You know a book is good when it makes you scared of every bump in the night. This book blends a gripping story, a mystery and a perfect blend of scare to make you want to leave the lights on.

This horror/mystery is the third book following Det. Sgt. Jamila Patel and Det. Con. Jerry Pardoe as they team up to find a ritualistic cult of cannibals. A pile of bodies with evidence of cannibalistic activity are found in an abandoned building next to a painting on the wall that suggests these bodies were a possible sacrifice. The initial investigating officers are attacked but the criminals seem to disappear quickly, causing the police force to be concerned the criminals might be more organized than they originally thought. As the investigation continues and more people are abducted, Patel and Pardoe find connections that this group may be worshiping an ancient god who has been all but forgotten.

TW/CW: cannibalism, torture, police treatment

I was immediately interested in this book as soon as I read the description - who doesn't love a good cannibal cult story? And the book certainly does not hold back at all in regards to those elements. I think a lot of times the cannibal element would be used as the 'twist' where the investigating detectives would be completely stumped until one of them would have a lightbulb moment and say "what if they're eating the bodies". That was not the case here. We get a human BBQ in the opening scene and it only gets more graphic from there. We see, on page, in detail, the ritualistic way this cult butchers (for lack of a better term) the people they abduct. I think Masterton toes the line between graphic and over-done well and I personally never felt that the book veered into 'torture porn' category of violence but that line in the sand could absolutely vary from reader to reader. There was fantastic atmosphere built up around the cult and the police investigation and the creep factor was high.

The multi-POV in this book was done really well to amp up the tension and pacing of the story. The book is told mainly by alternating between the police investigation and then from a POV inside the cult. We also get some brief scenes from the POV of the cult victims but those don't last very long. I really enjoyed the choice to set up the POV this way because there is no real question in the reader's mind as to what is going on. The reader has (mostly) all the information and the thrill and tension is seeing how these two sides clash and which will come out on top. Getting a POV from inside the cult was really interesting because we can see the inner workings and structure of this pretty complex system. The police have, as I think most people would, written off the cult as all being insane. The POV choices allow the cult members to be more humanized than if the story was told solely from the police POV. And, to be clear, at no point was I rooting for the cannibal cult to win, but it was nice to not have them be so black-and-white evil and actual have some nuance. Masterton does a great job of knowing when to switch these POVs to amp up the tension because the reader knows how each side is progressing in their own mission. So ending a cult POV chapter with plans of when they'll take their next victim only to switch to the police POV who have no clue about the impending attack really worked well for me.

The actual police investigation felt a little lacking for me. For the first 70% of the book, the police are basically two steps behind. They have some clues, some theories, but mostly just a whole pile of questions with no real way to answer them. Then, suddenly, everything comes together perfectly for the investigation to be wrapped up quickly. I think if the exact same solutions were used, but just spread out a little more throughout the narrative, it would have felt more organic. However, the fact that we get three big breaks in the case pretty much at the same time was really convenient and not satisfying. Also Patel and Pardoe are pitched in the book as being some sort of expert duo who are really good at cracking the bizarre cases but I didn't see anything special about them or the investigating style at all. I was sort of expecting a X-File Scully/Mulder pairing type of dynamic but that isn't really the case. They just seemed a little less likely to dismiss the more 'out-there' theories than some of the other officers but not to any degree that they'd get called in off their other cases to work as a specialized team. I thought they had some good banter and seemed to work well as a partnership but they just felt like a regular detective partnership that got handed a weird case.

I also wanted to talk about the tone and police interaction in this story. I did read an ARC, so there is a chance some of this will change before final publication but this is my feelings about what I read. The tone had a very "good ol' boys" feel to it that made it read a little dated to me. The story is set in present day London so maybe the tone and attitudes includes are entirely accurate. However, as a reader in America the story felt a little dated. For example, early on a character makes a comment that due to recent political shifts, they have been told to be more politically correct when referring to suspects. Then there are multiple instances of one character describing a suspect as "having a screw loose", then another character would give them a look and the first character would sort of roll their eyes and correct to "mentally disordered" or "mentally unstable". This happened often enough that it stood out and I kept waiting for one of the older detectives to make a comment about how "these young people these days and their PC language" type complaint. Also, the way the police make borderline derogatory remarks about homeless people and mentally ill people throughout the book again just made it feel a bit old fashioned. I've read plenty of police procedurals - many set in London - where this sort of language and attitudes were not included so it really stood out to me. There was also one scene early on where the police were trying to force a non-verbal suspect to take a shower but the suspect was resisting getting into the shower stall. So as an alternative, they took the suspect out into the parking lot and washed him with the hose where they wash the cars. I didn't pick up on any real plot reasons that would rationalize treating the suspect in this manner so it just came off as abusive.

Based on the description of the book, Patel and Pardoe are brought in to investigate cases that may have a supernatural aspect to them. Since it was mentioned in the description, I was expecting this aspect to play a much bigger role in the investigation than it actually did. I was expecting some sort of hints that maybe something supernatural was happening, maybe a theory that gets thrown around the investigation team but is laughed off initially. Something along those lines would have been great. If I had to stretch, the supernatural element at the beginning would be the odd painting on the wall by the human BBQ. However, that seemed like such a stretch to get these two 'specialized' investigators together a painting. I did really like where we eventually get with the supernatural side of the investigation, but I wanted more of it earlier. Again, I was hoping more for an X-Files type of situation I suppose.

Overall, I did like this read but it had some key parts that didn't quite hit for me. I loved the horror elements and the atmosphere Masterton crafted. The POV choices and narrative structure worked well to enhance the pacing and tension in the story. However, the tone and some characters felt dated to me, I thought the investigation wrapped up a bit too quickly, and I wanted more supernatural breadcrumbs earlier in the story.

Thanks to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for the ARC

Expected publication date is March 1, 2022

One of the best books I have read by this author in a long time. I could not put this book down. A masterpiece of this genre. A Satanic cult like no other. Visceral, chilling and bloody terrifying. A band of homeless are now a cult to be reckoned with. A pile of bodies that have been torn apart, cooked then eaten and this is only the beginning. This book is enough to put you off eating meat for life. It is upto Detective Jamila Patel and Jerry Pardoe who are called in fort the most bizarre and gruesome cases. They need to solve this case before more unsuspecting victims are abducted, killed and EATEN!!!! One of the best horror stories I have read in a long time. Loved it!!!

I’m a vegetarian, but damn this book made me even Mor skeptical about BBQ meat. You better have a strong stomach if you read this gruesome story! I cringed. I gasped. I kinda loved it. What a horror book. I like that it brought in some cultural stuff along with the creepiness. That’s always fun.

Gruesome, gory and graphically violent...everything you would expect from a Graham Masterton book!

I really enjoyed this and I must admit and some points it even made me cringe with some of the graphics details of cannibalism but I do love a horror novel and this didn't disappoint.

So, this book is about a cult that eats people but its more than just that. There are supernatural and mythical elements which I enjoyed and the characters were likeable with some comedic relief thrown in. Graham is a master storyteller and it shows in this back.

Suspend your belief a little and just enjoy the ride!

Would recommend but if you have weak constitution maybe give it a pass!

I have to be honest that opening was unlike any I've read before, and it left me with high HIGH expectations for the rest of the book. While there are many places where the story did meet those expectations there were sadly a number where they were not. I did enjoy the book I just think that the story missed out on being great with the lack of backstory and character attention that would have really brought the reader into the story.

From the first couple of pages, I was gripped. I don't think I have ever read a book with a more gruesome opening for a while!

The Shadow People initially starts and rivals the same thrills one gets when they watch the Saw films, and it was arguably much better in places.

The plot itself hinges around a group of homeless cannibals roaming the streets of London, however as the story unfolds, it connects itself (somewhat strangely, in my view) to the Holocaust.

A four-star rating is all I can give in this instance, as the plot did stall on occasion, as I was left with the urge to know whether parts of the book are based on facts or fiction.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher Head of Zeus for an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

First, the cover of this book is amazing. It's what made me grab this one and want to read it. Unfortunately, I couldn't connect with the story. I love a good murder/cult/thriller but this one left me wanting MORE backstory, character growth, and detail on the characters lives. It was very surface level. I admit I didn't finish it. However, I will encourage others to give it a try!

Really enjoyed this book by Graham Masterton. I haven't read anything from him in years, but when I saw this, had to get it. Now I remember why I always enjoyed reading his books, and will need to catch up again. Great characters, great pacing, and a great story. #TheShadowPeople #NetGalley

Holy hell Batman.

I’ve been wanting to read a Graham Masterton title for some time now and boy did it not disappoint!

“All he could say was, ‘Christ on a bicycle, Jerry. I mean, Christ on a fucking bicycle.’”

Not for the faint of heart, this book legitimately makes me want to lock my doors and never leave the house. All I’ve been looking for is a book that lives up to the descriptors of horror and downright terrifying language.

That’s exactly what I got.

“The mundane sight of them having their supper made her feel completely detached from reality, as if she were a princess in a Grimm’s fairy tale, trapped in a tower.”

Hand on heart, I’m a fan. From the obvious Englishness of the writing to the gory, gory writing, I couldn’t have asked for more.

There are a fair few too many characters to wrap your little head around at first, but then all becomes clear and easy to follow but in bite sized chunks (can I even say that about this?) preferably. I haven’t the stomach for more and I’m never usually queasy about fiction.

Graham Masterton has long been one of my all-time favorite genre authors. Though admittedly I’ve not followed his recent work too closely; the man began veering into detective stories, worse yet detective series and so my interest ebbed accordingly. But this novel promises such exciting things – cults, cannibals, subterranean terrors – that it seemed like the right choice to check out if only to see if Masterton still got it. And surprise, surprise, he definitely still does. Way to age properly, like some sort of nightmare wine.
This is actually one of his detective series novels, from somewhere in the middle it seems, and I didn’t even care. The way the book is structured, it doesn’t really seem to require any prior knowledge of this world going in. There are two detectives, a Muslim woman and a white (I think? Is it ever specified?) man in England who headline the team of investigators assigned to a terrifying series of brutal murders. To uncover the truth, they’ll have to descend into the world below the streets of London, the world of abandoned metro tracks and forgotten secrets.
I love that for a book setting, one of my favorite books is set below London’s streets. The cannibal thing…well, it’s pretty brutal even among the famous cannibal fiction. Masterton is certain to remind you throughout this book time and again that though he may be branching out with detective aspect, he is still very much a teller of terrors and a whisperer of visceral nightmares.
There are other things here that are very much Masterton of old, including a killer backstory with a Nazi connection no less and fascinating esoteric religion/mythology angle. And overall, this is just pure fun. Gory AF, but lots of fun.
The writing is dynamic, the characters are likable or interesting or both, Masterton even proves his hip and woke status here and there (way to stay current), and the story is genuinely entertaining. Despite being over 400 pages, it speeds by too. Don’t know why I stayed away from these books for so long. Lesson learned. Fans of the Masterton of old, rejoice, the man is still fun to read. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.

A fantastic read this series gets better. It had me gripped from the start and I look forward to reading more.

I thought I enjoyed this book more than I did. A pretty interesting idea that has plenty of shock value and some exciting scenes but, its ultimately let down by very poorly written characters and at times an almost child like style of writing, despite the subject matter.

The story of a strange cannibalistic cult and two police officers brought together to try and find out who they are and stop them before more people are killed, cooked and eaten! Throw in some demons, drugs, ancient languages, loads of gore and you have the makings of a mad but fun read.

Our two police officers - DS Jamila Patel and DC Jerry Pardoe, where do I start with these two? Jerry is both a misogynist and racist it seems. He also speaks in cockney rhyme a lot of the time which is utterly bizarre. As two dimensional a character as they come and with no likeable traits whatsoever, it is hard to take the character seriously, let alone emphasize with him or root for him.

As for Jamila, well, at least Jerry is two dimensional. Jamilia is a one dimensional, almost robotic like character. Like an afterthought to throw in some Pakistani folklore knowledge of demons etc.
I mean her dialect read like it was written for a robot. As poorly written a main character as I can remember ever reading. Like there is no response from her either physical or verbal when Jerry throws in his "Pakis" trope. Nothing, just moves onto the next robotic sentence she has been given.

As I said at the start, there are some interesting and fun ideas in here from a horror perspective and there are some really good sections in the book but, without characters of any substance its hard to be engaged in any meaningful way.

Thanks to the publisher for the ARC through Netgalley.

Being my first experience reading a book by Graham Masterton, I found myself pleasantly surprised. This book is a good mix of crime novel and horror. I didn't know going in that this is actually part of a series and this book is the third. The series follows the detectives, so this one works as a stand-alone without there being any trouble understanding what is happening.

If you're a fan of horror, gore, and cults who participate in cannibalistic rituals, then you should give this book a chance.

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.

Wow wow wow! Firstly I would say this isn’t for the faint hearted & should definitely come with warnings! Incredibly gory and creepy And takes a while to get into but a very interesting read.

This is definitely one for fans of horror but was probably a little too much for me. I am sure you probably would never have read a cult story like this one...

Though I have read Masterton in the past, it's been a number of years. I didn't realize at first that this is actually the third book to feature DC Jerry Pardoe and DS Jamila Patel. In the beginning, there are some mentions of previous cases that started to give me the feeling that this wasn't exactly a standalone thriller, but even starting here, I think that this works on its own (although I am looking forward to going back and catching up on the start of the series!). It's a bit of a grisly read for the holidays - but it's entertaining. As I have said before, Masterton masterfully handles dialects - making me wish that I had an audio version of this one. I really enjoyed the bantering dialogue here.

Plot-wise, this holds plenty of shocks - so much so that I don't want to give too much away here! It's all a bit over-the-top, but in the best sort of way. Be warned that you will need to suspend disbelief to be thoroughly entertained. The gore factor is also pretty high here - not only in the details and grisly deaths, but in some other stomach-churning scenes. The scenes of the feasts especially make this reminiscent of a horrific Fae court updated into a new type of horror. The descriptions of the smells especially ooze off the page. It's well-written and while I never felt frightened, I definitely felt entertained!

DC Pardoe and DS Jamila Patel are back (hooray!). This time the creepy crime they are trying to solve involves....cannibals. I only got in to reading Graham Masterton novels a couple of years ago but he has become a firm favourite and I always get excited for his next book. His stories are so imaginative and clover, and downright twisted. It takes a lot to scare me nowadays as I read so much horror, but the great GM is one author that genuinely gives me the creeps. Highly recommended, as usual.

I found this book a bit slow to start but once it got going I was hooked ! This book is quite disturbing with gore. I struggled to sleep after finishing it.

Warning ⚠️ Do not read either whilst eating or with a full stomach!
Dark, gruesome and fully engrossing. His best book my a big mile.
Loved it in all its gory glory 🖤
Do not let that put you off though as the whole book isn’t all guts and gore, it’s a really clever work of crime fiction that it is a must read for mudder mysteries and suspense thrillers, not just horror fans!