Teeth [Paperback]

E. Van Belkom (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 2001

The Bram Storker award winning author Edo van Belkom brings us Teeth Detective Joe Williams is dealing with the loss of his wife to cancer and struggling to raise a teenage daughter on his own. Men are being violently murdered in the usually quiet city of Brampton. There's no apparent connection between any of the victims-which range from a small-time drug dealer to the city's most respected philanthropist-yet there seems to be no shortage of people who might have wanted each of them dead. As the body count rises, Detective Williams is under pressure from all sides to solve the case, but all he has to go on is a single, tiny tooth.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The best part of this lurid horror novel from Canadian van Belkom is the prologue, originally a short story, set on a hot, smelly, graffiti-covered subway train in a pre-Giuliani New York City. An unnamed woman, apparently suffering badly from her period, can't wait to get home to Brooklyn. In a climactic twist so shocking it's almost funny, it turns out she has an anatomical anomaly an extra set of teeth located in a part of the body ordinarily devoted to more intimate functions than eating. In extending this idea to novel length the author betrays its limits. Two years later, Joe Williams, an earnest, if plodding, Toronto detective, chases hopelessly after a brutal killer whose victims tend to be despicable rapists, until aided by the long arm of improbable coincidence. A subplot involving the fate of Williams's overly independent daughter doesn't stray from its predictable path, while the delayed revelation of the remarkably equipped killer's identity is embarrassingly unconvincing. Flat writing and characterization on top of crudely exaggerated male and female sexual polarities don't win van Belkom any prizes for style or subtlety. This book will titillate young readers eager for sensation and will repel their elders, who should know better but may not. After all, several horror notables, including the late Richard Laymon (who contributes an enthusiastic introduction), supply ringing endorsements. Agent, Joshua Bilmes. (June)Award (Canada's top prize for speculative fiction) and has been nominated for the Arthur Ellis Award by the Crime Writers of Canada.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Meisha Merlin Publishing, Inc. (May 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1892065371
• ISBN-13: 978-1892065377
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,444,564 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Terrifying & Brilliant, July 19, 2001

By 

Andrew Zimmerman Jones "Science Writer" (Indiana, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Teeth (Paperback)

Wow... Just finished this book a few minutes ago. Can't believe it. Crazy stuff. Makes me ashamed to be a male, I'll tell you that, and makes me look at other men differently. Quite frankly, I can't believe that it was written by a man.

This book is about a female serial killer. I won't go into details - as it is, I feel that too much is given away early on (although there's still enough to keep one guessing about details). Still, I'm giving this such a high rating because I think it hits the exact cord that it's supposed to - it scared the **** out of me. It works as a mystery and as a horror story. It was told in such a straightforward manner that I could imagine it really happening. *shiver*

Two flaws: It needed a better copyeditor, because there were lots of little errors. And I think it would have been better without the Prologue (which was previously published as a short story).

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Little sex, little gore, in this "erotic horror", May 11, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Teeth (Paperback)

Edo van Belkom has a reputation for writing "erotic horror." The premise sounded good, so I took a chance ...

Man, what a boring book! Not much sex, not much horror. And when it's there, the sex is non-erotic, the horror is non-scary. Instead, there's lots of dull characters talking and talking and talking ... Reads as though Van Belkon was just "going through the motions."

"Teeth" is said to have been a short story. Seems as though Van Belkon couldn't figure out how to expand his premise, as the book is mostly padding.

If you want gut-wrenching erotic horror, try the first "Hot Blood" anthology. Some good stories in that.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Might Make You Consider Abstinence!, May 6, 2002

By 

Jennifer Whildin "sassy devil" (Vineland, New Jersey USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Teeth (Paperback)

TEETH was a great read. It's an original novel on vengeance, based on a condition known as "vagina dentata." I had heard of this condition, although I don't know if any such thing has ever been proven, but it sure makes for an interesting weapon!

You'll have fun reading this unless you're really squeamish. If you like horror or thrillers, this one's unique and well-written. Van Belkom has a strange mind, and that's a good thing.

The previous reviewer has already told you some things about the novel, so I'm not going into much detail, because I want to leave you with a reason to read the book. It's worth the money.