A maximalist horror mash-up that feels like the entire genre condensed into one bingeable adventure.
Coming face-to-face with one’s mortality can change a person, and nobody is happier to experience it than Riley Dredge. A victim of a traumatic childhood incident, Riley has been emotionally void and bereft of true connection for years, existing as little more than a shell of a woman. That changes when she survives an ugly brush with death. Death by a hideous, nightmarish, impossible paranormal monster, that is. Forget the astounding reality that monsters exist, or that a ravenous monster has literally murdered her entire friend circle, but Riley has regained her spark. For the first time in a long time, she feels like herself again. Actually, better, thanks to the Thrill, the stimulating reaction she gets when confronting deadly monsters. Riley is ready to take on the world’s monsters with the help of the veteran monster hunter who just saved her life, though Jack isn’t keen on having an inexperienced young woman as a partner. However, Riley won’t take no for an answer. She learns from her reluctant teacher about the imagination that brings monsters into existence, how to track them, and methods for killing them. More significantly, she develops an addiction to the Thrill and an attachment to Jack and his gruff demeanor. Which is terrible for Jack because he has a past he’s not proud of, and Riley’s presence reminds him of it every day. If she breaks down too many of his walls, he might collapse, but some monsters require a team to take down.
Bone-chilling screams and military schemes are only a taste of the full experience in Edward Black’s wickedly entertaining monster romp, Whispered Evil. Campy in spirit, sharp in execution, the novel is a maximalist horror mash-up that feels like the entire genre condensed into one bingeable adventure. Maine connections and other respectful nods lend this novel an air of horror heritage, while weaving familiar lore into an urban‑fantasy fever dream where monsters spring from RPGs and campfire stories. Whether a Skullwyrm, the Bonebagger, or Ratgut, a gassy rat monster who makes its home in fresh corpses, the book revels in creatures that are equal parts disgusting and ingenious. The chemistry between Jack and Riley is palpable, almost sensual, and a tentative love story pokes its head out of the scorched earth of this novel. With high-energy, high-stakes storytelling, readers will find the well-thought-out plot as revolting as it is riveting. Between wildly imaginative creatures, suspenseful twists and turns, and relationships you want to see develop even more, this action-packed monster tale is begging for a sequel. A propulsive, popcorn-ready horror novel, Whispered Evil is bawdy, bold, brazen, good old-fashioned fun.
