A good body of evidence now exists which supports the theory that such motifs are examples of ‘memorial’ graffiti. Although a range of apotropaic symbols are often present, the majority of the graffiti seems to consist of names and dates, often within cartouches. After 7 Years,11 Months And 4,106 Posts….Why have effigies and monuments to the dead historically attracted graffiti ? It is phenomenon that seems to be particularly prevalent during the 16 th and 17th centuries.If you’re a horror fan that’s tired of the cheap thrills stuff that reads like it was written in a day or two, pick this one up. The book moves along without racing through the story so you get to know all involved. In another part of town the seance is held. Suspicion forms on the commune and one old timer is obsessed with getting rid of what he calls the Satan worshipers. Lots of booze, records, books, food and….a withered hand. Estelle wants to hold a seance in a couple weeks to see if she can contact the child whose finger was in the box. One day Elsie disappears and is replaced by….Elvida. The Bannister’s seven year old daughter Leslie has an imgainery playmate Elsie.

Susan is there with boyfriend Ken who doesn’t mind who takes her, including Loftus who she can’t stand.Įstelle uses her ouji board and a message says “I will speak soon.Elvida.” She translates the name as A Devil. Loftus holds bimonthly Rites where he delivers sermons and everyone gets high and takes whatever partner or partners they feel like. He’s a nasty piece of work who may have links to the Manson family and the Satan worshipping Church of High Awareness. Outside of town is a commune with left over hippies who engage in sex orgies with lots of drugs. They include Hank Dixon, a drunk, his wife Estelle who’s into the occult, Hank’s daughter Susan and various townspeople like Dr.Blauvelt and the young priest Daniel Conant. One day Nicole gets an anonymous package.

John and Nicole Bannister are part of the group of writers and artists that live in Broadmoor in upstate New York. The book is not a quickie to take advantage of the market for this type of material. There’s some X-rated sex and violence but then again this is about Satan. This is very well written and the characters are drawn out in a story that is absorbing. Don’t be put off because the book is about Satan coming to a small town.

Effigies by William K. Wells