The Backlot Gay Book Forum discussion

The Man From Milwaukee
By Rick R. Reed
NineStar Press, 2020
Five stars

Well, he won the big prize for this, so I figured I had to read it.

I’ve always liked Reed’s books a lot; but from the very first moment it was introduced, I hesitated, because the story seemed, well, dark and creepy.

And, indeed, it is.

The story of Emory Hughes slips from sad to dark as the narrative unfolds. The two other major players in this drama are Emory’s little sister, Mary Helen, and his friend Tyler Kay. Their psychological development is every bit as important—crucial, in fact—to the story.

The springboard is the grisly tale of Jeffrey Dahmer, which hit the news in 1991. He was arrested on my 36th birthday, another reason I remember it. Reed lays out Emory’s growing obsession with the serial killer’s story. Even as my skin started to crawl, I couldn’t help feel profound sadness over the descent of this gentle young man into a place he never wanted to go.

In an odd way, Emory’s story is the ultimate “there but for the grace of God go I” narrative. It is about the power of love to break someone’s soul, and, just possibly, to heal it again.