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The Montauk Monster
It Kills. . .
On a hot summer night in Montauk, the bodies of two local bar patrons are discovered in the dunes, torn to shreds, their identities unrecognizable. . .
It Breeds. . .
In another part of town, a woman's backyard is invaded by four terrifying creatures that defy any kind of description. What's clear is that they're hostile--and they're ravenous. . .
It Spreads. . .
With every sunset the terror rises again, infecting residents with a virus no one can cure. The CDC can't help them; FEMA can't save them. But each savage attack brings Suffolk County Police Officer Gray Dalton one step closer to the shocking source of these unholy creations. Hidden on nearby Plum Island, a U.S. research facility has been running top-secret experiments. What they created was never meant to see the light of day. Now, a vacation paradise is going straight to hell.
On a hot summer night in Montauk, the bodies of two local bar patrons are discovered in the dunes, torn to shreds, their identities unrecognizable. . .
It Breeds. . .
In another part of town, a woman's backyard is invaded by four terrifying creatures that defy any kind of description. What's clear is that they're hostile--and they're ravenous. . .
It Spreads. . .
With every sunset the terror rises again, infecting residents with a virus no one can cure. The CDC can't help them; FEMA can't save them. But each savage attack brings Suffolk County Police Officer Gray Dalton one step closer to the shocking source of these unholy creations. Hidden on nearby Plum Island, a U.S. research facility has been running top-secret experiments. What they created was never meant to see the light of day. Now, a vacation paradise is going straight to hell.
Audiobook
First published June 3, 2014
107 people are currently reading
2068 people want to read
About the author
Hunter Shea
66 books1,009 followersHunter Shea is the author of over 25 books, with a specialization in cryptozoological horror that includes The Jersey Devil, The Dover Demon, Loch Ness Revenge and many others. As part of the new horror line at Flame Tree Press, his novel Creature has gained critical acclaim. His novel, The Montauk Monster, was named one of the best reads of the summer by Publishers Weekly. A trip to the International Cryptozoology Museum will find several of his cryptid books among the fascinating displays. Living in a true haunted house inspired his Jessica Backman: Death in the Afterlife series (Forest of Shadows, Sinister Entity and Island of the Forbidden). In 2011, he was selected to be a part of the launch of Samhain Publishing’s new horror line alongside legendary author Ramsey Campbell. When he’s not writing thrillers and horror, he also spins tall tales for middle grade readers on Amazon’s highly regarded Rapids reading app.
An avid podcaster, he can be seen and heard on Monster Men, one of the longest running video horror podcasts in the world, and Final Guys, focusing on weekly movie and book reviews. His nostalgic column about the magic of 80s horror, Video Visions, is featured monthly at Cemetery Dance Online. You can find his short stories in a number of anthologies, including Chopping Block Party, The Body Horror Book and Fearful Fathoms II.
A lifetime New Yorker, Hunter is supported by his loving wife and two beautiful daughters. When he’s not studying up on cryptozoology, he’s an avid explorer of the unknown, having spent a night alone on the Queen Mary, searching for the Warren’s famous White Lady of the Union Cemetery and other mysterious places.
You can follow his travails at www.huntershea.com.
An avid podcaster, he can be seen and heard on Monster Men, one of the longest running video horror podcasts in the world, and Final Guys, focusing on weekly movie and book reviews. His nostalgic column about the magic of 80s horror, Video Visions, is featured monthly at Cemetery Dance Online. You can find his short stories in a number of anthologies, including Chopping Block Party, The Body Horror Book and Fearful Fathoms II.
A lifetime New Yorker, Hunter is supported by his loving wife and two beautiful daughters. When he’s not studying up on cryptozoology, he’s an avid explorer of the unknown, having spent a night alone on the Queen Mary, searching for the Warren’s famous White Lady of the Union Cemetery and other mysterious places.
You can follow his travails at www.huntershea.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 224 reviews
October 19, 2019
3.5 bloody stars.
**montauk monster spotted in rhode island!**
oh, god, remember back in 2008 when that dead thing washed up on long island and the whole city was united in "what the hell is that??" fever? and the authorities tried to pass it off as some partially-decomposed raccoon LIKE THAT WAS EVEN PLAUSIBLE and then the body just…vanished?
"I AM NOT A RACCOON!"
this book sets the record straight as far as what it was and where it came from, and what could have happened if some of the live versions of the creatures got loose into our towns and homes and cars.
and we would be fucked.
this is a pretty straight-up horror novel. the beasts are vicious and single-minded and can kill you in like 4 different ways and are the only thing (so far) more disgusting than hyenas. you will meet many characters and many characters will be killed. explosively. so do not pick out china patterns, because when the montauk monster(s) roll up, their only purpose is to destroy, and the cure is even worse than the disease.
it's a really enjoyable horror romp, and perfect beach reading, especially if you were headed out to, say, montauk.
but look out for "raccoons."
because they will end you.
come to my blog!
**montauk monster spotted in rhode island!**
oh, god, remember back in 2008 when that dead thing washed up on long island and the whole city was united in "what the hell is that??" fever? and the authorities tried to pass it off as some partially-decomposed raccoon LIKE THAT WAS EVEN PLAUSIBLE and then the body just…vanished?
"I AM NOT A RACCOON!"
this book sets the record straight as far as what it was and where it came from, and what could have happened if some of the live versions of the creatures got loose into our towns and homes and cars.
and we would be fucked.
this is a pretty straight-up horror novel. the beasts are vicious and single-minded and can kill you in like 4 different ways and are the only thing (so far) more disgusting than hyenas. you will meet many characters and many characters will be killed. explosively. so do not pick out china patterns, because when the montauk monster(s) roll up, their only purpose is to destroy, and the cure is even worse than the disease.
it's a really enjoyable horror romp, and perfect beach reading, especially if you were headed out to, say, montauk.
but look out for "raccoons."
because they will end you.
come to my blog!
February 15, 2017
The sleepy resort town of Montauk is terrorized by strange beasts and it's up to Gray Dalton and the rest of the Montauk PD to get to the bottom of things. But have they bitten off more than they can chew?
The more Hunter Shea books I read, the more convinced I am that we would have been best buds when we were twelve. The Montauk Monster takes the cryptid of the same name and sets it on a gory rampage through Montauk and neighboring towns.
In some ways, this feels like a dry run of Shea's The Jersey Devil. There are multiple monsters terrorizing a small town and only a small group of people are prepared for what comes next. As in the Jersey Devil, Shea introduces character after character, only to have them mauled by the Montauk Monsters or succumb to the horrifying disease they carry.
Tying the creature's origin to nearby Plum Island was a master stroke. The chimeric, disease-bearing creatures hit the beaches of Montauk and no one is safe. They take down cops, stoners, reality stars, and a lot of other people before things are finally settled. By the time things are over, DARPA, FEMA, the CDC, and other acronyms get involved and the ending is far from happy.
Throw in some witty reparte and end-of-the-world sex, and that's pretty much it. The main characters, Dalton and Meredith, are pretty much stock thriller characters aside from the age difference and Meredith's bum leg. When I say this feels like a dry run of Jersey Devil, I mean it. It hits all the same beats and isn't quite as polished as JD.
At the end of the day, this creature feature by Hunter Shea was pretty damn entertaining but not as good as his later works. Three out of five stars.
The more Hunter Shea books I read, the more convinced I am that we would have been best buds when we were twelve. The Montauk Monster takes the cryptid of the same name and sets it on a gory rampage through Montauk and neighboring towns.
In some ways, this feels like a dry run of Shea's The Jersey Devil. There are multiple monsters terrorizing a small town and only a small group of people are prepared for what comes next. As in the Jersey Devil, Shea introduces character after character, only to have them mauled by the Montauk Monsters or succumb to the horrifying disease they carry.
Tying the creature's origin to nearby Plum Island was a master stroke. The chimeric, disease-bearing creatures hit the beaches of Montauk and no one is safe. They take down cops, stoners, reality stars, and a lot of other people before things are finally settled. By the time things are over, DARPA, FEMA, the CDC, and other acronyms get involved and the ending is far from happy.
Throw in some witty reparte and end-of-the-world sex, and that's pretty much it. The main characters, Dalton and Meredith, are pretty much stock thriller characters aside from the age difference and Meredith's bum leg. When I say this feels like a dry run of Jersey Devil, I mean it. It hits all the same beats and isn't quite as polished as JD.
At the end of the day, this creature feature by Hunter Shea was pretty damn entertaining but not as good as his later works. Three out of five stars.
January 11, 2025
Blood and Gore Galore!
Small backstory:
Setting: Montauk, New York
Police officer, Gray Dalton gets a call that bodies have been found on one of the beaches in the county. When Officer Dalton gets there and sees the remains of the bodies, he wonders what has invaded his domain.
Officer Dalton along with his officers find out that there is a government research facility not too far from Montauk called Plum Island and he is not a happy camper when he finds out what they have created there!
As the bodies start piling up, Dalton along with his police force races against time to see if they can stop the creations from causing any more destruction and death!
That is about all I can give on a small backstory so if you want to know more then go read this book!
Thoughts:
WOW!! I am never disappointed with a book by author, Hunter Shea and this story just grabbed me right away! When I first saw the cover I knew this story was going to be really good! What a horror ride it was as I journeyed into the ocean depths of this story!
I was hooked from the first chapter as bodies and gore started flying and everyone is expendable in this book as no one is a favorite here!
If you are even a bit squeamish when it comes to gore and body parts, then you might not want to read this book as there is lots of graphic detail of the gore which abounds in this book! But for you readers that like extreme blood and gore mixed with lots of graphic descriptions then by all means pick up this book as you will not be disappointed! It is a wonder my kindle wasn't bleeding as the whole book is a blood soaked gory mess!
Author, Hunter Shea, really took this book for a gory romp as I think it is one of the bloodiest books I have read by him! Giving this book five "Blood and Gore" stars!
Small backstory:
Setting: Montauk, New York
Police officer, Gray Dalton gets a call that bodies have been found on one of the beaches in the county. When Officer Dalton gets there and sees the remains of the bodies, he wonders what has invaded his domain.
Officer Dalton along with his officers find out that there is a government research facility not too far from Montauk called Plum Island and he is not a happy camper when he finds out what they have created there!
As the bodies start piling up, Dalton along with his police force races against time to see if they can stop the creations from causing any more destruction and death!
That is about all I can give on a small backstory so if you want to know more then go read this book!
Thoughts:
WOW!! I am never disappointed with a book by author, Hunter Shea and this story just grabbed me right away! When I first saw the cover I knew this story was going to be really good! What a horror ride it was as I journeyed into the ocean depths of this story!
I was hooked from the first chapter as bodies and gore started flying and everyone is expendable in this book as no one is a favorite here!
If you are even a bit squeamish when it comes to gore and body parts, then you might not want to read this book as there is lots of graphic detail of the gore which abounds in this book! But for you readers that like extreme blood and gore mixed with lots of graphic descriptions then by all means pick up this book as you will not be disappointed! It is a wonder my kindle wasn't bleeding as the whole book is a blood soaked gory mess!
Author, Hunter Shea, really took this book for a gory romp as I think it is one of the bloodiest books I have read by him! Giving this book five "Blood and Gore" stars!
July 29, 2018
Let’s see:
Gore
Monsters
Mayhem
Stoners
Soldiers
Innocent civilians
A hero and a heroine
Yes, these are the ingredients for a spectacular monster book. It would actually make a great monster movie.
Montauk is ordinary town, a tourist magnet, but outside of the city lays an island called Plum Island. And on the Island lies Animal Disease Center. Now creatures have escaped from the island and have set their sight on the city and its population. And they are bred for one thing: to kill!
The Montauk Monster is not something I usually read, it more like something I would watch on the telly. This is definitely nothing for people that are faint of heart. It's nonstop action, people get slaughter right to left. A drawback for me was that the kindle version that I read had some problem with the structure of the text. And I don’t know if the paper book is better. But in the middle of the chapter, without warning, the focus could go from one scene to another and it was frustrating to be reading about something and then suddenly it doesn’t make sense anymore and then I realize that the story has shifted its focus to other characters. Annoying as hell!
Besides that, the book was quite good to read, it got a bit long-winded towards the end. Not boring, I just felt that it dragged on a bit and my interest in reading about people getting maimed dwindled.
I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!
Gore
Monsters
Mayhem
Stoners
Soldiers
Innocent civilians
A hero and a heroine
Yes, these are the ingredients for a spectacular monster book. It would actually make a great monster movie.
Montauk is ordinary town, a tourist magnet, but outside of the city lays an island called Plum Island. And on the Island lies Animal Disease Center. Now creatures have escaped from the island and have set their sight on the city and its population. And they are bred for one thing: to kill!
The Montauk Monster is not something I usually read, it more like something I would watch on the telly. This is definitely nothing for people that are faint of heart. It's nonstop action, people get slaughter right to left. A drawback for me was that the kindle version that I read had some problem with the structure of the text. And I don’t know if the paper book is better. But in the middle of the chapter, without warning, the focus could go from one scene to another and it was frustrating to be reading about something and then suddenly it doesn’t make sense anymore and then I realize that the story has shifted its focus to other characters. Annoying as hell!
Besides that, the book was quite good to read, it got a bit long-winded towards the end. Not boring, I just felt that it dragged on a bit and my interest in reading about people getting maimed dwindled.
I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!
October 22, 2017
Creature Feature! B-Movie Madness! Evil bloated hairless raccoons who don't sound like Bradley Cooper!
What's not to love? It's chaos! Start out with a sleepy tourist town like the one in Jaws, throw in a large cast of characters including toss away potheads, add conspiracy theories, disease, sharp claws, and no cybernetic implants, and we've got some delicious treats falling into our couch, only to be found the next time we do a thorough cleaning. :)
This here is the closest Hunter Shea novel to his Jersey Devil that I've read! There's nothing like getting to know and enjoy a wide cast of characters who you just know are going to get torn apart or burst from within later on in the novel. Then we can have this little guessing game that goes a little like this:
Who's gonna survive this nightmare? Anyone? Anyone? Beuller?
I like the Deep Blue Sea effect, too. :)
So fun. So light. So damn bloody. :) Total trash.
(But I love it so.)
What's not to love? It's chaos! Start out with a sleepy tourist town like the one in Jaws, throw in a large cast of characters including toss away potheads, add conspiracy theories, disease, sharp claws, and no cybernetic implants, and we've got some delicious treats falling into our couch, only to be found the next time we do a thorough cleaning. :)
This here is the closest Hunter Shea novel to his Jersey Devil that I've read! There's nothing like getting to know and enjoy a wide cast of characters who you just know are going to get torn apart or burst from within later on in the novel. Then we can have this little guessing game that goes a little like this:
Who's gonna survive this nightmare? Anyone? Anyone? Beuller?
I like the Deep Blue Sea effect, too. :)
So fun. So light. So damn bloody. :) Total trash.
(But I love it so.)
July 28, 2021
Perhaps the best of the "animals-amok" sci-fi creature features I've ever read. Hunter Shea's narrative voice here is warm and inviting, sucking the reader in to a vast amount of stories concerning the citizens and police force of a Northeastern island town called Montauk, NY, during an outbreak of a biological weapon from a nearby government research facility. The vector for the contagion are a group of escaped lab animals who are bred for their viciousness and insatiable hunger. For years, the corpses of these chimera could be occasionally found rotting on the beaches of Long Island, spawning local conspiracies and legends of a cryptid known as the Montauk Monster. But now living specimens are suddenly wrecking havoc in the middle of tourist season, and just a single scratch can lead to a horrid infection.
There is certainly non-stop violence and extreme gore in this entry, but somehow the action is made palpable and realistic, unlike the ridiculous flying fish fest I had read of Shea's earlier this summer known as "They Rise." And despite the epic cast of characters whose stories are cycled throughout the book, we grow to care enough about each one thanks to Shea's masterful narrative voice. Every character, even the most minor monster fodder, is just so vividly realistic and relatable in some way because the author embellished them with just enough descriptive flourish so as to make the words on the page become very human indeed. And yet somehow the length and pacing of the book does not seem to suffer from these descriptions. In fact, this is one of those books that you can read in just a night or so, as it is very difficult to put down.
So honestly, I have very little negative to say about this one. "Montauk Monster" has everything I want from a creature feature. I would even say that the subject matter is a bit timely considering our current COVID woes and concerns about gain-of-function experimentation. I am not sure the level of quality quite reaches five-star status, but it sure comes close, and I certainly can see how Hunter Shea is rapidly reaching beloved status in the horror community. If you haven't read this already, get on it!
There is certainly non-stop violence and extreme gore in this entry, but somehow the action is made palpable and realistic, unlike the ridiculous flying fish fest I had read of Shea's earlier this summer known as "They Rise." And despite the epic cast of characters whose stories are cycled throughout the book, we grow to care enough about each one thanks to Shea's masterful narrative voice. Every character, even the most minor monster fodder, is just so vividly realistic and relatable in some way because the author embellished them with just enough descriptive flourish so as to make the words on the page become very human indeed. And yet somehow the length and pacing of the book does not seem to suffer from these descriptions. In fact, this is one of those books that you can read in just a night or so, as it is very difficult to put down.
So honestly, I have very little negative to say about this one. "Montauk Monster" has everything I want from a creature feature. I would even say that the subject matter is a bit timely considering our current COVID woes and concerns about gain-of-function experimentation. I am not sure the level of quality quite reaches five-star status, but it sure comes close, and I certainly can see how Hunter Shea is rapidly reaching beloved status in the horror community. If you haven't read this already, get on it!
February 1, 2018
THE MONTAUK MONSTER, by Hunter Shea, could easily be classified as one of his popular "creature features", yet this novel has much more to it than the vicious monsters, themselves. Officer Gray Dalton's usually quiet shift is suddenly shattered by an anonymous call of what might be a body on one of the beaches. While they were used to getting an occasional drowned body--or, "floater"--washing up on one of the shores, the the scenes of gore and carnage that Dalton comes upon is anything but routine.
Keeping things quiet in a vacation town is virtually impossible, but what follows in the wake of this discovery is instead, a flurry of large, vicious animal sightings and attacks.
". . . What the hell was people's obsession with death and dismemberment?"
In my opinion, the strongest part of this novel lay more in the implications and just how . . . possible . . . Shea makes this entire scenario seem. On the very nearby Plum Island, a government controlled research facility, a lack of communication is becoming noticed by a select few. While nobody really seems to know the current purpose of the island, it had a history dating back to Nazi times.
". . . It's the way of any large governmental entity . . . a perfect place to do all kinds of things on the wrong side of ethics . . . "
As usual, the characterization in this novel is top notch. In addition to officer Dalton, many other individuals come into play here, and Shea takes the time to show us each character in great detail. The fear and terror that suddenly descends upon these people is something that the reader can virtually feel just by reading their reactions. The gory and violent scenes are made so much more believable by the fact that our own scientific research has become so advanced in recent years, meaning that the ideas presented here are no longer--unthinkable . . .
". . . we have the technology now to make these nightmares come true . . . "
While the monsters create plenty of bloodshed, single-minded destruction, and ferocity to keep horror fans glued to the pages, the ideas and hypotheses on just what the scientists were working on in the government facility add an entirely new level of terror and suspicion. Perhaps the greatest fear that we can feel is is that of what we don't fully understand. The unknown factor is somehow worse than a threat--no matter how large--that we can picture and know the details of. Without this knowledge, paranoia runs rampant--turning our mentality into a "shoot first, ask questions later" mode.
"What the hell were they messing with?"
"Something they shouldn't have . . . "
Shea takes the paranoia now present in this town--where they are being kept completely in the dark by those that knew first-hand exactly what the threat is--and convincingly weaves his tale of a crisis that few will ever know the truth of.
". . . from an animal that was never meant to be . . ."
This story left me with the unshakable feeling that it was not so much about what to fear the most, but rather, who . . .
Highly recommended!
**Review on Horror After Dark: ** http://www.horrorafterdark.com/2018/0...
Keeping things quiet in a vacation town is virtually impossible, but what follows in the wake of this discovery is instead, a flurry of large, vicious animal sightings and attacks.
". . . What the hell was people's obsession with death and dismemberment?"
In my opinion, the strongest part of this novel lay more in the implications and just how . . . possible . . . Shea makes this entire scenario seem. On the very nearby Plum Island, a government controlled research facility, a lack of communication is becoming noticed by a select few. While nobody really seems to know the current purpose of the island, it had a history dating back to Nazi times.
". . . It's the way of any large governmental entity . . . a perfect place to do all kinds of things on the wrong side of ethics . . . "
As usual, the characterization in this novel is top notch. In addition to officer Dalton, many other individuals come into play here, and Shea takes the time to show us each character in great detail. The fear and terror that suddenly descends upon these people is something that the reader can virtually feel just by reading their reactions. The gory and violent scenes are made so much more believable by the fact that our own scientific research has become so advanced in recent years, meaning that the ideas presented here are no longer--unthinkable . . .
". . . we have the technology now to make these nightmares come true . . . "
While the monsters create plenty of bloodshed, single-minded destruction, and ferocity to keep horror fans glued to the pages, the ideas and hypotheses on just what the scientists were working on in the government facility add an entirely new level of terror and suspicion. Perhaps the greatest fear that we can feel is is that of what we don't fully understand. The unknown factor is somehow worse than a threat--no matter how large--that we can picture and know the details of. Without this knowledge, paranoia runs rampant--turning our mentality into a "shoot first, ask questions later" mode.
"What the hell were they messing with?"
"Something they shouldn't have . . . "
Shea takes the paranoia now present in this town--where they are being kept completely in the dark by those that knew first-hand exactly what the threat is--and convincingly weaves his tale of a crisis that few will ever know the truth of.
". . . from an animal that was never meant to be . . ."
This story left me with the unshakable feeling that it was not so much about what to fear the most, but rather, who . . .
Highly recommended!
**Review on Horror After Dark: ** http://www.horrorafterdark.com/2018/0...
July 16, 2021
Shea has been on my radar for a while-- he has a great reputation for writing monster novels-- and after TMM I will definitely seek out more of his work. Monster novels-- a dime a dozen, right? Yes and no. Yes, they are everywhere, but how many of them really pull you in, becoming serious page turners? Shea takes us on a wild ride here, laced with suspense and telling a story that is so real it hurts.
Montauk, a town on the east tip of Long Island, is a sleepy beach/resort town- a perfect place for a cop named Gray Dalton. Gray is young and relatively new to the force but glad he is not working in NYC or other high-crime areas. The relatively tranquil town is in for a surprise thanks to a government high tech lab just a few miles off the coast on Plum Island. It seems our government has been cooking up some biological terrors on Plum Island-- genetically engineered 'war machines' that are not only vicious (and really, really hungry), but carry a nasty pathogen in their bodily fluids as well that causes people to basically burn up and explode.
This starts off with a bang; a aging barfly and her young pick up head to the beach after last call for a little woopie only to encounter a dog-like thing that rips them to pieces. Worse, when the cops finally arrive, the bodies, already ripped to shreds, seem to be dissolving before their very eyes. Puzzled, Gray Dalton investigates a series of strange animal disturbances that were called into the station that night and a pattern emerges...
This novel flies by. Shea leaves cliff hangers all over the place as the story rotates among a wide range of POVs and characters. This is a very busy novel, but rest assured that many if not most of the characters introduced primarily serve as (very graphic!) fodder for the beasts. So, yes, a creature feature to be sure, but rarely have I been so enthralled, from the first page to the last. Looking for a beach read this summer? Give Shea a shot. 4.5 stars!!
Montauk, a town on the east tip of Long Island, is a sleepy beach/resort town- a perfect place for a cop named Gray Dalton. Gray is young and relatively new to the force but glad he is not working in NYC or other high-crime areas. The relatively tranquil town is in for a surprise thanks to a government high tech lab just a few miles off the coast on Plum Island. It seems our government has been cooking up some biological terrors on Plum Island-- genetically engineered 'war machines' that are not only vicious (and really, really hungry), but carry a nasty pathogen in their bodily fluids as well that causes people to basically burn up and explode.
This starts off with a bang; a aging barfly and her young pick up head to the beach after last call for a little woopie only to encounter a dog-like thing that rips them to pieces. Worse, when the cops finally arrive, the bodies, already ripped to shreds, seem to be dissolving before their very eyes. Puzzled, Gray Dalton investigates a series of strange animal disturbances that were called into the station that night and a pattern emerges...
This novel flies by. Shea leaves cliff hangers all over the place as the story rotates among a wide range of POVs and characters. This is a very busy novel, but rest assured that many if not most of the characters introduced primarily serve as (very graphic!) fodder for the beasts. So, yes, a creature feature to be sure, but rarely have I been so enthralled, from the first page to the last. Looking for a beach read this summer? Give Shea a shot. 4.5 stars!!
October 19, 2015
This is my kind of book! It takes me back to watching Science Fiction theater every Sunday afternoon with my dad (unless the Oakland Raiders were playing). Nothing like a good monster movie book.
But this book is more than that. I can almost see Carl Kolchak or Mulder and Scully on this island! It would make a great standalone episode of the X-Files (especially if they used that blue light that made the X-Files so cool)!
An island setting is also so classic. So many of the great movies were set on islands. Island of Terror, Isle of the Dead, The Island of Dr Moreau, And Then There Were None, etc. Every one is trapped on the island and we can't let the evil get off! Tremendous!
But this book is more than that. I can almost see Carl Kolchak or Mulder and Scully on this island! It would make a great standalone episode of the X-Files (especially if they used that blue light that made the X-Files so cool)!
An island setting is also so classic. So many of the great movies were set on islands. Island of Terror, Isle of the Dead, The Island of Dr Moreau, And Then There Were None, etc. Every one is trapped on the island and we can't let the evil get off! Tremendous!
June 2, 2014
An entertaining "monsters on the loose" story that, despite some location name-dropping, fails to establish a strong sense of place.(I am a Long Islander, and just didn't feel the vibe). Also, in a subgenre that is plagued by cliches, this story manages to hit all of them.
Shea is a good writer, and one worth watching, but this was just too paint by the numbers to really wow a longtime horror fan.
Shea is a good writer, and one worth watching, but this was just too paint by the numbers to really wow a longtime horror fan.
December 5, 2016
Fun and gory "creature feature" novel that'll appeal to fans of horror, government cover-ups and cryptozoology! Living in New York makes this story even more fun for me. I remember when the infamous "Montauk Monster" washed up on the beach and all the conspiracy theories about what exactly kind of animal it was. This book references that moment in Long Island history and offers the explanation that on Plum Island, where a government research lab is housed, experiments on perfecting a deadly creature designed to wipe out civilization has worked all too well. I won't say anymore, you gotta read it!
October 18, 2025
It Kills. . .On a hot summer night in Montauk, the bodies of two local bar patrons are discovered in the dunes, torn to shreds, their identities unrecognizable. . .It Breeds. . .In another part of town, a woman's backyard is invaded by four terrifying creatures that defy any kind of description. What's clear is that they're hostile--and they're ravenous. . .It Spreads. . .With every sunset the terror rises again, infecting residents with a virus no one can cure. The CDC can't help them; FEMA can't save them. But each savage attack brings Suffolk County Police Officer Gray Dalton one step closer to the shocking source of these unholy creations. Hidden on nearby Plum Island, a U.S. research facility has been running top-secret experiments. What they created was never meant to see the light of day. Now, a vacation paradise is going straight to hell.
This story has much more than vicious monsters. We meet Officer Gray Dalton whose usually quiet shift is suddenly no longer quite so quiet, when an anonymous call comes in about a body on one of the beaches. The police in this small ocean town are used to getting an occasional drowning, or a "floater" having washed up on shore, but the scenes of gore and carnage that Dalton finds is anything but routine....and keeping things quiet in a busy vacation town filled with to the gills with visitors is virtually impossible. What follows in the wake of this discovery is a plethora of large, vicious animal sightings and gruesome attacks. Dalton wonders "What the hell was people's obsession with death and dismemberment?"
On very nearby Plum Island, sits a government-controlled research facility, whose lack of communication is becoming noticed by a select few folks. Nobody really seems to know the real purpose of the facility; but it has had a history dating back to the time of WWII and the Nazis. ". . . It's the way of any large governmental entity . . . a perfect place to do all kinds of things on the wrong side of ethics . . . "
The fear and terror that suddenly descends upon the people and the island is something that allows the reader to feel; just by reading of the resident's reactions. The gory and violent scenes are made so much more believable by the realization that actual scientific research today has become so advanced in recent years, that the ideas presented here are no longer fall under the guise of being entirely...unthinkable . . . "we have the technology now to make these nightmares come true."
While the monsters create plenty of bloodshed, single-minded destruction, and enough ferocity to keep us horror fans glued to the pages, the ideas and hypotheses of just what these scientists were working on in the government facility adds an entirely new level of terror and suspicion. Perhaps the greatest fear that we feel is of what we don't entirely understand. The unknown factor is somehow worse than any threat...no matter how large...that we can ever imagine. Without knowledge paranoia runs rampant turning our mentality into a "shoot first and ask questions later" mentality.
This author does what he does best, what he does in every one of his novels that I have read...he takes the paranoia now present in this town where they are being kept completely in the dark by those that know exactly what the threat is, and convincingly weaves the story of a crisis that few will ever know the actual truth of. But we, the readers know that they've created an animal that should never have seen the light of day...that was never meant to be.
This story will probably leave you feeling the same way that it left me...that it's not so much about "what we need to fear" the most, but rather, who.
If horror is your "friend of choice"...you'll like this one as well as most any of the other of Hunter Shea's many offerings.
This story has much more than vicious monsters. We meet Officer Gray Dalton whose usually quiet shift is suddenly no longer quite so quiet, when an anonymous call comes in about a body on one of the beaches. The police in this small ocean town are used to getting an occasional drowning, or a "floater" having washed up on shore, but the scenes of gore and carnage that Dalton finds is anything but routine....and keeping things quiet in a busy vacation town filled with to the gills with visitors is virtually impossible. What follows in the wake of this discovery is a plethora of large, vicious animal sightings and gruesome attacks. Dalton wonders "What the hell was people's obsession with death and dismemberment?"
On very nearby Plum Island, sits a government-controlled research facility, whose lack of communication is becoming noticed by a select few folks. Nobody really seems to know the real purpose of the facility; but it has had a history dating back to the time of WWII and the Nazis. ". . . It's the way of any large governmental entity . . . a perfect place to do all kinds of things on the wrong side of ethics . . . "
The fear and terror that suddenly descends upon the people and the island is something that allows the reader to feel; just by reading of the resident's reactions. The gory and violent scenes are made so much more believable by the realization that actual scientific research today has become so advanced in recent years, that the ideas presented here are no longer fall under the guise of being entirely...unthinkable . . . "we have the technology now to make these nightmares come true."
While the monsters create plenty of bloodshed, single-minded destruction, and enough ferocity to keep us horror fans glued to the pages, the ideas and hypotheses of just what these scientists were working on in the government facility adds an entirely new level of terror and suspicion. Perhaps the greatest fear that we feel is of what we don't entirely understand. The unknown factor is somehow worse than any threat...no matter how large...that we can ever imagine. Without knowledge paranoia runs rampant turning our mentality into a "shoot first and ask questions later" mentality.
This author does what he does best, what he does in every one of his novels that I have read...he takes the paranoia now present in this town where they are being kept completely in the dark by those that know exactly what the threat is, and convincingly weaves the story of a crisis that few will ever know the actual truth of. But we, the readers know that they've created an animal that should never have seen the light of day...that was never meant to be.
This story will probably leave you feeling the same way that it left me...that it's not so much about "what we need to fear" the most, but rather, who.
If horror is your "friend of choice"...you'll like this one as well as most any of the other of Hunter Shea's many offerings.
Want to read
February 14, 2022Sadly I found this book to be less exciting and more of an attempt at a scary creature book. It wasn't badly written but just not very compelling, honestly I had to force myself to keep going, it just wasn't going to happen with me.
July 26, 2025
The perfect animal monster story
This story has everything you want in a wild monster story. The gore, the violence, and the mystery about what it is and where it came from. It really hits all the tricks in the box of what you wanted this type of story and it does so it in a way that it feels both traditional and unique.
The writing in this one blew me away! It was impeccable done, from the descriptions to the characterization. For a small book with so many characters I was very impressed at how unique every member of the cast was. The personality shine through, animate everything that happened to them that much more exciting.
Being such a huge fan of horror stories, my life is better with stories like this in it!
This story has everything you want in a wild monster story. The gore, the violence, and the mystery about what it is and where it came from. It really hits all the tricks in the box of what you wanted this type of story and it does so it in a way that it feels both traditional and unique.
The writing in this one blew me away! It was impeccable done, from the descriptions to the characterization. For a small book with so many characters I was very impressed at how unique every member of the cast was. The personality shine through, animate everything that happened to them that much more exciting.
Being such a huge fan of horror stories, my life is better with stories like this in it!
August 30, 2019
Excellent creature feature novel focusing on a famous cryptid.
Weird looking creatures are washing up on shore. Pets are disappearing, and human beings are being ripped apart...After which they melt.
The police and animal control try to figure out what's happening. The military arrives, and doesn't make anything any better. The monsters are in force and nothing can stop them.
Great stuff, with lots of tension.
Weird looking creatures are washing up on shore. Pets are disappearing, and human beings are being ripped apart...After which they melt.
The police and animal control try to figure out what's happening. The military arrives, and doesn't make anything any better. The monsters are in force and nothing can stop them.
Great stuff, with lots of tension.
September 14, 2021
This book was awesome. The Montauk Monster is a blood-soaked, relentless adrenaline ride that combines the gore of a zombie movie with the scientific negligence of Jurassic Park, plus the hopeless horrors of a deadly pandemic (and this pre-dates COVID) thrown in for good measure. Loved it. Strongly recommended if you are looking for an exceptional creature feature.
October 5, 2014
"Montauk Monster" is a brutal, bleak read. Shea is not shy of gore, nor of claiming the lives major characters in swift, unexpected scenes of vivid carnage. He is also skilled at adding just enough life to a character so that this violence has consequences. Truly, this book had more depth than I expected from a creature tale. And damn is it bleak! I needed a hug when I finished.
October 19, 2015
This was my first Hunter Shea novel and I'm very impressed. Great gory fun from start to finish. If you like a good monster novel this is for you.
September 10, 2020
Scary, gory, creepy manmade monstrosities, infected with a disease that kills anyone it touches. I was rooting for my favorite characters to survive and biting my nails the whole time.
May 15, 2014
The seaside town of Montauk, Long Island, is beset with rampaging, bloodthirsty creatures, whose blood seems to infect whoever comes in contact with, killing them as quickly as claws and teeth. Local cops at first think its a pack of wild dogs, but as Officer Gray Dalton soon discovers, along with the help of a fellow female officer, the truth is far more sinister. The body count piles up, as the Montauk PD tries to stem the flow of carnage, and the sudden appearance of FEMA, CDC, and shadowy government spooks only makes things worse...leading to a horrifying final military solution to contain the horror from spreading.
Shea does a nice job keeping the plot moving, and the Plum Island angle was cool, grist for the hardcore, X-Files-esque conspiracy theory mill. There were a few too many cliches peppered here and there, but some scenes (particularly, the reality show gone to hell and the stoner party on the beach) were terrific. If you're looking for a fast-paced and gore-soaked horror beach-read you may want to check this out!
Shea does a nice job keeping the plot moving, and the Plum Island angle was cool, grist for the hardcore, X-Files-esque conspiracy theory mill. There were a few too many cliches peppered here and there, but some scenes (particularly, the reality show gone to hell and the stoner party on the beach) were terrific. If you're looking for a fast-paced and gore-soaked horror beach-read you may want to check this out!
July 12, 2014
This was a perfect summer horror novel. Very hard to put down, great amounts of gore, enough character development that I wasn't bothered. I love monster stories, and this was a fun one.
When I stopped reading and thought about it, there were some issues, both mechanical and the plot, but since I had SO MUCH FUN reading it, I have decided it's worth all five stars.
I want more like this one, please!
When I stopped reading and thought about it, there were some issues, both mechanical and the plot, but since I had SO MUCH FUN reading it, I have decided it's worth all five stars.
I want more like this one, please!
August 24, 2024
I wish my bites caused people to explode like this monster's can. I would bite way more people if they would explode after and no longer be able to tell the tale of who bit them.
December 23, 2018
This is, without a doubt, one of the worst books I've ever read in my life. Within the first few pages, Shea compares a character receiving a BJ to a plane crash and I can't think of a better metaphor for the book as a whole. Sparingly, that character is murdered in the most grisly manner possible no less than one page later, so I was relieved as a reader to never worry about a protagonist referring to their penis as "little Randy" ever again. But worry not, potential consumers of this dollar store horror! There are plenty of other literary gaffes to look forward to throughout the book. Rest assured that Shea will describe the monsters in gory, homogeneous detail at every encounter, presumably to reach his page count. The additional references to the NSA, DARPA, CDC, and FEMA will tantalize any tinfoil afficianado at every turn. Despite the graphic government scaremongering, I was disappointed by Shea's treatment of DARPA as though the reader was simply expected to be horrified by their presence. Although a few "agents" make appearances, they actually had no hand in the post 9/11 horror burlesque the reader is forced at gunpoint to trudge through. Despite Shea's attempt at a halfhearted conclusion that the government are the real monsters, the horror toward the contagion and accompanying monsters overshadow any insert about the government response or responsibility. The action of the novel takes us all the way to the final few pages, protagonists dying or exploding at every turn, until Shea scrambles to a limp and stuttering halt with our main protagonists covered in viscera overlooking the sound, with no real resolution to speak of. Not unlike the initial plane crash BJ followed by murder, just in reverse.
1/10 highly recommended bathtub reading.
1/10 highly recommended bathtub reading.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 3, 2021
Really enjoyed the visuals and some of the action/violence. But for me it was a miss. My two major gripes are there were too many characters with small subplots that didn't really matter. A reality show in the middle of filming, multiple cops, government agents, stoners, homeless guy etc. Just too many people to follow. And two, with all these characters it seemed that we, as the reader, had to read the characters description of the creatures every single time they discovered it. Got old really quickly.
June 2, 2023
I loved this one!
Excellent creature feature with a good creation story.
Lots of action and gore, with likeable characters who you want to see survive.
The plot just really exploded in this awesome book and there was carnage and mayhem galore.
Add this one to your TBR list for sure!
Excellent creature feature with a good creation story.
Lots of action and gore, with likeable characters who you want to see survive.
The plot just really exploded in this awesome book and there was carnage and mayhem galore.
Add this one to your TBR list for sure!
September 12, 2015
When I was four, my family and my cousins vacationed on Montauk. I remember that we stayed in a small beach house that was painted pink. I have seen the family home movies of the trip – being on the beach and visiting the lighthouse, but those memories elude me. The pink beach house is a real memory, however. We never went back; instead we vacationed at Seaside Heights, New Jersey. So, the Jersey shore became our beach trip. As an adult, my own family trips have been to the Outer Banks in North Carolina. Being at the Atlantic shore is forever ingrained in my psyche.
When I saw a promotional ad for The Montauk Monster by Hunter Shea, I purchased it instantly. I cannot resist a beach-themed monster novel. I had not read any of Mr. Shea’s books before, but he had been receiving much praise so I was looking forward to eventually reading it.
The title says it all – although slightly inaccurately - there are monsters (plural) in Montauk, not a single monster. The Montauk monster refers to some local folklore (at least as described in the book – that entire section could be fictitious too. But, I bought it). So, as a reader you’re going into this with the idea that this is a creature feature, a monster novel. Does it work? You bet it does. Mr. Shea, thankfully delivers the goods.
You’ve got these genetically engineered monsters whose bite spreads a 100% fatal virus – that’s if the monsters don’t eat you first. At first there seems to be only a handful, but there a LOT more of them. Victims of the monsters include not just a random selection of undesirables (like the unpleasant characters or TV celebrities), but you’re everyday men, women, and children. Nothing escapes their clutches. The plot is pretty straightforward. The initial attacks are puzzling to authorities, and there is the race against time to figure out what the heck is going on as the community collapses. The monster attacks are vivid and jolting. The gore is in your face, and if a character manages to survive an attack – the author treats you to the death process by the virus. FEMA, the military and other covert government entities arrive to take charge, but many of them are in the dark as to what is going on.
Our heroes are a couple of young police officers who are trying to save their community by taking rather unorthodox courses of action. They are likeable enough, but are rather one-dimensional. That’s okay, though. You’re not reading this for literary-driven characterizations.
Overall, this novel is a blast. I loved it. The story is fast-paced and the plot is gripping. There are a number of twists and turns that are quite creative and I couldn’t turn myself away. You never know who is going to get killed either. The author is quite comfortable knocking off his characters as the plot moves along. That adds to the suspense. The only misstep of the author was when the main characters take time out to have sex in the shower while hundreds of people on the eastern end of Long Island are being eaten and these two have information that could save Montauk. Oh well, if this was the only time I could not suspend my disbelief, then that’s not bad. Kudos, Hunter Shea. I’ll be reading more of your work.
When I saw a promotional ad for The Montauk Monster by Hunter Shea, I purchased it instantly. I cannot resist a beach-themed monster novel. I had not read any of Mr. Shea’s books before, but he had been receiving much praise so I was looking forward to eventually reading it.
The title says it all – although slightly inaccurately - there are monsters (plural) in Montauk, not a single monster. The Montauk monster refers to some local folklore (at least as described in the book – that entire section could be fictitious too. But, I bought it). So, as a reader you’re going into this with the idea that this is a creature feature, a monster novel. Does it work? You bet it does. Mr. Shea, thankfully delivers the goods.
You’ve got these genetically engineered monsters whose bite spreads a 100% fatal virus – that’s if the monsters don’t eat you first. At first there seems to be only a handful, but there a LOT more of them. Victims of the monsters include not just a random selection of undesirables (like the unpleasant characters or TV celebrities), but you’re everyday men, women, and children. Nothing escapes their clutches. The plot is pretty straightforward. The initial attacks are puzzling to authorities, and there is the race against time to figure out what the heck is going on as the community collapses. The monster attacks are vivid and jolting. The gore is in your face, and if a character manages to survive an attack – the author treats you to the death process by the virus. FEMA, the military and other covert government entities arrive to take charge, but many of them are in the dark as to what is going on.
Our heroes are a couple of young police officers who are trying to save their community by taking rather unorthodox courses of action. They are likeable enough, but are rather one-dimensional. That’s okay, though. You’re not reading this for literary-driven characterizations.
Overall, this novel is a blast. I loved it. The story is fast-paced and the plot is gripping. There are a number of twists and turns that are quite creative and I couldn’t turn myself away. You never know who is going to get killed either. The author is quite comfortable knocking off his characters as the plot moves along. That adds to the suspense. The only misstep of the author was when the main characters take time out to have sex in the shower while hundreds of people on the eastern end of Long Island are being eaten and these two have information that could save Montauk. Oh well, if this was the only time I could not suspend my disbelief, then that’s not bad. Kudos, Hunter Shea. I’ll be reading more of your work.
September 9, 2021
This was an awesome, over-the-top, bloody good time! The creatures/monsters in this book were so gnarly and terrifying, and the characters were likeable and relatable. I had fun with this read and didn't expect it to be as extreme as it was but with Hunter Shea I'm learning to expect the unexpected and just go along for the ride! 4/5 mutated monster skulls 💀
June 16, 2014
I won my copy of THE MONTAUK MONSTER in a Goodreads Firstreads giveaway. When it arrived I thought that it would be just another somewhat formulaic monsters-terrorize-a-beach-town story, but was surprised to find that it was much better than most. There are many of the usual tropes; scientists have screwed around with things that man wasn't meant to screw around with and the consequences are nasty and violent, many of the residents are obvious walking targets, and can our heroes escape and survive? However, the story is quite well told, and I found myself really pulling for Dalton and Meredith to get together and survive. It -is- like one of the Syfy Channel's Saturday evening films, but with much better acting, writing, and special effects. This would be a good book to take on vacation to the beach.
May 8, 2021
DNF 57%
January 23, 2018
One summer night, the small town of Montauk gets a shock. Two locals are found dead... not just dead, but shredded to pieces and melting. What follows is a hunt for the creatures that could cause such destruction. As Gray Dalton, the responding officer to the gruesome deaths, and Meredith Hernandez, a fellow officer, look for the source of these monsters, they are led to a secret government facility. The townfolk involved in the story range from an animal control employee to the local pot heads to a well-liked itinerant homeless man, plus a bunch of other locals that have encounters with the Montauk monster.
This monster story has lots of action and plenty of gore. There were a couple of extra characters and side stories that I could have done without, because they didn't seem to add much to the main plot. Overall, it was an entertaining book, and I'll likely read more by Hunter Shea.
This monster story has lots of action and plenty of gore. There were a couple of extra characters and side stories that I could have done without, because they didn't seem to add much to the main plot. Overall, it was an entertaining book, and I'll likely read more by Hunter Shea.
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