Phil answers “Is this book based on or ”inspired” by...”

Kerstin asked this question about Let's Go Play at the Adams':

Is this book based on or ”inspired” by Sylvia Likens’ case? Are there detailed description of torture or subtle descriptions?

Phil For future reference / questions. I’m approaching 60 and I’ve read a lot of horror books. This? Without question, 30 years after my reading, still hau…moreFor future reference / questions. I’m approaching 60 and I’ve read a lot of horror books. This? Without question, 30 years after my reading, still haunts me to the point of coming here to update its own odd tale.
The Author , Mendel Johnson, suffered from depression and low-grade alcoholism. He told his wife he’d had an idea for a novel but kept avoiding it as his version of a real life story was so distressing.
He committed to its completion, and as the story unfolded from his fingers, his drinking consumed him. At the time of its completion, it had broken him both physically and mentally. It was his one and only completed novel. Others never got further than a couple of chapters before he would retreat and disown them. Despite the book’s early success in the horror genre, the reviews from critics and readers alike just added to his own private horror. He had no answer for the questions as to why his story was so sadistically harrowing , why it was ‘children’ who drove that fascination of cruelty and clinical sadism. In effect, the act of committing it to print had killed him spiritually, and the years following it , killed him physically. His wife maintains that the story killed him.
For those wondering why original print paperbacks are swapping hands for up to hundreds of dollars? His wife washed her hands of it. When the print run ended, the owners of the metal print blocks… smashed them. Up until fairly recently, there was no way to get a copy. ( eventually somebody bought the rights to reprint, and copies are once again available)
There is one final twist to the tale. One that Johnson’s wife thinks may have saved his life had it appeared before his death. A recurring theme from readers, critics, and even the author himself was… the ending was so offensive, the conclusion and ‘end’ of all those involved so outrageous, that it multiplied the horror by a factor of 10.
So another author, Barry W Schneebeli , wrote a sequel called ‘Game’s End’ … in which he changed one major factor of the original, and used that to spark a forensic police investigation. It didn’t lessen the original horror or impact, it merely changed the outcome to provide an alternate conclusion. His wife thoroughly approved. However, the legal rights to the original were now owned by the publisher, and they refused to allow the publication of the sequel.
So, Barry W Schneebeli , published it for free in digital form on his website.
This whilst the haggling over publishing rights were being slugged out in court. It was available for a while, but now…no copy, nor trace exists. All previous links are now dead ends online. No one is admitting to owning a copy, and no printed version is available.
Those who were lucky to read the sequel, are highly complimentary. They say it is well written, well researched, and tackles the myriad of questions left nagging away at the original readers.

If you wish to read this book, I’m not about to discourage you.
What I will suggest is, you read the reviews on Amazon, on other literary Review sites. Then remember his wife. And the Author…. And…
A 60 year old man, me, who was so profoundly affected by its subject matter, I’m still struggling to let it go. Good luck(less)

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Let's Go Play at the Adams'

by Mendal W. Johnson

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