The Street Martyr by T. Fox Dunham

The Street Martyr by T. Fox Dunham
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Street Martyr is the second novel I have read by T. Fox Dunham and unlike Mercy moves the darkness and depravity away from the more supernatural influence to that derived from power and money and everything which goes hand in hand with individuals who believe they are untouchable. Vincent Grant is a low level drug dealer partnered with Louie (friends from being boys) doing their business in the employee of the local crime boss in and around Philadelphia. A request from Vincent's priest (and friend) has him paying a visit to another priest who has been abusing children, a beat down by Vincent was delivered by the next day the priest is found beheaded and brutally disfigured in the local park. Pursued by the police and organised crime Vincent has few friends and forced to merge himself into the remnants of humanity he used to exploit reveals some startling truths.
The Street Martyr was an entertaining crime drama, the world that was painted was sufficiently bleak and realistic to understand the choices made by many of the main characters and the ultimate choice to embrace the darkness or the light was well paced and followed a logical if brutal path. A well written story showing us the depths the human soul can fall through both by circumstance and by choice.

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Mercy by T. Fox Dunham

Mercy by T. Fox Dunham
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

William Saint was dying, slowly but surely and his cancer was not the only route to his demise, guilt and well being human added to his burden and turning down any home care resulted in him rotting away in his home. Others had plans for him though and after emergency services broke down his door he was taken to Mercy hospital but surely no one these days were taken there, a run down and decaying structure long past its prime. In hindsight probably a fitting destination even with the hallucinations that begin to plague Willie and the ghosts of memory, it was Mercy that took the love of his life Kylie a year before but here and now he feels her presence and that of a darkness creeping along the halls.
Mercy was not my usual genre these days (supernatural/horror) but I wanted to read some of the novels by Fox and this seemed a suitable choice and I think I chose wisely. The novel is a comfortable read, the characters and situations are easy to get into and the visceral world that is built is wonderfully compelling. The style reminds me a little of the early work of Dean R. Koontz who I rated highly in this genre and the pacing kept me turning the page despite none of the characters being overly likeable.

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