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"The finest writer of paperback originals in America." - Stephen King"Readers of weak constitution should beware." - Publishers Weekly"McDowell has a flair for the gruesome." - Washington PostWelcome to Babylon, a typical sleepy Alabama small town, where years earlier the Larkin family suffered a terrible tragedy. Now they are about to endure another: fourteen-year-old Margaret Larkin will be robbed of her innocence and her life by a killer who is beyond the reach of the law.But something strange is happening in Babylon: traffic lights flash an eerie blue, a ghostly hand slithers from the drain of a kitchen sink, graves erupt from the local cemetery in an implacable march of terror... And beneath the murky surface of the river, a shifting, almost human shape slowly takes form. Night after night it will pursue the murderer. And when the full moon rises over Babylon, it will seek a terrible vengeance...Cold Moon Over Babylon (1980), the second novel by Michael McDowell (1950-1999), author of Blackwater and The Elementals and screenwriter of Beetlejuice and The Nightmare Before Christmas, is a chilling Southern Gothic tale of revenge from beyond the grave that ranks among his most terrifying books. This first-ever reprint features deliciously creepy new cover art by Mike Mignola.
The brutal murder of young Margaret Larkin triggers a supernatural cycle of vengeance that threatens to consume the quiet town of Babylon, Alabama. Following the tragic death of his daughter, Jerry Larkin finds himself caught in a nightmare where the boundaries between the living and the dead dissolve. As a malevolent entity rises from the river to hunt the killer, the town experiences increasingly bizarre and terrifying phenomena. The narrative employs a third-person perspective to track the escalating dread, contrasting the mundane reality of small-town life with the encroaching, implacable force of the supernatural.
This novel is widely recognized as a hallmark of Southern Gothic horror, praised for its ability to ground terrifying supernatural events in a believable, claustrophobic small-town environment. Critics and readers alike note McDowell's distinct talent for blending the mundane with the macabre, creating a sense of dread that persists long after the final page. The work is frequently cited for its unflinching approach to violence and its effective use of atmospheric tension rather than mere shock value. It remains a staple for those interested in the darker side of American regional fiction, solidifying McDowell's reputation as a master of the genre.
Page Count:
256
Publication Date:
1980-09-25
Publisher:
HarperCollins Publishers
ISBN-10:
0006160999
ISBN-13:
9780006160991
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