GENRE: Horror
BLURB:
They kept to the shadows so no one would know they existed, and preyed on the nameless who no one would miss. Where did they come from, and who was protecting them? In a city that had seen every kind of savagery, they were something new, something more than murderous. And one woman, who had thought she had lost everything there was to lose in life, would soon find that nothing could possibly prepare her for what would come when she entered their world.
The author will award a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Enter for a chance to win at the end of the post.
Excerpt
“I’ve never seen anything like this,” Pam said.
“Still think it was a dog?” her partner asked.
“What else could it have been? It doesn’t take the ME over there to know that this guy’s been all chewed up.”
“What I’m getting at is it may not have been a single animal.”
“Come again? Are you thinking of a pack or something?”
“Well,” Gonzales said, “just looking at it . . .” He waved his arm in the direction of the mess on the pavement.
“That’s insane, Enrico. Who the hell ever heard of a pack of dogs attacking people in the middle of a city?”
“You ever hear of one dog doing anything that even remotely looks like that?”
“What about rats?” she asked the older cop, fearful he would laugh in her face.
“I actually thought of that myself for a moment there. It’s not the most far-fetched of possibilities.”
“No?”
“Not at all. Once, I saw what was left of an old wino eaten by rats, back when I’d been on the force not much longer than you have. But that was a guy who’d crawled under the porch of a house, probably trying to escape the weather. Besides, long ago as it’s been, from what I remember, that body didn’t look anything like this.”
“No, huh?”
“Not really, no. It looked more like he’d been nibbled on till he was worn down to practically nothing.”
Pam pointed towards the corpse.
“That’s not a bunch of nibbles,” she said.
Author Bio & Links
A retired high-school teacher and former college instructor, Kevin R. Doyle is the author of numerous short horror stories. He’s also written four crime thrillers including The Group and The Anchor, and one horror novel, The Litter. In the last few years, he’s begun working on the Sam Quinton private eye series, published by Camel Press. The first Quinton book, Squatter’s Rights, was nominated for the 2021 Shamus award for Best First PI Novel. The fourth Sam Quinton book, Clean Win, was released in March of 2023.
Web site: kevindoylefiction.com
Facebook: facebook.com/kevindoylfiction
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6473241.Kevin_R_Doyle
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My Review
4 Stars
A tale of family dysfunction in a decrepit city neighborhood where ravenous rabid-like children stalk the streets for their next meal. With the name, I figured I’d read about some creepy demonic kids. But the author had more in store for me.
Bodies of homeless people shredded to bloody pieces are found in the Zone’s alleys, a dangerous part of the city that most avoid unless they’re up to no good. It’s clear early on that the police and locals suspect something weird, but like many people, they ignore the blatant truth. After all, how many packs of wild animals terrorize urban communities? And after the medical examiner discovers wounds made from children’s teeth, who’d believe it? Cops are tight-lipped, which fuels Karen’s hatred of the entire force, who carelessly shot her fiancé in a store robbery gone awry. I appreciated that the author left few questions answered about this litter of youngsters until closer to the end of the story. Most works would’ve revealed the truth beforehand, but I enjoyed being teased and dragged along. However, I would’ve liked more development in the “sire” character. Villains interest me way more than heroes, and I wanted more of a taste here. Altogether, I would’ve liked to have spent more time with everyone, but that also means that I enjoyed the characters.
Growls, putrid breath, and black teeth, these demonic critters linger in my mind, making me want to avoid any dark shadows that dance along city streets. If readers are looking for a book that’ll create a new phobia for diabolic toddlers, this one will do it. With lots of remaining plot ends, I’m sure the author will return to give us more.
I received a free review copy and wrote this review voluntarily.
Drawing & Giveaway
The author will award a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.
Thanks to Goddess Fish Promotions for organizing this tour. Thanks to the author for providing a free review copy.
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