Portraits of Decay
by J.R. Blanes
“A grotesque and gripping tale of obsession, control, and a love triangle that spirals into a nightmare.”
Jefferson Fontenot is an artist on the rise in the New Orleans art scene, his work showcased at one of the city’s finest galleries. But his career is entangled with Gemma Landry, a charismatic and controlling partner whose talent for selling art, and her charm, initially drew him in. When Jefferson reconnects with Nevaeh, an old flame, he discovers what genuine love feels like, and the two begin their long-awaited love affair. Nevaeh urges him to leave Gemma, but Jefferson hesitates, unwilling to jeopardize a critical gallery installation Gemma is brokering. When he finally moves to end things, Gemma—raised to believe she is owed whatever she desires—refuses to let go. Viewing Jefferson’s career as a debt he can never repay, she turns to Mirlande St. Pierre, a swamp witch on the bayou, who supplies a zombie-esque poison that keeps him under her control. From there, the story plunges into dark, grotesque territory with relentless twists that make the story hard to look away from. Blanes renders his three leads with surprising depth: Jefferson is sympathetic as a man trying not to hurt anyone, Nevaeh is compelling as someone who recognizes control because she has lived under it herself, and even Gemma earns the smallest measure of understanding through her sheer delusional conviction created by entitlement. The author’s prose carries a poetic quality, though occasional unconventional phrasing may briefly slow readers. A few sequences of gore feel slightly off in rhythm, but these are minor blemishes. The novel’s thematic core reminds us that severing toxic bonds is painful yet necessary and resonates throughout. The ending feels inevitable in the best possible way.
A haunting, poisonous tale of obsession that brings a nightmarish vision vividly to life.
Book Details:
- Publish Date: October 21, 2025
- Page Count: 388 Pages
- ISBN: 979-8991258760
- Categories: Horror, Thriller, Romance
- Publisher: Ruadan Books
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