Book Review: Clowders by Vanessa Morgan

Clervaux, Luxembourg. This secluded, picturesque town in the middle of Europe is home to more cats than people. For years, tourists have flocked to this place – also known as “cat haven” - to meet the cats and buy cat-related souvenirs.

When Aidan, Jess and their five-year-old daughter, Eleonore, move from America to Clervaux, it seems as if they've arrived in paradise. It soon becomes evident, though, that the inhabitants' adoration of their cats is unhealthy. According to a local legend, each time a cat dies, nine human lives are taken as a punishment. To tourists, these tales are supernatural folklore, created to frighten children on cold winter nights. But for the inhabitants of Clervaux, the danger is horrifyingly real.

Initially, Aidan and Jess regard this as local superstition, but when Jess runs over a cat after a night on the town, people start dying, one by one, and each time it happens, a clowder of cats can be seen roaming the premises.

Are they falling victim to the collective paranoia infecting the entire town? Or is something unspeakably evil waiting for them?

Their move to Europe may just have been the worst decision they ever made.

I've often heard people say that a book was so good it kept them reading long past their bedtime, if not all night long. Now while I love reading, I love sleeping too, so I typically have a set number of pages that I plan to read each night before calling it quits. That all went out the window with Clowders. Over a 3-night period I found myself furiously swiping my Kindle as I just had to find out what was going to happen next before turning out the lights. It's riveting and chilling and unlike anything I've ever read. I can already see it as a movie and can only hope it's produced one day as many of the author's previous works have been. If you can, don't even read the publisher's blurb, just dive right in. I guarantee you'll be pulled in from the first page and find it impossible to put down. And for anyone who hesitates to read it because of cats dying (only one scene), don't worry - they get even. Oh, do they ever get even!

Author Bio:
Vanessa Morgan is an author, screenwriter, and blogger. Three of her stories (The Strangers Outside, A Good Man, and Next to Her) have become movies. When she's not working on her latest book, you can find her reading, watching horror movies, digging through flea markets, or photographing felines for her blog, Traveling Cats. She lives in Belgium.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review. As members of the Amazon Associates affiliate program, if you click on our links and buy something Mudpie gets a little money for her piggy bank!