Novella Review: Cat's Paw by Rustin Petrae

To wrap up October's short and shortish book theme, there's no better way than to end with a ghost story.

I picked this one up on Amazon during one of its free days.  I'm a big fan of the author's Book One: Dragon and looking forward to the newly released Book Two: Roc, set in the world of Purga.  I won a copy of Book Two: Roc by answering a trivia question about Book One, but it is still on my to be read list.  I'm looking forward to it.

Cat's Paw wasn't exactly what I expected when I picked it up, but it was a good read.

Good and scary, enjoy!

Cat's Paw by Rustin Petrae
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A ghost story with a twist.

Tad is fifteen the year Vicki Campbell is murdered. Neighborhood parents are afraid, but Tad and his friends, while worried for Vikki, are more interested in breaking free of the extra restrictions imposed to keep them safe from an unknown predator. On the way to a pickup game the kids are organizing to break the monotony, Tad has his first run in with the cat.

While this story features a young boy as the main character, isn't a kid's story. The subject matter is scary, and both his experiences and the ultimate outcome are somewhat graphic. Also, the story seems to be told from the perspective of a fifteen year old, though the main character seems to be reflecting on a long-past memory. The language used is simplistic, and the dialog is filled with juvenile bravado and insults. Still, I enjoyed the quick read and the surprising, yet disturbing, twist.

Cat's Paw is a reasonably entertaining ghost story, though not for those who are easily disturbed or offended when the horrors are portrayed realistically and in detail.

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