Book Review: The Creeper by A. M. Shine

The Creeper…what can I say. It crept up on me, chile (lol)!

I picked up The Creeper after watching a review from my good bookish friend Noah at In-between The Lines. He mentioned that the book had a creepy child and Lovecraftian elements. Mentioning those two things is what sold me, so I quickly borrowed the audiobook from my library and flew through it.

The book’s premise is that there’s a doctor seeking historical researchers for a project he’s working on. His name is Dr. Sparling, and he’s sketchy. The project requires the researchers to go to a remote Irish village that supposedly has not changed in over 200 years. There, they are to record and conduct interviews and any insight into the history of the village and its inhabitants. The researchers, Ben and Chloe, aren’t given many details but are willing to go through with the “contract” because money talks (you get me). I would say more, but very much like myself, I want you all to go into the book without knowing much.

Very little is known about The Creeper because the village people don’t speak of it. What’s clear is that the adults are more afraid than the children and make great efforts to keep the children from speaking of The Creeper to outsiders.

During their visit to the village, Ben attempts to probe for information about The Creeper and its relation to the residents. There’s no success, as he’s steadily receiving clipped verbal responses or loud silences from the chosen few he’s interviewed.

All that he and I as the reader could gather from his interactions with the village residents is the existence of The Creeper and the folktale behind its origin is what’s kept them isolated and afraid to leave. This observation is like bait to Ben. As you get to know him, you see that one of his flaws is attempting to rationalize the puzzling and unexplained. It makes him a dangerous person to be around (in my opinion).

Adding to this ominous visit is a child with mischievous and calculative movements. Her physical description sounds soulless, with the darkest of eyes. She expresses strange and frightening glee in sharing a chant about The Creeper. She eerily says something about the first time seeing The Creeper is from afar, the second a little closer, and then the third time “uh oh.” The “uh oh” is so unsettling.

From that one visit, things happen, and the story ups the ante with each appearance of a questionable figure outside everyone’s peripheral, appearing closer and closer each time, hoping that you will take a look.

Overall, I enjoyed my reading experience of The Creeper and will be reading more from A. M. Shine’s catalog. The story was engaging and continuously had me guessing and asking questions like:

Why are the people in the village afraid of the dark?
What is up with the blind being tasked to oversee the animals at night?
Why do they not acknowledge the church?
Why is the mention of The Creeper met with abrupt silence?
What is Dr. Sparling’s connection to this village? He doesn’t leave his home at night.

Little did I know, the answers to these questions led to an unexpected adventure and me fearful of looking out my window at night. The Creeper and its rules played with my mind and dredged up fear of suffering from the consequences of not believing in the unexplained. It’s negligibly unnerving.

I hope this review of A. M. Shine’s ‘The Creeper‘ finds you well.