Catching Souls

I have fallen in love with…

Can we get the most important thing out of the way first? Catching Souls for Beelzebub is the only book I’ve ever read written by a male author that actually nails women’s attire. Most male authors, they’re like, she was stunning in her navy skirt and white shirt. Not here. Sure, the perfect attire in Catching Souls is on a reaper. A grey, smooth-skinned resides-in-hell-and-collects-souls reaper who wears fabulous gowns. And wigs. And accessories. It’s a triumph. And mere lagniappe to the basic joy of this novel. 

In this story by Gordon Haynes, our hero is the Number One worker in Hell, assistant to main man Beelzebub. It’s clever how good guy Abel Freeman winds up in Hell, a place where he really loves his job and Boots his companion dog and truly his entire life. Of course, that life gets upended. Two quite dangerous souls escape from Hell to our world. They must be returned. Abel is the only man for the job. He must “release” the souls so the well-dressed reaper Maren can wrangle them back to Hell where they belong.

Abel is an entirely lovable character, even when grumpy. Beelzebub, too. The demons and reapers who populate the underworld are uniquely comic. All of it—the setup, the play with language, the characters running against stereotypes—is unfailingly funny. To maintain such a comedic voice while never faltering is a triumph. 

If you love the flat underplayed humor of Douglas Adams or would appreciate Kurt Vonnegut with more subtle political  commentary or miss the religious sendup of Christopher Moore, or if you don’t know Hitchhikers Guide from Lamb and just want a delightful read, Catching Souls for Beelzebub by Gordon Haynes is for you. Find it here.

Thank you, Mr. Haynes, for this book I love.

Catching Souls for Beelzebub by Gordon Haynes