The Anastasia Killer is a pretty enjoyable 2014 thriller novel written by filmmaker Richard W. Haines (Splatter University, Class of Nuke 'em High, What Really Frightens You, and editor of the classic The Toxic Avenger). Featuring a beautiful Russian femme fatale running loose in New York and seeking revenge on those who wronged her parents, the book is briskly paced and very cinematic in its execution, featuring elements of the slasher genre as well as references to the world of adult f...ilmmakng (there's a veiled reference to the Traci Lords' underaged porn scandal, and one chapter takes place inside an adult film producer's office that is drapped with one-sheets from made-up XXX titles like Eat on the Go and Blow Me Down). Haines' technical knowledge of the filmmaking process certainly shows through in some of the novel's narrative (one of the cahracters is a director of a Law & Order-style cop show), but it thankfully doesn't bog down or halt the flow of the story. Featuring a nice piece of cover art by Kieron Edwards (which reminds me of some of the classic Italian giallo paperbacks of the 1960s and 70s), The Anastasia Killer provides the perfect pulp entertainment to pass the travel to and from work for the week.
