Young journalist Daniel Finley goes undercover for six month living among the homeless under a bridge in Boston. He develops relationships with these people and develops an unanticipated sense of compassion and empathy for them. He also learns about a deranged cult of homeless individuals whose leader possesses a supernatural ability to control his followers. To make matters worse, the cult seems to be preparing for a massive apocalyptic event – which they will trigger. Daniel’s immersion into this subculture pays off for him personally as he publishes a riveting account of his experience. But, this sets things into motion including strange murders, a vicious run in with an Irish organized crime ring, and an unplanned return to the Boston underground.
The Vagrants is the second work I have read by author Brian Moreland. Like The Devil’s Woods, which I enjoyed tremendously, this novella is a multi-layered story which combines thoughtful character development, a believable backstory, and a jaw-dropping ending that keeps you glued to your e-reader. The pace is well done. There are enough chills in the early reading to cast the first part of the book in an eerie light. The reader begins to interpret seemingly neutral occurrences in a haunting way. I was roughly three-quarters of the way through the story, when I found myself being creeped out – which prompted me to read non-stop well past my bedtime. I thought I had this thing figured out when Brian pulled the rug out from underneath me and sent the story going in a direction that I didn’t see coming. The final action races along like a plunging roller-coaster, and I could only hang on and go a long for the ride. Thrilling, claustrophobic, and unnerving – The Vagrants is all these and more. A fine example of an urban horror story.
The Vagrants is the second work I have read by author Brian Moreland. Like The Devil’s Woods, which I enjoyed tremendously, this novella is a multi-layered story which combines thoughtful character development, a believable backstory, and a jaw-dropping ending that keeps you glued to your e-reader. The pace is well done. There are enough chills in the early reading to cast the first part of the book in an eerie light. The reader begins to interpret seemingly neutral occurrences in a haunting way. I was roughly three-quarters of the way through the story, when I found myself being creeped out – which prompted me to read non-stop well past my bedtime. I thought I had this thing figured out when Brian pulled the rug out from underneath me and sent the story going in a direction that I didn’t see coming. The final action races along like a plunging roller-coaster, and I could only hang on and go a long for the ride. Thrilling, claustrophobic, and unnerving – The Vagrants is all these and more. A fine example of an urban horror story.
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