Rough Justice

Steve Rasnic Tem’s work often embodies a nightmarish quality. In these stories the situations are nihilistic. His environments are inhabited by the lost or forgotten, whose stories have had no voice. In a world overrun by an abject and apathetic populace, Tem provides his characters with voice.

Violence lines the hallways of these stories. “Facing It” and “Rough Justice” portray a world where “little bastards” are held in check and accused baby killers receive their just deserts.

In “Rat Catcher” an infestation of rodents in one family’s home leads to an anguished plea for help. But the man who arrives leaves their children unsettled, and like the nightmare the father endured as a child, a horrific manifestation has been resurrected. “The Stench” follows Riley, who is continually hampered by foul odors found in ordinary people, places, and things, forcing him to avoid them at all costs.

“Love Letters” features a man traveling cross country in the hopes of recovering his ex’s love notes. No matter what their nostalgia, they pull him further from reality and further from the closure he needs.

“Daddy’s an Actor” and “My Daughter is Here” feature two distinct father-daughter depictions: one that surrounds a fascination with the art of acting; and the other with end-of-life care. Their relationships may be teetering on the brink of collapse, but their “daughters” are there to swoop in and help in their own maladjusted ways.

These forty-three tales of crime and deception run the gamut from high-altitude capers to back-alley brouhahas. The collection features obsessives and connivers, goons and scoundrels across nearly 500 pages.