Squirrel Apocalypse

by Josef Matulich

Chris Day had a perfect life… when he was twelve years old. Twenty years later, he is divorced, unemployed, and desperate to get through to his twelve year daughter, Liv. He hopes his grandmother’s dairy farm in Crickson, California will be a good place to start a new life. Chris spent his boyhood summers in mischief and squirrel-launching there with his two best friends, Olivia and Rafael. Today, the dairy farmers grow marijuana to make ends meet, and the local radio station broadcasts the movements of the DEA to help them stay one step ahead. His grandmother’s obsession with squirrels has turned to a crusade of extermination. Olivia and Rafael are still in town, but nothing like the kids he dreamed of coming back to. Liv is sneaking out of the house late at night and Grandma has a collection of squirrel torture porn and homemade explosives. Pets and livestock are disappearing at an increasing rate. You really can’t go home again, especially when it’s being eaten by GMO killer squirrels.

222 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 26, 2019

About the author

Josef Matulich is an author, special effects artist and costumer. His Arcanum Faire trilogy, a horror/comedy of sex, magick, and power tools, was published by Cincinnati’s Post Mortem Press. The final novel “The Ren Faire at the End of the World” was released in late 2017.
His "Squirrel Apocalypse" was released by Hydra Publications Sept. 2019. His first steampunk novel, "The Silk Empress", was released December 11th, 2022.

His WIP, set in the same magickal Ohio as Arcanum, is titled "Dead People's Houses."

His flash fiction has appeared on the Wicked Library podcast and the compilation “44 Lies by 22 Liars” by Post Mortem. He won the Context Flash Fiction competition its last year. Josef’s short plays have been performed around Central Ohio and a horror/comedy screenplay of his is currently in Pre-Production Hell somewhere on the Coast.

When not making up funny/scary stories or manning the Help Desk of a Fortune 100 corporation, he assists his wife Kit in their semi-haunted vintage & costume shop.

Reviews

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was definitely a book in its own category -- a dark comedy about killer squirrels that had me laughing some of the time, and grossed out at others. The story was certainly unique and kept me intrigued for the most part. This book could have used a better edit, as typos and missing words were distracting throughout the book, but I did think the characters were well-developed and found myself liking them very much. I would definitely read more work from Matulich.

One of my favorite lines in the book is "Chris swore that the cloud of stench escaping the van had a mouth and eyes, just like a cartoon ghost." For some reason I couldn't stop laughing at this one.

[Kara Prem · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a fun, easy read. The actual story conclusion is grim, but there are so many funny scenes especially with Chris's grandma. The whole idea of a super race of carnivorous squirrels that are driven to ravage the population after inhaling burning marijuana is enough of a description to catch my attention!

[Diane Thorne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun and an Adventure

A page Turner with good characters, a crazy (yet somewhat believable) premise, an thousands of murderous squirrels. A fun read with plenty of sarcastic wit.

[Randall Chris Herrington · Rating 3 out of 5]

Weird squared

Really bizarre read. It was too many to stop reading though I wanted to several times. Could have been a script for an Ed Wood film.

[Jacqueline · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was as stupid as I thought it was going to be.