BOOK REVIEW: “Little Killers A to Z” by Howard Odentz (Bell Bridge Books, 182 pages, $14.95)

By TINKY WEISBLAT

Howard Odentz of Wilbraham notes in the dedication to his new book that when his mother reads his prose, she often asks him, “Where do you come up with this stuff?”

I sympathize with her.

I can’t conceive of having the imagination to invent the sort of scary plotlines Odentz has delivered in his two novels, “Dead (a Lot)” and “Bloody Bloody Apple.”

The first dealt with teenage zombies; the second, with a murderous New England town (and family).

I found both books terrifying and unsettling, but I kept reading because Odentz writes very, very well.

His plots may turn creepy from time to time. His prose is economical, well organized, and appealing. Despite — or perhaps because of — his subject matter, he seldom loses his sense of humor.

I kept reading as I delved into his macabre new short-story collection, “Little Killers A to Z.”

This abecedarian grouping offers stories about 26 children — one for each letter of the alphabet.

Some of the stories’ protagonists are very young indeed; others are on the cusp of adulthood; all are linked by murder.

Some of them commit murder, while others either witness murder or, very occasionally, end up being murdered themselves.

Odentz is an empathetic author, as so many of the little killers in his book turn to violence because they themselves are victims. Some are physically or psychologically abused. Some are bullied by their peers. Others (this is a horror book, after all) are vampires or zombies or werewolves, doomed to kill by nature.

The least relatable protagonists in the stories are the ones who seem to have no reason to kill, other than their innate inability to see anyone’s viewpoint other than their own.

One could argue that this inability, too, is a form of victimhood; they obviously have deep psychological problems. They are pretty darn frightening, nevertheless.

The “ABC” structure suits Odentz. Short stories are often called the ideal literary form, and this author works well within that form.

He quickly draws the reader into the world of each character — from Andy to Zina — and moves his plots along.

He also offers plenty of surprises, including a child who at first seems normal, even charming, and quickly turns into a monster. A young person on the hunt becomes prey for an even more skilled hunter. And, an apparent victim turns out to be the killer.

“Little Killers A to Z” may be about children, but it is emphatically not for children. However, adults fans of horror and suspense will lap it up.

Tinky Weisblat is the author of “The Pudding Hollow Cookbook” and “Pulling Taffy.” Visit her website, www.TinkyCooks.com