Customer Reviews

Wolf's Trap

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Nick Lupo is a no holds barred cop; a renegade at times; definitely one to be reckoned with---he's also a werewolf! Gagliani's debut novel is right on target in this unique genre-crossing thriller.
Martin Stewart is a demented serial killer who is seeking revenge on Nick because as a werewolf he unknowingly killed his sister. Martin is also a victim and perpetrator of child abuse and loves his lipstick.
Add an elderly Indian shaman, three brilliantly scarlet rednecks, a lovely and gutsy doctor, and all kinds of mayhem and you get WOLF'S TRAP.
Gagliani uses music from those ephemeral 70s and 80s as his backdrop, even Alan Parsons Project! Being a child of those days, this touch was so nice.
A really good horror book; one of the best in recent years!

Detective Nick Lupo is after a serial killer. Unfortunately, this killer knows Nick's secret- Nick is a werewolf.

Nick is drawn into serial killer Martin Stewart's twisted world after the murder of Nick's neighbor and friend, Corinne. Martin wants to avenge his sister, Caroline's death. Nick advertently killed Caroline many years ago while in werewolf form and has struggled with controlling the Creature inside him ever since. It will be paramount for Nick to learn control now in order to stop Martin's diabolical plans or Nick will lose everyone he cares about before Martin finally kills Nick. Nick and Martin are not the only players in this game, however, as both seek help from others in their struggle against one another.

WOLF'S TRAP offers an intriguing twist on the werewolf tale. The author cleverly develops the story by switching to each character's point of view. These shifts allow the reader to fully see the motivations behind each character's actions and add depth to the story.

W. D. Gagliani has written a dark tale that will not appeal to all readers. Martin and Caroline suffered horrible abuse as children and this abuse is described in detail. These details are necessary, however, to explain Martin's obsession with lipstick but will offend some readers. The scenes with Buck Benton, Wilbur Klug, and Kenny are perhaps a bit overdone and didn't seem necessary to the plot. In fact, this reviewer thoroughly enjoyed the first half of the book and had a difficult time finishing the book once Buck, Klug, and Kenny were introduced.

Overall, WOLF'S TRAP is a well-written werewolf tale that will garner its share of fans. The author expertly uses flashbacks to provide Nick's history to the reader. Nick and Jessie are very likeable characters that this reviewer would enjoy seeing again- without the involvement of Buck, Klug, and Kenny!

Courtesy of CK2S KWIPS AND KRITIQUES

I find that last review irritating! That reader must never read Horror or anything dark! Hello, this is a novel featuring a serial killer! He's a really bad guy. Really bad. He kills women, yeah, but he kills men, too. This isn't so far from the killers in books by James Patterson, Jeffrey Deaver, Robert Walker, and what about Edward Lee and Richard Laymon? It's not for the timid, but it's a solid read, and the gore goes with the territory. Yup, there's child abuse, too, in flashbacks, so be warned. I think that reader wanted some sort of mild fantasy, and this ain't it! Nick Lupo's a good guy (a cop) with some bad qualities and issues, and the killers are all bloodthirsty, sexist fiends, but the hero kinda turns out to be... a woman! There's a theme of redemption here, too, if you look for it. I think people should check into what a book is about before complaining that it's not what they wanted. If you don't like really nasty killers and scenes of brutality or sex, then read a kids' book. This one's a tough crime & horror hybrid that just isn't for everyone. I was going to give this first novel 4 stars, but now it seems even better to me and I'm giving it 5!

When I first purchased this book, I settled down to read the first chapter and was instantly drawn in by the dramatic unfolding of the story. Soon I found that I couldn't put it down, and read it straight through. Wolf's Trap is a dark, suspenseful foray into a dynamic world populated by a myriad of powerful, wonderful, and frightening characters. From the seedy underbelly of the urban to the lush, shadowed forests of wilderness, Wolf's Trap takes the reader on a journey. Sometimes that journey is filled with wonder and adventure, and other times the journey twists and coils through a labyrinth of the insidious and dark. With brave detective Nick Lupo, Gagliani delves thoughtfully and deeply into delicious detail of what life as a werewolf might be like -- struggling with the creature inside, finding both power and a little fear there. Gagliani makes you absolutely hate his villains and love his heroes; his writing grips you, forcing you to stay up into the wee hours just to finish one more chapter.

Wow, I couldn't believe this was a first novel! It reads very smoothly, with lots of action and characters you end up really liking. There's a lot of kinky sex (not that there's anything wrong with that!) and some gore, but mostly it's just a cop vs. serial killer thriller with some supernatural elements thrown in. Anyone who liked Forever Knight, in which the cop was a vampire, is likely to get into this book. You see, the cop's a werewolf, and like all werewolves, he hates himself because he has no control. It takes a serial killer who knows the cop's secret to get him to figure out what he needs to prevail and protect someone he loves. It's an adult read, but if you're looking for a believable serial killer, this one is it. There's sex, violence, action, a bunch of really bad guys, and even some humor. And I was impressed with the author's use of the North Woods setting too! Good stuff, if you can handle it!

Detective Nick Lupo has a secret, and Martin knows what it is; Martin knows that lurking inside Nick is a very hairy creature, and Martin wants to see it die. Unfortunately, the evil inside Martin is far worse that the creature inside of Nick. In the process of trying to destroy Nick, Martin kills many innocent people, and once Nick determines who is behind the killings, he determines to stop Martin. What will happen when the showdown occurs?

Whew. What a book. I have to admit, in the current cultural vampires vs. werewolves debate, I have usually been Team Vampire all the way. This book, well, this book is making me rethink my stance. Gagliani somehow manages to make a werewolf not only likeable, but sexy and noble as well. I am amazed.

The development of the character and backstory of Nick Lupo is fantastic. I love the narrative changing points of view, and time frames, in order to slowly bring the big picture into focus. This is a method that, when not used properly, can leave a reader confused and disoriented, but in Wolf's Trap, it is executed flawlessly.

There is a very clear theme of man struggling with two natures of his being. We see it within Martin, as well as Nick, and to a certain extent, in some of the more ancillary characters. While there is clear violence and sexuality in the book, it is within the scope of the plot, so it is well within context. The book will appeal to fans of horror literature, particularly other readers who are Team Werewolf. There is also an element of psychological thriller to the book, so those fans would be well pleased too.


As this is the first in a series, I am anxious to see how the sequel measures up.

Nick Lupo (kind of cheesy, isn't it?) is a detective. He's also a werewolf. He is tracking a lunatic who has viciously murdered several women and always leaves a little message for Nick. The last victim is a prostitute whom Nick has had feelings toward. Nick must find this deranged killer before he murders anyone else.

This book was fun and out of the ordinary. That is the good news. It leaves many unanwered questions in the end and has a kind of ridiculous ending. That is the bad news.

Nick's first love is murdered, by none other than Nick himself, while the moon is full and he is a werewolf. His next love is killed by a deranged serial killer and low and behold, Nick immediately falls in love with a third woman whom the serial killer kidnaps to use as bait to draw Nick into his trap. Along the way, Nick learns how to gain control over the animal co-existing inside his body.

It was a bit silly and unbelievable, but horror novels usually are. This one is fun and worth your time, just don't judge it too harshly, cause it won't make the grade. I gave it 3 stars because it was interesting enough to keep me turning the pages.

"Wolf's Trap" is a brisk cross-genre romp that contains genuine scares. A burned-out cop who turns feral at the rising of the full moon chases a serial killer who has a personal reason to hate him. William Gagliani is known for his short fiction and some terrific reviews for magazines like Cemetery Dance. If you're a horror fan, give his first novel a try, it's loads of fun.

I started reading this book thinking about the werewolf aspect of it and wondered how it was going to come into being .. I was hooked into turning the pages .. and after each charactor was more revealed ..it was surprise after surprise.. I could barely put it down .. the end came fast because I was up almost all night finishing it .. A page turner .. and I thoroughly enjoyed it !!

3 AND 1/2 STARS

The first two-thirds of this book had some good twists and I wasn't sure where it would go, but ultimately it ended up as I had imagined. This was very fast-paced and I really got into the characters and the author's refreshing spin on the lycanthrope mythos. Not a fan of the main character's name being Lupo or the rushed ending, but I would not hesitate to recommend this book to any werewolf fans. For me, it had the right amount of suspense, action, gore, and sex. I just would have dropped the hillbilly goons from the last third and had Martin on his own.

One question I had for the author -- I think it's a mistake in the book -- when Nick was a boy and got a silver necklace from his mother as a gift on Christmas, how did it burn his neck and not his hands first? Did he put on his necklace with gloves? -- kidding, of course.