I picked up a new collection of stories by John L. French, When the Devil Drives from Bold Venture Press. I have mainly been reading his pulp hero-inspired works, but I know he had done others. These are more weird and supernatural stories. There are 15 stories, plus a poem. seven are reprints from between 1973 to 2023, the rest are original to this collection.
The first story is about a vampire looking for a new “home.” It’s a different take on vampires that I thought was interesting. I’m not a huge fan of vampires, and don’t care for most “new takes” on them, which usually gives us nonsense like Twilight.
The next is another short tale on the dangers of “free stuff.” There is always a price.
We get the first of five zombie tales in this collection. The first one is more voodoo than The Walking Dead. A junkie that is killed before he is able to reveal info on a semi-major dealer. The ME will reappear in French’s Bianca Jones series, which I have not read.
The second one has an end-of-the-world/rapture occurring. Then the dead return. But not trying to eat the living, just trying to get on with “life.” In this tale, one of them goes to the police to get them to solve a murder. His own. How does that work out?
And we get a trio of more traditional zombie-apocalypse tales. First is one where zombies wash up on the beach in Maryland. “Needs Must” centers around the rescue of an important doctor and her two young sons. The next one is a sort of sequel set 10 years later with the main characters, “When the Devil Rides.” The last one, “Life Plus,” is set in the same world where zombies have become a fact of life, with a misguided girl. And we learn that a “cure” was created for the zombies. Sort of. And more.
“The Monster of Sheltonville” was co-written by the late C.J. Henderson, and is part of his humorous “Challenge of the Unknown” series, available in a collection from Bold Venture. This is about a TV series inspired by shows like In Search Of and Kolchak: The Night Stalker. Here our reporters are after a sea serpent in the Chesapeake Bay area. I am reminded of his series of cryptid stories I reviewed, but there is no connection.
We get a Christmas tale about getting what you wish for. A lot of times we don’t get what we wish for. And some get it. How does this affect others? Set in a bar named Clancy’s Pour House, it’s also the setting for another story in the collection.
In “Skull Pajamas,” we get a story about guardian angels and the titular skull pajamas.
I mentioned French’s Bianca Jones series, and we get a short story with this police detective who focuses on more supernatural cases. This one centers on a missing person with occult overtones.
Harbor City, which has been the setting of various stories, is also the setting of “Brighid’s Fire.” This one centers around the Druid who protects the city and follows a Celtic goddess. And some of the people who cross her, including one who has gotten into the occult. Who like to see more stories with this character?
We get a dark diesel-punk story in “No Man’s Land.” And we get a weird tale about a clown, Chuckles.
It’s a good collection of stories. They are a good mixture of different kinds of genres, though all are “weird.” You might not like all of them, but hopefully most will appeal to you. If you like these stories, consider getting into some of his other works, such as his pulp heroes like The Nightmare, Devil of Harbor City, The Grey Monk, and others like Bianca Jones and Jericho Syn.
Carl Kolchak, the Night Stalker, makes a guest appearance in “Monster of Sheltonville.” The intrepid reporter locks horns with Marv Richards, host of ‘Challenge of the Unknown,’ when someone gets the clever idea to read a black magic spell live on network television. C.J. Henderson mentioned he always pictured ‘Challenge’ as an ABC-type program.