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Bobcats
Growing up is hard to do, when people try to kill you. Thirteen-year-old Joey Kilgore learns this lesson the hard way, as he and his friends, who’ve dubbed themselves “the Bobcats,” embark on a weekend hiking trip across the ridge of Black Oak Mountain. Completing the hike along The Gauntlet is a local rite of passage that separates the men from the boys, but when the gang happens upon a pair of cold-blooded killers disposing of fresh corpses, it leads to a nightmarish chase through a storm-ravaged forest that will test their mettle like they never expected.
“If you’re into fast-paced stories sweetened with tension, gore, and an unexpected death or two, you’ll do well to pick this one up.” — Cemetery Dance magazine
“Wholesome, yet gritty and full of blood, with a young team of protagonists you can’t help but root for. Bobcats goes where others fear to tread.” — Chad Lutzke, author of The Pale White and Of Foster Homes and Flies
“A fast-paced page-turner you won’t want to miss!” — Silver Shamrock Publishing
" Bobcats by Matthew Weber is without a doubt, a 5-star read that fans of adventure and excitement will want to add to their libraries. " — Damaged Skull Reviewer
“ Bobcats is like Stephen King’s The Body meets a Richard Laymon novel. This coming-of-age story is a nice balance of YA realism with a touch of noir and splatterpunk.” — Vic Kerry, author of Jubilee and Revel’s Ending
“If you’re into fast-paced stories sweetened with tension, gore, and an unexpected death or two, you’ll do well to pick this one up.” — Cemetery Dance magazine
“Wholesome, yet gritty and full of blood, with a young team of protagonists you can’t help but root for. Bobcats goes where others fear to tread.” — Chad Lutzke, author of The Pale White and Of Foster Homes and Flies
“A fast-paced page-turner you won’t want to miss!” — Silver Shamrock Publishing
" Bobcats by Matthew Weber is without a doubt, a 5-star read that fans of adventure and excitement will want to add to their libraries. " — Damaged Skull Reviewer
“ Bobcats is like Stephen King’s The Body meets a Richard Laymon novel. This coming-of-age story is a nice balance of YA realism with a touch of noir and splatterpunk.” — Vic Kerry, author of Jubilee and Revel’s Ending
182 pages, Paperback
Published June 16, 2021
8 people are currently reading
27 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
August 11, 2021
This was a suspenseful tale of true friendship and survival. These boys have only themselves and each other to rely on, as they are being hunted in the woods.
Joey and his friends weren't meant to be alone with no adult supervision for this hiking weekend. It had already been planned when Joey's dad passed away. Since they had all looked forward to it so much and since they knew it was important to Joey, his friends rallied round, and with a few white lies told to unsuspecting parents, decided to go ahead with their trip. They knew the weather was likely to turn against them, but they never expected to stumble upon a hitman dumping bodies or to be in a fight for their very survival.
What begins as a rite of passage ends as a deadly hike through hell. Who will live to tell what happened on Black Oak Mountain?
I received a complimentary copy.
Joey and his friends weren't meant to be alone with no adult supervision for this hiking weekend. It had already been planned when Joey's dad passed away. Since they had all looked forward to it so much and since they knew it was important to Joey, his friends rallied round, and with a few white lies told to unsuspecting parents, decided to go ahead with their trip. They knew the weather was likely to turn against them, but they never expected to stumble upon a hitman dumping bodies or to be in a fight for their very survival.
What begins as a rite of passage ends as a deadly hike through hell. Who will live to tell what happened on Black Oak Mountain?
I received a complimentary copy.
June 25, 2021
I received an arc of this book for a review. Bobcats is an intense thriller. Starts with getting to know a great group of characters that are called the Bobcats. This story moves fast, and it does not let up. The Bobcats go camping in the woods, and they witness 2 killers dumping bodies. Then it goes from 0 to 100 real fast. I felt like this was almost like a Laymon story only with better writing.This book is filled with intense situations and gore. The cover is awesome, and the formatting and editing is perfect. Do yourself a favor and pick up this book.
July 3, 2021
Matthew Weber's Bobcats succeeds as a coming-of-age horror tale not altogether unlike Ketchum's Hide and Seek and King's IT. In fact, if one were to mix those two books together with a dash of the King novella, The Body, and just a smidge of Deliverance for flavor--as well as a touch of Friday the 13th--one might have a good starting point for the story that Weber's put together.
Joey and his four compatriots in the Bobcats--a small fraternal outdoors troop not altogether unlike BSA--plan to hike The Gauntlet, a trail that weaves through the wilderness of Black Oak Mountain. The adventure is the boys' plan to honor the legacy of Joey's father, the foundation of The Bobcats, who recently died of cancer. More than that, it's a rite of passage into manhood for the five adolescent boys.
As a powerful thunderstorm rolls into the area, the expedition becomes true to its name, becoming more a gauntlet than it already might have been. Sadly, nature is only the beginning of the challenges the boys face.
Black Oak Mountain is home to more than the expected wildlife, and for the Bobcats, it's one of the inhabitants of that dark forest that changes their lives forever. The Cleaver soon has the five boys in his sights, and no amount of preparation and survival training could have adequately qualified the Bobcats to deal with an inhuman monster who makes his living slaughtering people for money with his cruel, handcrafted blades.
Weber does not shy away from the harsh reality of precisely how an encounter like this would turn out. Bobcats is not a feel-good story with a tidy, cheerful ending replete with plot armor and reliance on suspension of disbelief. To learn how it ends--or whom it ends--you'll have to read it for yourself.
Matthew Weber deserves additional points for hinting at a history of mysterious occurrences on and near Black Oak Mountain without delving into them and erasing the mystery. It seems like a sequel could be in order, as there's plenty more to fear in the night than solely The Cleaver.
Joey and his four compatriots in the Bobcats--a small fraternal outdoors troop not altogether unlike BSA--plan to hike The Gauntlet, a trail that weaves through the wilderness of Black Oak Mountain. The adventure is the boys' plan to honor the legacy of Joey's father, the foundation of The Bobcats, who recently died of cancer. More than that, it's a rite of passage into manhood for the five adolescent boys.
As a powerful thunderstorm rolls into the area, the expedition becomes true to its name, becoming more a gauntlet than it already might have been. Sadly, nature is only the beginning of the challenges the boys face.
Black Oak Mountain is home to more than the expected wildlife, and for the Bobcats, it's one of the inhabitants of that dark forest that changes their lives forever. The Cleaver soon has the five boys in his sights, and no amount of preparation and survival training could have adequately qualified the Bobcats to deal with an inhuman monster who makes his living slaughtering people for money with his cruel, handcrafted blades.
Weber does not shy away from the harsh reality of precisely how an encounter like this would turn out. Bobcats is not a feel-good story with a tidy, cheerful ending replete with plot armor and reliance on suspension of disbelief. To learn how it ends--or whom it ends--you'll have to read it for yourself.
Matthew Weber deserves additional points for hinting at a history of mysterious occurrences on and near Black Oak Mountain without delving into them and erasing the mystery. It seems like a sequel could be in order, as there's plenty more to fear in the night than solely The Cleaver.
August 10, 2021
I literally read this in one go. A great coming of age story of a boy gang called the 'Bobcats' who lied to their parents so they could go on a adventure hiking and camping at Black Oak mountain.
However fun turns to horror when they stumble upon corspes been disposed of and they have been seen!. It's scary, the tension really ramped up with the bladed chase through the storm ravaged forest and I held my breath routing for them in their horrific fight for survival.
Lots of twists and turns. A book I would recommend for fans of this genre.
However fun turns to horror when they stumble upon corspes been disposed of and they have been seen!. It's scary, the tension really ramped up with the bladed chase through the storm ravaged forest and I held my breath routing for them in their horrific fight for survival.
Lots of twists and turns. A book I would recommend for fans of this genre.
September 26, 2021
BOBCATS
Matthew Weber
June 25, 2021
Pint Bottle Press
Reviewed by Brian “Skull” Lewis
Hello frequent readers, it’s your old pal, Skull with one hell of an excellent read to tell you about. Bobcats by Matthew Weber is without a doubt, a 5 Star read that fans of adventure and excitement will want to add to their libraries. So, if that’s all you wanted to know, Damaged Skull Reviewer highly encourages you to purchase this recent release from Pint Bottle Press. For more details, stick around!
Still here? Great! Here we go. Bobcats brings together opposite sides of the spectrum: A group of seventh grade boys who call themselves the Bobcats are planning an important camping trip. Actually, this is the trip of a lifetime, something they’ve wanted to do since their group was formed by Joey Kilgore and his late father, who was the group’s role model. Paul, Joey, Trainwreck, Clarence, and Davey. Clean livers, all-American boys ready to do good stuff like hike up Black Oak Mountain.
On the other side of town, some very unwholesome adults are meeting up as well, but their activities are not about character building in the least. Well, unless you think killing people is a positive activity. C.D. is on the hook for some missing narcotics he was supposed to pay the big boss for, but he got ripped off. His punishment? Picking up a freaky dude named The Cleaver and driving the guy to his next murder job. The Cleaver is huge, scary, and very smelly, so transporting him is no picnic.
After the boys figure out a sneaky plan to get parental permission, they are off into the wild! But not without some major complications like arguing over a gun, accepting each other’s shortcomings, and a big thunderstorm. The trail is old and unused, but there is a creepy presence that hangs over Black Oak Mountain like a shroud. Still the boys keep on truckin’ with hopes of fulfilling this challenge and earning their way into manhood. But when the criminals also show up on Black Oak Mountain, all bets are off.
The Cleaver’s got some mighty odd ways and C.D. is stuck doing his bidding until the job is complete. Unfortunately, that requires going up the same mountain the Bobcats are on. Things go from looking gloomy to being downright scary fast, forcing the kids to retreat as the killers go into pursuit mode. Having the Cleaver on your tail isn’t something to wish on your worst enemy. The guy is a killing machine that’ll stop at nothing to finish his jobs. He may be gross and weird, but he’s got supernatural strength and the hunting skills of an animal. The only thing that’s going to slow him down is an army or some really determined Bobcats!
Damaged Skull Reviewer gives Bobcats 5 BIG STARS and a hearty recommendation to ALL READERS! This is a damn fine book about coming of age, facing your fears, and standing your ground no matter what. Trainwreck, Paul, Davey, Clarence, and Joey are all great characters and the best part of this book is what Stephen King fans keep coming back to the well for. The humanity, the human spirit, and ultimately love. Despite the horrible things that happen and ordeal the characters must face, hope remains shining through like a beacon in the night. No matter how bad and scary they are, no one is completely bad and likewise, even the good guys have a few secrets because in the real world, who doesn’t? It’s when shit gets crazy that you see the truest form of a person. Trainwreck elects to stand and fight while the others retreat. Clarence and Joey elect to rescue a hurt comrade, even though it may cost them their lives. Evil is out there, no matter what form it takes and things do happen for a reason. The surprise conclusion is a perfect way to end the book because without friends, we’re nobody.
Thanks for stopping by Damaged Skull Writer and Reviewer, for more into on this fantastic read go to: www.pintbottlepress.com Matthew Weber is one heck of a horror writer, who’s also the publisher of some great anthologies. Check out the Double Barrel Horror series along with Pint Bottle Press’ other selections. I found Weber’s previous short horror collection Teeth Marks to be great reading. Whatever you do, check them both out!
Matthew Weber
June 25, 2021
Pint Bottle Press
Reviewed by Brian “Skull” Lewis
Hello frequent readers, it’s your old pal, Skull with one hell of an excellent read to tell you about. Bobcats by Matthew Weber is without a doubt, a 5 Star read that fans of adventure and excitement will want to add to their libraries. So, if that’s all you wanted to know, Damaged Skull Reviewer highly encourages you to purchase this recent release from Pint Bottle Press. For more details, stick around!
Still here? Great! Here we go. Bobcats brings together opposite sides of the spectrum: A group of seventh grade boys who call themselves the Bobcats are planning an important camping trip. Actually, this is the trip of a lifetime, something they’ve wanted to do since their group was formed by Joey Kilgore and his late father, who was the group’s role model. Paul, Joey, Trainwreck, Clarence, and Davey. Clean livers, all-American boys ready to do good stuff like hike up Black Oak Mountain.
On the other side of town, some very unwholesome adults are meeting up as well, but their activities are not about character building in the least. Well, unless you think killing people is a positive activity. C.D. is on the hook for some missing narcotics he was supposed to pay the big boss for, but he got ripped off. His punishment? Picking up a freaky dude named The Cleaver and driving the guy to his next murder job. The Cleaver is huge, scary, and very smelly, so transporting him is no picnic.
After the boys figure out a sneaky plan to get parental permission, they are off into the wild! But not without some major complications like arguing over a gun, accepting each other’s shortcomings, and a big thunderstorm. The trail is old and unused, but there is a creepy presence that hangs over Black Oak Mountain like a shroud. Still the boys keep on truckin’ with hopes of fulfilling this challenge and earning their way into manhood. But when the criminals also show up on Black Oak Mountain, all bets are off.
The Cleaver’s got some mighty odd ways and C.D. is stuck doing his bidding until the job is complete. Unfortunately, that requires going up the same mountain the Bobcats are on. Things go from looking gloomy to being downright scary fast, forcing the kids to retreat as the killers go into pursuit mode. Having the Cleaver on your tail isn’t something to wish on your worst enemy. The guy is a killing machine that’ll stop at nothing to finish his jobs. He may be gross and weird, but he’s got supernatural strength and the hunting skills of an animal. The only thing that’s going to slow him down is an army or some really determined Bobcats!
Damaged Skull Reviewer gives Bobcats 5 BIG STARS and a hearty recommendation to ALL READERS! This is a damn fine book about coming of age, facing your fears, and standing your ground no matter what. Trainwreck, Paul, Davey, Clarence, and Joey are all great characters and the best part of this book is what Stephen King fans keep coming back to the well for. The humanity, the human spirit, and ultimately love. Despite the horrible things that happen and ordeal the characters must face, hope remains shining through like a beacon in the night. No matter how bad and scary they are, no one is completely bad and likewise, even the good guys have a few secrets because in the real world, who doesn’t? It’s when shit gets crazy that you see the truest form of a person. Trainwreck elects to stand and fight while the others retreat. Clarence and Joey elect to rescue a hurt comrade, even though it may cost them their lives. Evil is out there, no matter what form it takes and things do happen for a reason. The surprise conclusion is a perfect way to end the book because without friends, we’re nobody.
Thanks for stopping by Damaged Skull Writer and Reviewer, for more into on this fantastic read go to: www.pintbottlepress.com Matthew Weber is one heck of a horror writer, who’s also the publisher of some great anthologies. Check out the Double Barrel Horror series along with Pint Bottle Press’ other selections. I found Weber’s previous short horror collection Teeth Marks to be great reading. Whatever you do, check them both out!
June 25, 2021
I read a review copy of this book. Bobcats is coming-of-age slasher novel that you certainly need to read. Weber knows the world his characters inhabit and uses this to the maximum benefit. You feel for all the characters as their good time turns horribly bad. If you are a fan of Stephen King's "The Body" but always thought it needed more blood and mayhem. This is your book. I highly recommend it.
June 25, 2021
Five friends on adventure of lifetime. See something thet shouldn't. They are in a fight to survive. Characters you love. A few you hate. Full of twists and turns.
October 4, 2024
I checked this book out of my local library where apparently the writer had signed and donated this book and another of his.
I really liked the story. It's basically a straight up slasher. I liked the background story of Joey specifically, but the kids overall were very solid and real.
I did feel like the story took a smidge too long to get to the horror, and the horror was a bit short lived.
Definitely a book I'd recommend if you're wanting camping horror.
I really liked the story. It's basically a straight up slasher. I liked the background story of Joey specifically, but the kids overall were very solid and real.
I did feel like the story took a smidge too long to get to the horror, and the horror was a bit short lived.
Definitely a book I'd recommend if you're wanting camping horror.
April 4, 2023
Got this for free thanks to twitter. Great little story. Enjoyed it.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews