The Donut Legion: A Novel
In this standalone, Edgar-award winning author, Joe R. Lansdale, whom "few can match" (Booklist) beams a light on an East Texas town where a QAnon-style, evangelist cult is brewing trouble. Charlie Garner has a bad feeling. His ex-wife, Meg, has been missing for over a week and one quick peek into her home shows all her possessions packed up in boxes. Neighbors claim she's running from bill collectors, but Charlie suspects something more sinister is afoot. Meg was last seen working at the local donut shop, a business run by a shadow group most refer to as 'The Saucer People'; a space-age, evangelist cult who believe their compound to be the site of an extraterrestrial Second Coming. Along with his brother, Felix, and beautiful, randy journalist Amelia "Scrappy" Moon, Charlie uncovers strange and frightening details about the compound (read: a massive, doomsday storehouse of weapons, a leashed chimpanzee!) When the body of their key informer is found dead with his arms ripped out of their sockets, Charlie knows he's in danger but remains dogged in his quest to rescue Meg. Brimming with colorful characters and Lansdale's characteristic bounce, this rollicking crime novel examines the insidious rise of fringe groups and those under their sway with black comedy and glints of pathos.
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Community Reviews
Not being a fan of cult stories, it’s highly unlikely that I would pick up a book about a bunch of doomsday, space nuts who believe that aliens will invade the world and that only one man (it’s almost always a man) can save them, if they follow his orders and beliefs. I have absolutely no sympathy, and very little patience, for supposedly sane and responsible people who willingly become obsessed slaves to some idiotic, narcissistic, criminal, @$$#*!%$ with a God complex. There’s already too much of that stupid nonsense in real life, I certainly don’t want to waste my precious free time reading about it. However, the one thing that was the deciding factor for me was this paragraph:
Brimming with colorful characters and Lansdale’s characteristic bounce, this rollicking crime novel examines the insidious rise of fringe groups and those under their sway with black comedy and glints of pathos.
Knowing that the author intended to amuse and entertain the reader by making fun of this type of scenario was definitely something I knew I would enjoy. And enjoy, I did. This was another one of those books that hubby told me I had to go and read out in the living room, if I was going to read it at night, because my laughing was keeping him awake.
The book summary lays out the premise for the primary storyline, so I won’t repeat it here. Pretty much from the get-go, Lansdale’s introduction of the MC’s has me chuckling or cracking up over the chemistry and interactions between the characters as well as the scrapes they get themselves into. There’s Charlie, a former police officer turned mediocre writer, his brother Felix (LOVE FELIX!!!), a former psychologist turned private investigator, Felix’s girlfriend, Cherry, an attorney that Felix affectionately calls “The Shark”, and Amelia “Scrappy” Moon, a former dental hygienist who wants to write a book about the “Saucer People”, the doomsday space nuts who believe that aliens will invade the world and that only one man can save them, if they follow his orders and beliefs. All of this taking place in east TX, where large groups of people believe that the perfect planet is a “planet where they can wake up with plenty of guns, food and supplies and be made whole again.” (Lansdale’s words, not mine). LMAO, only in TX😂
For most of the story, Charlie and his motley crew spend their time investigating the cult as well as the disappearances of Charlie’s ex-wife, Meg (who he’s still in love with), and her current husband, Ethan. They hook up with a cult member, Kevin, who works at a donut shop where the cult launders their money. Kevin ends up dead after providing Charlie with info on the cult as well as Meg and Ethan’s participation. This is not a spoiler because it’s revealed early in the story.
The second half of the story reveals the depths and extent that the cult’s power as well as their control over many of the town’s residents, businesses and even some of the police department. Charlie and his gang, along with the Police Chief Nelson (one of the few on the force who is not a member of the Saucer People), and his dog, Tag, discover some important evidence that takes the investigation into a different direction that suddenly makes it a whole lot more dangerous for all of them.
Now, I know a lot of people won’t like that I did this, but the dog doesn’t die. I know I always want to know that info whenever a dog is introduced into the story (especially a story about a bunch people who are absolutely cray cray), and I know there are others like me who like to know too. The ending seems to come pretty quick after this and while it was a little sad and heartbreaking for some and got a kind weird at parts (but still hilarious), it was a satisfying end.
This story was definitely a rollicking examination of insidious fringe groups and those under their sway. It was also brimming with colorful characters and black comedy. Lansdale is a pretty good writer and storyteller with a wicked sense of humor too. This was the first book I’ve ever read from Lansdale, but it definitely won’t be the last. I’ve already checked out his other work and added another book to my to-read list. I want to thank NetGalley and Mulholland Books, for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
@NetGalley @MullhollandBooks @TheDonutLegion
Brimming with colorful characters and Lansdale’s characteristic bounce, this rollicking crime novel examines the insidious rise of fringe groups and those under their sway with black comedy and glints of pathos.
Knowing that the author intended to amuse and entertain the reader by making fun of this type of scenario was definitely something I knew I would enjoy. And enjoy, I did. This was another one of those books that hubby told me I had to go and read out in the living room, if I was going to read it at night, because my laughing was keeping him awake.
The book summary lays out the premise for the primary storyline, so I won’t repeat it here. Pretty much from the get-go, Lansdale’s introduction of the MC’s has me chuckling or cracking up over the chemistry and interactions between the characters as well as the scrapes they get themselves into. There’s Charlie, a former police officer turned mediocre writer, his brother Felix (LOVE FELIX!!!), a former psychologist turned private investigator, Felix’s girlfriend, Cherry, an attorney that Felix affectionately calls “The Shark”, and Amelia “Scrappy” Moon, a former dental hygienist who wants to write a book about the “Saucer People”, the doomsday space nuts who believe that aliens will invade the world and that only one man can save them, if they follow his orders and beliefs. All of this taking place in east TX, where large groups of people believe that the perfect planet is a “planet where they can wake up with plenty of guns, food and supplies and be made whole again.” (Lansdale’s words, not mine). LMAO, only in TX😂
For most of the story, Charlie and his motley crew spend their time investigating the cult as well as the disappearances of Charlie’s ex-wife, Meg (who he’s still in love with), and her current husband, Ethan. They hook up with a cult member, Kevin, who works at a donut shop where the cult launders their money. Kevin ends up dead after providing Charlie with info on the cult as well as Meg and Ethan’s participation. This is not a spoiler because it’s revealed early in the story.
The second half of the story reveals the depths and extent that the cult’s power as well as their control over many of the town’s residents, businesses and even some of the police department. Charlie and his gang, along with the Police Chief Nelson (one of the few on the force who is not a member of the Saucer People), and his dog, Tag, discover some important evidence that takes the investigation into a different direction that suddenly makes it a whole lot more dangerous for all of them.
Now, I know a lot of people won’t like that I did this, but the dog doesn’t die. I know I always want to know that info whenever a dog is introduced into the story (especially a story about a bunch people who are absolutely cray cray), and I know there are others like me who like to know too. The ending seems to come pretty quick after this and while it was a little sad and heartbreaking for some and got a kind weird at parts (but still hilarious), it was a satisfying end.
This story was definitely a rollicking examination of insidious fringe groups and those under their sway. It was also brimming with colorful characters and black comedy. Lansdale is a pretty good writer and storyteller with a wicked sense of humor too. This was the first book I’ve ever read from Lansdale, but it definitely won’t be the last. I’ve already checked out his other work and added another book to my to-read list. I want to thank NetGalley and Mulholland Books, for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
@NetGalley @MullhollandBooks @TheDonutLegion
