Bob Frantz

(Full disclosure: I received a free e-ARC for review through NetGalley. Content warning for general gore and violence.)

-- 3.5 stars --

Kankakee, Virginia. Population 8,736 - and not a single Applebee's to be found. Nothing much happens here ... or so that's what they want you to believe. "They" being the folks at The Sands Institute, a super-secret private research lab, and the East Coast's answer to Area 51.

When a power surge causes an alien pod to hatch, head of security Ronald Smith sacrifices the lives of several employees to contain the threat. Or so he thinks. Naturally, things go sideways and mutant mosquitoes rampage through the town. (During the Kankakee Seafood Festival, no less!) It's up to Sheriff Carla McCord, exterminators JJ and Luis, bloodhound Bradley, and Smith to slay the aliens and save Kankakee.

SKEETERS is silly, gore horror fun. With its conspiracy theories, black ops agents, and improbable baddies, it almost feels like a "monster of the week" episode of THE X-FILES. It's weird and fun and super-gross - a quick yet entertaining read. I especially loved the denouement (weed as far as the eye can see!). My only complaint is the art, which is definitely arresting - but, with the monsters being drawn in blobs of red and yellow, it wasn't always easy to follow the action, or classify what we were seeing. (Mosquitoes are just the beginning tbh.)… (altro)