Nerds That Geek Book Review: 'Kiss Me, Judas'

Written by John Edward Betancourt

​There is something utterly fascinating about urban legends. Their origins always fire up my imagination, leaving me wondering exactly how such legends came to be. In fact, I often wonder if these twisted tales actually happened to some poor soul who just so happened to have their worst moment in life forever cemented in history in the wrong kind of way.

It's also good to know that I am not the only one who lets their imagination run wild in that fashion and thanks to author Will Christopher Baer, I was pulled into the world of a living urban legend, and the horrors that follow said legend in the first book in the Phineas Poe trilogy, Kiss Me, Judas.
  
Phineas Poe awakens one morning, in complete and utter pain. There is a massive surgical wound shooting pain up his side and from the looks of the amount of ice in the bathtub that has served as his bed, and the note left by the woman he met last night, Jude, his kidney has been removed. But there is more here than simple organ theft at play and Phineas will be now plunged into a world of conspiracy and drugs as he searches for his missing organ and the woman who robbed him of it.  

I found this novel to be completely and utterly refreshing and fascinating. Simply because of how unique and dark this little gem is. Phineas Poe is truly thrust into the underbelly of a world we have never known, one filled with the creepiest of people and the seediest of places and I was captivated from the get go. Each character is as colorful as they can get and their odd agendas and plans for themselves make this novel a dangerous read since we never quite know who is telling the truth and if Phineas is ever truly safe. Take all of that into account and throw in a surprise ending that I know I didn't see coming and you are treated to a fantastic novel set in a modern noir world that leaves you turning page after page.  

I absolutely recommend this novel thanks to its unique design in storytelling and because holy crap, it is absolutely captivating. Pick it up, read it as soon as possible because this merely sets the stage for Phineas Poe's story, as since there are two sequels that follow Kiss Me, Judas and yes, they are as fantastic as this one...and oh yes, we'll talk about them soon enough.  

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