Episode 78: Joan Perucho's Natural History

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The Two Mikes travel to Spain and bring along a Spanish horror novel to read. Like the country where we don't speak the language, we can't make sense of it, but it leaves us delighted and mystified. And extemely jetlagged.

It's Cocktail Time!

The Kalimotxo

In a Tom Collins glass drop in a couple ice cubes, then fill with equal parts Coca-cola and red wine. Enjoy!

Special closing music: "Echoes of Spain" by Django Reinhardt

Episode 77 - Boy's Life by Robert McCammon

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The Mike's give Robert McCammon another chance and read Boy's Life.  It's not really horror so let's just pretend it never happened.  What happens in Doppletown , USA stays in Doppletown, USA.

IT IS COCKTAIL TIME!

The Milk Man

2 shots Bourbon
1 shot espresso

1/2 shot Creme de Cacao

5 shots organic whole milk

Wiz the ingedients in the shaker with ice. Pour ice and all into a glass and garnish with alspice or nutmeg. 

Episode 76: Laird Barron's The Croning

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Mike and Mike worm their way into Laird Barron's first novel and find horrors beyond their comprehension. So they have a nightcap and go home.

It's Cocktail Time!

The Rumplestiltskin Stinger

In a shaker with ice combine

3 parts Old Crow(ning) Kentucky Bourbon with

1 part Rumple Minze Peppermint Schnapps

Shake and strain into martini glass. Garnish with rumpled mints.

Chin (x 2)

Special closing music:   "White Worms" by Cryptopsy

Episode 75 Ramsey Campbell's The Doll Who Ate Its Mother

                                                                            Click

Mike and Mike devour from the inside out Ramsey Campbell's freshman novel The Doll Who Ate His Mother.   Is the Devil or is it Grandma who makes the monster?

IT'S COCKTAIL TIME

 Raw Beef Eater

1 Healthy pour of Beefeater's Gin

1 Healthy splash of Campari

Tonic

Combine all in a tall glass and garnish with a  lime

Episode 74: Peter Straub's In the Night Room

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Revisiting the world of Timothy Underhill, the Two Mikes wrangle with Peter Straub's stories within stories  and stories outside of stories. We finally find a metanovel we like (but still insist on making rude noises at the back of the classroom).

It's Cocktail Time!

Buy a skull glass from these folks:  

pour if full of Rowan's Creek whisky.

There, wasn't that easy?

closing music:  "Little Willy" by  Sweet

Episode 73 - Jesse Livingston's A Thousand LIfetimes in an Hour

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The Two Mikes walk with tender feet into author/listener Jesse Livingston's AThousand Lifetimes in an Hour.   They get all meta on each other's asses and decide that it might be just fine to end the world . . . well just for the evening. Check the comments on episode 72 if you'd like a link to Jesse's audiobook.

COCKTAIL TIME!

The Black Squirrel

1 Shot Creme de Cacao

1 Shot Kaluha

I Shot Creme de Noyaux

I Shot Dark Chocolate Sauce

2.5 shots Half and Half or Cream

Shake with ice, strain into a martini glas and garnish with a nut of some sort.

End Music:  In The Night Room.

Episode 72, William Hjortsberg's Falling Angel

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The Mikes dig deep for a discussion of a book that both really like. The problem: how do you discuss a book without griping about it? We try and mostly fail.

It's Cocktail Time!

Black Mass

1 shot rum

1 shot Kahlua

1 shot coconut milk

combine with ice in any way you choose and enjoy with a garnish of pineapple and cherry.

Closing music: "Voodoo Voodoo" by LaVern Baker

Episode 71 Off Season by Jack Ketchum

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The Mikes ponder all the ways "To Serve Man" in Jack Ketchum's classic cookbook / horror novel OFF SEASON. Whether broasted or fricasseed even Julie Child would be schooled by this gruesome, bloody, dark, disturbing romp into unexpurgated ritualistic cannibalism. Yum.


COCKTAIL TIME

Two Fingers


In a tall glass of ice pour:
Two fingers of anejo tequila
Three fingers of tomato juice
Two fingers of Rauchbier (a German smoked beer)

Add some smokey hot sauce and a lime. Stir.  If you have a nice smoked pig's knuckle, garnish freely.

Music: Shake Your Tail Feather

Episode 70: Patrick Ness's A Monster Calls

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Lacking the courage to read and discuss Helter Skelter, the Mikes instead read a book about the horror of grief, especially the horror of grieving for persons not yet dead.

It's Cocktail Time!

Tree Sap


In a shaker combine

• 1 shot maple syrup
• 2 shots blended scotch
• 1 shot dry vermouth

Shake with ice and pour into a rocks glass. Stir with a maple twig.

Closing music: "Dark Was the Night" by Ry Cooder

Episode 69, Colson Whitehead's Zone One

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The Mikes are as split down the middle like the remnants of a rotting zombie, which you can read all about in Colson Whitehead's  Zone One.  Do the literati have any business invading the sacred territory of the current zombie meme or is it best to be cordoned off and left for those hard-boiled horror writers who know how it is done?

It IS Cocktail Time!

Manhattan Is Burning.

2 shots rye whiskey

1/2 shot red vermouth 

Pour in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled glass.  

Top with Angostura bitters.

Flame an orange by warming over a flame and pinching so the oils catch fire and fall

on to the drink—or not; it takes a little practice.

End Music:  I Love New York by Madge.