The Lost Causes of Bleak Creek: A Novel Hardcover – October 29, 2019

THE LOST CAUSES OF BLEAK CREEK is a compelling thriller with a preternatural undercurrent that I heartily recommend, but that’s not what one would have expected from its authors. Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal have carved their own successful niche with GOOD MYTHICAL MORNING, a YouTube talk show/comedy show which seems to have successfully updated Ernie Kovacs’ format for the hipster generation. While that may be an accurate description on the surface, it belies the expansiveness of their burgeoning Mythical Entertainment media empire and its audience demographic composed of 20 million subscribers across their platform.These two childhood friends from a small town in North Carolina have written two bestsellers; made their own critically-acclaimed, incredibly bizarre, but consistently funny streaming sitcom, BUDDY SYSTEM; hosted a trainwreck fascinating, but frequently funny IFC reality show, COMMERCIAL KINGS; made an award-winning feature-length documentary about the search for their First Grade teacher, LOOKING FOR MS. LOCKLEAR; released comedy albums; performed sold-out comedy concert tours on several continents; put together their own stage show to tie-in with their first book; and are currently undertaking a book tour in theaters around the country to promote their first novel. Regulars on Jimmy Fallon’s TONIGHT SHOW where they provide a reminder of what late night comedy meant for those old enough to remember Carson or at least Letterman in his prime, they may be the two most ambitious and successful cult figures in the U.S. at present.A summary of their accomplishments is essential to appreciating their novel beneath the surface level. Despite being husbands and fathers approaching middle-age, the duo’s on-air and onstage chemistry is dependent upon staying in touch with their shared childhood camaraderie. The fact that two small town kids from the Bible Belt could grow up and connect with people around the world and make them laugh at their often puerile hi-jinx, but also find them unfailingly interesting as they discuss just about any topic imaginable is because they always manage to find a level where audiences feel comfortable and are reminded of their own childhood relationships with friends or siblings. Their sincerity also reaches out to the lonely and misunderstood and makes them feel they have found kindred spirits. That inspires loyalty which explains their amazing success at doing nothing more than having a good time. Watching them in their various formats (I should mention my daughter is a devoted fan or “Mythical Beast” as they are known) makes it evident that these two unlikely characters regularly elucidate Universal Truths that are worthy of serious consideration amidst all the time you’ll spend laughing at and with them (even when it’s in spite of yourself).The idea that a small North Carolina town could provide a microcosm for global experiences of life seems highly unlikely, but for the first time since John Mellencamp and Garrison Keillor’s 1980s career peaks, small town America has managed to once again touch a nerve that proves timeless even to urban dwellers on other continents. Their novel, THE LOST CAUSES OF BLEAK CREEK is likewise set firmly in the confines of a small Bible Belt town in the early 1990s. The two protagonists, Rex and Leif, are thinly disguised versions of the authors’ younger selves. The obviousness of this fact does nothing to lesson the impact of this well-crafted suspense thriller. The twist that sets it apart from similar horror thrillers is that virtually everything that occurs in the book is a consequence of an individual’s response to conformity. The importance of this theme is repeatedly illustrated through the characters we meet.The authors, unsurprisingly, excel at writing for duos, such as Janine and Donna – cousins who could also be female analogues of the authors if one of them broke out and pursued their dreams to be different while the other stayed behind to conform. Beyond examining the dichotomy between refusing to relinquish your dream and settling for a cookie-cutter, assembly line existence with no chance for individual expression, the book looks at the deeper issue of how society (in the form of institutions) responds to non-conformists and determines to suppress individuality. This is represented in the form of the sinister Whitewood Institute, a local reform school that calls to mind Synanon and The Seed at their worst. The Whitewood Institute functions as a stand-in for the excesses of any institution, whether religious or military, that has the ability to instill a cult-like or totalitarian hold over the lives of its members.The extent to which this threat, which comes to involve rituals invoking a force beyond the everyday reality the institution claims to be protecting, functions as something other than a cliched horror story Satanic cult is in the authors’ successful delineation of Whitewood’s founder and headmaster. As the villain of the piece, Wayne Whitewood is unexpectedly shown to be a victim himself. The intrusion of reality into what was quickly seeming to be an effective slide from the safe and familiar into a WICKER MAN-style horror story is quite moving as the reader understands how tragedy transformed an otherwise good man into one who commits atrocities. Understanding how the perpetrator is also a victim does nothing to minimize the reader’s desire for justice, but it makes what could be a cardboard villain seem as surprisingly real as the other characters in this town. It was this character observation that made up my mind about reading the novel for it was expressed by my seventeen year old daughter who read an Advanced Reader Copy of the book in a single day and was thrilled with it.It is intriguing that the authors have built their career on directly and indirectly encouraging nonconformists to pursue their dreams (their own social media “followers” are dubbed “Mythical Beasts” within the context of their Youtube morning show) in sharp contrast to their novel’s traditional cultish institution that labels nonconformists who pursue their dreams as “Lost Causes.” From my perspective, the authors’ greatest strength is in the deft handling of two of the supporting characters: Ben, a slightly eccentric teen who likewise broke away from Bleak Creek’s definition of conformity but was left permanently scarred by the experience and Alicia, the free-spirited childhood friend both teenage protagonists find themselves attracted to in spite of their years of close familiarity. Much like the male-female double acts of Rex & Leif and Janine & Donna, Ben and Alicia figure as two sides of the same coin as characters whose willingness to follow the path of nonconformity may end in tragedy. There is risk in following one’s dreams which is why institutions from governments on down are able to thrive upon followers content to let other people make decisions for them.We first learn of Alicia from both young men’s perspectives without discovering, until later in the book, that Alicia is mixed race and how that impacts the way others in the small town treat her and her parents. The decision to withhold this information from the reader allows you to get to know her free from preconceptions, just like the novel’s heroes and authors. If there is one simple truth at the heart of all that Bleak Creek holds, it is the purity of its authorial viewpoint. Life and everyone the characters (and, by extension, its authors) encounter are viewed through the same sense of childhood wonder and belief in a better world if people would only trust their hearts. That, at its essence, is why the authors of this exceptional horror thriller have succeeded against all odds at every venture they have undertaken. Beyond the camaraderie they offer to the disenfranchised and despondent among their audience, they inspire them to hang on to their sense of fun, imagination, and belief that you can pursue your dreams and survive the waves of the bleakest creek and the largest ocean alike.

I enjoyed the journey this book took me on. I will say it was to not just call the main characters Rhett and Link. Lol

Great Item! Exactly as described. Works Perfect!

Yes It will Novel!! I didn’t realize these two man were such good writer!! I really liked it so far and I really liked it :) definitely recommend!!

*WARNING MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*Love the inside jokes. Mythical Beasts will understand the reference to Leif's coke shirt. As well as nut-ball, but it won't detract from readers that aren't in the know.It doesn't show at all how Rex and Leif are based on R & L, even when Leif fumbled over his words speaking to Martha about the reason behind his wearing the clip-on tie, or in the frustration Rex feels over Leif's food pickiness. They are so very different characters, like night and day. 😉All of the 90's pop-culture references are just so much nostalgia. Like Rex's Jams, and Leif's hyper-color shirt.The typos being added to the script was brilliant and it added to the realism of the story.I truly enjoyed the book. I laughed, cried, and felt a deep anger towards some of the residents of Bleak Creek. I felt, even the "over the top" characters were relatable in some ways, including Whitewood's followers. The charisma that some people have, can enthrall people with weaker personalities to follow and do things they may never have thought themselves capable of doing.I liked that they gave Ben a character, I'm sure he'd be honored to be immortalized in such a way. I adored GamGam's crazy grandma energy. I was so thrilled when Donna came around. Janine seems like a great person who I could see hanging out with. Alicia is a bit like me, most of my close childhood chums were guys, I'm glad she's not really gone. It is sad about Ben, Josefina and the other kids.The idea that a parent would have sent their children to the reform school for such minor reasons was upsetting. Then when Leif's Mom sent him, I knew there had to be something much more sinister going on. Using the water in that way was genius, it wasn't just taking the children, but was in a way taking control of the adults. Making them complacent.Those adults got away with the things they did. They will be subject to no justice. That is the only thing that I didn't like, hopefully it will leave an opening for a sequel?

This was an odd one. Too much of the 80s and 90s stuff feels crammed in there just to be there. It never pushes the story forward or is used in any significant way. The story itself, and much of the book overall, fellas like a young adult novel, but I'm not sure if that's what they were going for? I can't imagine there are many young mythical beasts at this point in the game, right?It all feels very artificial, to set it in 1992, to mention all the time period stuff. It never feels like there's a reason it is set there but that the real guys grew up in this time period. This could have been set at anytime but for the access to cell phones which would have changed some plot points drastically, obviously. I dunno. I wanted to love this but I didn't. It's not terrible, and ultimately I'm glad I read it, but I took many many breaks in reading this one and I didn't necessarily look forward to getting back to it. I did so only to finish it.First half is all set up. Lots of mentions of early 90s stuff. A decent introduction to Rex and Leif and Alicia their friend. Second half takes a very weird turn and it's pretty illogical and silly. A lot of the stuff the adults do here makes absolutely no sense and I can only suspend disbelief so far.This is a decent enough read for the friendship of the two leads, but only really for mythical beasts who will get some insight into Rex and Leif. It's also pretty fun to imagine them as kids as fans will know a lot of the stuff here matches their actual lives as teenagers.Skip this is your are an adult and have no idea who Rhett and Link are.

This novel was incredible from start to finish. The unique story had me sitting on the edge of my seat at some times and relishing in the quaint relationship between the characters at other times. The story - although fictitious - felt very real and had me emotionally attached to every single character. Even the less-favourable ones.There aren’t enough words in the English language to describe how amazing this book is and I cannot recommend it enough for anyone. I am in awe.

Love Rhett & Link but this book misses the mark. The target audience is confused, the style of writing is childish but peppered with some long unnecessary words as if to say ‘this is definitely a book for adults’. The story is ok but seems rushed, didn’t really grip me that much. Also the main characters are called Rex and Leif which made it feel more like a mediocre fan fiction than a serious book. Still read it all in a couple of days, kept me entertained for a while.

A classic incredibly frustrating and exciting tale of truth seeking in a small town where no one believes the characters and try to thwart their efforts with brute force.Cant wait for the film!

Really great book, has the quirky humour of Rhett and link throughout and is genuinely a good mystery. Like all the characters and have read it faster than any other book I’ve read, congratulations guys on producing an awesome read

Excellent read. I love Rhett and Link and have watched GMM and all their other work. Huge fan and the book didn’t disappoint. 10/10.