Johnny Gruesome

by Gregory Lamberson

Book Overview

Johnny Grissom--nicknamed Johnny Gruesome by his high school classmates--is a heavy metal hellion who loves to party, watch horror movies, and get into fights. One winter night, Johnny's car, The Death Mobile, is discovered submerged beneath the icy surface of Willow Creek, with Johnny's waterlogged corpse inside. The townspeople believe that his death was accidental. But soon the murders begin--horrible acts of violent vengeance that hint at a deepening...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1934755451
• ISBN13: 9781934755457
• Release Date: October 2008
• Publisher: Medallion Press
• Length: 342 Pages
• Weight: 4.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 4.9" x 7.9"

Customer Reviews

Way Too Much Fun For One Book To Contain!

This book really reads like a great horror film from the eighties, with author Gregory Lamberson directing it like one of the masters. While the story might seem a bit familiar, it's Lamberson's economy of words that rockets the reader forward in this classic revenge tale. There is no fat to be found in this story, anywhere. You're immediately propelled back into the good old days of high school peer pressure, only this time, you get to experience the dishing out of brutal punishment through the eyes of our villain. I enjoyed the fact that even though Johnny is hurting people, you still feel empathy for him and understand the reasons for his slaughter, twisted though they may be. Fans of the movie Return Of The Living Dead should take note and celebrate and pick up a copy of this book fast. This is one of the most entertaining horror novels I've read in a long time. Simple yet effective, it has all the right beats and delivers all the goods. You won't be disappointed.

Lamberson Gets Gruesome.

The main feeling I got from Johnny Gruesome was the good, slimy fun that comes with a decent revenge horror novel. And I'm pretty sure that's what Gregory Lamberson was shooting for with Johnny Gruesome. It's not literary horror, and I doubt that's what he wanted. But you do get a really good revenge novel that tips its hat to zombies and mayhem in general. Johnny Grissom is a Heavy Metal teen (Nicknamed Gruesome) who likes to party, hang with his friends and occasionally beat up the not-so-cool jocks that plague his school. Something bad happens one night while he's out riding around with his friends, and he winds up dead, then becomes undead and out for revenge on all who did him wrong. The interesting thing Lamberson does with the character of the undead Johnny Grissom, is that he makes his actions the kind you find yourself both rooting for and condemning. You're on his side, and at the same time you cringe at some of the stuff he does. Alongside the main character of Johnny Gruesome is his girlfriend Karen and his best friend Eric, and another detestable character named Gary. Murders start occurring and bodies start showing up in the most `gruesome' ways imaginable. What follows is your basic plot of a town that goes bonkers in fear of what's happening, and non-stop action the last hundred pages of the book. This is a good, Halloween read. Lamberson makes sure all the elements of creepy, weird and gory are installed in this novel. And Medallion Press did a great job with the cover art and overall look of the book-and hey, the price is a nice one, too. With all the horror novels that come out priced way too high, you can't afford to pass this one up. So strap yourself in for a fun, gore-filled ride to hell and back with Johnny Gruesome.

AWESOME-- WOW!!

Loved this book. Couldn't put it down. I am now a huge fan of Gregory Lamberson. This is a "gotta read" book.

vivid gruesome horror thriller

Although they are polar opposites Red Hill high school students John "Johnny Gruesome" Grissom and Eric Carter are best friends; at least the latter thinks they are. Also clinging to Gruesome as if they are groupies to a rock star are his girlfriend Karen Slatter and dealer Gary Belter. Whereas Gruesome is angry at the world and recently at God since his mom died, Carter is making plans to go to college. In icy Willow Creek, Johnny is found dead inside his Death Mobile car. The townsfolk assume he drove too fast on the wintry night. However, soon after his corpse is recovered, gruesome murders by a particular vicious avenging serial killer haunts the town. With the sounds of a car engine revving and a laugh from hell, those who hurt Johnny Gruesome are being mutilated. Eric, Karen and Gary have reasons to worry that their late leader is coming for them too as they believe he knows what they did. JOHNNY GRUESOME is a vivid horror thriller that hooks the audience from the moment John's mom waits for him with open arms at the top of a heavenly light, but the angry teen says no and with determination returns to his autopsy body. He becomes a sort of thinking doing zombie ghost who as his body rots continue his terror quest. It is the details that make Gregory Lamberson's thriller exciting and fun to read in a gruesome way. Harriet Klausner