Bone Music

A long time ago at the Crossroads, the great bluesman Robert Johnson sang “Judgment Day” and judgment did rain down upon the world. Now, a little girl named Lisa is the only hope for humanity’s redemption, but she  and her mother Emma must face what happens when Lisa dies and comes back to life … again. Little Lisa and the greatest bluesmen of all time, from Leadbelly to Stevie Ray Vaughan, and even Dead Elvis, confront angels, demons, and voodoo powers before the ultimate showdown in the ultimate city of music, heaven and hell: New Orleans. This is an apocalyptic, supernatural, Southern Gothic horror novel that some of our best horror writers say they wished they had written.  If you enjoy shows like The Walking Dead and Z-Nation, you will love Bone Music.

...He captures the beauty and the horror of the old bluesmen, the terror and majesty of Heaven and Hell... -- Billie Sue Mosiman, author of Widow

...Rodgers’s Bone Music mixes suspense, horror, and magic to create a nerve-wracking and unique tale of music and terror. -- Matthew J. Costello, author of The Seventh Guest

...blends the hellish and horrific in perfect harmony. ...terror-filled trek across an entirely original yet hauntingly historic American dreamscape... -- Joseph A. Citro, author of Deus-X

Alan Rodgers . . . uses simple and beautiful words to tell this complex and horrific story. Really weird! Don’t die until you’ve read Bone Music. -- Brian Lumley, author of Necroscope

The highest praise one writer can give another is to say ‘I wish I’d written that book...’ -- George Alec Effinger, author of When Gravity Fails

"Startling originality, a strong and rhythmic narrative voice, compelling characters and delightfully quirky metaphysics make this a noteworthy hardcover debut for Rodgers, author of New Life for the Dead and other paperback horror novels. In this apocalyptic tale rich in the mythos of the African-inspired religion of Santeria, the singing at his death by blues musician Robert Johnson of the legendary, forbidden song Judgment Day cracks the Eye of the World, allowing the forces of evil entree to the earth. Assorted blues singers, including Leadbelly, Ma Rainey, and even Elvis; mythic figures such as John Henry and Saint Peter; more mundane heroes and heroines such as musician Dan Alvarez and Lisa Henderson, a young girl who dies and returns to life, all have pivotal roles to play in saving the world. Well-realized settings range from contemporary New York City to Missouri and Mississippi in 1938; heaven and hell both come down to earth in modern New Orleans. Through colloquial prose that's strong and perfectly pitched, Rodgers combines elements of horror (sometimes graphic), fantasy and magical realism into a unique novel that's not only an occult standout but a captivating memoir of an important slice of American culture." - Publishers Weekly, 1995 (for original hardcover edition)