Review - Jokers Club by Gregory Bastianelli

Jokers Club by Gregory Bastianelli

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Blurb from Goodreads

Diagnosed with a brain tumor, Geoffrey returns to his hometown for a reunion of the Jokers Club (his childhood gang) with the hopes of unearthing the imagination he held in his youth. Upon arriving, he discovers the creative juices that drove his writing many years ago surround him: the tombstone salesman who chisels out names of the dead, the far-sighted barber with the bloodstained smock and the reclusive Tin Man, just to name a few.

Unfortunately Geoffrey’s tumor quickly worsens, bringing on blackouts and hallucinations where he encounters the spectral figure of a court jester who had been his muse as a child. The jester inspires Geoffrey’s work on his manuscript, fueling his writing at a ferocious pace. The dead and the living co-exist in the pages of Geoffrey’s story, in a town where time seems to be frozen in a past that still haunts the present.

When one of the gang is found dead it rattles not only his group of friends, but everyone begins to look at each other as possible suspects. Will the pounding growth in Geoffrey’s head be held at bay long enough for him to discover who is targeting his friends, or will the pages in his unfinished novel rewrite history?

My review

A wanna be author heads back to his hometown for a reunion with his old pals, he has a brain tumour and would like to pen down a story and decide what he will do in regards to his health. Geoffrey is our story teller and jumps from present day to past and recounts his tales of happiness and horror he experiences with the jokers club.

Sometimes the jump from past to present is really easy to follow and understand but other times you have to go back and re read as it gets a bit confusing. Also he has hallucinations followed by flashbacks to the past and again it takes a read back or two to find out what is going on.

There is a horrific scene of animal torture and whilst I have read far worse in horror books I think it is worth giving potential readers a heads up so as not to get a nasty suprise.

The pace of the book is good and the childhood flashbacks are neccessary to what leads up to present day events and some of it gives good insight into the characters. There is a good few twists and turns that will keep you guessing right up until the last few lines in the book. The parts I liked in this book I really liked but the few things I didn't like I really didn't so all in I give it a 3/5.

Definately worth a read if you like suspence/thriller/horror type reads, available on Amazon for £7.51 in paperback or £4.32 on the kindle.

As always thanks goes to the author for giving me the chance to read his work and I will definately keep an eye out for his other work.



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