The Nest; London: The carnage has arrived in the UK...

The Nest #2

by Conrad Jones

They came from the dark places. The wet places. The places beneath our feet that we forgot… or chose to forget.

First it was New York. A massacre in the subways, dozens torn apart in a frenzy of claws and fangs. Then came the sleek, black creatures the size of pit bulls. Eyes red, like wet marbles. Teeth designed to puncture bone. Nutria-rats. Bred in silence. Engineered to kill. And now… they’re spreading.

From Euston to Wimbledon, the tunnels are screaming.

In the UK, the government calls it a “containment breach.” But John Tankersley, call-sign Tank, knows better. As the hardened leader of the elite Terrorist Task Force, he’s seen man-made nightmares before. But nothing like this. Nothing this cold. Nothing this hungry. As cities fall under lockdown and the death toll mounts, Tank and his brutal, black-ops team must race to uncover who unleashed the plague beneath our cities, and how to kill it before there’s nothing left to save.

This is not your average horror story.
This is global.
This is viral.
This is war.

Gripping, relentless, and grotesquely plausible, this #1 UK horror series isn’t for the faint-hearted. The Nest has cracked open, and what spills out is pure nightmare fuel.

Lock your doors. Stay off the streets. And whatever you do—don’t go underground.

You’ve been warned.

Genres: Horror

302 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 6, 2025

About the author

Conrad Jones is a best-selling thriller writer with 30 thriller novels.
The Anglesey Murders 10 books
The Soft Target Series 6 books
The Detective Alec Ramsay Series 6 books
The Inspector Braddick Series 4 books
The Journey Series 3 books
Cuckoos on the Mersey

18 of his books are available in audio and his novels have been translated into six languages.
He is always keen to talk to readers and writers alike, jonesconrad5@aol.com

FaceBook Conrad Jones Author
Twitter @ConradJones

Reviews

[John Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Truly terrifying!

This was a blood-soaked read, involving genetically enhanced killer rats driven mad by their insatiable lust for human flesh.

The Middle East war is now firmly ensconced in the, once safe, "Christian" West. Bio-terrorism is now the name of the game. Fundamentalist killers are on the march and their aim is to avenge themselves on the, once mighty, liberal western nations.

Soft targets have been identified - the population of major European and US cities, and the weapons, giant rodents - millions of them!

This was not an easy read, especially if you are remotely squeamish but, it was a compulsive tale.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

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Now I thought Book 1 ‘The Nest New York’ was scary but this is something else, the fact the rats are attacking where I live and used to work played a part but not as much as the complete and utter fear that the descriptions of these huge, monstrous rats bring plus the description of ‘smells’….this author can describe a nasty rotten smell like no other, seriously, and with many shudders and sniffs I read this brilliant 2nd book in this outstanding series

So much so when I looked out the back windows last night I was convinced I had seen a rat, it was a leaf but eurrrghhh for a second there was convinced the book had become a reality!…

London is under attack, from the underground by these demon blood lusting cruel evily bred rats and they want human flesh, blood and gore, no one and nothing is sacred

Be scared, be very scared but be prepared for a hell of a read

Compellingly disgustingly awesome read by this by this shockingly good author

[Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Conrad Jones once again delivers a dark and gripping thriller that refuses to let the reader go. The Lbook opens with a chilling massacre in the New York subways, setting the stage for a terrifying escalation. The introduction of genetically engineered nutria‑rats, sleek, black creatures with blood red eyes and bone piercing teeth, creates a sense of dread that lingers throughout the novel. As the infestation spreads to London’s underground, the tension builds relentlessly, pulling the reader into a nightmare that feels both cinematic and disturbingly plausible.

At the heart of the story is John Tankersley, known as Tank, the hardened leader of the Terrorist Task Force. Jones crafts Tank as a compelling protagonist, battle‑scarred, pragmatic, and unflinching in the face of horror. His team’s desperate mission to uncover the origins of the plague and stop its advance provides the novel with a relentless pace. The government’s attempts to downplay the catastrophe as a containment breach only heighten the stakes, leaving Tank and his operatives to confront the truth head‑on.

What makes Jones stand out is his innate ability to blend high‑octane action with unsettling atmosphere. The tunnels of London become a claustrophobic battleground, and the imagery of cities under lockdown adds a chilling relevance. While the novel is undeniably brutal, it is also entertaining in its sheer audacity, offering readers a ride that is equal parts horror and thriller. For fans of apocalyptic fiction and creature driven suspense, this is another winner from Conrad Jones,an author who continues to prove he can engage readers in ways few others can.

[Emma book blogger Fitzgerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you @zooloosBT For letting me be part of this tour and reviewing this book. The Nest is book 1 in the series and is horror genre. The story set in 2025 and there are homeless people are disappearing, and the rats are not what they seem. The Nest is differently not for the faint-hearted. From the first page I was hooked it’s definitely a page turner. The story is gruesome and dark from start to finish which I did enjoy. I don’t like rats at all, so this book made me hate them even more. I do like Conrad Jones is writing style and his descriptions you can really visualize it in your head. There is a great amount of suspense and tension running through the book. The Nest is excellent horror book that keeps you on tenterhooks all the way through the book. 5 stars.

[Clare S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fast paced, gripping adventure. Another book that would benefit from a proof reader. It’s a great story that lends itself well to the level of writing - all plot, plot, plot which makes it easy to overlook other areas like lack of character development and reliance on stereotypes. Like Zodiac there is a lot of overt racism and Tank is an obvious self-insert. Both these things felt forced and distracted from the story.

The writer did build on the original story, stayed true to the characters, and expanded the plot in a way that kept everything fresh and interesting. A solid 4 star for the ride.

[Duncan Palmer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good story and fun but better research required

Ok I know this is a tribute in sort to Janes Herbert and his Rats novels however it falls short in a few spots. Some of it is a pure rip - eg the rodents taking heads. There is also a dumb premise- breeding with black rats. Nutrias cannot breed with black rats. It doesn't matter if this is a fantasy adventure thriller you still need a sound premise. Simply a change to generic engineering with black rat DNA would have been sufficient : just a little bit of research involved. Anyhow, these still get three stars as they are behaving and fun novels

[Lou Canning · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have a low tolerance to gore and innocent people getting got but vicious rats the size of some dogs then this series is not for you!
This is a great follow on, so if you haven’t read the first one yet I advise you to.
Strong solid story line, great believable characters and I just loved .
I love James Herbert, and I did not think Conrad would be able to write one book let alone two on a par with his books (The Rats Trilogy) but Conrad did and has!
Bring on the third! N 🖤 🐀

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intense

Just as brutal as the first one. It did feel a bit formulaic at times. Same sort of events, ignoring of facts by those in charge. After the events of New York, the chief Rat scientist is no where to be seen, no real plans have made, or lessons learned and the same happens at the end in another city. Still..looking forward to the 3rd book. Not sure how the author will raise the ante - I mean, Herbert had a nuclear bomb..

[Carl Tabor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just as good as the first

Fantastic gripping story.
Grabs hold from the first pages and doesn't let go till the last.
Already waiting for the next book to come out
Highly recommend this series

[sarah horsfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Nest book 2

Brilliant again
Never fails to keep me gripped right to the end. Can’t wait for the next one to be released

[Marktroth · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE NEST LONDON

Really enjoyed the second book in this series and will definitely be getting the third one as soon as it’s released

[Deacon D. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good story if somewhat bloated.

Bad editing and formatting made the Kindle edition a bit of a pain.