🩸 Horror Fiction

The Cryptid Club

✍️ Edward J, III McFadden
Reader Score
4.5
(1 review)
$11.95
In stock — ready to ship Ships in 1–2 business days
📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A cryptozoologist competes in a deadly contest for wealth and legacy.

Ash Cohn joins a global competition led by dying billionaire Lester Treemont. The goal is to inherit a secret laboratory and fortune. Eight other candidates challenge Ash using cryptid specimens as weapons. Deaths occur rapidly among the group. The contest shifts from academic rivalry to pure survival. Ash must outwit opponents who are equally desperate. The narrative tracks the elimination of rivals through dangerous encounters with mythical creatures. The setting remains confined to the club's facilities. The story emphasizes the cost of ambition and the brutality of the hunt.

Key Themes
cryptid competition wealth inheritance survival horror
Literary Context

Published by Severed Press in 2021, this novel sits within the modern horror genre. It draws on cryptozoology traditions and gothic themes of inherited curses. The work reflects contemporary interests in secret societies and biological anomalies.

Difficulty
●● Medium
Recommended For Fans Of
Stephen King · Peter Straub · Clive Barker
🩸
Horror Fiction
🏛 Severed Press 📅 2021 📖 212 pages 🌐 English 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9781922551566

📝 Description: The Cryptid Club

Edward J. McFadden presents a narrative centered on Ash Cohn, a cryptozoologist who receives an invitation to join The Cryptid Club. The club is led by Lester Treemont, a wealthy biologist and cryptid scientist nearing the end of his life. Treemont offers his successor the chance to inherit his vast wealth, laboratory, and collection of cryptids. To earn this position, Ash must compete against eight other rivals in mental and physical trials involving these creatures. The story follows nine strangers from around the world, each driven by their own desires to win the contest. As participants begin to die one by one, the competition transforms into a desperate struggle for survival. The narrative examines the intersection of scientific pursuit and lethal ambition within a closed group. This work appeals to readers interested in creature features and high-stakes psychological thrillers. It draws on traditions of competitive fiction where human nature is tested against supernatural threats. The plot relies on the tension between academic curiosity and primal fear. Those who prefer slow-burn character studies or non-fiction biological texts may find the pacing too aggressive. The book suits fans of dark, action-oriented suspense. It does not offer gentle horror or historical documentation. The structure focuses on the immediate danger faced by the competitors rather than broad world-building. McFadden uses the premise to explore greed and survival instincts.

💎 Our verdict on The Cryptid Club

“
🩸
Horror Reads editorial team
Horror desk
Edward J. McFadden delivers a tight, survival-focused narrative that effectively merges cryptozoology with deadly competition. The confined setting amplifies the tension as academic rivalry dissolves into pure brutality. While it lacks the nuance of slow-burn studies, it excels in maintaining aggressive momentum and exploring the intersection of curiosity and fear. The work is best suited for readers who enjoy dark, action-heavy suspense and creature features. It avoids gentle horror, offering instead a raw examination of ambition. Fans of competitive fiction where human nature faces supernatural odds will find this engaging and visceral.
✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

This title appeals to readers who crave intense, action-oriented suspense where human nature is tested against supernatural threats. Those interested in the intersection of scientific pursuit and lethal ambition will find the narrative compelling as it examines the cost of greed within a confined setting. It suits fans of creature features and dark psychological thrillers who prefer aggressive pacing over slow-burn character studies. The book offers a brutal look at desperation, making it ideal for those seeking immediate danger rather than gentle horror or historical documentation.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

Reader rating

4.5
Based on 1 reviews
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Horror Reads editorial team

Edward J. McFadden delivers a tight, survival-focused narrative that effectively merges cryptozoology with deadly competition. The confined setting amplifies the tension as academic rivalry dissolves into pure brutality. While it lacks the nuance of slow-burn studies, it excels in maintaining aggressive momentum and exploring the intersection of curiosity and fear. The work is best suited for readers who enjoy dark, action-heavy suspense and creature features. It avoids gentle horror, offering instead a raw examination of ambition. Fans of competitive fiction where human nature faces supernatural odds will find this engaging and visceral.

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