In this story, we are taken down a nostalgic path that combines elements of great prison tales of old with the hot sex of today. For fans of Cool Hand Luke, Midnight Express, The Green Mile, and the like, The Manacled is sure to please.

Rich’s clever use of time distortion against the backdrop of thoroughly-researched prison scenes affords the reader a rare opportunity to experience being in prison first hand, with a unique perspective not as a prisoner, as most stereotypical prison stories, but rather as a forced participant in a bizarro collection of unexpected events.

The Manacled is a tale of what could possibly go wrong when two brothers decide to direct an adult film in the West Virginia State Penitentiary in Moundsville, one of the state’s most notorious correctional facilities that has long since been closed down. Demonic possession and extreme torture are only the tip of the iceberg in this torrid tale of wrist clamps and scantily-clad women.

As with Rich’s other books, The Manacled is not for the faint of heart or for those who do not possess an appreciation for dark humor that is signature for a Rich Bottles novel. However, for those of us who are slightly sick of mind, you will find The Manacled to be a thoroughly entertaining read. Reader beware: this is Rich’s darkest book to date, but for those who endure, there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Now sit down, shut up, and put these handcuffs on – it’s about to get bumpy!