Review: We Sold Our Souls by Grady Hendrix

Title: We Sold Our Souls by Grady Hendrix
Publisher: Quirk Books
Genre: Contemporary, Horror, Occult
Length: 336 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

In this hard-rocking, spine-tingling supernatural thriller, the washed-up guitarist of a ‘90s heavy metal band embarks on an epic road-trip across America and deep into the web of a sinister conspiracy.

Grady Hendrix, horror writer and author of Paperbacks from Hell and My Best Friend’s Exorcism, is back with his most electrifying novel yet. In the 1990s, heavy metal band Dürt Würk was poised for breakout success—but then lead singer Terry Hunt embarked on a solo career and rocketed to stardom as Koffin, leaving his fellow bandmates to rot in obscurity.

Two decades later, former guitarist Kris Pulaski works as the night manager of a Best Western—she’s tired, broke, and unhappy. Everything changes when a shocking act of violence turns her life upside down, and she begins to suspect that Terry  sabotaged more than just the band.

Kris hits the road, hoping to reunite with the rest of her bandmates and confront the man who ruined her life. It’s a journey that will take her from the Pennsylvania rust belt to a celebrity rehab center to a music festival from hell. A furious power ballad about never giving up, even in the face of overwhelming odds, We Sold Our Souls is an epic journey into the heart of a conspiracy-crazed, pill-popping, paranoid country that seems to have lost its very soul…where only a lone girl with a guitar can save us all

Review:

We Sold Our Souls by Grady Hendrix is an engrossing novel of redemption with slight horror and occult elements.

Forty-six year old Kris Pulaski is the co-creator and guitarist of the now defunct heavy metal band Dürt Würk. She, along with Terry Hunt, formed the band while they were still teenagers.  After years of playing bars and small venues, they were finally on the brink of signing a major deal when Terry yanked the rug out from under them. Kris and the other members of Dürt Würk, Scottie Rocket, Tuck and Bill faded into anonymity while Terry went on to have a successful career in his new band, Koffin.  When Terry announces a farewell tour, Kris decides it is time to find out exactly what happened the night she and the rest of Dürt Würk were supposed to sign their contract. After paying a visit to Scottie, she has an uneasy suspicion that Terry’s success goes deeper than just good luck and talent.  With Koffin’s final tour culminating with a Woodstock-ish festival dubbed Hellstock ’19, Kris must battle a variety of murderous individuals who are determined to prevent her from reaching Terry.

Kris is just going through the motions as she works the overnight shift at Best Western. Learning about Terry’s farewell tour is the catalyst Kris needs to reclaim her life. She is also very curious about why their final album has never seen the light of day. Scottie is the first bandmate she contacts and she is shocked by the changes in him. When tragedy strikes, Kris finds herself on the run as she continues trying to stop Terry before he carries out a diabolical plan.

With plenty of action, scary encounters and heavy metal references, We Sold Our Souls is a fast-paced and compelling novel. The storyline is unique and quite imaginative. Kris is a feisty protagonist who refuses to back down despite facing some very daunting and life-threatening obstacles. Kris absolutely shines as her story arc comes to a glorious denouement but the novel’s conclusion is a bit ambiguous.  Old and new fans of Grady Hendrix will love this homage to heavy metal music.