Supernatural Squad Detectives Jamila Patel and Jerry Pardoe are back, this time investigating a series of bizarre deaths linked to a cannibalistic cult.  Part gruesome horror, part thriller/mystery, with a dash of history and a large splash of the supernatural and ancient gods, this will keep you turning the pages while wishing you could erase some of the cannibals' graphic ritual imagery from your mind.  This book is not for everyone!  But if you're a fan of graphic horror with a supernatural twist, be sure to check this one out at its release in December 2021!

If you’re looking to lose those last five to ten pounds then this is the book for you. I may never eat again. “The Shadow People” by Graham Masterton is an extreme horror filled with cannibals, satanic worshipers, guts, filth, mind-altering drugs, graphic violence, mutilation and more. Clearly not for the faint of heart and if any of those topics make you uneasy, this is absolutely not the book for you. If you’re someone who loves being genuinely grossed and creeped out or diving into the darker aspects of the horror genre, then add this one to your list.

Jerry Pardoe and Jamila Patel are the best in their force at dealing with cult crimes but nothing prepares them for the Neolithic cannibals they discover squatting in an abandoned basement in London. As the startling number of bodies tally up, the investigators realize the victims were sacrificed, mutilated and eaten to honor a devil-like ancient god. When they rescue one of the recently abducted and start getting bizarre answers from him, they realize just how devoted and terrifying the members are and that rationalizing or even communicating with them will be nearly impossible.

This is a stunning horror that will unsettle even the bravest of souls. Masterton had me genuinely scared to the point I may not have finished, but then he let us into the the cult and gave us a perspective from someone in it. Once that element of the unknown was taken away, it was much easier (and less scary) to read. I didn’t mind that—but the earlier part of the book was scariest. All of it was terrifying—horrifying—for the whole notion that people would do this to each other (drugged or not) and the final few chapters took it next level with it’s supernatural flair. There was extreme detail to the mutilation and feasting and while I can tolerate it, I probably could’ve personally used a little less and gotten more chapters from some of the cult members. A fast-paced, disturbing yet fantastic horror. Masterton nailed it.

Wow, I loved this book! It is incredibly gory, and quite terrifying full of sarcasm and quick character building. I couldn't put it down. Highly recommend

Loved it! Very creepy and unnerving - this book actually put me off my dinner on a few occasions! I found it unputdownable and really well written! Would recommend.

There are chills, there are thrills and a whole lot of spills in this new offering from Graham Masterton.
This book is a gory blood-soaked nightmare that would make Edward Lee do a doubletake. Don't believe me?
The opening chapter features two demolitions workers finding BBQ ribs (of the human variety) and a pile of severed heads in an abandoned building. This book has cannibalism, disembowelment, and human sacrifice. If you're faint of heart (or plan to ever eat again), this book isn't for you. But if you're into extreme horror, pick up this book and read it now!

Not only is there enough grisliness and depravity to satiate even the most bloodthirst hound, Masterton has also written a compelling story. Okay...so devil worshipping cults have been done to death right?! Wrong! You have never read a cult story like this before! I don't want to give away any of the shocks, so just trust me when I say this is a unique telling on an old troupe. There are segments of the book from the victims' perspective, which amplified the horror for me. I loved the inclusion of Muslim culture. The only thing that didn't work for me was some of the dialogue (particularly from Jerry Pardoe). It felt awkward and misplaced. Otherwise, this disturbing and terror-inducing tale was exactly what I wanted.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Absolutely stunning as ever, I’m a big fan of Graham’s previous books so had a feeling I wasn’t going to be disappointed and in for a real ride and I was definitely correct. The author has an incredible talent for making the most horrific possible nightmare in the most twisted of minds seem entirely plausible and possible and this is what makes his stories so utterly terrifying. Add to that the fact that he describes the most sickening of violence and gore in meticulous detail which is also so compelling that you cannot ‘look away’ even for a second and you have a formula for an absolute stunner of a horror tale. The details of the story feel very well thought through and extensively planned and the twists and turns allow you to draw hope and feel things are going to turn out ok one moment, only to be snatched away and plundered into despair the next moment, it’s a bit like riding a rollercoaster in the dark to be fair. I’m glad I’m not reading this one during barbecue season, to be honest and it was almost enough to turn me vegetarian. Thank you for scaring me and entertaining me I already can’t wait for you next ‘offering’.

Oh this book was fantastic. A great mystery but certainly not for the faint hearted. A good detective story with plenty of twists xx

I really enjoyed this book. I finished it in a day. I highly recommend this one and any other by this author. I always enjoy his books!!

When reading a Graham Masterton novel there are certain things you should automatically expect. Depictions of graphic violence, body horror, torture, mutilation, vengeful spirits, and (most of the time) questionable sex; often intermingled with the aforementioned elements on this list. I first came across Graham Masterton's writing when I was in my mid to late teens, and have only ever found myself enjoying his works. There is always an element of shock and awe to his stories that has often left me breathless and wanting to read more – just to see how dark and depraved he can get! The Shadow People, for me, felt relatively tame when compared to the horror novels he was producing in the 90s – or maybe I am just too jaded and over-exposed to the grim aspects of his work! If you’ve never read Masterton before and read The Shadow People, please let me know your thoughts?

The Shadow People follows Det. Sgt. Jamila Patel and Det. Con. Jerry Pardoe – I believe that these are new characters – as they investigate the discovery of a cannibalistic cult that has wrapped its fingers around the homeless community in South London. With their reputation for solving murders with a supernatural, quirky, and extremely violent slant to them, it’s no real surprise that they were called in when human bodies and heads were found in a derelict building being cooked on make-shift BBQs.

The main characters, DS Patel and DC Pardoe are outstandingly written; with their own sense of personality. Their individual specialisms, Patel with her religious upbringing and knowledge, and Pardoe with his dry-humorous approach to life. I found the contrast in their characters worked particularly well together and kept them engaging to read about – whilst they’re dealing with the horrors that are thrown at them. There are hints at a back story shared in other cases which made me wonder if there were other books in which they are featured and upon a quick bit of research, they were in two of Mastertons other books; Ghost Virus and The Children God Forgot. However, not having read these I didn’t feel that anything central was missing from The Shadow People and it works well as a stand-alone novel.

While the main protagonists are those that you root for, it’s the antagonists that make The Shadow People as intriguing as it is. They are a Cannibalistic cult that uses mind-altering drugs to ensnare people into their ways of thinking, their speech patterns consist of growls and grunts, but the way around this animalistic aspect of their nature is that they all understand one another so we’re shown the world through their eyes also. As with most Masterton books, nothing is ever really that simple and there are also elements of devil-worshipping thrown in. The incorporation of two young boys into the cult and their experiences is what made up most of the anticipated ‘shock and awe’ for me and it won’t be an easy read for those that prefer their mysteries ‘cozy.’

It did take me some time to settle into the main character, DC Pardoe, his manner of speaking relies heavily on cockney-rhyming-slang and I didn’t really find this personality trait overly believable; which does feel odd to say about a book that features a cannibalistic cult and with the events that happened towards the end of the book! I do wonder if rhyming slang is a manner in which people still speak in South London or it’s just one of those stereotypes that have lingered past its welcome? I also wonder how Non-UK audiences would take to some of the languages such as ‘Not a Sausage.’ or ‘I’m Cream-Crackered.’ I can only imagine it alienating some of the potential readerships. DC Pardoe's sense of humour is also a bit jarring, he has a very casual approach to what he witnesses and I didn’t feel like he cared too much until the case became personal.

As mentioned earlier, to me it feels like Masterton relies on shock-value in his novels, and in The Shadow People this came in the form of his treatment of two young boys, Edward and John, who become involved in the Cannibal Cult after being abducted whilst on a Scout Camp trip. Without dipping into spoiler territory too much, these boys go through a lot at the hands of the cult and Masterton doesn’t hold back on the gory details despite the character's young age. With Masterton, there’s absolutely no holding back on the horror.

So while I enjoyed the premise and plot, the story unfolded at a decent pace and was an enjoyable gore-ridden tale. The characters were decent and well constructed, aside from a few niggles that didn’t work for me. However, I can’t help that overall there was something missing from the novel. It’s a good read, but not a great one. Some of the sentence construction felt stiff and this carried throughout the novel. Too many ‘ands’ in lists of people. It felt like the eARC I read was a first draft of the final novel, rather than the final polished article – maybe this is the case and some of this stiffness will be edited out when the book is up for general sale. I hope so because The Shadow People is a fantastic horror novel, filled with gore, violence, and all the other ‘lovely’ elements that make up a Horror Thriller.

I didn’t care for the authors style of writing, the dialects he was using, and the way he described some of,the scenes. Not for me at all.

This was a really great book, I ended up finishing this in just one sitting! It was a really interesting and engaging story, that I could not put down! I would definitely recommend this book in the coming winter months, it would be a perfect addition to a cosy winters night in, you won't regret it!

Not for the faint at heart! Seriously, this should come with a caution label. This is a gore fest folks! Seriously, Graham Masterton could teach a course titled: Gore fest 101 how to make readers gag while keeping them engaged and turning the pages. Notice my 4 stars??? One could say this was bloody good!

Det. Sgt. Jamila Patel and Det. Con. Jerry Pardoe are the ones who get called in when bizarre and supernatural crimes occur. They tackle the tough stuff, and this case just might take the cake! Three dismantled bodies have been found in a London basement. The bizarre markings on the wall lead them to believe this is the work of a religious cult - but not your run of the mill cult but a cult that has been inspired by a Neolithic cannibal. Yes, you read that correctly these wacked out cult members worship an ancient god and communicate through grunts are cannibals.

Let the blood flowing begin!

This is a gory one that is also high on the creepy and sinister scale. Masterton knows how to write compelling and captivating yet gory tales. There are a couple of scenes where I wanted to cover my eyes. UGH! I can handle blood and guts no problem but there is one thing that grosses me out to the high heavens, and it is in this book A LOT! But I managed to get through it, gagging and wincing as I could not put this book down. Patel and Pardoe are both likeable characters and a few times, I was nervous hoping they would remain safe throughout this book!

Fans of horror and gore will not be disappointed. You need a strong stomach for this one folks. This book is not going to be for everyone.
I enjoyed this heart pounding and captivating book and will be reading more of his books in the future.

Creepy, Sinister, and scary.

Don’t miss this bloody good read!

Thank you to Head of Zeus and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Shadow People: The new spine-tingling novel from the master of horror Kindle Edition

by Graham Masterton  (Author)  Format: Kindle Edition

Thank you to the author, Graham Masterson, the publisher and Netgalley for he complimentary reviewer's copy. I am choosing to leave a fair and honest review.
Oh, wow! Was this a great book.
Masterson is one of the grand masters of horror and The Shadow People proves that in spades. He masterfully combines the story of Sawney Bean, Oliver Twist and a police procedural into one of the goriest, most terrifying and most horrifying novel I've had the pleasure to read.
The third in his DC Jerry Pardoe and DS Jamila Patel of Tooting police series. But it can be read on its own. Warning: You will get hooked on this series, no matter where you start. Pardoe and Petal are called in after the discovery of human bones – a LOT of human bones – and cooked human flesh. And off they go, trying to track down the murderers, who are also cannibals.
The mystery is truly a mystery. There is no way even the most experienced horror reader will guess what is truly going on.
Masterson also strikes all the necessary chords for an amazing horror novel. There are plenty of gory scenes that will gross out the reader more than an episode of Dr. Pimple Popper. I highly suggest you do not read prior to dinner, particularly a roast or a steak. You won't want to eat them.
A sense of dread settles on the reader when we meet Edward and John, two young boys kidnapped by the killers. The terror of what the reader thinks what happened hits head on the horror of what truly happens to these boys.
Action scenes are well choreographed, enough so, it is nearly impossible to put this book down.
The Shadow People is highly recommended for not only Masterson fans, but Stephen King and Clive Barker fans.
5 stars out of 5
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08WWT77PT

The Shadow People just wasn't for me. I read the first quarter and stopped. I was interested in the cult and the cannibalism aspect, but I think I was expecting something a bit more thoughtful -- similar to Mo Hayder's writing, for example. The humour in this turned me off, and I wasn't comfortable with a lot of the descriptions of women and transgender people.

Interesting but somewhat not really my cup of tea. A mystery thriller crime. Shadow people who eat people. Cannibals. Very hard to read. Well written. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The Shadow People is so scary but mind blowing. It sends chills down your spine and with that in mind, this is definitely not for everyone and definitely has some gory moments but the book is fascinating and an excellent read.

I wanted to love this because i like cult-related story usually, the description are well done and the gore is good welll written, it could be terrifying but then I had a lot of issues regarding the cult member, they were either people of colors, with a mentall illness or anything that goes out of "normality". this book is assume they're white if not said otherwise, i doubt this is on purpose but it does bother me. Female characters were all described by physical appearance and some comments were uncomfortable. I come to the casual transphobia apparently excused because he has a neighbor he likes that is transgender but still calling the transwoman right away "the man in the dress" really puts me off as a trans person. I really struggled to go through it because of all those also the pace was somewhat confusing and who we are supposed to follow not clear but ina way it only confuses you, it was not really well executed

Loving this crime/horror series with Jamila and Jerry, by author Graham Masterton.

The police humour is spot on - trying to use inappropriate humour to deflect the horrors they face each day - yet also showing the camaraderie between coppers.

This story begins with the discovery of some barbecued human remains and what looks like some sort of cannibalistic cult at large, killing and eating people. It's up to Jamila and Jerry to solve the case, as they are like the British X Files coppers - brought in to deal with the strange cases.

The story whips along at a cracking pace, keeping you entertained with humour and mounting horror.

Perfect for fans of crime and horror!

Well that was gruesome. Cannibals and cavemen wandering the streets of the city snatching people. A horror so horrible I couldn’t stop reading. A truly mad book. Yucky and terrible but so so entertaining. .

Thank you NetGalley for this arc

Oh. I enjoyed this. It is a bit gory but you'll figure that out in the first chapter. Like a Bentley Little gory.

I liked everything about this book especially finding out its a series and there are two prior books for me to read.

Highly recommend if you don't have a weak stomach. Heck, even if you do.