Bring Me Children

June 1, 1992
Prominent TV anchorman John Lyon breaks down on camera after discussing the escalating rate of violence against children. Later, an African American woman exhorts Lyon to seek out Mason Quindell, a West Virginia doctor and ``monster''; then the woman throws herself in front of an oncoming taxi. So begins a convoluted tale of malevolence by the author of Lie to Me --a story that frequently threatens to bog down in its own excesses. Traveling to West Virginia, Lyon encounters the dead woman's granddaughter, who aids him in uncovering the sinister goings-on chez Quindell. Encountering voodoo, barbaric guard dogs and a dwarf with a severely limited vocabulary, readers may feel that Martin has tossed a few too many bizarre ingredients into his grisly goulash. Moreover, Lyon's sexual escapades seem gratuitous, especially in their violence, and the author's attempts at humanizing his protagonist merely decelerate the plot. And though Quindell fascinates as he repels, he bears a striking resemblance to Thomas Harris's archfiend, Dr. Hannibal Lecter. Aficionados of this genre, however, may forgive all upon reaching the finale--a Grand Guignol affair which introduces Mr. Gigli, a wiry, particularly sinister torturer extraordinaire. 50,000 first printing; BOMC featured alternate.

April 1, 1992
Following in the bloody footsteps of his last thriller, Lie to Me ( LJ 6/1/90), Martin has again created a grisly work that is definitely not for the faint of heart. Network newscaster John Lyon sets out to expose the criminal doings of West Virginia doctor Mason Quinndell, who has been accused of murdering 18 babies. During his quest, Lyon encounters voodoo, a hermit dwarf with man-eating dogs, a comatose woman in a coffin, and the sadistic doctor, who has recently been blinded. With the help of an ex-prostitute and a grossly obese, corrupt deputy, the sightless doctor (who gets his jollies from slowly dismembering vagrants with a spoon--yes, a spoon--and other torture devices) tries to stop Lyon's investigation. Luridly fascinating and bargain-priced, this will provide a cheap thrill for Martin's fans. Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 3/1/92.-- Rebecca House Stankowski, Purdue Univ. Calumet Lib., Hammond, Ind.

Copyright 1992 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 1, 1992
Deep in a cave beneath the West Virginia mountains, a man who doesn't need light to find his way around is depositing infants. Meanwhile, in the Big Apple, TV newsman John Lyon breaks down on camera while reporting how many U.S. infants are abused to death each year. Soon after, a woman accosts Lyon, telling him to go after a baby-killing, blind doctor in Guess Where--and then she fatally steps in front of a cab. Suspended from his network berth for the nonce, anyway, go he does, blundering into lethal hijinks--not to mention kinky thrills--in them thar hills. Judging by their promotional plans, Random House seems hopeful that this effort by the author of "Lie to Me" will be his breakthrough into Thomas ("Silence of the Lambs") Harris-style popularity. Well . . . perhaps. But Martin's novel, slickly enough written, lacks the technical detail of Harris' stuff. Martin's just winging it a la Stephen King, unfortunately sans King's Dickensian flare for grotesque characterization. In fact, Martin's characters are flat as a TV screen--especially his anchorman-hero. Are Jennings, Rather, et al., really this dull and stodgy? ((Reviewed Mar. 1, 1992))(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 1992, American Library Association.)