Full disclosure, I was provided a copy of this book by the author or their authorized representative, however, I have voluntarily chosen to write a review. All opinions are my own.
A Blast from the Past
Gale Harbor in Newfoundland is a small town where nothing much happens. Once a thriving community, opportunities dried up when the American military closed their air force base and pulled out of the area. Now as the 1990s are in full swing the only excitement to be had in Gale Harbor is either renting a VHS tape from the local Blockbuster or heading to the cinema to watch a double feature. That’s why when a body is discovered in the town water supply, the news spreads quickly. With a town as sleepy as Gale Harbor this has not happened ever, and everyone is on edge. Couple that with a series of freak electrical storms, a few more discovered bodies and the disappearance of two residents of the local convalescent home and things really appear to be devolving quickly.
Naill, his best friend Pius, and his cousin Harper are determined to get to the bottom of these bizarre occurrences. Lightning usually does not run backward; boaters do not drown out of the water and mysterious red-eyed “Psycho Hose Beasts” have never been seen roaming Gale Harbor… and just where the heck did Nana Josephine disappear to? The trio dogged by Keith the town bully set out to find Nana Jo, but they end up encountering more than they can even imagine. With the mysteries slowly being revealed, Gale Harbor begins to look less like a sleepy little Canadian coastal town and more like an episode of Creepshow.
I’ll admit, I picked up a copy of this book solely because the title grabbed my attention. Having grown up in the 80s and 90s, I was very interested to see how the story would play out. Psycho Hose Beast from Outer Space drew me in from the opening dialogue sending me down a memory lane of my teens and early adulthood with references to long-forgotten movies, music, video games, and other pop culture references. At one point, I experienced such a strong déjà vu at a line in the dialogue only to have another character ask if it was a Depeche Mode lyric. This is the first title I have read by C.D. Gallant-King, however, I doubt it will be the last. With this successful introduction to Gale Harbor and her residents, I am eager to delve into book 2 in the series, aptly titled Revenge of the Space-Surfing Butt Monkeys. If you are looking for a fun read that is part Scooby Doo and part X Files, and that has you longing for the days of landlines, Blockbuster rentals, and Super Mario World this will definitely be a good title for you.
Jennly Reads 