A review by minimicropup
A Monster in a Diner by Scott Donnelly

dark funny mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

This was short, snappy, and entertaining. If youโ€™re looking for a quick horror read with a fun and slightly nostalgic edge, try this out. Looking forward to more in the series!
 
Energy: Animated. Amusing. Creative. 
 
๐Ÿฉ Tail Wags: That itโ€™s a fun, quirky horror without grief-riddled backstories or personal tragedies. The pacing. Cinematic writing style. The character perspectives were distinct and easy to follow.   
 
Scene: ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ Set in Courtland County (I think in New York state).
Perspectives: We follow multiple perspectives including a line cook fresh out of high school, the owner/manager of the diner, some of the customers, a special law enforcement agent, and a non-human, after a snowstorm strands seven strangers at a highway pit stop diner.  
Timeline: Current (2010s? Iโ€™m guessing it takes place before Uber was a thing)
๐Ÿ”ฅ Fuel: How did each person get to the diner? What was that huge crash? Is there an imposter among them? If so, will they evade capture or be caught? 
๐Ÿ“– Cred: Supernatural realism
 
Mood Reading Match-Up:
Sleet. Christmas lights. Beehive hairstyle. Blistering air. NASA. Illusory gambit. Unexplained lights and sounds. Communication device. Knee high snow. 
  • They walk among us
  • Finding the imposter
  • Alien creature feature
  • Secret government agencies
  • Moments of memory loss 
  • Cinematic, atmospheric settings
  • Snowbound isolation
  • Locked room murder mysteries
  • Race against time to solve-the-mystery
  • Twilight Zone-esque perspective shifts in the morally grey 
  • Body jumping
  • Men in Black meets The X-Files meets Goosebumps
  • Third person, narrator giving us background and letting us in on character thoughts
 
Content Heads-Up: Nicotine (cigarette, brief). Vaping (brief). Blood. Murder. 
 
Rep: American. Cis. Hetero. Ambiguous skin tones.
 
๐Ÿ“š Format: Kindle Unlimited
 
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