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Bigfoot Beach
"BIGFOOT BEACH is the most fun you'll have this summer with a book." Brian Keene, author of The Rising and The Lost Level A bizarre, brutal murder. A missing woman. And a giant footprint in the sand. Now, the dying beach community known as Seashell Cove finally has a hook to attract the tourists—a Bigfoot on the beach! As the summer season winds down, the tourists go home and the town begins preparing for the colder months. Soon, more strange footprints are found, other mysterious sightings are reported. Then the deaths begin. Could there really be a Bigfoot running loose in Seashell Cove? A tracker with a personal agenda, the local sheriff, a hero whose fifteen minutes of fame expired a long time ago, and a female reporter looking for a scoop will team up to find out for sure.
- GenresHorror
335 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2015
20 people are currently reading
172 people want to read
About the author
Kristopher Rufty
69 books241 followersKristopher Rufty lives in North Carolina with his three children and pets. He’s written over twenty novels, including ALL WILL DIE, THE DEVOURED AND THE DEAD, DESOLATION, THE LURKERS and PILLOWFACE. When he’s not spending time with his family or writing, he’s obsessing over gardening and growing food.
His short story DARLA'S PROBLEM was included in the Splatterpunk Publications anthology FIGHTING BACK, which won the Splatterpunk award for best anthology. THE DEVOURED AND THE DEAD was nominated for a Splatterpunk award.
He can be found on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. For more about Kristopher Rufty, please visit: www.kristopherrufty.com
His short story DARLA'S PROBLEM was included in the Splatterpunk Publications anthology FIGHTING BACK, which won the Splatterpunk award for best anthology. THE DEVOURED AND THE DEAD was nominated for a Splatterpunk award.
He can be found on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. For more about Kristopher Rufty, please visit: www.kristopherrufty.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
July 3, 2016
3.5 stars.
This book wasn't too bad, though some of the dialogue made me cringe a bit.
Paul Thompson (the protagonist) is on his way to start a new job (and life) as Deputy Sheriff of Seashell Cove - with his son Gunner and daughter Natalie, in tow. As his ex-wife Alisha is in a mental institution, she won't be joining them (she tried to stab him). His older brother (Howie) is the Sheriff of the small seaside town. The town is going into a financial meltdown - so to help keep the books balanced, Mayor Caine capitalize's on the Bigfoot sightings that have been reported in the area: by getting some of the Sheriff's Deputy's to leave fake Bigfoot prints in the sand; in the hope of attracting more tourists. Unfortunately, there really is a Bigfoot on the loose.
Some of the deaths by the big hairy beast are pretty creative - especially Troy's demise. He's sitting down strumming on his guitar (he's lousy at it), and his death truly does seem poetic....made me laugh.
I think there's a bit too much filler in this book, which didn't need to be in it. I didn't really care for Gunners romance with the Mayor's daughter Megan, or other things that distracted my attention - though some of Paul's background history was quite interesting. At first, I thought he was a bit dull - but that changed swiftly - when it's revealed that he can make shapes with his fingers. He's quite perceptive as well, which becomes evident when Bubba (Caines bodyguard) passes a folded piece of paper the size of a small magazine to Striker (The Tracker) and Paul is able to determine that it's a map, once it's spread out across the hood of the cruiser. Well, he is a detective, I guess.
Anyway, it wasn't that bad. There's some fun to be had - and some of the deaths are quite amusing. I think the book could have been trimmed down a bit though, too much stuff I didn't care about.
This book wasn't too bad, though some of the dialogue made me cringe a bit.
Paul Thompson (the protagonist) is on his way to start a new job (and life) as Deputy Sheriff of Seashell Cove - with his son Gunner and daughter Natalie, in tow. As his ex-wife Alisha is in a mental institution, she won't be joining them (she tried to stab him). His older brother (Howie) is the Sheriff of the small seaside town. The town is going into a financial meltdown - so to help keep the books balanced, Mayor Caine capitalize's on the Bigfoot sightings that have been reported in the area: by getting some of the Sheriff's Deputy's to leave fake Bigfoot prints in the sand; in the hope of attracting more tourists. Unfortunately, there really is a Bigfoot on the loose.
Some of the deaths by the big hairy beast are pretty creative - especially Troy's demise. He's sitting down strumming on his guitar (he's lousy at it), and his death truly does seem poetic....made me laugh.
I think there's a bit too much filler in this book, which didn't need to be in it. I didn't really care for Gunners romance with the Mayor's daughter Megan, or other things that distracted my attention - though some of Paul's background history was quite interesting. At first, I thought he was a bit dull - but that changed swiftly - when it's revealed that he can make shapes with his fingers. He's quite perceptive as well, which becomes evident when Bubba (Caines bodyguard) passes a folded piece of paper the size of a small magazine to Striker (The Tracker) and Paul is able to determine that it's a map, once it's spread out across the hood of the cruiser. Well, he is a detective, I guess.
Anyway, it wasn't that bad. There's some fun to be had - and some of the deaths are quite amusing. I think the book could have been trimmed down a bit though, too much stuff I didn't care about.
May 22, 2023
Bigfoot Sighting!
Small backstory:
A murder has taken place in the small town of Seashell Cove and what is found are giant foot prints in the sand. No one believes that it could be a Bigfoot in the area until the town starts seeing more sightings. Paul Thompson along with his family move to the town as he is going to be taking the job of deputy as his brother Howie is Sheriff. But things go from bad to very bad in no time and the Bigfoot is on the rampage through the small town!
Thoughts:
This book is hard to rate as I normally love books by Rufty but even though this book had a bunch of blood and gore there are tons of other stuff weaved within that leans a lot toward erotic horror. I don't mind it once in awhile but there was an overload of it in this book and I felt that for a book that is supposed to be more about a creature feature there was way more sexual stuff in it that really had nothing to do with the storyline. In another words - a lot of that could have been left out and the book would have been better. Giving this book three "More Gore-Less Sex" stars!
Small backstory:
A murder has taken place in the small town of Seashell Cove and what is found are giant foot prints in the sand. No one believes that it could be a Bigfoot in the area until the town starts seeing more sightings. Paul Thompson along with his family move to the town as he is going to be taking the job of deputy as his brother Howie is Sheriff. But things go from bad to very bad in no time and the Bigfoot is on the rampage through the small town!
Thoughts:
This book is hard to rate as I normally love books by Rufty but even though this book had a bunch of blood and gore there are tons of other stuff weaved within that leans a lot toward erotic horror. I don't mind it once in awhile but there was an overload of it in this book and I felt that for a book that is supposed to be more about a creature feature there was way more sexual stuff in it that really had nothing to do with the storyline. In another words - a lot of that could have been left out and the book would have been better. Giving this book three "More Gore-Less Sex" stars!
October 20, 2015
Loaded with squatchy goodness! Bigfoot Beach delivers on the promise of the title. This is a total Bigfoot blast from start to finish. With the spirit of Richard Laymon channeling through Kristopher Rufty, Bigfoot Beach is sexy, scary and just plain terror-tinged fun!
April 18, 2015
Rufty nailed it!
Possibly the best Bigfoot book ever. A true page turner that increase the intensity with each page. Don't let the title fool you this is a brutal Horror book that will do for Bigfoots what Jaws did for sharks
Possibly the best Bigfoot book ever. A true page turner that increase the intensity with each page. Don't let the title fool you this is a brutal Horror book that will do for Bigfoots what Jaws did for sharks
December 21, 2015
Author Brian Keene said, "BIGFOOT BEACH is the most fun you'll have this summer with a book."
Well, its not summer but I did read it during December, and whether its cold out or a hot blazing day, this book delivers action, suspense and horror all rolled into one. This is one of those books that we all like to think of as "movie books". As in, the type of book that almost reads like a movie, but doesn't. All the way thru it, you can feel it unwinding off a reel in a cinema somewhere, showing all these images in full blown glorious bloody color.
In actuality, this book would make a great high budget film, or maybe even a really good B-movie, which I'm ok with too. It is a fast read if you let it be that way, so it almost doesn't let you get to really sink your teeth into a few of the characters, and yet, when things happen to them, you know them enough to feel their angst, sadness or elation. You get their back stories and its enough for the rest of the books main story to use that to fine tune the whole thing.
The sleepy little coastal town of Seashell Cove, has been the spot for of all things Big Foot sightings. Seashell cove had nothing going on for itself except its exceptional beach, the but town being so small and almost off the map, needed this sighting to happen. Tourist flocked there thru the whole summer to get a look of a misplaced Big foot. The Mayor would indeed do almost anything to make sure that those sightings kept occurring, kept bringing visitors to their little community and with it tourists dollars to help it thru the long fall and winter months.
With the arrival of Paul Thompson and his family and his new job of being a deputy to his bigger Brother Howie, who happens to be the local Sherriff, things begin to happen quickly. Break-ins and property damage as well as missing teens and some not so missing bodies horribly mutilated begin to show up.
With a young smart and sassy female would be journalist asking questions and unexpectedly becoming an in the way obstacle for the brothers, the unexpected becomes the normal as things begin to wind up fast.
I really loved this book. It was one of those books you didn't have to learn to like at all. It is the kind of book that will keep you reading if you let yourself do it, though not good if you got a lot of things to do.
I have read a few Big foot adventures in the past, that were ok. I mean how many compelling Big Foot stories can you write without repeating itself. Well this one doesn't do that. Its fresh take on the Genre. Its a book that leaves its own comfort zone to give us something a little different.
We like to read because it give us the chance to be somewhere else without buying a ticket to get there. But also, reading books shouldn't be like drinking wine. You shouldn't have to learn to like the book, it should just come naturally, flittering with out mental taste buds and giving us a thrill each time we read. And isn't that what its all about?
I haven't read any of Kristopher Rufty's aside of this novel, But I know that I
will be checking out more of his stuff inthe future.
Bigfoot Beach, isn't War & Peace, and thankfully, it isn't. Its just a good old fashioned read about monsters both human and cryptid. What more could be want?
Well, its not summer but I did read it during December, and whether its cold out or a hot blazing day, this book delivers action, suspense and horror all rolled into one. This is one of those books that we all like to think of as "movie books". As in, the type of book that almost reads like a movie, but doesn't. All the way thru it, you can feel it unwinding off a reel in a cinema somewhere, showing all these images in full blown glorious bloody color.
In actuality, this book would make a great high budget film, or maybe even a really good B-movie, which I'm ok with too. It is a fast read if you let it be that way, so it almost doesn't let you get to really sink your teeth into a few of the characters, and yet, when things happen to them, you know them enough to feel their angst, sadness or elation. You get their back stories and its enough for the rest of the books main story to use that to fine tune the whole thing.
The sleepy little coastal town of Seashell Cove, has been the spot for of all things Big Foot sightings. Seashell cove had nothing going on for itself except its exceptional beach, the but town being so small and almost off the map, needed this sighting to happen. Tourist flocked there thru the whole summer to get a look of a misplaced Big foot. The Mayor would indeed do almost anything to make sure that those sightings kept occurring, kept bringing visitors to their little community and with it tourists dollars to help it thru the long fall and winter months.
With the arrival of Paul Thompson and his family and his new job of being a deputy to his bigger Brother Howie, who happens to be the local Sherriff, things begin to happen quickly. Break-ins and property damage as well as missing teens and some not so missing bodies horribly mutilated begin to show up.
With a young smart and sassy female would be journalist asking questions and unexpectedly becoming an in the way obstacle for the brothers, the unexpected becomes the normal as things begin to wind up fast.
I really loved this book. It was one of those books you didn't have to learn to like at all. It is the kind of book that will keep you reading if you let yourself do it, though not good if you got a lot of things to do.
I have read a few Big foot adventures in the past, that were ok. I mean how many compelling Big Foot stories can you write without repeating itself. Well this one doesn't do that. Its fresh take on the Genre. Its a book that leaves its own comfort zone to give us something a little different.
We like to read because it give us the chance to be somewhere else without buying a ticket to get there. But also, reading books shouldn't be like drinking wine. You shouldn't have to learn to like the book, it should just come naturally, flittering with out mental taste buds and giving us a thrill each time we read. And isn't that what its all about?
I haven't read any of Kristopher Rufty's aside of this novel, But I know that I
will be checking out more of his stuff inthe future.
Bigfoot Beach, isn't War & Peace, and thankfully, it isn't. Its just a good old fashioned read about monsters both human and cryptid. What more could be want?
August 8, 2015
I absolutely loved this book! It was funny, gruesome, violent and funny in a black humor kind of way. I think the best way to describe this book is as the best slasher movie you'll ever read- where the serial killer is Bigfoot. It was such a fun read and I can't recommend it enough!
August 16, 2025
Bigfoot Beach by Kristopher Rufty is a fast, gory creature feature that feels like a slasher movie on the page. The mix of small-town chaos, gruesome kills, and Bigfoot mayhem makes it an easy book to fly through. I especially liked how unpredictable it was—I definitely wasn’t expecting that ending.
September 13, 2018
With a title and a cover like this one, you have a pretty good idea what you're in for. And what you're in for is a goofy, gory, fast-paced novel about a bigfoot terrorizing a beachside community with a few surprising twists to keep things interesting.
The story follows Paul, who moves into town with his two kids to work as a deputy for his sheriff brother. He falls for a sexy news reporter and together they go about solving the mystery of the gruesome killings around Seashell Cove. Meanwhile, Paul's teenage son has got his eyes on the mayor's daughter and the two of them experience the dangers of young love and sasquatch attacks with their friends. Eventually, the two sets of characters intersect in an explosive climax.
Bigfoot beach is a fun, pulpy read, and yes, it is very reminiscent of Richard Laymon's work, especially in the borderline creepy male characters' assesments of their female counterparts. Perhaps it serves the plot though, perhaps Rufty is hinting at the primal beast that lurks in the heart of mankind, that the titular bigfoot may not be the only predator on the beach. Or maybe not.
It doesn't matter either way. This book is great fun to read and has some of the most creative and gruesome kills that I have had the pleasure of reading about for a long time. Definitely a great beach read, but it's a fantastic bit of fun wherever you may find yourself.
The story follows Paul, who moves into town with his two kids to work as a deputy for his sheriff brother. He falls for a sexy news reporter and together they go about solving the mystery of the gruesome killings around Seashell Cove. Meanwhile, Paul's teenage son has got his eyes on the mayor's daughter and the two of them experience the dangers of young love and sasquatch attacks with their friends. Eventually, the two sets of characters intersect in an explosive climax.
Bigfoot beach is a fun, pulpy read, and yes, it is very reminiscent of Richard Laymon's work, especially in the borderline creepy male characters' assesments of their female counterparts. Perhaps it serves the plot though, perhaps Rufty is hinting at the primal beast that lurks in the heart of mankind, that the titular bigfoot may not be the only predator on the beach. Or maybe not.
It doesn't matter either way. This book is great fun to read and has some of the most creative and gruesome kills that I have had the pleasure of reading about for a long time. Definitely a great beach read, but it's a fantastic bit of fun wherever you may find yourself.
September 20, 2020
Folks who've read my reviews know I'm Cryptid Crazy, so when I first stumbled across Kristopher Rufty's Bigfoot Beach, I had to add it to my TBR list. But because of a previous experience with one of Rufty's books, I was hesitant to start it. But after watching Primal Rage again, I knew it was time for another killer Bigfoot book. But let me start off by saying, when I first saw this cover, I thought it was going to be a horror comedy. Boy, was I wrong. Well, kind of. The only thing funny was Gunner's ogling of every woman he came across, but I'll get to that later.
Like any slasher-style book, we start off Bigfoot Beach with an attack on an amorous young couple. The young man is savagely butchered and the young woman is carried off. Based on the title of the book, it's no secret what the attacker is. Then it jumps to the arrival of Paul Thompson, his hunky teenage son, Gunner, who apparently doesn't know how attractive he is, and his eight-year-old daughter, Natalie.
Their arrival in Seashell Cove is supposed to be a new start for them. We learn that Paul is a hunky hero cop and is in town to take on the role of deputy to his big brother's sheriff. We also learn that Paul's wife has suffered a breakdown and attempted to kill him, so she's out of the picture for good. He's soon to learn of the town's local celebrity, a legendary Bigfoot that appeared a little over a year ago and is the scapegoat for many of the town's disappearances and killings. Why Bigfoot and not a bear or some other wild animal? The footprints left behind. As the story progresses, we are introduced to the other key players: Howie Thompson, the equally hunky sheriff and Paul's big brother; Trish Thompson,the sheriff's wife who has movie star looks; Mayor Caine, a pompous ass who sees the Bigfoot as a way to spur the town's economy, provided they can keep the murders under wraps; Becky Aniston, the local reporter (who also happens to be drop-dead gorgeous -- maybe the new Mrs. Thompson?) who dreams of breaking that one big story that will land her a job with the big boys; Megan Caine, the mayor's daughter, also drop-dead gorgeous and often runs around in a bikini top -- yeah, I'll come back to this; Striker, the rugged bounty hunter who has been on the trail of the Bigfoot for some time; and a host of assorted cannon fodder.
As the body count rises, the sheriff and Paul, along with Becky, Mayor Caine, and Striker, lead a search for the creature, which leaves them through a labyrinth of caverns not too far from the Mayor's mansion. Meanwhile Gunner is making goo-goo eyes at the Mayor's daughter and ogling his aunt's tits. Yeah, of all the characters, I like Gunner the least and hope he turns into Bigfoot chow before the end of the book. It all leads up to a thrilling chase across the beach and to an abandoned miniature golf course. Like all slashers, there are some unintentionally funny scenes, as well as several eye-roll moments, but all in all, Bigfoot Beach was a solid story. There were only a couple of things I took issue with.
First of all, I read an e-book version of Bigfoot Beach, and the formatting was awful. Like this post, there were blank lines between every paragraph, which, in the case of this post, is unavoidable as they don't allow for paragraph indents (or if they do, I haven't figured it out yet). But in the book, it was distracting enough to pull you out of the story, especially when there's a series of short lines of dialogue. Second was the adolescent way Gunner's fawning over women was handled. I mean, Gunner is supposed to be 17 years old, so why does it feel like he's 13 and has never seen a woman before, especially one in a bikini, let alone naked? And his ogling of his aunt comes across as sleazy/pervy. It's almost like there was a blatant attempt here to emulate Richard Laymon, which, to me, is not a good thing. These scenes could have been lifted directly from Laymon's Island, with only the character names changed. Practically every Gunner scene had me praying Bigfoot would break in and rip his head off to save me from any more eye-roll moments. Paul is almost as bad with Becky and Trish. Almost. But not nearly as bad as Gunner, so he was allowed to live in my mind.
Those issues aside, I enjoyed Bigfoot Beach, but taking these issues into account, I feel the need to subtract a point, so a solid 4 star read becomes 3 stars. Given how I feel about these issues, would I recommend the book. Definitely. Especially if you're a fan of killer Bigfoot stories. It's the perfect summer beach read.
Like any slasher-style book, we start off Bigfoot Beach with an attack on an amorous young couple. The young man is savagely butchered and the young woman is carried off. Based on the title of the book, it's no secret what the attacker is. Then it jumps to the arrival of Paul Thompson, his hunky teenage son, Gunner, who apparently doesn't know how attractive he is, and his eight-year-old daughter, Natalie.
Their arrival in Seashell Cove is supposed to be a new start for them. We learn that Paul is a hunky hero cop and is in town to take on the role of deputy to his big brother's sheriff. We also learn that Paul's wife has suffered a breakdown and attempted to kill him, so she's out of the picture for good. He's soon to learn of the town's local celebrity, a legendary Bigfoot that appeared a little over a year ago and is the scapegoat for many of the town's disappearances and killings. Why Bigfoot and not a bear or some other wild animal? The footprints left behind. As the story progresses, we are introduced to the other key players: Howie Thompson, the equally hunky sheriff and Paul's big brother; Trish Thompson,the sheriff's wife who has movie star looks; Mayor Caine, a pompous ass who sees the Bigfoot as a way to spur the town's economy, provided they can keep the murders under wraps; Becky Aniston, the local reporter (who also happens to be drop-dead gorgeous -- maybe the new Mrs. Thompson?) who dreams of breaking that one big story that will land her a job with the big boys; Megan Caine, the mayor's daughter, also drop-dead gorgeous and often runs around in a bikini top -- yeah, I'll come back to this; Striker, the rugged bounty hunter who has been on the trail of the Bigfoot for some time; and a host of assorted cannon fodder.
As the body count rises, the sheriff and Paul, along with Becky, Mayor Caine, and Striker, lead a search for the creature, which leaves them through a labyrinth of caverns not too far from the Mayor's mansion. Meanwhile Gunner is making goo-goo eyes at the Mayor's daughter and ogling his aunt's tits. Yeah, of all the characters, I like Gunner the least and hope he turns into Bigfoot chow before the end of the book. It all leads up to a thrilling chase across the beach and to an abandoned miniature golf course. Like all slashers, there are some unintentionally funny scenes, as well as several eye-roll moments, but all in all, Bigfoot Beach was a solid story. There were only a couple of things I took issue with.
First of all, I read an e-book version of Bigfoot Beach, and the formatting was awful. Like this post, there were blank lines between every paragraph, which, in the case of this post, is unavoidable as they don't allow for paragraph indents (or if they do, I haven't figured it out yet). But in the book, it was distracting enough to pull you out of the story, especially when there's a series of short lines of dialogue. Second was the adolescent way Gunner's fawning over women was handled. I mean, Gunner is supposed to be 17 years old, so why does it feel like he's 13 and has never seen a woman before, especially one in a bikini, let alone naked? And his ogling of his aunt comes across as sleazy/pervy. It's almost like there was a blatant attempt here to emulate Richard Laymon, which, to me, is not a good thing. These scenes could have been lifted directly from Laymon's Island, with only the character names changed. Practically every Gunner scene had me praying Bigfoot would break in and rip his head off to save me from any more eye-roll moments. Paul is almost as bad with Becky and Trish. Almost. But not nearly as bad as Gunner, so he was allowed to live in my mind.
Those issues aside, I enjoyed Bigfoot Beach, but taking these issues into account, I feel the need to subtract a point, so a solid 4 star read becomes 3 stars. Given how I feel about these issues, would I recommend the book. Definitely. Especially if you're a fan of killer Bigfoot stories. It's the perfect summer beach read.
September 4, 2024
You're…real…
Wow. I don't know why I feel like I should in some way apologize but I really REALLY liked "Bigfoot Beach" by author Kristopher Rufty, which I'm rating 4 1/2 stars (noting a few editing hiccups along the way). In fact, this was not only one of my best reads so far in my "Cryptid Challenge Read-a-thon" but honestly one my most enjoyable reads of the year in any genre! The pacing was fantastic, the characters had incredible depth across the board, the action was honestly unexpectedly at a pedal to the metal level and the ending was fantastic! All that and a good smattering of tasteful (+/-) humor to boot! And seriously, if you have spent as much of your life as I have at the North Carolina coast, the author flat out nailed the spirit of small community beaches! Honestly, I felt like I was out to hunt for megalodon teeth at the day's first low tide and stop off later for a shrimp burger at the pier!
We are not here to have fun. We’re fucking here to kill a monster.
In fact, if I were pushed to name my LEAST favorite part of the book, I would have to say it was a tie between what I feel is an unfortunate title and a rather weak cover. In fact, if I hadn't taken my time to thoroughly read the book promo blurb, I might not have picked this book up, thinking it was maybe one of those odd cryptid-/creature-porn books that make up far too much of the market. And though you can't argue really that the cover is inaccurate, it doesn't serve this more-in-depth-than-expected tale at all. Oh well, I guess sometimes you do have to judge a book solely by its content and not the fancy (or not) artwork that adorns its sleeve! Does that make sense? (I'm not doing well with my synonyms for "book cover"!)
This was just a part of something that was going to get a hell of a lot worse.
Rufty's characters both human and not - and maybe even arguably semi-human, too - really carried things! Many of the main players having seen tragedies that led them to this kind of foreseen meeting while others were just well-rounded and convincing co-stars in their own right. Even in moments where the author wanted to just underline the sheer terror this community was facing, he did an excellent job bringing folks to life. Again, maybe it's because of my own experiences, but there was just so much of this setting and these citizens that rang true and real. And, oh yeah, hot dogs and ice cream? Gotta have it!
You killed my Papa and now I’m going to kill you.
So if you're like me and wanted to find a really strong Bigfoot lore book to pass the time, you could do a LOT worse than "Bigfoot Beach". Yeah, ok, we spent a little too much time lusting for sexy Aunt Trish and the pure stank of teenage hormones threatened to overwhelm on occasion, but otherwise, great stuff! Just convince yourself it has nothing to do with any kind of story that starts off with "I was Bigfoot's lover" (hm, on second thought… nope, no spoilers) and enjoy this excellent tale that would make for an awesome NETFLIX jaunt through the lore of the hairy guy! Me? I'm going to go check out the author's catalogue and maybe have more to post later! Besides, how can you resist this kind of imagery:
The body of his acoustic guitar protruded from between his buttocks as if it was a dialogue balloon in a comic strip and his ass had something to say.
Wow. I don't know why I feel like I should in some way apologize but I really REALLY liked "Bigfoot Beach" by author Kristopher Rufty, which I'm rating 4 1/2 stars (noting a few editing hiccups along the way). In fact, this was not only one of my best reads so far in my "Cryptid Challenge Read-a-thon" but honestly one my most enjoyable reads of the year in any genre! The pacing was fantastic, the characters had incredible depth across the board, the action was honestly unexpectedly at a pedal to the metal level and the ending was fantastic! All that and a good smattering of tasteful (+/-) humor to boot! And seriously, if you have spent as much of your life as I have at the North Carolina coast, the author flat out nailed the spirit of small community beaches! Honestly, I felt like I was out to hunt for megalodon teeth at the day's first low tide and stop off later for a shrimp burger at the pier!
We are not here to have fun. We’re fucking here to kill a monster.
In fact, if I were pushed to name my LEAST favorite part of the book, I would have to say it was a tie between what I feel is an unfortunate title and a rather weak cover. In fact, if I hadn't taken my time to thoroughly read the book promo blurb, I might not have picked this book up, thinking it was maybe one of those odd cryptid-/creature-porn books that make up far too much of the market. And though you can't argue really that the cover is inaccurate, it doesn't serve this more-in-depth-than-expected tale at all. Oh well, I guess sometimes you do have to judge a book solely by its content and not the fancy (or not) artwork that adorns its sleeve! Does that make sense? (I'm not doing well with my synonyms for "book cover"!)
This was just a part of something that was going to get a hell of a lot worse.
Rufty's characters both human and not - and maybe even arguably semi-human, too - really carried things! Many of the main players having seen tragedies that led them to this kind of foreseen meeting while others were just well-rounded and convincing co-stars in their own right. Even in moments where the author wanted to just underline the sheer terror this community was facing, he did an excellent job bringing folks to life. Again, maybe it's because of my own experiences, but there was just so much of this setting and these citizens that rang true and real. And, oh yeah, hot dogs and ice cream? Gotta have it!
You killed my Papa and now I’m going to kill you.
So if you're like me and wanted to find a really strong Bigfoot lore book to pass the time, you could do a LOT worse than "Bigfoot Beach". Yeah, ok, we spent a little too much time lusting for sexy Aunt Trish and the pure stank of teenage hormones threatened to overwhelm on occasion, but otherwise, great stuff! Just convince yourself it has nothing to do with any kind of story that starts off with "I was Bigfoot's lover" (hm, on second thought… nope, no spoilers) and enjoy this excellent tale that would make for an awesome NETFLIX jaunt through the lore of the hairy guy! Me? I'm going to go check out the author's catalogue and maybe have more to post later! Besides, how can you resist this kind of imagery:
The body of his acoustic guitar protruded from between his buttocks as if it was a dialogue balloon in a comic strip and his ass had something to say.
November 4, 2021
A decent read - mostly for the gore tbh.
A couple of jarring editing problems such as missing words or improper grammer. There were at least 3 passages where editing would have helped with cohesion and clarity. Ironically, no spelling , punctuation errors or duplicate words.
Plus the dialogue at times was so cringey! Mostly thinking of the police station bit - you'll know it if you've read it.
Intriguing plot and story. Good description of the gore and i really liked the search for Bigfoot on the beach. (Trying to avoid spoilers.)
The epilogue may have been the best written part of the book though in terms of editing, realism and immersion.
Oh also... every woman apart from a villainous one has long blonde hair... erm... it got so old hearing the fifth woman/girl described in that way.
A couple of jarring editing problems such as missing words or improper grammer. There were at least 3 passages where editing would have helped with cohesion and clarity. Ironically, no spelling , punctuation errors or duplicate words.
Plus the dialogue at times was so cringey! Mostly thinking of the police station bit - you'll know it if you've read it.
Intriguing plot and story. Good description of the gore and i really liked the search for Bigfoot on the beach. (Trying to avoid spoilers.)
The epilogue may have been the best written part of the book though in terms of editing, realism and immersion.
Oh also... every woman apart from a villainous one has long blonde hair... erm... it got so old hearing the fifth woman/girl described in that way.
July 15, 2022
DNF @ 31%
I tried, I really did but this book needed a lot of revisions and a good editor. It seems like all author’s money went toward the kitschy book cover, which by the way, is the best part of the book besides a murder is Bigfoot.
There is most likely a good horror story in this book, however, it’s bogged down with bad dialogue that’s unnecessary and cringe. The author likes to tell the reader everything the characters are doing. For instance, “he took his shorts off and shoes then headed toward the water” how about just say, “he undressed and headed for the water” All I’m saying is editing is a good thing.
The parts with the Bigfoot kills are cool. All the other mundane subplots are boring.
I wish this book had rocked because there are few Bigfoot horror books published and there needs to be more - just well written and engaging
I tried, I really did but this book needed a lot of revisions and a good editor. It seems like all author’s money went toward the kitschy book cover, which by the way, is the best part of the book besides a murder is Bigfoot.
There is most likely a good horror story in this book, however, it’s bogged down with bad dialogue that’s unnecessary and cringe. The author likes to tell the reader everything the characters are doing. For instance, “he took his shorts off and shoes then headed toward the water” how about just say, “he undressed and headed for the water” All I’m saying is editing is a good thing.
The parts with the Bigfoot kills are cool. All the other mundane subplots are boring.
I wish this book had rocked because there are few Bigfoot horror books published and there needs to be more - just well written and engaging
August 10, 2022
I want to love every book I read, but unfortunately it doesn’t always happen. There were a few moments of gory violence that I found entertaining with this one, but they were too few and far between to feel worth reading the rest. Everything was sexualized, but very adolescent-sometimes that can work as wacky humor, but it never got there for me. I couldn’t connect to the characters and while I can often suspend reality when I’m reading fiction, nothing that they did made any kind of sense to me so it was hard not to roll my eyes. I also wasn’t a fan of how the mental health issues were addressed and there was a scene with a homophobic character that I found pointless and unnecessary. I think if the story had been cut down, a couple of the characters has been more likable, and the focus stayed on Bigfoot and the havoc he brought to the beach I would’ve been able to enjoy it much more.
July 1, 2022
FROM THE BLOG:
Well this was certainly a wild something something.
Delivering exactly what it says on the tin, Kristopher Rufty's Bigfoot Beach is a gory (so gory), over-the-top (so over-the-top) summer slasher that happens to feature a colossal cryptid in lieu of a murderous maniac.
While I can certainly see the appeal for these kind of stories, at the end of the day it just wasn't for me. Despite its characters being considerably more fleshed out than in the standard Syfy creature feature fare, it never rose above its schlocky horror movie premise enough for me to fully engage with it. I had a lot of issues with it, mostly in terms of the writing and plotting, which is fine and serviceable for most of the book but then would go on these truly baffling tangents (mostly of the sexual kind, which I understand often comes with the territory in these types of stories, but it kept popping up in sequences where it had no business popping up — for instance, having a character who has just witnessed an old friend being torn apart immediately ogle a woman's behind for a paragraph or two).
Still, Rufty does have a knack for going all out with the action set-pieces here, which are fun and ludicrous and chockfull of imaginative, gruesome kills and honestly sometimes that's all you really want out monster book.
Well this was certainly a wild something something.
Delivering exactly what it says on the tin, Kristopher Rufty's Bigfoot Beach is a gory (so gory), over-the-top (so over-the-top) summer slasher that happens to feature a colossal cryptid in lieu of a murderous maniac.
While I can certainly see the appeal for these kind of stories, at the end of the day it just wasn't for me. Despite its characters being considerably more fleshed out than in the standard Syfy creature feature fare, it never rose above its schlocky horror movie premise enough for me to fully engage with it. I had a lot of issues with it, mostly in terms of the writing and plotting, which is fine and serviceable for most of the book but then would go on these truly baffling tangents (mostly of the sexual kind, which I understand often comes with the territory in these types of stories, but it kept popping up in sequences where it had no business popping up — for instance, having a character who has just witnessed an old friend being torn apart immediately ogle a woman's behind for a paragraph or two).
Still, Rufty does have a knack for going all out with the action set-pieces here, which are fun and ludicrous and chockfull of imaginative, gruesome kills and honestly sometimes that's all you really want out monster book.
March 27, 2018
Probably the weakest of the rufty novels but still fun
I found myself drifting through this one. All the other novels have held my attention well, this one simply, did not. Dunno if it was the characters, or the story, or the monster (I’m kinda thinking it was the uninteresting “monster”), but it was the hardest one for me to finish by far.
I found myself drifting through this one. All the other novels have held my attention well, this one simply, did not. Dunno if it was the characters, or the story, or the monster (I’m kinda thinking it was the uninteresting “monster”), but it was the hardest one for me to finish by far.
February 11, 2018
A fun, trashy monster book that’s let down by some truly awful dialogue and a Bigfoot chase at the end that goes on far too long. However, the author creates some interesting characters and a doom laden atmosphere at times that makes up for the other shortcomings.
August 21, 2022
This book is horny AF - 36 mentions of breasts. You’d NEVER guess this was written by a dude.
That said, this book DOES nail the B-movie vibe big time, and in that way it is a blast. Also, it has the best over the top and original kill scene I’ve read in ages.
That said, this book DOES nail the B-movie vibe big time, and in that way it is a blast. Also, it has the best over the top and original kill scene I’ve read in ages.
March 8, 2018
DNF.
It just lost me. Would make a cool 80-90 minute SyFy movie.
It just lost me. Would make a cool 80-90 minute SyFy movie.
January 29, 2021
3.5*. A really fun romp most of the time.
July 23, 2021
Think if Jaws had been written by Richard Laymon. And replace the great white shark with bigfoot. Why can't more books be this much fun
April 29, 2015
Remember Harry and the Hendersons? Remember how sweet, kind, and gentle Harry was?
Well forget Harry because this bigfoot is mean, He's nasty. And he stinks.
When a young couple is attacked on the beach, the boy killed and the girl abducted, all that's found are giant footprints in the sand. The town is struggling to make enough money in the summer to sustain them through the winter, so they decide to cash in on the strange occurences.
Bifoot Tshirts, Bigfoot boogie boards, Bigfoot Beach.
But as the body count begins to rise and the sightings become more frequent, it becomes apparent that Bigfoot has made this town his home. The town that once welcomed Bigfoot and the tourists he attracted must now band together to fight him and save their town, before there isn't a town left.
Once again, as I do with all Kristopher Rufty's book, I read this book in one sitting. Rufty sprinkles just enough gore on this story to tell it successfully without resorting to the shock factor to get the point across.
Recommended for all fans of horror, Bigfoot, and a great read.
Well forget Harry because this bigfoot is mean, He's nasty. And he stinks.
When a young couple is attacked on the beach, the boy killed and the girl abducted, all that's found are giant footprints in the sand. The town is struggling to make enough money in the summer to sustain them through the winter, so they decide to cash in on the strange occurences.
Bifoot Tshirts, Bigfoot boogie boards, Bigfoot Beach.
But as the body count begins to rise and the sightings become more frequent, it becomes apparent that Bigfoot has made this town his home. The town that once welcomed Bigfoot and the tourists he attracted must now band together to fight him and save their town, before there isn't a town left.
Once again, as I do with all Kristopher Rufty's book, I read this book in one sitting. Rufty sprinkles just enough gore on this story to tell it successfully without resorting to the shock factor to get the point across.
Recommended for all fans of horror, Bigfoot, and a great read.
March 10, 2016
Bigfoot Beach. The title had me sold from the get go and Kristopher Rufty did not disappoint. The writing is almost poetic, as I read, I could feel the cool breeze of the ocean against my face, warm sand in between my toes, and the think fur of a Sasquatch as he grabbed me up and squashed my head into jelly. The backstory behind the Bigfoot being alive and at the beach is probably the most interesting part of the story--almost a story within itself. It is a very creative approach to the legend of the giant hairy beast and one that I could easily see adopted into the lore. Rufty has a way of writing about the monster as almost being human. I felt bad for it on more than one occasion, but then was quickly reminded that it is merciless and would kill me if I got to close.
May 26, 2015
This is an easy reading bigfoot very gory horror story. Action is constant and you won't get bored! My only complaint is the constant implication by the author that men only want to stare at women's THIS and THAT. It would seem the men in this book are a bunch of horn-dogs and even if they are not the woman in the book think they are. The author may want to find some more words to describe a woman's skin past tawny. LOL. The book seems written to become a cheap sci-fi/horror movie. Don't have sex at the beach or near the beach or a bigfoot will get you. That said, I still enjoyed the overall read and would have handed it another star if it weren't for the above mentioned points.
May 14, 2015
Yeah...no. Another unreadable book (I grab these things off of Amazon for $3.99, then just return them). You may have known that Amazon refused to continue publishing 'Bigfoot Erotica," which is apparently a thing, Well, this guy was creeping right up to the line, I can tell you that. Fortunately for me, it was so badly written that I couldn't make it past 20 pages or so.
Bigfoot erotica. Seriously.
http://www.businessinsider.com/monste...
Bigfoot erotica. Seriously.
http://www.businessinsider.com/monste...
June 6, 2023
A good old fashioned creature feature horror novel.
A once hero cop moves to a small seaside town. Strange things are happening. People and pets are disappearing, and the locals blame Bigfoot, hoping to revive the local economy.
Of course, a Bigfoot really is to blame, and things start getting out of hand. A diverse group of plucky townspeople band together to stop the menace.
Plenty of tension and gore.
A once hero cop moves to a small seaside town. Strange things are happening. People and pets are disappearing, and the locals blame Bigfoot, hoping to revive the local economy.
Of course, a Bigfoot really is to blame, and things start getting out of hand. A diverse group of plucky townspeople band together to stop the menace.
Plenty of tension and gore.
June 15, 2015
Not bad
The story was good. Lots of action. If you don't like gore forget it. Kept my attention. Paul could have been a bit more macho considering his previous job. Good for Bigfoot fans.
The story was good. Lots of action. If you don't like gore forget it. Kept my attention. Paul could have been a bit more macho considering his previous job. Good for Bigfoot fans.
May 30, 2015
I really didn't want to rate this one as high as I did but I realized I couldn't put it down. Great characters and story with some unbelievable twists.
July 3, 2015
A very fun read! I really enjoyed this book. A lot of good scares, thrills, and chills.
July 18, 2016
Good read
I enjoyed it
Fun well written
I enjoyed it
Fun well written
August 30, 2016
Good
It was OK for a fantasy book it was a little slow to start and some what boring until end
It was OK for a fantasy book it was a little slow to start and some what boring until end
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