I found a copy of Wireman in the horror section at a used bookstore and picked it up not being able to resist the cover art (I put a photo of my own copy below). This novel is a brief, but satisfying read if you can enjoy a good horror-thriller.
In Wireman, it’s the summer of 1960. Ten-year-old Nick Ringer and his younger brother Daley spend most days fending for themselves while their mom goes out drinking, doing drugs, and “whoring” the streets of Bloomington. Nick only has fun when he’s tormenting or killing frogs, rodents, and other small animals.
Fast forward to Vietnam 1974, and Nick and Daley are lone American survivors in a forest near Quang Ngai. Daley finally sees his evil brother for who he truly when Nick easily kills a Vietnam soldier with a garrote without batting an eye. From that point on, there’s no denying Nick is dangerous and needs help.
Two years after Nick and Daley come home from Vietnam, Nick is released from the veteran’s hospital and moves in with Daley in Houston, just hours away from Bloomington. While Daley focuses on earning a college degree and improving his life, Nick stays at home taking pills and boozing it up. Shortly afterward, random bodies are found slain with a garrote and decapitated, including detective Jack DeShane’s 10-year-old son Willie. It’s now up to Jack and Sam, a bored yet perceptive retired detective, to find “The Wireman” before he claims more victims.
Wireman is a fun, classic horror novel with gritty cop stuff thrown in. The cops drink bourbon and allow beautiful hooker women to take care of them. Also, the “kill” scenes are well-written. I enjoyed the scene where the Wireman goes after an old, plump woman named Helen McCombie who is described as literally running for her life to survive. That scene was truly terrifying!
Other books by Billie Sue Mosiman include:
- Moon Lake (2013)
- The Grey Matter (2014)
- Harper’s Darkness (2015)
- LOSTNESS (2017)
Are you a fan of this author, and which books have you read?
Last Updated on November 15, 2025 by Sarah Ann
Affiliate Disclosure: There may be affiliate links in this content. This means I earn a small commission if you buy anything from those links. This comes at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support.
Leave a Reply