What do you think?
Rate this book
A Cold Night for Alligators
A determined CDC epidemiologist goes rogue to tackle a mysterious outbreak in Savannah, only to find himself entangled with a pair of urban explorers and a dangerous, tortured soul in an abandoned theme park where dark forces stir.
328 pages, Paperback
Published April 10, 2024
32 people are currently reading
1282 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
November 8, 2024
I think I would have liked this one more if we had gotten less gratuitous exposition on the characters. Per example, learning why the mother of 2 of the characters never rose to her full potential outside of being their mother because of her ill-fated romance with an older man wasn't really relevant to the story and wasn't particularly interesting either especially as she played zero active role in the main story.
I like weird horror that doesn't explain itself and just is so that aspect was pretty good. If you're looking for contagion horror this one isn't really that.
3.5 rounded up.
I like weird horror that doesn't explain itself and just is so that aspect was pretty good. If you're looking for contagion horror this one isn't really that.
3.5 rounded up.
February 17, 2024
This was such a hoot from the very first page to the last. The author really knows her stuff, and can create a story, which is fun, horrific, eerie, and sad all at the same time. This is a great story, which keeps you excitedly turning the pages, wondering ‘what is going to happen next’.
Viggy Parr Hampton is definitely an author to watch out for in the future. Highly recommended.
5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to the author and BookSirens for providing me with this free ARC, which I happily leave a free, voluntarily review.
Release Date: April 10th 2024
Viggy Parr Hampton is definitely an author to watch out for in the future. Highly recommended.
5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to the author and BookSirens for providing me with this free ARC, which I happily leave a free, voluntarily review.
Release Date: April 10th 2024
March 23, 2024
This is a story about an outbreak of what could be botulism and a much more malevalant supernatural evil claiming an abandoned amusement park as its home.
A rogue CDC agent, his superiors, and a couple of urban exploration YouTubers are all going to wind up at this place, drawn there by an evil that wants them for its own sake.
In this case, the main characters are epidemiologists who work for the CDC. I loved that because you just don't see that occupation in horror novels. Plus, it's interesting what you'll learn about botulism in this book as you go along.
But the abandoned park which once had an alligator pit and show is the main attraction. There's a presence that feeds off fear and wants to do so again by luring people to come visit. Leona is a homeless addict who follows that call and finds a home there in the mud, dirt, and broken buildings and rides. The evil brings people to her, telling her what to do with them.
This is the authors first published novel and it's a good one for sure. A location like that can only be terrifying after all and the addition of multi character story arcs and perspectives keeps the tension going as we get minor cliffhangers when switching characters. It kept the book interesting and engaging.
It's also easy to read as the author gives as much description as necessary while keeping the narrative flowing.
I enjoyed this one and I recommend it. I received an ARC of this book through Booksirens with no consideration. This review is voluntary and is my own personal opinion.
A rogue CDC agent, his superiors, and a couple of urban exploration YouTubers are all going to wind up at this place, drawn there by an evil that wants them for its own sake.
In this case, the main characters are epidemiologists who work for the CDC. I loved that because you just don't see that occupation in horror novels. Plus, it's interesting what you'll learn about botulism in this book as you go along.
But the abandoned park which once had an alligator pit and show is the main attraction. There's a presence that feeds off fear and wants to do so again by luring people to come visit. Leona is a homeless addict who follows that call and finds a home there in the mud, dirt, and broken buildings and rides. The evil brings people to her, telling her what to do with them.
This is the authors first published novel and it's a good one for sure. A location like that can only be terrifying after all and the addition of multi character story arcs and perspectives keeps the tension going as we get minor cliffhangers when switching characters. It kept the book interesting and engaging.
It's also easy to read as the author gives as much description as necessary while keeping the narrative flowing.
I enjoyed this one and I recommend it. I received an ARC of this book through Booksirens with no consideration. This review is voluntary and is my own personal opinion.
March 8, 2024
This book was hard to put down once I started! The author weaves in interesting backstories for all the characters. At the same time, she moves the story forward with nonstop action and unsettling imagery. I’m excited for future novels from the author!
October 19, 2025
I may have bragged a bit too much after my first Viggy novel. This one was a ‘meh’ for me. More fantasy-fic than horror, the level of improbability is off the chart. A believable cast and location, the story line is disappointing, an ‘unknown evil’ lacks effort.
Altho I enjoyed the authors style, this is a Cannot Recommend for me.
Altho I enjoyed the authors style, this is a Cannot Recommend for me.
February 24, 2024
This was a super fun and interesting story! The only times I’ve read stories about an epidemiologist trying to find ground zero was during a class in college. Loved that this had the detective work of an epidemiologist and the thriller/supernatural aspect of books I typically read. Definitely recommend reading!
September 9, 2024
Very thrilling, and definitely scary!!! I couldn’t put it down and will be thinking about this one for a long time. Can’t wait to see what Viggy gives us next!
March 31, 2024
A Cold Night for Alligators
By Viggy Parr Hampton
ARC Copy Review
A Cold Night for Alligators is a (Horror? Thriller? Mystery?) story that doesn’t quite know what it wants to be. It tells several different stories but in the end most of them don’t seem to matter.
This book tells the story of Gruber, an arrogant CDC scientist who decides to prove he doesn’t need anyone’s help and can be a hero by trying to find the cause of several recent deaths.
Sam is Gruber’s boss who has a soft spot for him (non romantic) and tries to find him before her superiors find out what he’s done and fire him.
Lucas is Sam’s superior who is apparently a sexual predator and goes with Sam to find Gruber.
Zeb and Sid are brothers and famous youtubers who film themselves exploring abandoned places.
Finally there is Leona, a homeless woman who is sympathetic to the less fortunate, or an evil and cruel woman who attacks people. I’m not sure which.
This book started out very strong and reminded me of a Stephen King novel, but once the story began to focus on Gruber for a while I found myself struggle with motivation to read. He is unlikeable, doesn’t seem to have any redeeming qualities, and the status of his sweat is apparently something that needed to be repeatedly described.
Repetition became a theme of the book. First it was Gruber’s sweat, later it was Sid constantly thinking “big brothers take care of little brothers”. If you are the type of reader who likes to have a point or motivation drilled into you over and over, then this is a good one for you. It got to the point that during the sections about Zeb and Sid with every new page I would realize I was scanning the new page for where it would say “big brothers take care of little brothers”.
Sid and Zeb were tedious to read about for me. Everything Zeb said seemed hokey and forced. A couple of his quotes had me embarrassed for him. Some people might find it fun, and that's cool, this is all opinion based, but for me it just made reading it feel like a chore.
Sam seemed like she would be the one character I liked but her’s and Lucas’ story quickly became a lecture on repetition. Lucas says something or brushes against Sam. She thinks how sleezy he is but says nothing. Repeat.
I had high hopes for Leona. It was her introduction that had me thinking of Stephen King but sadly she was a let down as well. I couldn’t tell who she was supposed to be. A caring person being manipulated? A crazy person who would attack people? Someone who has no sense of self preservation? Someone who wanted to become a better person? It seemed all over the place to me.
After powering my way through the book I thought at least there would be a good climax but again (imo) I was let down and apparently half the book or more didn’t really matter. This may just be my reaction but when I finished the book I truly felt like a large chunk of it was just there to pad the page count.
As for flow, I frequently felt like I was reading several different books. I know it’s supposed to be a book where people’s stories converge but by the time they do, and the way they do I felt like “so what?”. Much of the ending to me felt like an afterthought. And that's a shame because Ms. Hampton obviously has talent.
Along with the bad came good. Ms. Hampton is excellent at building atmosphere. Her descriptions of aquariums and the amusement park are really well done. She is also fantastic at describing the medical aspects of the story. I really enjoyed when Sam was explaining her field of expertise. I also enjoyed the shout out to the Australian Earthworm park discovery (if you don’t know what it is don’t look it up until you’ve read this book). Ms. Hampton picked an excellent setting for the story and every now and then there were little facts or occurrences thrown in that I truly enjoyed.
When I finished the book however I was left with more questions than answers. Would I recommend this book to friends and family? I don’t know. As I said Ms. Hampton shows she has a lot of talent but I think this book needs more work. I don’t think I would not recommend it to most of the people I know but then again there are some that I think I would. This is really a “you need to make up your own mind” kind of book. Maybe the things I didn’t like or didn’t understand will be fantastic for you or make perfect sense. I’m only giving it two stars but I’d probably push it to a 2.5 if I could. I want to go back and read this book again in the future and see if maybe I was just in the wrong mood or missed certain details that would have made my experience reading it better and I will read the next horror/thriller that Ms. Hampton writes because I think with a little more polish on certain things she will be big.
This book is expected to be released April 10, 2024.
Check out more of my reviews at https://maitlandreviews.wordpress.com
By Viggy Parr Hampton
ARC Copy Review
A Cold Night for Alligators is a (Horror? Thriller? Mystery?) story that doesn’t quite know what it wants to be. It tells several different stories but in the end most of them don’t seem to matter.
This book tells the story of Gruber, an arrogant CDC scientist who decides to prove he doesn’t need anyone’s help and can be a hero by trying to find the cause of several recent deaths.
Sam is Gruber’s boss who has a soft spot for him (non romantic) and tries to find him before her superiors find out what he’s done and fire him.
Lucas is Sam’s superior who is apparently a sexual predator and goes with Sam to find Gruber.
Zeb and Sid are brothers and famous youtubers who film themselves exploring abandoned places.
Finally there is Leona, a homeless woman who is sympathetic to the less fortunate, or an evil and cruel woman who attacks people. I’m not sure which.
This book started out very strong and reminded me of a Stephen King novel, but once the story began to focus on Gruber for a while I found myself struggle with motivation to read. He is unlikeable, doesn’t seem to have any redeeming qualities, and the status of his sweat is apparently something that needed to be repeatedly described.
Repetition became a theme of the book. First it was Gruber’s sweat, later it was Sid constantly thinking “big brothers take care of little brothers”. If you are the type of reader who likes to have a point or motivation drilled into you over and over, then this is a good one for you. It got to the point that during the sections about Zeb and Sid with every new page I would realize I was scanning the new page for where it would say “big brothers take care of little brothers”.
Sid and Zeb were tedious to read about for me. Everything Zeb said seemed hokey and forced. A couple of his quotes had me embarrassed for him. Some people might find it fun, and that's cool, this is all opinion based, but for me it just made reading it feel like a chore.
Sam seemed like she would be the one character I liked but her’s and Lucas’ story quickly became a lecture on repetition. Lucas says something or brushes against Sam. She thinks how sleezy he is but says nothing. Repeat.
I had high hopes for Leona. It was her introduction that had me thinking of Stephen King but sadly she was a let down as well. I couldn’t tell who she was supposed to be. A caring person being manipulated? A crazy person who would attack people? Someone who has no sense of self preservation? Someone who wanted to become a better person? It seemed all over the place to me.
After powering my way through the book I thought at least there would be a good climax but again (imo) I was let down and apparently half the book or more didn’t really matter. This may just be my reaction but when I finished the book I truly felt like a large chunk of it was just there to pad the page count.
As for flow, I frequently felt like I was reading several different books. I know it’s supposed to be a book where people’s stories converge but by the time they do, and the way they do I felt like “so what?”. Much of the ending to me felt like an afterthought. And that's a shame because Ms. Hampton obviously has talent.
Along with the bad came good. Ms. Hampton is excellent at building atmosphere. Her descriptions of aquariums and the amusement park are really well done. She is also fantastic at describing the medical aspects of the story. I really enjoyed when Sam was explaining her field of expertise. I also enjoyed the shout out to the Australian Earthworm park discovery (if you don’t know what it is don’t look it up until you’ve read this book). Ms. Hampton picked an excellent setting for the story and every now and then there were little facts or occurrences thrown in that I truly enjoyed.
When I finished the book however I was left with more questions than answers. Would I recommend this book to friends and family? I don’t know. As I said Ms. Hampton shows she has a lot of talent but I think this book needs more work. I don’t think I would not recommend it to most of the people I know but then again there are some that I think I would. This is really a “you need to make up your own mind” kind of book. Maybe the things I didn’t like or didn’t understand will be fantastic for you or make perfect sense. I’m only giving it two stars but I’d probably push it to a 2.5 if I could. I want to go back and read this book again in the future and see if maybe I was just in the wrong mood or missed certain details that would have made my experience reading it better and I will read the next horror/thriller that Ms. Hampton writes because I think with a little more polish on certain things she will be big.
This book is expected to be released April 10, 2024.
Check out more of my reviews at https://maitlandreviews.wordpress.com
May 2, 2024
I thought the Alligater eyes at the beginning of chapters was creative, both in Kindle and in my husband's hard copy book. The book made me look up somethings about Savanah i.e. the young man who was killed by the air conditioner at a big hotel ( which was true).
The story was a smooth easy read that was a page turner. I liked the different stories going on at the same time then concluding at the end.
I enjoyed some of the medical side of things like how the CDC works to figure things out.
I really liked the ending. Nice little twitch.
Hope I didn't add any spoilers. Enjoy.
The story was a smooth easy read that was a page turner. I liked the different stories going on at the same time then concluding at the end.
I enjoyed some of the medical side of things like how the CDC works to figure things out.
I really liked the ending. Nice little twitch.
Hope I didn't add any spoilers. Enjoy.
April 16, 2024
I was sent this book for an honest review
Book Overview
A determined CDC epidemiologist goes rogue to tackle a mysterious outbreak in Savannah, only to find himself entangled with a pair of urban explorers and a dangerous, tortured soul in an abandoned theme park where dark forces stir.
I went into this book wanting to read it for the cover. This for me was such a fun ride with twists and turns. It had me wondering who would survive, what was going on the entire time. I hope there is a sequel for this book I definitely wanna go back to Gullywasher's of Georgia.
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Book Overview
A determined CDC epidemiologist goes rogue to tackle a mysterious outbreak in Savannah, only to find himself entangled with a pair of urban explorers and a dangerous, tortured soul in an abandoned theme park where dark forces stir.
I went into this book wanting to read it for the cover. This for me was such a fun ride with twists and turns. It had me wondering who would survive, what was going on the entire time. I hope there is a sequel for this book I definitely wanna go back to Gullywasher's of Georgia.
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
February 9, 2024
I read either to put me to sleep or for sheer entertainment. A Cold Night for Alligators (the name really hooked me), is definitely the latter—I got so engaged in it that I read it cover to cover in two days. It was scary, funny, and most of all fast paced! Loved the characters and the rich settings. This new author is a wonderful story teller!
October 23, 2024
2.5 stars
man, i really wanted to love this book. the concept was really interesting but i was just really confused? you don’t get enough back story for some of it to make sense and it’s hard to understand why the characters are doing what they’re doing. overall, the story was intriguing enough for me to keep reading but really lackluster in some areas.
man, i really wanted to love this book. the concept was really interesting but i was just really confused? you don’t get enough back story for some of it to make sense and it’s hard to understand why the characters are doing what they’re doing. overall, the story was intriguing enough for me to keep reading but really lackluster in some areas.
May 28, 2024
I love a good mystery. I love weird stuff. I love learning. Combine them and you get this book. It does a great job of never going overboard on any of the three which is great. A lot of books go to far with the learning that you can't understand with out doing outside research but this book does it with ease that I never felt like I needed any outside context.
The mystery was fun but not crazy deep. With saying that I would love to come back To this world and learn more about the lore surrounding the mystery. Im saying mystery to keep from spoiling but anyone who has read it knows what I mean. I loved the setting and loved the characters. And I especially loved Trantula!
Finally I did the audiobook and the narradid a good job. I wouldn't say it was amazing but it was never bad.
I hope we get a prequel or sequel down the road.
The mystery was fun but not crazy deep. With saying that I would love to come back To this world and learn more about the lore surrounding the mystery. Im saying mystery to keep from spoiling but anyone who has read it knows what I mean. I loved the setting and loved the characters. And I especially loved Trantula!
Finally I did the audiobook and the narradid a good job. I wouldn't say it was amazing but it was never bad.
I hope we get a prequel or sequel down the road.
December 6, 2025
4.5 ⭐️ Rounded Up
This spans several horror subgenres including biological, supernatural, amusement park, and religious horror and binds them all together in the most cohesive but utterly terrible package. This kept me interested and engrossed throughout the entire story. Some of the characters were abhorrent and detestable but despite this they were interesting and I was invested in their progressions. This is an off the wall disgusting and scary story. There were parts that almost made me gag and others that gave me chills. This is definitely an impressive debut novel that I would definitely recommend! Especially if you’ve already dabbled in Viggy Parr Hampton’s other work and enjoyed it.
This spans several horror subgenres including biological, supernatural, amusement park, and religious horror and binds them all together in the most cohesive but utterly terrible package. This kept me interested and engrossed throughout the entire story. Some of the characters were abhorrent and detestable but despite this they were interesting and I was invested in their progressions. This is an off the wall disgusting and scary story. There were parts that almost made me gag and others that gave me chills. This is definitely an impressive debut novel that I would definitely recommend! Especially if you’ve already dabbled in Viggy Parr Hampton’s other work and enjoyed it.
March 2, 2024
3.75 stars
I have been in a terrible habit lately of picking indie horror based on the awesomeness of their covers. Luckily, it worked out amazingly this time! Not only is the cover a beauty but this book is really fun. A little bit disaster movie, a little bit creature feature, and with more than a sprinkle of the macabre, A Cold Night For Alligators follows a CDC scientist desperately seeking the source of an unusual outbreak. A search that leads to an abandoned amusement park.
I received an advance review copy for free on BookSirens.
I have been in a terrible habit lately of picking indie horror based on the awesomeness of their covers. Luckily, it worked out amazingly this time! Not only is the cover a beauty but this book is really fun. A little bit disaster movie, a little bit creature feature, and with more than a sprinkle of the macabre, A Cold Night For Alligators follows a CDC scientist desperately seeking the source of an unusual outbreak. A search that leads to an abandoned amusement park.
I received an advance review copy for free on BookSirens.
February 10, 2024
From the very first page of "A Cold Night for Alligators," I was hooked. Viggy Parr Hampton delivers a thrilling mix of suspense, humor, and horror, crafting a story that's both engaging and deeply moving. The characters, each with their unique quirks and secrets, bring the narrative to life in a way that's deeply engaging. I loved how the narrative kept me on my toes, seamlessly blending fear with bursts of laughter. This book explored the thin line between terror and amusement, making it incredibly memorable!
March 7, 2024
I received a review copy for free via BookSirens and I am leaving this honest review voluntarily.
I started reading this and was immediately gripped by its sheer strangeness and originality. It begins with an extremely strong atmosphere that is pretty disturbing and I settled in to what I expected to be a seriously good book. I found it floundered slightly in a couple of places when it was difficult to follow/imagine exactly where exactly the characters were and the narrative didn't always add up, but I was so gripped by the awful sense of hopelessness and dread that I had to read on. I feel there are some plot "holes" at times and certain characters behaviour isn't always believable. I've noted that I felt the author had rather lost control of the storyline at around 40% which may seem a bit damning but I still think it's a decent read. I do think it would benefit from a bit more editing but the sheer imagination and the writers ability to create an atmosphere are very impressive. I'd definitely like to read more of her work.
I started reading this and was immediately gripped by its sheer strangeness and originality. It begins with an extremely strong atmosphere that is pretty disturbing and I settled in to what I expected to be a seriously good book. I found it floundered slightly in a couple of places when it was difficult to follow/imagine exactly where exactly the characters were and the narrative didn't always add up, but I was so gripped by the awful sense of hopelessness and dread that I had to read on. I feel there are some plot "holes" at times and certain characters behaviour isn't always believable. I've noted that I felt the author had rather lost control of the storyline at around 40% which may seem a bit damning but I still think it's a decent read. I do think it would benefit from a bit more editing but the sheer imagination and the writers ability to create an atmosphere are very impressive. I'd definitely like to read more of her work.
October 21, 2025
How little most people comprehend of the white-hot power of buried evil.
4 ½ stars. "A Cold Night for Alligators" is the third of Viggy Parr Hampton's offers that I've read in just the past months. If I had to rank my experiences so far, I'd still have to place the übercreepy "Much Too Vulgar" in first place, a book that still haunts me some months later. No, that one had me sleeping on the edge of my bed with several pillows on the other side for weeks, lest some smelly stranger show up for cuddles! Then I'd follow that with "'Gators" and finally her latest book, "The Rotting Room". And if I understand correctly, "ACNfA" - no, I like "Gators" better - was her first book where she came upon the GENIUS idea to write her book on her email at a job she hated. I mean, if I had thought to do that, I'd probably be 17 or so books into my own collection and definitely not so deeply addicted to anti-depressants and acid reflux cures! Oh well, we live and learn and try our best to stop sacrificing our health for companies that don't give a crap about us in the end.
Everything in the park was infused with an inky, demoniacal force.
Anyway, getting back to our story, or better said, the review of her story, "Gators" is a highly entertaining, very well-executed (good job on the proofreading, Dad!), and very imaginative horror adventure. Now, you can take your pick of what the promo blurb says about "a rogue epidemiologist tackling a mysterious outbreak in this horror thriller" - which it is to a degree - or settle in perhaps more understandably into the cursed abandoned theme park ("Gullywasher’s of Georgia—Wet n’ Wild Fun for the Whole Family!") sitting still on cursed land that's full of curses angle. Either will work and are mixed more or less successfully, giving us at the end a really fun melange of gore, murder, ghosts, demons, resurrection, and muddy bacterium mixed with high-grade heroin. Yeah, I don't know that a more detailed plug would have worked to be honest because I just confused the hell out of myself...
The land acquired a taste for panic, for pain, for human flesh, for terror…
Let's just say Hampton manages to pull off a wild tale of CDC "soldiers", forlorn addicts, YouTube stars, and goodness knows who else, all set - more or less - in the bucolic streets of Savannah, Georgia. Now, I'm not saying she manages to do all this without a few hiccups, but for the most part it works. The author's own scientific training definitely comes in handy, as the politics and policies of America's front line against devastating illnesses is very believable and transfers to this setting just as smoothly as a needle sliding under your skin. OK, sorry, that was uncalled for but that was the grossest part of this book… and we had balloons full of blood, missing eyeballs, and a dude limping around on a compound fracture to boot. Look, it was this or make a Tylenol joke and I'm just not going there today…
He did not like that pit, not one bit.
One factor that did strike me as somewhat odd was that the - no, not pacing, let's call it the structure - of having all these parties doing their own thing didn't always work, or better said, blend all that smoothly. And this is even when they were physically and unknowingly within mere yards or even inches of each other. But the first big chunk of this book follows primarily Dr. Archibald Gruber, a brilliant epidemiologist, who mostly because of his utter lack of social or even leadership skills finds himself being passed over again and again for promotions he knows he deserves ("No one else would be taking advantage of him anymore or stealing the credit he was due"…see what I mean?). It is his own frustration - and obvious confidence, knowing he can do things better on his own! - that really jumpstarts this story beyond what we witness initially from our resident junkie, Leona, who does some real junkie stuff that ultimately leads up to so much of what transpires.
Something’s leading me there, where I’m needed. Something’s leading me home.
However, even with this strong focus on Dr. Gruber, he eventually literally disappears for a huge chunk of the book. Meanwhile - and rather abruptly I'd add - we're provided with a ton of information about our half-Russian YouTube stars, Zeb and Sid Barkova, who have found their calling with urban exploring, which is essentially the "art" of filming yourself looking through abandoned places with some kind of interesting mythos surrounding them. We also go off on some personal tangents about their family, which really had me a little lost. It does provide some amusement along the way, but to me, all of these bits - including as well the weird night in the hotel that Commander Sam Clements experiences… and no, I'm not just talking about the constant attempts of her boss to bed her.
He’s not made from life, but he can move into it…
So for me, it's not the overall story - including what I thought was a really cool set of closing scenes - but more how the deck of cards is "shuffled" along the way. I would have enjoyed a bit of one group, then maybe some of the background info to another, and so on, which would have then led us more organically to the big conclusion. As it was, again, it just felt like sometimes we were mixing short stories versus having a coherent overall smooth-flowing set-up with everyone keeping pace. I don't think it necessarily detracted from anything, no, but it was odd. I also thought it contributed to a few of the holes in the story that I wondered about, including as I mentioned earlier the weird things that happened in the hotel (i.e. were we just to assume this was the same as the last time the place got all stinky?).
She felt an undercurrent of malevolence, as though she were walking all around a sleeping, scaly creature...
But!!! fear not true believers, we get to where we needed to be at the end, again with enough splattery stuff and some real emotion that felt like a strong shot to the solar plexus (pun intended). Hampton is obviously going to be a talent to continue watching in this genre and I can't wait to see more! So until next time…
PLEASE ANSWER THE EXTRA CREDIT QUESTION:
Even though the cover of this book is quite interesting, it is inaccurate. Why?
4 ½ stars. "A Cold Night for Alligators" is the third of Viggy Parr Hampton's offers that I've read in just the past months. If I had to rank my experiences so far, I'd still have to place the übercreepy "Much Too Vulgar" in first place, a book that still haunts me some months later. No, that one had me sleeping on the edge of my bed with several pillows on the other side for weeks, lest some smelly stranger show up for cuddles! Then I'd follow that with "'Gators" and finally her latest book, "The Rotting Room". And if I understand correctly, "ACNfA" - no, I like "Gators" better - was her first book where she came upon the GENIUS idea to write her book on her email at a job she hated. I mean, if I had thought to do that, I'd probably be 17 or so books into my own collection and definitely not so deeply addicted to anti-depressants and acid reflux cures! Oh well, we live and learn and try our best to stop sacrificing our health for companies that don't give a crap about us in the end.
Everything in the park was infused with an inky, demoniacal force.
Anyway, getting back to our story, or better said, the review of her story, "Gators" is a highly entertaining, very well-executed (good job on the proofreading, Dad!), and very imaginative horror adventure. Now, you can take your pick of what the promo blurb says about "a rogue epidemiologist tackling a mysterious outbreak in this horror thriller" - which it is to a degree - or settle in perhaps more understandably into the cursed abandoned theme park ("Gullywasher’s of Georgia—Wet n’ Wild Fun for the Whole Family!") sitting still on cursed land that's full of curses angle. Either will work and are mixed more or less successfully, giving us at the end a really fun melange of gore, murder, ghosts, demons, resurrection, and muddy bacterium mixed with high-grade heroin. Yeah, I don't know that a more detailed plug would have worked to be honest because I just confused the hell out of myself...
The land acquired a taste for panic, for pain, for human flesh, for terror…
Let's just say Hampton manages to pull off a wild tale of CDC "soldiers", forlorn addicts, YouTube stars, and goodness knows who else, all set - more or less - in the bucolic streets of Savannah, Georgia. Now, I'm not saying she manages to do all this without a few hiccups, but for the most part it works. The author's own scientific training definitely comes in handy, as the politics and policies of America's front line against devastating illnesses is very believable and transfers to this setting just as smoothly as a needle sliding under your skin. OK, sorry, that was uncalled for but that was the grossest part of this book… and we had balloons full of blood, missing eyeballs, and a dude limping around on a compound fracture to boot. Look, it was this or make a Tylenol joke and I'm just not going there today…
He did not like that pit, not one bit.
One factor that did strike me as somewhat odd was that the - no, not pacing, let's call it the structure - of having all these parties doing their own thing didn't always work, or better said, blend all that smoothly. And this is even when they were physically and unknowingly within mere yards or even inches of each other. But the first big chunk of this book follows primarily Dr. Archibald Gruber, a brilliant epidemiologist, who mostly because of his utter lack of social or even leadership skills finds himself being passed over again and again for promotions he knows he deserves ("No one else would be taking advantage of him anymore or stealing the credit he was due"…see what I mean?). It is his own frustration - and obvious confidence, knowing he can do things better on his own! - that really jumpstarts this story beyond what we witness initially from our resident junkie, Leona, who does some real junkie stuff that ultimately leads up to so much of what transpires.
Something’s leading me there, where I’m needed. Something’s leading me home.
However, even with this strong focus on Dr. Gruber, he eventually literally disappears for a huge chunk of the book. Meanwhile - and rather abruptly I'd add - we're provided with a ton of information about our half-Russian YouTube stars, Zeb and Sid Barkova, who have found their calling with urban exploring, which is essentially the "art" of filming yourself looking through abandoned places with some kind of interesting mythos surrounding them. We also go off on some personal tangents about their family, which really had me a little lost. It does provide some amusement along the way, but to me, all of these bits - including as well the weird night in the hotel that Commander Sam Clements experiences… and no, I'm not just talking about the constant attempts of her boss to bed her.
He’s not made from life, but he can move into it…
So for me, it's not the overall story - including what I thought was a really cool set of closing scenes - but more how the deck of cards is "shuffled" along the way. I would have enjoyed a bit of one group, then maybe some of the background info to another, and so on, which would have then led us more organically to the big conclusion. As it was, again, it just felt like sometimes we were mixing short stories versus having a coherent overall smooth-flowing set-up with everyone keeping pace. I don't think it necessarily detracted from anything, no, but it was odd. I also thought it contributed to a few of the holes in the story that I wondered about, including as I mentioned earlier the weird things that happened in the hotel (i.e. were we just to assume this was the same as the last time the place got all stinky?).
She felt an undercurrent of malevolence, as though she were walking all around a sleeping, scaly creature...
But!!! fear not true believers, we get to where we needed to be at the end, again with enough splattery stuff and some real emotion that felt like a strong shot to the solar plexus (pun intended). Hampton is obviously going to be a talent to continue watching in this genre and I can't wait to see more! So until next time…
PLEASE ANSWER THE EXTRA CREDIT QUESTION:
Even though the cover of this book is quite interesting, it is inaccurate. Why?
March 5, 2024
I will read every book by Viggy Parr Hampton henceforward! Such an interesting mix of horror, science, and believe it or not: humor! It must be difficult to imbue one’s characters with a sense of humor that doesn’t feel over-the-top for their dire circumstances; Hampton’s dry wit executes this flawlessly. Wholeheartedly recommend!!
November 10, 2024
This was an exceptionally fun read! Author Hampton’s debut novel has everything – everything that is except romance. So, if you’re looking for that, this isn’t the book for you. The story centers around an abandoned amusement park, Gullywasher’s, located outside of Savannah, GA. A down and out drug addict, Leona, falls into a pile of garbage and comes up with a flyer advertising the park, which is strange since the park has been closed for 15 years. Something about the flyer intrigues her and she is driven to leave the city and travel by bus to the abandoned place. Once there, she discovers an electronic alligator she names Tarantula lying in a muddy, boggy, pit. She also discovers a stash of heroin concealed in the defunct park’s aquarium. Mixing the mud from the bog with the drug, she comes up with a potent substance that she aches to share with other addicts. But there are dark forces that lie beneath the surface of this park and, slowly, Leona becomes their unwitting tool.
The scene then shifts to CDC headquarters in Atlanta where a disgruntled epidemiologist, Gruber, afraid of being passed over for promotion, decides he has to make a splash – solve an epidemic no one else can. That epidemic is one that has hit Savannah – drug addicts are dying and no one can determine the cause. Lying to his boss, the doctor goes rogue and heads to Savannah to discover the etiology beneath the deaths. His crusade, of course, leads him to Gullywasher’s.
Enter YouTube urban explores, Sid and Zeb Barkov (my favorite characters in the novel). They explore abandoned places and Gullywasher’s is next on their list. Also in motion, are Gruber’s boss and her immediate supervisor who travel to Savannah to find the missing epidemiologist. Naturally, they get sidetracked and head to Gullywasher’s too.
There are frights galore in this novel as its characters wander through the park, some eventually becoming its victims. The book is loaded with dark humor, scientific discoveries, and a roller coaster ride of twists, turns, and surprises. I thoroughly enjoyed A COLD NIGHT FOR ALLIGATORS and had a hard time putting it down. Highly recommended for lovers of horror mingled with science and a bit of dark humor.
I want to thank the publisher and author for providing me with a free copy of A COLD NIGHT FOR ALLIGATORS as a voting member of the Horror Writers Association.
The scene then shifts to CDC headquarters in Atlanta where a disgruntled epidemiologist, Gruber, afraid of being passed over for promotion, decides he has to make a splash – solve an epidemic no one else can. That epidemic is one that has hit Savannah – drug addicts are dying and no one can determine the cause. Lying to his boss, the doctor goes rogue and heads to Savannah to discover the etiology beneath the deaths. His crusade, of course, leads him to Gullywasher’s.
Enter YouTube urban explores, Sid and Zeb Barkov (my favorite characters in the novel). They explore abandoned places and Gullywasher’s is next on their list. Also in motion, are Gruber’s boss and her immediate supervisor who travel to Savannah to find the missing epidemiologist. Naturally, they get sidetracked and head to Gullywasher’s too.
There are frights galore in this novel as its characters wander through the park, some eventually becoming its victims. The book is loaded with dark humor, scientific discoveries, and a roller coaster ride of twists, turns, and surprises. I thoroughly enjoyed A COLD NIGHT FOR ALLIGATORS and had a hard time putting it down. Highly recommended for lovers of horror mingled with science and a bit of dark humor.
I want to thank the publisher and author for providing me with a free copy of A COLD NIGHT FOR ALLIGATORS as a voting member of the Horror Writers Association.
August 25, 2025
After reading Much Too Vulgar I was pretty excited to crack into another Viggy Parr Hampton novel, but this one really didn't jive with me.
I started out being really interested. The book follows several different characters: Archibald Gruber, the "rogue" epidemiologist; his superior, Samantha (Sam) and her creepy superior, Lucas; two Youtuber brothers who do urban exploring, Sid and Zeb; and Leona, a mentally unstable heroin addict. These characters are all drawn to an abandoned theme park, Gullywasher's of Georgia, where shit gets weird. Cool, ya got me so far.
The book advertises Gruber as the main character, but he is barely in the book after the first fourth or so. Sam is more of a main character than him, and I unfortunately found her to be pretty boring, and the interactions between her and Lucas were repetitive and irritating as hell. He spends the entire book - the entire book - trying to hit on her, and she spends the entire book fending him off but never explicitly telling him to fuck off because he is her boss. I kept waiting for her to explode at him, for anything else to happen - but nothing ever does. She just deals with it.
Leona is kind of a non-character, you never learn very much about her and she quickly devolves into a puppet of this supernatural entity that is in the park with no other personality.
Sid and Zeb are both boring as well, and Zeb is completely intolerable. I am not sure why they were even in the story, other than because
So...one good book, one bad book, I guess I'll take my chances with another book by this author for comparison.
I started out being really interested. The book follows several different characters: Archibald Gruber, the "rogue" epidemiologist; his superior, Samantha (Sam) and her creepy superior, Lucas; two Youtuber brothers who do urban exploring, Sid and Zeb; and Leona, a mentally unstable heroin addict. These characters are all drawn to an abandoned theme park, Gullywasher's of Georgia, where shit gets weird. Cool, ya got me so far.
The book advertises Gruber as the main character, but he is barely in the book after the first fourth or so. Sam is more of a main character than him, and I unfortunately found her to be pretty boring, and the interactions between her and Lucas were repetitive and irritating as hell. He spends the entire book - the entire book - trying to hit on her, and she spends the entire book fending him off but never explicitly telling him to fuck off because he is her boss. I kept waiting for her to explode at him, for anything else to happen - but nothing ever does. She just deals with it.
Leona is kind of a non-character, you never learn very much about her and she quickly devolves into a puppet of this supernatural entity that is in the park with no other personality.
Sid and Zeb are both boring as well, and Zeb is completely intolerable. I am not sure why they were even in the story, other than because
So...one good book, one bad book, I guess I'll take my chances with another book by this author for comparison.
March 12, 2024
I got this book for free, in exchange for my honest opinion via Booksirens.
My lifelong dream is to be an epidemiologist. So naturally, when I read the synopsis, I knew I had to pick this up.
Leona finds herself drawn to Gullywashers after finding a flyer glued to her. She makes her way to the abandoned amusement park/aquarium and hunkers down. The place is perfect for her. Maybe too perfect?
Enter a rouge CDC epidemiologist Dr. Gruber who is currently investigating an outbreak of a fatal gastrointestinal illness, trying to redeem himself and be the hero. Gruber eventually meets up with Sid and Zeb Barkov who are in for an experience of a lifetime as they navigate the dangers of a drug dealer and the supernatural forces within Gullywashers.
The book started off a little slow for me, and I struggled with some of the language choices. That being said, this was such a unique horror read. I loved the epidemiology aspect intertwined with the traditional horror tropes.
Once I was a few chapters in, I was hooked! Hampton drew me into Gullywashers with her storytelling. This book had everything. Science, spookiness, supernatural elements, malevolent evil. It's all a girl could ask for. If you're a fan of those, you should definitely check this book out. I enjoyed the dynamic between Dr. Clements and Dr. Lucas. It perfectly captured what it is like to be in a male dominated field, with a senior who doesn't really respect boundaries.
As much as I enjoyed the book, I'm giving it a 4, because it was a slow start. But all in all, it's a great read the intertwines horror and humour.
Thank you, Booksirens and Viggy Parr Hampton for allowing me to review! As always, my review is my own opinion and thoughts. This review will be shared to my Instagram @fictionluxblog shortly.
My lifelong dream is to be an epidemiologist. So naturally, when I read the synopsis, I knew I had to pick this up.
Leona finds herself drawn to Gullywashers after finding a flyer glued to her. She makes her way to the abandoned amusement park/aquarium and hunkers down. The place is perfect for her. Maybe too perfect?
Enter a rouge CDC epidemiologist Dr. Gruber who is currently investigating an outbreak of a fatal gastrointestinal illness, trying to redeem himself and be the hero. Gruber eventually meets up with Sid and Zeb Barkov who are in for an experience of a lifetime as they navigate the dangers of a drug dealer and the supernatural forces within Gullywashers.
The book started off a little slow for me, and I struggled with some of the language choices. That being said, this was such a unique horror read. I loved the epidemiology aspect intertwined with the traditional horror tropes.
Once I was a few chapters in, I was hooked! Hampton drew me into Gullywashers with her storytelling. This book had everything. Science, spookiness, supernatural elements, malevolent evil. It's all a girl could ask for. If you're a fan of those, you should definitely check this book out. I enjoyed the dynamic between Dr. Clements and Dr. Lucas. It perfectly captured what it is like to be in a male dominated field, with a senior who doesn't really respect boundaries.
As much as I enjoyed the book, I'm giving it a 4, because it was a slow start. But all in all, it's a great read the intertwines horror and humour.
Thank you, Booksirens and Viggy Parr Hampton for allowing me to review! As always, my review is my own opinion and thoughts. This review will be shared to my Instagram @fictionluxblog shortly.
September 13, 2025
A supernatural horror and medical thriller rolled into one rousing creepfest, this book kept me on my toes from start to finish.
A Cold Night for Alligators is a powerhouse debut. The author’s scientific background adds so much authenticity and creativity. Look, I am not a science-y person. It’s the one subject in school that I totally flunked. So I especially appreciated that the technical jargon is just enough to keep the characters believable without making the info inaccessible to all of us laymen or losing the spooky factor.
The pacing of this novel is brilliant. All of the flashbacks and character POVs flow seamlessly with the overarching plot. Each chapter was reminiscent of slides flashing on an old school projector, giving you just enough, but leaving you craving so much more. It’s definitely one of those books where I found myself saying, “okay, just one more chapter”, at the end of almost every chapter.
I also loved the writing style. Concise and ominous, it fit the story so well. I had a clear sense of every character, each of them uniquely intriguing, and it was easy to connect with them. The simplicity of their motives created a sharp and unsettling contrast against the horrifically mysterious nature of the “evil”.
Of course I’m not going to tell you what that “evil” is!!! You’ll just have to read it and find out for yourself. But it legit gave me chills! Not to mention I’ll never be able to enjoy amusement parks the same way again. Which is fine, because the abandoned theme park setting was just so equal parts fun and eerie.
This book is a roller coaster ride, full of exhilarating ups and downs, that’ll have you screaming your head off.
A Cold Night for Alligators is a powerhouse debut. The author’s scientific background adds so much authenticity and creativity. Look, I am not a science-y person. It’s the one subject in school that I totally flunked. So I especially appreciated that the technical jargon is just enough to keep the characters believable without making the info inaccessible to all of us laymen or losing the spooky factor.
The pacing of this novel is brilliant. All of the flashbacks and character POVs flow seamlessly with the overarching plot. Each chapter was reminiscent of slides flashing on an old school projector, giving you just enough, but leaving you craving so much more. It’s definitely one of those books where I found myself saying, “okay, just one more chapter”, at the end of almost every chapter.
I also loved the writing style. Concise and ominous, it fit the story so well. I had a clear sense of every character, each of them uniquely intriguing, and it was easy to connect with them. The simplicity of their motives created a sharp and unsettling contrast against the horrifically mysterious nature of the “evil”.
Of course I’m not going to tell you what that “evil” is!!! You’ll just have to read it and find out for yourself. But it legit gave me chills! Not to mention I’ll never be able to enjoy amusement parks the same way again. Which is fine, because the abandoned theme park setting was just so equal parts fun and eerie.
This book is a roller coaster ride, full of exhilarating ups and downs, that’ll have you screaming your head off.
April 18, 2024
This whirlwind of medical mystery and supernatural horror makes for a promising debut 🐊💀💉👾
⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️3.5 rounded up for overall writing quality
TW: gore, addiction, death, drug usage (including mentions of OD), mental illness, disease
While I’m generally not a huge fan of pandemic/epidemic based thrillers (a bit too close to reality for my tastes these last few years 😬😅, the humorous edge and promise of mystical horrors drew me in.
Hampton excels at painting clear images and settings for the reader. Let’s just say I didn’t need a single picture to feel some stomach-churning revulsion at times.
Characterization was fairly well done as well, and genuinely liked some people or even felt contempt for others. Without adding spoilers, I had mixed feelings regarding the depictions some of the characters struggling with abuse. Your opinion may vary.
My biggest complaints were mostly linked to overly long explanations or chapters which felt unnecessary and bogged down the vibe. Reaching for metaphysical, burned-into-your-skull A-list horror, but giving late-night creature feature sci-fi. I wish it stuck with the latter—that’s where it slaps.
Read this for pure entertainment, and leave the medical journal on the shelf.
I’ll be curious to see what Hampton writes next. If you’re a horror or dark mystery fan, check this out!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️3.5 rounded up for overall writing quality
TW: gore, addiction, death, drug usage (including mentions of OD), mental illness, disease
While I’m generally not a huge fan of pandemic/epidemic based thrillers (a bit too close to reality for my tastes these last few years 😬😅, the humorous edge and promise of mystical horrors drew me in.
Hampton excels at painting clear images and settings for the reader. Let’s just say I didn’t need a single picture to feel some stomach-churning revulsion at times.
Characterization was fairly well done as well, and genuinely liked some people or even felt contempt for others. Without adding spoilers, I had mixed feelings regarding the depictions some of the characters struggling with abuse. Your opinion may vary.
My biggest complaints were mostly linked to overly long explanations or chapters which felt unnecessary and bogged down the vibe. Reaching for metaphysical, burned-into-your-skull A-list horror, but giving late-night creature feature sci-fi. I wish it stuck with the latter—that’s where it slaps.
Read this for pure entertainment, and leave the medical journal on the shelf.
I’ll be curious to see what Hampton writes next. If you’re a horror or dark mystery fan, check this out!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
February 21, 2024
As a reptile enthuast and Florida native, I was very excited to read this book. It’s giving B horror movie, or a Syfy Original, but I mean that in the best way. This novel is what I always hope those movies will end up like.
Leona, captian of the hot mess express, finds herself drawn to Gullywashers after a flyer is sweat-glued to her forehead. If you’ve been to the southern US, you know what I mean.
She makes her way to Gullywashers, finding it abandoned. In the natural white people, white peopling way, she settles in to the abandoned theme park. The place is perfect for her...too perfect.
Cut to Epidemic Intelligence Service’s Dr. Gruber who is investigating an outbreak of a fatal gastrointestinal illness, trying to redeem himself and be a hero. Dr. Gruber eventually runs across Sid, and Zeb Barkov who are in for quite the experience, navigating through the dangers of both the drug dealer and the supernatural forces within Gullywashers.
You should check this book out, it’s a fantastical creature feature with terror and humor. Hampton’s writing is fun, and easy to follow, I greatly enjoyed it. Sorry to be the first to give it less than 5 stars, those are highly coveted and rare to me. There is always room for improvement, but this was close.
Thank you for the ARC copy!
“He’s not made from life, but he can move into it”
Leona, captian of the hot mess express, finds herself drawn to Gullywashers after a flyer is sweat-glued to her forehead. If you’ve been to the southern US, you know what I mean.
She makes her way to Gullywashers, finding it abandoned. In the natural white people, white peopling way, she settles in to the abandoned theme park. The place is perfect for her...too perfect.
Cut to Epidemic Intelligence Service’s Dr. Gruber who is investigating an outbreak of a fatal gastrointestinal illness, trying to redeem himself and be a hero. Dr. Gruber eventually runs across Sid, and Zeb Barkov who are in for quite the experience, navigating through the dangers of both the drug dealer and the supernatural forces within Gullywashers.
You should check this book out, it’s a fantastical creature feature with terror and humor. Hampton’s writing is fun, and easy to follow, I greatly enjoyed it. Sorry to be the first to give it less than 5 stars, those are highly coveted and rare to me. There is always room for improvement, but this was close.
Thank you for the ARC copy!
“He’s not made from life, but he can move into it”
June 3, 2024
This was a fun book! I originally was attracted to it because of the alligator aspect combined with epidemiology. But, this book gave me so much more than just those two things. The characters were great, from the uptight epidemiologist looking for a promotion to the drugged out Leona to the slimy creep Lucas, the author has created a great cast. Add in the urban explorers, brothers Sid and Zeb Barkov, and you have a great combination!
All of these people are mysteriously lured to Gullywashers of Georgia, a long abandoned amusement park. Gruber, the CDC epidemiologist, decides to go there to discover the cause of an outbreak that is killing people in Savannah. There, he encounters Leona, who has been drawn to Gullywashers by her drug habit. It seems that she has discovered a true elixir, but maybe it is also killing people.
There were some great scenes as the reader follows the Barkov's quest to draw more viewers to their You Tube channel. Be prepared for some quick science lessons, a few gruesome scenes, and plenty of twists to keep you engaged. The narrator of the audiobook did a great job and added a lot to my enjoyment of the book. If you enjoy your horror mixed with a bit of science, give this a shot.
All of these people are mysteriously lured to Gullywashers of Georgia, a long abandoned amusement park. Gruber, the CDC epidemiologist, decides to go there to discover the cause of an outbreak that is killing people in Savannah. There, he encounters Leona, who has been drawn to Gullywashers by her drug habit. It seems that she has discovered a true elixir, but maybe it is also killing people.
There were some great scenes as the reader follows the Barkov's quest to draw more viewers to their You Tube channel. Be prepared for some quick science lessons, a few gruesome scenes, and plenty of twists to keep you engaged. The narrator of the audiobook did a great job and added a lot to my enjoyment of the book. If you enjoy your horror mixed with a bit of science, give this a shot.
March 24, 2024
Thank you so much to Viggy Parr Hampton for sending me a free digital ARC!
A woman finds herself inexplicably drawn to an abandoned amusement park, chosen for mysterious purposes. A rogue epidemiologist follows clues for a potential botulism outbreak while his bosses from the CDC trail him. Two urban explorers visit the park, but discover a decades-long mystery.
This book explores a unique epidemiological perspective of a supernatural phenomenon occurring in an abandoned amusement park. This was so unlike anything I’ve read before, weaving supernatural horror with science through the lens of microbiology. Though I wish I got more of the supernatural aspect, much of that remained a mystery at the end of the book.
There were many fun perspectives in this story, creating an engaging narrative through so many personalities. The imagery was incredibly vivid and sickening, but it provided some effective body horror!
If you would like to experience a supernatural horror novel backed by science, then A Cold Night for Alligators comes out April 10th!
There is a giveaway for this book on GoodReads, I would recommend entering to win a copy.
A woman finds herself inexplicably drawn to an abandoned amusement park, chosen for mysterious purposes. A rogue epidemiologist follows clues for a potential botulism outbreak while his bosses from the CDC trail him. Two urban explorers visit the park, but discover a decades-long mystery.
This book explores a unique epidemiological perspective of a supernatural phenomenon occurring in an abandoned amusement park. This was so unlike anything I’ve read before, weaving supernatural horror with science through the lens of microbiology. Though I wish I got more of the supernatural aspect, much of that remained a mystery at the end of the book.
There were many fun perspectives in this story, creating an engaging narrative through so many personalities. The imagery was incredibly vivid and sickening, but it provided some effective body horror!
If you would like to experience a supernatural horror novel backed by science, then A Cold Night for Alligators comes out April 10th!
There is a giveaway for this book on GoodReads, I would recommend entering to win a copy.
March 24, 2024
For a debut horror novel, Viggy Parr Hampton's 'A Cold Night For Alligators' is excellently crafted: original, well-written, suspenseful, with interesting characters and intriguing developments. Although I found the amount of disbelief I had to suspend far more than ordinary (too many coincidences, too many rogue elements driving the plot), it'd be hard to deny that this is an enjoyable read, full of surprises, and even the occasional info-dumps were entertaining. The horror elements (the park, the evil suffusing it, the mysterious disappearances) were really well-done: Leona, as a character, was handled with great care, her fate told with immense attention to detail; Gruber the epidemiologist, was a compelling figure, an idiosyncratic detective of sorts, whose shenanigans I enjoyed following to the bitter end; I even liked the YouTuber brothers! There were some plotlines that led nowhere, however (the Lucas thing), and I'd have preferred more closure. Nevertheless, I recommend this and looking forward to the author's future work.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 10, 2024
A Cold Night for Alligators started off a little slow for me, and I struggled to get through some of the language choices (obscure words, strange sentence structure) but I'm so glad that I did.
This was such a unique horror read - I loved the elements of epidemiology intertwined with traditional horror tropes. The urban exploring element was a nice added touch. So much happened in this book, but it didn't feel overwhelming or disjointed. All elements came together, and each plot point was well-paced throughout the book.
Once I was a few pages in, I couldn't keep myself from putting it down. Viggy Parr Hampton created characters with rich backstories, and wove them so seamlessly into the central plot. The dynamic between Dr. Clements and Dr. Lucas perfectly captured what it's like to be a woman, especially one in a male dominated field, with a superior who doesn't respect boundaries. A++
I'll be sure to pick up any future book she writes!
*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This was such a unique horror read - I loved the elements of epidemiology intertwined with traditional horror tropes. The urban exploring element was a nice added touch. So much happened in this book, but it didn't feel overwhelming or disjointed. All elements came together, and each plot point was well-paced throughout the book.
Once I was a few pages in, I couldn't keep myself from putting it down. Viggy Parr Hampton created characters with rich backstories, and wove them so seamlessly into the central plot. The dynamic between Dr. Clements and Dr. Lucas perfectly captured what it's like to be a woman, especially one in a male dominated field, with a superior who doesn't respect boundaries. A++
I'll be sure to pick up any future book she writes!
*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews