by Hunter Shea

This story is a novella and reads very fast! A divorcing husband and wife exterminator team are assigned to test a new rat control substance that is supposed to stop them from breeding. Unfortunately the planned genetic modifications don't work to plan and they breed more prolifically and become aggressive and fearless. With the reputation of New York rats, this is a seriously scary scenario!

It's a very fast paced story with constant action through most of it and although the nature of the action is fairly predictable, the details are what makes the difference. I would call it a light Horror. There are definite horrific bits but with comedy asides.

The subplot dealing with the dynamics between the divorcing partners adds some depth but wasn't explored all that far and I felt was left unresolved. Overall the story didn't have a lot of depth, but if you're looking for a fast action Horror that will make to wonder about the scratching in the walls, this will do nicely.

In many ways it resembles one of those old 1950s creature Horrors, but with a more modern feel and without the predictable happy ending.

Ok this one is really getting to the point that I'm going to read it with the lights on and if I see a rat I'm running the other way ,and I'm only 24 percent in it .

Book synopsis:

THEY’RE BIGGER
Deep in the sewers of New York City, the rat population is growing. Dr. Randolph Finch is determined to break the cycle. His new rodenticide, Degenesis, doesn’t kill rats. It sterilizes them from reproducing. But nothing adapts faster than a New York rat . . .

THEY’RE SMARTER
City exterminators and soon-to-be divorced Chris and Benita Jackson think they know how these rats think. They know how rats breed. And they fear that Degenesis has only made these rats stronger. More aggressive. More intelligent. And more ravenous than ever . . .

TONIGHT’S DINNER SPECIAL: US
After a noticeable surge in rat den activity, the Jacksons witness something strange. Without warning, the rats disappear—only to reassemble in a massive lair beneath Grand Central Station. Millions upon millions of them. Working together. Operating as a hive mind. Feasting on the flesh of the homeless below—and planning their all-out attack on the unsuspecting humans above . . .

Rattus New Yorkus

Author: Hunter Shea 

Release date: 21st August 2018

Lyrical Underground Books

Kensington Publishing Corp.

"Possibly a thousand rats were on our tail, their own tails bobbing like Satan's spaghetti"

I had the pleasure of receiving an advance reader copy of Hunter Shea's 'Rattus New Yorkus' to read and review.

"They're bigger.. They're smarter.. We're what's for dinner"

This is such a fun book to read, I love horror like this, monster horror, animals in some shape or form taking over, taking charge, being in control, it's great. As a proud owner of two rats, I definitely got a kick out of this story.

Degenesis, a new experimental rodenticide created by Dr Randolph 'Ratticus' Finch. It doesn't kill the rats, but sterilizes them so they cannot reproduce, or so it's meant to.

Instead, Manhattan is overrun, there are more rats than ever before and they are much more aggressive, not to mention they are reproducing at unparalleled levels.. and they have become organized.

Chris and Benita 'Benny' Jackson, exterminators on the city payroll, are one of the teams tasked with ridding New York of its ever growing rat problem.

Chris and Benny are currently in the midst of a divorce, they are still working together and living together and generally get on well. I really enjoyed the relationship between them, it made a refreshing change that they were not 'together' as it were. We didn't have to put up with any romance or sexy scenes, it was just straight up circa B-movie horror.

They had delivered the Degenesis to several sites across the city, setting it in the traps with the hopes that the rats would eat it. They always seem to take the food from the traps, they are just generally too clever to get caught in any of them. When Chris and Benny return a few weeks later to one of the sites, a restaurant, they are shocked to discover that rather than a decrease, there had been a bit of a baby-boom in the rat kingdom.

While carrying out a preliminary examination of the area, they found a large nest, filled with many baby rats. They were shocked to see how much the population in this particular area had grown in spite of the Degenesis, but they were even more surprised at what happened next. They were surrounded.. and the rats were not leaving, they were not scared, they were ready to attack.

The descriptions involving the rat take-overs were great, I could really see it in my mind's eye. I really loved the idea of thousands upon thousands of these 'mutant' rats just pouring out of the walls (took me back to one of my favorite movies, Aliens, "They're coming outta the walls. They're coming outta the goddamn walls".

Rattus New Yorkus is a great book, a fun getaway from those real life stresses. It's very easy to read, no complicated science babble or over convoluted plots. It's very simple and straight to it. I very much enjoyed reading it and I am immensely grateful I was given the opportunity.

4/5 - A lot of fun, enjoyable horror, great banter between the main characters. Give it a go if you get the chance.

And for the Star Trek fan in me, I love the line "the Borg-like rats" - Thank you Hunter Shea.

Lesley-Ann - The Housewife of Horror 

New York rats have a bad reputation, and this book is not going to win them any positive vibes. The long asked question may finally be answered-Who is the king of the cement jungle ? Man or rat, the battle is on ! Welcome to fight club, rat vs man, all rules off the table, only one can win.   
It's all fun and games till the rat pops out of the mouth. Oh yeh expect to cringe, chuckle and shutter as you read along. Keep a hockey stick close, and be ready to run. Oh my, I loved the ending the skittering sound...so Carrie with once last EEKK or squeak depending on your humanity level.
Thanks NetGalley and publishers for the review copy.