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The Mystery of the Mutant Water Devils
There’s always something beneath the surface.
When a body crops up under strange circumstances in the town of Shawton, two local inspectors – Joel and Gina – are baffled by the case, pushing them to request the services of one vaguely notorious Anna Pendleton.
With the many tides closing in around her, the young private detective must solve the mystery of what is lurking beneath the water, and discover why everyone has been acting so strangely before the whole town succumbs to the terror from the deep.
Anna Pendleton’s second adventure in the Pendleton Case series, The Mystery of the Mutant Water Devils, is a snappy, blood-filled horror-comedy, and a triumphant follow-up to The Case of the Giant Carnivorous Worm.
When a body crops up under strange circumstances in the town of Shawton, two local inspectors – Joel and Gina – are baffled by the case, pushing them to request the services of one vaguely notorious Anna Pendleton.
With the many tides closing in around her, the young private detective must solve the mystery of what is lurking beneath the water, and discover why everyone has been acting so strangely before the whole town succumbs to the terror from the deep.
Anna Pendleton’s second adventure in the Pendleton Case series, The Mystery of the Mutant Water Devils, is a snappy, blood-filled horror-comedy, and a triumphant follow-up to The Case of the Giant Carnivorous Worm.
266 pages, Paperback
Published December 6, 2021
6 people want to read
About the author
Thomas E. Staples
6 books13 followersThomas E. Staples is a university graduate in Writing and English Literature.
With a love of both horror and comedy, they often smash the genres together very irresponsibly to see what happens. They have published multiple short stories since 2015 and started writing books, too, apparently, consisting of the following:
A PENDLETON CASE
1. The Case of the Giant Carnivorous Worm
2. The Mystery of the Mutant Water Devils.
STANDALONE
- Scourge of Elders
- Kill the Heart
They can be reached on Twitter - @MrTEStaples.
With a love of both horror and comedy, they often smash the genres together very irresponsibly to see what happens. They have published multiple short stories since 2015 and started writing books, too, apparently, consisting of the following:
A PENDLETON CASE
1. The Case of the Giant Carnivorous Worm
2. The Mystery of the Mutant Water Devils.
STANDALONE
- Scourge of Elders
- Kill the Heart
They can be reached on Twitter - @MrTEStaples.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
December 19, 2021
Imagine if James Bond and Sherlock Holmes weren’t as old and boring as a late night re-run of an infomercial about a blender from 1976. Wouldn’t THAT be great! Wouldnt it also be great if they had colorful language and solved cases that were at the level of weird that Mulder and Scully did? These are all really dumb questions. The point being Anna Pendleton is quickly becoming one of my favorite characters to read. The words that Thomas Staples uses as her dialogue come together like some weird math equation that doesn’t make any sense but is perfect. If you’ve read the first book you’ll love this sequel, basically if The Faculty was written by Gaiman or A Lee Martinez. Thomas Staples and His Anna Pendelton books are the big dogs biscuit. Whatever that means. K thx.
February 14, 2022
Just buy the thing.
Look, if you haven't read the first PENDLETON CASE, this is your time to do it. Stop what you're doing, go grab THE CASE OF THE GIANT CARNIVOROUS WORM, and read it. I'll wait.
Okay, good. Now that you're back, let's get into the thick of it.
MUTANT WATER DEVILS is a non-stop ride. There's guts, there's way more body-horror gore than there was in GCW, and our beloved protagonists--the famed "idiot" Anna Pendleton, and the cool-as-a-cucumber Maddie--get in way over their heads. As usual. While this book leaned more on action than case-solving, Staples makes sure you know every part of this is built to expectation. A clever final confrontation comes after some great, masterful buildup at the beginning of the book. Sure, the book is fun, irreverent, full of curses and vulgarity, but it's planned out, and there's plenty of payoff at the end.
Where this book shines, though, is in its continued development of characters in subtle but powerful ways. Anna thrives because of those around her, and her interactions with Maddie, especially near the end, are heartfelt and compassionate. It's in these moments that we see that Staples isn't only a joke-pony, but a truly talented wordsmith whose concise, punchy prose can warm and comfort as much as intentionally disgust. The last 10% of this book is truly my favorite of the two books together, and you'll see why when you get there.
Throw presumed rules out the window. Staples is developing his own world with its own rules and its own creatures, and these new entities all have their own secrets and hierarchies. What could be magic could be just as much alien, and this is where it shines: this book is a little bit of MEN IN BLACK, HOT ZONE, and THE THING mixed up inside a big salad-bowl full of hilarity.
There are antagonists out the wazoo, and this is just one of the many things that's keeping me on-board the Pendleton train. The danger is contained to its own plot in MWD, though there are threads that are tightened up and braided together that will surely come crashing down on Pendleton's head later. Hints are all over this book. Yeah, it's a romp and a stomp, but it's a smartly-put-together narrative that promises plenty of big-time stakes in the future.
Come for the fun, the blood, and the no-holds-barred curses. Stay for Maddie and Anna, for the Outsider, for supportive relationships, the moments where characters show a part of themselves they're afraid to reveal, the parts where other characters pick them up and brush them off and tell them It's Going To Be Okay.
There's wholesomeness underneath the beheaded bodies. You deserve to read this book.
Look, if you haven't read the first PENDLETON CASE, this is your time to do it. Stop what you're doing, go grab THE CASE OF THE GIANT CARNIVOROUS WORM, and read it. I'll wait.
Okay, good. Now that you're back, let's get into the thick of it.
MUTANT WATER DEVILS is a non-stop ride. There's guts, there's way more body-horror gore than there was in GCW, and our beloved protagonists--the famed "idiot" Anna Pendleton, and the cool-as-a-cucumber Maddie--get in way over their heads. As usual. While this book leaned more on action than case-solving, Staples makes sure you know every part of this is built to expectation. A clever final confrontation comes after some great, masterful buildup at the beginning of the book. Sure, the book is fun, irreverent, full of curses and vulgarity, but it's planned out, and there's plenty of payoff at the end.
Where this book shines, though, is in its continued development of characters in subtle but powerful ways. Anna thrives because of those around her, and her interactions with Maddie, especially near the end, are heartfelt and compassionate. It's in these moments that we see that Staples isn't only a joke-pony, but a truly talented wordsmith whose concise, punchy prose can warm and comfort as much as intentionally disgust. The last 10% of this book is truly my favorite of the two books together, and you'll see why when you get there.
Throw presumed rules out the window. Staples is developing his own world with its own rules and its own creatures, and these new entities all have their own secrets and hierarchies. What could be magic could be just as much alien, and this is where it shines: this book is a little bit of MEN IN BLACK, HOT ZONE, and THE THING mixed up inside a big salad-bowl full of hilarity.
There are antagonists out the wazoo, and this is just one of the many things that's keeping me on-board the Pendleton train. The danger is contained to its own plot in MWD, though there are threads that are tightened up and braided together that will surely come crashing down on Pendleton's head later. Hints are all over this book. Yeah, it's a romp and a stomp, but it's a smartly-put-together narrative that promises plenty of big-time stakes in the future.
Come for the fun, the blood, and the no-holds-barred curses. Stay for Maddie and Anna, for the Outsider, for supportive relationships, the moments where characters show a part of themselves they're afraid to reveal, the parts where other characters pick them up and brush them off and tell them It's Going To Be Okay.
There's wholesomeness underneath the beheaded bodies. You deserve to read this book.
February 3, 2022
Once again, the central mystery of this book is NOT the Mutant Water Devils (I mean, there is one right there on the cover). Instead, we get Bomb Babies, victims falling from intermediate heights, dead girls with attitudes, and an Outsider with an agenda. But, as in The Case of the Giant Carnivorous Worm, the central mystery of this book is detective Anna Pendleton herself. We get a bit more insight into what drives her, but not enough to satisfy -- well, really anyone. Staples promises more adventures with Pendleton, but at this point few actually believe that we will ever get to the bottom of her story. But however far down the Anna hole goes, it promises to be a wild ride.
This book is recommended for breakneck action pacing, totally badass women, and homicidal cats. Not recommended if a high body count or volume of gore greater than the capacity of a moving van is not your speed.
This book is recommended for breakneck action pacing, totally badass women, and homicidal cats. Not recommended if a high body count or volume of gore greater than the capacity of a moving van is not your speed.
January 2, 2023
Pendleton does it again. What, exactly, remains to be seen, and that's just fine with me. I do not know what exactly to say about this book other than you really should read it, and #1, sooner rather than later. This book picks up from the get-go and just keeps, well, going. Without stop, pause, or giving you a moment to breathe and I am here for that.
So much more is learned about the characters, and so much more is revealed to just not be known. Not yet, as it turns out, but soon? I hope? I am eager for book 3, and more I hope, to see where this goes.
Any which way, Mutant Water Devils is a hell of a story and is a great follow up to Case of the Giant Carnivorous Worm.
I am eager for more Mysteries and cases! More Pendleton, please.
So much more is learned about the characters, and so much more is revealed to just not be known. Not yet, as it turns out, but soon? I hope? I am eager for book 3, and more I hope, to see where this goes.
Any which way, Mutant Water Devils is a hell of a story and is a great follow up to Case of the Giant Carnivorous Worm.
I am eager for more Mysteries and cases! More Pendleton, please.
January 24, 2022
Truth be told, I'm not much of an avid reader, never have been. Most books have not really grasped my attention long enough to finish them, let alone to write an actual review.
I'm happy to report, however, that this book, along with the previous case of the giant carnivorous worm, stands out from my abysmal track record and had me firmly pinned on my arse for hours on end.
Spooky enough to be exciting, but not enough to keep you awake at night, funny enough that you probably shouldn't have a full swig of water in your mouth whilst reading, and a very good flow to keep you wanting more.
Hope to see Anna and Maddie soon again in the next one, great job Thomas!
I'm happy to report, however, that this book, along with the previous case of the giant carnivorous worm, stands out from my abysmal track record and had me firmly pinned on my arse for hours on end.
Spooky enough to be exciting, but not enough to keep you awake at night, funny enough that you probably shouldn't have a full swig of water in your mouth whilst reading, and a very good flow to keep you wanting more.
Hope to see Anna and Maddie soon again in the next one, great job Thomas!
December 13, 2021
I like it.
In all seriousness, I was recently inspired by authors, such as Ross Jeffery, to include the various content warnings that are in this book, just so that you know what you're getting into before you check it out!
If you don't wanna know in advance, then, skip over this and go in blind. But, for those that do, here they are:
"This book contains strong bloody violence and harsh language throughout, as well as sexual content, references to mental health disorders, suicidal intent, and the death of a minor."
In all seriousness, I was recently inspired by authors, such as Ross Jeffery, to include the various content warnings that are in this book, just so that you know what you're getting into before you check it out!
If you don't wanna know in advance, then, skip over this and go in blind. But, for those that do, here they are:
"This book contains strong bloody violence and harsh language throughout, as well as sexual content, references to mental health disorders, suicidal intent, and the death of a minor."
January 3, 2022
Just as good as the first.
A nice quick read that was lots of fun. Great character development and teases for future books. Can’t wait to read what comes next.
A nice quick read that was lots of fun. Great character development and teases for future books. Can’t wait to read what comes next.
December 17, 2022
This series is an automatic buy from me. I love the characters, the comedy, and the horror.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews