Review - The Rack & Cue by David Owain Hughes

Synopsis -

Welcome to the Rack and Cue, a traditional pub handed down through the generations and set off a now beaten track.

When a hellish storm hits, closing most roads and barring their way home, travelers seek shelter at the Rack and Cue. Enticed by tasty beer and delicious homemade food from the owner, Porky, the weary outsiders mingle with the local patrons, bikers, and hustlers. The promise of a hefty cash prize also prompts them to join the yearly winner-takes-all pool tournament set to start that night.

But all is not as it seems. Losers of each round disappear and never return, and the competitors find they may be playing for their lives.

And as the tournament nears its close, chaos erupts, and vicious visitors with dark secrets come seeking vengeance.

Review -

An old English pub and an annual pool tournament. What could possible go wrong? Plenty, and while it might not be fun for the participants, it's certainly a ton of fun for the reader.

The Rack & Cue reads like two different stories melded together, but in this case, it's a good thing. Just when you think the story is coming to an end, Hughes delivers Part II, with the gore and bloodshed taken up a notch. Given what went down in Part 1, doing that was no easy task.

The characters in this book, specifically Baby and Venom, are fantastic, and the twist that comes in the second half is one that completely blindsided me. This is a must read for gorehounds, but not necessarily for pie lovers. Trust me, you'll never want another meat pie in your life.

An absolute blast of a book that you can pick up by clicking HERE.

5 stars out of 5