Creature – Hunter Shea
The monsters live inside of Kate Woodson. Chronic pain and a host of autoimmune diseases have robbed her of a normal, happy life. Her husband Andrew’s surprise of their dream Maine lake cottage for the summer is the gift of a lifetime. It’s beautiful, remote, idyllic, a place to heal.
But they are not alone. Something is in the woods, screeching in the darkness, banging on the house, leaving animals for dead.
Just like her body, Kate’s cottage becomes her prison. She and Andrew must fight to survive the creature that lurks in the dead of night.
My thanks to Anne Cater of Random Things Blog Tours for the chance to join the Creature tour. I received a review copy from Frame Tree Press.
Horror novels should make the reader feel tense as the pages turn or we should be anxious for the wellbeing/survival of the characters. Creature delivers in every aspect in that regard.
Kate and Andrew are living a frustrating life – Kate is plagued by chronic pain and her medical conditions leave her heavily reliant upon Andrew. She spends much of her day home alone with their elderly beagle for company watching daytime shows, classic movies and clock watching to her next round of medication.
To give Kate a boost and a change of scene Andrew arranges a three month break for them both. A remote cabin deep in the New England woods. Peace, tranquillity and alone time – just what the pair need.
However their escape to their beautiful woodland retreat is not going to give them the relaxation they are seeking – deep in the woods there is something lurking. Something large, dangerous and it knows where Andrew and Kate can be found – isolation can be a blessing and a curse!
I loved Creature – a proper chilling read. The small cast of characters gives the story an intimate feel. The isolation Kate faces, in their home and also in the woodland cabin gives a vulnerability to the character and I genuinely was worried for her when the ‘unusual incidents started.
Hunter Shea spends a while establishing Kate and Andrew’s characters, their routines and their marriage feel very real and I was completely drawn into their world. Kate’s medical conditions are brutally and honestly depicted and we are left in no doubt as to how she struggles. Character depth adding to my buy-in to their story.
The story builds up the tension brilliantly and by the time the true horror of their situation became apparent I was not putting down this book until the last page had been turned.
Horror fans- this is a good’un.
Creature releases on 6 September 2018 in paperback and digital format. You can order your copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Creature-Fiction-Without-Frontiers-Hunter/dp/1787580210/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1534454584&sr=8-6
