Werewolf novel is a hairy whodunit
By James Argendeli
CNN Headline News
 |
"Wolf's Trap" is William D. Gagliani's first novel.
Story Tools
|
(CNN) -- Is the weather outside frightful enough for you to crave something delightfully dark?
Then forget about the hustle and bustle of the holiday season and tear into William D. Gagliani's first novel. "Wolf's Trap" is a hirsute werewolf story that will grab you by the reading jugular and keep you clawing the pages until the story's exciting conclusion. In other words, this book has bite.
Set in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the novel tells the story of police detective Nick Lupo, who is being stalked by psychotic serial killer (is there any other kind?) Martin Stewart. Both men have secrets. Lupo's is the once-a-month variety.
Yes, you guessed right. The full moon brings to light much more than a bad five o'clock shadow. It seems that the good detective was attacked by a wolf in his teen-age years and is now infected with this monthly curse. His lycanthropy also has the bad habit of releasing his inner beast in times of stress. Not a good thing in Lupo's line of work since police work can be maddening.
Lupo has learned to live with his hairy side by reinforcing the doors and windows of his soundproofed city apartment and venturing to a remote rented cabin in the Wisconsin forest for those times of PWS (Pre-Werewolf Syndrome).
Stewart's secrets involve the fact that he is, to put it in clinical terms, nuts! His upbringing wasn't wonderful and he shares a family connection with Det. Lupo. How Stewart's serial killings tie into the cat-and-mouse game he is playing with Lupo cooks up the meat in this police procedural novel.
Gagliani has brought bite back to the werewolf novel. The Wisconsin setting is brought vividly to life, as are the regional secondary characters. This book is not for the kiddies due to some "R"-rated adult themes. "Wolf's Trap" is published in trade paperback by Yard Dog Press.
