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Night Waves
Off the south of England, an old evil has been set free... While drilling out at sea, the ill-fated crew of a rig have released something old, something that's been waiting to return to the surface — a hive of sea sirens; creatures that need human hosts to survive and human faces to lure people to their demise.
Kirsten Costello is a model from East London. Bored of her vacuous existence, she leaves her old life of excess behind and moves to Brighton with her cousin Simone.
After a random attack one night under Brighton Pier, Kirsten becomes the object of one of the creature's obsession. Psychically linked by its scratch, she becomes a beacon for its desire to use her body as its own and be the face it needs.
Always knowing where she is; constantly stalking her by night, it seems there is no way to escape. With the help of Simone, her girlfriend Geena, and local Clairvoyant, Melissa Clarke, Kirsten must fight back against the creature, as it tries to drag her back down below into the depths, down into the Night Waves.
Kirsten Costello is a model from East London. Bored of her vacuous existence, she leaves her old life of excess behind and moves to Brighton with her cousin Simone.
After a random attack one night under Brighton Pier, Kirsten becomes the object of one of the creature's obsession. Psychically linked by its scratch, she becomes a beacon for its desire to use her body as its own and be the face it needs.
Always knowing where she is; constantly stalking her by night, it seems there is no way to escape. With the help of Simone, her girlfriend Geena, and local Clairvoyant, Melissa Clarke, Kirsten must fight back against the creature, as it tries to drag her back down below into the depths, down into the Night Waves.
- GenresHorror
248 pages, Paperback
Published July 1, 2019
3 people are currently reading
117 people want to read
About the author
David Irons
31 books121 followersDavid Irons was the kid who went to his room to watch and read horror when his relatives came round. It paid off. When he left his room, he became an award-winning filmmaker and writer living on the south coast of England. His films, colourful and stylish in design, have won awards at the Cambridge Film festival, Las Vegas VIFF festival, and LA Independent Festival for cinematography, editing, writing, and directing. '7 Winters Alone' - a sci-fi, horror short - was a winner in David Lynch's 2014 Short Film Competition.
In 2019 David had his first novel, Night Waves, published, followed by Night Creepers, Polybius, and The Bloody Tracks of Bigfoot in 2020 - 2021 from Severed Press. Since then, David has become a Splatterpunk award-nominated writer for his '80s summer camp slasher, 'Don't Go To Wheelchair Camp.'
The moral of this story is to be weird and stay in your room. It pays off in the end.
In 2019 David had his first novel, Night Waves, published, followed by Night Creepers, Polybius, and The Bloody Tracks of Bigfoot in 2020 - 2021 from Severed Press. Since then, David has become a Splatterpunk award-nominated writer for his '80s summer camp slasher, 'Don't Go To Wheelchair Camp.'
The moral of this story is to be weird and stay in your room. It pays off in the end.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
October 5, 2023
A model wants to move on with her life, so she moves from London to Brighton. A nice seaside town. Not long after, strange stuff starts to happen. She gets attacked on the beach. Visits a clairvoyant. Gets her cousin and her friends in mortal danger from the sea sirens.
Nice read here. Instead of the use of zombies, the author uses the fabled sea sirens instead. It works very well. Lots of nice set pieces. The love scene at the end is a stomach churner.
Nice read here. Instead of the use of zombies, the author uses the fabled sea sirens instead. It works very well. Lots of nice set pieces. The love scene at the end is a stomach churner.
February 10, 2020
I was kindly sent a copy of this book to read and review!
* Starts with Barry, a homeless drunk, who lands a job on a rig.
* On the rig, the crew drills into something they shouldn’t have and unleash something from the deep depths of the water.
* Sea sirens are unleashed from their tomb and kill all the crew, leaving Barry the only living person.
* Kristen is tired of her boring vapid life. She’s an aspiring photographer who had to work as a model to make money.
* Even though she is conventionally deemed “beautiful” she doesn’t want to use her looks to live.
* She takes off from her life in London and goes to stay with her cousin Simone in Brighton.
* The first night there, Kristen takes a walk on the Brighton pier and becomes a target for the sirens.
* She gets attacked, but manages to fend them off, but not without being scratched by one of the sirens.
* This makes her the siren’s obsession. The siren wants to take over Kristens body and use it for itself.
* With the help of Simone, Gena (Simones girlfriend), and Mickey a young teen infatuated with the two, they help Kristen try to prevent the sirens from succeeding in taking over her body.
* Okay, I loved this book.
* The siren element is so cool in my opinion. I’m a huge fan of mythology and I’ve always found sirens and mermaids fascinating.
* I haven’t seen too many horror books that deal with mythology and I wish there were more like this.
* The sirens are super creepy in this book and I was getting kind of freaked out.
* The ending, I had a feeling how it was going to end and I was right....sort of. I didn’t see one part coming, but I really thought it was such a fitting ending and really draw-dropping.
* I also really love that it took place in Brighton and the British slang was fun to read.
* Super easy read, only 236 pages. Really captures your attention from the first page.
* Highly highly highly recommend.
* Starts with Barry, a homeless drunk, who lands a job on a rig.
* On the rig, the crew drills into something they shouldn’t have and unleash something from the deep depths of the water.
* Sea sirens are unleashed from their tomb and kill all the crew, leaving Barry the only living person.
* Kristen is tired of her boring vapid life. She’s an aspiring photographer who had to work as a model to make money.
* Even though she is conventionally deemed “beautiful” she doesn’t want to use her looks to live.
* She takes off from her life in London and goes to stay with her cousin Simone in Brighton.
* The first night there, Kristen takes a walk on the Brighton pier and becomes a target for the sirens.
* She gets attacked, but manages to fend them off, but not without being scratched by one of the sirens.
* This makes her the siren’s obsession. The siren wants to take over Kristens body and use it for itself.
* With the help of Simone, Gena (Simones girlfriend), and Mickey a young teen infatuated with the two, they help Kristen try to prevent the sirens from succeeding in taking over her body.
* Okay, I loved this book.
* The siren element is so cool in my opinion. I’m a huge fan of mythology and I’ve always found sirens and mermaids fascinating.
* I haven’t seen too many horror books that deal with mythology and I wish there were more like this.
* The sirens are super creepy in this book and I was getting kind of freaked out.
* The ending, I had a feeling how it was going to end and I was right....sort of. I didn’t see one part coming, but I really thought it was such a fitting ending and really draw-dropping.
* I also really love that it took place in Brighton and the British slang was fun to read.
* Super easy read, only 236 pages. Really captures your attention from the first page.
* Highly highly highly recommend.
June 22, 2019
*I picked this book up pre-release date as an offer with a Night waves music video*
I love horror and I live where the book is set in Brighton England, so this was a must purchase for me.
David Irons novel merges old '80s style horror into the modern day: a gory sea siren creature feature juxtaposed with LGBT and identity themes, as parasitic sea sirens hiding under Brighton pier begin taking the identities of the locals to live on land. The book reads like an expanded film script, kind of like It Follows crossed with The Neon Demon -- and that's no bad thing.
The characters are well written and likable -- something you don't often get in horror-- animated and funny so you don't want to see them become transformed into evil sea siren drones. It feels like you have something to lose as they are so likable. I genuinely felt bad for one character in particular! There's a kind of kitchen sink/working class attitude to the characters I'm not sure if American readers will get, it's a very British novel, but well worth going into to read a slice of our culture you don't really see in these types of novels.
As said previous, its a very retro style horror novel and does well at being that. If you like those old B-movies you used to see in a video store, Night Waves is that in literary form. Its a very easy, scary, fun read. I reccomend this book.
I love horror and I live where the book is set in Brighton England, so this was a must purchase for me.
David Irons novel merges old '80s style horror into the modern day: a gory sea siren creature feature juxtaposed with LGBT and identity themes, as parasitic sea sirens hiding under Brighton pier begin taking the identities of the locals to live on land. The book reads like an expanded film script, kind of like It Follows crossed with The Neon Demon -- and that's no bad thing.
The characters are well written and likable -- something you don't often get in horror-- animated and funny so you don't want to see them become transformed into evil sea siren drones. It feels like you have something to lose as they are so likable. I genuinely felt bad for one character in particular! There's a kind of kitchen sink/working class attitude to the characters I'm not sure if American readers will get, it's a very British novel, but well worth going into to read a slice of our culture you don't really see in these types of novels.
As said previous, its a very retro style horror novel and does well at being that. If you like those old B-movies you used to see in a video store, Night Waves is that in literary form. Its a very easy, scary, fun read. I reccomend this book.
October 1, 2019
Reading Night Waves is like discovering a lost book by your favourite author. It reminded me of James Herbert, Shaun Hutson, and Richard Laymon. The story is fun, fast-paced, and terrifying. It feels drenched in an 80's neon glow and, if you listen carefully, you can hear the pulsating synths of John Carpenter rising beneath the action. The synthwave artist, Roxi Drive, has actually released a special track for Night Waves, which even shares the book's artwork. Night Waves is a fresh, modern novel, featuring characters and settings that could only exist in a truly British horror.
June 6, 2023
My 3rd read David Irons book.
I loved the characters. I loved the beach/pier scenes and overall environment Irons paints.
I like the sirens. I loved all the psychic stuff.
I loved the book up till the abandoned motel scene. Some of the writing was generally confusing at times. Where it was hard to envision exactly what was happening. Also...I was hoping this was a "creatures run amok" ...instead we get "creatures run amok" among an abandoned motel with our main cast. Also....a lot of the times David Irons just isn't as good in detailing death and murder. Where I am like "Wait...what happened?" Like the scene where Simone and Geena are in the motel and apparently Geena is attacked and there is a struggle between an open door? With Simone pulling Geena as she's being attacked. But due to it's writing I aint entirely sure how that was played out. Overall except for a few moments I found the abandoned motel moments overall boring.
I would of rather the sirens start killing everyone and spreading out more and more into Brighton.
The ending is great and I do think this would make a great movie.
One of my issues with the book is the siren's them selves in terms of the singing. King of hard to really get the "singing luring Siren" in a book and David Irons just makes the luring song the victim's name. Which also isn't as interesting. I think back to the film Hocus Pocus. That creepy song and the lyrics "Come, little children, I'll take thee away,
Into a land of enchantment.
Come, little children, the time's come to play,
here in my garden of magic."
Hearing the actual song in a movie is different then in a book, it's creepy, and it's not just their names, it's an actual song.
Overall, I did like it and overall I'd have to say my favorite David Irons book so far is Don't go to wheelchair camp.
I will say, ya, I'd read this again.
I was just expecting a lot more and I was expecting it to take place in the 80's, and I was expecting more of a British punk scene vibe to it and I was expecting far more of a creature feature.
To quote a sci fi fan talking about Saturn 3, a film I had watched either a year before or a month before
"Unfortunately you got this vibe that the duck is gonna do it with Lea Thompson" - oops, excuse me. WRONG quote about a totally different movie.
Here is his quote about Saturn 3, which was my criticism of the film as well when I watched it.
"It just didn't seem to connect with the bigger universe in a way that the Star wars films had. No, this was all stuff happening on this space station, between these people and a freaky robot."
I loved the characters. I loved the beach/pier scenes and overall environment Irons paints.
I like the sirens. I loved all the psychic stuff.
I loved the book up till the abandoned motel scene. Some of the writing was generally confusing at times. Where it was hard to envision exactly what was happening. Also...I was hoping this was a "creatures run amok" ...instead we get "creatures run amok" among an abandoned motel with our main cast. Also....a lot of the times David Irons just isn't as good in detailing death and murder. Where I am like "Wait...what happened?" Like the scene where Simone and Geena are in the motel and apparently Geena is attacked and there is a struggle between an open door? With Simone pulling Geena as she's being attacked. But due to it's writing I aint entirely sure how that was played out. Overall except for a few moments I found the abandoned motel moments overall boring.
I would of rather the sirens start killing everyone and spreading out more and more into Brighton.
The ending is great and I do think this would make a great movie.
One of my issues with the book is the siren's them selves in terms of the singing. King of hard to really get the "singing luring Siren" in a book and David Irons just makes the luring song the victim's name. Which also isn't as interesting. I think back to the film Hocus Pocus. That creepy song and the lyrics "Come, little children, I'll take thee away,
Into a land of enchantment.
Come, little children, the time's come to play,
here in my garden of magic."
Hearing the actual song in a movie is different then in a book, it's creepy, and it's not just their names, it's an actual song.
Overall, I did like it and overall I'd have to say my favorite David Irons book so far is Don't go to wheelchair camp.
I will say, ya, I'd read this again.
I was just expecting a lot more and I was expecting it to take place in the 80's, and I was expecting more of a British punk scene vibe to it and I was expecting far more of a creature feature.
To quote a sci fi fan talking about Saturn 3, a film I had watched either a year before or a month before
"Unfortunately you got this vibe that the duck is gonna do it with Lea Thompson" - oops, excuse me. WRONG quote about a totally different movie.
Here is his quote about Saturn 3, which was my criticism of the film as well when I watched it.
"It just didn't seem to connect with the bigger universe in a way that the Star wars films had. No, this was all stuff happening on this space station, between these people and a freaky robot."
November 12, 2025
So this is my fourth David Irons book and so far all his books are so different but so brilliant. I will try and avoid spoilers as I do in most reviews but here are my overall thoughts.
The Good:
- Extremely interesting premise, the doppelgänger trope is something I feel can only be executed well or total rubbish and this book is the former.
- Genuinely had moments of horror and unnerve which never fails to impress.
- Kirsten our main character is one to root for, Irons always makes his MCs worth following. Her story is one that feels real and meaningful, anyone in their twenties or perhaps unhappy with their life, needing a change will relate to her.
- Irons always writes so beautifully. The descriptive parts always paint a picture be it gory or wonderful.
- Mickey was MVP
- The twist and the ending - I’ll say no more, but I’m a fan of these type of endings when done well.
The only negative:
- The only reason this is a four, not a five is due to Simone. Perhaps it was intentional but she was such a shitty character and her actions and treatment of people was frustrating.
David Irons remains a favourite author of mine. His blend of humour, lovable characters (mostly) and well written horror that shows love to the inspirations that clearly influenced Irons stories continue to impress me.
Also, David Irons, what is with you writing spoilt bratty Daddy’s girls? Every book so far I’ve read, has at least one and they’re so perfectly written to be hated (apart from Geena) and I need to know where the influence comes from…
The Good:
- Extremely interesting premise, the doppelgänger trope is something I feel can only be executed well or total rubbish and this book is the former.
- Genuinely had moments of horror and unnerve which never fails to impress.
- Kirsten our main character is one to root for, Irons always makes his MCs worth following. Her story is one that feels real and meaningful, anyone in their twenties or perhaps unhappy with their life, needing a change will relate to her.
- Irons always writes so beautifully. The descriptive parts always paint a picture be it gory or wonderful.
- Mickey was MVP
- The twist and the ending - I’ll say no more, but I’m a fan of these type of endings when done well.
The only negative:
- The only reason this is a four, not a five is due to Simone. Perhaps it was intentional but she was such a shitty character and her actions and treatment of people was frustrating.
David Irons remains a favourite author of mine. His blend of humour, lovable characters (mostly) and well written horror that shows love to the inspirations that clearly influenced Irons stories continue to impress me.
Also, David Irons, what is with you writing spoilt bratty Daddy’s girls? Every book so far I’ve read, has at least one and they’re so perfectly written to be hated (apart from Geena) and I need to know where the influence comes from…
June 22, 2019
I picked this up on a Bandcamp exclusive, being sold early before the release date.
I saw the trailer on Facebook which looked awesome! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vQ85... (how could you not want to buy this?) You see lots of these modern books trying to be like old 80's horror novels but this one does the job. It really does feel like an old paper back but set in modern times ie: set in Brighton with cool female LGBTQ characters. Its bloody, gory and shocking with good characters, but doesn't just take itself seriously as it has a good sense of humor and can be read at a really quick pace. If you like retro horror you should deffo give it a go.
I saw the trailer on Facebook which looked awesome! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vQ85... (how could you not want to buy this?) You see lots of these modern books trying to be like old 80's horror novels but this one does the job. It really does feel like an old paper back but set in modern times ie: set in Brighton with cool female LGBTQ characters. Its bloody, gory and shocking with good characters, but doesn't just take itself seriously as it has a good sense of humor and can be read at a really quick pace. If you like retro horror you should deffo give it a go.
June 22, 2019
I'm not really one for reading much horror these days, but seeing this shared online, I bought an early copy. I got a freebook mark that said "please leave a review on goodreads if you like this book" I did, so I will. If you like a good old James Herbert or Shaun Hutson book, you will love this thing. Its got good suspense and I liked the creatures tearing up Brighton. It's good for a laugh and good for gore and horror.
June 26, 2019
I got an early copy of this book after seeing the trailer on Facebook. Its a really fun read, good amount of gore and humor, I love that it is set in the 80s but still feels modern. I would love to see this turned into a film or a TV series, the British, (better) Stranger Things! I Can't wait to read more from this author.
June 24, 2019
I was lucky enough to read a sample of this a few months back.
David Irons is one of the most refreshing authors to surface for years. The attention to detail is uncomfortable yet thrilling and I was gripped. I absolutely loved this and I can't wait to read more by this author
David Irons is one of the most refreshing authors to surface for years. The attention to detail is uncomfortable yet thrilling and I was gripped. I absolutely loved this and I can't wait to read more by this author
June 23, 2019
David Irons has produced some wonderfully Gory stuff, and also some bang on writing... Night Waves is worthy of four stars.
June 23, 2019
Does exactly what it says on the tin: pure unadulterated gory fun. Pretentious readers: there's nothing for you here
June 23, 2019
I was given this as a reader review copy, it’s a fun slimy horror novel, like an old B-movie you would see on late night TV
September 6, 2019
I love the deep and rich descriptions of the characters. This is a fun and intensely good read
February 22, 2021
I couldn't put this book down. It had a great story and an 80s feel that I absolutely love. Can't wait to read more of his stories.
February 23, 2021
A fantastic book. Easy to read and has some really great characters.
June 23, 2019
Honestly I was drawn in by the cover art and thought the book wasn't bad. It has moments of being creepy, but felt that the sea sirens * it's written like its a surprise they are sea sirens but its all over the back cover* didn't have a fully fleshed out agenda. They escape, are there and they kill people. More back story would have helped. The last half is very action based and could have had a better fleshed out conclusion, but there were things I liked about this book. It's worth a read if you like gory horror.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 29, 2021
Enjoyable and quick to read. It’s like a modern day horror paperback original. A few scares and a few laughs, makes a lot of fun.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews