Creep

The eerie third book (following Undertow) in Greenaway’s series featuring RCMP Constables David Leith and Cal Dion begins as Halloween approaches and a missing hiker is found dead on a trail in North Vancouver. It looks like the man had a heart attack, but there are also signs he might have been running from something. As Leith and Dion investigate, strange stories start to surface. Two boys tell Dion and his partner, Jackie Randall, that they have seen a werewolf in that part of the woods, and then the officers hear of another young boy bragging that he knows a werewolf. Later, a mauled body is found in the crawl space of a derelict house. Meanwhile, Randall’s investigation of a hit-and-run accident that killed a young girl starts to point toward the fiancée of one of their fellow officers. Greenaway skillfully weaves the clues and cases together, building tension with views into the psychology of a truly creepy character. The officers’ characters are flawed and complex; Dion is still recovering from a traumatic head injury and doubts his abilities, and Leith is wrestling with his own personal and professional issues. All the elements add up to a terrific book that will keep readers guessing to the end. (May)