Joe R. Lansdale’s OF MICE AND MINESTRONE and other things Lansdale continue to garner effusive praise.

CHAR’S HORROR CORNER recommends the book.

I originally rated this 4 stars, but thinking about it overnight-I decided to change it to 5. I didn’t think about the corona virus at all when reading this, and I read it over two days, but could easily have done it in one. I wanted to savor the experience. I think you should too! The only caveat to that would be that I recommend you reading the Hap and Leonard series in order. If you do, these tales will be that much more meaningful-providing insights into the lifelong friendship of Hap and Leonard.

My highest recommendation!

Alan Cranis at BOOKGASM concurs.

A unique feature of this collection is the recipes for the food mentioned in the stories, compiled by Kasey Lansdale. They are fun to read, even if you do not prepare the dishes themselves. (But don’t worry – the recipe for the Minestrone does not include mice.)

OF MICE AND MINESTRONE is a must-read for all Lansdale devotees. If you somehow missed or avoided the previous Hap and Leonard novels or story collections – or are new to the works of this prolific and distinctive author – this anthology of stories from the duo’s early years is a wonderful introduction.

On his DAVE WRITES AND DRAWS (AND READS), David M. Simon felt much the same about the earlier HAP AND LEONARD: BLOOD AND LEMONADE.

BLOOD AND LEMONADE is a hybrid beast, a group of short stories held together with loose connective tissue. If you’re new to Hap and Leonard, this is not the one to start with. For fans, though, this is a goldmine, because we get to know Hap and Leonard as young men when they first met. I loved it.