Review: A Successfully Bizarre Thriller
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 09 16, 2012
John Paul Allen apparently created this strange and engrossing tale in 2007 and only knows has made it available in a digital edition. There is a statement that it is in print as part of MONKEY LOVE and a bit of information about him on another site, words that state `John Paul Allen is the author of Gifted Trust and Monkey Love as well as a number of short stories his mother is not allowed to read. He lives near his girlfriend, Lisa, in the Nashville area with his dogs Tom, Jerry, and his Sun Conure, Tika. He does not advocate violence against anyone human or of the animal kingdom unless there's a good story involved.' John Paul Allen may confine his talents, which are considerable, to short stories, and it may take a full novel to unleash his presence on the general public.  And that he should do!HOUSEGUEST is a brief but beautifully crafted very strange story. As a reader we are dropped into an odd situation without a lot of background explanation (that comes at story's end). Our lead character lives in the closet of Chastity, his girlfriend, who was in a critical accident leaving her in a near vegetative state, once hospitalized by now on home care where she lies in bed, non-communicative, enduring bag feedings and total care. Or as the author's description states it, `Chastity Bream doesn't dance anymore. She also can't walk, speak or think. She's fed through a tube, turned twice a day and left alone in her bed. That is except for him - the one in her closet, who comes out to tend to her needs. And his.' Our narrator continues to watch over her, hidden from her parents - Angie and Herb, who appear to be in a loveless relationship - and continues to have physical relations with Chastity until the narrator's physical needs need further enhancement. He moves to the closet of the Herb and observes Herb's and Angie's behavior, gradually deciding that Angie and Chastity look very much alike and his physical needs drive him on a path to replace herb's place in bed. How our narrator accesses his needs and the events and repercussions of those drives makes for a shocking ending to the story.It is easy to become caught up in the web of this tale, first because it is so very bizarre and second because we begin to identify with the care our narrator feels for Chastity and Angie and his disdain for Herb. He hooks us, entertains us, and leaves us surprised.  And that is a tough job in a very brief short story.  Grady Harp, September 12  Well worth reading, and it is free on the Amazon Kindle site!