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Canadian Werewolf #8
Once Bitten
He came to New York as a writer with a dream. What he became was something out of a nightmare.
It's the summer of 2003, and twenty-two-year-old Michael Andrews has finally escaped his small Ontario mining town for the city of his Spider-Man daydreams. But the wolf attack on a lonely highway changes everything. Now he's navigating Manhattan with powerfully sharp senses well beyond normal human limits, a transformation he can't control, and a beautiful woman he's terrified to let close.
By day, Michael shelves books in a Greenwich Village shop, using his uncanny ability to read emotions to connect with customers. Those same abilities have given this previously undateable book nerd an unexpected confidence—enough to win the attention of Rachel, an aspiring actress whose kindness draws him in.
But when the full moon rises, he loses himself to his a six-foot grey wolf. Haunted by guilt and longing for connection, Michael must decide whether his curse will define him—or if he can transform it into something more.
Some curses can't be outrun. The only question is what you do when they catch up.
[This origin story of the Canadian Werewolf series is told through "current day" 2017 bookends of a prologue and epilogue timeline that follow immediately after Only Monsters in the Building]
It's the summer of 2003, and twenty-two-year-old Michael Andrews has finally escaped his small Ontario mining town for the city of his Spider-Man daydreams. But the wolf attack on a lonely highway changes everything. Now he's navigating Manhattan with powerfully sharp senses well beyond normal human limits, a transformation he can't control, and a beautiful woman he's terrified to let close.
By day, Michael shelves books in a Greenwich Village shop, using his uncanny ability to read emotions to connect with customers. Those same abilities have given this previously undateable book nerd an unexpected confidence—enough to win the attention of Rachel, an aspiring actress whose kindness draws him in.
But when the full moon rises, he loses himself to his a six-foot grey wolf. Haunted by guilt and longing for connection, Michael must decide whether his curse will define him—or if he can transform it into something more.
Some curses can't be outrun. The only question is what you do when they catch up.
[This origin story of the Canadian Werewolf series is told through "current day" 2017 bookends of a prologue and epilogue timeline that follow immediately after Only Monsters in the Building]
162 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 24, 2026
About the author
Mark Leslie
130 books180 followersMark is a writer, editor and bookseller who was born and grew up in Sudbury, spent many years in Ottawa and Hamilton and currently lives in Waterloo, Ontario.
When he is not writing, he tacks "Lefebvre" back onto his name and works as a book industry consultant, having been a bookseller since the 1992, the same year his first short story was published.
Apart from publishing novels and non-fiction paranormal explorations under the name Mark Leslie, having works occasionally appearing on his mother's refrigerator door under the name Mark Lefebvre, and podcasting and consulting about the book industry under the name Mark Leslie Lefebvre for his Stark Publishing/Stark Reflections brand, Mark is a lover of craft beer.
When he's not enjoying craft beer or playing around with his three given names, he can usually be found wandering, awestruck through bookstores or libraries.
When he is not writing, he tacks "Lefebvre" back onto his name and works as a book industry consultant, having been a bookseller since the 1992, the same year his first short story was published.
Apart from publishing novels and non-fiction paranormal explorations under the name Mark Leslie, having works occasionally appearing on his mother's refrigerator door under the name Mark Lefebvre, and podcasting and consulting about the book industry under the name Mark Leslie Lefebvre for his Stark Publishing/Stark Reflections brand, Mark is a lover of craft beer.
When he's not enjoying craft beer or playing around with his three given names, he can usually be found wandering, awestruck through bookstores or libraries.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
March 18, 2026
Life as an expat Canadian werewolf in Manhattan is no walk in Central Park!
“You have no idea, I thought, thinking about how unglamourous it was that I turned into an animal who darted around Central Park stalking, catching, then consuming small animals raw.”
Think about a werewolf! No, no, no … not a stand-up gnarly Hollywood dude with sharp teeth, the gruff, growly voice of a twenty year two-pack-a-day smoker and a forehead to toes hair problem in need of some serious time with a couple of litres of extra-strength Neet! Mark Leslie’s werewolf is a four-legged timber wolf straight out of Jack London’s unforgiving Yukon wilderness. Picture an immensely powerful alpha male wolf with the endurance to run all night long, the strength to attack and savagely tear the throat out of its unsuspecting prey, the instinctive canine understanding of emotions, and the ability to sniff and identify the pheromones that are created by those emotions – love, fear, hate, lust, or worry.
Michael Andrews is a successful Canadian author whose understated literary creations have elevated him to celebrity status. He’s pursuing that career living in Manhattan but his monthly transformations into a werewolf are obviously problematic. Andrews has no memory of what happens while he’s a wolf but he knows his human reasoning and instincts are too weak to override his instinctive canine behaviour during those monthly transformations. The thought that he may harm Rachel - the woman he has come to love, the woman with whom he couldn’t possibly share his secret – terrifies him.
Author Leslie lets Andrews tell (for the very first time) the details of the discovery that he is afflicted with lycanthropy in a first-person narrative style reminiscent of Jim Butcher’s laid-back, self-deprecating wizard, Harry Dresden. Set your credibility aside for a few hours and enjoy the ride. I know I did! Despite the fact that it’s lightweight, easy-going stuff, it’s also amusing, entertaining and strangely compelling. As books that make late night demands on a reader to keep turning the pages, I found ONCE BITTEN competes easily with the best thrillers. More than that, there's no doubt in my mind that I'll be adding ONCE BITTEN to my 2026 Top Ten Favourites list this coming December!
Some readers will almost certainly think that ONCE BITTEN is the best in a solid, now long-running series. Even if you don’t think it’s the best, you’re sure to agree it’s a solid entry that will have you awaiting Leslie’s next effort with eager anticipation. (BTW, despite the fact that this is a prequel in the series timeline, it would be best enjoyed if read in publication order. PRO TIP to newcomers to the series: Go back to the beginning, A CANADIAN WEREWOLF IN NEW YORK!
Paul Weiss
“You have no idea, I thought, thinking about how unglamourous it was that I turned into an animal who darted around Central Park stalking, catching, then consuming small animals raw.”
Think about a werewolf! No, no, no … not a stand-up gnarly Hollywood dude with sharp teeth, the gruff, growly voice of a twenty year two-pack-a-day smoker and a forehead to toes hair problem in need of some serious time with a couple of litres of extra-strength Neet! Mark Leslie’s werewolf is a four-legged timber wolf straight out of Jack London’s unforgiving Yukon wilderness. Picture an immensely powerful alpha male wolf with the endurance to run all night long, the strength to attack and savagely tear the throat out of its unsuspecting prey, the instinctive canine understanding of emotions, and the ability to sniff and identify the pheromones that are created by those emotions – love, fear, hate, lust, or worry.
Michael Andrews is a successful Canadian author whose understated literary creations have elevated him to celebrity status. He’s pursuing that career living in Manhattan but his monthly transformations into a werewolf are obviously problematic. Andrews has no memory of what happens while he’s a wolf but he knows his human reasoning and instincts are too weak to override his instinctive canine behaviour during those monthly transformations. The thought that he may harm Rachel - the woman he has come to love, the woman with whom he couldn’t possibly share his secret – terrifies him.
Author Leslie lets Andrews tell (for the very first time) the details of the discovery that he is afflicted with lycanthropy in a first-person narrative style reminiscent of Jim Butcher’s laid-back, self-deprecating wizard, Harry Dresden. Set your credibility aside for a few hours and enjoy the ride. I know I did! Despite the fact that it’s lightweight, easy-going stuff, it’s also amusing, entertaining and strangely compelling. As books that make late night demands on a reader to keep turning the pages, I found ONCE BITTEN competes easily with the best thrillers. More than that, there's no doubt in my mind that I'll be adding ONCE BITTEN to my 2026 Top Ten Favourites list this coming December!
Some readers will almost certainly think that ONCE BITTEN is the best in a solid, now long-running series. Even if you don’t think it’s the best, you’re sure to agree it’s a solid entry that will have you awaiting Leslie’s next effort with eager anticipation. (BTW, despite the fact that this is a prequel in the series timeline, it would be best enjoyed if read in publication order. PRO TIP to newcomers to the series: Go back to the beginning, A CANADIAN WEREWOLF IN NEW YORK!
Paul Weiss
March 16, 2026
What a surprise! This is an actual supernatural cozy mystery. The world is immersive.
March 11, 2026
The novel follows Michael Andrews, a Canadian living in New York who struggles with the dangerous consequences of lycanthropy. Leslie crafts a compelling narrative that balances the supernatural elements of werewolf lore with the realistic emotional conflicts of a man trying to maintain control over his life while dealing with a powerful and unpredictable curse.
Rather than focusing only on action or horror, Leslie explores the psychological toll of living with a secret that could destroy relationships and endanger lives. The author’s vivid descriptions of New York City provide a rich backdrop that contrasts the normal rhythm of city life with the hidden dangers Michael faces. As the plot unfolds, readers experience suspense, moments of vulnerability, and a sense of urgency as Michael tries to manage the consequences of being once bitten.
Mark Leslie’s storytelling keeps readers invested in both the mystery and the protagonist’s emotional journey. Fans of urban fantasy and werewolf fiction will appreciate the balance of action, character development, and atmospheric setting.
Rather than focusing only on action or horror, Leslie explores the psychological toll of living with a secret that could destroy relationships and endanger lives. The author’s vivid descriptions of New York City provide a rich backdrop that contrasts the normal rhythm of city life with the hidden dangers Michael faces. As the plot unfolds, readers experience suspense, moments of vulnerability, and a sense of urgency as Michael tries to manage the consequences of being once bitten.
Mark Leslie’s storytelling keeps readers invested in both the mystery and the protagonist’s emotional journey. Fans of urban fantasy and werewolf fiction will appreciate the balance of action, character development, and atmospheric setting.
April 26, 2026
Interesting premise but by the end, I realized I wouldn't not really care to read the rest of the series. Fine little one off and provides enough background so you don't have to read the entire series but if they're all set up like this, I can imagine it would be tedious to read unless you're reading years apart.
June 26, 2026
A very detailed story about the main character. A lot of descriptive information.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews