Anthony has a dark secret
Anthony is your typical 11-year-old boy. Growing up with his single mom, Anthony and his friends like to play in the woods, ride bikes and other things typical pre-teens like to do. But Anthony and his pals are also obsessed with serial killers. On a whim, he writes to Richard Stoker also dubbed the “Beast of Britain” for the reign of terror he inflicted before Anthony was born. When a return letter arrives, Anthony is thrilled and the two begin a series of correspondence, each becoming more and more bizarre and cryptic at Stoker’s end. When one such missive directs Anthony to a neighboring town he and his best friend take a day trip following the provided clues to reveal a collection of possible trophy items. After returning home, strange and gruesome occurrences begin surrounding Anthony and his friends. And with the recent news of Stoker’s escape the entire town is on edge. Are the recent murders Stoker’s handiwork, or that of a much younger protégée?
My Pen Pal is a Serial Killer is the newest in the Damaged Children series of novellas by author Megan Monroe. In this book we meet Anthony, a child of a single mom who is hiding a dark secret all her own. After writing a notorious serial killer and receiving a response, Anthony is thrilled, but with each new communication it seems that he is becoming a different person. The fact that Monroe chooses to not divulge the text of the letters exchanged between Anthony and Stoker may be an irritant to some, however, I felt it worked well to pique interest and added an air of mystery. The reader is not privy to the words of the killer, which allows one’s imagination to roam freely especially in the latter portions of the book when we see Anthony’s behavior really going off the deep end. Is this just the twisted mind of an already disturbed little boy, or has he been encouraged and coached by a more sinister influence? As with Monroe’s first offering, the previously released Bully Me I Dare You the violence is extreme and may not sit well with some, however, I felt that given the subject matter the violence and gore was appropriate for the story and the nature of the characters.
If you are a fan of extreme horror and are not squeamish about having children as the main protagonist both books in this series would be a good fit. With this being a relatively new author, I am looking forward to what other twisted tales involving damaged children that she has upcoming.
Jennly Reads 