Serial Killers Incorporated by Andy Remic

Meet Callaghan, a hard-drinking, drug-fuelled, womanising no-good son-of-a-bitch. He’s the amoral hardcore photographer for Black & White, the tabloid rag that tells it as it is. Or at least, how it should be.

Callaghan’s in way too deep with Mia, his Mexican stripper girlfriend… and even deeper with Sophie, estranged wife to Vladimir “Vodka” Katchevsy, infamous Romanian gun-runner and self-eulogising expert at human problem solving. People start to die. And Callaghan’s caught in the middle. A situation even his Porsche GT3, Canary Wharf Penthouse suite and corrupt politician contacts can’t solve.

At the nadir of his downward spiral, Callaghan is approached by a man: a serial killer who brings him a very unique and dangerous proposition…

Serial Killers Incorporated by Andy Remic is the first release from the new e-publisher Anarchy Books.

Callaghan initially comes across as a self absorbed hedonist. He is all about number one. He is only really interested in something if he can ride it, drink it, screw it or stick it up his nose. When we first meet him he is the classic anti-hero. The rest of the world can go to hell as long as his appetites are sated. As the plot develops however, it becomes evident that he is more than that. Behind his manly bravado he is a decent soul who is growing more and more appalled by the senseless violence he has to witness. Serial Killers Incorporated vividly tracks Callaghan’s journey of self discovery.

The other character that really stood out for me was Volos, the enigmatic serial killer. He is magnificently sinister and my first reaction was one of disgust. His origins and motivations remain unknown for a large chunk of the novel and I really liked the sense of mystery that surrounded him.

I’ve read all of Mr Remic’s work and this is without doubt one of the darkest things he has ever written. It is brutal and raw and I was immediately caught up in it. Characters suffer physically and psychologically, no-one walks away unscathed. The secrets that are exposed have lasting effects and repercussions. I think it’s fair to say I was totally unprepared for where the novel ended up.

A word of advice, this is not a novel for the faint of heart as it deals with some very adult themes. The violence is graphic and unrelenting, the sex is explicit and the language is enough to make my mother blush. I should point out that my mother has a mouth on her like a sailor on shore leave.

With the massive changes that have a occurred in publishing over the last few years and the continuing rise of ebooks it is very encouraging to see authors embrace new technology in such a whole hearted fashion.  Andy Remic has proven with this novel that the potential exists to make reading a far more immersive experience than it has been in the past. By incorporating other media like music and film, there is a sound track that can be purchased to accompany the novel, we are getting to see the first glimpses of reading 2.0 in the mainstream.

I will continue to follow Anarchy Books with interest and look forward to reading, watching and listening too their future output. Serial Killers Incorporated is available now from the Anarchy Books website.

Check out the book trailer below. Be warned, it’s wonderfully gruesome.