This was a first-time read of anything by R.J. Daly, and Run Red didn’t disappoint. It’s a short, sharp, stingingly brutal smack in the teeth, and it delivers its narrative in an accomplished and well sculpted way.
In any work of this genre (extreme and brutal horror), there always has to be an element of “suspension of belief”. Yes, the things in the various books could happen, but they’re extremely unlikely. While this is a factor in the vast majority of horror books, R.J. Daly deals with it using a clever and well-considered approach. He inserts little snippets of conventional wisdom, acknowledgements of the everyday mundanity, to ensure the reader has a constant frame of familiar reference.
For example, at one point, when Alex picks a pair of secateurs from the toolbox, the description of how they opened slowly due to grime and rust when the locking button was released is perfect. Has anyone ever had a pair which, after some time in a tool box, doesn’t open like that? They always rust, they always get gummed up, and the recognition of that ensures the reader has a point of familiarity, which lessens the suspension of belief.
By interspersing the horror and brutality with recognisable elements, Run Red never gets to the point where the reader feels things are too improbable, and that elevates the reading experience significantly.
The plot is, in all honesty, fairly straightforward, but that is no bad thing. As the inevitable starts to unfold, you find yourself grinning (or wincing, depending upon your way of thinking) in anticipation, and there is one major twist, which works well. It’s somewhat telling of my dark sense of humour that I laughed when I realised where things were headed.
All in all, Run Red is a captivating read, and kept me immersed throughout. I daresay some will find it uncomfortable, but I found it a bloody good and enjoyable read.