First published back in January of 2008 (although early proofs etc were available in September of 2007), Guy N Smith’s novel ‘The Cadaver’ was released in hardback by Severn House. Only in April of 2013 was the novel rereleased, this time in the format of an ebook by Black Hill Books.
The tale was originally written as a short story and published within the limited edition chapbook ‘The Cadaver’ (1991). However, Smith later return to the grim tale, rewiring it into a full-length novel.
The tale was originally written as a short story and published within the limited edition chapbook ‘The Cadaver’ (1991). However, Smith later return to the grim tale, rewiring it into a full-length novel.
By his own reclusion, Edward Kroll had become the nemesis of the Knighton townspeople. Not that the small Welsh-boarder community saw that much of Kroll. Day after day the aging old man would hide away in his house. Skulking away in his damp, dark house, his curtains permanently drawn.
Only on Tuesdays and Thursdays would he venture out to walk just three doors down the Narrows to the Grillhouse where he would treat himself to the same dinner he always had.
Those who had the misfortune to see Kroll on these brief jaunts would recoil from the musty, unwashed smell of the fetid old man and his unashamed flatulence. It was noted he always wore the same shabby suit, donning the same dirty trilby hat and reeking of unwashed clothes. His corpse-like features and paper-thin skin stretched taught over a frail bones. The man was in essence a walking cadaver.
Kroll didn’t live without his tormentors. In particular, the Morgan boys were often responsible for tormenting the old man. Recently, the Morgan boys had gotten the twelve-year-old Mickey Farrell to throw rotten apples at Kroll under the feeble guise of trick-or-treating. A prank that resulted in the very worst consequences for the young Farrell boy.
However, when Kroll’s aging frail body finally succumbs to pneumonia, the shadow he cast over the town only intensives. Even after death, Edward Kroll continues to haunt the streets of Knighton, and wreak his revenge on anyone who happens to slight the walking cadaver…
Oh yes, this is absolute textbook Guy N Smith. It’s plot, the entire premise of the novel, is one which has cropped up in a number of Guy’s novels over the years. A grubby old man, shunned by the locals, who ends up causing all sorts of havoc. Simply off the top of my head I can think of ‘Beheaded’ (2021), ‘The Hangman’ (1994) and ‘Nightspawn’ (2010) each sharing a similar theme.
In fact, as mentioned earlier, Smith’s story about Edward Kroll and his grim hold over the local townspeople was originally written as a short story which was published in the chapbook ‘The Cadaver’ (1991). The plot is essentially the same, just in this full-length novel much more fleshed out, with additional aspects to the story woven in.
In fact, as mentioned earlier, Smith’s story about Edward Kroll and his grim hold over the local townspeople was originally written as a short story which was published in the chapbook ‘The Cadaver’ (1991). The plot is essentially the same, just in this full-length novel much more fleshed out, with additional aspects to the story woven in.
Furthermore, for anyone who’s visited the small Welsh-border town of Knighton (perhaps whilst attending one of the annual Guy N Smith Fan Conventions), this novel out of all of Guy’s novels, contains the most references to the local spots around Knighton. From the three pubs along the length of the town’s high street (the Horse & Jockey, the George & Dragon and the Red Lion), to the thin winding side street of ‘The Narrows’. Even the two coffeeshops along the main street and the local fish & chip shop by the clocktower get a brief mention.
Aside from this, the novel sets down perhaps one of the most downtrodden and altogether miserable of stories that Smith has penned. Honestly, there’s very little that’s not wrapped up in a somewhat gloomy tone. Essentially, it depicts the depressing life of the recluse, Edward Kroll, in all his dirty and bitter glory.
Interestingly, Smith also pens Kroll as an avid book collector, amassing shelf upon shelf of books, with a particular penchant for boys’ adventure stories and comics. I say ‘interestingly’ because Smith himself was a keen collector of such. However, what Smith depicts in Kroll’s collecting is painted as hoarding to the detriment of Kroll’s own wellbeing and living conditions. Whether Smith did this as a personal warning to himself, not to allow his own collecting to slip into the realms of obsessive hoarding, we’ll probably never know.
Outside of this, the focus of the book is undoubtedly with depicting the life, existence and personality of Edward Kroll. However, alongside this we do also have a relatively sizeable cast of other characters brought into the tale. As with most of Smith’s pulp novels, many of these come to a rather sticky end, although many survive Kroll’s vengeful gaze.
We’ve got a handful of troublemaking kids who terrorise Kroll before they learn the hard way that wasn’t such a smart move. Then there’s the Morgan boys’ parents (who run the nearby Grillhouse) who are becoming increasingly concerned about losing business because of Kroll’s regular meals there. We also have the witless police constable Phil Morris, a begrudging GP named Dr Mervyn King, a disbelieving mortician named Victor Pohl, and an opportunist book dealer named Ralph Addenbrook. Along with these key characters there’s then all the pub locals and nosy neighbours, blending a ‘Last Of The Summer Wine’ vibe with a grim and sometimes gruesome pulp horror plot.
However, by far and away the best aspects of the novel are with the many (and I really mean many) descriptions of how vile and utterly disgusting Edward Kroll acts. His default attitude of snapping and criticizing, his obsessive penny-pinching, and blatant lack of any hygiene. Then seeing the reactions of the locals as Kroll condemns them for the slightest annoyance – honestly, every interaction with Kroll is so damn entertaining.
If you’re already a Guy N Smith fan, in particular if you’ve visited Knighton and the pubs along the high street, then this is a novel you’ll absolutely relish. It’s got so much classic Smith in there. If, however, you’re relatively new to the great scribbler’s work, then I’d suggest leaving this one for a little later on down the GNS reading pile, as you’ll likely get a lot more out of it once you’ve a better knowledge of Smith and his work.
But for this reviewer – a diehard fan of Smith’s work – I frigging loved this one. I think I had a grin permanently plastered across my face from start to finish.
The novel runs for a total of 198 pages.
© DLS Reviews
