Spider's Lullaby [Kindle Edition]

James R Tuck (Author)

Book Description

He lives to kill monsters. He keeps his city safe. And his silver hollow-points and back-from-the-dead abilities take out any kind of unnatural threat. But between this bad-ass bounty hunter and rescuing the most helpless of victims stands the one evil he can’t defeat…

For Deacon Chalk, loyalty is worth dying for. And now that something has taken were-spider Charlotte’s un-hatched children and one of his closest friends, he’ll tear up the human and supernatural underworlds to find them. But with his allies stripped away by an invincible Yakuza hit man and time running out, Deacon must face down the most ancient of demonic entities. And his last hope means surrendering to the inner darkness waiting hungrily to consume him …

Praise for Blood and Bullets

“Deacon Chalk kicks monster ass!” —Faith Hunter, author of Raven Cursed

“James R. Tuck’s debut novel delivers a fast-paced, action-filled story that kicks off his new series with a bang. If Dirty Harry and Anita Blake had a love child, he would be Deacon Chalk.” —Jenna Maclaine, author of Bound by Sin

26,700 Words.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Tuck's turn of phrase and gift for descriptive metaphor ensures that the Deacon Chalk series rises to a level above mere monster-hunting fun, but those into the stories for the latter purpose will not be disappointed by Spider's Lullaby." - Carol Malcolm Bitten By Books

About the Author

James R. Tuck writes the Deacon Chalk series from Kensington and is the editor of the upcoming THUNDER ON THE BATTLEFIELD anthology from Seventh Star Press.He writes urban fantasy, crime, horror, steampunk, and anything else that needs a good story.
He lives just outside Atlanta with his lovely wife and two lovely children. He is a professional Tattoo Artist and owns his own shop.
He writes the stories that make the nerve under your eye twitch.

Product Details

• File Size: 356 KB
• Print Length: 79 pages
• Publisher: Kensington Books (June 26, 2012)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B008847UNU
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Not Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #104,820 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Spider's Lullaby July 31, 2012

By Star @ The Bibliophilic Book Blog

Format:Kindle Edition

Deacon Chalk rarely takes time out of monster hunting, but in Spider's Lullaby he is out on the town with Tiff, a woman who is learning his trade, and Charlotte, a were-spider friend. When the night is over, they return to Charlotte's house that she shares with other were-spiders only to find the inhabitants dead, Charlotte's egg-sac and Chalk's friend Ronnie missing. Everything would be okay, except for one big catch - if Charlotte's not there to imprint on the babies when they hatch, they will go on a murderous rampage. With a little help from his friends, Deacon's off to find the babies with Charlotte and Tiff in tow. Can they save Ronnie and defeat the killer with so little time left before the egg sac hatches?

Pulling no punches, Mr. Tuck has taken us back into the gritty world of Occult Bounty Hunter Deacon Chalk we first entered in That Thing at the Zoo and Blood and Bullets. Spider's Lullaby is a great novella which keeps you wrapped in the action from page one. Told in first person, Chalk is very honest about himself, his strengths, and weaknesses. This story is crawling with demons, spiders, hitmen, thugs, and one very pissed off Occult Bounty Hunter. A quick and intense read, Spider's Lullaby will have you looking in every dark corner all night long!

Deacon Chalk: Occult Bounty Hunter Series: That Thing at the Zoo (Novella), Blood and Bullets (1), Spider's Lullaby (Novella), Blood and Silver (2)

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Big bad monster killer rushing to the rescue not only for one of his employees. July 22, 2012

By Dark Faerie Tales

Format:Kindle Edition

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: Big bad monster killer rushing to the rescue not only for one of his employees, but to also stop a hoard of potentially lethal spiders. Another great short story starring my favorite Occult Bounty Hunter, Deacon Chalk.

Opening Sentence: Charlotte's front door was open.

The Review:

Deacon Chalk, Occult Bounty Hunter, is back and on the hunt. Someone has messed with his people and he is not a man that will stand for that kind of crap. With the help of an irresistible lady, a were-spider, a former dragon, and his trusty Desert Eagle .357, Deacon must find his friend's stolen egg sac full of her children before they hatch. If they are unsuccessful, carnage will reign supreme in Deacon's little corner of the world. Can they save everyone in time? And who in their right mind would do such a thing in the first place? Whoever it is behind all of this had better say their prayers because Deacon is the last man they will piss off ever again.

As usual, James R. Tuck delivers another fantastic new Deaconverse short story in Spider's Lullaby. Deacon Chalk is a big bad mofo that is severely protective of those he lets into his inner circle; those he considers his. It is this trait that has led him into the job he now thrives in as an occult bounty hunter. It also happens to be the reason I love this character so much. When he lost his family to supernatural violence so many years ago, Deacon was forever changed. This loss has shaped his personality more than any other singular event in his life. Now, he does everything in his power to make sure that what he's endured doesn't have to happen to another human being.

The story in itself is great. Wait, that is not descriptive enough. Spider's Lullaby is a Do-Not-Be-Disturbed-While-Reading, eBook crushing, no-holds-barred tension inducing, Why-Oh-Why-Is-This-So-Short taste of the Deaconicity that leaves me twitching for more. Ah, that's a little closer to how I feel. Anyway, there are lots of snarky remarks and cool fight scenes to enjoy; very Deacon-typical. The new things that pop up are the relationship between Deacon and Tiff and a new and very hungry weapon. Tiff was introduced in the last book. She is all human and delicate. Since she has joined up with Deacon, Tiff has moved from being a victim to learning how to defend and attack otherworldly creatures. The feelings Deacon has developed for Tiff -- he is not in the least bit comfortable with. His heart is still buried with his family, even though Tiff looks to be resurrecting his long-dead softer emotions. Though they are not together in that way, they do share a connection that is reflected in this story.

The sword is something all-together different. Without going into too many details, the weapon in question seems very dangerous in the wrong hands. Now that it is in Deacon's, what will it do? Will it influence Deacon? Can he find a way to destroy it without releasing the Oni within? I hope this little introduction is more explored in the next installment of the series.

Overall, this short story can be enjoyed as a standalone, but I would not recommend it. Mostly, I think that, to truly appreciate the coolness that is Deacon Chalk, you must read the full book. This particular story seems to me as more of a teaser for those more familiar with Deacon Chalk and his cohorts. It relates more of the craziness and, let's face it, appeal of Mr. Tuck's amazing and dark new world.

FTC Advisory: The author graciously provided a copy of Spider's Lullaby. No goody bags, sponsorships, "material connections," or bribes were exchanged for my review. The only payment received came in the form of hugs and kisses from my little boys.

4.0 out of 5 stars excellent addition to series April 6, 2013

By A Voracious Reader

Format:Kindle Edition

Deacon Chalk is an Occult Bounty Hunter. He's the guy you call when monsters need killing. Not all monsters are bad though and when Deacon, his apprentice/friend Tiffany and a Were-spider named Charlotte get back to Charlotte's place after a night on the town they find all of the Were-spiders in her cluster dead, her egg sac gone and Ronnie, the egg sac babysitter for the night, missing, too. With Charlotte predicting the egg sac of spiders will hatch around dawn they have only a few hours to find who took it and where it is. Because if the spiders hatch with no one to bind to they will kill until they can be killed. However, if the person who took them binds them to him and he has evil intent then he has gained a s***load of little killing machines. The clock is ticking...

This short story takes place after Blood and Bullets, but it can read as a standalone. It's nicely written with a plot that quickly proceeds from Point A to Point B to Point C and has characters that are well-developed. The copious amount of detail tends to bog the story down just a touch though it is nice to be well-informed. I'm still enjoying this series very much and look forward to more of Deacon Chalk.

*Many thanks to the author for providing me with a review copy. Please see disclaimer page on my blog.

More About the Author

James R. Tuck was born and raised in The South. Brought up on a steady diet of good southern cooking, country music, Jesus, and guns; he has always been a little weird. For over 15 years he has been a professional tattoo artist and owns Family Tradition Tattoo in his hometown of Marietta, Ga. Now he writes yarns about monsters, guns, hard-eyed men, and tough as nails women.

He puts the DARK in Dark Urban Fantasy.

His Deacon Chalk: Occult Bounty Hunter series is a thrill ride spilling over with violence and mayhem.

Here there be monsters.

Strap up, arm yourself, and hang on for the ride