Books

‘Luminol Theory is a book of literary theory so elegant that it reads like poetry. As anyone who watches crime television might already know, luminol is a substance that emits an eerie glow when it comes in contact with human blood. Joyce suggests that we might approach literature like a crime scene. Even if you’re not accustomed to reading literary theory, you’ll be drawn in by Joyce’s beautiful prose and unusual ideas. This book will forever change how you read about violence.’

– Nicola Maye Goldberg at Crimereads

The Luminol Reels

When human blood reacts with luminol, it lights up a ghostly blue. This reaction, most commonly used to detect whether violence has taken place at suspected crime scenes, combines the human and the chemical, it invokes violence and disposability but also transformation.

“A fierce and deadly little fantasia that bites its way deep into your brain.” —Brian Evenson

‘We were plump and pretty, our skin glowed like Chinese lanterns and he wanted our laughter for himself’: In THE LUMINOL REELS, Laura Ellen Joyce finds the blue-glowing, b-movie heart of Plath’s and Ballard’s atrocity exhibitions and the parapornography of reliquaries. Joyce may write: ‘This one is for the sickos,’ but this is a book for readers who are into David Lynch, Aase Berg, Bluebeard (any version), hagiography; ‘splatter gurlesque’ and media theory. In other words: people who want their reading to feel like drinking ‘luminol margaritas.’” —Johannes Göransson

Excerpts of The Luminol Reels

‘Gynoshow’, ‘Black Mass’. ‘Twins’, ‘Bearbaiting’, ‘Mass Burial’, ‘Stillbirth’, and ‘Desert Run’ at The Collagist

‘Porno’ at Sleepingfish

‘Saints’ at Black Sun Lit

Reviews of The Luminol Reels

Gabino Iglesias at the Marginalia Review of Books

Elizabeth Mikesch in Tarpaulin Sky

Blake Butler in VICE

Diarmuid Hester at 3AM

Ronnie Peltier in New Delta Review

Ian Baran at New York Public Library

Luke Taylor in Full Stop

James R. Gapinski at Heavy Feather Review