Episode 97: Caitlin R. Kiernan's The Drowning Girl

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The Mikes Who Number Two gather at 7pm to assemble the fragments of their failing knowledge and piece together a semblance of understanding of Caitlin R. Kiernan's critically acclaimed novel. We dive in and end up all wet and partially devoured.

Cocktail Time!

7&7&7&7&7&7&7

•     In an ice-filled tumbler (T-U-M-B-L-E-R = 7 letters) pour:
•     2 shots Seagram's 7 (S-E-A-G-R-A-M = 7 letters and which has 7 crowns on its label)
•     Fill with 7-UP (numeral seven, and spelled out: S-E-V-E-N-U-P = 7 letters. Coincidence?)
•     Add a dash of gin (which starts with the letter G: seventh letter in the alphabet).

Stir and contemplate the striking power of the number seven in your life and in the world. Then take your meds, cuz you're kinda losing it.

Chin chin chin chin chin chin chin.

Episode 96 : Horrorstor by Grady Hendrix

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The Two Mikes go shopping but end up getting haunted in the Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix. Maybe you'll buy that couch but what the hell, the directions don't make any sense and there are too many bolts and not enough nuts and you have to ask your friend to come over to help but he can't figure it out either so you bring it back and you just have to get used to taking naps on the floor. Now that's horror. 

It's Cocktail Time!

I Love That Dirty Water

2 shots whiskey (the peaty kind)

1 shot dry vermouth

A splash of olive juice

Shake well with ice. Pour into a chilled martini glass and garnish with a stuffed olive.

Episode 95: Dan Simmons's Carrion Comfort

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The Mikes find themselves overcome by a compulsion to read an overlong book about people who compel others to do things. We had no choice but to comply.

It's Cocktail Time!

Psychic Donkey Punch

In a collins glass of ice add:

• 2 shots of dark rum
• 3–4 shots of peach nectar (puréed peach)
• squeeze of lime
• top with seltzer
• garnish with fruit (cherries, orange, whatever)

Chin-chin!

Episode 94 : Peter Cline's 14

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The Two Mike's decided to sublet from Peter Cline in his novel 14.   If anything, it proves that you should look through your lease agreement carefully, because if you mess with the thermostat you might bring about the apocalypse. For sure you won't get your security deposit back. 

Cocktail Time!

The Lovecraft Daiquiri (or the Lovecraftaiquiri) 

In a cocktail shaker place:

Crushed ice

2 parts Berry Simple Syrup*

2 parts dark rum

Juice of one large lime

Shake, strain into a martini glass and garnish with a berry

*  Berry Simple Syrup

In a heavy bottomed sauce pan put in one cup sugar to one cup water and heat and dissolve. Do not bring to a boil.  Once the sugar is dissolved, crush in a1/2 cup of any kind of dark fruit and allow that to warm through. Take off heat and allow to cool. Once the mixture in cooled, stain and keep the dark syrup. ( You can put the berries on pancakes or something.)

Episode 93: John Wyndham's Day of the Triffids

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The Mikes stumble blindly into a foundational book for today's horror. We ponder the mysteries of life-threatening horticulture and the plant-zombie apocalypse and end up with a lot of leaves in our teeth.

It's Cocktail Time!

The Trifferita

In a blender combine

• 2 shots tequila (something gold in color)
• 1 shot blue curaçao
• 1 or 2 leaves of two different herbs that sound like they'll taste good in a margarita
• 1 leaf of an herb that does NOT sound like it'll taste good in a margarita
• crushed ice (if you want a blended variety)

Blend and pour over ice (if you haven't already blended it in). 

Special closing music: "The Fatal Flower Garden" by Nelstone's Hawaiians

Episode 92: Rick Yancey's The Monstrumologist

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The Two Mikes nearly lose their humanity in Rick Yancey's The Monstrumologist.  Is it the gore, the complicated relationships, or is the flies swarming around the rotten flesh of an old sea captain?  Look in the mirror, the monster is you ... or something like that.

Cocktail Time

Snap to, Will Henry!

One shot apple jack
One shot spice rum.

Drink is quick succession.

Episode 92: Dennis Wheatley's The Devil Rides Out

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The Mikes emerge from a longer-than-usual hiatus with a classic of satanic literature. We find much to admire in this early and influential entry in to the literature of the Dark Lord. We also spend some awkward minutes counting our orifices.

It's Cocktail Time!

Holy Water

In a Collins glass filled with ice cubes combine:

•    1 shot bourbon
•    1 shot brandy
•    1 shot sweet vermouth
•    1 shot lemon simple syrup
•    1/2 shot Farigoule

Top off with filtered or distilled water.

Stir and enjoy (once you've blessed your nine orifices, of course).

Special closing music: "The Devil Rides Out" by Icarus

Episode 91: Toothless by J. P. Moore

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The Two Mikes decide to drill into  J. P. Moore's Toothless.  It is not the end of the world but Forgiving Mike does not find a quarter under his pillow and Skeptical Mike is richly rewarded by this new take on the zombie trope.


It's Cocktail Time!

The Red Knight

2 shots of brandy

1/2 shot of Cointreau

1/2 shot yellow Chartreuse

A dash of  Peychaud's bitters

Shake with cracked ice and strain. Garnish with a kumquat.