Review: “The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires”

Y’all know I love a good horror story. Typically, stories focus on one central terror with maybe a social issue or two highlighted if the author is any level of “woke.” Grady Hendrix is not a typical author, and “The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires” is not a typical horror story.

I don’t know how Hendrix managed to stuff some of my worst fears in a single story, but he did. The novel centers on Patricia Campbell – a wife and mother doing her best to be a “good Southern woman” in Mount Pleasant, S.C. … in the early 90s. That scenario alone is enough to give me anxiety and palpitations.

The societal judgment and expectations placed on women during the 90s was incredibly unrealistic, and it was downright horrific for Southern women. Throw in a hefty dose of classism and racism, you this book is already a horror show. But did I mention the vampire-like creature preying on children in a poor, black neighborhood. Y’all … Y’ALL!

I enjoyed this book. I really did. It was a great suburban horror. But I definitely had more than one moment where I had to put it down and step away from it.

CONTENT WARNING: There are instances of sexual assault, involuntary institutionalization and child harm in this book. Hendrix handles them carefully and does not include these scenes in a way that feels frivolous or gratuitous. They are integral to the plot and are part of what make this a horror story. That being said, if that isn’t your jam, you might want to skip this read.

This is one of the most disturbing books I’ve read in a long time – and I narrate horror fiction! If you’re a horror fan, definitely pick up “The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires” … and read at your own risk.

4 out of 5 stars