The Howling Wind

The Alex Hayden Chronicles #2

by Michael Andrews

It's been a peaceful two months in Blackpool since the battle at the Church of the Merciful Heart and the destruction of the vampire pack, but when human remains are discovered on Marton Mere, the police try to play it off as a wild animal attack.

Teenage vampire Alex Hayden is not so easily convinced and soon reveals a cover up of the murders. However, he discovers that the truth is worse than he feared.

A pack of Lycans have made their home in Blackpool and with the full moon just days away, it's up to Alex, detective Harry Shepherd and their friends to stop the werewolves before they kill again.

174 pages, Paperback

First published December 14, 2014

About the author

Michael Andrews is an independent author who worked for nine months on his first novel, called "For the Lost Soul". A supernatural thriller, this story is set to expose the murkier side of life as Angels and Demons battle for the soul of an innocent child.

Bullying plays a role in both his debut novel as well as his second book, a collection of poetry in the self-titled work "The Empty Chair". He has released this in the hope of raising awareness and money for his chosen charity beatbullying.org and it is available in both paperback and on kindle.

Michael switched to his next series of books, called "The Alex Hayden Chronicles". A paranormal series, featuring thousand-year-old, teenage vampire Alex Hayden. "Under A Blood Moon", "The Howling Wind", "The Cauldron of Fire", "Dragonfire" and "Children of the Sun" are now available and complete the series. "Being Alex Hayden" was released in 2021 and is a behind the scenes book about how Michael came up with the ideas for the series, along with a collection of short stories based on the Alex world.

Michael is also a member of a writer's group, and they have five short story anthologies. Their monthly homework assignments have been included in the four Words Don't Come Easy series, while "A Festival of Words" is a compilation of the winning entries in the recent competition run by the group, which also includes a piece of their own work.

In September 2022, Michael ventured into the world of serial killers with his latest release, "The Woodsman," while a horror short story collection called "Supernatural Shivers" is due for release in October ready for Hallowe'en.

Michael has also been published in The Canon's Mouth Magazine, Cathartic Screams by Severance Publishing as well as in The Bully Book complied by Alisha Paige (https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00QXST298)

Visit him at www.jamspublishing.com

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book does something rare for a series, it supersedes the first one. I was more endeared to the main characters Alex and Harry in this book. I think that was due to the excellent setup in the first book. This book has a bit more action and tension, which I love. Andrews seems to settle more confidently into his writing style, making the transitions even smoother. And it's worth me noting that I don't usually read vampire stories, but this one has a unique appeal to it. I found myself genuinely looking forward to getting back to the book. That's always a good sign. If you're looking for a quick, entertaining read then check this out.

[Maddy Lanslots · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

UNDER A BLOOD MOON was good. THE HOWLING WIND is even better. A change in the writing style can be sensed - not so much that it disrupts the flow between the two books, but just enough to realise that the author has matured in his writing since publishing the first book. It's still a pleasant and easy read, just like the first book was.

The fact that you already know the characters (and love most of them) only intensifies that experience. I loved seeing Alex' relationships with the people from the first book develop - especially the ones with Harry and Petra. Certain things happening in this book had me gasp out loud (and I may even have been on the verge of crying); the plot was always interesting, with a constant underlying suspense even when nothing seemed to be happening. The plot is somewhat separate from the plot of the first book in the sense that they are both stories with a beginning, climax, and ending, and yet they work together because of the characters and a bigger, underlying story that I suspect will continue throughout the entire series.

I very much enjoyed reading this book. I've grown attached to the characters in this series - I suppose I'll have to get my hands on the rest of it, too!

[J.M. McKenzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite it not being the type of book I would usually read I enjoyed the second book in the Alex Hayden Chronicles.
The characters are developing well, particularly Alex. The plot is deepening and becoming more intriguing. I really want to read the next book to find out what happens next.
I’m enjoying the budding romance between Petra and Alex and asking myself if Alex will chose to remain a vampire or not?
The introduction of werewolves to the cast of supernaturals was fun!
I am also enjoying the gradual revelation of Alex’s back story.
The style of writing is pleasing - a modern take on the vampire genre with a dose of humour and irony.
Looking forward to reading The Cauldron of Fire now!

[Neil Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

For the majority of humans, the supernatural exists only in fiction. But underneath the normalcy, concealed beneath the mundane prosaic events that constitute human life, a war is being raged. The Howling Wind is the second book in a series that chronicles the adventures of teen vampire Alex and his friends who attempt to protect the city of Blackpool against an invading pack of werewolves.

This book is structurally well-written, the plot is fluid and drives on toward the finale with appropriate tension, the ebb and flow of conclusion and complication were superb. The characters, in themselves, are interesting and perform their archetypal functions well. Hayden is a talented story-teller. It was the writing itself that detracted from what was a well developed narrative. The one-dimensionality of the characters was magnified by the laboured adverbial speech tags. The prose was deficient in literary sophistication.

In the author's defence, this is not the type of work I would usually read. I was provided with a free copy for an honest review. Many readers with a passion for this genre would find Blackpool's supernatural underbelly a compelling world and the narrative and characters enthralling. Despite my criticisms this was a good story and a compelling read.

[Felix Savage · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book picks up where Under A Blood Moon, the first in the series, left off. Alex Hayden, vampire, is now going up against a pack of werewolves that have been slaughtering innocents in his stomping ground of Blackpool. The secondary characters are better developed here, and Andrews has clearly progressed a lot as a writer. The disarming humor of the first book is still going strong, which is a huge plus for me as a reader. There's more depth to the characters this time out, and the plot hangs together well, with a twist at the end that I didn't see coming.

Michael Andrews has got huge potential as a writer, and I'm looking forward to seeing where he will take this series as he develops his skills further.