Ivan

My Third Novel by Philip Meese - 16 Sep 2023 14:58

In the late 1990s, eight-year-old Kyle Gaskin has a terrifying experience in the barn at the back of his aunt’s house. Twenty-one years later, Kyle inherits the house following his aunt’s death and moves in with his young daughter, Ella, and cat, Ivan, believing this is the fresh start they need.

Although Kyle cannot remember why the barn frightened him as a kid, after stepping inside, he feels that same anxiety, like he isn’t alone. As the weeks pass, Kyle also notices some disturbing changes in Ivan’s behaviour, having turned from a friendly cat into a hostile, vicious animal in a short space of time, but dismisses a story in the media about a creature brutally killing local farm animals.

After several savage murders in the area, Kyle learns that not only does the barn have a disturbing history but that the so-called “Beast of Bolton” may be closer to home than he realised.