[Review] - Mr. Deadman Made Me Do It - Chris Baker

Who doesn’t love a good anthology? And, friends and fiends, this is a good anthology.

This delightfully gory collection centres around the figure of Mr Deadman, each short story featuring the strange character in one way or another. They all feel different, with characters from different walks of life, all with their own version of Mr Deadman, but it still feels like the same character, slipping from one person to another, offering them whatever they need at that particular time.

Inside the anthology are stories about revenge, love, or just out and out gore. Some characters are truly and utterly pitiful, pulling you into their stories in a way that just won’t let you go. And when their despicable acts are committed, they come out with the same response – Mr Deadman made me do it.

Not all stories end in the same way, and not all characters are pitiful. Some try to resist him, some find themselves faced with the consequences of summoning Mr Deadman. All are entertaining. 

Slightly more editing could have been done on the stories, but in the end it didn’t really matter. The anthology was fun, a rollercoaster of gore and violence, and easily able to carry the reader through to the very end. An excellent read for anyone who enjoys a lot of splatter.

4/5 - Elle Turpitt