Customer Reviews

Splattered Beauty

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Splattered Beauty is one of those "grab you by the nerve endings" type of novels. The storyline is fast paced, with the main characters descent into madness, like a train wreck that you can't look away from.
You'll find yourself awed by the relationships, shocked by the insanity, and mesmerized by the horror contained in these pages.
I think you'll love it. I did!

WOW!! That is really the way to sum up this book, which I just finished last night. This felt like such a different book compared to Mr. Ford's debut novel, Crystal Bay (which I also recently read). It felt like Mr. Ford grew some as a writer between books. Once again, I was totally hooked within paragraphs, and couldn't put the thing down! Alyssa comes off as such a sympathetic character at first, and it's easy to get lost in her world of despair. I have nothing but praise for this book, and once again, although it's not the usual genre that I read, I was thoroughly impressed with it. Mr. Ford has my devotion as a reader. Even if books that are more on the "horror" side are not normally your thing, you should still give Mr. Ford's books a chance, because I know if I love them, others will too!

I picked up all three of Mr. Ford's books here on Amazon, and I am ending my review to rush home and start in on Pay Phone. (and I'm totally not making that up!)

CUT! That's a Wrap!

What Alyssa wouldn't give to hear those words again. However, when her agent "unknowingly" sends her on an audition for a porno film, she realizes that while she may be desperate to get back into the film business, there are some things she just won't do. Sex is one of them. Murder, on the other hand. . .

Alyssa Peyton was once a reigning Scream Queen. With her Director husband, they were destined for great things. His horror films were highly successful, and she, being the star, was once a household name. But the husband and, by extension, the roles are gone. He has a new wife, and with her a new star. The roles that once fell into Alyssa's lap because her husband wouldn't do a film without her are now going to Jessica Palmer. As a result, Alyssa relies on horror conventions to relive her glory days.

This is where she meets Taryn, a 19-year old lesbian who is probably Alyssa's No.1 fan. The actress is also the subject of many a fantasy. When problems at home become unbearable and the teen walks out, she turns to the object of her affections, Alyssa, who willingly allows the troubled teen to stay with her. It is a codependent relationship -- Alyssa needs to be loved by her fans and Taryn needs to love Alyssa -- but it takes awhile for Alyssa to realize the extent of Taryn's love for her. Sound familiar? Famous celebrity and idolizing number one fan? It's not what you might think.

Another failed audition crushes Alyssa. To lose the role, a role she feels she was born to play, is bad enough, but to lose it to Jessica Palmer is more than Alyssa can take. The woman has stolen everything from her -- her husband, her place in his films, and now this. What's the point in going on? She turns to the only thing that she feels will free her from the pain -- pills and alcohol.

It seems she can't succeed in anything anymore, not even suicide. Taryn rescues her from the brink of death, but it is too late. During her hospitalization, Alyssa's descent into madness starts. She realizes that she was trying to cut out the pain, but she wasn't getting the pain at the root. The root of all her pain is Jessica Palmer and the man who betrayed her. With Taryn as an unwitting accomplice, Alyssa sets out to eradicate the source of her pain and those who have betrayed her.

Brandon Ford's Splattered Beauty is a thrill ride into the depths of madness. His depiction of the aging film star is one part Norma Desmond, one part Annie Wilkes, as she is her own number one fan. With the revelations of her abused childhood and abandonment issues that stem from her mother walking out when she was young, the slide down the slippery slope of sanity and over the edge is believable and heartbreaking. While you read open-mouthed at the atrocities she commits, you can't help but feel sorry for her as her life spins out of control. Taryn, as the devoted companion/love interest, is another story. While the old adage that love is blind might hold true for some things, to allow yourself to become an accessory to multiple murders is something I had a hard time believing. Having witnessed numerous instances of the older woman's instability, there were plenty of chances for her to beat a hasty retreat, but she chooses to stay. Her weak nature and her ability to be so easily manipulated often had me hoping that Alyssa would grow tired of the troubled teen and deliver to her a particularly gory death. You want the girl to run like hell and get away, and when she doesn't, you kind of hope she gets what stupidity gets you in most horror films and novels.

I mentioned in a review of Ford's Crystal Bay that the author was a new voice in horror who holds promise in the genre. I stand by this assessment. Splattered Beauty is a well-written, fast-paced joy ride that will have you glued to the edge of your seat. Don't miss it!

You can sit down and enjoy Splattered Beauty in a day or two. Its characters are realistic, its plot intriguing, and the action easy to follow. The story's problems aren't with what Ford did, but with what he didn't do. As a reader, I would have loved for the relationships between the characters to be more in-depth, and Detective Loggia's role in the story expanded. There was a lot of room for increased tension and scene building before the climax of each murder. The worst thing for me was that the ending was a perfect example of a Deux ex machina, sort of a cop-out, but it hardly took away from the story.

Even with its shortcomings, I recommend Splattered Beauty to anyone who enjoys action and a quick read. It won't bore you.

This book was absolutely Phenomenal! Alyssa has made her living as a "Scream Queen" in low-budget B-Rated Horror Flicks on the big screen! She even had a HUGE following of fans that adored her...but this has all vanished just as quickly as it came and now Alyssa is out for blood! This time for REAL and she'll do anything to get back at anyone that's even remotely crossed her!

Brandon Ford's writing style is magical! It's very easy to read - yet takes you far into the depths of all that the characters are feeling. There were times that I felt I was right there in the very room where all of the action was happening! A page-turner in every sense of the word! (As a matter of fact, I was turning pages until 4 a.m.) No lie!

If you love thrillers, horror movies and gore galore, this is the book and the author for you! I can't wait to pick up Crystal Bay (even though it was written first)! Brandon is a Philadelphia local and a B-Horror movie lover himself! This book is sort of his tribute or "love letter" to his favorite scream queens in the business!

Splattered Beauty is the tale of a scream queen's descent into hell; pill-popping, Jack Daniel's drinking and murdering those that have wronged her along the way. Alyssa Peyton once had a great career in the horror B-movie industry, former star of the popular fictitious film Pajama Party Murders. She meets a teenage fan at a horror convention by the name of Taryn. Taryn idolizes Alyssa and after spending some time with her, she falls in love with Alyssa. What she doesn't know is that the actress is highly unstable and borderline psychotic. Alyssa will drag her into the mess that her life has become and force her to become her accomplice in a series of grisly murders. A detective with a gut feeling that never fails him is hot on her trail and wants to be there when Alyssa slips up to catch her.

No such thing as the sophomore slump for Brandon Ford. Following his first novel, Crystal Bay, he has crafted another engaging page-turner with Splattered Beauty, his ode to scream queens. The subject of scream queens is one that is close to my heart. As a big fan of slasher flicks and cult B and Z horror movies (and low culture in general), this was a good read. I think this one was even faster paced than his first and slightly more graphic. With the deft hand of a puppet master, Brandon weaves a story populated with characters that leap off the page and a series of events that escalate into an explosive finale. Splattered Beauty is a character-driven novel; a tight book that provides a multi-faceted exploration of its protagonists. A great deal of time is spent developing a back story for Alyssa and Taryn. Their relationship unfolds before our eyes and becomes more and more unhealthy as it progresses. Alyssa is fueled by Taryn's blind adoration for her, she thrives on it and the undying support the teenager gives her. Alyssa is written very well and we get to witness how the wheels turn inside her head in all its bloody detail.

Where the book loses points for me is the fact that Alyssa left me indifferent, as fascinating as she was. I don't think you're ever supposed to like her; she's manipulative, acts like a spoiled prima donna and let's not forget that she's a psychotic killer. There are bad guys you love to hate or that you wish you could be for a day or two like Tony Montana in Scarface, Joker in Batman or Bonnie and Clyde. People that are bad and do nasty and evil things yet you can't help but be attracted to. It reminds me of a heated discussion I had with someone a few years ago about the film Taxi Driver. The other person said he hated it because he couldn't relate to Travis Bickle (De Niro's character). For me it was the exact opposite; I could totally identify with him in my misspent youth and understood what motivated him. In my opinion, you don't have to fully identify with a protagonist to enjoy a story. I understood what motivated Alyssa but she never really did it for me. I did, however, really dig the other side of the coin which is portrayed by Detective Loggia. Although a bit of a cliché (the old timer who's never been wrong when it comes to finding the killer), my eyes were glued to the page whenever he showed up. He's straight out of a Noir novel and I would've liked to see more of him. Give the man his own book, I say!

On a different note, I'd like to say a few words about the cover design. Splattered Beauty sports an awesome cover (both front and back) worthy of a big publisher. This small press pays attention to details and knows how much us horror fans enjoy covers like these. Covers are a very important part of a book, being the first thing the reader sees and this one has "read me" written all over it. Splattered Beauty is quite the original novel starring a washed up scream queen. A better written book than his first effort (although I preferred Crystal Bay), Brandon Ford is clearly going to be in this business for years to come and you can quote me on that. He's in complete control of his craft here and although he utilizes some of the clichés of the genre, there is never a dull moment. I'd recommend this book especially to cult horror movie aficionados. If you've read his first novel then this one's a no-brainer and deserves a place in your library.

Alan Draven,
Author of Bitternest
Editor of Sinister Landscapes

This is the second book I have purchased from Brandon Ford he is a brilliant young writer whom I have enjoyed reading his thriller/suspense books. He writes the types of books you can't put down. I can't wait to read what comes out next in his amazing mind. His first book titled "Crystal Bay" I read in one day, he's that good! The man is gifted that's for sure.

Alyssa Peyton is an aging scream queen with a tainted past, drug and alcohol problem, and a declining career. She blames it all on her ex-hubby film director, her daddy, her agent...almost anyone but herself. As her life spirals out of control, a lesbian fan named Taryn comes into her life and gives her brief hope and love, even if Alyssa doesn't sway that way herself. Instead of embracing the opportunity of a caring person, Alyssa uses Taryn as an accomplice in a series of crimes that she thinks are going to help revive her career. When things don't work out the way she planned, her madness escalates and she begins murdering everyone that she blames for her current lot in life.

Meanwhile, an aging detective is hot on Alyssa's trail and will stop at nothing to prove she's behind the growing number of bodies that seem to be missing or piling up in her wake...

SPLATTERED BEAUTY is Brandon Ford's second book and for the "splatterpunk" or horror fan looking for a good fix in the fine traditions of Jack Ketchum and Richard Laymon, this is just what the doctor ordered.

I found the pacing to be quick and the two lead characters well-developed and interesting. Ford has a knack for good prose and interesting character backgrounds, really taking you inside the emotions his creations are feeling. Scream queen Alyssa Peyton was particularly well-rounded and Ford captures her creative and business frustrations to a T, unfortunately all too real in the creative arts. Once you're at the 'top' of any level of the entertainment biz, there's nowhere to go but down at a certain point and this is a great springboard for psychosis! Fortunately most artists on the way down don't react in this extreme manner, but it does get inside the psyche and egos of creative individuals, exposing the dark side of that "lust to be famous" in a twisted way. The scenes on the movie set were especially enlightening, when Alyssa shows up trashed and the director has to deal with her. Having a little experience in this area of the biz, this part was all too real, as was the part where Alyssa gets "a little bit too much" into her role, injuring a co-star...

The Taryn character is also well-rounded although there are some cliches in her background, especially with the overzealous religious mom (a'la CARRIE) who is so against her lifestyle choice, although I must admit, this subplot did end up a little different than I expected, which was quite the treat. Taryn is a nineteen year old young lady, coming of age, and she is well essayed and believable, especially as she gets mixed up with a celebrity that she's infatuated with.

The police procedural part of the novel doesn't resonate as very realistic, though I did find the persona of Detective Loggia quite likeable. It would have been nice if the novel just focused on the characters of Alyssa and Taryn even more, but this is a small beef and fortunately, the "cops searching for justice" portion of the book is mercifully swift. (This might just be a personal peeve I have, just tired of seeing the cops in on these type of adventures, have overdone it myself when trying creative ventures!)

Once the blood begins to flow, SPLATTERED BEAUTY really kicks in and you'll be turning the pages briskly to find out what happens next. Alyssa Peyton is definitely a crazed character and you're never sure what she'll do next as she slips into an abyss of madness and mayhem.

The ending was really wild too, I'd call it poetic justice and a nice twist! So fans of b-movies, scream queens, and twisted carnage will not be disappointed- SPLATTERED BEAUTY is definitely a gory THELMA AND LOUISE for the twenty-first century. And Brandon Ford is one to watch- a burgeoning master of crimson escapism!

Definitely worth checking out.

If you have already read Ford's first novel [Crystal Bay] then you already know what to expect from Ford, and he doesn't disappoint.
Once again Ford has written another fast-paced novel, with believable characters and an interesting plot.

Ford paints a vivid picture when depicting the murders that take place within this novel. They are brutal & graphic, yet your eyes remain glued to the pages!
If you are looking for a great, fast read then look no further!

Once again, Brandon Ford gives readers a ride on the wild side. While on this ride, I found myself completely absorbed and was not able to put the book down until I completed it. Readers are given a glimpse into the life of an actress who is absolutely full of pain and torment, and as a result, she becomes involved in acts of insanity. Brandon Ford magically weaves the story such that the reader knows and feels the characters' pain and actually ends up being caught between being horrified at and feeling sorry and empathetic for the main character. Brandon Ford, once again, displays his creative story-telling talent.