In his novel PUDDLE PEOPLE, Eamonn Bradley introduces us to the Northern Irish town of Sterling and local inventor Walter Minsk, who, not content with the single invention for which he is famous, begins to embark on a bizarre, misguided crusade to bring peace to all mankind. His methods are nothing short of crazy and once he sets out to start testing his invention, we see the results of his madness start to play out.
Walter’s grotesque chemical process is really something to behold. I was so impressed by the audacity of the invention in the way it literally flows from the page. It had me grinning and at times laughing aloud at Bradley’s wild sense of invention. Soon after Walter’s first test, disappearances follow and once the people around Walter start to investigate, Walter doubles down in pursuit of his goal.
Several times I laughed out loud at the humour in this novel. Some of the detail might not be for the squeamish, but I had bucket-loads of fun, turning the pages at pace to see the madness unfold. Horror-comedy is a delicate balance, and Bradley walks this tightrope with style.