Murder at the Grindhouse - a little sample to read...

My new novel "Murder at the Grindhouse" is coming out August 7th 2026, available worldwide on paperback and eBook via Amazon - so here's a little sample to read: the prologue that kicks things off.

 

Murder at the Grindhouse

Copyright 2026 Nick Thomson 

PROLOGUE

January 1982

Granted, I've never rode behind a hearse before, but I don't think they're supposed to ride that low to the ground. Aunt Teresa was a robust woman, and yeah, she's only been present in occasional letters since sixty-nine, but there's no way she's put on this much weight since then.

The black Caddy up ahead wallows along the freeway, its undulating rear bumper scraping against the patchwork tarmacadam as the winter sun, wreathed in freezing clouds, slithers across the soft curves and sharp details of its gleaming body.

Uncle Gene's up front. He hasn't said a word since this morning at JFK, his frosty silence imposed upon everyone else in the limousine.

“At least the sun came out for her,” I say, disregarding the verbal embargo.

In the middle row of seats, Dad's gaze refuses to peel away from the world passing by, as Mom turns her head an inch or two, that all-too-familiar blankness on her face. Neither utter a word. The same goes for Angela, head to toe in black and keeping her distance. Despite the veil, there's a hint of a smile under the brim of her hat. She must like folks stewing in their awkwardness...

Click "READ MORE" below to contiue...

We Are Zombie Men...

My buddy Brian and I have been mucking around with a music generator these past few months, and with me writing the lyrics and him prompting the tunes, we've accidentally gone and made a whole album of tracks - some of which act as a prequel/re-telling/sequel for the "I Am Zombie Man" series of literally no-budget short films I made many moons ago.

We've called ourselves We Are Zombie Men, and the album is called Bolivian Bliss. You can check it out on the the WAZM YouTube Channel:

Bolivian Bliss

Bolivian Bliss (Alternative Cuts) 

I used Microsoft Designer to prompt the images of Zombie Man and his new beau Fan Girl.

A quick FAQ after the jump...

Murder at the Grindhouse - my new novel...

Murder at the Grindhouse - my new novel - is releasing on August 7th 2026 worldwide via Amazon.

The eBook is already up for pre-order worldwide (e.g. UK, USA) and the physical print edition of the book will go live for purchase on August 7th.

Set during the dying years of the most notorious street in America: New York's 42nd Street between 7th and 8th Avenues, Murder at the Grindhouse is a coming-of-age murder mystery thriller set against a backdrop of social upheaval, the encroachment of corporate America, and a sensational killing streak. The propulsive story is told primarily through Calvin, a scorned small town zero forever chasing to catch up only to arrive too late, who is drawn to the city by a stunning, morbid mystery: who was the second body hidden inside his Aunt's coffin?

Calvin enters this extraordinary land of outlaw film culture and illicit freedoms as a wide-eyed innocent seeking answers and personal redemption, drawing him into a world of copycat murders, temptation, and mob intrigue. Besieged by alluring distractions, he is guided by Angela, a hard-nosed punk rocker; Carol-Ann, a jocular dancer with Broadway dreams; and their coterie of misfit friends. However, when Calvin's amateur sleuthing puts him in the middle of one too many crime scenes, Detective Armstrong begins to like him as a prime suspect for 'The Devil of The Deuce' serial killer. Will Calvin be able to peel back the layers of secrets, lies, and sordid actions to unveil horrifying truths – and at what cost to his soul?

A vivid and gleefully lurid journey through society's edge during a bygone era, Murder at the Grindhouse consumes the reader in a world populated with humorous, vibrant, and emotionally flawed personalities cast against a varied mix of absurd fringe fantasia and sudden danger.

Faces of Death (Daniel Goldhaber, 2026) Review

Find more horror reviews here.

“DIY horror is trafficking right now.” How do you resurrect and reinvent a semi-obscure horror franchise that focused on 'real' death and destruction to shock its audience many years before anyone had even heard of something called the World Wide Web and viral videos? In the case of this unexpected 2026 rebirth of the 1978 original, the approach is to make things timely to meet our current world of social media...

Click “READ MORE” below to continue the review and see more screenshots…

Flavours of the Month: May & June 2026...

Cruising around the galaxy with my little alien buddy, the fall of a villain, a modest amount of Cage Rage (and two blistering heat waves!) is just some of what's been setting the tone of my May and June 2026...

Click "READ MORE" below to see this month's looks, sounds, vibes & flavours...