Publishers Weekly
04/13/2020
Jones (The Only Good Indians) tiptoes the border between supernatural and psychological horror in this weird and wild novella. Sawyer Grimes is one of five bored teens who decide to pose a discarded store mannequin as though it’s a real patron in a movie theater in a suburb of Dallas, Tex. They all think it’s a funny prank—until Sawyer sees the mannequin walk out of the theater at the movie’s end. When one of the friends is killed, along with her entire family, in a freak accident shortly thereafter, Sawyer becomes convinced that the mannequin’s to blame. Believing “Manny” has morphed into a Frankenstein-style monster bent on offing its creators with no regard for who else gets hurt in the process, Sawyer decides that it’s his responsibility to kill his fellow pranksters before Manny can get to them, and thus lessen the collateral damage for their families. Jones expertly expresses Sawyer’s teenage attitudes and anxieties while skillfully tipping readers off to the chilling understanding that Sawyer is not the most reliable of narrators. Balancing horror and humor, this novella puts a clever modern twist on a classic monster story. Agent: BJ Robbins, BJ Robbins Literary. (July)
From the Publisher
"Suffused with questions about the nature of change and friendship, “Night of the Mannequins” is a fairy tale of impermanence showcasing Graham Jones’s signature style of smart, irreverent horror." —The New York Times
"A funny and harrowing parable about adolescent alienation that shows Jones in top form." —The Toronto Star
"Night of the Mannequins is dark and twisted, funny, a little crazy, and unsettling as hell." —Christopher Golden
"Sly, surprising psychic sleight-of-hand, in a tale of teenage madness where the next plastic face might be your own." —John Skipp
"Wicked and wry, this is a terrific story by one of my favorite writers, Stephen Graham Jones. Tip-top with a twist of dread."—Joe R. Lansdale
"Propulsive and poignant, capturing the mundane terror of adolescence, and adding that ever-so-essential dab of killer mannequin." —Sarah Langan
"Stephen Graham Jones’s range and his understanding of horror in fiction and film is staggering. In this novella he juggles—sometimes in very sly ways—slasher stories, coming of age horror, traditions of madness and unreliability, and Kaiju to create an amazingly speedy, voice-driven read that's tons of fun. Each new book of his gives his own take on a different facet of horror, and together they all add up to something really expansive and original." —Brian Evenson, author of Song for the Unraveling of the World
"A hotter voice in horror would be hard to find these days, and Graham Jones does not disappoint, delivering another masterpiece. Give to fans of slasher or serial killer tales." —Library Journal, starred review
"Jones tiptoes the border between supernatural and psychological horror in this weird and wild novella... Balancing horror and humor, this novella puts a clever modern twist on a classic monster story." —Publishers Weekly
"Readers will delight more than once in the realization that they might be reading a different story from the one they thought was unfolding... trust Jones and enjoy the ride." —Shelf Awareness
Library Journal
★ 06/01/2020
A teenage prank involving a mannequin turns deadly when the inanimate figure comes to life and goes on a killing spree. Thankfully, teenager Sawyer has a plan: In order to prevent more murders, he must kill each of his friends involved in the joke. This is an unsettling tale told entirely through Sawyer's unreliable narration, in a stream of consciousness confession as he plans and executes each murder, constantly looking over his shoulder for signs of the real monster. Readers will be simultaneously drawn to and repulsed by Sawyer, and entertained by the pervasive dark sense of humor. Award-winning author Graham Jones (The Only Good Indians) creates a suspenseful, fast-paced novella that keeps readers hooked. VERDICT A hotter voice in horror would be hard to find these days, and Graham Jones does not disappoint, delivering another masterpiece. Give to fans of slasher or serial killer tales, and those who enjoyed James Tynion's graphic novel series "Something Is Killing the Children" or Oyinkan Braithwaite's My Sister the Serial Killer.
