CITY HALL by Bentley Little (2025 Cemetery Dance / 438 pages)
Paul is a young man living at home with his mom when he lands a job at his local city hall. His co-workers are a bit strange and while things seem oddly off, he eventually finds his place. Things get increasingly weird, and Paul discovers, along with his new co-worker girlfriend, just how bizarre city hall is.
In the same town, a school teacher named Gavin runs for a seat on the city council, wins, and learns his election had been ordained by the powers that be.
And being this is Little’s 31st novel, the powers that be, as in many of his “industrial” novels, are as off-the-wall as it gets, from menacing office bosses to brainwashed elderly employees who consider sex and murder a simple part of the job. And while some readers may feel Little has told this tale before, *somehow* things feel fresh, especially during the twisted finale, which blends demented horror with cult film-like action, with the most frightening aspect being the resolve of our protagonists.
CITY HALL delivers the goods to the author’s fans, and may lure in many new converts.
4 1/2 / 5 stars
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