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Tooth & Claw
There's no place quite like Cofton Grange. Set in twelve-hundred acres of hills and woodland, it is a playground for the wealthy where, for the right price, every desire is made a reality.
Tonight is special; a group of hunters have bought into the most exclusive contest, the opportunity to track and kill a fantastic and terrifying creature not of this Earth. The stakes are high, each competitor determined to claim the kudos that will come from taking down their incredible prey.
But as the moon rises and the pursuit begins, each hunter is about to find out that sometimes there are fiercer things than the competition.
Tooth and Claw—The hunt is on!
Tonight is special; a group of hunters have bought into the most exclusive contest, the opportunity to track and kill a fantastic and terrifying creature not of this Earth. The stakes are high, each competitor determined to claim the kudos that will come from taking down their incredible prey.
But as the moon rises and the pursuit begins, each hunter is about to find out that sometimes there are fiercer things than the competition.
Tooth and Claw—The hunt is on!
162 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 20, 2019
4 people are currently reading
25 people want to read
About the author
Dave Jeffery
75 books147 followers"Jeffery has a connoisseur's eye for the grotesque and mind-bending."—STEPHEN VOLK, writer of GHOSTWATCH and AFTERLIFE,
Dave Jeffery is a British Fantasy Award and The Bridport Prize Finalist. He is author of 19 novels, two collections, and numerous short stories. His Necropolis Rising series and yeti adventure Frostbite have both featured on the Amazon #1 bestseller list, while the A Quiet Apocalypse series continues to garner critical acclaim. His YA work includes the Beatrice Beecham supernatural mystery series and Finding Jericho. His screenwriting credits include award winning short films Ascension and Derelict.
Before retiring to write full-time, Jeffery worked in the NHS for 35 years specialising in the field of mental health nursing and risk management. He holds a BSc (Hons) in Mental Health Studies and a Master of Science Degree in Health Studies. His novel Finding Jericho is an amalgamation of his experiences of working with service users who have experienced stigma and social exclusion due to their mental illness. As a novel, Finding Jericho (Demain Publishing) has featured on both the BBC Health and Independent Schools Entrance Examination Board's ‘Recommended Reading’ lists
Jeffery is a member of the Society of Authors, British Fantasy Society (also as a regular book reviewer), and actively involved in the Horror Writers Association where he is a mentor on the HWA Mentorship Scheme and recipient of the HWA Mentor of the Year Award, 2022. He was also co-chair of the HWA Wellness Committee for a three-year tenure.
Jeffery is married with two children and lives in Worcestershire, UK.
Forthcoming Releases:
SEPTEMBER 2025
False Prophet: A Novel (Eerie River Publishing)
This Way Lies Madness Anthology (co-edited with Lee Murray, Flame Tree Press)
MAY 2026
Screams & Whispers Collection (Horrorsmith Publishing)
Dave Jeffery is a British Fantasy Award and The Bridport Prize Finalist. He is author of 19 novels, two collections, and numerous short stories. His Necropolis Rising series and yeti adventure Frostbite have both featured on the Amazon #1 bestseller list, while the A Quiet Apocalypse series continues to garner critical acclaim. His YA work includes the Beatrice Beecham supernatural mystery series and Finding Jericho. His screenwriting credits include award winning short films Ascension and Derelict.
Before retiring to write full-time, Jeffery worked in the NHS for 35 years specialising in the field of mental health nursing and risk management. He holds a BSc (Hons) in Mental Health Studies and a Master of Science Degree in Health Studies. His novel Finding Jericho is an amalgamation of his experiences of working with service users who have experienced stigma and social exclusion due to their mental illness. As a novel, Finding Jericho (Demain Publishing) has featured on both the BBC Health and Independent Schools Entrance Examination Board's ‘Recommended Reading’ lists
Jeffery is a member of the Society of Authors, British Fantasy Society (also as a regular book reviewer), and actively involved in the Horror Writers Association where he is a mentor on the HWA Mentorship Scheme and recipient of the HWA Mentor of the Year Award, 2022. He was also co-chair of the HWA Wellness Committee for a three-year tenure.
Jeffery is married with two children and lives in Worcestershire, UK.
Forthcoming Releases:
SEPTEMBER 2025
False Prophet: A Novel (Eerie River Publishing)
This Way Lies Madness Anthology (co-edited with Lee Murray, Flame Tree Press)
MAY 2026
Screams & Whispers Collection (Horrorsmith Publishing)
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
May 8, 2020
Take a good look at the cover for this one. What you see is what you get.
Some rich clients line up for the hunt of all hunts. Their host fills his coffers with their loot and gives them each a turn at the trophy of a lifetime. But the prey doesn’t run, It brings the hunt to them. It’s bullet and arrow facing off against tooth and claw.
For all of you werewolf lovers, doesn’t miss this one. It’s got an entertaining cast of characters, some intriguing back stories about them, and some nasty wolves you hope you’ll never encounter. I had a bloody good time and wish this would be made into a movie. I had fun trying to pick who would play who.
Some rich clients line up for the hunt of all hunts. Their host fills his coffers with their loot and gives them each a turn at the trophy of a lifetime. But the prey doesn’t run, It brings the hunt to them. It’s bullet and arrow facing off against tooth and claw.
For all of you werewolf lovers, doesn’t miss this one. It’s got an entertaining cast of characters, some intriguing back stories about them, and some nasty wolves you hope you’ll never encounter. I had a bloody good time and wish this would be made into a movie. I had fun trying to pick who would play who.
February 1, 2022
I don't read werewolf books often, but any book about wealthy people and a fun hunting playground interests me. The beginning of this novella was pretty much meeting the characters. Other than the intro scene, not too much happens before the 20% mark, but that was cool. It was great character building. There are a few hunters on scene, paying millions to hunt a strange creature, an undercover cop that has been found out, and a criminal lord. What a great combination.
I wish we would have gotten to learn more about the werewolf and their beginnings and all that, but still a good read.
Also, even if this book had been about people hunting people, I would have enjoyed that. Maybe a prequel idea?
I wish we would have gotten to learn more about the werewolf and their beginnings and all that, but still a good read.
Also, even if this book had been about people hunting people, I would have enjoyed that. Maybe a prequel idea?
August 19, 2019
The hunter becomes the hunted in entertaining werewolf romp
If you fancy an enjoyable evening barking at the moon (but remember to check it’s not full first) then take a huge bite from Dave Jeffrey’s new werewolf romp Tooth and Claw. In his latest offering the always versatile Jeffrey abandons his Himalayan yetis of Frostbite and sets this toothy tale in a secluded stately home, Cofton Grange, which is owned by a very rich, and dangerous career criminal, Jacob Rothschild. This guy is a truly nasty piece of work, who specialises in crimes which are very hard to prove and which net his organisation huge profits. However, his latest racket involves a wheeze which is substantially trickier than fencing a nicked Picasso. Werewolves!
In a recent conversation Jeffrey called his latest novella “low-brow werewolf hokum” and this slightly self-depreciating comment does this talented author a disservice. Yes, it is low-brow and, yes, it is hokum and does not attempt to dress itself up as anything else, but Jeffrey is very, very good at this sort of thing. If you’re after an easy to read, trashy, shaggy-dog story then look no further, this is great cartoon level horror with a nice balance of dumbness and readability.
The prologue opens with an unfortunate man being hunted for sport by unscrupulous big-game hunters who are after the ultimate prize, killing a human. But before long they realise killing a man is no longer the ‘ultimate prize’ as Jacob Rothschild has something with more teeth than a piano, a dangerous threat which is worth a lot of money. Hunting man for sport is nothing new, and Tooth and Nail had me thinking of 1990s action movie with Jean Claude Van-Damme, Hard Target, but throwing a werewolf into the mix takes it closer to Schwarzenegger’s Predator than Van Damme. Come to think of it that would be a cool match up; Jeffrey’s werewolf versus the Predator!
The werewolf does not make its first appearance until about 25% into the novella and until then the author nicely builds the story by introducing the cannon-fodder. It’s pretty obvious which of these guys is going to end up on a werewolf toothpick, but Jeffrey still gives us colourful backstories to the big-game hunters who don’t realise their roles will soon be horribly reversed. They’re all rich, nasty, cartoon villains and you’re going to cheer when they meet their end. Actually, some of them were killed a little too easily for my liking and they could have put up more of a fight before ending up as lunch.
We have cousins Pippa and Antonia Okill, two young women who love to kill, then there is Martin Woodhead, a man small in stature and with serious daddy issues and also the deeply unpleasant Oscar Jarman. After watching a video of a man turning into a huge wolf, the group of hunters question the validity of what they just saw; why should the hunters all pay two million pounds each to kill a CGI monster they ask? After realising the beast is real the hunt truly is on, but who is the hunter and which sucker is heading for the end of a kebab stick?
All the killers are desperate to have a werewolf head adorning their mantlepiece and the hide tickling their toes as a rug, but you just know it’s not going to pan out that way in this fun and speedy-to-read novella. It does not bring anything particularly new to the werewolf myth, but when the story ended at 89% on my Kindle I was disappointed and could happily have seen the story spin out longer. Throw an undercover policeman and a police snitch into the mix and you have a well-crafted and self-contained yarn which does not take itself too seriously.
If you’re read Jeffrey’s Frostbite yeti novella, this is in the same ballpark, but I think this story has more going on than the yeti tale. You’re not going to think too much about a story set over a few hours, but serious students of werewolf fiction may question the lack of silver bullets as weapons? Also, Tooth and Claw neglects to go into the origins of the werewolves, or any of their mythology, however, that could feature in a future instalment as there is certainly scope for the story to continue.
You’ll romp through Tooth and Claw in a couple of hours and if you enjoy this the very talented Jeffrey has plenty of other great books dip into, including the freaky supernatural thriller Bad Vision and the engaging YA supernatural Beatrice Beecham series.
If you fancy an enjoyable evening barking at the moon (but remember to check it’s not full first) then take a huge bite from Dave Jeffrey’s new werewolf romp Tooth and Claw. In his latest offering the always versatile Jeffrey abandons his Himalayan yetis of Frostbite and sets this toothy tale in a secluded stately home, Cofton Grange, which is owned by a very rich, and dangerous career criminal, Jacob Rothschild. This guy is a truly nasty piece of work, who specialises in crimes which are very hard to prove and which net his organisation huge profits. However, his latest racket involves a wheeze which is substantially trickier than fencing a nicked Picasso. Werewolves!
In a recent conversation Jeffrey called his latest novella “low-brow werewolf hokum” and this slightly self-depreciating comment does this talented author a disservice. Yes, it is low-brow and, yes, it is hokum and does not attempt to dress itself up as anything else, but Jeffrey is very, very good at this sort of thing. If you’re after an easy to read, trashy, shaggy-dog story then look no further, this is great cartoon level horror with a nice balance of dumbness and readability.
The prologue opens with an unfortunate man being hunted for sport by unscrupulous big-game hunters who are after the ultimate prize, killing a human. But before long they realise killing a man is no longer the ‘ultimate prize’ as Jacob Rothschild has something with more teeth than a piano, a dangerous threat which is worth a lot of money. Hunting man for sport is nothing new, and Tooth and Nail had me thinking of 1990s action movie with Jean Claude Van-Damme, Hard Target, but throwing a werewolf into the mix takes it closer to Schwarzenegger’s Predator than Van Damme. Come to think of it that would be a cool match up; Jeffrey’s werewolf versus the Predator!
The werewolf does not make its first appearance until about 25% into the novella and until then the author nicely builds the story by introducing the cannon-fodder. It’s pretty obvious which of these guys is going to end up on a werewolf toothpick, but Jeffrey still gives us colourful backstories to the big-game hunters who don’t realise their roles will soon be horribly reversed. They’re all rich, nasty, cartoon villains and you’re going to cheer when they meet their end. Actually, some of them were killed a little too easily for my liking and they could have put up more of a fight before ending up as lunch.
We have cousins Pippa and Antonia Okill, two young women who love to kill, then there is Martin Woodhead, a man small in stature and with serious daddy issues and also the deeply unpleasant Oscar Jarman. After watching a video of a man turning into a huge wolf, the group of hunters question the validity of what they just saw; why should the hunters all pay two million pounds each to kill a CGI monster they ask? After realising the beast is real the hunt truly is on, but who is the hunter and which sucker is heading for the end of a kebab stick?
All the killers are desperate to have a werewolf head adorning their mantlepiece and the hide tickling their toes as a rug, but you just know it’s not going to pan out that way in this fun and speedy-to-read novella. It does not bring anything particularly new to the werewolf myth, but when the story ended at 89% on my Kindle I was disappointed and could happily have seen the story spin out longer. Throw an undercover policeman and a police snitch into the mix and you have a well-crafted and self-contained yarn which does not take itself too seriously.
If you’re read Jeffrey’s Frostbite yeti novella, this is in the same ballpark, but I think this story has more going on than the yeti tale. You’re not going to think too much about a story set over a few hours, but serious students of werewolf fiction may question the lack of silver bullets as weapons? Also, Tooth and Claw neglects to go into the origins of the werewolves, or any of their mythology, however, that could feature in a future instalment as there is certainly scope for the story to continue.
You’ll romp through Tooth and Claw in a couple of hours and if you enjoy this the very talented Jeffrey has plenty of other great books dip into, including the freaky supernatural thriller Bad Vision and the engaging YA supernatural Beatrice Beecham series.
June 1, 2019
TOOTH & CLAW by Dave Jeffery. Review by Trevor Kennedy for Phantasmagoria Magazine.
The great and the not-so-good have been summoned to The Grange, the plush stately home of the unsavoury criminal Jacob Rothschild somewhere in the English countryside. The host has invited his wealthy guests to his extravagant surroundings to take part in a little bit of sport. A hunt, no less. Marty and Oscar are there, as are the suitably named Okill sisters. Ian and Alana are included in the company too, but they also just happen to be undercover, working for the nearby police looking to take down Rothschild’s criminal empire.
As Ian and Alana’s clandestine agenda begins to feel the strain, it is revealed that this hunt may not be quite as simple as originally expected. The big game, you see, is a ferocious beast of mythical legend that will take a bit more than top-of-the-range crossbows and sheer wit to deal with. As the tension is upped and the hunters becomes the hunted, not everyone is guaranteed to survive the night…
When all is said and done, I just f*cking love werewolves. Always have done and always will. From the John Landis 1981 masterclass on the sub-genre, An American Werewolf in London, to Neil Marshall’s hugely entertaining Dog Soldiers in 2002 (not forgetting Michael Jackson’s creepy metamorphosis at the beginning of his ‘80s music video of Thriller, also directed by Landis, incidentally), I have always had a particular soft spot in my darkened heart for our lycanthropic friends. So author Dave Jeffery really couldn’t have picked a more suitable reviewer for this new book of his, Tooth & Claw.
It’s all great fun, never taking itself too seriously, and actually put me in mind of another monstrous favourite of mine, a Peter Cushing Amicus flick from 1974, The Beast Must Die - which really should have been titled ‘The Alsatian Dog Must Die’, but anyway…
Jeffery is a highly skilled writer whose descriptive work flows throughout, always ensuring that his stories remain fast-paced and, of course, thoroughly enjoyable. He is a man who has also proved himself adept at the authoring of not just adult horror, but other genres including Young Adult fiction with his Beatrice Beecham supernatural mystery series.
So if you’re looking a fun night in with your feet up, indulging in a gratifying horror story, then go check out Tooth & Claw by Dave Jeffery.
Tooth & Claw is a Grinning Skull Press publication available to purchase from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other retailers. It also contains extracts of upcoming Grinning Skull Press publications.
Trevor Kennedy for Phantasmagoria Magazine.
The great and the not-so-good have been summoned to The Grange, the plush stately home of the unsavoury criminal Jacob Rothschild somewhere in the English countryside. The host has invited his wealthy guests to his extravagant surroundings to take part in a little bit of sport. A hunt, no less. Marty and Oscar are there, as are the suitably named Okill sisters. Ian and Alana are included in the company too, but they also just happen to be undercover, working for the nearby police looking to take down Rothschild’s criminal empire.
As Ian and Alana’s clandestine agenda begins to feel the strain, it is revealed that this hunt may not be quite as simple as originally expected. The big game, you see, is a ferocious beast of mythical legend that will take a bit more than top-of-the-range crossbows and sheer wit to deal with. As the tension is upped and the hunters becomes the hunted, not everyone is guaranteed to survive the night…
When all is said and done, I just f*cking love werewolves. Always have done and always will. From the John Landis 1981 masterclass on the sub-genre, An American Werewolf in London, to Neil Marshall’s hugely entertaining Dog Soldiers in 2002 (not forgetting Michael Jackson’s creepy metamorphosis at the beginning of his ‘80s music video of Thriller, also directed by Landis, incidentally), I have always had a particular soft spot in my darkened heart for our lycanthropic friends. So author Dave Jeffery really couldn’t have picked a more suitable reviewer for this new book of his, Tooth & Claw.
It’s all great fun, never taking itself too seriously, and actually put me in mind of another monstrous favourite of mine, a Peter Cushing Amicus flick from 1974, The Beast Must Die - which really should have been titled ‘The Alsatian Dog Must Die’, but anyway…
Jeffery is a highly skilled writer whose descriptive work flows throughout, always ensuring that his stories remain fast-paced and, of course, thoroughly enjoyable. He is a man who has also proved himself adept at the authoring of not just adult horror, but other genres including Young Adult fiction with his Beatrice Beecham supernatural mystery series.
So if you’re looking a fun night in with your feet up, indulging in a gratifying horror story, then go check out Tooth & Claw by Dave Jeffery.
Tooth & Claw is a Grinning Skull Press publication available to purchase from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other retailers. It also contains extracts of upcoming Grinning Skull Press publications.
Trevor Kennedy for Phantasmagoria Magazine.
February 6, 2020
** Edited as review is now live on Kendall Reviews! **
Ah, nothing like falling into another amazing werewolf book, am I right?
‘Tooth & Claw’ isn’t my first go-around with Jeffery’s writing, but if this was to be your first, you are in for a treat.
The story opens up quickly – an exhilarating prologue throws us into some action.
We then learn some back story about a key character – Rothschild.
From there, Jeffery rockets us back and forth between two storylines that eventually merge.
The first storyline is Rothschild, a career criminal of immense wealth, who is hosting a unique illegal hunt on his acreage. The best of the best have purchased a seat at the table and when they see the thing they will be hunting down, none of them can believe it.
The second storyline follows an undercover officer, Ian, who has infiltrated the compound, pretending to be a member of the waiting staff. He is building a case to bring down Rothschild, only to inadvertently fall in love.
Jeffery really does a great job building the two storylines up before all hell breaks loose.
The hunters that are gathered are great characters. We get to see their human side and why they are in this situation as well as get to understand some of their motives, even if they all make it known that now they don’t possess much in the way of morals.
The action scenes were great and as the plot moves along, the werewolf really does a great job of being both a functional character as well as a set-piece. I thought Jeffery did a great job using both sides of that.
I think the only minor gripe I had was the hunting scenes felt a bit short and at times rushed. I wished there would have been more of a lead into each hunter coming across the werewolf, but that’s minor.
Overall, had an absolute blast with this one and if you love werewolf fiction as much as I do – definitely give this one a whirl!
Ah, nothing like falling into another amazing werewolf book, am I right?
‘Tooth & Claw’ isn’t my first go-around with Jeffery’s writing, but if this was to be your first, you are in for a treat.
The story opens up quickly – an exhilarating prologue throws us into some action.
We then learn some back story about a key character – Rothschild.
From there, Jeffery rockets us back and forth between two storylines that eventually merge.
The first storyline is Rothschild, a career criminal of immense wealth, who is hosting a unique illegal hunt on his acreage. The best of the best have purchased a seat at the table and when they see the thing they will be hunting down, none of them can believe it.
The second storyline follows an undercover officer, Ian, who has infiltrated the compound, pretending to be a member of the waiting staff. He is building a case to bring down Rothschild, only to inadvertently fall in love.
Jeffery really does a great job building the two storylines up before all hell breaks loose.
The hunters that are gathered are great characters. We get to see their human side and why they are in this situation as well as get to understand some of their motives, even if they all make it known that now they don’t possess much in the way of morals.
The action scenes were great and as the plot moves along, the werewolf really does a great job of being both a functional character as well as a set-piece. I thought Jeffery did a great job using both sides of that.
I think the only minor gripe I had was the hunting scenes felt a bit short and at times rushed. I wished there would have been more of a lead into each hunter coming across the werewolf, but that’s minor.
Overall, had an absolute blast with this one and if you love werewolf fiction as much as I do – definitely give this one a whirl!
April 21, 2020
Fast paced slice of werewolf mayhem from Dave Jeffery. I've read a few of his books now and they never disappoint. All you need to know going in to this is an illegal hunt has been organised by some very rich people. Their target: a werewolf. The setup is short and the action never lets up in another winner from Jeffery.
October 8, 2023
Tooth & Claw was most definitely unlike any werewolf book I’ve ever read. The people in this book pay a crime lord to do what Sam and Dean do for free…and then pay for it again😉! If you’re looking for a fast paced, read in one sitting, different sort of werewolf book/novella, I highly recommend you check out Tooth & Claw by Dave Jeffery.
February 6, 2021
The front and back covers of this book depict the storyline very well. When trophy hunters become the hunted and the hunted become the beast (or are they the prey?) the result is a very entertaining horror story.
May 20, 2020
Good read
I enjoyed reading this book and will read more from this author in the future. A entertaining and quick read.
I enjoyed reading this book and will read more from this author in the future. A entertaining and quick read.
December 4, 2023
This novella is awesome!
July 30, 2024
Full review at Happy Goat Horror:
https://happygoathorror.com/2024/01/2...
If you're a fan of werewolf horror you absolutely HAVE to read this novella! This is the most fun I've ever had with werewolves - great scenes of horror and (as always for Jeffery), a rock solid plot with great storytelling.
https://happygoathorror.com/2024/01/2...
If you're a fan of werewolf horror you absolutely HAVE to read this novella! This is the most fun I've ever had with werewolves - great scenes of horror and (as always for Jeffery), a rock solid plot with great storytelling.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews