A series of gory murders terrorizes New York City in this rollicking horror tale from Lamberson (Johnny Gruesome
). A “werewolf murderer” uses blood to write taunting references to shape-shifters at each gore-splattered Greenwich Village crime scene. The victims include an elderly professor with a research interest in transformation, several attractive young clubgoers, and a cop. Police captain Anthony Mace hunts the killer, as do three supernatural investigators: tribal policeman John Stalk, occult bookstore owner Angela Domini, and Catholic secret agent Pedro Fillipe, all of whom know far more about magic than Mace does and aren’t fettered by his increasingly skeptical superiors. Despite the overly familiar secret-society setup and some thinly drawn characters, Lamberson’s knack for furiously fast-paced action and the building terror of the graphic and increasingly sexualized murders combine in a surprisingly compelling read for horror fans with strong stomachs. (June)
