“The Busker” is a horror novel by Guy N. Smith, published in 1983. It’s one of Smith’s standalone works, known for its blend of suspense, mystery, and supernatural elements.
Plot Summary
In “The Busker,” the protagonist finds himself entangled in a chilling mystery surrounding a mysterious street performer known only as “The Busker.” When the protagonist encounters The Busker in a dark alley one night, he is drawn into a world of terror and intrigue that he never knew existed.
As the protagonist delves deeper into the secrets of The Busker and his dark past, he uncovers a sinister conspiracy that threatens to consume him. With the help of a determined group of allies, including a skeptical journalist and a fearless psychic, the protagonist must confront the evil that lurks within The Busker and put an end to its reign of terror before it’s too late.
But as they delve deeper into the mystery, they realize that they may be facing an enemy more powerful and ancient than they ever imagined. With the fate of the world hanging in the balance, the protagonist must summon all his courage and cunning to defeat his enemies and save humanity from destruction.
Themes and Style
- Supernatural Horror: “The Busker” explores themes of mystery, suspense, and supernatural evil, with the protagonist battling against the forces of darkness and corruption.
- Mystery and Suspense: The novel is characterized by its suspenseful plot and mysterious atmosphere, as the characters unravel the secrets of The Busker and confront the ancient evil that lies within him.
- Action and Adventure: Smith incorporates elements of action and adventure into the story, with the protagonist and his allies embarking on a perilous journey to uncover the truth and confront the evil that threatens to consume them.
Reception
“The Busker” received generally positive reviews from readers and critics, who praised its atmospheric setting, gripping plot, and memorable characters. The novel’s blend of horror, mystery, and supernatural suspense resonated with audiences, making it a standout entry in Smith’s bibliography.
Author Background
Guy N. Smith (1939-2020) was a British author known primarily for his horror fiction. With over 100 novels to his name, Smith’s works often featured elements of the supernatural, the macabre, and the grotesque. He gained widespread recognition for his ability to craft thrilling and suspenseful horror narratives.
Legacy
“The Busker” remains a beloved standalone novel in Smith’s body of work, offering readers a chilling and atmospheric tale of supernatural terror. Its enduring popularity speaks to Smith’s talent for creating compelling narratives that blend horror, suspense, and supernatural elements in equal measure.
By the mid-1990’s traditional genre publishing, including horror, had virtually disappeared. It was a trend which was not doing fans any favours.
At that time I was doing very well with Zebra/Kensington, USA, but out of the blue they informed me that they were discontinuing their horror list and concentrating on self-help books and romances. In view of my encouraging sales I was not pleased to put it mildly.
So I decided to try self-publishing. This was in the days before e-books and Print-on-Demand so I had to go down the traditional road and found a very reasonably priced printer in Ireland. There was much work involved in preparing a manuscript for the printers and I am indebted to Hal Astell for his help in this.
“The Busker” was published in 1998. It had already been short-listed for the Lichfield Prize and, following other short-listings in previous years, would have been published by Sphere who sponsored these awards. But, of course, Sphere were no longer interested in horror!
I had set this unusual horror novel in the City of Lichfield. A somewhat unusual dark fantasy theme, it was launched there at the James Redshaw bookshop with a very encouraging attendance on the evening.
The cover picture was provided by my good friend, Andrew Compton, a professional press photographer. As we decided upon a picture of the Busker, the central character, I decided to pose for this, clad in ragged garb, a hat pulled down over my face in order to hide my identity.
Then, one of the fans at the launch, raised a hand and asked “who’s the Busker then?”
I had my explanation ready, that there had been this tramp in the district for some time and I had paid him a quid to lie down in the grass and have his photo taken.
“Then why is he wearing your pullover?” the fan fired back at me!
Okay, I then had to admit to being the Busker on that photo shoot.
Guy N. Smith