The Danes—the band known as the “Darlings of Detroit”—are washed up and desperate for inspiration, eager to once again have a number one hit. That is, until an agent from the US Army approaches them. Will they travel to an African desert and track down the source of a mysterious and malevolent sound? Under the guidance of their front man, Philip Tonka, the Danes embark on a harrowing journey through the scorching desert—a trip that takes Tonka into the heart of an ominous and twisted conspiracy.
Meanwhile, in a nondescript Midwestern hospital, a nurse named Ellen tends to a patient recovering from a near-fatal accident. The circumstances that led to his injuries are mysterious—and his body heals at a remarkable rate. Ellen will do the impossible for this enigmatic patient, who reveals more about his accident with each passing day.
As you know, I loved Josh Malerman's debut novel Bird Box, so when I saw that he had published another book, I knew I had to read it. And when I saw this one be compared to Lost, one of my all-time favourite TV shows? DOUBLE excited. When I read this in the car on the way to Easter dinner I could not put it down. I was so engaged in what was going on.
Josh Malerman once again shows his writing chops in Black Mad Wheel. If I didn't know that this was his sophomore novel, I would say he's a seasoned author with many publications to his name. His writing style is so unique and engaging, never once letting up the suspense and tension, deftly weaving back and forth between the two intertwining narratives of the desert and the hospital. He has this way of writing tension that makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up and makes you think twice about things. He's excellent at creating tension, setting, tone, and atmosphere that pays off well in the conclusion of the novel.
The characters in Black Mad Wheel are well-realized and -defined. You know what makes each of these characters tick. They all have ideals and morals and each have their own reasons for doing this mission. Main characters Philip and Ellen work so well and you can tell that they each have something haunting them. Additionally, all the characters play off of each other so well. Malerman really knows what makes his characters tick. Nothing ever feels forced with these characters, they are believable and relatable, and work really well for this story.
Once again the psychological horror showcased in this book, like his previous novel, builds gradually until it reaches a climax that is so meticulously planned out. Each of the two narratives has a psychological horror that again is intertwined. You can tell that Malerman put a lot of time and effort into intertwining these two horrors that ultimately end up feeding off each other in their own way, and it really paid off.
Guys, this is another home run for Josh Malerman. He has proven himself once again as being an adept writer, creating an atmospheric and tense novel from start to finish. While I enjoyed Bird Box just a tiny bit more, this is still a stunning novel, not one I'll soon forget. It's well-written, has great characters and character development, and isn't cliche in the slightest in the execution of the twists. I have to give Black Mad Wheel a 5/5. It was such an intense ride that didn't let up for a second. All around a terrific novel.
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