Another terrifically creepy outing for Justin M. Woodward!
Monica suffers from schizophrenia, but her husband Jacob and son Zack help her keep herself focused on the fact that the tall man she sees haunting her day and night isn’t really there. But one episode after another, a change of medication, and an unexpected pregnancy help to send her reeling into a spiraling well of madness from which even those who love her most may not be able to pull her out of.
This is book two in the Tamer Animals series by Woodward, which also has a crossover with his novel The Variant. If you’ve read the other books in his bibliography, you’ll feel right at home here in the south with the whispers of evil and cults and Satan worship in the woods. The imagery in this novella was stark and compelling, the characters people we could really care about and root for, and of course, it has the Woodward twists that catch us totally unawares and leave us on our backs, gasping as we race ahead for more.
An excellent entry in the series, and an excellent novella all around. Fans of Woodward will not be disappointed, and newcomers may find a new favorite to keep their eye on as he continues to release more material. I know I have, and I can’t recommend him, or this book, enough. Get it in print, digital, and audio here
Chris Miller 