I Was a Teenage Slasher
books by Stephen Graham Jones
Lamesa, Texas, July 1989It’s the summer before senior year for best friends Tolly Driver and Amber Dennison. They’re not in the marching band, they’re not in the FFA – they don’t really count. Amber’s the only Native student in town, and Tolly’s only on the radar due to his father’s recent death.This is all about to change.Bodies are going to be dropping fast in this small West Texas town. For a few unbearably hot days that will resonate through the decades and even get made into a TV movie, Tolly and Amber will be famous. Notorious even. Finally, everyone will know their names.This is Stephen Graham Jones x-raying the slasher genre, interrogating its motivations over the shoulder and in the voice of the killer itself – from a town he did some growing up in, in a year he was also seventeen.The kills will be poignant, the jokes will hurt, and the violence will be endearing. Everything’s turned around for Tolly, for Amber – for all of Lamesa, Texas.Be happy you weren’t there.Be happy you’re only reading about it. The author’s writing style demonstrates consistency, helping readers remain comfortable and engaged from beginning to end. A steady tone and clear structure allow the narrative to flow naturally, making it easy to remain immersed in the story. The narrative benefits from its balanced use of detail, offering enough description to establish context without overwhelming the reader. This measured approach allows the story to maintain momentum while still providing a vivid sense of place and atmosphere throughout the book.