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The Monster
Josh Soule's premiere thriller, The Monster, follows the psychological decline of a nameless narrator who tells his tale of being stalked and framed by a local serial killer. His relationships with friends and family deteriorate, and he soon is required to fend for himself. As days tick by, the time must come to find his way out of this problem before he ends up in prison or worse....
Audible Audio
First published January 26, 2019
20 people are currently reading
275 people want to read
About the author
Josh Soule
8 books43 followersBest-Selling Author, Josh Soule was born and raised on the open range of Wyoming. He loves doing all things outdoors with his wife and children; including camping, hiking, and fishing.
Josh spent many years trying to find his purpose. He worked in law enforcement, security, and social work before turning his eyes on education where he now works. A firm believer in the proper development of our youth, Josh teaches at a local elementary school, and uses his past experiences for his writing.
He possesses a Masters Degree in Business and is finishing his second Master's Degree in Education.
A devoted Christian and family man, Josh is an active member of his church, and can be found presenting and sharing his experiences. He is pleased to share his books that are always clean, family friendly, and affordable.
Josh is best known for his novel "Into the Woods" which became an Amazon Best-Seller in multiple categories.
To learn more, please visit www.joshsoulebooks.com
Or connect on social media at: facebook.com/joshsoulebooks or instagram.com/soulejosh
Josh spent many years trying to find his purpose. He worked in law enforcement, security, and social work before turning his eyes on education where he now works. A firm believer in the proper development of our youth, Josh teaches at a local elementary school, and uses his past experiences for his writing.
He possesses a Masters Degree in Business and is finishing his second Master's Degree in Education.
A devoted Christian and family man, Josh is an active member of his church, and can be found presenting and sharing his experiences. He is pleased to share his books that are always clean, family friendly, and affordable.
Josh is best known for his novel "Into the Woods" which became an Amazon Best-Seller in multiple categories.
To learn more, please visit www.joshsoulebooks.com
Or connect on social media at: facebook.com/joshsoulebooks or instagram.com/soulejosh
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
October 3, 2019
“Once in every generation a monster awakens,” is the chilling sentence that ends the prologue, pushing readers into this twisted psychosocial thriller.
Read full review in the 2019 October issue of InD'tale Magazine.
Read full review in the 2019 October issue of InD'tale Magazine.
February 18, 2020
I was looking for some short freebies and found Josh Soule’s books. The themes were dark and interesting, the page counts were right, so I figured why not. But it ended up one of those you get what you pay for sort of things and having paid nothing…Not terrible, not especially good, a story of a young man whose life goes off the rails one day and just spirals and spirals into something like a murderhappy nightmare controlled by a mysterious Puppet Man. Plot wise it isn’t especially original and you can guess the outcome fairly early on. The narrator is likeable enough for a screw up, but nothing special. The writing is the real drag of the book. It’s all tell and no show (or is it the other way around), a series of actions meticulously described in a stilted awkward language that reads like a second rate computer translation job. To its credit, the book is properly edited for typos and grammar, but the language itself was somehow left alone and granted had it not been, it would have required a rewrite of the entire thing. But as is you got a heard it all before story delivered with enthusiasm, but no style. The play by play is automatic and reads automated like, the storytelling basics are there, the narrative coheres and it is readable, but that’s about it. No idea how it got such decent reviews. Good thing, though, it was indeed a very quick read.
May 27, 2019
An exciting adventure, with an unexpected ending. I'm encouraging all my friends to read this book - you will love it!
June 24, 2025
⭐ (If I could give less, I would)
The Monster by Josh Soule was… an experience. Unfortunately, not the kind I’d recommend.
The narrative was unbelievable in the worst way— inconsistent, and difficult to follow. What pulled me out of the story most was the ever-present feeling that the author was right there, tugging on the strings, rather than letting the story unfold naturally. It read more like a first draft than a finished product.
An editor could have made a world of difference—tightening the pacing, smoothing the plot holes, and bringing some cohesion to the voice. As it stands, this book felt more like a rough outline than a polished novel.
Disappointed. Pass
The Monster by Josh Soule was… an experience. Unfortunately, not the kind I’d recommend.
The narrative was unbelievable in the worst way— inconsistent, and difficult to follow. What pulled me out of the story most was the ever-present feeling that the author was right there, tugging on the strings, rather than letting the story unfold naturally. It read more like a first draft than a finished product.
An editor could have made a world of difference—tightening the pacing, smoothing the plot holes, and bringing some cohesion to the voice. As it stands, this book felt more like a rough outline than a polished novel.
Disappointed. Pass
April 12, 2025
It’s not the worst self published book I’ve ever read, but maybe it exceeded my expectations because Robbie was just telling me how bad it was so I expected worse. The writing itself is pretty flat and straightforward. The author definitely tells you every little thing that happens and how the main character feels rather than using any story telling nuance. All the characters kind of suck, but maybe that’s what Soule was going for since you have an unreliable narrator. The women in this story are all manic pixie dream girl types that the MC is in love with for no real reason except they are the love interest. I hate that about love interests. I also started underlining all the times the phrase “for some reason” is used. I HATE that phrase. It’s lazy. You’re the author, make up a reason or leave it out. All the characters could use more depth to them. Even the main character doesn’t really have much personality besides self loathing and hating the world. The book does end on an exciting note but the plot twist is pretty easy to figure out. It’s only 150 pages so at least it’s easy to get through. I’m going to make this a traveling book for book club and see what everyone else thinks.
July 26, 2019
( Format : Audiobook )
"A caterpillar on a city sidewalk..."
This is the intense and disturbing first person monologue of an unnamed, emotionally immature college student who finds himself accused of assault, then murder, following the shooting of the judge at his hearing. Distraught by the ending of his year long relationship with girlfriend, Kelly, and the perceived betrayal of best friend, Tony, he goes on the run, only to be further pursued by the sinister Puppet Man.
The Monster is a quick to read novella which brand attention from the very first line ('Once in every generation, a monster awakes') and holds on tightly thereafter, as the teller of the tale pours out his lonliness, fears and unhappiness as he runs away from arrest and the charge of murder, finding help in unlikely places. The writing is vibrant and direct, the characters of not only the main protagonist but also the other players gently surfacing as the story proceeds. It is a book that lingers in the mind after it has been finished and the reader has moved on.
Narration is by Scott Cluthe, who becomes our nameless story teller; his deep, almost languid, voice is full of expression and appropriate intonation. A fine performance.
My thanks to the rights holder of The Monster, who, at my request via Audiobook Boom, freely gifted me with a complimentary copy. It was an immersive and enjoyable short thriller that I am very glad to have read, and definitely recommend to anyone who likes their narrative directly from the mindset of the main protagonist, and with the wrinkles of a psychological thriller. Good, unusual story and, though short, thought provoking, a tad scary and well worth a listen
"A caterpillar on a city sidewalk..."
This is the intense and disturbing first person monologue of an unnamed, emotionally immature college student who finds himself accused of assault, then murder, following the shooting of the judge at his hearing. Distraught by the ending of his year long relationship with girlfriend, Kelly, and the perceived betrayal of best friend, Tony, he goes on the run, only to be further pursued by the sinister Puppet Man.
The Monster is a quick to read novella which brand attention from the very first line ('Once in every generation, a monster awakes') and holds on tightly thereafter, as the teller of the tale pours out his lonliness, fears and unhappiness as he runs away from arrest and the charge of murder, finding help in unlikely places. The writing is vibrant and direct, the characters of not only the main protagonist but also the other players gently surfacing as the story proceeds. It is a book that lingers in the mind after it has been finished and the reader has moved on.
Narration is by Scott Cluthe, who becomes our nameless story teller; his deep, almost languid, voice is full of expression and appropriate intonation. A fine performance.
My thanks to the rights holder of The Monster, who, at my request via Audiobook Boom, freely gifted me with a complimentary copy. It was an immersive and enjoyable short thriller that I am very glad to have read, and definitely recommend to anyone who likes their narrative directly from the mindset of the main protagonist, and with the wrinkles of a psychological thriller. Good, unusual story and, though short, thought provoking, a tad scary and well worth a listen
July 6, 2019
I received this book for free. I am voluntarily leaving this review and all opinions expressed herein are mine.
Here, a college student and his girlfriend have ended their relationship. He then sees his good friend being romantic with her at a party. Suddenly the friend is stabbed. The student is charged but he claims that he is innocent and he saw the stabber, nicknamed "The Puppet." When the student shows up in court, he witnesses the Judge being murdered in court - again he claims it was "The Puppet." Now he's on the run and trying to determine how to prove his innocence.
This is a short but very intense thriller. The MC is well-developed. The well written story has all sorts of clever twists which keep the reader guessing [no spoilers]. This is a story you will think about long after you've finished it - Highly recommend!
I listened to this book - the narrator did a wonderful job and had a great tone for this story.
Here, a college student and his girlfriend have ended their relationship. He then sees his good friend being romantic with her at a party. Suddenly the friend is stabbed. The student is charged but he claims that he is innocent and he saw the stabber, nicknamed "The Puppet." When the student shows up in court, he witnesses the Judge being murdered in court - again he claims it was "The Puppet." Now he's on the run and trying to determine how to prove his innocence.
This is a short but very intense thriller. The MC is well-developed. The well written story has all sorts of clever twists which keep the reader guessing [no spoilers]. This is a story you will think about long after you've finished it - Highly recommend!
I listened to this book - the narrator did a wonderful job and had a great tone for this story.
July 20, 2019
Psychological thrillers are hard to read sometimes. You can get chills if the author is good enough. The author of this book, Josh Soule is very good. I didn’t quite get chills, but I was disturbed by plenty of the scenes and the twisty (for lack of better word) thought processes of the “Puppet Man”. This book was a very quick read, between it being short and the fast, almost racing pace set throughout, it felt like a whirlwind. The main character being framed by the puppet man, a nameless college student who is furious with his friend Tony for stealing his girlfriend Kelly, is not really the nicest guy. He is impulsive and hot headed which makes it easy for him to be framed for six murders.
Overall, I didn’t think it took too long to get into, I was just disappointed to not ever find out his name.
Overall, I didn’t think it took too long to get into, I was just disappointed to not ever find out his name.
July 23, 2019
Once in every generation, a monster awakens... What a chilling phrase to begin this murder thriller by Josh Soule. The Monster centers on psychological events that continually point to a college student present at each episode. The killer keeps getting away, framing the college student. People he loves keeps getting harmed, and he is at a loss how to stop this maniac.
I have seen The Monster on a couple different book sites and am glad I took the time to read it. Josh Soule captures your attention from the beginning, making you sit on the edge of your seat the whole read. I love how the author builds the tension while developing the plot. He keeps the reader guessing and you may have an idea how it may end, but I guarantee you will get chills when it finishes. Excellent short thriller.
I have seen The Monster on a couple different book sites and am glad I took the time to read it. Josh Soule captures your attention from the beginning, making you sit on the edge of your seat the whole read. I love how the author builds the tension while developing the plot. He keeps the reader guessing and you may have an idea how it may end, but I guarantee you will get chills when it finishes. Excellent short thriller.
July 25, 2019
A thrilling twisted psychological thrill ride
This thrilling story surrounds an average college student who has some issues with his mother as well as the ex girlfriend. As we learn the key people in his life , when begin to discover there is a sinister person hiding in the shadows trying to destroy this simple college life. This serial killer has picked our protagonist as his patsy and is now systematically implicating him in these horrible murders. Will our college boy find the truth and his freedom or will he be doomed to life in prison for crimes he didn’t commit? Well written story with good characters and an easy to follow storyline that keeps you interested from the first page. I recommend this one to all the thrill fans out there. Check it out.
This thrilling story surrounds an average college student who has some issues with his mother as well as the ex girlfriend. As we learn the key people in his life , when begin to discover there is a sinister person hiding in the shadows trying to destroy this simple college life. This serial killer has picked our protagonist as his patsy and is now systematically implicating him in these horrible murders. Will our college boy find the truth and his freedom or will he be doomed to life in prison for crimes he didn’t commit? Well written story with good characters and an easy to follow storyline that keeps you interested from the first page. I recommend this one to all the thrill fans out there. Check it out.
July 1, 2019
This is an interesting mystery with well-developed characters. The plot is a bit odd, to say the least. Our protagonist finds himself either a pawn in a game of murder or an unlucky soul that’s always in the wrong place at the wrong time. The MC is a bit woman obsessed and perhaps somewhat naïve. As the tale unfolds you begin to wonder how the MC can get himself into these predicaments. How indeed? I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
June 5, 2020
Part of this story was expected and the ending had a surprise I didn't see coming. That doesn't happen often and it was refreshing. Do you ever feel like your life has you in the wrong places at the wrong times? What would you do if you had a mysterious "Puppet Man" seemingly following you everywhere and getting blamed for their actions? This was a good and relatively short story. Nice twist ending too.
March 26, 2019
The Monster is a really good debut mystery novel! It follows a young man as he is on the run for a framed murder. As his life begins to spin out of control he meets some unlikely acquantances that help him hide out. When things dont calm down, he is faced with a reality that is shocking and enticing. A quick read, The Monster is a gripping story with evolved and relateable characters.
Read
July 15, 2019Scary
So much thrilling stuff in this book. I read a lot of books that are about crime but this one got my blood pumping right away. The book starts off interesting right away and doesn’t ever stop. I started reading this in the dark to up the experience. The story line is good and I enjoyed it a lot. There were many great parts that left me with my mouth open. Good stuff!
So much thrilling stuff in this book. I read a lot of books that are about crime but this one got my blood pumping right away. The book starts off interesting right away and doesn’t ever stop. I started reading this in the dark to up the experience. The story line is good and I enjoyed it a lot. There were many great parts that left me with my mouth open. Good stuff!
March 7, 2020
The "twist" in this story was quite obvious very early on. I wonder if the author actually did not intend there to be a surprise ending. Even though I knew who the "Puppet Man" was going to be, I still read to the end, hoping I would be wrong. I wasn't, but that's okay because sometimes stories don't have a happy ending. All in all, this was a real fun, captive read.
March 19, 2019
Eerie
Well defined characters, good dialogue, gripping from beginning to end. This book was difficult to put down once I started, and delivers a shocking ending. Would definitely recommend.
Well defined characters, good dialogue, gripping from beginning to end. This book was difficult to put down once I started, and delivers a shocking ending. Would definitely recommend.
June 8, 2019
Fans of psychological thrillers will enjoy this
I thought the ending was great really brings it all together
A good first novel I would check out more from this author in the future
I received a free review audiobook and voluntarily left this review
I thought the ending was great really brings it all together
A good first novel I would check out more from this author in the future
I received a free review audiobook and voluntarily left this review
July 2, 2019
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have left this review voluntarily.
I wish the book were longer and elaborated more on certain relationships within the characters, but overall a great and quick story!
I wish the book were longer and elaborated more on certain relationships within the characters, but overall a great and quick story!
May 10, 2019
Okay read
It wasn't what I expected. I felt a need for more detail about why the monster killed. There wasn't a reason for the killings.
It wasn't what I expected. I felt a need for more detail about why the monster killed. There wasn't a reason for the killings.
August 14, 2019
An fascinating book exploring the intricacies of our lives, relationships with others and the perseverance to overcome whatever threatens us.
September 3, 2019
I felt very neutral about this story and it's narrator.It is all just 'ok'.Not bad,not great,just ok. I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
May 4, 2020
Dark twisted journey of a man being stalked by a cold blooded killer.
April 7, 2019
The book was well written with clear characters. There were only a handful of grammar errors (mostly: don't'). I didn't find the story that compelling. It was easy to guess what was happening.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews