Perhaps you remember last summer when I reviewed Alan Baxter’s The Roo. A wonderful book that exists because author Kealan Patrick Burke’s Elderlemon Designs made some fantastic covers that he was willing to donate to authors if they would write a relevant story and then donate any proceeds to charity. Well, this time instead of a ‘big fucken roo,’ it’s a bunch of normal sized possum and possum-adjacent stuff in Stephanie Rabig’s Playing Possum.
Synopsis:
Tiffany: Despite her dead-end job, her life is going pretty well. She has a decent place to live, good friends, and she’s saving up for an engagement ring for her longtime girlfriend.Then she’s ambushed in a deserted parking lot by the unlikeliest of predators… PLAY DEAD
Vanessa: Horrified by Tiffany’s close call, she at least believes that the worst is over now. But then Tiffany starts acting strangely. And are her teeth getting sharper…?OR FIGHT BACK
Rebecca and John: The chief of police and her husband took their niece Vanessa in years ago when her father threw her out. They’re used to caring for everyone (including the strays their daughter Sophia brings home). But when the town comes under attack from ravenous furry hellbeasts, it might be all they can do to just protect themselves…NOTHING WILL SAVE YOU NOW.
This is a Creature Feature For Charity, with all proceeds going to the World Wildlife Fund. Cover art by Kealan Patrick Burke.
Edition:
Paperback
Trigger Warnings for Playing Possum:
- violence against animals
- emotionally abusive parent
*These warnings were included at the back of the book. I would love to live in a world where all books do this. It’s extremely helpful for people who need them, and including them at the back of a book hurts exactly nobody.*
My Thoughts:
I love CFfC books. There are two more that I need to collect: Sean Seabach’s The Buck Stops Here and James Sabata’s The Cassowary. Some day.
This book is a hell of a lot of fun. I am definitely of the Sophia School of Possum Feelings – I think they’re fucking adorable fluffballs. So it hurt me a little bit to read this story of possums-as-violent-murderfloofs. But it was so much fun that I just had to get over myself.
If this were a different blog, I’d start expanding on the general magic and wonder of the possum meme. But I’m not going to be that blog, okay? Find them yourself (you should, it’s worth it).
There is no ass-screaming here. But there’s lots of biting, some posscanthropy (I probably made that word up), and some magic business. This story gave me all the paperback horror I grew up borrowing from the library feels. It was a little bit like Howling IV. Awesome. Campy. Fun.
There’s very little gore here though. Honestly, I did kind of miss it, but the story is fun enough that it wasn’t a deal breaker.
About the Author:
(from the author’s Goodreads)
I love mythology and fairy tales (those form the basis of about 60% of my current projects), Pacific Rim, Firefly, The Avengers, tea, Welcome to Night Vale, and chocolate. Recently, I’ve had several short stories (and soon novels!) published by the wonderful Less Than Three Press.
Though I write mostly fantasy and romance, my first and main love will always be horror. A few years ago, my grade-school librarian came up to me at work and said it was nice to see me again. I was surprised she recognized me, considering how many kids she’d interacted with over the years, and she laughed. “True, but not many kindergartners come up to my desk wanting to borrow Dracula, dear.”
Basically, I was doomed from the start.
Rating:
Do you ever just really want to read a book about killer possums? Yeah, me too.
Playing Possum By Stephanie Rabig Self Published Published: April 7, 2020 ISBN: 978634951782 Paperback, E-book 164 Pages Author's Website
