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Dreg
"West knows how to deliver the scares!"-Rue Morgue
Louisiana. 1940.
Madness thrives in the Pointe au Chien and a dark legacy is embraced. A bayou boy is baptized in city blood and a pack as old as time rises from the swamps. A man beast escapes his shackles, and the hunt begins- a hunt that will last for decades. A hunt fueled by the moon. For when the moon is full, the beast rises. And the blood flows.
Houston, Texas. 1999.
Lucas Glover is a local psychic who assists the police. Lucas' psychic ability is faltering and his health has been greatly affected by his gift. He is brought in by the police commissioner to help profile and track down the Keepsake Killer. The Keepsake Killer is a mass murder who has eluded the police for almost two decades. Lucas is partnered with William Harlson, a hard as nails, skeptical and terminally ill homicide detective who sees stopping the killer as his last hurrah. As the investigation progresses, Lucas is plagued by strange dreams and he develops a rapport with a supernatural force that slowly reveals the origins of the killer. Lucas discovers that he is dealing with a primal force of nature far more dangerous than any human serial killer. And when the Keepsake Killer strikes close to home, Lucas has to push his abilities farther than they have ever been pushed. Even if it kills him.
Dreg is a horror/thriller novel written by critically-acclaimed author, Terry M. West. This is the revised and expanded version of the out of print 2003 first edition.
Louisiana. 1940.
Madness thrives in the Pointe au Chien and a dark legacy is embraced. A bayou boy is baptized in city blood and a pack as old as time rises from the swamps. A man beast escapes his shackles, and the hunt begins- a hunt that will last for decades. A hunt fueled by the moon. For when the moon is full, the beast rises. And the blood flows.
Houston, Texas. 1999.
Lucas Glover is a local psychic who assists the police. Lucas' psychic ability is faltering and his health has been greatly affected by his gift. He is brought in by the police commissioner to help profile and track down the Keepsake Killer. The Keepsake Killer is a mass murder who has eluded the police for almost two decades. Lucas is partnered with William Harlson, a hard as nails, skeptical and terminally ill homicide detective who sees stopping the killer as his last hurrah. As the investigation progresses, Lucas is plagued by strange dreams and he develops a rapport with a supernatural force that slowly reveals the origins of the killer. Lucas discovers that he is dealing with a primal force of nature far more dangerous than any human serial killer. And when the Keepsake Killer strikes close to home, Lucas has to push his abilities farther than they have ever been pushed. Even if it kills him.
Dreg is a horror/thriller novel written by critically-acclaimed author, Terry M. West. This is the revised and expanded version of the out of print 2003 first edition.
- GenresHorror
330 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2003
19 people are currently reading
68 people want to read
About the author
Terry M. West
198 books134 followersTerry M. West is an American horror author. His best known works: What Price Gory, Car Nex, Dreg and his Night Things series. He was a finalist for 2 International Horror Guild Awards and he was featured on the TV Guide Sci-Fi hot list for his YA graphic novel series, Confessions of a Teenage Vampire. Terry was born in Texas, lived in New York for two decades and he currently hangs his hat in California.
www.terrymwest.com
www.terrymwest.com
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
October 19, 2015
This was all kinds of freaky!!! So creepy and chilling that it gave me nightmares. The summary above pretty much says it all so I'll get to my thoughts.
At the start I wasn't sure if this was a paranormal or what because it opens with seeing Dreg take a rite of passage as such. I initially thought they were werewolves and even now, I'm still not sure what he was, man or beast??
Dreg was one of the scariest, creepiest, freakiest character that I've read in a long long time. You definitely do NOT want to meet him in a dark alley, because it will be the last thing you do. He is so well written and developed that you can't help but be afraid of him. I know when I was listening to his parts, it gave me chills and I listened with the light on!!
Every character in this pretty much rocked. The author has a way that brings them all alive, though that may not be a good thing because there are 2 nasty serial killers in this!! I loved all of them though especially, Lucas, who is the psychic who is called in to help with the case and he finds himself dealing with something that he has never dealt with before. The mind of this killer is so bad, that Lucas himself can lose his mind! He was such a great character and easily likable. As was William. Poor William, my heart broke for his predicament but I admired his tenacity and spirit!!
The plot is fast paced and incredibly intense. It gripped me from the very first page and was relentless the whole way through!! I plugged in my headphones and pretty much listened to this non stop every chance I got! It was so hard to put down because you had to see what happened next. I do hope we haven't seen the last of Lucas though, because I'm sure there is more to his story!!
Andrew Start was fantastic as Dreg. His tone of voice portrayed Dregs insanity perfectly and he creeped me out when he was reading those parts. His pacing was spot on too!
At the start I wasn't sure if this was a paranormal or what because it opens with seeing Dreg take a rite of passage as such. I initially thought they were werewolves and even now, I'm still not sure what he was, man or beast??
Dreg was one of the scariest, creepiest, freakiest character that I've read in a long long time. You definitely do NOT want to meet him in a dark alley, because it will be the last thing you do. He is so well written and developed that you can't help but be afraid of him. I know when I was listening to his parts, it gave me chills and I listened with the light on!!
Every character in this pretty much rocked. The author has a way that brings them all alive, though that may not be a good thing because there are 2 nasty serial killers in this!! I loved all of them though especially, Lucas, who is the psychic who is called in to help with the case and he finds himself dealing with something that he has never dealt with before. The mind of this killer is so bad, that Lucas himself can lose his mind! He was such a great character and easily likable. As was William. Poor William, my heart broke for his predicament but I admired his tenacity and spirit!!
The plot is fast paced and incredibly intense. It gripped me from the very first page and was relentless the whole way through!! I plugged in my headphones and pretty much listened to this non stop every chance I got! It was so hard to put down because you had to see what happened next. I do hope we haven't seen the last of Lucas though, because I'm sure there is more to his story!!
Andrew Start was fantastic as Dreg. His tone of voice portrayed Dregs insanity perfectly and he creeped me out when he was reading those parts. His pacing was spot on too!
March 26, 2015
Terry West knows how to scare you. Everything in this book, from the creepy Louisiana and Texas locations to the frightening serial killer, is crafted to make the reader keep turning pages.
The opening delivers the reader to the heart of evil: a creepy family living in a backwoods wilderness where their hardscrabble life is punctuated by bizarre superstitions. The events are shocking and propel the killer on his destructive path. I found the murderer, Dreg, to be frighteningly realistic. All his motivations and actions made sense -- for an extremely twisted mind. West does a fantastic job with the voice and dialect of the character and brings him to life in a mesmerizing way. Throughout the whole book, I had the feeling I was watching a Horror movie. (And I can still hear Dreg’s creepy voice in my mind!)
The good guys are Detective Harlson, a smart but world-weary cop, and Lukas, a New-Age psychic whose abilities are slowly killing him. The fact they’re so different makes it hard for them to work together and keeps the conflicts coming. Each character has a depth of morality combined with flaws that make them totally sympathetic and believable. I especially enjoyed Harlson. He’s an Eastwood type character, tough as nails and bent on justice on the outside, but with secret dilemmas crippling him on the inside. I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Highly recommended.
The opening delivers the reader to the heart of evil: a creepy family living in a backwoods wilderness where their hardscrabble life is punctuated by bizarre superstitions. The events are shocking and propel the killer on his destructive path. I found the murderer, Dreg, to be frighteningly realistic. All his motivations and actions made sense -- for an extremely twisted mind. West does a fantastic job with the voice and dialect of the character and brings him to life in a mesmerizing way. Throughout the whole book, I had the feeling I was watching a Horror movie. (And I can still hear Dreg’s creepy voice in my mind!)
The good guys are Detective Harlson, a smart but world-weary cop, and Lukas, a New-Age psychic whose abilities are slowly killing him. The fact they’re so different makes it hard for them to work together and keeps the conflicts coming. Each character has a depth of morality combined with flaws that make them totally sympathetic and believable. I especially enjoyed Harlson. He’s an Eastwood type character, tough as nails and bent on justice on the outside, but with secret dilemmas crippling him on the inside. I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Highly recommended.
March 27, 2015
I received a free copy of this book for an honest review.
Author Terry M. West is back! With him comes action,gore, and suspense and I loved every single morsel of it. It is hard to turn a sub-genre on its head, but if anyone could do it; it is Mr. West.
Does he do it with Dreg?
Yes! He takes a traditional horror baddie and redefines it with such style and substance. From the opening pages of the book we(the readers) are greeted with an odd clan and quickly we learn these people aren't the normal neighborly type. Fast forward fifty years or so and we are splat in the middle of a murder mystery. Psychic Lucas Glover is tasked with helping the local authorities track down a serial killed named 'The Keepsake Killer'.
The story is full of twists to keep even the casual reader salivating for more but yet teeming with gore,violence, and everything else veteran horror fans look for. The author originally published the story in 2003 but decided to edit the brutal tale and re-release it.
If you are looking for a new spin on an old classic then look no further than "Dreg". Mr. West has conjured up a mythical tale rooted in reality that is sure to have you howling at the moon.
Author Terry M. West is back! With him comes action,gore, and suspense and I loved every single morsel of it. It is hard to turn a sub-genre on its head, but if anyone could do it; it is Mr. West.
Does he do it with Dreg?
Yes! He takes a traditional horror baddie and redefines it with such style and substance. From the opening pages of the book we(the readers) are greeted with an odd clan and quickly we learn these people aren't the normal neighborly type. Fast forward fifty years or so and we are splat in the middle of a murder mystery. Psychic Lucas Glover is tasked with helping the local authorities track down a serial killed named 'The Keepsake Killer'.
The story is full of twists to keep even the casual reader salivating for more but yet teeming with gore,violence, and everything else veteran horror fans look for. The author originally published the story in 2003 but decided to edit the brutal tale and re-release it.
If you are looking for a new spin on an old classic then look no further than "Dreg". Mr. West has conjured up a mythical tale rooted in reality that is sure to have you howling at the moon.
March 24, 2015
I received Dreg in exchange for an honest review and what a novel this is. As a fan of horror I was impressed with how the novel flowed and refused to slow down in order for me to catch my breath.
West takes the breaks off as it spins toward it's finale and it just doesn't let up. Dreg is a novel full of suspense and gore. It clings to you like plastic wrap. We know what a werewolf is. We've seen the movies and West takes is into a horrifying new direction and gives us a character who thinks he's a wolf and that is what I loved the most about Dreg. It features a monster with a human face and that is far more terrifying.
Dregs is an intelligent horror novel that shows us how good West is. While guys like King and Koontz are treading water West is swimming along writing true horror that sticks with you long after you finish it. West should be a major player in the horror genre and Dregs could be the novel that pushes him into the big leagues.
Being a fan of West I have seen him evolve as a writer. He is consistent and you can tell that he loves what he's doing. The only question is how is he going to top Dreg?
West takes the breaks off as it spins toward it's finale and it just doesn't let up. Dreg is a novel full of suspense and gore. It clings to you like plastic wrap. We know what a werewolf is. We've seen the movies and West takes is into a horrifying new direction and gives us a character who thinks he's a wolf and that is what I loved the most about Dreg. It features a monster with a human face and that is far more terrifying.
Dregs is an intelligent horror novel that shows us how good West is. While guys like King and Koontz are treading water West is swimming along writing true horror that sticks with you long after you finish it. West should be a major player in the horror genre and Dregs could be the novel that pushes him into the big leagues.
Being a fan of West I have seen him evolve as a writer. He is consistent and you can tell that he loves what he's doing. The only question is how is he going to top Dreg?
April 14, 2016
There's a lot to enjoy in West's book Dreg. It is the first of his work I have read, and I'd read more in a heartbeat.
DREG brings some tantalising elements to the serial killer genre. There are elements of MR MERCEDES, and DR SLEEP in there (coincidentally both are two of my favourite Stephen King titles of the last 10 years).
Yes, West delivers a well rounded story - there's a flavour of Harry Turtledove in the down to earth everydayness of the characters. The monsters in DREG range from the simply delusional (the final words to The Optometrist were brilliant) out to the supernatural. I didn't find anything in there I didn't like. Sure the climax of the story was pretty obvious, but just because you can see the sign telling you what's ahead, doesn't mean you can't enjoy the ride.
DREG brings some tantalising elements to the serial killer genre. There are elements of MR MERCEDES, and DR SLEEP in there (coincidentally both are two of my favourite Stephen King titles of the last 10 years).
Yes, West delivers a well rounded story - there's a flavour of Harry Turtledove in the down to earth everydayness of the characters. The monsters in DREG range from the simply delusional (the final words to The Optometrist were brilliant) out to the supernatural. I didn't find anything in there I didn't like. Sure the climax of the story was pretty obvious, but just because you can see the sign telling you what's ahead, doesn't mean you can't enjoy the ride.
August 22, 2017
Dreg
Do you dare take that road trip? There is evil out there…
Somebody is killing travellers on Interstate 45, Texas: horrible, mutilating murders, apparently random. These are not really the normal serial killer pattern. Yes, the killer takes trophies, but there seems to be little else linking these crimes. These are sheer crimes of opportunity: anyone will so: male or females: young or old. Lucas Glover, a psychic who normally helps the police with missing persons cases, has been called in to help track the killer, mainly because the police don't know what else to do. Can Luke help Detective William Harlson, head of the case? Can both these men overcome their own problems in their private lives?
If you like crime stories, with some gore, some twisted sex, and heroes driven by secrets and inner urgings, this is the book for you. Right from the Prologue< /i> on, West takes the reader on a journey into the heart of man, and the picture is definitely not all nice. Parts of this book may disturb you, or conversely, may thrill you. Despite the psychic elements of the book, this is really a blatantly realistic picture of serial killings. West builds sympathy for the victims, giving close-ups of their lives before their fates. He takes you into the strange mind of the killer himself. The psychic dreams give the reader a glimpse of the unconscious, of the hidden world (perhaps real, perhaps not) on the edge of reality. While the book is not perfect, West certainly writes well. Dreg certainly could not be said to be boring. This novel is not a mystery: we know who the killer is. It's power, rather is in the nastiness of its subject.
Lucas is certainly a likable character. Despite being psychic, he is in some ways just like the man next door, perhaps even homely. He loves his wife and wants to do good, but he is also driven. The reader wants him to solve the case, but also to pull his home life together. Harlson, is a gruff curmudgeonly, man's man. But he too has his human, inner problems. We have here a jaded hero, and despite his failings, the reader understands him and wants the best for him. Those who are older will recognise the man who knows he is not the golden boy, the hero of his youth. We all hope, and many of us come up second best, yet we are still heroes in our own small way.
This is a book about a seriously flawed world. While we may not all be killed by a psycho killer, we all die. This final flaw in life is inescapable. Malevolence does exist in the world, and many philosophers have lost sleep over the problem of evil. Evil is a fact of life that may horrify us. On the other hand we may have to face that a little part of us enjoys things going seriously wrong, as long as it is in a book we can put down at any time, or say, "it's just a story!" If you enjoy thinking about life, Dreg will definitely give you something to think about, although this is definitely not a heavily philosophic book.
While I do not read a lot of horror, I do enjoy paranormal book, and the occasional psycho killer is certainly not despised by me. With that in mind I am happy to award this novel five stars.
June 4, 2018
This was a great detective story with a supernatural twist. I really liked the main character, Lucas Glover, and would really like to see more stories about him. This is one of those books that would make for a great movie (or Lucas Glover would make a great character for a TV series). Highly recommended.
June 22, 2017
Good, scary novel. Terry M West never fails to deliver.
July 12, 2019
Interesting twist on the werewolf story. Quick read.
July 15, 2021
Omg couldn't put it down great story line from start to finish. Great read on stormy night
September 21, 2016
We start out in the 1940 where a teen is initiated into wolf/man society.Every month,when the moon is full,the blood flows and people die for decades.Years later,Lucas had an accident as a teen and has psychic ability now that helps the local police in hard cases. He is brought in on a case of The Keepsake Killer.His health is suffering ,as is the health of the cop in charge. Lucas promises this will be his last case...but will it?
Andrew Start is a great narrator.Dregs voice is really creepy!
Andrew Start is a great narrator.Dregs voice is really creepy!
January 6, 2016
Spell binding
I could not put this book down. It pulled me in from the first page. Non stop action and suspense. Wonderful read.
I could not put this book down. It pulled me in from the first page. Non stop action and suspense. Wonderful read.
May 24, 2020
Canabal loose
I never knew a killer could be so insane and eat his victims. This was a page turned that had me from start to finish.
I never knew a killer could be so insane and eat his victims. This was a page turned that had me from start to finish.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews