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What's The Time Mr. Wolfdog?: A Dark Psychological Thriller
Before the lone wolf’s cry, Tim Connery had been resigned to the fact of a cold Christmas alone. Encompassed by snowy landscapes, the views from his cottage toward the outbound vistas were but another reminder of his desolation.
Deserted by his wife and children, he is forced into the gradual admittance of his betrayal, and in keeping an unspeakable secret that is slowly tearing him apart.
Before long however, Tim suddenly finds himself surrounded by a battalion of desperate and starving dogs that have recently broken free from the nearest pound for illegal and unstable animals. Since being liberated from restraint and subservient only to a vicious pack leader, they will do anything and eat anything to survive - and Tim is no exception to the menu.
The unpredicted appearance of a woman's dead body however, finally brings Tim to his knees, forcing him to finally confront not only his past and his future, but the very fundamentals of his faith in God. It becomes apparent thereafter that death is no stranger to Tim, when truth is revealed at even the most unexpected of times.
Here, the line between man and beast becomes lost in the overwhelming will to endure and overcome, wherein only the victor will survive to tell the tale.
Deserted by his wife and children, he is forced into the gradual admittance of his betrayal, and in keeping an unspeakable secret that is slowly tearing him apart.
Before long however, Tim suddenly finds himself surrounded by a battalion of desperate and starving dogs that have recently broken free from the nearest pound for illegal and unstable animals. Since being liberated from restraint and subservient only to a vicious pack leader, they will do anything and eat anything to survive - and Tim is no exception to the menu.
The unpredicted appearance of a woman's dead body however, finally brings Tim to his knees, forcing him to finally confront not only his past and his future, but the very fundamentals of his faith in God. It becomes apparent thereafter that death is no stranger to Tim, when truth is revealed at even the most unexpected of times.
Here, the line between man and beast becomes lost in the overwhelming will to endure and overcome, wherein only the victor will survive to tell the tale.
- GenresHorror
185 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 6, 2015
3 people are currently reading
237 people want to read
About the author
Stephen J. Willis
9 books38 followersI am an eclectic writer with a few short stories, a thriller and a children's series under my belt. I have lots more projects underway including some screenplays and much more!
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
February 14, 2018
The authors writing is a pleasure indeed to read, the book is superbly crafted and he has presented the reader will a well polished piece of fiction. The book has been excellently planned and contains a superb twist. The writing style is refreshingly unique and raises some interesting issues which will remain with you after you've read the final page.
April 15, 2018
Firstly, we didn't have the children's game "What's the Time Mr. Wolf" where I grew up. My wife says she used to play "What's the Time Mr. Fox" which is essentially the same game. It's similar to "Mother May I" if that helps. Anyway, if anyone thought the title strange (like I did) it's actually a perfect fit.
This is an interesting read. There's a great deal of historical and biblical references that pepper the pages which add a sort of literary flare which is welcome. Given that the title is a sort of light-horror genre, the cerebral themes fit well. It's a smooth read from start to finish and the (fairly short) book shows a great deal of polish throughout. There's really not a word out of place here in this tale of isolation, danger and (surprisingly) guilt and regret. I could easily recommend this to fans looking for a quick thriller with some literary qualities.
My only one complaint (keeping this from 5 stars) is that there's a great deal that's happened to the protagonist just before the book starts. We don't find out what until later. While I don't mind out of order storytelling, the character didn't seem as affected by these life-changing events (I think) as someone would be in this case, until he started reflecting on things later on.
One closing thought, the moment when the title is spoken aloud in context I couldn't help but cheer. Partially for the character, partially for the author. I found myself thinking, "You mad man! You actually did it!" It's a great moment. #NailedIt
This is an interesting read. There's a great deal of historical and biblical references that pepper the pages which add a sort of literary flare which is welcome. Given that the title is a sort of light-horror genre, the cerebral themes fit well. It's a smooth read from start to finish and the (fairly short) book shows a great deal of polish throughout. There's really not a word out of place here in this tale of isolation, danger and (surprisingly) guilt and regret. I could easily recommend this to fans looking for a quick thriller with some literary qualities.
My only one complaint (keeping this from 5 stars) is that there's a great deal that's happened to the protagonist just before the book starts. We don't find out what until later. While I don't mind out of order storytelling, the character didn't seem as affected by these life-changing events (I think) as someone would be in this case, until he started reflecting on things later on.
One closing thought, the moment when the title is spoken aloud in context I couldn't help but cheer. Partially for the character, partially for the author. I found myself thinking, "You mad man! You actually did it!" It's a great moment. #NailedIt
July 9, 2018
This was quite a unique book. Filled with Bible references, literary quotes and French and Latin speech, I certainly felt I got a glimpse and the enormity of the author's mind and ideas for this story.
It is billed as a psychological thriller which I think is spot on; dark, gloomy, chilling and at times brutal. A snapshot into how wrong choices can have big consequences and how only small factors have to change for a lonely and quiet evening to take such a dramatic turn.
I highly recommend it for anyone looking for a well-written short horror or thriller.
It is billed as a psychological thriller which I think is spot on; dark, gloomy, chilling and at times brutal. A snapshot into how wrong choices can have big consequences and how only small factors have to change for a lonely and quiet evening to take such a dramatic turn.
I highly recommend it for anyone looking for a well-written short horror or thriller.
June 9, 2018
***Actual Rating 3.5***
Overall
This is a shorter read which was a major plus. There are a lot of glossary terms at the end, so the book was shorter then I was anticipating. The writing was easy to read and created many vivid scenes. It did a good job bringing in other senses and setting the eerie feeling. It was gripping and surprising more then a few times. However, some of the surprises didn't necessarily match up with the blurb 'unpredictable appearance' is paper thin. That being said after a slow start and a character I found somewhat annoying, I was sucked in. I had to know what was going to happen to Tim and who of his newly loyal beasts would survive the night. It was gripping at times and down right chilling at others.
This was a horror story with a humanity element that twisted itself around the grotesque scenes like a bow. As with most horror though, once the crisis was averted the story simply ended without wrapping up many aspects of the story. Which speaks to excellent writing because a character I disliked for most of the book, I still invested in knowing what happens to him. What really clenched it for me was by the time he faced the 'final boss' I was starting to question how realistic it was and how timid Tim could really accomplish some of that. Beyond that, it was a great horror read for a quiet evening in.
Rating
3.5 Stars (rounded down and up)
Overall this was an okay read that had a lot of great chilling moments and action oriented scenes. A horror with a human angle.
This review is voluntary. More reviews at creatingworldswithwords.wordpress.com.
Overall
This is a shorter read which was a major plus. There are a lot of glossary terms at the end, so the book was shorter then I was anticipating. The writing was easy to read and created many vivid scenes. It did a good job bringing in other senses and setting the eerie feeling. It was gripping and surprising more then a few times. However, some of the surprises didn't necessarily match up with the blurb 'unpredictable appearance' is paper thin. That being said after a slow start and a character I found somewhat annoying, I was sucked in. I had to know what was going to happen to Tim and who of his newly loyal beasts would survive the night. It was gripping at times and down right chilling at others.
This was a horror story with a humanity element that twisted itself around the grotesque scenes like a bow. As with most horror though, once the crisis was averted the story simply ended without wrapping up many aspects of the story. Which speaks to excellent writing because a character I disliked for most of the book, I still invested in knowing what happens to him. What really clenched it for me was by the time he faced the 'final boss' I was starting to question how realistic it was and how timid Tim could really accomplish some of that. Beyond that, it was a great horror read for a quiet evening in.
Rating
3.5 Stars (rounded down and up)
Overall this was an okay read that had a lot of great chilling moments and action oriented scenes. A horror with a human angle.
This review is voluntary. More reviews at creatingworldswithwords.wordpress.com.
July 3, 2018
I was on the edge of my seat reading this well-written, fast-paced thriller/horror novel. Tim Connery finds himself alone at Christmas, his workshop surrounded by a pack of vicious, starving hybrid dogs which have escaped from the local pound.
It was reminiscent of some of Stephen King’s stories, with the tension ratcheting up as Tim has to dig deep into reserves of toughness and resourcefulness and resort to increasingly desperate measures to survive. He also has to battle depression and despair, as he reflects on his unravelling personal life, while trying to avert the next horror waiting around the corner.
The description of dog fights and wounds is grim and graphic, but there is a bit of dark humour to lift the gloom and some neat twists and turns to keep you guessing what will happen next. It’s a tribute to the author’s writing skill that he kept me rooting for Tim till the very end, although I didn’t really find him a sympathetic character. Kudos, too, for an unpredictable ending.
It was reminiscent of some of Stephen King’s stories, with the tension ratcheting up as Tim has to dig deep into reserves of toughness and resourcefulness and resort to increasingly desperate measures to survive. He also has to battle depression and despair, as he reflects on his unravelling personal life, while trying to avert the next horror waiting around the corner.
The description of dog fights and wounds is grim and graphic, but there is a bit of dark humour to lift the gloom and some neat twists and turns to keep you guessing what will happen next. It’s a tribute to the author’s writing skill that he kept me rooting for Tim till the very end, although I didn’t really find him a sympathetic character. Kudos, too, for an unpredictable ending.
May 25, 2018
The writing flair stands out in the polished pages of this light-horror book. It's a smooth read from start to finish and, although somewhat short, it makes quite an enjoyable read that you don't want to finish. This makes quite an easy book recommendation to someone who loves a good thriller.
The character's isolation kept tugging at my curiosity strings, and I was desperate to find out more about his dark and scarred past. It was quite a page-turner, and judging from the reviews it has gathered, others seem to share this thought.
Great job on the storyline and the writing style!
The character's isolation kept tugging at my curiosity strings, and I was desperate to find out more about his dark and scarred past. It was quite a page-turner, and judging from the reviews it has gathered, others seem to share this thought.
Great job on the storyline and the writing style!
May 24, 2024
Very clever. Whenever I thought I know the direction where it is going, it didn't. The twists and turns are unpredictable, captivating until the very last sentence. Perfect!!! Sometimes a bid "mad", which makes it even more enjoyable 😉
May 14, 2018
Breathtaking first chapter! I'm definitely grabbing his Christopher Daring paranormal mysteries after this one.... Awesome First Act too; I'll restrain my review to just that, to avoid spoilers, as this is definitely one nail-biting, what comes next?, page-turner.
First off, this is very much an in-your-head situation of a lone Christmas-er trying to enjoy a cup of tea in his English cottage. Then things get creepy in a Robert Frost kind of way! Next, we learn the cottager, Tim, is extremely erudite, despite a kind of writer's block, and some Poe comes to mind, as he pores over his collection of quaint and forgotten lore, as it were. Then we get some Stephen King vibes, not only foreshadowed with the writer's block/"Shining" thing, but the Wolf-Dog which steers us into a full-on "Cujo" action sequence. And yet somehow in all that imagery I got the impression that Tim was older, feeble, disabled perhaps, a mumbling mixture of Ebeneezer Scrooge, the old man with the balloon house in "Up," the loveable curmudgeon spouting Eliot at the end of "Logan's Run," or even the wheelchair confined obsessive in "Rear Window." But then came the spiritual reminiscences as Tim ponders his quite likely death, and then we're reminded of "Job" and he wasn't so old.... And in the end neither could Tim be, and still survive the athletic encounter with the Wolf-Dog.
So yeah, just amazing foreshadowing, allusions, and characterization for a 5-star psycho-thriller.
First off, this is very much an in-your-head situation of a lone Christmas-er trying to enjoy a cup of tea in his English cottage. Then things get creepy in a Robert Frost kind of way! Next, we learn the cottager, Tim, is extremely erudite, despite a kind of writer's block, and some Poe comes to mind, as he pores over his collection of quaint and forgotten lore, as it were. Then we get some Stephen King vibes, not only foreshadowed with the writer's block/"Shining" thing, but the Wolf-Dog which steers us into a full-on "Cujo" action sequence. And yet somehow in all that imagery I got the impression that Tim was older, feeble, disabled perhaps, a mumbling mixture of Ebeneezer Scrooge, the old man with the balloon house in "Up," the loveable curmudgeon spouting Eliot at the end of "Logan's Run," or even the wheelchair confined obsessive in "Rear Window." But then came the spiritual reminiscences as Tim ponders his quite likely death, and then we're reminded of "Job" and he wasn't so old.... And in the end neither could Tim be, and still survive the athletic encounter with the Wolf-Dog.
So yeah, just amazing foreshadowing, allusions, and characterization for a 5-star psycho-thriller.
June 9, 2019
This book delivered like a B-movie... it had a feeling of Evil Dead meets Norm from Cheers. It was glorious in its silliness at times. Just when you think it's wrapping up, something even more crazy comes out of the woodwork.
I read it in one sitting and that doesn't happen often. Funny enough the last time i can remember it happening with a full length book is when i read Pet Sematary on a stone tablet back in 1984. Oddly, both involve crazy dogs.
I found myself (like in many b-movies & slasher films) yelling at the book. The nonstop comparisons to books, quoting books, songs, people and movies really brought life to the main character and left me unsure of who i was rooting for...
I don't know if the author's intent was to create something of this nature but either way, it works and works well. I'll be waiting for that promised sequel.
I read it in one sitting and that doesn't happen often. Funny enough the last time i can remember it happening with a full length book is when i read Pet Sematary on a stone tablet back in 1984. Oddly, both involve crazy dogs.
I found myself (like in many b-movies & slasher films) yelling at the book. The nonstop comparisons to books, quoting books, songs, people and movies really brought life to the main character and left me unsure of who i was rooting for...
I don't know if the author's intent was to create something of this nature but either way, it works and works well. I'll be waiting for that promised sequel.
August 8, 2018
It is actually a pretty short read, but it throws you into this brutal world of snow and savage beasts masterfully. It is almost a snapshot into a life, it doesn't really cover a normal story arc, but is one dramatic scene that is a true turning point in the protagonist, Tim's life. The author weaves effortlessly biblical references, Latin and French quotes into the mix, and in short, certainly shows off his writing skill.
I'll be honest this is not my normal genre but I read it because I enjoyed other books by the author and it didn't let me down.
I'll be honest this is not my normal genre but I read it because I enjoyed other books by the author and it didn't let me down.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews