Redhead Town by Deborah Sheldon
Life is Bloody Good
Redhead Town by Deborah Sheldon is an Australian dystopian vampire novella where “Life is Bloody Good” for most people, but not all. Released on March 11, 2024 by PsychoToxin Press, it weighs in at 159 pages. Chock full of suspense and intriguing characters, it’s a quick and enjoyable read.
This is definitely not your everyday vampire story.
This book almost didn’t happen. Originally penned as a virus story, Covid quickly shut down Sheldon’s desire to release it during a pandemic. In a brilliant twist, she changed the theme of the book and created vampires who lived more like “meth-heads,” needing their next hit of blood to function. Much like her characters, it got a second chance! I’m so glad it did.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story. The main non-vampire characters, Mark, Bernadette, and their young son Nathan, come alive on the page. The struggling family lives in one of the designated areas, places where Legal Ingestion Centers are located to both feed and lure the vampires away from large cities. Unfortunately, this creates a problem. Mark and his family are stuck with a mortgage payment in an area that’s quickly declining. No one wants to purchase a home in a designated area. Jobs are scarce, and neighbors are willing to sell you out if you disobey any of the government’s new rules regarding vampires. Most people in their situation either give up and turn into a redhead or escape in a much more dire way - suicide.
Here, vampires have rights, too. Just using the derogatory term “redhead” can result in being fired. Despite the menacing creatures trespassing (feasting, defecating, or worse) on Mark’s front lawn, disposing of their waste without contacting the proper authorities can result in steep fines. Here, freedom of speech no longer exists. Someone is always watching, and you better stay inside after sundown. Life is regressing for the “normies” in these zones as redheads pollute the areas and take over.
I enjoyed following Mark throughout the story. Even though we aren’t experiencing a vampire infestation in our world, the mental hurdles he goes through after “The Occurrence” happens are realistic and hit home today for many people who feel like they’re stuck in their lives or careers. Aside from the very entertaining story Sheldon created, so many things Mark and his family experience also harken to very real situations today regarding power struggles between people, governments, and human (and vampire) rights.
“Funny how you don’t realize you’re living the best years until those years are gone.”
As for Mark, the majority of this story takes place in his psyche. How far can he be pushed before he breaks - or anyone for that matter. When push comes to shove, what would you do? How do you remain true to yourself and still tow the line? It’s a fascinating look into how he navigates some very tricky situations, especially when he allows himself to have hope and possibly even believe there could be a light at the end of the tunnel.
This is one of those books where I like to inject myself into the main character and think about how I would handle things if it were me. I recommend grabbing a copy and checking it out.
***Information about the backstory of Redhead Town, including Sheldon’s thoughts on its creation and the main vampire character Zachary, can be found HERE in a guest blog by Kim Catanzarite.
Other books you might enjoy by Deborah Sheldon:
From Deborah Sheldon’s Website:
I’M AN AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR FROM MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA.
I WRITE SHORT STORIES, NOVELLAS AND NOVELS ACROSS THE DARKER SPECTRUM OF HORROR, CRIME AND NOIR.
MY CREDITS ALSO INCLUDE TV SCRIPTS, STAGE PLAYS, MAGAZINE ARTICLES, AND AWARD-WINNING ANTHOLOGY EDITING AND MEDICAL WRITING.
PsychoToxin Press
PsychoToxin Press is an indie horror publishing press that prides itself on finding the freshest voices in the shadows and bringing them to you.
***From the PsychoToxin Press website:
Check out my other reviews of Deborah Sheldon’s works:
