Cult of the Kraken

Avery & Carter #4

by Shane Carrow

The Great War is over. Europe is at peace, Germany’s scuttled fleet lies rusting in Scapa Flow, and Britannia once again rules the waves. Yet in the cold grey ocean north of Scotland, fishing boats and cargo steamers are vanishing, leaving no trace of wreckage or survivors.

The Royal Navy dispatches HMS Pathfinder to investigate, suspecting treachery by a rival foreign power. Seconded to the mission are Lucas Avery and Sam Carter, two specialist agents from the Crown's newest and strangest department, who believe the disappearances may have a more unnatural cause. Amid the rocky archipelagos and isolated fishing villages of this distant sea, they soon find there are darker secrets at work than the Admiralty could have imagined – secrets the islanders will keep at any cost...

Genres: Horror, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Paranormal, Fiction, Historical, Mystery

170 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 25, 2025

About the author

Shane Carrow is an Australian writer of science fiction, horror and fantasy. Born and raised in Western Australia, he now lives in Melbourne.

Reviews

[JD · Rating 5 out of 5]

Avery and Carter are back in action again after a few years looking endlessly for more supernatural cases in their new jobs. Avery is frustrated and Carter is restless, until a seemingly mundane case arrives on their desk. What they are up against in the end is something completely different, and though the title of the book gives away the monster they will fight, the real enemy turns out to be all too human.

The setting is again completely new the series, and to both men and the storyline is spot on for me. The relationship between Avery and Carter grows again and Carter has some big decisions to make at the end.

Received this as an ARC from the author for a fair and honest review, and can honestly say that this is another hit in this series. Should be read from the beginning and I highly recommend it. Cannot wait for the next book, as this series has got loads of potential to go far.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m quite a fan of Avery and Carter by now so I’ll keep reading their adventures so long as they have them. We have a different type of monster from what we’ve been having, and so the horror shifts, it’s more Lovecraftian kinda horror, and there’s certainly no “let’s talk to the thing and solve the problem”. I enjoyed the characters, their reasons behind the madness was great, however everything was rather obvious from the start, this town is so suspicious they can’t even hide it, so no oh surprises as I’ve had in the previous books, nonetheless, a great adventure.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

**Rating: 4/5**

Avery and Carter are back again with yet another adventure to battle a mythical supernatural creature, this time set on the rocky rugged island of Uskay in the North Sea. But there’s more at play here than simply a sea monster, and the story takes on a turn much darker than the duo could’ve anticipated.

There’s a lot packed into this tale - it being the shortest one so far - and it’s fast paced and action-packed. Would be very keen to see what supernatural force they come up against next!

[coty ☆ · Rating 5 out of 5]

the fourth book is finally here!! a big thank you to shane carrow for being kind enough to reach out and offer me an advance reader's copy!! all opinions are honest & my own

CULT OF THE KRAKEN is the latest adventure for avery and carter, who are at first, briefly separated: avery at xavier house, headquarters for british intelligence's investigations into the paranormal, and carter in spain with emily. of course carter finds his way to avery quickly, however, and the two are then sent to look into ship disappearances taking place in waters to the far north, where our story begins to unfold.

KRAKEN is shorter than the last installment, but by no means is it any less hard-hitting. avery and carter's dynamic remains strong, and i love how easily they fit together, even when they've spent time apart. it's the synergy between them that always drives the story; i love the historical settings brimming with vivid imagery and the monsters they encounter, but it's carter and avery that are the heart, and this book is no exception.

i really like how their (albeit brief) time on the pathfinder feels like their time on the orient express - the claustrophobic quarters, the isolation; it really drives home a sense of dread, and that dread only worsens when we get to the island setting.

krakens may not be the classic monster movie fodder like the enemies of past books, but that vintage vibe is no less present, merely morphing into a folk horror/lovecraftian nightmare, the sea itself transformed into a thing of terror, compounded by locals who (justifiably) do not trust outsiders. much of the secondary cast is shadowy, almost unknowable, and in a typical isolated setting this could be a problem - but the closed-off nature and bitter animosity, heightened by the cultural and language barriers, almost kind of allows for a certain kind of sympathy for the islanders?? i really like how carrow likens them to indigenous americans, their histories and languages buried and smothered by imperialism and empire, and like so many other small cultures, they're just struggling to survive. of course they're wary of avery and carter and what they represent, and the danger THEY bring with their presence. i don't think this series has ever shied away from the politics of the era (especially given avery's sexuality), but i do feel like there's some of the most prominent and relevant commentary in CULT OF THE KRAKEN so far, and i personally love when horror is used as a conversation for politics; it's how we end up with some of the best horror stories, especially when the subject matter exists in such shades of grey. because honestly, are the people of uskay really villains? is the kraken?? it's easy to dismiss the islanders as a cult, to proclaim them murderers, but when they're people who have been displaced and abused and forgotten, their land taken and culture decimated by an empire glad to call their home theirs without caring about the inhabitants - poisoning and killing them for the sake of a war - why wouldn't they turn to an ancient beast, capable of helping them, providing for them in a way that may be bloodstained, but how else are they meant to survive? it's easy to dismiss them, and for the most part, avery's half of the narrative does, but then carter comes in at the end and voices my exact thoughts and feelings, acknowledging the nuance beneath it that digs into you and makes you question everything. they aren't clearcut villains like the vampires aboard the orient express; they're just a scared, disenfranchised people, desperate to live.

carrow's prose cuts to the heart of it, delivering so much in under 200 pages, really allowing a lot of room for growth and development of the main characters and their ever-evolving relationship. the epilogue really wraps things up nicely and offers some nice sequel fodder, and i know i'm just being greedy given how much i love this series, but i really do feel like we could get so many more books out of this. just all around a very well-written, engaging series, that only gets stronger as it goes on.

[Erin *Proud Book Hoarder* · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good entry to the series, i think this one may be the shortest, but not less potent. With the ocean incident, the start-up, and the island, it's actually the right length to keep it interesting. Curious on future adventures with our unconventional pair.

[Sheare Bliss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Continues an excellent series

I can't completely say why, but this is a series i adore. Once again, Carrow has spun a good story with characters who captured me

[Carmen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Great War may be over, but Lucas Avery and Sam Carter are working to get to the bottom of paranormal mysteries. This time around, they’re guests aboard the HMS Pathfinder to figure out why ships are sinking around the same area. While most believe there’s a perfectly good reason since the ocean has a mind of its own, there are some who believe there may be some paranormal activity going on. Once Avery and Carter lock eyes with a Kraken neither even entertained as a possibility, they know this is exactly why they were sent to investigate.

While the previous book was a disappointing read, I’m excited to announce that Shane is back on his A-game with this one! We follow Avery and Carter as they’re sent aboard the HMS Pathfinder on a mission to investigate what has been sinking ships in the area. However, seeing a Kraken for themselves is enough to leave them a little shaken! Once they wash up on Uskay, they quickly discover that it’s the unexpected real source of the mystery.

I really enjoyed reading this! One thing I love about this series is the friendship and banter between Avery and Carter, and that is something we missed out on between the duo in the previous book. However, they’re back together and forging ahead at full speed this time around, and it was so exciting to read! I hope to see this continue once Emily reenters the story. The plot was excellent, and without spoiling the story, you’re going to be Team Kraken. Trust me on this. While what they were doing wasn’t right, it was also 100% understandable given the circumstances and how badly they’d been wronged.

However, I do wish there was foreshadowing rather than being told what was going to happen before it happened, but I can live with that since the story was pretty good. My only other complaint is that the Spanish in this book is spelled wrong and appears to have English grammar rules applied to it. I’m not even fluent in Spanish and these mistakes took me straight out of the story.

All in all, this was an enjoyable read and it really breathed life back into the series. I’m excited to eventually pick up the next book and see where Avery and Carter go from here!

[Geetha Krishnan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read and loved all the other books in this series, so when I saw this book, I had to grab it. It didn’t disappoint at all.

Set some time after the events of the last book, both Carter and Avery are working in the same office, a new one opened just to handle supernatural investigations. Carter is away with Emily, though, and Avery is waiting for his superior to finish a meeting before going home when the book opens.

Carter returns unexpectedly and as the two catch up and have a drink together, Avery gets a phone call from his boss, that demands he and Carter leave for Scotland immediately, to meet the only other man to have met a vampire and survived. There’s a mission, and he will provide the details. Though initially apprehensive that Sir James might recognise his affliction, Avery has no choice but to leave for Scotland.

But the case is far stranger than either Avery or Carter expected, and their mission will take them to the treacherous oceans and to little known islands, where unknown horrors lurk both under the water and in the hearts of men.

Honestly, I adore Avery. Really I do. I get Carter is the more pragmatic of the two, and Avery having had a privileged upbringing doesn’t often see things the same way, but there’s something about him that draws me in. It also helps that he’s queer as fuck and I guess it must have been a hanging offence in those days, because he has to keep it under wraps. It’s a bit amusing that he still finds sexual partners even in a ship at sea. (Glares at all the people who think gay people came into existence with the internet)

The adventure was thrilling, but it lacked the same atmospheric horror that the first two books had, and the enemy, though extremely powerful seemed a bit lacklustre after the Mummy they encountered. Which is not to say, this was bad. I enjoyed it a lot, and finished it in one go, foregoing sleep yet again. Sleep is overrated anyway.

If you enjoy adventures, espionage, historical settings, and very likeable and real characters, you will love this book. Very highly recommended.

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 5 Please?

"Cult of the Kraken" is a great read. Though my favorite book of this series - thus far - is Book 3. Book 4 accomplishes something that I have wanted to see happen since Book 1 - Avery and Carter working together. Their random encounters were stretching credulity.

As always, this book is well-written and well-edited. It's also intelligent. I only wish that it was longer. I hope that Book 5 is in the works. I want more of these characters.

There is very tight continuity between these books. So, make sure that you have read the previous three books first. After that, I highly recommend reading, "Cult of the Kraken"!

[Mark Mathison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Among the best

An excellent addition to an outstanding series ! Farrow never fails to deliver an enjoyable read with each installment of the adventures of Avery and Carter.
Which monster will be their next foe ?

[Alisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

Pretty interesting plot. Very creative

[Gillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up

Not as interesting or spooky as the previous books in this series but I still enjoyed reading more of Avery and Carter’s adventures.

[Krystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great continuation of the Avery and Carter series. I couldn't put it down and finished in one day. The pacing was great and the story was similar enough to the others to fit into the series while still putting a unique spin on the kraken myths and legends. Without giving too much away, I loved the clever way that the author leveled the playing field for Avery in the novel. This is a really great read for anyone who has enjoyed the series and loves a good supernatural adventure.

[Kenneth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is shorter and less complex than the first books in the series. At 139 print pages it's half a novel or a little more. We spend a lot of time getting places, but it comes through in the end.

[Ziggy Nixon · Rating 5 out of 5]

The kraken demands a sacrifice.

Man oh man oh man oh man. And one more oh man just for good measure! I so enjoy Shane Carrow's "Avery & Carter" series which I first became acquainted with back in late 2023. Setting his books in the chaotic times of a world either on the brink of World War 1 or smack dab in the middle of it or even still recovering from its horrors, the added flair of historical significance - as his stories are always mixed with enough history and more than sufficient geographical accuracy - just makes these tales all the more exciting. It's like diving into the Golden Age of Hollywood Monsters and wondering just who - or better said, what - will pop up next!

They were all thinking the same thing: how long until it happens to us?

Carrow has once again added to this series with the beautifully rendered 4th book, namely, "Cult of the Kraken". And like its predecessors, I can only say that my sole "complaint" (it isn't, but stick with me) is that this is another quick read - 139 pages worth - that I devoured literally for dessert. Admittedly though, "Kraken" didn't need to be any longer as what is packed into this adventure is told with just the right amount of exposition and, yes, even terror to satisfy even the stingiest reader (read: me). You'll only feel too acutely just how frightening the open seas can be as our crew run a search pattern in the vast triangle of ocean between the Faroes, the Shetlands, and the northern tip of Scotland. The hope is naturally to discover what manner of beast is destroying more and more ships along the key routes between the United Kingdom and other European partners as well as our allies in the Nordic regions. I mean, who will defend the world's insatiable appetite for Surströmming?

There was a low and bitter sense of doom shrouding the ship.

Needless to say, our story once again focuses on British "diplomat" Lucas Avery, who still must struggle with the curse put upon him by a vampire (late spoiler, sorry) as well as his very much protected homosexuality (all very tastefully handled, no worries for the more prudish readers). When we catch up with Avery, he is now working in London at the new Xavier House (nothing to do with "X-Files", I'm sure!), a "secret organization" - or perhaps department is a better word - that the British government has established to deal with all these troublesome issues caused by the revelations that monsters live and breathe and, well, eat (among) us. All the bureacrats life, how truly exciting, n'est-ce pas?

That indescribable moment of terror: of looking at something that couldn’t possibly exist.

But if it's excitement you seek, then hop on the back of American adventurer and Foreign Legion deserter Sam Carter's glorious BSA Model E as he makes his way up from Spain (where his newfound love, Emily, sister of Lucas, has been working on yet another boooooring archaelogical dig, this time sans mummies) to check things out at HQ. Well, no sooner than both gentlemen can step outside for a well-deserved Banking Holiday pint or seven when they're called to the wild wasteland that is Edinburgh, Scotland. Oh the horror. (I say that because it's one of my 3 most favorite - sorry, favourite - cities on the planet.) And from here they shove off on their wee field assignment, that involves very little field and hundreds upon hundreds of square miles of open sea. Cue ominous music.

Edinburgh was a peculiar Gothic cousin of London… coated in a soot which lent the city an oddly black and demonic air.

Carrow then makes this a hell of a lot more exciting that "just" a sea monster story by bringing in the fictional island of Uskay. Now if you're as curious as I (and also trying to plan your next vacation to the region), you will sadly note that Uskay does not seem to be a real island, as even the site "Scottish Islands A to Z" fails to mention it. Which may be just as well because at least in this story, the locals are not exactly friendly to outsiders owing to the unthinkable crimes committed by their own government during the War. It's horrifying to think of, yes, but even more horrifying to see what is happening these days, all with the blessing of the local laird, who - quite frankly - has more than just bats in the castle belfry, if you understand my meaning.

The word “kraken” on Uskay is also used to mean “god.”

It all then comes down to a very exciting and - surprisingly enough - believable climatic confrontation between man, beast, and, well, more men. If you've ever experienced or even seen footage of Up Helly Aa, confronting the Viking heritage of the islands like this story does seems only too real. Sam and Avery are of course up to their very armpits in the troubles (not to be confused with the Irish bits, sorry) and as always, the reader must wait until the very end to see who survives and who walks away with most of their sanity still intact. It is, again, just a wonderful read!

[Kara · Rating 4 out of 5]

So the non-resolution in the previous book was a touch glossed over, as was the sudden creation of an agency to investigate the supernatural (though it does answer my questions about Avery's career). There is a bit of character development for Carter as he - for once - does not abscond into the ether at the end of the story, partially due to Avery and a dramatic speech.

For the most part, this book is basically a good time. It moves along very quickly, even given its short length, and brings the reader (along with the protagonists) through a straightforward horror-adventure story to an uncomplicated conclusion. With explosions.

I did very much enjoy the at-first-subtle but growing more and more blatantly obvious foreshadowing. The plot twist that surprises the protagonist has no business surprising the reader, and it was pretty fun to watch both protagonists fail to pick up on the hints until it was literally said out loud.

Final note, unrelated to plot - Avery is quite sassy in this book. He seems to have upped his sense of sarcasm a notch, and I am here for it.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not the strongest book in the series but a suspenseful read nonetheless. I thought the final resolution was a bit rushed, but upon reflection, I came to the conclusion that there wasn't much more to be said. Overall, it's a 3.5 star book, but since I can't do that, I'll round up to 4 stars for a smashing good monster and the writing, which was great as usual.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this in one sitting. Avery and Carter are already working together and are sent out to investigate when ships keep disappearing in small section of the ocean. I hope there are plenty more adventures ahead for the duo.

[Jennifer Munnings · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent 4th installment!

Loved the Scottish Isles setting and the descriptions of locales.
We've been to the Highlands and Edinburgh, so I was familiar with summer along the northern coastine. Great story!

[Mary Walsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pulpo of horror

A great adventure for Avery and Carter. A lonely Scottish island, murky seas, sinking ships and a giant octopus 🐙. Narrowly avoiding death, Sam and Avery save the day. Excellent.

[WendyB · Rating 4 out of 5]

Looking forward to more adventures with Avery and Carter.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm actually a little bummed about this one! Not my favorite of the four but I still am in love with Avery & Carter and cannot wait for the next adventure!

[Marcia J Crawford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun read!

I finished reading this in four hours! I liked it more as I turned the pages. BUT, I wish that there were more of a female character's point of view.