Wildcat Thicket

by Elford Alley

Kindle Edition

Published April 24, 2026

About the author

Elford Alley is a horror author and disgraced paranormal investigator. His novels include Apartment 239 and In Search of the Nobility, TX Wildman. He has two short story collections, Ash and Bone and The Last Night in the Damned House.

His short stories have appeared in multiple anthologies, including Paranormal Contact, Beneath, Cosmos, and Campfire Macabre. His work has also been featured in Huffington Post, Cracked, and DoomRocket.

He enjoys folklore, exploring strange places, and spending time with his family. You can also check out his website for updates: elfordalley.com.

Reviews

[Zane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wildcat Thicket takes the legend of Bigfoot and turns it into something far more unsettling than folklore it makes it feel possible.Set deep within an unforgiving wilderness, this story thrives on isolation and the fear of being hunted by something you barely understand. What starts as unease quickly grows into full-blown dread as the presence in the woods stops feeling distant… and starts feeling close.What makes this book stand out is how it treats Bigfoot not as a myth or a mystery to solve, but as a force. Something intelligent, territorial, and deeply tied to its environment. The forest doesn’t just feel like a setting it feels like part of the threat.The tension builds slowly, layering strange noises, movement in the trees, and moments that feel just slightly off. You’re constantly questioning what’s real and what’s imagined… until it doesn’t matter anymore.Instead of relying on constant action, the book leans into atmosphere, suspense, and the fear of being watched. And when things finally escalate, it hits harder because of that restraint.
If you’re into:
• cryptid horror done seriously 🌲
• survival tension and isolation 🖤
• stories where nature itself feels hostile 👁️
Final Thoughts:
Wildcat Thicket turns a familiar legend into a tense, immersive horror experience. It’s not about proving Bigfoot exists it’s about surviving long enough to wish it didn’t.

[Curtis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I could totally take a Bigfoot in a fistfight.

And honestly, while I've always been interested in conspiracies and the paranormal, I never really bought into Bigfoot. Even if that one famous video was real, it was probably just some local pervert in his fur-suit. Aliens and the Loch Ness Monster are one thing, but Bigfoot always felt like Easter Bunny territory to me. And speaking of the Loch Ness Monster, maybe the Bigfoots would have left these characters alone if they offered them tree-fitty -- I learned from South Park that sometimes that's all it takes to appease a grumpy cryptid.

Anyway, read this book if you like humorous horror authors like Jeff Strand, there's a lot of funny lines in this one.

[D.S. LaLonde · Rating 5 out of 5]

A darkly humorous tale of smart bigfoots (or perhaps bigfeet?), a weird lion, small town struggles, and things that should not be. A nice mix of insightful social commentary and forest horror as a couple tries to survive whatever the woods throws at them. Wildcat Thicket is a fun read.

[Wayne Fenlon · Rating 5 out of 5]

​More people should read Elford Alley. That’s the review.

Okay, it's not—but it should be.

With Wildcat Thicket, Elford hits the ground running. It's wonderfully written, completely original, and you'll find yourself saying, "Where the hell is this going?" all the while knowing you're in safe hands.

Another genre-blending mini-masterpiece from one of my favourites.

It's funny, dark, and heartfelt. It's one of those books you'll take with you to the park or beach and be lost in for a couple of hours. Maybe not even that long; this novella flies.

Really hope this one puts Elford Alley on the map. It deserves to.

As I said in the beginning...

[Coy Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wildcat Thicket is the home of a mysterious doorway through time, a monstrous cat, and a horde of bipedal apes. And yet it’s still less scary than the surrounding world of AR-15 giveaways and overdue rent. Another darkly funny journey into the mind of Elford Alley.