Thresher

Great book and I read it during Shark Week which is perfect. Riker is a police officer who feels like he has lost everything and is drinking himself to death. Allison Metzler is a rookie cop with problems of her own. Allison is placed with Riker to be oriented to police work. He hates it and she hates the way he treats her. It starts with killer whales being killed and twenty feet long grouper attacking people. Rumors of a big shark in the waters close to home are being spread. It couldn't be that big,or could it? A forty foot Thresher shark is unheard of until it almost gets Allison and Riker while on harbor patrol. The vice mayor has her own agenda and brings in The Trio, a family of unscrupulous shark hunters to kill the shark. The shark gets blown up and it's dead, no reason to worry but Riker has a problem believing it until he sees the body. What is causing these animals to be so big and what is the mayor's involvement? Loved this book and the writing style. If you liked jaws, you will love this book. I received this book from Net Galley and BooksGoSocial for a honest review and no compensation otherwise.

Another fun filled, deep sea adventure from Michael Cole!!

I just finished another book from this author and immediately dived into this one. I actually enjoyed this a lot more than Creature from the Crevasse, and I think it's because the plot was plausible and the fact it's a shark!.

The plot was fast paced and exciting. I liked how we learned about what happened the Thresher. I liked that there was a little more science in the facts surrounding the Thresher's disposition, and I especially liked that this had more action with the shark than the authors previous work. It made for a faster and more entertaining read!

The characters were quite cliched, but likable. Riker is a deeply flawed character, and I couldn't help but root for him!! I enjoyed the dynamics between Riker and his new partner as well, and enjoyed the interactions between them.

In all, this was a good read. I'm not a fan of the open water, and this just made me respect it more. Sharks are beautiful creatures, but they are scary and deadly, and reading about the Thresher here just made them even scarier!! I'm delighted the author went with a different shark than a great white one, it made for a far more interesting read. I'm hoping for a sequel because that ending left me with hopes of one!! A fun, entertaining and quick read!!

If you enjoyed the original shark horror book by Peter Benchley's "Jaws" then you're in for some deja vu'. I mean this in a good way. There are only so many ways a shark can attack boats, people, and other animals. Its all in the suspense that leads up to these attacks and this book will keep you up all night reading because going to sleep is no longer an option now that you have fully visualized this killing machine that will haunt your dreams if you close your eyes. Dun dun dun da... We all know about GMO's but do we really "know" what long-term effects will be? Bigger better and much much more aggressive, sound familiar? Read in honor of 2018 Shark Week.

Not the best book ive ever read. But was still good fun and enjoyable to read. Had a good plot that is like many movies these days, so was good to read rather than watch.

This is my first Michale Cole book and I’m glad I gave it a try. I like these kind of books, full of adventure and excitement.

The story is absolutely plausible and it has sharks in it. I love sharks. And this one is a nasty piece of work.

The characters are likable even if I had trouble sympathizing with Riker first. Riker is an alcoholic and has serious issues. He ends up in a sleepy beach town where hardly anything happens. Until something does. He hates being there. And than he gets stuck with a new partner. Their interactions are funny and we get to know them a little and their motives. But obviously that is not the point. The point is the shark.
The parts which are written from the shark’s POV are the best.

"In the aftermath of a hurricane, a series of strange events plague the coastal waters off Florida. People go into the water and never return. Corpses of killer whales drift ashore, ravaged from enormous bite marks. A fishing trawler is found adrift, with a mysterious gash in its hull.
Transferred to the coastal town of Merit, police officer Leonard Riker uncovers the horrible reality of an enormous Thresher shark lurking off the coast. Forty feet in length, it has taken a territorial claim to the waters near the town harbor. Armed with three-inch teeth, a scythe-like caudal fin, and unmatched aggression, the beast seeks to kill anything sharing the waters."

Thresher: A Deep Sea Thriller by Michael Cole. Published by Severed Press in July 2018. I received a Kindle version of Thresher from Netgalley in exchange for an honest and fair review.

Is it possible to get a high octane adrenaline rush from just reading a book? Yes. Yes, it is. Thresher is just that sort of book. Shortly after beginning, the story explodes into action. And it never stops! I was pleasantly surprised to find myself hanging on every sentence, mouth hanging open, waiting to see what was going to happen next. I read a lot of the sea creature books put out by Severed Press, and this one is right up there at the top. Each chapter the tension (and your adrenaline) would ramp up even higher. Just when you have 5% more to read, and you think the shark has been dealt with, BAM! More action! More Adrenaline! Explosions! Boats sinking! People getting tossed around! Chaos, confusion, everyone swimming for their lives! Once I started reading, I had a hard time putting it down. Had a very modern action pulp feel to it. I loved every min of it.

The characters are some classic archetypes we know and love. The heavy-drinking cop and the partner that cares. The police chief who wants to do the right thing but his hands are tied because of a power tripping mayor who wants to keep everything hushed up. A real nasty trio, brought in to attempt to kill the shark. The scientist who is trying to help. The bribe-able newspaper man who just wants a cut of the cash. Even though we have seen these types before, the chemistry between the main characters is palpable and I really hope we see more of these characters in the future (more on that later). I can’t mention characters without mentioning the shark! A great big ol’ Thresher shark! Like I said earlier, I read a lot of Severed Press books, which are predominantly filled with sea creature / shark titles. I can’t get enough of them. I will read all the shark books. The shark in this book really stands out because you don’t often see a Thresher shark in the staring role like this! Normally it is the Megalodon or the Great Whites that get the spotlight. And that is for any shark title, not just the books coming from Severed Press. So, as a shark lover, I thought it was really cool getting to see a different kind of shark like this! Really spiced things up and gave us a view of something different while still getting our shark fiction fix.

I don’t want to say too much about the plot, because I don’t want to give away any big spoilers, but I will say that it’s not just your average Thresher shark. I really liked the twist the story gives us about how the Thresher shark ended up so huge and aggressive. It was a pretty interesting turn that I was not suspecting. The epilogue – again, I can’t say much without ruining it. SORRY! – was jaw dropping and I really, really hope we see the author follow this up in another book. It would even make a great series with the same cast. I really hope Mr. Cole doesn’t leave us hanging with that very last page of the book! 😮

Thresher: A Deep Sea Thriller was another highly entertaining title from Severed Press. This novel is sure to get your adrenaline pumping the whole time you are reading. A nice cast of characters that would be fun to see in a series. This novel packs in the action and never slows down. A very entertaining book that other shark fiction and or action lovers will enjoy.

Who doesn't love a book about sharks???
Well, this isn't just any ordinary book with shark in it. This shark is massive, scary, aggressive, and pretty much murderous. This book was such a fum romp, I read it through in one sitting.!!!

A great fun read. Finally, a shark story that does not involve a great white shark!
Don't read this while out on the open ocean or lounging in the beach. Recommended

This book got off to a fantastic, knicker gripping start. A Coastguard helicopter attempts to rescue a yacht and its crew after it runs into trouble off the east coast of the USA during a hurricane. Amid the rescue operation the titular beastie makes its dramatic debut and what follows is a story about a Florida community besieged by a shark that is far bigger and more aggressive than nature intended.

After the incredibly dramatic beginning the action slows considerably while the characters are introduced and their backgrounds fleshed out. Some of the exposition was a little unnecessary in my opinion and it goes on a bit too long before the pace picks up again. I also found the dialogue rather clunky and cliched at times and the editing is patchy. But despite those minor moans and groans I actually quite liked this book. Okay, the characters are somewhat stereotypical and the story's resemblance to Jaws cannot be denied, but I have to say that the action sequences are very good, with some decent suspense, and it was refreshing to have a killer shark that is not a great white. A pretty good read for Jaws and B movie fans that also adds one or two fresh ideas to the genre. Highly entertaining fishy hokum with a pretty good ending.

Leonard Riker is a seasoned police officer and a legend in the force. Haunted by his own demons he is drinking himself into an alcoholic grave.
Metzler is the new recruit partnered up with Riker on her first day in the job. Her initial excitement is dampened when he appears to go out of his way to make her first few days hell.
Stafford is the marine biologist struggling to fund his research who discovers a monster, a government cover up and risks his life for the sake of the research he is so passionate about.
This made a surprise impression on me. The author does a fantastic job of building atmosphere and I was left feeling every bite the Thresher made.
There are several things I enjoyed in this book eg the relationship between Metzler and Riker, and the Thresher who is lot more shark than Jaws ever was. The details on sharks were fascinating details assuming they are true. It wasn’t too hard to imagine this happening in real life particularly if nature is interfered with in some way.
I still get shivers when I remember someone holding a torch as they disappeared between those enormous jaws. Warning: don’t underestimate this book.
Ps when I was reading this story I was sitting at a tram stop in Melbourne (Australia) I looked up to see a huge poster advertising a movie called The Meg
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free digital copy of this great book in return for an honest review.

Thresher by Michael Cole was received direct from the publisher. This is the time for shark books, movies and television shows. Some will stand out, most will quickly fall to the wayside. Thresher will rise to the top for several reasons, good writing that doesnt bog down in self importance and the fact that fewer people are reading. Shark stories play well with “science stories” in that scientists try to make sharks larger and/or smarter and then, for whatever reason the shark escapes and wreaks havoc with a small portion of mankind. If you, or someone you buy gifts for like this kind of book, certainly give this one a read.

4 stars

Even though it technically isn't shark week, it is very much feeling like shark week to me!  Firstly, I see the new movie The MEG! Secondly, I read this book Thresher. And then to top off my week it's a shark feeding frenzy in Australian politics right now! So it was a funny and fitting coincidence that I write this review this week!

Strange things are going on in the waters outside of Florida. People are missing, boats are capsized, and large sea creatures are turning up dead in the water. Seasoned cop Leonard Riker and rookie Metzler are sent to patrol the shore and soon discover that there is something terrifying in the water!

I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed this book. It was really well written and had an entertaining and layered story line with really likeable characters. I mean sure, its a book about a giant killer shark, so it is meant to be over the top with dramatic and often corny action scenes. But they were loads of fun! It was like reading a hollywood blockbuster. 

Some of the scenes were from the sharks perspective which really worked for me. I loved the explanations of the way the shark was behaving and the whole thing was a lot of fun. 

The classic, worn-out-cop working with the excited-rookie and all of their angry interactions and escapades were really enjoyable and I liked that they were actually quite complex characters. I also loved the bad guys (and girls)!

Another thing that I enjoyed about Thresher was that it wasn't a classic "giant natural creature of the deep" plot. It is much more complex than that and I thought it was quite clever. Plus it wasn't a great white or a megalodon! I loved that!

I only had a few issues with the book, and that was that at times it dragged on a bit, especially the shark action scenes, and also my copy was mostly in italics and that was really confusing and difficult to adjust to. Also, I like a bit of romance in my books, and there was NOTHING! Not even a hint of one from the two main characters, which I understood because of where the characters were in their lives, but still. Give me SOMETHING!!!

However, overall I found it to be a really enjoyable read!

Would I recommend Thresher?
If you are a fan of shark/monster/creature thrillers then you should enjoy this one!

*I received a copy of Thresher from the publisher Severed Press and BooksGoSocial via NetGalley to read and review.

If you’re looking for an exciting and fast paced novel filled with police and a giant shark as well as government secrets, you’ve found your perfect match. “Thresher” is the newest deep sea creature novel by Michael Cole, and because of this book, I would love to check out his other deep sea thrillers. Not only does the violence kind of sneak up on you, but the characters are hilarious in ways you wouldn’t expect. Though deeply hurt by the world around them, they’re tough as nails and they’re ready to take on anything.

The book was a little hard to get into at the beginning, but once I was into it, I could see it play out like a movie in my head. After Hurricane Deckard strikes down, strange marine life are taken far from their homes. Even worse, some of them seem to be almost insane sizes, growing way past what they should be. The story follows one particularly aggressive shark, as well as two police officers, and two scientists. The point of view bounces around a lot, and it really gives you a chance to see the story from all angles, especially the people suffering from the shark’s attacks.

The main characters, though facing real problems like anxiety, depression, and alcoholism, are sort of cartoon like at times, but in the best way. They really make the book come alive. This book is a lot different than other’s that I’ve read lately, and I loved all the violence. You never expect it to actually happen, like it downplays it, and then all of the sudden it’s happened and it’s way worse than you would imagine it to be.

I loved that you got to see things from the shark’s point of view as well, because I feel like I really learned a lot about sharks, even if that wasn’t the point. For instance, did you know that if they stop swimming, they stop breathing? The story was way better than I expected it to be, and I didn’t think I would like it as much as I did. Overall, I think it would be the perfect summer read to scare you away from the beaches.

Thanks for reading!
(Radioactivebookreviews.wordpress.com)

WOW , what a story, this has everything I love in a horror story that deals with a sea monster, it was just what I needed to get past the book I read before this one, it's non stop reading that makes the hair stand up ,and you won't want to stop reading once you start, and it makes you feel like you never want to go in the ocean again after reading it, it also so you want can happen when Experiments go wrong. Plus I can see this as a movie if it's done right .Thanks Netgalley for letting me read and review it , can't wait to see what else this author comes up with.

When I first saw this book, I expected something close to Jaws. I loved Jaws and have always loved sharks. While this book is similar to Jaws, it is equally unique.

I love the fact that the author chose a shark that was naturally aggressive. He didn't create a new "rogue shark" theory. The way that he worked in the twists and reasoning behind his plot was amazing. I couldn't find any holes and didn't have any questions left unanswered.

The characters were well created and well rounded. Each had their own backstory that made them seem real. The ending was perfect. I think that if it ended any differently, I would have been upset.

Please, someone in the movie industry, get this book and make a movie. Just make sure to stick to the book because it is perfect!

In the aftermath of a hurricane, a series of strange events plague the coastal waters off Florida. People go into the water and never return. Corpses of killer whales drift ashore, ravaged from enormous bite marks. A fishing trawler is found adrift, with a mysterious gash in its hull.
Transferred to the coastal town of Merit, police officer Leonard Riker uncovers the horrible reality of an enormous Thresher shark lurking off the coast. Forty feet in length, it has taken a territorial claim to the waters near the town harbor. Armed with three-inch teeth, a scythe-like caudal fin, and unmatched aggression, the beast seeks to kill anything sharing the waters.

A good solid thriller/horror with good characters and a fast paced plot, the words were sometimes a bit scientifically monotonous but the author obviously knows his stuff.
I’m really into shark entertainment at the minute so this book was a hidden gem for me, the main characters, Riker and a young rookie called Metzler actually make a great team and as grumpy as Riker is, I found it hard to dislike him, they had good back stories, immersing me well into the story and I cared about other important characters too such as the scientist and his assistant, who were interesting and brave.
This novel was original in that it sometimes switched to the sharks point of view which was unexpected and added to the plot, if you like Jaws and other creature features, this book is one you’ll want to read.

A shark lovers dream. Well written and engaging from the beginning. A perfect, page turning, suspenseful book.

This was an exciting read about an enormous shark that is driven to kill, kill, kill! The characters were interesting and the story line was well done. I found myself wanting to get back to the book even when I was busy with other things. A little predictable but most definitely worth reading. Strongly recommend.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for a review copy. This is my honest opinion.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Crossing for allowing me to read a copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

I loved this book! Think I found a new author!! If your a fan of the "B" type rated Sifi movies this will be a great choice for you. Engaging plot, interesting writing. Really liked the characters.
Giving it a 4 star.

Huge fucking Thresher shark chomping the shit out of everything in sight and the people who have to stop it. I bloody love this book too!

I read this straight after I finished reading Creature from the Crevasse and loved it even more! The characters are so good, they're flawed but fun, the story was well done, the blood, gore, interactions between shark and people was interesting and the ending was perfect, it all worked so well together.

*Huge thanks to Michael Cole, BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for this copy which I chose to read and all opinions are my own*

I've said in the past that I love a good disaster story, so it shouldn't surprise anyone that I also love a good monster story. For example, the first Sharknado was a ton of fun, even if the follow-ups tried way too hard.

Michael Cole's Thresher is also a shark story, but a much more fun (and almost believable) story. First off, go Google 'thresher shark' and check out just how freaky this shark is. Then picture one that ended up ingesting an experimental compound that increases its size and aggressive nature. Pretty scary.

Now, go to a small beach town where the grand sea festival is coming up. Take a big city hero cop who is trying to drink himself to death after a personal tragedy and his chief of police friend trying to save him from himself, mix in a rookie cop who has her own personal tragedies, a politician trying to make her reputation, a scientist trying to warn everyone, and top with a family of shark hunters brought in to stop the thresher shark before it can ruin the festival.

Yep, I'm sure everyone has a pretty good idea where this is going. I can see this as a movie on SyFy, no problem. It was a fun romp of a read, and I look forward to checking out some of his other sea monster books.

This book was AWESOME!!
Fast paced! Thrilling!! it was like a much better JAWS! I loved the characters, and the concept. It was quick action packed and a solid 5 STAR READ.

This book is incredibly detailed with an author who definitely has either done his research or just is very knowledgable in the area. The plot was gripping and thrilling and it doesn't actually seem too unbelievable like most shark novels. Some heartbreaking references on poaching but this is good because you feel sympathy for what would usually be a 'villain'.

Really enjoyable.

This book gripped me from the first page. We start mid hurricane Deckard and also mid ocean rescue by the Coast Guard. I won't give away anymore details about that scene. The drama settles for a bit as we learn about the town of Merit Florida. Where we meet depressed and somewhat alcoholic police officer Leonard Riker. Even though Deckard has passed the Florida coast, he left a Thresher shark in the ocean by Merit. Merit is about to host a very large boating event. As large marine life starts washing ashore and people have gone missing, it is up to Riker, co=workers, Allison Metzler and Chief Crawford, marine biologists, Dr. Stafford and Robert Nash to figure out what is happening off the coast of their town. Can one "normal" Thresher shark being causing all the deaths? I will leave you with that thought! I am giving this a very solid 4 star review. I am tempted to go with 5, but there were some parts that were a tad slow, but that did not ruin any of this awesome read for me.

A new favorite animal horror author to add to my list! I really liked the style of Mr. Cole’s writing and his focus on a species of shark that is rarely written about. The book is fast paced and thrilling, with plenty of peril and detail. A great summer read worthy of praise