Creatures of Clay

by Patrick Moody

Welcome to Stark Falls, New Hampshire, 1985.

A quaint, wholesome town, where couples picnic on the green, kids hang at the malt shop and drive-ins, and neighborhood potlucks are the place to be. White picket fences line well-manicured lawns, and evening concerts at the bandstand fill the town with the sound of joy.

But in the summer of '85, the residents of Stark Falls will know fear.

A monster is on the loose.

A monster that may not be of this world.

202 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 25, 2021

About the author

Patrick Moody is the author of THE GRAVEDIGGER'S SON (Sky Pony Press, 2017) and CREATURES OF CLAY (DBND Publishing, 6/25/21). His short fiction has appeared in numerous anthologies, including A MONSTER TOLD ME BEDTIME STORIES VOL. 7, HALLOWEEN HORROR VOL 2, KENTUCKY FRIED HORROR, LOVECRAFT IN A TIME OF MADNESS, AMERICA'S EMERGING SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY WRITERS, and DARK MOON DIGEST. His stories have also been adapted into audio dramas on THE WICKED LIBRARY and CAMPFIRE RADIO THEATER.

A native of Trumbull, Connecticut, he and his wife reside outside of New Haven.

Reviews

[Alex | | findingmontauk1 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished CREATURES OF CLAY by Patrick Moody and am blown away! The story centers on a group of kids in the 80s, known as The Crypt Crew, who must band together to solve and defeat an evil that is taking over. When I tell you this book gives me the best vibes of John Carpenter meets The Monster Squad and a dash of Frankenstein I mean that in the best way possible. Patrick Moody has given us a perfect homage to old school horror but I think it is a perfect read for both those who did and did not grow up with some of the classics. And it has some of my all-time favorite elements:

1980s ✅
Small town ✅
Coming-of-age ✅
Monster horror ✅

Without giving anything away in the story, I think this is also an important book to uplift the Jewish community. There are important themes and lessons of understanding, acceptance, and love in the face of anti-Semitism, whether it be the 80s or, sadly, now. But Moody is giving us Jewish heroes with Creatures of Clay and I am here for it! The last 20% of this book had me on the edge of my seat and I experienced a wave of emotions in those final scenes. As the dust settled in the last couple of chapters, some of it must have gotten in my eyes... umm... because I DEFINITELY wasn't crying. Okay, I was. Moody took me from tears of grief and sadness to tears of joy and smiles. I cannot recommend this book enough! It comes out June 25th and it will make the perfect summer coming-of-age horror book that you absolutely need! 5 ⭐!

[Stephanie Moon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Review✨ Creatures of Clay by Patrick Moody

Meet the Crypt Crew. Social outcasts that are obsessed with monsters. Quinn, Hector and Wendy are inseparable. They love to write monster stories in their spare time, Wendy creating gruesome illustrations of course. It’s all fairytales until people start going missing in their small town of Stark Falls, New Hampshire. The only evidence left behind is a mysterious clay and footsteps only Bigfoot himself can leave. But this isn’t Bigfoot. There’s something much more sinister going on and the Crypt Crew aims to crack the case.

Rabbi Shwartz gives Quinn the creeps. He cant put his finger on it, but something about him isn’t quite right. To make matters worse, he keeps running into the Rabbi during questionable moments. Is Rabbi Shwartz behind all of this, or is it something straight out of a monster movie?

Creatures of Clay is a coming of age, classic monster story. Think a mash-up between Scooby Doo and The Losers Club in It. Yes it’s as interesting as it sounds haha Actually, Moody’s writing reminds me of King, especially with his stories involving kids like It and The Body.

His characters are fun and written well, each with different personalities that make them unforgettable. I especially like the dialogue between the Crypt Crew.

One thing that stands out is the acknowledgment of the Jewish people and culture throughout the book. Many of his characters are Jewish. I cant say much without major spoilers but I think it’s awesome learning about a different culture and their folklore, myths, and monsters.

I do wish there were more 80s elements throughout the book but it wasn’t anything that affected the overall story.

Creatures of Clay is definitely worth the read if you have a love for classic monsters.

Also, this cover is absolutely gorgeous and a beautiful addition to any bookshelf. 👾

[DA · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've never read a Jewish Folklore coming of age horror before, but that's exactly what this book is. Slow but steady paced story that I couldn't put down. Even though about half way through I knew what was happening and who the "bad guy" is I was still immersed in the story. The characters touch your heart and make the story that much better.
I would recommend this book for ages 13 and up. There's no gore, sex or swearing and the main characters are three kids who like to write horror stories.
And I'm going to admit I teared up at the end.

[Millie Abecassis · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing novel! If you're looking for a good 80s coming of age horror story with a Jewish main character and Jewish folklore, don't look further and grab Creatures of Clay. I loved it and read it in two sittings.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 ⭐️

[Pan | Book Reviews and Recommendations · Rating 5 out of 5]

As the beautiful spooky season slowly creeps in, an abundance of wonderful horror gems comes to the forefront. The truly magnificent 'Creatures of Clay' by Patrick Moody is one of those gems that swept me off my feet and forever stole my heart.

Patrick was awesome enough to send me a copy of his coming of age novel and took me on a sweet trip down on memory lane.

I was born in the 70s and was fortunate enough to experience the 80s and 90s as a kid so this story is like reliving my favorite childhood stories.

The story kicks off in Stark Falls, New Hampshire, 1985.

A beautiful, quiet, wholesome town, where couples picnic on the green, kids hang at the malt shop and drive-ins, and neighborhood potlucks are the place to be.

White picket fences line well-manicured lawns, and evening concerts at the bandstand fill the town with the sound of joy.
The perfect portrait of your ideal town.

This perfect portrait of a town will soon shatter as in the summer of '85, the residents of Stark Falls will know pure, undiluted terror.

Terror in the form of the most hideous monster on the loose. A monster out of this world that threatens to end Stark Falls forever.

In the midst of the most terrible events, a group of friends, assemble to save the day.
Enter, 'The Crypt Crew'. Ready to use every means in their power to free Stark Falls from the grasp of this new evil that roams the streets.
Will they succeed or will Stark Falls be decimated one and for all?

I grew up devouring Goosebumps, Scooby-Doo, Nancy Drew and all things spooky classic stories. 'Creatures of Clay' falls into that beautiful classic category for me. A wonderfully penned modern classic that brings back that sweet nostalgia.

Masterfully penned characters, clever and exciting plot with enough mystery to pull you in by the hair and never let you go, this creepy little adventure is a must read for every horror lover during this spooky season.

There is a lovely cinematic feel to it in the likes of films and books, such as Monster Squad, IT, Lost Boys, Scooby-Do and yeah even Gremlins, Beetlejuice, Stranger Things and Fright Night.

Quite possibly one of my top 10 for this year. A wonderful reading experience and a fantastic literary horror trip back in time.

[Aeroreader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in Stark Falls, New Hampshire in 1985, Patrick Moody perfectly captured the feel of a small town, where kids are known by their parents' jobs. Like Abbie, the funeral director's daughter or Clark, the lumber yard owner's son. Where kids could roam around town free, and everyone knows everyone. The Crypt Crew are 3 kids trying to solve the mystery of the monsters that are terrorizing their town.

I was introduced to a new monster. The author kindly included a few pages of historical background which I found fascinating. I won't write a spoiler, but what I will say is that long time horror readers should check out this book for something different and fresh.
The magic of this story comes from the friendships with the kids in the Crypt Crew. You know how the best part of Stephen King's IT is the powerful connection with the members of the Loser's Club? Creatures of Clay gives that exact same feeling. That close-knit dynamic really works to draw the reader into the story. Fans of the show Stranger Things would definitely love this book.

Overall, this book is something special.

[John Opalenik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great middle-grade horror that has stakes, and also has something to say thematically. That one sentence addresses two of my main issues with middle-grade horror. Too often, there isn't enough urgency because we know that a few boo-scares later, the characters and everyone they know will basically be fine, and thematic elements aren't explored very deeply. Moody gives the Crypt Crew a real problem to deal with both internally and externally, and while I was fairly certain that all three of the main characters would make it out of the story in one piece, I was genuinely concerned for their town, their loved ones, and their relationships.

I'm looking forward to seeing more of the Crypt Crew in the future.

Also, as an educator of middle-grade students, there are so many young readers who want a story like this one but can't find it in the majority of middle-grade horror. Creatures of Clay gives young readers who want to just jump ahead to Stephen King a fantastic option.

[J.W. Donley]

RTC

[Valerie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love books about golems, this is a great one!!

[Steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m delving a bit more into middle grade horror. Now that I officially have a “middle grader” and I want her to love reading and maybe even love horror the way I do.

I read parts of this book aloud to her and really enjoyed the nightly ritual. I gained a lot from reading aloud, rather than quietly to myself and it made the experience that much more immersive.

This book was a perfect mix of the horrific and coming-of-age. I did know a bit about Jewish folklore and have always been fascinated by the golem. The monster in this tale isn’t what you expect and their are lots of twists to keep the reader guessing.

I especially loved the discussion of the “other” and the specific ways each of the kids dealt with being different in a homogeneous setting. This needs to be talked about more in mid grade novels. It’s something that kids deal with every day.

No matter your age this is a fantastic horror read. Am looking forward to more from this author so I can enjoy the experience of reading with my daughter!