🩸 Horror Fiction

Gulls!

✍️ Phil Hodgkiss
Reader Score
4.4
(1 review)
$13.99
In stock — ready to ship Ships in 1–2 business days
📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A reporter investigates illegal waste disposal that unleashes a gull infestation in Wales.

This novel examines the collapse of order in a coastal community due to corporate negligence and personal despair. Macleod’s journey from apathy to action forms the emotional core, while Brierley represents the predatory element within the system. The presence of Annie provides a necessary counterweight to the darkness surrounding them. The text connects human greed with natural retribution, suggesting that environmental crimes have immediate, violent repercussions. The gulls serve as both literal predators and symbols of the town’s decay. Hodgkiss uses the setting to amplify the sense of entrapment for his characters.

Key Themes
illegal waste disposal coastal horror investigative journalism
Literary Context

The story is set in a small coastal town off the coast of Wales, drawing on traditions of gothic fiction where nature turns against humanity. It reflects mid-2010s independent publishing trends with its focus on localized, atmospheric suspense rather than broad supernatural lore.

Difficulty
● Easy
Recommended For Fans Of
Stephen King · Richard Matheson · John Ajvide Lindqvist
🩸
Horror Fiction
🏛 Createspace Independent Publishing Platform 📅 2014 📖 386 pages 🌐 English 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9781499777505

📝 Description: Gulls!

Phil Hodgkiss presents a coastal thriller centered on Macleod, a reporter in a small Welsh town who has lost his ambition after a failed marriage. He drinks heavily until Annie, a local nurse, rekindles his passion and sharpens his investigative instincts. The narrative introduces Brierley, an ex-convict with a lust for young girls who uses his position at a chemical recycling plant to facilitate illegal waste disposal. An accident during one of these trips triggers horrific consequences for the community. The story follows Macleod and Annie as they work alongside police sergeant Steve Llewellyn to uncover the truth behind the grisly events. They must determine if Brierley can evade justice while dealing with a town where the gulls have turned aggressive and seek prey. Hodgkiss, an author publishing through Createspace Independent Publishing Platform, structures this tale around the intersection of personal redemption and environmental horror. The book suits readers who enjoy character-driven mysteries set in isolated locations. It may not appeal to those seeking high-octane action or complex literary prose. The narrative relies on the tension between the sleepy holiday town atmosphere and the lurking supernatural threat posed by the birds.

💎 Our verdict on Gulls!

“
🩸
Horror Reads editorial team
Horror desk
Hodgkiss effectively constructs a coastal thriller that balances personal despair with supernatural threat. The narrative succeeds in linking human greed to violent natural repercussions, using the aggressive gulls as potent symbols of decay. While the prose may not appeal to those seeking literary complexity, it delivers a clear, tension-filled story ideal for genre enthusiasts. The intersection of investigative mystery and environmental horror creates a unique, albeit unsettling, reading experience. Readers who value atmospheric isolation and character development over action will find this tale satisfying.
✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers who appreciate character-driven mysteries set in isolated locations will find this novel compelling. It offers a focused exploration of personal redemption intertwined with environmental horror, appealing to those interested in the consequences of corporate greed. The story provides a tense atmosphere where human despair meets natural retribution, creating an engaging narrative for fans of psychological thrillers. Those who enjoy watching protagonists overcome apathy through action will resonate with Macleod’s journey. The book suits individuals seeking a coherent plot with clear stakes rather than complex literary prose or high-octane action sequences.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

Reader rating

4.4
Based on 1 reviews
5
0
4
1
3
0
2
0
1
0
H
Horror Reads editorial team

Hodgkiss effectively constructs a coastal thriller that balances personal despair with supernatural threat. The narrative succeeds in linking human greed to violent natural repercussions, using the aggressive gulls as potent symbols of decay. While the prose may not appeal to those seeking literary complexity, it delivers a clear, tension-filled story ideal for genre enthusiasts. The intersection of investigative mystery and environmental horror creates a unique, albeit unsettling, reading experience. Readers who value atmospheric isolation and character development over action will find this tale satisfying.

🏛 Books from this publisher Createspace Independent Publishing Platform

Memento Mori
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Paul Holbrook
Memento Mori
$13.94
78
Read →
Mona Livelong: Paranormal Detective II: The Case of The Powerless Witch
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Quinton Veal
Mona Livelong: Paranormal Detective II: The Case of The Powerless Witch
$12.00
78
Read →
The Manitou
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Jessie Cox
The Manitou
$10.50
78
Read →
The Phantom of the Opera
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Alexander Teixeira De Mattos
The Phantom of the Opera
$17.00
81
Read →
The Trial
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
David Wyllie
The Trial
$10.25
81
Read →
Prey Until Dawn
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Daryn Guarino
Prey Until Dawn
$50.00
78
Read →

You might also like

See more →
Dual Depravity ✨ New
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
1
John Ledger
Dual Depravity
$13.99
86
Read →
Grave Decisions
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
1
Stephen King
Grave Decisions
$13.99
86
Read →
The Boats of the 'Glen-Carrig' ✨ New
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
1
William Hope Hodgson
The Boats of the 'Glen-Carrig'
$13.99
86
Read →
Los del otro lado ✨ New
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
1
Sigrid K Halvorsen
Los del otro lado
$14.00
86
Read →
Four Weird Tales ✨ New
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
1
Algernon Blackwood
Four Weird Tales
$14.00
86
Read →
The House of Souls ✨ New
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
1
Arthur Machen
The House of Souls
$13.89
86
Read →

Have a question about this item?

Ask about the edition, condition, delivery or anything else — we reply by email or phone, usually within a day.

Home Genres
Cart
Wishlist