🩸 Horror Fiction

Lone Star Crime Scene Clean Up

✍️ Fergus Hinely
Reader Score
4.6
(1 review)
$18.99
In stock — ready to ship Ships in 1–2 business days
📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A dark comedy about a crime scene cleaner in Dallas.

Hinely explores the life of a cleaner for a Dallas crime lord. The story examines the bond between Hank Cooper and James Brackington as their professional relationship fractures. The narrative moves from routine cleanup duties to a chaotic pursuit of mysterious contraband. The setting remains grounded in Texas locations like the Texas Inn and Smiley's Funeral Home. The tone balances grim reality with absurd situations. Hinely uses these elements to critique the violence inherent in syndicate life. The book offers a unique perspective on loyalty and survival within a criminal hierarchy.

Key Themes
crime syndicate operations absurdist violence funeral home comrades
Literary Context

The story is set in Dallas, Texas, within the context of the largest southern United States crime syndicate. It draws on noir traditions and explores the specific culture of criminal cleanup crews and funeral home workers in that region.

Difficulty
●● Medium
Recommended For Fans Of
Charles Bukowski · Donald Westlake · Joe R. Lansdale · noir noir
🩸
Horror Fiction
🏛 Line by Lion Publications 📅 2025 🌐 English 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9781969677335

📝 Description: Lone Star Crime Scene Clean Up

Fergus Hinely presents a narrative centered on Hank Cooper, a man cleaning up after James Brackington in Dallas. Brackington leads the largest southern syndicate while committing occasional murders and acts of coercion. Hank spends his days at the Texas Inn, consuming peanuts, vodka, and Hillsborough cigarettes to cope with his role as a dead man walking. The plot shifts when Brackington’s operation involving vital contraband fails. This failure disrupts the uneasy partnership between the two men, thrusting Hank and his colleagues from Smiley's Funeral Home into a realm of absurdism and uncanny violence. They must locate the key to Brackington's downfall before they face their own demise. This work suits readers who appreciate noir fiction blended with surreal elements. It appeals to those interested in stories about criminal underworlds and the psychological toll of such lives. Readers seeking traditional horror or straightforward thriller plots may find the tone too unconventional.

💎 Our verdict on Lone Star Crime Scene Clean Up

“
🩸
Horror Reads editorial team
Horror desk
Hinely crafts a compelling narrative centered on Hank Cooper and James Brackington, exploring their fractured professional relationship amidst the chaos of Dallas crime life. The book excels in balancing grim reality with absurd scenarios, creating a distinctive tone that critiques syndicate violence without resorting to conventional horror tropes. The grounded setting, including locations like the Texas Inn and Smiley's Funeral Home, adds authenticity to the uncanny events. This work is ideal for readers seeking unconventional storytelling that delves into the psychological burdens of the criminal underworld. Those preferring traditional thrillers may find the surreal approach challenging, but fans of dark comedy noir will likely appreciate its unique voice and thematic depth.
✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers who appreciate the intersection of grim reality and absurd situations will find value in this unique perspective on loyalty and survival within a criminal hierarchy. The narrative offers a critique of violence inherent in syndicate life, presented through the eyes of a cleaner trying to survive his role as a 'dead man walking.' It appeals to those interested in stories about the psychological toll of such lives, particularly in grounded Texas settings. However, it is best suited for those who enjoy noir fiction blended with surreal elements rather than traditional horror or straightforward thriller plots.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

Reader rating

4.6
Based on 1 reviews
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Horror Reads editorial team

Hinely crafts a compelling narrative centered on Hank Cooper and James Brackington, exploring their fractured professional relationship amidst the chaos of Dallas crime life. The book excels in balancing grim reality with absurd scenarios, creating a distinctive tone that critiques syndicate violence without resorting to conventional horror tropes. The grounded setting, including locations like the Texas Inn and Smiley's Funeral Home, adds authenticity to the uncanny events. This work is ideal for readers seeking unconventional storytelling that delves into the psychological burdens of the criminal underworld. Those preferring traditional thrillers may find the surreal approach challenging, but fans of dark comedy noir will likely appreciate its unique voice and thematic depth.

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