THE LOCH

After spending three books with a 60-foot prehistoric shark (Meg, 1997, etc.), Alten takes on Nessie in a supercharged monster thriller.

All of this author’s gigantidramas carry a vast ballast of scientific research and stabilizing facts that lend sweet belief to fairy tales full of big bad beasts. Most people may think that the fabled Loch Ness monster doesn’t exist, but marine biologist Zack Wallace knows better. Born and raised by Loch Ness until his mother divorced his philandering father and moved to the States, Zack still carries the scars on his back and buttocks from the bite Nessie gave him when he was nine. Oh—and he drowned as well; in fact, he drowns under horrible circumstances three times here but is pumped or electro-paddled back to life. We first meet Zack in a submersible under the Sargasso Sea. Using new sonar equipment, he sends out recorded bait sounds to entice a monstrous 60-foot squid up to his film cameras. The squid comes, tears the submersible to pieces and Zack drowns for the second time. As he recovers, his half-brother, Scottish lawyer Max Rael, appears to tell him he’s needed back at Loch Ness. Their father is on trial for murdering big-time bad guy Johnny Cialino. Angus claims that he merely struck Johnny C., who then fell into the frigid Loch and was swallowed by Nessie. Nobody believes him. To save his detested father, Zack must prove that Nessie exists. Soon monster-hunting teams from all over fill the Loch with pinging sonar signals, trying to sight the beast deep in the great trench in which the lake rests. Dirty deeds arise, as well as a surviving team of Black Knights Templar and the sexy captain of a tourist boat.

Heart-stopping action and horror that will give night terrors to the most jaded thrill-seeker.