THE LITTER
by
Kevin R. Doyle
Horror
Publisher: Night to Dawn Magazine & Books
Publication Date: February 13, 2015
Page count: 294 pages
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SYNOPSIS:
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.
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READ AN EXCERPT:
A car came squealing around the corner, someone leaning out and throwing an empty bottle in the kid’s direction. He ducked, glass shattering on the wall behind him, and the car continued on its way, drunken curses floating on the night.
The kid stood still for a moment, face reddening and fists clenching. But he knew it wasn’t anything personal. The morons hadn’t been attacking him, just anyone small and defenseless who they happened to come upon.
He’d spent his whole life small and defenseless.
He cinched the zipper of the ski vest a little bit tighter, jerking the collar upright so that it would partially cover his ears, and headed off down the street.
He had no clue where he was heading, or when he would eat or sleep next, but he’d been on his own for years now and had come to learn the way of the streets. He figured nothing could come up that he hadn’t encountered before, and he managed to stuff way deep down into an obscure corner of his mind the longing memories of the warmth and comfort the shelter had offered the night before.
He was a survivor, always had been, and as he wandered down the nearly-deserted street, in the early morning hours of the Zone, he had no doubt that he would continue to survive.
And that was the last that anyone ever saw of him.
REVIEW:
5 stars!
The suspense had me jumping at every sound in the house!
The Litter by Kevin R. Doyle is a terrifying and devilishly clever urban horror story unlike any I’ve ever encountered. This riveting tale grabbed me from page one and never let me go!
The book opens with a young homeless boy disappearing into the darkened street that could represent any large urban center in the country, and the foreboding for what was to come begins. Readers won’t have long to wait for the shoe to drop, though, as the first gruesome death soon follows. The circumstances are puzzling, and the evidence left behind is perplexing. Early on, I questioned my suspicions about what was tearing the victims apart, literally chewing on the victims.
The plot unfolds from two main points of view. One is that of Karen Bannister, a social worker at the city’s homeless shelter, and the other is from Jared Woodson, a reporter for the local news station looking for his next big break of a story. Both are carrying baggage with them as they individually seek out the truth. Karen is the daughter of the city’s Chief of Detectives, from whom she has been estranged since the death of her fiancé at the hands of the police almost a year earlier. The shelter where she works is smack in the midst of “The Zone,” the crime-riddled inner city where the poor and unhoused cluster. Her energies are focused on the men, women, and children who are the first to fall prey to the dangers lurking amidst the crumbling urban infrastructure.
The setting could be any large city with a deteriorating downtown and a homeless population that calls the area home. The author creates just the right mood and atmosphere from the start, describing shadowy figures, darkened alleys, and the disembodied sounds of someone or something breathing down your neck. I literally got goosebumps and the suspense had me jumpy, starting at every unexplained sound I heard in the house while reading. While the reader finds out fairly quickly what’s behind the body count, the truth of the rest of the story comes later and as an absolute surprise. I won’t ruin it for you.
I recommend THE LITTER to readers of horror and urban thrillers.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
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.
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The author will award a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.
Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteGood morning. Thanks for your kind words concerning my work. I'll check in periodically today for any comments. Also, thanks for hosting this tour.
ReplyDeleteGreat excerpt and giveaway. :)
ReplyDeleteWhat is your favorite piece of advice you have received in regards to the writing process?
ReplyDeleteTracie,
ReplyDeleteProbably to always, always revise, even when you think something's perfect on first draft.
sounds very interesting
ReplyDeleteWhat are the main themes of this book?
ReplyDeleteTracie,
ReplyDeleteThemes would probably be isolation, abandonment, survival, and family.