautiful women all over the place now…all you have to do is go online or even to the mall as makeup has advanced to the point of lies. Her only advantage is that she’s young. Through all of this he is writing thousands of pages every day with the help of the house of course. Which for him is the ultimate and because of the help he is getting he is listening to the little devil on his shoulder more and more.
Now an interesting thing occurs when less than 8 hours after his second booty call with the slut puppy his wife shows up ready to stay for a couple of weeks. Ouch buddy…gonna be hard to get laid now…oh wait…you have a wife that you can spew your man seed all over…why don’t you try that for a while! As the house tries to get John to get rid of his wife by cutting off the story ideas, Karen his wife falls under the spell of the house. Specifically the ghost of Ava Dean who just happens to show Karen what her husband has been up to, on top of, slapping against, riding. This information gives Ana power over Karen, especially when she confronts John and finds out that it’s all true, allowing Ana to possess Karen partially. Filling her with rage and thoughts of revenge.
While I think Ana is as pathetic as John in her weakness I have to say I am impressed with the attack she launches on the slut. Now I know that Ana’s motivation is related to the long standing hatred that her family has had with the Greens for multiple generations and the betrayal that occurred between her husband and her friend Martha Green while Ana was alive but really this situation was not all that different for Karen. Honestly I think the little bitch got off easy. Her death was relatively quick. Personally I though the attack on her was the best part of the book. I agree with Ana in that there are consequences to ones actions and eventually behavior like the kind Eva was participating in will catch up and bite you! I don’t believe Karen would have ever done what she did under the influence of Ava and I think that Ava absolutely used Karen to get at the Greens but it was a mutually beneficial arrangement.
Then of course David Green is all up in arms…thinks he owns the town and can be a shit to whoever he wants…well that shit backfires on him too. Second favorite part of the book. Wink wink….
After those two are taken care of that is where my tolerance for Ana and Karen stop. The death of June is shit! She had nothing to do with any of it…not even the events that had gone down in the past. It’s completely tragic and sad. I am glad that she didn’t get to Hank. June and Hank were the most likable characters in the entire thing.
There is one key character that I have not named and that is John’s editor Derrick Fern, the person that gave him the key to the house. Now, Derrick’s involvement in this seems innocent enough however it does seem that if John Kirk had not written that book that he had, the publishing company that Derrick works for would be out of business. Good motivator if you ask me. And as it turns out, you won’t know how Derrick gets keys to the place unless you get the Kindle version that has the bonus epilogue (that’s what I’m calling it) that tells the story of how Derricks mother came in possession of the house, thus leaving the keys to Derrick after her demise. There are reviewers on Amazon that state that this is a waste but I disagree whole heartedly. Really I think it should be part of the book and not bonus content. Sheriff Walter Garland mentions talking to Derrick Ferns mother in the main story and if you are anything like me that would peak your interest. Plus I feel like having this information makes the main story more solid, the reader has a better understanding of Ana’s reaction. It also give some closure as to what happens to Samuel and Ava Dean. Without this little 12 page bonus none of these things become known, leaving a lot open. I have nothing against stories that leave things open allowing the reader to make their own interpretations and assumptions but in this case I think that the bonus info adds to the story, not detracts.
This lunch size portion of supernatural suspense is worth a read. Just remember Ghoulies, it’s worth having the butter on your toast so try and find the version with the bonus content.
