Bite

by Gardner Goldsmith

The debut novella from Gardner Goldsmith; a horror/crime cross-over tale set within the dark underbelly of Las Vegas.

"An action-packed collision of horror and noir!" F. Paul Wilson

“A hard-boiled horror story, as if Sam Spade had turned vampire hunter.” Christopher Golden

“A cracking story which tears along at 100 miles an hour.” Mark Morris

“Gard Goldsmith's prose is like the edge of a knife. Definitely a writer to watch!” Brian Keene

Genres: Horror

78 pages, Paperback

First published October 31, 2013

Reviews

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sylvester Cole is a man with the kind of job that others fear or don’t believe exist. After making a mistake that cut short his academic career, Cole became a gun for hire, terminating the undead and it’s a career he’s excelled at - but now he’s in his mid-fifties and wants a chance at life with the cash and gold he’s been saving over the years. Going to say goodbye to old friends, he quickly becomes involved in a new job, where the girl he has to save might just be the girl who could turn his life around. I love ‘noir’ thrillers (books and films) and I love vampire stories where the undead are nasty, venal creatures and so this book had double appeal to me. Combine that with Goldsmith’s gutsy and assured writing style, a plethora of biting one liners and characters that leap off the page and it’s a winner. Featuring a Las Vegas that hopefully none of us will ever see - where the dregs go to die - this is stark and dirty and unforgettable, with the desert haze and grit almost present on the page and a pace that never slackens. Brutal, beautiful, elegant and kinetic (sometimes in the same sentence), with a real heart and soul, this is a refreshing take on a sub-genre that has been flooded with sparkly, friendly vampires of late. But if you like your vampires and their hunters old school (as I do) I can’t recommend this highly enough - I loved it.

[Furbjr · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading Bite, by Gardner Goldsmith. What you will find as you sink your teeth into the meat of this excellent story is the character of Sylvester Col. Sylv, as his associates call him, is a man, who for reason of his own, kicked to the curb the very thought of a normal life, a life with love an meaningful companionship. He's entering retirement. In fact he's just fulfilled the last work order of his career.

Having finished work on his last day Sylv slides onto the bar stool at his customary watering hole with visions of his retirement villa dancing in his head. That is until... until his attention is directed towards the raven haired beauty with alabaster skin perched at the table in the corner of the bar.

She forthrightly informs Sylvester Cole of what it is that she wants from hi. He responds in the negative. She flees in tears, except for her clutch of a purse. Cole, despite himself, cant' bear to leave it/her alone.

Just like that, we're off like a Boeing 737 flown by a budget airline, the last flight out of Vegas to points unknown. The characters aboard this flight are assuredly sordid, but well developed. The ride is full of turbulence. But don't worry, with the sensible Captain Goldsmith behind the yoke, you will have a thrilling fright.

[Donald · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this as a real quick read. The whole vampire genre has a been there, done that vibe for me, which doesn't take away from the quality of the writing but might have affected my level of enjoyment. Love me some vamps, but like zombies, unless ya got something new, its been done, and better than you can do. Liked the characters and what happens at the end, want to see more. If you want an enjoyable quick story, get this, if you're looking to have your mind blown, not so much.

[Ross Warren · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fast paced, stylish addition to the vampire fiction oeuvre. Like the Las Vegas cousin of New York's Joe Pitt there is more than a flavouring of noir to the story along with some great phrasing. 'I tossed him to the floor and pinned him on all fours, he collapsed faster than the Weimar Republic'"

[Naima Haviland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gardner Goldsmith’s Bite is a novella with a vampire killer as a protagonist, but it’s more Sam Spade than Underworld. Sylvester Cole is in his favorite Las Vegas dive bar, watching the news on TV of an inferno he set in what he’s decided will be his last vampire killing. He’s toasting his impending retirement and dreaming of getting away when Ashley Courtland walks in. She is the type of woman that right-angles every noir hero off his chosen path -- a woman whose desperate story and knockout looks compel him to action against his better instincts. Soon Sylv Cole is chasing a mystery vampire through the seediest back streets of Vegas, fighting off thugs and fleeing the cops -- all while trying to find Ashley, who’s gone after the vampire, herself. Vampires don’t actually appear in this story til’ well into its midpoint. This doesn’t matter. The story’s already racing and anyway; danger, itself, in all its myriad forms, is the real villain in Bite. What I enjoyed most was Sylvester Cole’s first-person account of his misadventure; the quick slang of a human tomcat who knows he’s on his ninth life. Here’s Sylv fighting: “With a grunt, I threw my shin at his nutsack, hitting ground zero with all I had.” Sylv drowning: “Bubbles rose around me like a strawberry in champagne.” Sylv dodging the bullet that hits a propane tank: “…the explosion threw me to my knees like a Pilgrim in fear of the Lord.” Bite was an impulse buy for me, and one that paid off. The paperback (and maybe the e-book?) has two bonus short stories in the horror genre, both different in tone and topic from each other and from the novella. I enjoyed these also. Check out this versatile writer and look for his upcoming sequels to Bite.

[Travis · Rating 3 out of 5]

novella, first in a trilogy, detectives and vampires. 1st person perspective, rocky in places, a fun read.