The Murk - Hardcover

Praise for Frenzy"[R]eaders who have chewed through Goosebumps or similar titles will appreciate the gruesome terror of this "Night of the Living Dead "meets "The Island of Dr. Moreau "story in a classic summer-camp setting." "Booklist""

Praise for Frenzy"Offer this to adventure fans and budding horror buffs, sure, but realistic fiction fans may also find the effective character development and thoughtful pacing as worthwhile as the monstrous foaming-mouthed squirrels." "BCCB""

Is there a secret in the swamp that can cure all ills? Piper's banking on it. Piper Canfield wished for a baby sister when she learned her parents couldn't have any more children. She promised to watch over the baby if it came. Miraculously, baby Grace arrived, and Piper has made good on her promise, but one lapse puts Grace in danger when a rabid wolverine threatens her in her bassinet while the family is camping. Grace is fine, but Piper blames her best friend, Tad, and freezes him out. She starts running with the popular, pretty crowd until baby Grace comes down with Alpers syndrome, a virtual death sentence and Tad suggests they use his ancestor's notes to search the Okefenokee Swamp for a fabled silver flower that cures all diseases. Piper, Tad, Monty (aka Creeper, Piper's little brother) and swamp-boat driver Perch head out on what they think will be a one-day excursion, but the wildlife is attacking when it shouldn't-and something deeper in the swamp is even more dangerous. Readers drawn in by the Goosebumps-like cover will quickly set aside Lettrick's second animals-attack tale (Frenzy, 2014). The kid characters have an unfortunate tendency to speak like college professors, hampering their development significantly. Also hindering the story's effectiveness are interspersed excerpts from Tad's ancestor's 19th-century diary, rendered in florid prose. Few will make it to the monster's first mention, nearly halfway through. (Horror. 9-12) Kirkus"

Gr 4-7 Fans of "Goosebumps" looking for something with a little bit more substance will enjoy this action-packed adventure filled with plenty of fun and a few scares. Fourteen-year-old Piper is very close with her baby sister Grace until something horrible happens during an RV camping trip. One year later, Grace is terribly sick and Piper is desperate to find the cure. Her best friend Tad tells her about a legendary flower that can cure any illness. The flower grows in the middle of the Okefenokee swamp. Piper, her brother Creeper, Tad, and two tour guides set out to find the flower that might save Grace's life. But there is something mysterious in the swamp which has kept people out for the past few centuries. The Murk is an excellent action adventure that will have readers burning the midnight oil to finish. Piper is a believable character dealing with guilt and trying to save her sister. Tad is immensely likable; he will do anything to help Piper. The Okefenokee swamp setting is so well written that it becomes an additional character-a dangerous character with something up its sleeve at all times. The plot moves fast enough to keep pages turning while leaving just enough room to develop character. VERDICT A good choice for readers who like action, adventure, and horror. Patrick Tierney, Dr. Martin Luther King Elementary School RI SLJ"

When 14-year-old Piper's baby sister, Grace, comes down with Alpers syndrome, Piper is determined to do whatever it takes to save her, even if that means traveling into the Okefenokee Swamp to find a rare flower. Piper isn't alone in her quest, however: her younger brother, Creeper; her best friend and maybe crush, Tad; and a swamp-boat driver named Perch go with her on what is supposed to be a one-day mission. That is, until the wildlife starts attacking, and once they find the flower itself, what they discover would make Audrey II quiver. Though the plot tends to lag in places and the characters speak in long paragraphs that are probably a bit more advanced than an average 14-year-old, this is still an action-heavy book with plenty of chills and appealingly gruesome details. Piper and her brother bicker realistically, and although there is surely a romantic subplot, it's quite tame. Give to the kids who have outgrown Goosebumps and are ready for something with more of a bit. Erin Linsenmeyer Booklist"

Praise for Frenzy "[R]eaders who have chewed through Goosebumps or similar titles will appreciate the gruesome terror of this "Night of the Living Dead "meets "The Island of Dr. Moreau "story in a classic summer-camp setting." "Booklist""

Praise for Frenzy "Offer this to adventure fans and budding horror buffs, sure, but realistic fiction fans may also find the effective character development and thoughtful pacing as worthwhile as the monstrous foaming-mouthed squirrels." "BCCB""

PRAISE FOR FRENZY
"Offer this to adventure fans and budding horror buffs, sure, but realistic fiction fans may also find the effective character development and thoughtful pacing as worthwhile as the monstrous foaming-mouthed squirrels." "BCCB""

PRAISE FOR FRENZY
"[R]eaders who have chewed through Goosebumps or similar titles will appreciate the gruesome terror of this "Night of the Living Dead "meets "The Island of Dr. Moreau "story in a classic summer-camp setting." "Booklist""

"Middle school readers interested in beasts and mutant beings will enjoy this mystery/adventure book."--School Library Connection

Robert Lettrick (www.robertlettrick.com), author of Frenzy, has worked as a freelance artist for Marvel Comics, Marvel Films, and Harris Publications. He earned his BA in fine arts at Atlantic Union College and was one of the first students enrolled in the Sequential Arts MA program at Savannah College of Art and Design, where he learned from many writers and artists.