A Review of David Wilson's "The Night Mayor"

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Reviewer: Forrest Schultz schultz_forrest@yahoo.com 770-583-3258

Blog Address: http://newsciencefictionandfantasyreviews.blogspot.com

June 17, 2013

Some Interesting Things About The Night Mayor

A Review of

David A. Wilson The Night Mayor (Publish America, 2012)

$24.95 137 pp. ISBN: 978-1-4626-5915-9

Reviewed by: Forrest W. Schultz

       There are many interesting things about David Wilson which I could discuss but, since this is a book review, I shall confine myself to the interesting things connected with his latest book. The story is set in the fictional town of Suttlesville, GA, which is, in many respects a fictionalization of the real town of Grantville, GA in which Wilson has been a lifelong resident. The lead character, Leonard Carmichael, is almost wholly patterned on Wilson himself, especially of his vampire plays (which were performed annually in the Grantville Auditorium a decade ago). But -- and here is where it gets really interesting -- the particular play in the novel has itself been changed to fit the story of the novel! It is a fictionalization of a fiction! The actual play was titled Barbara Nolan Gets Married. In the novel he has given Barbara Nolan a new name. Most of the rest of the play in the story is the same as the real play was except for the very important change in the actress who plays the wicked sister of the bride -- in the play in the story (unlike the actual play) she is the daughter of a Suttlesville city councilman. The changes are cleverly done since there is no way anyone reading the book who had not seen the play would know that it had been changed. Another interesting feature of the story is that there is a character who refers to David Wilson's first book, Curse of the Vampire.

      However, the most surprising and most dramatic feature of the story occurs in the denouement when a truly extraordinary mode of vampire slaying is employed.

      It is not surprising that this novel is a good read because David Wilson is a good writer, who has composed a story featuring four of his greatest interests: vampires, history, plays, and local town politics. Wilson is now working on a screen play of his first book. This reminds me that vampire films are another one of his great interests!