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Duplicity
Old lady fate hadn’t treated Henry Collins too badly. He wasn’t in bad shape for a bloke pushing forty. His loving wife still turned other men’s heads and at least, unlike others on his street, he still had a job.
Admittedly, his Bernadette treated him like a child most of the time. Playing tricks and taunting Henry, was his fellow employee’s two favourite games and even the local kids were seeing him as an easy target. Still, it could be worse. Henry had always taken the rough with the smooth, not much could rustle this man’s feathers.
All that changed when old lady fate dropped in on the man and violently snatched away everything he thought he knew and thrust him into a world of deceit, mindless violence and slaughter.
Henry Collins and his wife had died six months ago whilst lost in a maze of caverns deep below the earth. An unknown species of shape-changing humanoids had tore into this unexpected feast until only their shattered bones and torn clothing remaining.
Where are all these urges and desires coming from? Why does Henry want to Kill and eat those that upset him? He can’t understand why perfect strangers are mistaking him for somebody else.
They reached the bodies before the rest of their tribe. They were the weak ones, the runts. The pair escaped and took over the lives of Henry and Bernadette, unaware of their true origins.
The remaining tribe have at last found the runaways. They’re in town to eat and to breed.
Admittedly, his Bernadette treated him like a child most of the time. Playing tricks and taunting Henry, was his fellow employee’s two favourite games and even the local kids were seeing him as an easy target. Still, it could be worse. Henry had always taken the rough with the smooth, not much could rustle this man’s feathers.
All that changed when old lady fate dropped in on the man and violently snatched away everything he thought he knew and thrust him into a world of deceit, mindless violence and slaughter.
Henry Collins and his wife had died six months ago whilst lost in a maze of caverns deep below the earth. An unknown species of shape-changing humanoids had tore into this unexpected feast until only their shattered bones and torn clothing remaining.
Where are all these urges and desires coming from? Why does Henry want to Kill and eat those that upset him? He can’t understand why perfect strangers are mistaking him for somebody else.
They reached the bodies before the rest of their tribe. They were the weak ones, the runts. The pair escaped and took over the lives of Henry and Bernadette, unaware of their true origins.
The remaining tribe have at last found the runaways. They’re in town to eat and to breed.
- GenresHorror
114 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 19, 2012
1 person is currently reading
42 people want to read
About the author
Ian Woodhead
127 books161 followersIan Woodhead is just past the age of forty. He lives in the north of England and is married to a wonderful woman. He has forgotten how many children he has. He had been writing for nearly twenty years but has only just gained the confidence to start showing his work. Ian finds it a little creepy writing about himself in the third person.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
March 10, 2013
Review of Duplicity by Ian Woodhead
5 stars
Just as in “Parasite,” Mr. Woodhead digs deeper and reaches farther beyond into the Wells of Creativity to think up a special new and unique breed of “monster.” This one proves to be an entirely new species of sorts, a chameleon-like entity which appears to live in certain subterranean locations (again, akin to “Parasite”). In their “natural” state, they are a kind of glowing green, and they appear to absorb other entitites (specifically, human). It’s a shame they can’t be employed in espionage, because these have the ultimate chameleon-like ability: they appear and function as whomever they wish, do what they wish, and go about their ugly monsterish impetus.
Mr. Woodhead as usual populates his story with a fair-sized cast of characters, some of whom I really couldn’t despair if they were consumed by these alien entities. Others, like Henry, are, if imperfect, at least of some redeeming social value (not so the adolescent delinquent bully Joanie). Nevertheless, the story captured my attention from the beginning and maintained it throughout, a process I’ve come to rely on after reading several of author Ian Woodhead’s writings.
5 stars
Just as in “Parasite,” Mr. Woodhead digs deeper and reaches farther beyond into the Wells of Creativity to think up a special new and unique breed of “monster.” This one proves to be an entirely new species of sorts, a chameleon-like entity which appears to live in certain subterranean locations (again, akin to “Parasite”). In their “natural” state, they are a kind of glowing green, and they appear to absorb other entitites (specifically, human). It’s a shame they can’t be employed in espionage, because these have the ultimate chameleon-like ability: they appear and function as whomever they wish, do what they wish, and go about their ugly monsterish impetus.
Mr. Woodhead as usual populates his story with a fair-sized cast of characters, some of whom I really couldn’t despair if they were consumed by these alien entities. Others, like Henry, are, if imperfect, at least of some redeeming social value (not so the adolescent delinquent bully Joanie). Nevertheless, the story captured my attention from the beginning and maintained it throughout, a process I’ve come to rely on after reading several of author Ian Woodhead’s writings.
September 7, 2018
Run for your life! (Away from this book!)
I don’t really do negative reviews, but my book club picked this book to see if you can judge a book by its cover. In this case, YES. Grammatical errors and typos aside, this book is just not good. Who is supposed to be the protagonist? Are we supposed to care about ANY of these characters? Are these creatures from another planet or underground? And dare I even mention the sickening amount of misogyny and rape culture perpetuation? If I could give zero stars, I would. The one positive thing I can say about this book is that it proves that anyone can write a book and put it out there and find at least one sucker to pay for it and read every word. Yes. I read the whole thing. I have been a proponent of reading bad books, so I read this one. This might officially be the worst book I’ve ever read.
One last thing... does anyone still wear Obsession? That might be the most far-fetched thing in the whole book!
As a positive, most of the points did get tied up. I was not left with any unanswered questions- except that Obsession one.
I don’t really do negative reviews, but my book club picked this book to see if you can judge a book by its cover. In this case, YES. Grammatical errors and typos aside, this book is just not good. Who is supposed to be the protagonist? Are we supposed to care about ANY of these characters? Are these creatures from another planet or underground? And dare I even mention the sickening amount of misogyny and rape culture perpetuation? If I could give zero stars, I would. The one positive thing I can say about this book is that it proves that anyone can write a book and put it out there and find at least one sucker to pay for it and read every word. Yes. I read the whole thing. I have been a proponent of reading bad books, so I read this one. This might officially be the worst book I’ve ever read.
One last thing... does anyone still wear Obsession? That might be the most far-fetched thing in the whole book!
As a positive, most of the points did get tied up. I was not left with any unanswered questions- except that Obsession one.
November 16, 2013
I like my horror with veins of dark humour and this didn't disappoint! The book follows meek and mild Henry, as he gets more and more confused as to what is happening to him in his small town.
Strange things are happening all over town with people acting strange and others disappearing. Joanie is a teenager who makes life difficult for most people comes into contact with.
William is Henry's best friend, and even he is acting weirder than usual. From this start it the book moves fast, and I loved all the characters, joanie was a favourite of mine, just for the total bitchiness of her.
From the gruesome piles of gnawed on bones to the awful pictures in my head of the brain eating, this book had me laughing and in the next page shuddering. I never guessed at what was really happening, which was good, because when the monsters can look and act like us it's really time to be scared.
Strange things are happening all over town with people acting strange and others disappearing. Joanie is a teenager who makes life difficult for most people comes into contact with.
William is Henry's best friend, and even he is acting weirder than usual. From this start it the book moves fast, and I loved all the characters, joanie was a favourite of mine, just for the total bitchiness of her.
From the gruesome piles of gnawed on bones to the awful pictures in my head of the brain eating, this book had me laughing and in the next page shuddering. I never guessed at what was really happening, which was good, because when the monsters can look and act like us it's really time to be scared.
December 7, 2021
I have yet to read any story by Ian Woodhead, That hasn't had some bazaarly interesting characters. This story certainly didn't disappoint In that fashion. The story certainly kept me interested the whole way through. To the point where I wouldn't mind another 100 pages or so to go more in depth about the creatures . This was a fun read. I'd highly recommend it.
August 28, 2012
This is the story of Henry Collins. Trapped in some caves with his wife, he encounters some shape-shifting humanoids. Henry and his wife are killed and eaten by them, and the humanoids assume their identities and lives. But these are the runts of the tribe, and their tribe is not happy they have escaped and are coming after them....
This was great, it reads a little like Invasion of the Body Snatchers but with a bit of twist. The action was unrelenting and the gore was pretty graphic in places. Not for the faint hearted! The characters were solid and the story just flowed. The ending was perfect. I recommend this one totally.
This was great, it reads a little like Invasion of the Body Snatchers but with a bit of twist. The action was unrelenting and the gore was pretty graphic in places. Not for the faint hearted! The characters were solid and the story just flowed. The ending was perfect. I recommend this one totally.
April 17, 2013
This is my first non zombie book from this particular author, and I must admit I enjoyed it. The story started off quite slowly, but it took the time to introduced you to the various characters that were to play major parts at the end of the book, and some that didn't make it to the end.
It's a short book, 114 pages, but if you like reading indie work, I think it's something you'll enjoy.
It's a short book, 114 pages, but if you like reading indie work, I think it's something you'll enjoy.
March 18, 2013
The writing was very good, the story was excellent albeit really bizarre. I'll have to go back for more Ian Woodhead. In the meantime, I need to figure out what some of those British expressions meant!
December 7, 2013
I loved this book, plain and simple. Good old fashioned scare the bejesus out of you kind of horror. That's what I'm talkin about! Well done
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews