Serpent Girl

by Ray Garton

Steve Benedetti has a dark and lonely job from which he has decided to retire. On his way home from what he intends to be his final assignment, he stops at a carnival to kill some time. There he meets the Serpent Girl, a woman who mesmerizes him as no other woman has...and stirs in him desires that blind his own better judgment. They each have a dangerous secret.Steve decides to take her with him on the road, a decision that binds them—and their secrets—together in ways neither could ever suspect. They begin an erotic journey that takes them much farther than their physical destination...a bloody journey that will irrevocably change them both.Previously published as Cemetery Dance.

Genres: Horror, Ebooks

100 pages, ebook

First published April 30, 2008

About the author

Ray Garton is the author of several books, including horror novels such as LIVE GIRLS (which has a movie in the works), CRUCIFAX, E4 AUTUMN, and THE FOLKS; thrillers like TRADE SECRETS and SHACKLED; and numerous short stories and novellas. He's also written a number of movie and television tie-ins for young readers. He lives with his wife, Dawn, in California.

Reviews

[Karl]

This is copy 231 of 750 signed numbered copies, signed by Ray Garton.

Illustrated by Jill Bauman.

[Jack · Rating 5 out of 5]

An awesome short novel by splatter legend Ray Garton. I didn't know what to expect when I picked this up. I thought the serpent girl of the title would be like a mermaid but with a snakes tail instead of a fishes, so I had no idea how the story would pan out. But she wasn't a mutant, more of a snake charmer. Said girl, Carmen, is picked up at a carnival by an ex-hitman, when she falls out with her boss/lover. He's journeying home to L.A. after his last 'hit' and offers to drop Carmen off at relatives in Sacremento. Carmen may be an attractive young woman but all is not what it seems! A sexy read by a great writer... I couldn't put this book down.

[Ken B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Its a love story. Well, hitman meets serial killer. Hitman falls in love with serial killer. Serial killer moves in with hitman. And they live happily ever after. Well, not really. Garton doesn't write fairy tales. It couldn't possibly end that way.

4 STARS

[Kurt Reichenbaugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

An erotic love story and road novelette with a heart of noir beating through it. I've always enjoyed Garton's stories and novels, and this one is no exception.

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Great Story from Garton

This may just be my new favorite story from one of my favorite authors. Or at least tied with Scissors.

[Warren Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

The ONLY drawback to a Ray Garton short story is that it's over too quick! Ray Garton is one of the best storytellers around!

[Bri · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Sigh*.... as much as I want to love this book I can’t. WAY TOO EROTIC for me. I bought this book based on a kindle deal and kinda had no idea what I was getting myself into. I felt like I was reading a porn script and at one point I couldn’t bear it. The storyline was great and the ending was fabulous. I just couldn’t get passed all the graphic sex scenes and Carmen the nympho.

[JW · Rating 3 out of 5]

An erotic noir novella. In this quick read, Garton performs his usual character magic by making a pair of killers both sympathetic and likeable.

[Jay · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was definitely not what I was expecting from a horror novel (having been used to King and Koontz), because it had a high level of sex and a low level of actual "horror". But it was entertaining anyway, and really surprised me with it's ending. Got a number of other Garton books to check out!

[Thom (T.E.) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Can Ray Garton ever write sex scenes! And with a dark "something extra" tweaked just right to keep a good story rolling. This novella switches gears smoothly from an opening where curiosity meets foreshadowing into an on-the-road cat-and-mouse game with two sturdily developed main characters. There's a lot of everyman's-fantasy--perhaps a bit too much of it, at the cost to other potential facets of the story...but when looked on as a frighteningly bleak mash-up between a Jim Thompson noir and a long-form version of one of the ultimate "Penthouse Letters," it's effective as can be. The plot doesn't try to throw the reader with a new twist at every chapter--Garton instead kept the tension near-peak through some finely observed detail and closing chapters that kept me guessing, hoping, wondering.

[Geoff · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting tale of two psychopaths who happen to hook up. One is now retired and while visiting a carnival he somehow gets involves with The Serpent Lady from the carnival who happens to quit while he's there, and she then asks for a ride to Sacramento. This ride evolves into more than a simple request and becomes something quite insane as they hook up. It's a short novel so its hard to say more without giving away the story, but I will say I kept feeling like this story was going to go supernatural but it never did. Overall I enjoyed the story, it was an interesting quick read.

[LVLMLeah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun, weird book to read. Two killers hook up and act with each other like it's normal to go around killing, until it's not normal for one. It's told in a straight up no frills way that I found refreshing. Also, there's lots of sex, like constantly. But it doesn't get old or redundant, it fits who these two characters are. Would definitely read some more of Ray Garton's books. Liked how off-beat it was.

[Dan Barbier · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very, very sexy noir thriller. Coming from Ray Garton, you would expect Serpent Girl to be a freak, a monster, you would not be far off, but she is not of the supernatural kind. A short, entertaining read. Serpent Girl delivers the goods.

[A.R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cue the Antihero

This was a hard one to like, because both protagonist and antagonist were evil, unlikable. Still, the quality of the tale--along with the strangely-human traits they both had--won me over. Garton's talent shines again.

[Joel · Rating 3 out of 5]

A delightfully nasty slice of noir horror with a killer payoff. However, some of the action gets a bit repetitious.

[Ralph Carlson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great read from one of my favorite writers.