SKINWALKERS

Werkmeister presents the second installment of a supernatural thriller series that combines spy intrigue with classic werewolf tropes.

The story begins in the Southwestern deserts of Arizona, where police detectives John Lightfoot and Ed Stackhouse are reeling from yet another murder—and this time, it involves one of their own: Trooper Roger Pearl has been found dead on the side of a highway after stopping to investigate a disabled Jeep. Both the cop and the Jeep’s driver, a civilian, were viciously torn apart, as if by a huge, predatory beast. They’re the seventh and eighth victims of an apparent serial killer on the loose. Meanwhile, in Philadelphia, FBI Special Agent Terri Watson—the hero of Volk(2024)—is tracking down leads and suspects in a widespread car theft ring that seems to have ties to Russian organized crime. As Terri and her colleague, Alex, begin to piece together the connections between the activities in Philadelphia and the murders outside Phoenix, readers discover that someone is not who they claim to be, and they’re playing a dangerous game, indeed. As the plotlines on two sides of the country quickly intertwine, readers effectively get a glimpse into the inner workings of a werewolf’s life, and they learn that he’s not only a sort of demigod, but also an online pot-stirrer. Despite his murderous past, readers will feel a sort of conspiratorial thrill at the cat-and-mouse game that the lycanthrope describes: “Was killing that cop a mistake? I know they’ll be after me like a fat kid chasing the Mr. Softee truck. But I’m smarter than them. They won’t catch me.” Overall, this novel moves quickly; there’s no shortage of action, and Werkmeister seamlessly weaves the work’s several perspectives together. In addition, there’s old-world mysticism alongside the modern law enforcement intrigue that will satisfy fans of both fantasy novels and thrillers.

A strong sequel with well-developed characters whom readers will stick with to the end.