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The Creep
A journalist with a history of bending the facts uncovers a story about a medical breakthrough so astonishing it needs no embellishment--but behind the game-changing science lies a gruesome secret.
A respected byline in the culture pages of the venerable New York magazine The Bystander, journalist Whitney Chase grapples with a mysterious compulsion to enhance her coverage with intriguing untruths and undetectable white lies. She calls it the creep--an overpowering need to improve the story in the telling. And she has a particular genius for getting away with it.
In the immediate aftermath of 9/11, Whitney yearns to transition from profiling rock stars and novelists to covering the stories that really matter. When a chance encounter brings her face-to-face with a potentially massive story about a game-changing medical discovery, Whitney believes she's finally found a story that doesn't need any enhancement. The brilliant and charismatic doctor behind the breakthrough claims she's found the Holy Grail of medical science: a synthetic blood substitute that, if viable, promises to save millions of lives, and make her corporate backers rich beyond measure. But when Whitney's investigation of this apparent medical miracle puts her on the trail of a string of grisly fatalities across the country, she becomes inexorably tied to a much darker and more nefarious story than even she could imagine.
Set against the ramp-up to the US invasion of Iraq and the decline of print journalism, Michael LaPointe's panoramic, ingeniously plotted debut paints an affecting portrait of an increasingly unequal twenty-first century, exploring how deceitfulness, self-enhancement, and confidently delivered lies can be transfused into fact and constitute a broader violence against the social fabric and public trust.
A respected byline in the culture pages of the venerable New York magazine The Bystander, journalist Whitney Chase grapples with a mysterious compulsion to enhance her coverage with intriguing untruths and undetectable white lies. She calls it the creep--an overpowering need to improve the story in the telling. And she has a particular genius for getting away with it.
In the immediate aftermath of 9/11, Whitney yearns to transition from profiling rock stars and novelists to covering the stories that really matter. When a chance encounter brings her face-to-face with a potentially massive story about a game-changing medical discovery, Whitney believes she's finally found a story that doesn't need any enhancement. The brilliant and charismatic doctor behind the breakthrough claims she's found the Holy Grail of medical science: a synthetic blood substitute that, if viable, promises to save millions of lives, and make her corporate backers rich beyond measure. But when Whitney's investigation of this apparent medical miracle puts her on the trail of a string of grisly fatalities across the country, she becomes inexorably tied to a much darker and more nefarious story than even she could imagine.
Set against the ramp-up to the US invasion of Iraq and the decline of print journalism, Michael LaPointe's panoramic, ingeniously plotted debut paints an affecting portrait of an increasingly unequal twenty-first century, exploring how deceitfulness, self-enhancement, and confidently delivered lies can be transfused into fact and constitute a broader violence against the social fabric and public trust.
304 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2021
7 people are currently reading
714 people want to read
About the author
Michael LaPointe
3 books23 followersMichael LaPointe has written for The Atlantic, The New Yorker, The New York Times, and the Times Literary Supplement. He was a columnist with The Paris Review. He lives in Toronto.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
April 25, 2021
Thank you, NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada, for an advance electronic copy of 'The Creep' in return for an honest review. I regret that this book was not for me, but many readers may enjoy it and should not be deterred by my misgivings. The concept seemed very promising and is relevant in these days of conspiracies and 'false news' presented as fact. Some people today are reluctant to be vaccinated and are worried about the side effects and effectiveness of vaccines and seek out rumours.
I was drawn to the premise and book's summary but felt it contained many unnecessary fillers and digressions to sustain its momentum and suspense.
The main character is Whitney Chase, a reporter for a prestigious New York magazine. The time is shortly after the destruction of the World Trade Centre and before the invasion of Iraq due to purported Weapons of Mass Destruction. Print magazines are in decline due to internet journalism. Whitney longs to participate in covering important news stories. She has tended to fabricate for most of her life, an obsession she calls "The Creep." Since most of her assignments have been fluff pieces, articles where she has interviewed and written about celebrities, her embellishments and untruths have gone unnoticed or haven't interfered with her work. Now she has the opportunity to cover and break a serious, important news story and is determined to stick to the truth. She will do anything to keep lies inserted into her previous stories covered up. I mean anything!
I found Whitney to be both rude and crude. I felt I did not need to read about when she went to a bar or had a drink. Being old-fashioned, I thought the sex scenes unpleasant and offputting. Fortunately, they were few and far between.
When she learns that a pharmaceutical company is on the verge of a major medical breakthrough, she is determined to break the news. It is a blood replacement serum that will save countless lives and make billions for its developers and backers. She makes a friend within the company, a brilliant female scientist close to releasing the product. Whitney has few friends and is unduly influenced by this woman.
Gradually she learns of the ghastly, grotesque side effects on the experimental subjects. These subjects were badly injured, homeless people picked up on the streets of a nearby slum and brought to the clinic to be given the newly developed transfusion. After the treatment, they were released to the streets and written up as a proven success and cured. Whitney tries to do a follow-up but learns they have disappeared. She learns that they have died and is stunned to learn the gruesome state of the bodies at the time of death. As she rewrites her discoveries, she is placed in mortal danger. This leads to a frightening encounter, but I could not care what happened to her because I found her so unlikeable.
Does she write a realistic article about pharmaceutical fraud? Does her research award her with prestige in journalism? Does she manage to expose the company publicly? This was a thought-provoking novel about deceitfulness and how it destroys public trust and wellbeing. The conclusion was unexpected.
I was drawn to the premise and book's summary but felt it contained many unnecessary fillers and digressions to sustain its momentum and suspense.
The main character is Whitney Chase, a reporter for a prestigious New York magazine. The time is shortly after the destruction of the World Trade Centre and before the invasion of Iraq due to purported Weapons of Mass Destruction. Print magazines are in decline due to internet journalism. Whitney longs to participate in covering important news stories. She has tended to fabricate for most of her life, an obsession she calls "The Creep." Since most of her assignments have been fluff pieces, articles where she has interviewed and written about celebrities, her embellishments and untruths have gone unnoticed or haven't interfered with her work. Now she has the opportunity to cover and break a serious, important news story and is determined to stick to the truth. She will do anything to keep lies inserted into her previous stories covered up. I mean anything!
I found Whitney to be both rude and crude. I felt I did not need to read about when she went to a bar or had a drink. Being old-fashioned, I thought the sex scenes unpleasant and offputting. Fortunately, they were few and far between.
When she learns that a pharmaceutical company is on the verge of a major medical breakthrough, she is determined to break the news. It is a blood replacement serum that will save countless lives and make billions for its developers and backers. She makes a friend within the company, a brilliant female scientist close to releasing the product. Whitney has few friends and is unduly influenced by this woman.
Gradually she learns of the ghastly, grotesque side effects on the experimental subjects. These subjects were badly injured, homeless people picked up on the streets of a nearby slum and brought to the clinic to be given the newly developed transfusion. After the treatment, they were released to the streets and written up as a proven success and cured. Whitney tries to do a follow-up but learns they have disappeared. She learns that they have died and is stunned to learn the gruesome state of the bodies at the time of death. As she rewrites her discoveries, she is placed in mortal danger. This leads to a frightening encounter, but I could not care what happened to her because I found her so unlikeable.
Does she write a realistic article about pharmaceutical fraud? Does her research award her with prestige in journalism? Does she manage to expose the company publicly? This was a thought-provoking novel about deceitfulness and how it destroys public trust and wellbeing. The conclusion was unexpected.
June 11, 2021
The Creep, by Michael LaPointe, is a unique and captivating story!
New York City journalist Whitney Chase has a history of embellishing the facts to enhance a story. Shortly after 9/11 she yearns to transition from writing about celebrities to covering stories that really matter.
Whitney falls upon a potentially monumental story about a dynamic medical discovery. The perfect story that will enhance her coverage and help her to become a respected reporter. But while researching this feasible medical miracle she quickly discovers a trail of gruesome deaths across the country, and becomes unquestionably tied to a much darker and heinous story.
What will Whitney do?
Michael LaPointe's captivating debut novel explores how deceitfulness and lies can be implanted to produce fact (false news) in turn destroying public trust.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
New York City journalist Whitney Chase has a history of embellishing the facts to enhance a story. Shortly after 9/11 she yearns to transition from writing about celebrities to covering stories that really matter.
Whitney falls upon a potentially monumental story about a dynamic medical discovery. The perfect story that will enhance her coverage and help her to become a respected reporter. But while researching this feasible medical miracle she quickly discovers a trail of gruesome deaths across the country, and becomes unquestionably tied to a much darker and heinous story.
What will Whitney do?
Michael LaPointe's captivating debut novel explores how deceitfulness and lies can be implanted to produce fact (false news) in turn destroying public trust.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
July 12, 2021
OMG forgot to mark as finished! This was so frickin good, wow. Such a great debut by a Canadian author!
March 1, 2022
This was a little bit of a weird one because from the description I expected some more like a sci-fi horror novel. And while there are genre elements, this is a surprisingly insightful novel about the death of journalism in which a troubled young reporter uncovers a dark conspiracy about a developing technology in the medical industry. It's a very moody and intriguing story with a couple of major strengths but also a couple of big weaknesses.
In execution, the book is a fairly mediocre thriller. There's a lived-in perspective on journalism with genuine intelligence. Thematically, it's more a book about the state of journalistic ethics in a world where businesses own all print media. All papers close and demands change, it becomes difficult to make one's voice heard, especially when it comes to corporate accountability. Big business erodes ethics in the medical industry leading to losses of human life among the poor. It addresses some very real issues and sort of becomes a horror novel as the environment seems to suffocate the characters. I suppose that the titular creep is also the creep of corporate needs eroding the value of truth and human life. And on this level, the book is a success.
But it's also a kind of bland thriller. The biggest characteristic is the miserable main character. The protagonist is a self-loathing mess, a pretty, educated young woman from a wealthy family who constantly beats herself up, drinks too much, and has gross one-night stands. There are some sex scenes that I realize are supposed to show her character doesn't respect herself, and she uses her body to get attention and information in a way that feels a little off. It's like it wants to do a Gillian Flynn but doesn't know how to write women. The character is mostly engaging but some of the elements are awkward and heavy-handed.
If you want a miserablist journalistic thriller with slight horror vibes, you could do worse. I was going to rate this one 2 stars, but it picks up in the second half and has a thoughtful ending.
In execution, the book is a fairly mediocre thriller. There's a lived-in perspective on journalism with genuine intelligence. Thematically, it's more a book about the state of journalistic ethics in a world where businesses own all print media. All papers close and demands change, it becomes difficult to make one's voice heard, especially when it comes to corporate accountability. Big business erodes ethics in the medical industry leading to losses of human life among the poor. It addresses some very real issues and sort of becomes a horror novel as the environment seems to suffocate the characters. I suppose that the titular creep is also the creep of corporate needs eroding the value of truth and human life. And on this level, the book is a success.
But it's also a kind of bland thriller. The biggest characteristic is the miserable main character. The protagonist is a self-loathing mess, a pretty, educated young woman from a wealthy family who constantly beats herself up, drinks too much, and has gross one-night stands. There are some sex scenes that I realize are supposed to show her character doesn't respect herself, and she uses her body to get attention and information in a way that feels a little off. It's like it wants to do a Gillian Flynn but doesn't know how to write women. The character is mostly engaging but some of the elements are awkward and heavy-handed.
If you want a miserablist journalistic thriller with slight horror vibes, you could do worse. I was going to rate this one 2 stars, but it picks up in the second half and has a thoughtful ending.
April 23, 2022
Run to the bookstore but this and stay awake all tonight and devour.
Best thriller in a while. I want more LaPointe!
Best thriller in a while. I want more LaPointe!
July 6, 2021
The Creep was indeed creepy. As a native Angeleno, I dug all the local references. Lakers of yore, Die Hard Clippers fans, and a reference to Smalls, where I spent many nights hanging out in my 20s. I know the author isn't a native because he referred to it as Smalls KO, which was its actual name, but no one ever called it that. One reviewer mentioned the sex scenes as being icky. I quite liked them and thought, not bad for a dude writing about what women want or think.
Also, the Sigur Ros reference made me laugh out loud.
Also, the Sigur Ros reference made me laugh out loud.
July 28, 2021
It is positive that I got to the end of the book, meaning I didn't give up while reading. Although I don't know whose merit this is, mine or of the book. Because I did not really find many more positives. The beginning was still exciting and interesting, I thought a journalistic drama unfolded from the plot. Instead, we got an excitement-free action thriller with the help of a science fiction basic concept, an average story with events and twists that seemed pretty unbelievable and illogical to me. I could highlight details from the book that I could use to justify my opinion, but on the one hand there is too much of it and on the other hand it would be a spoiler. That’s not to say the book is not well written, simply the basic concept was not interesting enough for me, I was not excited to see the main character’s triumph at the end of the story. Of course, this is just my personal opinion, I can imagine that someone else enjoyed the story and could not even put down the book while reading it.
March 27, 2022
Holy sheeet, this is a good book. It has this cold, detached quality of late Ballard, and the intense anti-nostalgia of the Twin Peaks revival.
There's so much to unpack here, it's a novel that is about SO much that I don't even know where to begin. It explores many aspects our current moment, setting it primarily in the post-9/11 years for very clever reasons.
LaPointe seems to have a lot to say, and I'm extremely excited to read whatever he puts out next.
A remarkably assured debut.
There's so much to unpack here, it's a novel that is about SO much that I don't even know where to begin. It explores many aspects our current moment, setting it primarily in the post-9/11 years for very clever reasons.
LaPointe seems to have a lot to say, and I'm extremely excited to read whatever he puts out next.
A remarkably assured debut.
October 16, 2021
Karma’s a bitch. Not what I was expecting, but good.
November 2, 2025
Probably 4.5. One of the best journalism books/media commentaries I’ve read wrapped up in a chilling thriller. I couldn’t put it down and loved the writing.
October 12, 2021
Timely story on journalism.
August 16, 2021
I tore through this book in a few days and thought the bulk of it was a great read - but the very end just kind of trailed off a bit for me.
There were a few things that bugged me while reading it - for instance I had to check a couple of times to confirm that Whitney was actually a woman. There was nothing at all that seemed female in her narrative (like, she never for a moment considered her safety in some of those sketchy parts of town? The number of times that she detailed exactly the make and model of the car she was driving - it just all seemed like a very masculine perspective). I understand why the author wanted the main character to be a woman (though there were a few points when the male journalists in the book are exalted and I felt like maybe the author felt the character had to be a woman so she could be so flawed/vulnerable to deception/etc. (There is a meeting with a patient that she doesn't ask the right questions about that seemed like the author had to contrive a bit of naivete?). Some aspects of the female narrator worked but a few things jumped out enough to interrupt the flow of the book for me.
I thought the writing was quite spare and evocative. The overall premise was great - nicely played off the Theranos debacle and transported me to the time around 9/11 to establish the point the author was making about what we did then that got us to this point culturally, media-wise, etc.
Like many first novels, this one was brimming with creativity and the pace was good. I've recommended it to my friends and passed it on with the caveat that a bit more editing could have made this book even better.
There were a few things that bugged me while reading it - for instance I had to check a couple of times to confirm that Whitney was actually a woman. There was nothing at all that seemed female in her narrative (like, she never for a moment considered her safety in some of those sketchy parts of town? The number of times that she detailed exactly the make and model of the car she was driving - it just all seemed like a very masculine perspective). I understand why the author wanted the main character to be a woman (though there were a few points when the male journalists in the book are exalted and I felt like maybe the author felt the character had to be a woman so she could be so flawed/vulnerable to deception/etc. (There is a meeting with a patient that she doesn't ask the right questions about that seemed like the author had to contrive a bit of naivete?). Some aspects of the female narrator worked but a few things jumped out enough to interrupt the flow of the book for me.
I thought the writing was quite spare and evocative. The overall premise was great - nicely played off the Theranos debacle and transported me to the time around 9/11 to establish the point the author was making about what we did then that got us to this point culturally, media-wise, etc.
Like many first novels, this one was brimming with creativity and the pace was good. I've recommended it to my friends and passed it on with the caveat that a bit more editing could have made this book even better.
September 6, 2021
This was a decent enough read - I mean, I didn’t bail on it. There was lots of potential, but it was, mostly, unrealised. Ultimately this book didn’t really know what it wanted to be - journalistic drama, sci/spec-fiction, full on thriller… or non-fiction exploration of the perils of ‘fake news’ and the rabbit hole it leads us down.
I did not like the structure of the novel - the false conceit of Whitney being interviewed by another young journalist and reflecting back on the story she failed to deliver on. This would have been far stronger had it simply been the story of Whitney chasing her story. Knowing the ending at the beginning took all the thrill out of this thriller. I do recognise though that the structure was necessary for the author to tell the rest of the story he wanted to tell… exploring what is without doubt really interesting territory - the whole post-911 sabre-rattling and war mongering - and flat out lies - from the Bush Administration, and the genesis of the contemporary era of ‘fake news.’
Additionally, I also found it to be all too predictable, and I disliked the heavy handed - overdone - use of the ‘creep’ metaphor… and let’s be clear, it was a conscious act on the part of the main character, Whitney, so don’t expect me to be crying any sympathy tears when she gets caught out… as we knew she would from the start. Yes, it was a bit of a twist in how she came to be ‘exposed’ but not enough to justify 324 pages of reading time.
2.5 rounded up to 3
I did not like the structure of the novel - the false conceit of Whitney being interviewed by another young journalist and reflecting back on the story she failed to deliver on. This would have been far stronger had it simply been the story of Whitney chasing her story. Knowing the ending at the beginning took all the thrill out of this thriller. I do recognise though that the structure was necessary for the author to tell the rest of the story he wanted to tell… exploring what is without doubt really interesting territory - the whole post-911 sabre-rattling and war mongering - and flat out lies - from the Bush Administration, and the genesis of the contemporary era of ‘fake news.’
Additionally, I also found it to be all too predictable, and I disliked the heavy handed - overdone - use of the ‘creep’ metaphor… and let’s be clear, it was a conscious act on the part of the main character, Whitney, so don’t expect me to be crying any sympathy tears when she gets caught out… as we knew she would from the start. Yes, it was a bit of a twist in how she came to be ‘exposed’ but not enough to justify 324 pages of reading time.
2.5 rounded up to 3
January 25, 2023
The Creep by Michael LaPointe
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5)
Genre: Thriller
About 295 pages
Whitney Chase is a respected writer who worked her way up from a small paper/magazine in Seattle to a major magazine, The Bystander, in NYC. Her name is well known and regarded by fellow journalists. She’s made her way to the top of the culture charts but not in the most ethical of ways…. From a young age, Whitney has grappled with what she refers to as “the creep”. The creep is her desire/need to embellish on stories to make them more captivating. And surprisingly, her creeps have made it past most fact-checkers. However, after 9/11 Whitney wants to cover a story with a purpose. One falls right into her lap while visiting a friend out in Colorado. She ends up at the hospital and uncovers a new clinical trial, synthetic blood. She knows this is the story that will break her out of the culture world and into investigative journalism. As she corresponds with the company in charge and follows outside leads, she realizes this story won’t even need her creep. The clinical trial is getting twisted on its own and she must dig into what is going on behind the scenes.
This is such a good debut novel! LaPointe told a different story than the typical thriller and that is what made it so captivating. I like how he covered the dark side of clinical trials, politics, and the way struggling neighborhoods are sometimes “dealt” with. I’ll admit it took me a little bit to get into the story while the foundation was being built, but once I was in I was hooked! The chapter structure also took a little getting used to (kind of reminded me of Spare by Prince Harry). The title was spot on and I was so mad at the ending but I 100% see why LaPointe ended it that way.
Favorite Quote: “I look at her phone. There would be room in there for everything, for the story I never wrote, the one I can never tell.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5)
Genre: Thriller
About 295 pages
Whitney Chase is a respected writer who worked her way up from a small paper/magazine in Seattle to a major magazine, The Bystander, in NYC. Her name is well known and regarded by fellow journalists. She’s made her way to the top of the culture charts but not in the most ethical of ways…. From a young age, Whitney has grappled with what she refers to as “the creep”. The creep is her desire/need to embellish on stories to make them more captivating. And surprisingly, her creeps have made it past most fact-checkers. However, after 9/11 Whitney wants to cover a story with a purpose. One falls right into her lap while visiting a friend out in Colorado. She ends up at the hospital and uncovers a new clinical trial, synthetic blood. She knows this is the story that will break her out of the culture world and into investigative journalism. As she corresponds with the company in charge and follows outside leads, she realizes this story won’t even need her creep. The clinical trial is getting twisted on its own and she must dig into what is going on behind the scenes.
This is such a good debut novel! LaPointe told a different story than the typical thriller and that is what made it so captivating. I like how he covered the dark side of clinical trials, politics, and the way struggling neighborhoods are sometimes “dealt” with. I’ll admit it took me a little bit to get into the story while the foundation was being built, but once I was in I was hooked! The chapter structure also took a little getting used to (kind of reminded me of Spare by Prince Harry). The title was spot on and I was so mad at the ending but I 100% see why LaPointe ended it that way.
Favorite Quote: “I look at her phone. There would be room in there for everything, for the story I never wrote, the one I can never tell.”
May 4, 2021
When we first meet Whitney she's being interviewed for an article in a magazine. Whitney tells her story in flashbacks to when she had been a writer for a glossy type magazine that focuses on in-depth stories. While working at the magazine, Whitney is invited by a friend to go skiing in Colorado (a friend with benefits). She arrives to find his mother is in the hospital recovering after being attacked by a dog and Whitney agrees to go visit/meet her. The doctor talks about the severity of the injury to her neck and the amount of blood lost. Whitney eventually finds out that the mom is part of a medical research project and has been given an experimental blood transfusion that has saved her life. Whitney thinks this would make a great story for her magazine, she meets up with the doctor in charge of the research project and meets a few people who have also had the blood transfusion. As a parallel plot we find out that Whitney has a compulsion to (what she calls) 'creep' when writing articles. The Creep is when she embellishes or outright falsifies details in a story to make the story more interesting. The investigation and her compulsion to creep meet in a very tragic moment that provides a fitting end to the story. Overall there were some points when the story dragged a bit, but mostly I was engaged. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
June 25, 2021
This was a strange book and I was stunned by the ending. I think the premise of the book is so relevant to medical testing practices that I would not be surprised if something similar is being done in poor areas of the country. Also, the revitalization of neighborhoods pushing out people from there homes is happening as well.
The name of the book does not easily represent what the books is about. The writer in the story has what she calls instances of the creep which is when she finds herself embellishing stories making them more interesting, but not with factual information.
But, the title does work for the book because of what is happening to the people in it is creepy.
I recommend this book for those who can handle sexual language and some creepy things happening to people. If you are squeamish you might not want to read it.
The name of the book does not easily represent what the books is about. The writer in the story has what she calls instances of the creep which is when she finds herself embellishing stories making them more interesting, but not with factual information.
But, the title does work for the book because of what is happening to the people in it is creepy.
I recommend this book for those who can handle sexual language and some creepy things happening to people. If you are squeamish you might not want to read it.
August 31, 2021
The Creep by Michael La Pointe is a departure from my literary comfort zone, and while it did not particularly resonate with me, it is an interesting read that, for the most part, was able to hold my attention.
Whitney Chase is a journalist with a particular penchant for embellishing her stories, a tool of the trade that she refers to as "the creep." Post 9/11, Whitney finds herself longing for something more substantive when she falls into a story about medical experimentation that promises to be huge, the details of which will require no exaggeration. As she digs deeper into this discovery, things take a very dark turn, and Whitney becomes enmeshed in far more than she could have ever anticipated.
This is undeniably a thought-provoking read but, unfortunately, one with which I failed to connect.
Many thanks to Random House Canada for providing me with an ARC.
Whitney Chase is a journalist with a particular penchant for embellishing her stories, a tool of the trade that she refers to as "the creep." Post 9/11, Whitney finds herself longing for something more substantive when she falls into a story about medical experimentation that promises to be huge, the details of which will require no exaggeration. As she digs deeper into this discovery, things take a very dark turn, and Whitney becomes enmeshed in far more than she could have ever anticipated.
This is undeniably a thought-provoking read but, unfortunately, one with which I failed to connect.
Many thanks to Random House Canada for providing me with an ARC.
September 29, 2021
2.5
I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book. It was a bumpy ride for me, wherein I didn’t really like the beginning or the end, but the mid part was interesting.
I’m very critical of books that start in medias res (“in the middle of things”). It’s basically a literary trick to try and make a book more compelling, and I don’t enjoy it. So if a book starts this way, I want a persuasive reason for it. I’ve read several books that use this technique well and for good cause, such as a novel that jumps around the timeline in order to lay out the facts in a particular way. I think The Creep tried to do that somewhat, but I don’t think it was successful. Mainly it was a story being told fairly linearly but with jumps forward to an interview (that was only distantly connected to what the main story was about) with vague doom-like hints. “If only I had known what would happen next” (not an actual quote but basically an actual quote).
The middle was kind of compelling and mysterious. I’m still not sure if some other part of it was a red herring or just a plot point that went no where. Either way, it was alright. But the ending was pretty weak, and kind of a cop out IMO. Finished with another trope that I don’t enjoy. Again, I feel like you need to have a really good reason for that type of ending or it just feels trite.
I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book. It was a bumpy ride for me, wherein I didn’t really like the beginning or the end, but the mid part was interesting.
I’m very critical of books that start in medias res (“in the middle of things”). It’s basically a literary trick to try and make a book more compelling, and I don’t enjoy it. So if a book starts this way, I want a persuasive reason for it. I’ve read several books that use this technique well and for good cause, such as a novel that jumps around the timeline in order to lay out the facts in a particular way. I think The Creep tried to do that somewhat, but I don’t think it was successful. Mainly it was a story being told fairly linearly but with jumps forward to an interview (that was only distantly connected to what the main story was about) with vague doom-like hints. “If only I had known what would happen next” (not an actual quote but basically an actual quote).
The middle was kind of compelling and mysterious. I’m still not sure if some other part of it was a red herring or just a plot point that went no where. Either way, it was alright. But the ending was pretty weak, and kind of a cop out IMO. Finished with another trope that I don’t enjoy. Again, I feel like you need to have a really good reason for that type of ending or it just feels trite.
May 22, 2022
This book tried to do a whole hell of a lot all at once and instead accomplished a big bunch of nothing.
We follow the journalist Whitney as she covers the story of a medical miracle: synthetic blood made from plastic. Of course the catch is it ends up killing people in a horrible way, which is only superficially touched on and never explained. The suspense and the outcome are both missing.
The novel opens with a suicide attempt, which is also never explained. In the middle of trying to solve this mystery the main character murders someone, which throws everything off kilter in the end.
She has a drinking problem and there's gratuitous sex and hints of gentrification, none of which does anything for the plot.
This novel just couldn't get it together and was so, so lackluster and disappointing.
TW for attempted suicide, injuries from animal attack, graphic sex, sexual assault.
We follow the journalist Whitney as she covers the story of a medical miracle: synthetic blood made from plastic. Of course the catch is it ends up killing people in a horrible way, which is only superficially touched on and never explained. The suspense and the outcome are both missing.
The novel opens with a suicide attempt, which is also never explained. In the middle of trying to solve this mystery the main character murders someone, which throws everything off kilter in the end.
She has a drinking problem and there's gratuitous sex and hints of gentrification, none of which does anything for the plot.
This novel just couldn't get it together and was so, so lackluster and disappointing.
TW for attempted suicide, injuries from animal attack, graphic sex, sexual assault.
August 14, 2021
Overall I enjoyed this novel. There were times when it stopped holding my full interest, especially early on, but, as I got into the story line, my interest held.
Whitney is a journalist with a bit of a chequered past "spicing" up a story or two. When we meet her she is out of journalism, giving an interview with a young writer. As Whitney's past is shared, she is chasing a story on artificial blood, perhaps a medical triumphant. The premise is surely timely; the results certainly akin to science fiction.
Personally, I think the book would have benefitted from tighter editing, eliminating some characters that clutter and bog-down the story.
I would read another novel by Michael LaPointe.
Whitney is a journalist with a bit of a chequered past "spicing" up a story or two. When we meet her she is out of journalism, giving an interview with a young writer. As Whitney's past is shared, she is chasing a story on artificial blood, perhaps a medical triumphant. The premise is surely timely; the results certainly akin to science fiction.
Personally, I think the book would have benefitted from tighter editing, eliminating some characters that clutter and bog-down the story.
I would read another novel by Michael LaPointe.
July 27, 2023
The overarching story held my interest well enough to read the entire book in a couple of days. It was a gruesome medical thriller told through the eyes of a journalist. Some portions just felt out of place and unnecessary, specifically the way the author details the protagonist’s sexual endeavors. Some of the language used in the narrative, as written in the first person, seemed off, like the author went out of his way to try to make the female lead somehow more appealing to a heteronormative male reader, with frequent references to her knowledge and affinity for sports and “bro-like” drinking and sexual habits.
July 3, 2021
What a page-turner!The pacing of ‘The Creep’ by Michael LaPointe kept me coming back for more. The setting details are so identifiable to much of our modern day urban realities: homelessness, gentrification, and climate change to name a few. What kept me reading, however, was the intricate well-woven plot line… it all comes together in a dark but satisfying conclusion that also left me with a slight malaise about our present day world … a read that is super quick, very entertaining and absolutely relevant . I highly recommend The Creep , a great read.
June 10, 2021
I couldn’t put it down! Captivating story that unfolds with a steady pace. The main character has depth to her humanity and was a pleasure to get to know.
I am a science fiction lover, and although I wouldn’t classify this book as science fiction, it has a touch of the same flavour found in Kurt Vonnegut’s “Cats Cradle” with its use of an almost plausible yet ultimately fictional scientific substance, and the consequences that said substance brings.
Great read, would highly recommend.
I am a science fiction lover, and although I wouldn’t classify this book as science fiction, it has a touch of the same flavour found in Kurt Vonnegut’s “Cats Cradle” with its use of an almost plausible yet ultimately fictional scientific substance, and the consequences that said substance brings.
Great read, would highly recommend.
March 1, 2022
So crazy it was good. Far fetched for sure but maybe that is what I needed?
Hate the ending. Only because it frustrated me not because it was bad.
I would recommend reading this if you have been through a lot of thriller reads in the past. It got me out of a rut.
Timely topic. Didn’t feel anything for the main character. She was in there but not fully developed. I don’t want to say too many negative things as I actually really liked this book.
Hate the ending. Only because it frustrated me not because it was bad.
I would recommend reading this if you have been through a lot of thriller reads in the past. It got me out of a rut.
Timely topic. Didn’t feel anything for the main character. She was in there but not fully developed. I don’t want to say too many negative things as I actually really liked this book.
August 22, 2022
Interesting main premise, a promising medical trial covered by a questionable journalist, against the context of the post 9/11 days. A bit science fiction and a bit thriller. Since the start of the book you know the narrator is unreliable, so readers are free to choose what they believe really happened. Clearly written by a man, as evidenced by the unnecessarily descriptive sex encounters. Kind of funny.
April 5, 2022
Honestly, the best I could give it is a “meh”. I almost quit reading when about 20 pages in during a sex scene where the main character feels her heart beating in her vagina. What? Obviously written by a man. Overall the writing was good and there was a lot of potential for good story lines, but I felt underwhelmed when I finished it.
July 31, 2021
3.5? I don’t know! This book left me confused on how I felt about it. On one hand super interesting and creepy medical story line, but overall leaves me kind of wondering what was the point. I liked it, but I don’t think I like liked it.
August 19, 2021
This was not what I expected. Enjoyed it for the most part. I was somewhat confused by the bouncing back and forth of the timeline, and found Whitney, the protagonist, to be thoroughly unlikable. But the creepy medical stuff was great.
November 9, 2021
I liked the premise. It was very good at first but I got a bit lost- in places it unraveled. I think Whitney lacked depth without much explanation, which may have been on purpose.
Overall I enjoyed the experience.
Overall I enjoyed the experience.
November 14, 2021
The Creep by Michael LaPointe is a propulsive thriller with literary merit that touches on gentrification, journalistic integrity in the Bush years, and the ethics of medical research. Don't miss this one.
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