Now here’s a fantastic and fascinating read, and a novel idea too.
DS Jamila Patel and DC Jerry Pardoe are again paired together on a case that turns out to be gruesome and grisly. A shopping trolly full of barbequed body parts in an abandoned building, and one a gory murder and a missing person during the actual initial investigation.
The gore and intrigue continue with an ancient cult amongst homeless and missing people, drawings of a goat headed elongated figure, and prehistoric mythology, all set in abandoned and unfinished tunnels in South London.
Masterton keeps the tone right, light in places which balances the demonic gore well, making for an easy yet essential and thrilling read.
There is some good characterisation, and in typical Masterton style, there’s a big finish.
I’ve read a fair amount of Masterton over the last nine years and this is as enjoyable as any. Creepy, not for the faint hearted, moreish, classic Masterton.

Creepy, gory, and atmospheric, this is fast paced and definitely not for the faint of heart! That being said, I loved it!

Another prize from Graham Masterton. I've been reading his work since he came on the scene over 20 some years ago and have never been disappointed. That record still stands. A creepy, spooky, uncomfortable, kinda gross, take of Satan worship, and so much worse. I did have some trouble with the characters, just couldn't get I to them, but the craft of the story overrode that issue for me. Thanks to @netgalley, Graham Masterton, for this arc in exchange for my honest, unbiased review.

Creepy, horrendous, made me sick while reading it but I just couldn’t put it down.
Graham Masterton wrote another amazingly spooky story which has crept into my mind and refuses to leave.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy.

Thank you NetGalley and Head of Zeus for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. It was with great pleasure that I read The Shadow People by Graham Masterton, one of my favorite writers since I discovered his books in the mid 1990s. If you have read other books by Mr. Masterton, you will not be disappointed. It sarts with what appears to be barbecue cooked by homeless people, but as one can expect, it takes a turn for something more macabre and gruesome, all the best for a true horror aficionado. Please be warned that it is a bad idea to eat while reading this book. It might help you stick to your diet, though. The Shadow People will keep readers entranced and wanting to read more. It is written in an intelligent and creative way. Mr. Masterton proves once again that he is a true master in the art of horror.

"The Shadow People" is Graham Masterton doing what Graham Masterton does best - horrifying you with the actions of regular people in highly irregular situations, with a healthy dash of gore mixed in. It drops just enough information to sound like you should be looking things up in a history book (Nazi drug experimentation? Mythology of Pakistani devil/demon worship?). The pacing at the beginning was a little slow, even though you're dropped into the middle of the action, so to speak, but it picks up quickly and becomes unputdownable. If you like your horror tinged liberally with gore, cannibalism, mind control, and demon worship/ritualistic cults, this book is definitely for you! And it also reminded me that I never finished Masterton's Katie Maguire series, so the last two books from that series are on the top of my TBR pile!

2.5 stars

I struggled to finish this. And not because of the gore, I actually loved that (been in the medical field for 17 years, I’ve seen it all and nothing gets to me LOL).

I struggled with the characters. Another reviewer hit the nail on the head when they said they felt like caricatures. They were so over the top with their slang and reactions that it almost felt like a Saturday night live skit remake of a horror novel.

That being said, the pacing was great, moved nice and quick, and I enjoyed the story but it was a push for me to get through it.

I don't really know how to feel abt this book. I don't really like it but I don't hate it either. It just make me uncomfortable.

Before I go detailed with my review [𝑾𝑨𝑹𝑵𝑰𝑵𝑮] this book is not for the faint of heart. Its very GORE AND GRAPHIC. Even myself who actually okay with this kind of scene before also got triggered. I even gag a few times 😱🤮.

Det. Jamila and Det. Jerry are being called to solve some kind of supernatural crime that involves a missing person together . The story started after 3 of the police got murdered it a very mysterious and cruel way. Besides, they found some skeleton and dismantled bodies around abandoned tunnel and they suspected its some kind of religious cult. This religious cult are very bizarre that they talked using their own grunts and they feed on HUMANS aka they are CANNIBALS. Guys, they kidnapped them, nailed them on the wall, skinned them, cooked them and eat them 🤮

I love the flow of the plot and the detailed on every scene to get on a clue about this crime is really intriguing. The way that the clue about this cult is very hard to find and they managed to find it. Its amazing I would say.

My feeling reading this I cannot stop my heart from pounding from anticipation what will happens next and honestly I also put this book down many times becouse I cannot get past on that cannibals scene and the scene they nailed people on the floor/wall. Its disheartening to read those. 😭😭

For the fan of horror and gore, I think you wouldn't dissapoint with this. It the most goriest, cruelest, graphic book that I ever read in my entire life and I think this books scarred the hell out of me. Some scenes still rent free on my mind even just thinking about it make me wanna puke.

Thanks NetGalley for this e-arc

TW:CANNIBALISM, GORE, CULT

A BURNING PYRE

The smell of roasting meat alerts police to squatters in an abandoned London factory. But when they arrive, the place is empty… except for a gruesome pile of scorched human heads.

AN ANCIENT RITUAL

DS Jamila Patel and DC Jerry Pardoe have solved bizarre crimes before, but nothing as spooky as this. Arcane markings on the factory wall lead them to a terrifying cult in thrall to a Neolithic god. A god who demands the ultimate sacrifice from his followers.

A CULT OF CANNIBALS

Now Londoners are being abducted off the city streets, to be mutilated, roasted and eaten. Can Patel and Pardoe save the next victim from this hideous fate? Or will they themselves become a human sacrifice?

Last week we had a washed-out, alcoholic German hostage negotiator breaking all the rules. This week it’s a barbaric cannibal cult hiding in the dark streets of our nation’s capital. It’s true what they say, the life of a book reviewer is never boring.

The good news is that The Shadow People by Graham Masterton is proper old school horror with some serious bite*. As expected, things are pretty damned visceral from the get-go. Within a couple of pages, we are already firmly in the realms of suitably icky. If you’re squeamish then The Shadow People is most definitely not the book for you. It would probably work as a pretty good advert for vegetarianism, to be honest. It’s not all just bone munching, brain slurping and eyeball-popping though. Masterton also takes time to explore the hierarchy that exists in his cannibalistic proto-society. There are some nice little touches that explain the unique mythology they have created for themselves.

The Shadow People could easily be viewed as just your standard shlock-horror cannibal tale, but I think that’s doing the novel a bit of a disservice. There is more to it than that. The underlying idea that those vulnerable souls who exist on the fringes of society are the perfect target for being taken advantage of. Sadly, there are far too many people trying to eke out a life on the streets. As a species, I think we are hardwired to want to belong to something greater than ourselves. If you are barely existing, constantly worried about your next meal, or having a roof over your head, when an opportunity comes along you’re going to grasp it with both hands. Suddenly there is the chance for you to wipe away your old self, the collective you are now part of becomes everything. If you had reached rock bottom you need to ask yourself, what would you be prepared to do in order to survive? Hmm, who would have thought a tale of cannibalism in the heart of London would be such a damning inditement of the social care crisis in this country. No, I wasn’t expecting that either. The best fiction always takes you to the most unexpected places, doesn’t it.

There were a handful of references that made me think this wasn’t the first book featuring these characters and a quick internet search confirms it. There are a couple of novels out in the wild already. Normally I would be put off by jumping into a series a few books in but I got the distinct impression that in this case, these are standalone stories that just happen to feature some of the same characters.

Ultimately, The Shadow People delivered everything I was looking for. The gore was deliciously gory, the twists were unpredictably twisty, the action kept me gripped and there was more insight than I expected. I don’t think you can ask for much more than that when it comes to a good read.

The only question that remains unanswered – Is it a coincidence I had a nightmare this week where a dreamed about walls dripping with blood? I’m not sure. My other half has suggested that perhaps I should I stop reading horror novels. I feel that in no small part this is Graham Masterton’s fault. If the tattered remnants of my battered psyche aren’t recommendation enough to read this book then I don’t know what is.

The Shadow People is published by Head of Zeus and is available from 9th December.

My musical recommendation to accompany The Shadow People is the soundtrack to The Empty Man by Christopher Young and Lustmord. It’s a sinister soundscape full of atmospheric, discordant elements that capture the overall tone of the novel perfectly.

*I’m sorry. I promise I’ve limited myself to only the one cannibal related pun for the entire duration of this review.

*dnf at 5%*
i almost never DNF books this early but the comment made about transgender people, plus other reviews i've seen that almost all the "evil" people in the book are people of color or people with mental illnesses, made me not want to read another page. won't be reading from this author again.

I personally didn't love this. However, I do think other people would enjoy this! It just wasn't for me.

I didn't love the gore. Mainly, it was just too gross and disturbing for me. I also didn't enjoy how certain people were represented in this book. Overall, just not in my taste. However, if you're interested in reading this, I'd definitely say to give it a go.

I felt weird after reading this book! I can easily sit through gory slasher movies and churning killer stories, but I cannot stand cannibalism. Its stomach turning and that is why I feel weird to give this book a 4.25⭐️ Thank you Head of Zeus via Netgalley for the arc.

I didn’t know this book is part of a series with repetitive characters — Deputies Pardoe and Patel. The Shadow People is the third book in this detective series and these deputies this time have gotten themselves into catching cannibals who worship an entity from Neolithic era. The story has the usual elements, gory mutilated bodies, killers and suspects. Its the execution that has earned the stars!! I always thought ghosts and demons hide in abandoned buildings but its humans, it has always been humans doing bad thing to other humans, like roasting and eating them. I repeat, this is a dark themed story.

I received an ARC copy of #theshadowpeople from #NetGalley.

I had a hard time getting into this one. There was something about the writing that was off putting, but I can't really put my finger on it. None of the characters were likeable and the plot really took a long time to get going. Most of the writing effort seemed to go into the gory parts, which were ok but there needed to be a more cohesive plot.

This was my first book to read by this author but I hope to read more soon! The characters and the story stay with you long after you finish it. Good, fast read. Highly recommend!!

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, but unfortunately ended up DNFing

Overall I think it would have been a pretty great horror novel if I hadn't found it to be really drawn out--which had me super bored. It's gory and gruesome and pretty solid horror wise, and recommend to those who can hold on for the long run... I just ended up abandoning ship.

The Shadow People by Graham Masterton
I give this book 4.5 stars

An abandoned London factory. The place is empty... except for a gruesome pile of scorched human heads.
Arcane markings on the factory wall lead to a terrifying cult in thrall to a Neolithic god.
Now Londoners are being abducted off the city streets.Can Patel and Pardoe save the next victim from this hideous fate? Or will they themselves become a human sacrifice?

This first class horror is not going to be everyone’s cup of tea (cannibalism) but l loved it and have added the first 2 in the series promptly to my list.
A chilling,gory,shocking and graphic storyline,the authors brilliantly descriptive and vivid writing style makes it ten times harder to read (if you’re faint hearted ) Loved the working relationship between the detective duo despite them being chalk and cheese. Clearly set in London with cockney input and British dark humour it feels very 80’s (non pc) with a colourful cast of police officers that add to the story.
I couldn’t put it down!!!
With thanks to Netgalley,Graham Masterton and Head of Zeus for my chance to read and review this book.

DS Jamila Patel and DC Jerry Pardoe are called to an abandoned carpet factory in London where a demolition team have discovered two shopping trolleys full of barbecued body parts, eek! Further investigation reveals a wall painting of an elongated figure with a horned goat's head and naked human body.

Patel and Pardoe link the grisly discovery to a sacrificial cannibalistic cult operating out of derelict buildings. People are being snatched off the streets, dismembered, cooked and eaten. Will Patel and Pardoe be able to put a stop to their ghastly dinnertime antics or will they be next on the menu?

This is Patel and Pardoe's third investigation, and what a great story it is! I've been reading Masterton's horror novels since the mid-1980s and he's my go-to guy for anything demonic and chilling.

This book is extremely gory with body parts being hacked off, roasted and consumed with gusto. It's all very yucky but WOW, it's imaginative, original and exceptionally weird ('weird' in a good way!). I loved the lighter moments of British humour which nicely counterbalanced the more macabre scenes.

Definitely not for the easily creeped out or faint-hearted, this was a super read and a fantastic addition to the series. Masterton is at the top of his game.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced reader copy
This was as creepy and confusing as the last two books, cannibalism really just hit the perfect Halloween read spot! But it was also too long, drags too much. Just like the last two books.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Head of Zeus for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Detectives Jerry and Jamila are called to investigate a case of human remains found in a abandoned factory. They arrive to find dozens of human remains that appear to have been disembowelled, dismembered, cooked and eaten.

Where to start! This is honestly one of the most stomach turning books I have ever read. It is absolutely gruesome. This is 100% not for the faint hearted if you enjoy horror, gore and the supernatural then this is the book for you. It’s honestly so horrifying in parts. Vidid descriptions of cannibalism and people clawing out and eating their own eye balls made my skin crawl.


There is a lot going on it this novel references to Nazis, chemical weapons, religious cults, supernatural beings, magic, primitive languages and some good old fashioned detective work. However despite what initially appears to be a random and excessively complex plot it really is the perfect combination. The plot is easy to follow and the main characters just leave you wanting to read one more chapter. I loved everything about this novel.

All in all a 5 star read.

Wow it just amazes me where Mr Masterton gets his ideas from. The Shadow People is one of the goriest books that I have read and the first one while reading turned my stomach. This is not for the faint hearted.
Supernatural team Jerry Pardoe and Jamila Patel are called when some bodies are found by some builders. When they turn up at the scene, they discover strange markings on the walls and strong smell of burning human flesh. They discover that the scene is connected to a cannibalistic cult. Who take a liquid full of drugs that make the members have Stone age tendences? When some boys from a scout camp disappear, It’s Jerry Pardoe and Jamila Patel’s task to find the boys before they end up as dinner.
Thank you, Head of Zeus, for a copy of The Shadow people. Once again Mr Masterton has out done himself with this gory tale. I wasn’t aware this was book three in the series. I have read the previous one The Children God forgot, and both can be easily read as a standalone. I can’t wait to go back and read the first one in the series. This one like the previous one is a fantastic unique storyline; I have not read anything else like it and it kept me reading to all hours of the morning. If you love Horror, you will love this. Just one thing, be warned, do not eat while reading this book. 5 stars from me.