Reviewing Jeff Strand's Cold Dead Hands

Cold Dead Hands is the latest tale of chilling terror from Jeff Strand, and not merely due to its many scenes of gore filled mayhem, but also because it actually takes place in a walk-in freezer. For our main character, Barry, a simple trip to the grocery store to satisfy his need for an avocado quickly turns into a need just to survive. Turns out, a group of crazed fanatics chose that morning to send a message of violence to the greater public using the innocent grocery shoppers as their means to an end. Considering the story's tight time-frame as a novella, Barry doesn't have much time to figure out how to survive long enough to get back home with or without that avocado.

When violence erupts, Barry soon finds himself barricaded inside the grocery store's walk-in freezer with a small group of fellow survivors who must now somehow band together even if they don't exactly see eye to eye. Sure, the authorities have the place surrounded, but with no clear vantage point inside to fully assess the hostage situation and the terrorist group's constant social media posts outlining their deadly intent, time is clearly not their friend. Each passing minute only brings them another minute closer to becoming meatsicles or falling prey to the psychos on the other side of the freezer door.

It's no secret that Jeff Strand has all but mastered the market on horror-comedy fiction, and Cold Dead Hands is no exception. Utilizing his unique blend of terror and humour along with the chops for telling an entertaining story, you can count on Cold Dead Hands to provide a few solid hours of high-tension, gleeful mayhem that is sure to have you second guessing your next trip to the grocery store. Highly recommended.

Get your cold hands on this book HERE!

This review originally appeared in the May/June issue of Rue Morgue Magazine. You can still - and should! - get a copy of that issue HERE!