Review of The Beast of Talbotton

[Kristin Cowan]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Beast of Talbotton" by Kevin Matthew Hayes.]

---

4 out of 5 stars

---

Share This Review

---

The Beast of Talbotton is a short, horror story during the Civil War. Captain David O’Connor and his troops arrive in Georgia to stock up on supplies. During the night, the soldier standing watch is mauled and killed, and the supplies are destroyed.  As David settles in to wait for the next supply wagon, he reminisces about his relationships with town local Mr. Baron and his daughter Elizabeth. Although he has not seen them for many years, they have a history. David also thinks about his wife and their early days of marriage, which led him to this point. As time goes by while David waits for more supplies to arrive, more men are brutally killed. The local people claim a werewolf is to blame. While David does not believe in werewolves, he knows something large is killing his men. Can he work with the local people to find and kill this beast? And what, or who, is the beast?

This is a short read with a well-established, simple plot. His flashbacks provide a lot of context and allow the author to build up to the story's conclusion. While the flashbacks do not seem very relevant to the main plot initially, they play a significant part in explaining the story.

I wish there were more folklore and background to the werewolf part of the story. I also would have liked more character background or development with Mr. Baron and Elizabeth since they play a large role in the plot’s events.

I rate this story 4 out of 5. The story kept my attention, and I enjoyed the conclusion. I did not find any editing errors, and the story appears to be professionally edited.  My only issue with the story was that the ending seemed abrupt. It kept me asking questions about what happened next.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a short read with a touch of horror and romance.

******
The Beast of Talbotton
View: on Bookshelves

[Elsa Davis]

"‘The Beast of Talbotton’ offers a gripping Civil War-era horror tale with effective suspense and intriguing flashbacks. It’s an engaging short read, I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy short horror story.

[NetMassimo]

Short stories can be intense but you can always want some parts be more developed. This one seems engaging and fun to read if you like horror stories. Thank you for your great review!