Part of Book of the Beast Trilogy by Robert Stallman, book 2
First published 1981
The beast watches from the shadows, studying human behavior with predatory patience. It possesses an extraordinary ability to shed its animal form and walk among people undetected. When it selects a particular family as its subjects, the creature begins an elaborate masquerade. It inserts itself into their daily routines, mimicking their customs and rituals while learning the intricate patterns of human relationships. The family remains unaware that they have welcomed something far from human into their midst. As the beast grows more skilled at its deception, it discovers that understanding humanity requires more than simple observation. The deeper it penetrates their world, the more complex its own nature becomes. What began as clinical study evolves into something neither fully animal nor human. The creature finds itself caught between two worlds, belonging completely to neither.
Genres: literary-fiction, fantasy, horror, thriller
Vibes: dark, emotional, suspenseful
Tropes: creature-feature, unreliable-narrator
207 pages · Mass Market Paperback · Pocket
Content warnings: body-horror, violence