CLAW

In this debut thriller/horror novel, a massive creature with a seemingly insatiable hunger terrorizes citizens in a small Canadian town.

Christine Moon, the new conservation officer in Lawless, British Columbia, has an unusual case of roadkill. Someone apparently hit a raccoon, but the amount of remains on the highway suggests an animal considerably larger. Around the same time, Austin Murphy, the head of road and highway maintenance, and his assistant, Trip Williams, stumble on a campsite showing signs of a bloody massacre. They find a delirious survivor who’s unquestionably scared of something catching him. After Christine and Austin team up to investigate, they decide that whatever attacked the campers was, based on its tracks, a colossal beast. Unfortunately, Lawless’ police chief dismisses their advice to warn the public of an “unknown predator” in the area. Meanwhile, powerful individuals are eying a local cavern, which houses a staggering mass of gold. Acquiring the valuables sparks double-crosses and worse. Since this cavern is in the vicinity of where the ferocious creature came from, there’s a good chance many more people will die. Christine, Austin, and Trip take it upon themselves to track down the beast and stop its murderous spree. Berry’s lengthy novel (over 500 pages) features numerous playful scenes, including ones that spotlight Trip’s unhealthy affinity for crullers. But the author still manages a steady narrative pace, courtesy of a plausible and succinctly detailed creature origin story and copious monster attacks. These are often substantially violent. The more effective scenes feature suspense, with the beast pursuing its prey or struggling to reach someone who’s cramped in a tiny hiding spot. Readers won’t have much sympathy for the victims; they’re callous men greedy for gold or barely known citizens who are merely creature fodder. Nevertheless, Christine, Austin, and Trip are appealing characters whose inevitable peril heightens the story’s intensity.

A monster tale brimming with frights, suspense, and gore.