True Creature

by Steve Zell

A supernatural murder mystery two women must solve to survive. A series of suspicious deaths draws investigative reporter Deanne Mulhenney and medical examiner Sara Poole into a deadly clash of modern and ancient worlds. Set in the growing years of Phoenix, Arizona, four men are found dead during the creation of a massive water project meant to bring life and prosperity to the desert. Deanne and Sara soon find something sinister and very, very powerful may connect them all.

Genres: Mystery

240 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 15, 2019

About the author

A kid who spent many days exploring abandoned hotels and stores in then ghost town, Jerome, Arizona, Steve Zell always loved to tell stories, draw scary pictures, and sing. Later, he became an animator and digital animation tools instructor for the LA area animation and FX studios and, as a singer, became the "Voice of Doom" for Baywatch. Steve was the first interdisciplinary studies graduate from the University of Arizona in Tucson, where he studied studio art, vocal production, drama, journalism, and chemistry. He was an early member of the Tucson Invisible Theatre Company, and the cartoonist for The Tombstone Epitaph, a town he later combined with Jerome, Arizona, and with Bodi, California, to create the setting, Pinon Rim, for his first novel, WiZrD. His family's frequent summer trips to his grandmother's home in Del Mar, California in the 60s, provided the setting for Running Cold.

A UA "Wildcat for life" and former desert rat, he now lives with his wife and daughter in the slightly more liquid climate of Portland, Oregon, where he began the partnership between Intel and Dreamworks|SKG, as well as the Intel Audio Alliance whose members included Billy Bob Thornton, Graham Nash, George Massenburg, Michael Boddicker, Nathaniel Kunkel, Allen Sides, Rory Kaplan and other audio pros. He participates in community theater, spends way too much time on the computer - and...is always on the lookout for a cool ghost town...

Reviews

[Phyllis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very surprised!!!

I really didn't know what to expect when I began reading this ebook. However, the characters began to emerge and I was questioning myself about what was going to happen next. I could have read this in one day but my work comes first. I was always anxious to get back to it. Lots of interesting characters, fantasy, mystery, magic and some romance, if you want to call it that! Lol. Entertaining as well!

[Therese · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was very exciting! Seriously, I hardly slept a couple of nights to read it to the end!

[Holly Shilling · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun, suspenseful read!

Creative premise. Characters are well developed and compelling. Hoping this becomes a series! The author does a great job combining realistic settings with the supernatural. Loved it!

[Candra Hodge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unexpected twists and turns

This book is captivating from page one. It is filled with unexpected twists and turns. I really could not guess what was really going to happen until the author revealed it.

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have enjoyed this book spooky and kept me reading.didn't care for the love scenes but the ghosts and the water was great .

[Michelle Coblentz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Karma

This is not my normal genre, but it's a good story. A politician, reporter, and a medical examiner who is trying to connect four murders. Even a few shapeshifters.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

True Creature is an excellent book written by a very talented author. I’ve read five books by Steve Zell, and True Creature does not disappoint. There is a Chinatown quality to this novel due to the premise of securing water rights for a growing metropolitan area. The book references the Central Arizona Project (CAP) and the political climate of Arizona during the 1960s, which I feel adds a great backdrop for this story. The author has a gift for storytelling and seamlessly knows how to combine different genres to create an intriguing, suspenseful, and action-packed book. True Creature is well-paced, imaginative, intelligently written, with wonderfully developed and believable characters. It’s a page-turner.

I highly recommend True Creature as well as the other books available by Steve Zell. Note: This is the first book of a series that features the two main characters Deanne Mulhenney and Sara Poole. MANTIS is the second book of this series (released earlier this year), and it is also a good read.

[Pearl · Rating 4 out of 5]

True Creature by Steve Zell is one of the books that have a very surprising effect. While I was reading it, I imagined it being aired in Netflix because the setting which was set in Arizona seemed so cinematic that goes along well with the genre of the story. In this book we are introduced to investigative reporter Deanne Mulhenney alongside medical examiner Sara Poole. Together these two women dived deep into the mystery that were handled in their plates. I loved the air of mystery here that was mixed with paranormal and magical theme on the side. Plus, a little bit of romance. It has the ability to draw a reader in and pull into the story. I loved that there were situations that were unpredictable which made up a really good story. All in all, it was an exciting book and one that I can recommend.

[Shelley Bickel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Could not put it done! A perfect mix of scary, love, sex and gore!