I must admit, I never heard of Bill Schweigart until I came across this book in Netgalley, but I found the title, description, and cover to be enough to pique my curiosity. I am so glad I took a chance. The Beast of Barcroft was a genuinely pleasant surprise.
Great writing and interesting storytelling. The author is quite skilled in character construction and creating believable situations out of beyond believable events.
There are a number of twists as the facts slowly come to light and several "Oh, Wow!" moments.
The story begins in the Arlington, Virginia, community of Barcroft where, recently divorced, Ben McLelvie is having a bit of a rat problem due to a neighbor, Madeleine Roux, who calls herself an animal rehabilitator. Her activities have lead to all kinds of vermin which seem to have attracted a bigger predator to the neighborhood.
As deaths mount and the story changes, Ben is put in touch with Lindsay Clark, the curator of great cats at the Smithsonian Institution's National Zoo. She has a friend who is a cryptozoologist, and that's when things really get interesting.
I'm kind of beating around the bush here because I don't want to give too much away, but I will tell you I did enjoy the read and will likely read the sequel when it comes out in February of 2016.
The Beast of Barcroft is currently available, as an e-book, and is published by Hydra Books, a division of Random House LLC.
Recommended.
Bill is a former Coast Guard officer who drew from his experiences at sea to write the taut nautical thriller, SLIPPING THE CABLE. Bill currently residents in Arlington, VA with his wife and daughter, who along with their monstrous Newfoundland and mischievous kitten, provide him with all the adventure he can handle.
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