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The Nick Ventner Adventures #.5
A Man of the Mountain
Jonas is a recluse. He lives in the mountains alone, appreciative of the peace and solitude the wilderness has to offer. It also enables him to keep his unusual line of work a secret.
At the behest of mysterious employers, Jonas has been instructed to wear a fur-covered suit and terrorize hikers at a local mountain range, all in an effort to maintain the mythical legend of Bigfoot. While typically uneventful, there are times when a hiker gets too close and the situation becomes...messy. Jonas may not be bloodthirsty, but he always does what's necessary to uphold a certain level of discretion.
After several high-profile ‘accidents’ are written off by authorities as bear attacks, tabloid reporter Shirley Codwell notices a pattern and sets out to unravel the truth. Convinced that the killings are the work of a legendary beast, she calls upon the monster hunting community for assistance. The events that transpire are like nothing she could have expected...and will send Jonas running for his life.
Set in the Whiteout universe, A Man of the Mountain is a thrilling dark-comic adventure that will keep you turning the pages right through to it's incredible, shocking conclusion.
At the behest of mysterious employers, Jonas has been instructed to wear a fur-covered suit and terrorize hikers at a local mountain range, all in an effort to maintain the mythical legend of Bigfoot. While typically uneventful, there are times when a hiker gets too close and the situation becomes...messy. Jonas may not be bloodthirsty, but he always does what's necessary to uphold a certain level of discretion.
After several high-profile ‘accidents’ are written off by authorities as bear attacks, tabloid reporter Shirley Codwell notices a pattern and sets out to unravel the truth. Convinced that the killings are the work of a legendary beast, she calls upon the monster hunting community for assistance. The events that transpire are like nothing she could have expected...and will send Jonas running for his life.
Set in the Whiteout universe, A Man of the Mountain is a thrilling dark-comic adventure that will keep you turning the pages right through to it's incredible, shocking conclusion.
114 pages, Paperback
Published March 2, 2020
1 person is currently reading
15 people want to read
About the author
Ashton Macaulay
11 books39 followersAshton Macaulay is a fiction writer living in Seattle Washington. His latest novel, One Night at Kedasi, is a sci-fi comedy featuring a sarcastic ship captain and her best friend, a five-foot tall talking shrimp. Previous works include Whiteout, the tale of drunken monster hunter, Nick Ventner, Man of the Mountain, an intriguing novella surrounding a man trying to maintain the Bigfoot legend and various short stories.
While Ashton doesn't have any awards to display on this lovely page, Kirkus did call Whiteout: "An often engaging, if sometimes-clichéd, tale with an acerbic lead." Of that lead, they also said: "He often embellishes, either intentionally or as a consequence of his alcohol intake; he’s a wonderfully human protagonist who makes mistakes and is ill-prepared for his treacherous journey."
You can find more information on upcoming work at Ashton's website: MacAshton.com
While Ashton doesn't have any awards to display on this lovely page, Kirkus did call Whiteout: "An often engaging, if sometimes-clichéd, tale with an acerbic lead." Of that lead, they also said: "He often embellishes, either intentionally or as a consequence of his alcohol intake; he’s a wonderfully human protagonist who makes mistakes and is ill-prepared for his treacherous journey."
You can find more information on upcoming work at Ashton's website: MacAshton.com
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
October 18, 2022
Great, great fun.........................
At the same time it made me think about living the life we want and the price we pay for that, social communication and our need for it, social media which is not the same thing and it's so very highly priced demands, monsters those within and without. And yes I loved Shirley and Nick and I'm going for the one after this because it's a must.
It was a good day when I saw my GR friend Robert reading this and I chose to follow his path.
At the same time it made me think about living the life we want and the price we pay for that, social communication and our need for it, social media which is not the same thing and it's so very highly priced demands, monsters those within and without. And yes I loved Shirley and Nick and I'm going for the one after this because it's a must.
It was a good day when I saw my GR friend Robert reading this and I chose to follow his path.
October 30, 2022
10/30/2022 - Update for audio
This is the prequel to Whiteout, which I highly recommend. Personally I think it might be more fun to read/listen to this one first - though minus a tiny cameo from James, Nick is the only Whiteout character to make an appearance. There are “nods” in each book to the other – but nothing spoilerish in either direction.
A TV crew, tabloid journalist, and drunk monster hunter go up a mountain to hunt a Yeti...
This one is a bit darker, perhaps because Nick’s snark doesn’t get quite as much page time. It’s also a little slower to build up to the action as Macaulay lays the foundation for the various characters’ backgrounds. It was definitely full of suspense/mystery with a nice dose of horror thriller & action. It was unpredictable and a truly enjoyable novella-length listen.
I’m looking forward to more in the Nick Ventner series and perhaps he can even be reunited with Shirley for another adventure. Macaulay’s work will continue to be added to my TBR/L.
Narration:
Stuart Bentley was a great choice for bringing Macaulay's writing to life. I enjoyed all his voices for the characters as well as the emotions, suspense, and timing with the humor. Great listen.
Note: While I own the ebook, I did win a copy of the audio from a contest on Macaulay's Twitter.
This is the prequel to Whiteout, which I highly recommend. Personally I think it might be more fun to read/listen to this one first - though minus a tiny cameo from James, Nick is the only Whiteout character to make an appearance. There are “nods” in each book to the other – but nothing spoilerish in either direction.
A TV crew, tabloid journalist, and drunk monster hunter go up a mountain to hunt a Yeti...
This one is a bit darker, perhaps because Nick’s snark doesn’t get quite as much page time. It’s also a little slower to build up to the action as Macaulay lays the foundation for the various characters’ backgrounds. It was definitely full of suspense/mystery with a nice dose of horror thriller & action. It was unpredictable and a truly enjoyable novella-length listen.
I’m looking forward to more in the Nick Ventner series and perhaps he can even be reunited with Shirley for another adventure. Macaulay’s work will continue to be added to my TBR/L.
Narration:
Stuart Bentley was a great choice for bringing Macaulay's writing to life. I enjoyed all his voices for the characters as well as the emotions, suspense, and timing with the humor. Great listen.
Note: While I own the ebook, I did win a copy of the audio from a contest on Macaulay's Twitter.
September 27, 2022
After having so much fun reading Ashton Macaulay’s Whiteout , I was quite excited to read the Nick Ventner tale. I grew a sort of liking to the snappy, unfazed monster hunter. A Man of the Mountain is a novella and not the official follow up to Whiteout but, as one can guess, exists in that same universe.
Jonas lives alone in a cabin on a mountain. Whenever a hiker strays into his territory he dresses up like a sasquatch and brutally murders them. This is not a spoiler as it’s detailed on the second page. These kills get the attention of tabloid writer, Shirley Codwell, television personality monster hunter, Rick Mansen, who is not too dissimilar to Gilderoy Lockhart, and, eventually, Nick Ventner. Will this group unmask Jonas or will they all be his victims?
A Man of the Mountain is a brilliant swipe at media culture: ranging from the antics of tabloid journalists – mostly trying their hardest to find the most bizarre story to sell the paper, to the fakery that is involved with television: Rick Mansen makes his documentaries seem like dangerous exploits but in reality there’s a lot of rehearsed content and prescribed movements. On the other hand Jonas is super excited when he finds out that Mansen is coming over as he sees it as a chance to show off. Nick, being who he is, is sceptical and is a good leveller of the bizarre media world.
As this is an Ashton Macaulay book there are quite a few interesting curveballs which keep the reader guessing and quite a bit of gut spilling action with a couple of razor sharp one liners thrown in. The novella is well paced and an utter joy to read. Macaulay has a knack for creating a vibe where you just want to keep reading because everything develops in such a fun way. I read the book in a couple of hours on a rainy Sunday afternoon and it was just perfect.
Considering that this is just a one off, my excitement for Downpour – the official sequel is on the rise.
Jonas lives alone in a cabin on a mountain. Whenever a hiker strays into his territory he dresses up like a sasquatch and brutally murders them. This is not a spoiler as it’s detailed on the second page. These kills get the attention of tabloid writer, Shirley Codwell, television personality monster hunter, Rick Mansen, who is not too dissimilar to Gilderoy Lockhart, and, eventually, Nick Ventner. Will this group unmask Jonas or will they all be his victims?
A Man of the Mountain is a brilliant swipe at media culture: ranging from the antics of tabloid journalists – mostly trying their hardest to find the most bizarre story to sell the paper, to the fakery that is involved with television: Rick Mansen makes his documentaries seem like dangerous exploits but in reality there’s a lot of rehearsed content and prescribed movements. On the other hand Jonas is super excited when he finds out that Mansen is coming over as he sees it as a chance to show off. Nick, being who he is, is sceptical and is a good leveller of the bizarre media world.
As this is an Ashton Macaulay book there are quite a few interesting curveballs which keep the reader guessing and quite a bit of gut spilling action with a couple of razor sharp one liners thrown in. The novella is well paced and an utter joy to read. Macaulay has a knack for creating a vibe where you just want to keep reading because everything develops in such a fun way. I read the book in a couple of hours on a rainy Sunday afternoon and it was just perfect.
Considering that this is just a one off, my excitement for Downpour – the official sequel is on the rise.
November 23, 2020
This was the second book that I read in the Nick Ventner Adventures. I was, once again, pleasantly surprised.
At first, I wasn't at all certain where this story was going to go. I had briefly looked at the synopsis and wondered where the character Nick would fall into the storyline.
The book definitely went in a new direction but stayed true to the overall concept of the saga, and once again, Ashton was able to throw in a few twists that left me surprised by the end of the adventure.
Book one had me excited to continue on with the trilogy. This book solidified my investment. I will continue to read every single book that comes out in this series.
While this novella is considered to be #0.5 in the series, I recommend that readers start with book 1: Whiteout, in order to become familiar with just exactly who Nick Ventner is. It will make this book all the more enjoyable.
I received a physical copy in exchange for an honest review. Honestly, I'm really looking forward to the next book in the series.
At first, I wasn't at all certain where this story was going to go. I had briefly looked at the synopsis and wondered where the character Nick would fall into the storyline.
The book definitely went in a new direction but stayed true to the overall concept of the saga, and once again, Ashton was able to throw in a few twists that left me surprised by the end of the adventure.
Book one had me excited to continue on with the trilogy. This book solidified my investment. I will continue to read every single book that comes out in this series.
While this novella is considered to be #0.5 in the series, I recommend that readers start with book 1: Whiteout, in order to become familiar with just exactly who Nick Ventner is. It will make this book all the more enjoyable.
I received a physical copy in exchange for an honest review. Honestly, I'm really looking forward to the next book in the series.
January 30, 2023
I loved this book, a really good, short and snappy read. This book is perfect for anyone who loves legends like Bigfoot but also enjoys the History Channel getting absolutely roasted for their “documentaries” about Bigfoot and the like.
For anyone that likes adventure stories A Man Of The Mountain will put the sass in Sasquatch for you!
I don’t want to reveal any spoilers but the eyebrow raising surprise is fantastically unexpected.
The audiobook narrated by Stuart Bentley is great and brings a lot of personality to the story.
For anyone that likes adventure stories A Man Of The Mountain will put the sass in Sasquatch for you!
I don’t want to reveal any spoilers but the eyebrow raising surprise is fantastically unexpected.
The audiobook narrated by Stuart Bentley is great and brings a lot of personality to the story.
February 18, 2020
Well paced side story that adds a ton to the universe. This compact adventure is jam packed with fun, twists and characters you love and hate.
August 31, 2025
I listen to the audiobook and the narrator does a good job. This is a short novella that was fun to listen to. There is a Yeti in the mountains and people are dying. The real reason is sinister and it will take a crackpot team to decipher it. The end will catch you off guard too.
I liked the characters and the plot. The author has more books in this world with the monster hunter and I am interested in checking them out.
I liked the characters and the plot. The author has more books in this world with the monster hunter and I am interested in checking them out.
January 9, 2024
Really enjoyed this short bloody read. I did not like the Jonas character but I think that was the point. I’m glad I started the series with this novella and I’m excited to see what happens next with Nick. Also looking forward to more Sasquatch action!
June 9, 2020
The big reveal is there at the outset, Jonas is hired, for reasons unknown, to play the part of Bigfoot, killer guardian of the mountain. The question is, who will stop him? His next potential victims are a paranormal news reporter, a cryptozoologist who drinks too much, and a bumbling army of interns led by the epitome of apathetic nature documentary hosts. It's dark, funny, mashed together with that small-town vibe of the mystery fauna that the locals whisper about in hopes of getting a few tourists dollars. The highlight is the different dynamics of characters and how everyone is just a wee bit too crazy and invested in this collective mystery for their own good. Except the interns. Those poor interns.
October 17, 2022
Such a fun read! This book is told from multiple perspectives, and introduces us to Nick Ventner, who is the main character of other novels that come after this story. Imagine Sam Spade, but instead of a heavy drinking sardonic private eye, he's a heavy drinking sardonic cryptozoologist/monster hunter. I loved everything about this story. A wonderful piece of pulp fiction!
February 25, 2021
With A Man of the Mountain, Macaulay continues to color his universe and its seemingly endless boundaries. The novella’s change of focus serves to further the author’s well-molded lore, bringing home just how genuinely lived-in it all feels. A great follow up to Whiteout.
May 3, 2020
4.5 out of 5.
November 3, 2025
Perfect read on a rainy weekend (really set the mood)! This was a great novella that kept me wanting to read more and continue on the adventure with the characters. I appreciated the mix of a dark horror feel with humorous dialogue and a sense that you think you know what might happen but wanting to know what surprises lay ahead. Looking forward to reading the next book!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews