Finding Pig Man: A Horror Novella

by Thomas Stewart

"...So for the love of God, please, use that sense of yours and don't go chasing things that weren't meant to be chased."The mountains of a small town in North Carolina can be a terrifying and mysterious place. What lies within those mountains, however, is nothing short of horrific.Such is the case for Roy who, growing up in this town, heard of the legends of the mountains and of its resident the terrifying "Pig Man". Who or what this creature exactly was was a question that for so long could only be speculated as none who'd ever ventured out of the mountains would ever return. When he returns, however, Roy learns of a small girl who went missing there, and haunted by his own conscience, cannot bring himself to turn away.Alongside his cousin, Stacy, Roy embarks on the suicidal venture into the mountains, where he'll find out firsthand if the legends were just that, tall tales passed around a small town for too long, or if perhaps the "Pig Man" really does lord over the mountains...

68 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 31, 2023

Reviews

[Bookaholic__Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

I definitely got some creepypasta Cryptid vibes while reading this, and it was quite enjoyable! But honestly, I could totally see PigMan being an actual Appalachian folktale. The way that Stewart presented the story was brilliant. It felt like he was recollecting on his actual lived horror. I was completely invested in the story from the start to the bitter end.

Pigman has a great storyline and some fantastic gore , I definitely recommend it!.


🐷🩸

[Shannon Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

The fusion of Wrong Turn's cinematic themes and the mystery of missing persons yields a captivating narrative, albeit with a twist: the introduction of a peculiar, pig-like creature in lieu of the expected, inbred cannibals. Although the story is undeniably horrific and thought-provoking, it remains a worthwhile read. The conclusion is likely to pique readers' interest, motivating them to delve into the second installment and uncover the subsequent events.

[Amanda Ruzsa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable read. The Pig Man has been blamed for several deaths in a community and the stories reach far back into a man’s childhood. He always believed the tales he heard from trusted adults, warning him of The Pig Man and his evil. As an adult, Roy stumbles across a missing poster while in town to celebrate his father’s birthday with family. He is reminded of a terrible loss his family endured, and this begin his desire to seek out the latest possible victim. With the help of his cousin, Roy sets off and a whole load of horror unfolds as we are led through horrifying discoveries and atrocities. Some legends, the worst ones, never seem to be just a story. Sometimes, they’re so much more than you ever feared they could be. Pick this one up if you dare…

[Milt Theo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thomas Stewart’s novella, “Finding Pig Man,” is a fast-paced, action-packed, chilling horror story of the creepypasta kind – of that cheeky, gory ’80s B-movie sort we all enjoy. Written from the first point of view, it describes a young man deciding to rescue a little girl who’s gone missing in the mountains of his home town; where said mountains have been haunted for decades by a mysterious creature called “Pig Man.” Taking his female cousin along, he sets for the mountains, only to get almost immediately derailed by a strange encounter on the way. He stops the car, gets out to see what exactly is happening, and ... mayhem ensues. Though the amount of time that we spend with them is short, the two characters -the dialogue, the banter, the warmness between them- feel fleshed out, convincing, and relatable. Stewart manages to craft an atmosphere of dread very early in the novella, as the anticipation to encounter the creature is growing. The tension escalates very quickly, and some truly disturbing scenes follow when the Pig Man appears. Once we realize what the beast is all about, it’s all a roller coaster from there. Warning: some scenes are not for the squeamish! You better eat your bacon before starting on this terrific creepy tale!

[Rainbeaux Harvest · Rating 4 out of 5]

Roy and his cousin Stacy go on the hunt for a missing kid and Pig Man. What the hell were they thinking? Roy thought it was his chance to make up for losing a loved one when he was younger. Stacy, well, she's just in it for the pips and wiggles. All he wanted to do was find Amelia, the missing girl. He bit off more than he could chew, trying to find Pig Man and Amelia. A good short read that will want you asking for more.

[Momma T's Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've already put myself through one trip up Swine Mountain. Why not go back for a second round. And this time from the beginning. As I sit here reading, I'm catching myself snarling my nose up at some of the descriptions.

A quick read at 68 pages. From the moment you learn of Pig man ... to the gas station clerk ... to the noise ... to heading up the mountain ... and even dinner time.

The pages kept turning. A fast dose of horror goodness. Be weary of the squealing. Enjoy the ride.

[Tori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grab yourself a 🤮 🪣 and buckle up. Cause FPM is gross and horrific and I freaking loved it!

This novella is a quick read, it took me about 2 hours. It’s made up of only a few chapters, but they’re decent length.

The level of ab*s€ and torture that Roy goes through while attempting to find/rescue missing kids is awful and graphic. But this man somehow survives and even escapes!!

I cannot wait to see what Corpse Child comes up with next!

[Alisha Cooper · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novella was really good with a really good premise that hooked me in and kept me reading until I finished it. I do wish there was a bit more to it especially at the end when the character is going over the warning and what is currently happening. I also wish it were a bit more clear that it’s being told as a flashback for most of the novella since there were hints but it wasn’t fully clear until the end. Overall, I’m very happy to be able to arc read this novella and I definitely enjoyed reading it and can’t wait to see what else is in store.

[Rhonda Bobbitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

4☆☆☆☆
This is such a disturbing folk lore story. Creepy children and the creature they call the Pig man. A beast of the mountains.
It's a good fast read.

[Stefan Vucak · Rating 3 out of 5]

With ‘Finding Pig Man’, Thomas Stewart thrusts readers into a living nightmare of missing kids Pig Man turned into his slaves. , Roy undergoing unspeakable horrors, wishing he and Stacy never ventured on a mad quest to find Amelia. This novella offers an intriguing concept that Thomas Stewart could have developed into a truly nightmarish novel. Regrettably, the fast-paced, shallow work rushes the reader through thinly connected events that results in a disappointing ending. Roy is a curious character. He has drive and purpose, but comes across as weak and indecisive, and readers will quickly lose any sympathy for him. A major problem with ‘Finding Pig Man’ is poor presentation by Thomas Stewart. The work is replete with punctuation, grammar, and word usage errors that thorough editing would have identified and eliminated. Despite these shortcomings, readers of the macabre will find ‘Finding Pig Man’ of interest.

[Ali O · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finding Pig Man by Thomas Stewart
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Exciting! Creepy! Spin chilling! Intense!
When Roy hears about a girl who has gone missing in the mountains, he decides to go and look for her. These are no ordinary mountains though. They have a haunted past with the fear of the Pig Man. Roy’s cousin Stacy decides to go with him on this search.
Roy gets way more than he bargained for!

This is a suspenseful and action packed novella. Thomas Stewart knows how to tell a kick-ass horror story!

I listened to the audio version and it was a great listen! The narrator did a very good job!

This is book 1 in the Swine series.
Book 2 is Swine Mountain

*Grab this book for a wild and crazy read!*
🩸🐷🩸🐽🩸🐖🩸🐷🩸🐽🩸🐖🩸

[RatedHforHorror · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very fast paced book. You do get a little bit of back story of our main character and then it throws you right in. The mental and physical abuse that happens to our main character is very brutal and harsh. This story does get dismal and I was rooting for our main character the whole time. I really loved how the pig man and how he does things were portrayed. My only gripe with the story is when there was an argument with two characters which was just very drawn out to me. I liked how it ending but it does leave me wanting more, which is totally a good thing.

I received this advanced reader copy for free and I really enjoyed it.

[WTF did I just Read Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes the truth is better left buried, sometimes when you hear a fable telling you not to go somewhere, you should just listen.
Cousins Roy and Stacie find out exactly why when Roy sees a missing poster for one of the many kids said to have been lost on the mountain. A mountain where a sinister being has been said to be.
This story is suspenseful and riveting. Taking place in a small town with its own secrets puts you in the perfect setting, being I also grew up in a small town, this felt close to home.
I couldn’t put it down, except when I started to lose to sleep.
Thomas Stewart rights superb horror books, this is no exception.

[Bookworm2277 · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Oh can Thomas stewart write!
This story was very interesting from the start. Right away you get introduced to the legend of pigman and how he terrorizes the town. Those who venture into the mountains don’t come back…

It’s a short story and gripping from the beginning. I really enjoyed that the author wrote this story as if he’s speaking to you. It’s unique and quite interesting. Like listening to a tale around the bonfire in the mountains (see what I did there?😂)

But yes definitely worth the read. Fast paced. Gore. Shock factors. No mercy. No escape. And will definitely make you not think of pigs as cute little animals 🐷

[Cody Walters · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Boogeyman is fucking real

This was my first read by Thomas Stewart and it didint dissapoint, you get told about fairy tales and legends all the time but as you get older you, soon don't believe in those fairy tales anymore....BUT with some you should and this one proves that, this one has a great story, some moments that made me chuckle at times and some gore but not much at all, I would really recommend this to people getting into the genre because its definitely horror but its almost extreme horror as well, its just more tame, however this one is creepy as hell and I really enjoyed it, it didn't creep me out a time or two. 4/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ good read, recommended!

[Shayla Sherwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely not my thing, the writing style was good but I had such a rough time getting into the story. Not a fan of the characters as they were incredibly flat and quite honestly Roy got on my nerves.

[Cheryl P. (review hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC copy of this novella. It details Roy and his cousin Stacy going to look for a missing girl up in the mountains where the legendary Pig-Man is said to be. Do they find him? What happens next? Read this fast-paced, well written story to find out!

[Hayley Surabian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel like this could be a really good story, however to me it feels like it was thrown together.

[Jonathan Deprey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Never have I read such violence such horror in such a macabre way that rivals the late Poe and makes me yearn for the slaughter movies of old. Thomas Stewart is a force to be reckoned with.

[Benjamin Kardos · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun, gory, fast-paced novella. If you enjoy folklore, creature features, and rural set stories Finding Pig Man is well worth the read.

[Amethyst Maxey · Rating 2 out of 5]

So sorry to say but this was a horrible story. It had potential but there was zero gore. The details were vague. If it wasn’t a short story, I would’ve DNF.