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The Dogtrot Murder
When Maurice Hutch, a budding mechanic with a small drinking problem, finds himself turned into a vampire, his whole world is turned upside down. A sudden string of grisly murders haunts the town and the residents are looking for someone to blame. Maurice has to swap gears fast if he wants to keep his relationships, his job, and on the right side of the dirt. Enjoy clever turns of phrase and dozens of illustrations by debut author and illustrator Nick Sanders! READ SAFE!! If you require content warnings, please check the list on my website
515 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 9, 2023
About the author
Nick Sanders
1 book13 followersNick Sanders lives in the wilds of Mississippi with his cats and chickens and snakes and lizards. He's been making up stories since he can remember and took a few classes at NEMCC for writing and publishing.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
March 23, 2023
Nick Sanders' first novel is ambitious and clearly a love letter to tiny towns time forgot in the deep south. There's moments of poetic description of farmland, affectionate language for run-down strip malls and a reverence for the calm power of cattle. It's also about a normal guy who becomes a vampire.
It stands up alongside any other original fiction found online, with some chapters that seem to meander a bit and some that really nail it and hook you in (these are primarily the early and late chapters) with a few untied plot threads left around. It's a character driven piece, and some of the characters shine much brighter than others. Maurice's mom, for example, absolutely begs for more time on the page. And resolution with Maurice's coworker comes quite late, but delivers everything I wanted in terms of closure.
Generally I don't like modern vampire stories, but a gas station employee who's just trying to get by with his new supernatural lifestyle is a lot easier to handle than sparkling pretty-boys.
If you can read ebooks, I suggest getting a copy anywhere other than amazon so that the author actually sees more than a penny for his efforts. Here's looking forward to Nick's next book - may it be tighter, creepier, and just as focused on a guy like Maurice. He's easy to like.
It stands up alongside any other original fiction found online, with some chapters that seem to meander a bit and some that really nail it and hook you in (these are primarily the early and late chapters) with a few untied plot threads left around. It's a character driven piece, and some of the characters shine much brighter than others. Maurice's mom, for example, absolutely begs for more time on the page. And resolution with Maurice's coworker comes quite late, but delivers everything I wanted in terms of closure.
Generally I don't like modern vampire stories, but a gas station employee who's just trying to get by with his new supernatural lifestyle is a lot easier to handle than sparkling pretty-boys.
If you can read ebooks, I suggest getting a copy anywhere other than amazon so that the author actually sees more than a penny for his efforts. Here's looking forward to Nick's next book - may it be tighter, creepier, and just as focused on a guy like Maurice. He's easy to like.
March 24, 2026
The Dogtrot murder- Hey! This title has two meanings!- Is really good
Before I really dug into this book it was described to me as "adult Goosebumps", and that was a promise this book lived up. The charming illustrations certainly help this too. It makes for a light and breezy read that is easy to pick up and has excellent often melancholy, often spooky atmosphere. It's a clear labor love.
Easy to pick up is a real kicker here- it's the first book in some time where I have sat down and dedicated most of a day to just reading, no multitasking or frequent pauses from my ADHD-having self on the crusade to finish it. I wanted to know how it ended.
While The Dogtrot Murder is a bit unpolished- if you're a severe stickler for traditional writing wisdom about character perspective switching or can't stand one or two grammatical errors it may not be for you. It has a plot that occasionally hitches or could have used a bit more flesh or setup- but these flaws absolutely pale in comparison to the delightful character writing and other positives.
This is nothing if not a deeply human story. Between Maurice, Meranda, and the rest of the cast I don't dare to spoil, this is a cast made up of people, first and foremost. No one here fixes all of their problems by the end; no witchy treatment of others are excused by circumstance and are sometimes entirely unexplained, and that's wonderful. You can understand where they are coming from and what they have to deal with, constantly grinding up against each other and getting polished by it. The majority of problems are caused purely by human error. For a story about vampires, the characters remain deeply flawed and deeply grounded, often petty and childish but equal in their charms. It makes for a frankly refreshing reading experience, where you get depth but not perfection in a variety of people.
Author Nick Sanders is also intensely creative in his take on the vampire mythos- in an oft-visited well, he still manages to introduce fresh horror to the concept, the organization, and the curse for the classic monster without making it unrecognizable.
All that to say, for a winding thread of mystery, wonderful side characters with their own priorities all pulling at the plot, one dogged and charming main character, thrills and chills, and very heartfelt storytelling, you should give this one a read.
Before I really dug into this book it was described to me as "adult Goosebumps", and that was a promise this book lived up. The charming illustrations certainly help this too. It makes for a light and breezy read that is easy to pick up and has excellent often melancholy, often spooky atmosphere. It's a clear labor love.
Easy to pick up is a real kicker here- it's the first book in some time where I have sat down and dedicated most of a day to just reading, no multitasking or frequent pauses from my ADHD-having self on the crusade to finish it. I wanted to know how it ended.
While The Dogtrot Murder is a bit unpolished- if you're a severe stickler for traditional writing wisdom about character perspective switching or can't stand one or two grammatical errors it may not be for you. It has a plot that occasionally hitches or could have used a bit more flesh or setup- but these flaws absolutely pale in comparison to the delightful character writing and other positives.
This is nothing if not a deeply human story. Between Maurice, Meranda, and the rest of the cast I don't dare to spoil, this is a cast made up of people, first and foremost. No one here fixes all of their problems by the end; no witchy treatment of others are excused by circumstance and are sometimes entirely unexplained, and that's wonderful. You can understand where they are coming from and what they have to deal with, constantly grinding up against each other and getting polished by it. The majority of problems are caused purely by human error. For a story about vampires, the characters remain deeply flawed and deeply grounded, often petty and childish but equal in their charms. It makes for a frankly refreshing reading experience, where you get depth but not perfection in a variety of people.
Author Nick Sanders is also intensely creative in his take on the vampire mythos- in an oft-visited well, he still manages to introduce fresh horror to the concept, the organization, and the curse for the classic monster without making it unrecognizable.
All that to say, for a winding thread of mystery, wonderful side characters with their own priorities all pulling at the plot, one dogged and charming main character, thrills and chills, and very heartfelt storytelling, you should give this one a read.
February 20, 2023
Witty and original, this is the origin story of an everyday, down on his luck guy entering into the world of the supernatural. It's just good solid writing, vibrant characters, some unexpected twists and turns and a wonderful story. If you like 'Fat White Vampire Blues', the TV series Supernatural, and/or the struggle of the genuine everyman against vast forces you'll enjoy this one! The main character feels very genuine, flawed, a good guy at heart but a product of a very real world that doesn't set everyone up for success in life. As a debut, this is an awesome solid novel, and there was so much more to it than I was expecting! Highly recommend this for readers from teens to adults.
September 1, 2024
A good, solid story with interesting characters. I was torn between giving this 4 or 5 stars. While the basic outline (newly fledged vampire familiar from VtM) might not be the most original, the voice and the cast including the flawed but lovable main character are worth it. Maurice faces undeath in the least glamorous way possible. He stumbles through the mystery of who killed him and it's pretty fun.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews