Let's just get it out of the way. Cricket Hunters is phenomenal, one of the best new novels I have read in a long time. So if you have any hesitation about reading and trust my opinion, for whatever reason, let that go, get your copy and get to it. It's great. It's probably my favorite book of 2019.
To that end, I have been waiting for it for two years. After reading his debut, 2017s The Boulevard Monster, about which I felt very similar, I salivated for Jeremy Hepler's next book. The Boulevard Monster took a great, simple premise, spun it on its head and twisted the reader through turns that just took me aback. It was new, different and classic all at once.
After reading both Cricket Hunters and The Boulevard Monster, I realize that this is Hepler's gift to horror fiction; To take classic premises and breathe the most fresh of air into them, make it uniquely his own, all while keeping the classic horror audience satisfied.
This guy needs to writing for the big time publishers, because I am not sure there's anything on the market like it, both familiar and incredibly unique.
Anyway, after reading The Boulevard Monster, I took to research of what his next book would be, and read a brief synopsis of what would eventually become Cricket Hunters. At first glance, it sounded like to be a much safer bet than his debut; a coming-of-age tale that pit a group of adolescents against a supernatural evil.
I guess, in essence, that classic story trope is there, but Cricket Hunters is far more than that. It's far more a murder mystery, human drama, with a decent heaping of the supernatural than anything else.
I am not going to bother with a summary, because I don't want to give anything away, so just let me say: buy the book immediately. You will not regret it.
My only qualm has nothing to do with Hepler's work, but with my physical copy being formatted poorly. It had no page numbers, and a strange issue where at the end of almost each chapter, there would be extra spacing between the words of the final few sentences. This is not meant to be a deterrent of any kind to the reader and simply of note to the publisher to fix up. Books this good should be presented flawlessly!
Anyway, read this right away. And Jeremy Hepler...please don't make me wait two more years for your next one.
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Reviews with images
Coming-of-age - but darker than you're used to!
This is hands down one of the BEST books I’ve read in all of 2019, and I can’t recommend it highly enough. If you’re the type of person that doesn’t need to read a full review of something to want to buy or read it – GO NOW! ORDER IT! You won’t regret it!In the story, we’re introduced to a central cast of characters that we follow through a timespan of 15 years. I loved the transitions between past and present – this isn’t always done well in books, but Hepler handled it perfectly, making it feel fluid and smooth rather than disjointed or clunky.While there are some great horror elements to CRICKET HUNTERS, it’s also an amazing coming-of-age tale, especially in the parts from when Cel and her friends were young kids. I loved how real the depiction of childhood was, from their imaginative games to their neighborhood adventures. Woven together with Cel’s grandmother’s spells and superstitions, all of the chapters taking place in the 1990s felt really magical and enchanting to me.In the present-day, the story felt more like a thriller – which I loved. Trying to solve the mystery in the present, while the mystery from the past unfolds alongside the main story, was a completely absorbing experience. I was swept away, and couldn’t put the book down – I honestly only stopped reading for the half hour it took me to drive home that day!This was my first book by the author, so I didn’t know what to expect at all writing-wise – and I loved it all! Hepler’s writing is engaging and accessible while remaining completely original, from the twist ending to the beautiful blend of cultures and languages. This could easily be adapted into a movie, and I hope that someday it is, because the story is amazing and it’d be incredible on screen – although I’m not positive that any director could capture the atmosphere and ambiance to Hepler’s writing.Overall, if I could give this 6 stars, I would. It will absolutely be in my Top Books of 2019 recap (coming soon!), and it’s one I’ll probably read again in the future. The publisher, Silver Shamrock Publishing, is putting some great stuff out recently – keep an eye on both Silver Shamrock & Jeremy Hepler‘s books!
Top reviews from other countries
Lee Ann Oleski
Coming of Age thrill ride!
Reviewed in Canada on February 12, 2020
Lee Ann Oleski
Reviewed in Canada on February 12, 2020
Then there was the ending 😳. The ending of this book crept up behind me, tapped me on the shoulder and yelled BOO when I turned around! It surprised the heck out of me and I had to take a minute to just sit and ponder how clever it really was. Bravo Mr. Hepler 👏👏👏.
Images in this review
Amazon Customer
Hunt This Great Title Down
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 27, 2019
Zachary Ashford
Perfect blend of coming of age and horror
Reviewed in Australia on September 15, 2021