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Wounded Animals
Freshly released from a court-ordered rehab, Nora Hoffman has nowhere left to go. Unsure of her next move, she retreats to the last place she can think of, her estranged grandfather’s retirement community on the outskirts of Palm Springs. There she can only hope to disappear long enough to rebuild her life.
It's August and sweltering. Most residents have fled the desert for cooler climates, leaving behind a handful of stubborn retirees, lonely misfits, and colorful eccentrics. The isolated community is quiet, forgotten, and far removed from everything Nora is trying to escape.
Then a violent sandstorm tears through the valley. Power and phone service fail, and a fallen tree blocks the only way out, cutting the community off from the outside world. With temperatures soaring and the nearest town thirty miles away, survival quickly becomes a daily struggle…Especially when the residents begin mysteriously dying. As the body count grows, becoming increasingly brutal and impossible to explain, fear spreads through the isolated community, and suspicion turns neighbor against neighbor. Trapped beneath an unforgiving sun, with dwindling supplies and no way to call for help, Nora is forced to confront both the mystery surrounding the deaths, and the demons that drove her to rehab in the first place. Whoever is stalking the retirement community isn't finished yet… and if she can't uncover the truth, no one will make it out alive.
A unique and immersive auditory experience, this audiobook blends evocative music, cinematic sound design, and a riveting performance by Abigail Wahl & Victor Warren that will plunge listeners deep into a thrilling narrative that delivers a powerful emotional punch.
It's August and sweltering. Most residents have fled the desert for cooler climates, leaving behind a handful of stubborn retirees, lonely misfits, and colorful eccentrics. The isolated community is quiet, forgotten, and far removed from everything Nora is trying to escape.
Then a violent sandstorm tears through the valley. Power and phone service fail, and a fallen tree blocks the only way out, cutting the community off from the outside world. With temperatures soaring and the nearest town thirty miles away, survival quickly becomes a daily struggle…Especially when the residents begin mysteriously dying. As the body count grows, becoming increasingly brutal and impossible to explain, fear spreads through the isolated community, and suspicion turns neighbor against neighbor. Trapped beneath an unforgiving sun, with dwindling supplies and no way to call for help, Nora is forced to confront both the mystery surrounding the deaths, and the demons that drove her to rehab in the first place. Whoever is stalking the retirement community isn't finished yet… and if she can't uncover the truth, no one will make it out alive.
A unique and immersive auditory experience, this audiobook blends evocative music, cinematic sound design, and a riveting performance by Abigail Wahl & Victor Warren that will plunge listeners deep into a thrilling narrative that delivers a powerful emotional punch.
285 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 30, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
September 4, 2026
ARC REVIEW. Nora moves in with her grandfather after coming out of rehab to get her life back on track. But she stumbles onto something unexpected.
This was delightful. I loved Nora and Morris and want more of them please! They were just lovely. The story was good, I enjoyed the journey and the ending was very satisfying which was great. Hope the author brings these characters back.
This was delightful. I loved Nora and Morris and want more of them please! They were just lovely. The story was good, I enjoyed the journey and the ending was very satisfying which was great. Hope the author brings these characters back.
September 14, 2026
4.5 ⭐️
This story starts out in one of my favorite ways, with a totally out-of-control, unhinged narrator. The first chapter was wild and pretty darn hilarious, with somewhat relatable parts as well. You are reading from the point of view of Nora as she tells the story of her officially hitting rock bottom with her alcoholism. She's totally insane in her decisions, but having made a few (much less terrible) questionable decisions whilst drinking, I can definitely say I had fun reading the thought process behind the questionable (see: bad) decisions she makes.
After reading the line "Women like her referred to them as blouses. Women like me just called them shirts." I knew I was going to enjoy it, and I will likely relate to our FMC.
In the next chapter, we hear from Morris and learn he is our second main character. The book then switches between Nora and Morris's points of view. We learn that Nora is preparing to live with Morris after her stint in rehab following the first-chapter incident, and that Morris lives in a retirement community in the desert.
As the story progresses and the dead bodies start to add up around the retirement community, it quickly becomes a "whodunit" with many scenarios to consider as you try to figure it out.
The first descriptor tag for this book was "horror", and unfortunately I can't agree at all with that. I didn't find this even close to a horror novel. Mystery/thriller? Absolutely. I might even go as far as to say it's a cozy mystery/thriller. While some parts ALMOST cross into horror, it never quite gets there. You could also describe it as having a sprinkling of historical fiction, since it takes place in the '70s and includes quite a few flashbacks from Morris, some of which I felt were kind of unnecessary, and I could have done without them in the long run. However, Morris is so adorable you can't help but enjoy reading his flashbacks regardless.
All in all, I enjoyed this book, even though it wasn't horror as I expected. It was well written and fast-paced for sure! I did wonder about the random page breaks throughout the book, as well as some oddly tabbed lines, but this may just be an ebook issue and not necessarily a writing issue.
I will definitely recommend this book to my friends who like mystery/thriller/cozy books, with the caveat that it has a lot of swear words and a teeny tiny bit of icky body and scent descriptions.
*I received an advance review copy for free from BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.*
This story starts out in one of my favorite ways, with a totally out-of-control, unhinged narrator. The first chapter was wild and pretty darn hilarious, with somewhat relatable parts as well. You are reading from the point of view of Nora as she tells the story of her officially hitting rock bottom with her alcoholism. She's totally insane in her decisions, but having made a few (much less terrible) questionable decisions whilst drinking, I can definitely say I had fun reading the thought process behind the questionable (see: bad) decisions she makes.
After reading the line "Women like her referred to them as blouses. Women like me just called them shirts." I knew I was going to enjoy it, and I will likely relate to our FMC.
In the next chapter, we hear from Morris and learn he is our second main character. The book then switches between Nora and Morris's points of view. We learn that Nora is preparing to live with Morris after her stint in rehab following the first-chapter incident, and that Morris lives in a retirement community in the desert.
As the story progresses and the dead bodies start to add up around the retirement community, it quickly becomes a "whodunit" with many scenarios to consider as you try to figure it out.
The first descriptor tag for this book was "horror", and unfortunately I can't agree at all with that. I didn't find this even close to a horror novel. Mystery/thriller? Absolutely. I might even go as far as to say it's a cozy mystery/thriller. While some parts ALMOST cross into horror, it never quite gets there. You could also describe it as having a sprinkling of historical fiction, since it takes place in the '70s and includes quite a few flashbacks from Morris, some of which I felt were kind of unnecessary, and I could have done without them in the long run. However, Morris is so adorable you can't help but enjoy reading his flashbacks regardless.
All in all, I enjoyed this book, even though it wasn't horror as I expected. It was well written and fast-paced for sure! I did wonder about the random page breaks throughout the book, as well as some oddly tabbed lines, but this may just be an ebook issue and not necessarily a writing issue.
I will definitely recommend this book to my friends who like mystery/thriller/cozy books, with the caveat that it has a lot of swear words and a teeny tiny bit of icky body and scent descriptions.
*I received an advance review copy for free from BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.*
September 29, 2026
What a roller coaster ride of a read! So, take your favorite disaster movie- you know, the one where the characters are trapped somewhere, like an island or a snowed-in mountain cabin- and add a serial killer to the mix. Set one or two people in charge (people you think you can trust). Now add scenes from your nightmare movies- those that involve acid on human bodies, bad guys who seem to have superhuman powers; mix well, and you have Wounded Animals. Oh! My! Stars! Mr. Petrick had me reading and turning pages as quickly as I could. I highly recommend any of his work for fans of twisted suspense, mild horror, and wonderful characters. Mr. Petrick also provides a deep and honest look into the struggles of a recovering alcoholic. (At least, it felt deep and honest to me.) I could have done with a little less profanity, but BookSirens warned me, so I didn't let it affect my rating. I received a review copy from the author via BookSirens, and this review reflects my honest and voluntary opinion.
September 25, 2026
4.5/5 I enjoyed this book and look forward to more mystery novels from this author. I thought it was really well written and very engaging from the start. Hooked me in the first few pages.
I was unsure about the choice of narration at the beginning (from two perspectives), but it actually worked out well for this kind of story. I liked both characters and they seemed realistic/believable. I also quite enjoyed the other characters written.
This is heavily a murder mystery genre but there is minimal bit of LGB and romance to the story line not mentioned in the summary. I tend to avoid lovey-dovey, but felt like the murder mystery well overpowered the mushy bits. I personally could do without some of the sexual descriptions but that’s my preference. Overall I felt the genres balanced out well for my tastes and I’m glad I picked this one up.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I was unsure about the choice of narration at the beginning (from two perspectives), but it actually worked out well for this kind of story. I liked both characters and they seemed realistic/believable. I also quite enjoyed the other characters written.
This is heavily a murder mystery genre but there is minimal bit of LGB and romance to the story line not mentioned in the summary. I tend to avoid lovey-dovey, but felt like the murder mystery well overpowered the mushy bits. I personally could do without some of the sexual descriptions but that’s my preference. Overall I felt the genres balanced out well for my tastes and I’m glad I picked this one up.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 21, 2026
A gripping and emotionally charged read that pulls you into a world where damaged people, difficult choices, and buried secrets collide.
J. M. Petrick does a great job of creating tension and keeping the story moving, with characters who feel flawed, complex, and convincingly human. There’s plenty to keep you turning the pages, and I particularly enjoyed the darker, more unpredictable elements of the story.
For me, there were a few moments where the pacing dipped slightly, which stopped it from being a full five-star read, but overall this was a compelling and thought-provoking book that stayed with me after I finished.
I'd definitely like to read more about Morris and Nora, for sure.
Thank you to the author and Book Sirens for the opportunity to read this eARC, and I leave this review voluntarily.
J. M. Petrick does a great job of creating tension and keeping the story moving, with characters who feel flawed, complex, and convincingly human. There’s plenty to keep you turning the pages, and I particularly enjoyed the darker, more unpredictable elements of the story.
For me, there were a few moments where the pacing dipped slightly, which stopped it from being a full five-star read, but overall this was a compelling and thought-provoking book that stayed with me after I finished.
I'd definitely like to read more about Morris and Nora, for sure.
Thank you to the author and Book Sirens for the opportunity to read this eARC, and I leave this review voluntarily.
September 23, 2026
First things first, this is not an horror book, not in the slightest; you can call it a crime-thriller-whudunit, or just a thriller, but not horror.
Well, wait...maybe the idea of being a recovering alcoholic trapped in a retirement community, surrounded by o, under an extreme heatwave, with a killer on a loose sound pretty horrific...
Told from 2 different POV, a young woman struggling with anger issues and her grandfather, the book gets a bit uneven; when is told by the woman is fun, snappy and fast paced, but when it switchs to the old man is all about nostalgia, and the pace of the book suffers from it.
Anyway, a fast read that would appeal to any thriller fan out there.
ARC provided from the very nice people in BookSirens. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Well, wait...maybe the idea of being a recovering alcoholic trapped in a retirement community, surrounded by o, under an extreme heatwave, with a killer on a loose sound pretty horrific...
Told from 2 different POV, a young woman struggling with anger issues and her grandfather, the book gets a bit uneven; when is told by the woman is fun, snappy and fast paced, but when it switchs to the old man is all about nostalgia, and the pace of the book suffers from it.
Anyway, a fast read that would appeal to any thriller fan out there.
ARC provided from the very nice people in BookSirens. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews