What do you think?
Rate this book
The Creatures of Holden Beach.....And the Murder they did NOT Commit!
Early one spring morning the residents of Holden Beach N.C. find what appear to be two aliens washed up on the beach. Alicia Greengrass, the local movie starlet is home from Hollywood and is first to discover the aliens during a morning stroll. Her cell phone pictures are circulating on Twitter before the police arrive, but the social media frenzy is just getting started. The police soon discover another body on the beach; the local bar owner Gerald Reed has been murdered. Sheriff Stan Stoney knows the aliens are a well-orchestrated hoax designed to go viral, but the increasing public interest is impeding his murder investigation. The distraction of the aliens is tolerated until the sheriff concludes that the two events appear to be somehow connected. The pranksters must be found, because they may hold a key to solving the crime. But he knows one thing for The creatures did NOT commit the murder!
- GenresMystery
189 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 6, 2018
4 people are currently reading
279 people want to read
About the author
Chris Underwood
6 books59 followersI started seriously writing back in 2012 when my concerns of a power grid failure began to creep into my mind. My concerns festered into a storyline that continued to bug me until I got it on paper. I’ve heard that good writing is like sharing a good secret. It took five years of honing my craft to get the first book out, but it has been fun sharing this secret.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
November 13, 2018
I won this book as part of a Goodreads First Reads giveaway.
Alicia Greengrass, a local movie starlet, stumbled across what appears to be two aliens that have washed up on the beach in her hometown of Holden Beach NC. Quick to upload pictures on social media, her follow count increases and it becomes the talk of Twitter. When another body is found, this one of a local bar owner, Sheriff Stoney wonders if the two are somehow connected. How does he work a murder investigation while simultaneously fending off the interest in what he believes to be a well planned alien hoax?
I wasn't sure what to expect from this story as it's a bit different than other books I typically read. A combination murder and sci-fi mystery, it definitely had the premise to be intriguing...and that it was. Well written with interesting characters, I really enjoyed it much more than I thought I would. Even though we have two different mysteries going on, I felt the author did a good job of giving each an equal amount of time. I'd definitely recommend this quick but fun read.
Alicia Greengrass, a local movie starlet, stumbled across what appears to be two aliens that have washed up on the beach in her hometown of Holden Beach NC. Quick to upload pictures on social media, her follow count increases and it becomes the talk of Twitter. When another body is found, this one of a local bar owner, Sheriff Stoney wonders if the two are somehow connected. How does he work a murder investigation while simultaneously fending off the interest in what he believes to be a well planned alien hoax?
I wasn't sure what to expect from this story as it's a bit different than other books I typically read. A combination murder and sci-fi mystery, it definitely had the premise to be intriguing...and that it was. Well written with interesting characters, I really enjoyed it much more than I thought I would. Even though we have two different mysteries going on, I felt the author did a good job of giving each an equal amount of time. I'd definitely recommend this quick but fun read.
November 2, 2018
Goodreads Kindle Copy Win
What appears as two aliens are seen washed up along a beach by a Hollywood starlet one morning. But that is just the beginning of things as a murdered body is found. Is there a connection between the incidents?
As the local sheriff finds himself trying to stop a prankster before he goes overboard. A quick read.
What appears as two aliens are seen washed up along a beach by a Hollywood starlet one morning. But that is just the beginning of things as a murdered body is found. Is there a connection between the incidents?
As the local sheriff finds himself trying to stop a prankster before he goes overboard. A quick read.
May 8, 2022
This review was originally posted at https://bit.ly/3MU5vvS.
When two strange alien-like creatures appear on Holden Beach local celebrity Alicia is the first to show the world via Twitter. The sheriff is convinced they are a fake and is more than happy to pass the investigation off to the FBI. He has more important things to do, especially considering the local bar owner Gerald was murdered the same night the creatures were found. He is determined to solve this crime and bring the murderer to justice. One thing he is sure of: the aliens didn't do this!
I received a physical copy of this book from the author as a bonus when he sent me The Cold Winter. While I did not initially agree to the review I have to admit that after reading the other book I would have agreed to the review anyway. With the cover having aliens on it I didn't even bother to read the blurb on the back until my buddy at work asked what I was reading today. I was a bit disappointed that the aliens were a hoax per the back blurb and kept hoping that there really were aliens there that would pop up at some point. Yes, I know I'm odd. No, I won't say if any aliens actually showed up or if they were the responsible party.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book just as I did The Cold Winter, although this book is a bit more light-hearted than that one. The authors obvious love of sailing vessels makes itself known in this book as well, although much more subdued than in the other.
I adored the characters in this book and as Alicia is my legal name found it rather amusing. I don't have near the followers she does on social media nor do I have any intent on going into movies, but the name coincidence amused me. I stated this book on noon one day and had it finished by noon the next because it was hard to put down. Fun, fast read that was all-around pleasant. I didn't suspect the culprits of the aliens and feel it was handled nicely.
When two strange alien-like creatures appear on Holden Beach local celebrity Alicia is the first to show the world via Twitter. The sheriff is convinced they are a fake and is more than happy to pass the investigation off to the FBI. He has more important things to do, especially considering the local bar owner Gerald was murdered the same night the creatures were found. He is determined to solve this crime and bring the murderer to justice. One thing he is sure of: the aliens didn't do this!
I received a physical copy of this book from the author as a bonus when he sent me The Cold Winter. While I did not initially agree to the review I have to admit that after reading the other book I would have agreed to the review anyway. With the cover having aliens on it I didn't even bother to read the blurb on the back until my buddy at work asked what I was reading today. I was a bit disappointed that the aliens were a hoax per the back blurb and kept hoping that there really were aliens there that would pop up at some point. Yes, I know I'm odd. No, I won't say if any aliens actually showed up or if they were the responsible party.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book just as I did The Cold Winter, although this book is a bit more light-hearted than that one. The authors obvious love of sailing vessels makes itself known in this book as well, although much more subdued than in the other.
I adored the characters in this book and as Alicia is my legal name found it rather amusing. I don't have near the followers she does on social media nor do I have any intent on going into movies, but the name coincidence amused me. I stated this book on noon one day and had it finished by noon the next because it was hard to put down. Fun, fast read that was all-around pleasant. I didn't suspect the culprits of the aliens and feel it was handled nicely.
February 8, 2019
I was so excited when I saw this book on the Goodreads Giveaways list and even more thrilled when I actually won a digital copy. I've been vacationing at Holden Beach for 25 years and although this isn't the genre of book I would typically seek out, I knew I had to have it.
Unfortunately, this poorly edited, juvenile piece of work is further damaged by the fact that the author apparently never visited Holden Beach before he decided to write about it. The mistake he makes over and over is to refer to the island as running North/South. Holden Beach runs East/West and faces South.
There's a coffee shop called Cappuccino by the Sea. Nancy makes wonderful drinks, but I'm guessing you've already made her book of Pet Peeves (if not, I'll add you next time I'm in).
While there is a gated portion of the island (only the road, not the beach), it's the West end, not the East (or what Underwood would have presumed to be North) as he guessed.
There are no signs on HB about protecting seagrass, they are about protecting dunes. The "wooden walkways" (boardwalks) aren't for protecting seagrass, they are also for protecting dunes.
There is no "local Piggly Wiggly"... there's a Food Lion.
Honestly, if you're going to write a story (even a fictional one!) about a real place, do some damned research. If you're too lazy to research, just make up a fictional place. This book was a slap in the face to HB locals and those of us who love it.
Unfortunately, this poorly edited, juvenile piece of work is further damaged by the fact that the author apparently never visited Holden Beach before he decided to write about it. The mistake he makes over and over is to refer to the island as running North/South. Holden Beach runs East/West and faces South.
There's a coffee shop called Cappuccino by the Sea. Nancy makes wonderful drinks, but I'm guessing you've already made her book of Pet Peeves (if not, I'll add you next time I'm in).
While there is a gated portion of the island (only the road, not the beach), it's the West end, not the East (or what Underwood would have presumed to be North) as he guessed.
There are no signs on HB about protecting seagrass, they are about protecting dunes. The "wooden walkways" (boardwalks) aren't for protecting seagrass, they are also for protecting dunes.
There is no "local Piggly Wiggly"... there's a Food Lion.
Honestly, if you're going to write a story (even a fictional one!) about a real place, do some damned research. If you're too lazy to research, just make up a fictional place. This book was a slap in the face to HB locals and those of us who love it.
July 31, 2019
"Chris Underwood delivers a witty mystery with The Creatures of Holden Beach...and the Murder They Did Not Commit!, where a possible alien hoax and a murder case are intertwined when media blows up the story to another level. A whodunit for crime and sci-fi lovers."
- Tim Heerdink, author of The Human Remains and Red Flag and Other Poems
- Tim Heerdink, author of The Human Remains and Red Flag and Other Poems
January 10, 2019
Good entertainment
Nice light entertaining story. Would definitely read more from this author. Very quick read. Easy to pick to pick up the mood if you put down.
Nice light entertaining story. Would definitely read more from this author. Very quick read. Easy to pick to pick up the mood if you put down.
April 25, 2020
Opens with an alien invasion. Very unique different premise for a mystery. But it all of it get tied up in the end. Quick easy clean read.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews