Blending Indian mythology and brutality, Alma Katsu’s the Hunger takes us back to 19 century America in a remodelling of the true story of a large wagon train which went missing.

Katsu’s tale owes much to the work of Stephen King, focusing more on characters with the terror kept in the shadows.

We hear whispers of what feels like is truly going on, but nothing is ever confirmed in some cases which makes the story all the more compelling.

The research here is very detailed and certainly helps flesh the story out and really puts us in the shoes of this unfortunate group of travellers.

The Hunger is ultimately about survival and the lengths many will go to just to survive when the odds are stacked against them by dark forces.

It feels part historial fiction, with slices of horror dropped in there every now and then which sometimes can send a chill down the spine.

For maximum effect I’d recommend reading at night in a dark room.

The Hunger by Alma Katsu is available now on Amazon Kindle.