Psycho Hose Beast From Outer Space by C D Gallant-King

From the title, I expected a fun, goofy 1950s science fiction B movie of a book about hose shaped aliens. Instead, it’s a fun adventure set in 1992 about a group of friends in a quiet Newfoundland town.

Had I known before I read the book that hose beast was a derogatory name for a woman, I probably wouldn’t have read it, which would have been a shame as I enjoyed the book despite its ill conceived title.

Set in the small Newfoundland town of Gale Harbour, preteen friends Niall and Pius, and Pius’s cousin Harper, realize something is wrong when they see lightening shooting up from the ground into the sky. When people start dying, the friends know it’s only a matter of time before the killer comes for them. When you’re twelve, and up against a destructive force, what can you do to protect yourself?

The characters really made this book for me. I loved the group of 12 year olds: gamer Niall, his best friend, academically minded Pius, his crush, the ferocious Harper, the indomitable Brian, and town bully Keith. All the characters were realistic and I could easily imagine the town of Gale Harbour.

The 1992 setting was also lots of fun and I enjoyed the many references to games, movies and songs of that period. I especially liked the scene where Brian visits the video rental store.

This is a horror comedy, and while the horror elements were full of potential, they were glossed over too quickly for my liking. There were several scenes that evoked a chilling atmosphere, but alas they didn’t build to much, and the enemy was defeated too easily.

However, this is a great fun read, with plenty of nostalgia and a few thrills. I look forward to reading the sequel.

I award Psycho Hose Beast from Outer Space…

Thank you to the author for providing me with an ARC. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.