IN REVIEW

In 1974, his second novel, A YEAR IN THE CLOSET, was greeted with great enthusiasm by his fans who were waiting patiently for another tale from Carney. Again, it became a classic among devotees of S&M. Now, eight years later, his third novel, THE ROSE EXTERMINATOR, has been published and will certainly be praised by those who have been waiting for these many years for a new Carney novel.

What is so interesting about THE ROSE EXTERMINATOR is that it is the same tale as Carney told in THE REAL THING only this time it is told from the viewpoint of Scott, the only man who Symonds ever loved. While this may take a couple of plot twists out of the book for those familiar with Carney's first novel, fans of THE REAL THING will find the change in perspective facinating. And those who have not read the first novel will not be at any disadvantage when reading THE ROSE EXTERMINATOR; it is a work complete unto itself. The new reader might well be motivated to try and find the first book (currently out of print) after finishing this one to see how Symonds himself felt about the events and activities leading up to his death.

In 1968, William Carney's first novel, THE REAL THING, was published and immediately became a cult classic with those involved in the S&M scene. It related the story of Glenn Symonds, plastic surgeon of great renown, who was the most highly regarded master in Southern California's gay S&M world in the mid 1960's. It is told Symonds' story using the device of letters written by Symonds himself letters which detailed his observations and feelings about his life up to the time of his murder.

In THE ROSE EXTERMINATOR, Scott sets out to find his friend Eugene Carmichael, in whose trailer Page Nine

THE ROSE EXTERMINATOR

BY WILLIAM CARNEY

Available at: Everest House c/o Dodd, Mead & Company, Inc., 79 Madison Ave. New York, NY. 10016. Price $14.95 Review: Joe Di Sabato

a novel by WILLIAM CARNTY author of

The Real Thing and A Your in a Closet

THE ROSE EXTERMINATOR

Symonds' body had been found hanging upside down, bound in leather and chains, the subject of an attempted castration, with the remains of a cyanide capsule in his mouth. Feeling that Eugene was incapable of murdering Symonds (who was Eugene's master at the time), Scott spends his weekend searching for clues as to Eugene's whereabouts and the identity of the real murderer. His search takes him on a trip through the gay S&M world of the 1960's, world he is already familiar with as an observer through his seven-year relationship with Symonds.

Although it is a murder mystery of sorts, "who did it" is not the prime focus of the book. Rather, Scott's reflections, reminiscences, and observations as he searches for Eugene and tries to sort out what really happened Symonds make THE ROSE

to

The Rose Exterminator continued from page 9

EXTERMINATOR more a psychological study of the gay S&M world of the time. It deals with the needs and feelings which drive people to participate in this activity. It is ultimately a novel about love and about the destruction sometimes wrought in the pursuit of love.

This is not to imply that there is no element of suspense or mystery in the story there is. The reader is held in suspense until the end as to how Symonds was actually killed, and there are some surprising twists in both the plot and in the relationships of the characters to each other. Moreover, while the book deals with the world of gay S&M, it is not a work full of detailed narrations of the sexual activities of its' characters. In fact, there are really only two sex scenes in the book, and neither would be termed "erotic" in the true sense of the word. They really serve to provide further insight into the psychology of the characters rather than being designed to titillate the reader.

Carney is both an incisive and masterful storyteller. His observations on some of the sexual symbolism involved in the world of S&M (such as a brief dissertation on the use and symbolism of keys) are brilliant. His analysis of the S&M world and the psychology of those involved show that Carney is well acquainted with this world first-hand no outside observer could have his insights but the novel itself is not autobiographical. His feelings about gay S&M today, however, are not the same as his feelings about that world as it existed two decades ago. As one of his characters, Faulkner, states at the end of the book, "It's not the same, you know...Leather is in, and everybody's into it. It's not what it used to be... There's no concentration or quietness in it anymore...It's all a parody."

THE ROSE EXTERMINATOR is an excellently written mystery which is a must-read for anyone interested in the psychology of the gay S&M world.

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