Book Review: Dead Body Disposal by Jon Athan

"A person could not be alive without having to die, and a person could not die without having lived."

--Jon Athan, Dead Body Disposal

In this intense psychological horror book from Lovesick and The Groomer author Jon Athan, Max and Kasper ask you to spend the night with them as they explore the human body. Due to the graphic nature of this book, readers are recommended to use caution.

Synopsis from Goodreads...

Max Baker, a 31-year-old accountant, finds himself in a desperate situation after killing a prostitute in his hotel room. 'I lost control of myself, ' he says. 'I couldn't get the thought out of my head!' Panicking and unable to dispose of the evidence by himself, he calls on his long-time friend John Kasper for help. Kasper is horrified and hesitant to help at first, but he can't abandon his friend during his time of need. Max's family and future are at stake. Together, they devise and execute one plan after another, hopelessly trying to hide Max's crime...

But how do you make a dead body disappear from the 29th floor of a busy hotel?

My reaction to this novel...

I like reading thrillers, suspense, and horror books, but this one is exceptional. It's the first time I read a book written by Jon Athan, and I was truly startled because until now I could not digest everything that I had read. It seemed different when you read it firsthand, and the author is extremely straight and precise when it comes to the crime done by the main character. I am a woman who enjoys reading and even watching gory crimes and murders but there are moments when I have to stop reading because I feel like I am seeing everything that the murderer is doing, which is horrifying to read and really brutal of him. From everything I've read, it makes me feel like I'm the only witness who is terrified he'll find me, hunt me, and murder me. That is so terrifying that I thought it was real.

When I was reading the book, I had the strong impression that the main character had committed the crime in a very dumb way because he had no other plans. Nothing. It seemed as though he had just finished it. Sometimes I found him annoying due of his stupidity, but other times I found him repulsive because of what he was doing to the body. After a while, though, I began experiencing real fear since my mind kept imagining things, so I stopped reading it at night out of fear that I might dream about it. This book falls under the horror category, and in my opinion, the ghosts that are typically featured in horror literature and movies aren't quite as terrifying as this.

Surprisingly, I read this book throughout the day, and despite my fear, I find it impossible to put it down. I felt like I was on a roller coaster nonstop. Some chapters caused my insides to turn. I genuinely couldn't put the book down because it had me on the edge of my seat and made me feel scared, upset, disgusted, and shocked. This is extremely crazy of me. I love the stark contrast of the author's writing style. I didn't intend to imply that I adored the crime he describes in his book, but rather that I like the way he told the tale, which will make his readers really frightened, just as it did to me when I read it. I vividly saw each situation in my head, believing that it might actually transpire in reality and that the murderer's thoughts would indeed be the same.

My Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨(4.5/5)

"Stress does scary things to the mind." 

That's accurate. Due to excessive stress, our thoughts may be worn out and possess a variety of unsettling thought patterns. Your style of thinking will also change, as well as your patience. Your body and mind will also be weak, which explains why some people may experience mental instability. Because of this, it is crucial to acquire effective coping mechanisms and how to handle stress. Because of how strong our minds are, we need learn how to take care of them. Stress and worry are not healthy behaviors.