HOOD’S RIDE Is Red by J.P. Jackson is a sexy and thrilling short story that reimagines the Little Red Riding Hood fairytale. Harkin Ross, nicknamed “Hood” after his Red Dodge Dart–a clever, butch take on the “red hood” motif–is hiding a hairy, clawed, sharp-toothed secret, but not very well, unfortunately. Arrested and locked up for a crime that occurred at his Grandfather’s house, he is visited in an oppressive interrogation room several times throughout this story by several interesting individuals. Some are curious, some concerned, others fearful, but all want something from him. Do any of these men offer Hood a way out? Perhaps, but all his options involve danger, pain, and death. However, one may also provide love. Choices!
One of the greatest strengths of this short story lies in Jackson’s ability to convey action, intensity, and
tension through a deft balance of both “showing” and “telling.” The narrative never settles into the distant, detached mode of someone merely recounting what once happened. Instead, the reader is pulled directly into the moment, caught inside the urgency and momentum of the scenes as they unfold. There is a constant sense of immediacy, not events filtered through hindsight.
Jackson’s prose is far too visceral, too sharp-edged, for a tepid or passive reading experience. Every sentence carries weight, propelling the story forward while keeping the emotional stakes taut. The result is a piece that feels alive on the page, charged with energy and tension from beginning to end. And lucky for us; this is the kind of storytelling that grips, unsettles, and refuses to let go.
Hood’s Ride Is Red is a modern gay fairytale that successfully incorporates queer horror themes of homophobia, sexual awakening, and same-sex desire with an Interview With the Vampire approach to storytelling. A must-read for fans of horror, classic monsters, and M/M romance and relationships, especially ones featuring burly, hirsute men.
Hood’s Ride Is Red is available for purchase at amazon.ca and amazon.com. For more information about this author, follow J.P. Jackson on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Tumblr. J.P. also has a Website.
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