Wow, this book is nuts!

Extremely violent, a little weird, and very good, this one will take you on a wild ride.

It did take me a little bit of time to love our characters, and one of them (Felix) does like to drone on a bit, but the story was a good one.

Expect non-stop bang and stab and slurp.

Not for everyone, but definitely one for me!

Apparently this review did not post and I thought it did; just happened to notice when I decided to go through my NetGalley shelves. I actually DNF this book about 25% in. I gave it a few tries and just could NOT get into it. I've read and really enjoyed Chop Shop by this author (and also through FlameTree) so I have every confidence that I will pick up another book from this author. I am giving it three stars instead of 2 because I am quite certain it's a me thing and not a book thing.

4 Stars!

Andrew Post quickly won my attention with his first book, Chop Shop. It may have been the fact that he is a local author writing about places that feel familiar that caught my attention. I would like to think that it was the story that caught my attention, though as it was just a fun book to read. When I heard that Flame Tree Press was publishing a new novel by Post, Mondo Crimson, I knew it was a book that I wanted to read.



Melanie was a simple car thief given the job of stealing a rental cr. It was a simple job except for the fact that the car was rented to a contract killer, Brenda, and she was not about to give up the vehicle without a fight. The two women come to realize that there is more to this seeming coincidence than meets the eye. Someone was trying to kill them and that someone was the man who hired them. Felix Eberhart had been in the game for a long time. He had been running contract killers for longer than most of his employees had been alive. He has now found something even more powerful than killing for money. He has discovered the Mondo Crimson. Now it has become the center of his everything and there is only one thing that he can do to satisfy his need: tear everything down and devote his life to the Mondo Crimson.



Mondo Crimson is the blood of a recently deceased person that is filled with adrenaline and it is the most powerful drug in the world. Felix, with his network hitmen and other criminals in his employ, was in a prime position to become a supplier of Mondo Crimson. But to do so, he needs to enter into a darker world and tear down the criminal empire he spent years building. With the help of his misled protégé, a hitman named Merritt, Felix has laid the plans to turn all of his employees against each other and watch as the Mondo Crimson begins to flow. His employees, however, have other ideas and Felix soon finds out that even the best laid plans do not come easily when the criminals have a mind of their own.



Mondo Crimson is a lot like Chop Shop in that it is not really a horror novel although it does have a lot of horror elements in the story, especially the Mondo Crimson aspect. The idea of blood being a drug is not a new one but Post puts a spin on the premise that keeps it interesting but that also made me wonder a little bit. If Felix wanted to keep the drug coming, would it not have made sense to keep his criminal empire in place? It almost seemed as if he had the means to keep the blood flowing in his control but was determined to get rid of it. This did bother me some and took away from my enjoyment of the novel as I could not quite figure out his motives. This novel also is similar to Post’s previous novel in that it is mostly a crime thriller as the main part of the story is really about a group of criminals who are turned against each other and have to try to figure out how to survive while killing off the competition. This is where the novel shines and the main characters of the story, especially Brenda and Melanie, keep the story moving along and drew me into the narrative.



Mondo Crimson is a fun novel to read and has made me look forward to Post’s next novel even more. There is a lot of action in the book, the characters are a bit larger than life but still close to realistic, and the plot has many twists and turns to keep it fresh. Fans of traditional horror my not like the novel as much as I did as it really is more of a dark thriller than a horror novel but there is enough horror to satisfy most fans of the genre. If you like your action bloody and a little twisted, Mondo Crimson is sure to thrill. Post is a writer on the rise and there is a step forward in the construction of this book over Chop Shop although I thought it lacked a little bit of the urgency that was in that novel. The future is bright for Post and Mondo Crimson is a great way to jump into his twisted world.



I would like to thank Flame Tree Press and NetGalley for this review copy. Mondo Crimson is available now.

4.5 Stars

Mondo Crimson reads like a crime novel for the majority of its ride, which seems like it should be pointed out to readers looking strictly for horror; this title has been marketed to look like a horror release, but I wouldn’t consider it as such. While, yes, it does contain elements of horror - namely, the fact that the big baddy and his crew love drinking blood flowing with adrenaline - Mondo Crimson is ultimately about some contract killers and less-violent employees in the business being set on one another to close up shop. Luckily for me, I’m a big fan of crime fiction, so this was right up my alley.

You have four characters in the spotlight: Brenda (a contract killer with sociopathy and/or ASPD), Mel (an acting mechanic of sorts working off debt), Merritt (another contract killer, this one a weirdo and possible pedophile), and Felix (the big boss who has decided to get out of the business as his blood addiction gets increasingly bad). All of these characters work well in their roles in the story, but Brenda and Merritt were my favorite. Both of these characters are vicious killers who, essentially, feel nothing for others. Brenda has a husband and children, but doesn’t love them - that’s all pretend, just like much of her public life. And Merritt killed both his brother and father as a child, yet still lives with his mother who hates and fears him. That dynamic is an enjoyable one whenever it comes to play.

The story itself is, admittedly, a little messy in the way it is presented. The timeline jumps around a bit, but I never got lost along the way. For the most part, I was very much invested in everything going on. And even though I have not yet read Chop Shop (Post’s previous Flame Tree release), it was made pretty clear that the Amber character - that shows up for about thirty pages - is from that book. I really enjoyed this connection, as sliding characters and locations into other stories not directly tied together is something that excites me in reading and writing. Not only was her brief role an entertaining one that did not feel forced, it also increased my interest in reading Chop Shop soon, now that I know I like Post’s writing.

The horror stuff doesn’t really find its way into the story until Part Two. That half way mark in the book is actually a really disturbing and interesting one, and is followed by some gruesome chapters. The whole sequence in which Merritt catches up to Brenda and Mel at the side of the road was rather exciting, especially in its end. The finale at Felix’s house is also a great one, and bloody.

I only had a few small complaints along the way, none of which really dampered my experience. Now that I know what Andrew Post can do, I’ll be keeping my eye out for his other work. I had a lot of fun with this dark and disturbing story, and definitely recommend it for anyone who enjoys the genres of crime and horror being blended together.

**
Highlights: A strong foundation in crime fiction … a solid and interesting theme of addiction that appears in several ways … great cast of characters

Shadows: A couple sections that slow down the excitement … I wanted the mosquitos to play more of a role … jumping around the timeline may make some readers angry

For fans of: Crime and horror blends … stories about fixers … stories about sociopaths … dark and disturbing reads

Takeaway: Mondo Crimson finds its home in crime fiction, but spreads its wings by incorporating a use of violent addictions, like getting high off of blood. It's twisted, aggressive, and even a little wild … a thoroughly enjoyable and unsettling ride.

Would I read this author again? Yes

Mondo Crimson by Andrew Post is a story that is rather an odd combination to be truthful. On one hand it can be rather graphic and on the other you find yourself laughing at the dark comedy there is going on throughout. It has been likened to a Pulp Fiction type of book which I really get!
The book begins with a car thief, Melanie, being given her next job, to find a certain vehicle. When she discovers who owns it, the fun begins! The owner is none other than a hit woman, Brenda. This in itself is no problem, the fact that they are both working for the same person...Felix Eberhart, IS! They begin to consider the possibility that Felix was hoping that both women would kill each other. Melanie also finds out that every person in Felix's network from car thieves down to drug runners have also been set upon each other, this creates a question of why? The women make it their business to find out.
If you are a reader who is unable to stomach violence or sex in a pretty graphic way, maybe don't even try this book! Although there are plenty of graphic moments it does fit really well into the story. Not just thrown in for the sake of a bit of this and that. Although it is not a run of the mill book, I enjoyed this strange, quite different book. I was thrown into the world of Melanie and Brenda and, although these characters aren't people I was sure of, I loved my time in the crazy underworld I found myself in.
I never knew which way the story was heading, it seemed like one that could run of at a tangent at any moment, but I thought it was a great way to make the reader feel. Kept me on point I tell you that. There are no half measures with this book, it requires 100% of your attention 100% of the time, or you are lost. One of them books that you read the first page amd it's either a yes or no. A brilliant plot with characters that are not always likeable but you need to find out what is going on. A different read for 2020s different time.
Thank you to Random Things Tours and Flame Tree Press for my copy of the book for my review today.

I found it quite entertaining and had fun at reading it.
I liked the characters, the world building and the plot.
It's the first book I read by this author and won't surely be the last.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

“Mondo Crimson” was twisted, creepy thriller that takes you on an unforgettable ride.

The story mainly revolved around four characters, Brenda, Mel, Felix, and Merritt. Frankly, I enjoyed all four of them. Felix is a crafty villain who was very entertaining in a negative role. He manipulates the others against each other while they do his dirty work. Felix is also unpredictable, where you don’t know how he would react.

Similarly, I also liked Merritt as he came across as a complicated character. His back story is intriguing about how his parents disregard and push him aside. Also, Brenda is a badass and immediately captured my interest. On a side note, I also found Amber fascinating, even if she only appears briefly in the middle of the story. Mel, on the other hand, was a surprise. While I did not like her in the first half, the author made her a trump card, and she was terrific towards the end.

Furthermore, many scenes stood out, like when Brenda and Merritt confront each other and discuss Felix or when Merritt and Felix feud. The author also paced the story nicely, where everything builds up towards a gripping climax. You honestly don’t know which way the plot will go. The author keeps you guessing who will survive and who wouldn’t.

However, I felt the story was too long, and the author could have trimmed a few pages. The author sometimes went overboard in describing the backstory and thoughts of the characters, particularly on Felix. Apart from that, this book was perfect!

Overall, “Mondo Crimson” is a very well written suspense thriller with some horror elements, and I would recommend this book to fans of the genre.

As with his previous novel Chop Shop, Post doesn't hold back when it comes to violence. Ideal for those that like to hear the bones crack in their horror movies, he paints a stunningly accurate picture of blood and gore inflicted by humans, on humans.
No fanciful terms or metaphors to soften the blow, just a second by second account of a man sifting his wife's brains through his fingers.
If you have a sensitive stomach you won't make it far in Mondo Crimson.
I for one LOVED it.

Its easy to believe the characters Post creates. Dragged into the most dangerous parts of the criminal world through pure desperation. His horrors are human and though we may not see anything quite like this in our real lives, you don't have to look far to see people like this exist all over the world.

What I really enjoy is the way he can make you almost empathise if not sympathise with the predicament his characters are in. You understand how and why they came to this life and the futility of it all.
For Mel a few poor financial choices and she's trapped by debt.
Brenda was more complicated, her enjoyment of killing versus the pure love for her husband and children made it a fascinating read.
Merritt is the ever present insidious creep, the mentally disturbed man child with the overbearing mother we expect to find in such tales.
I was also thrilled to discover Amber resurfaces from Post's previous novel Chop Shop, I love when authors tie their work together in this way.
Each is drawn into Felix' criminal network for differing reasons but all will end up in the same predicament once his deadly game of dominos begins...

A feckless comedy of errors ensues when a low-grade criminal "not mastermind" sets his "employees" at cross-purposes all unawares.

I enjoyed this rather quirky book. It is certainly not for those of a nervous disposition. Both the scenes of violence and sex were pretty graphic .having said that they were fitting to the book. I couldn't make up my mind if I liked the characters or not, which was interesting in it's self, I am debating if I like murderers after all ! But this story does draw you in to their world and a strange world it is. I don't really know how to describe this book, I suspect it won't be to everyone's taste .it was kind of Pulp Fiction'ish not a word I know, and I have only ever seen clips of Pulp Fiction not the whole film so I may not be on the mark but it is what I imagine it to be.I can only use my imagination to compare the two, and I suspect that to really get into this book you do have to use your imagination. It is so different It will probably divide the crowds, but I thought it was good.