This two-story collection came as a freebie, so it was the perfect occasion to get a taste of the author's acclaimed work. The summary, especially the keywords shark and slasher (which drew me in like gigantic neon signs) suggest horror with a big H and an even higher blood count. But this is only half the truth, because what you also get is some great character-driven plot, which makes it even better.

It is not usual to have the best of both worlds combined in such a perfect mix, but Mr. Cesare definitely knows how to do the job. While I did enjoy the more graphic scenes, what I really loved were the characters. They felt believably real, even likable, despite their unbelievable and not so likable actions. It's a clever plan to bait potential readers with some free stories, and if the bait is as yummy as these two were, I will eagerly grab the line myself to help reel me in. Highly recommended!