Lusus Naturae
by Chris Coppel
With its brightly painted houses, tucked between narrow, cobbled streets, the sleepy Kentish seaside town of Deal was considered one of the most photogenic places in England.
Little did the population know that, one fateful summer, they would be visited by something far more horrifying than hoards of tourists; something that should never have existed, that craved only one thing…
human flesh
LUSUS NATURAE ~ REVIEWS
5 STARS - A cracking read ~ I really enjoy reading Chris Coppel’s work because it’s refreshingly different—he lets his imagination run wild, and this book is no exception.
Set in Deal, a seaside town in Kent, the story features a cast of vivid characters, from the town’s alcoholic mayor to the complex relationship dynamics between Jay and Emma, who reconnect after a long separation.
The book blends the supernatural with elements of horror—there’s blood, gore, and a terrifying beast that will haunt your dreams and keep you turning the pages. If you’re looking for a chilling and imaginative read, Lusus Naturae won’t disappoint.
“This is a highly entertaining blood fest of severed heads, ripped intestines and gushing aortas, and enough to keep any horror fan bleeding for more. History weaves a sorry tale when archaeological shipwrecks offer up a sealed sarcophagus lodged in the hull of a WW2 naval trawler. And it’s only a matter of hours before a re-animated shapeshifting over-sized wolfdog gets into the ‘Predator’ groove and starts munching on government agents. Having opened the Pandora’s box, heads roll along a zippy plotline, threaded with razor sharp humour, delivered in dollops of coastal savagery. There are gender specific victims, researcher hero’s, mad scientist villains, luckless agents and military abominations galore, as Coppel delves into the history of Deal and re-purposes it into a contemporary horror that has a chilling message - if you happen to develop well-intentioned weaponry don’t be surprised if it morphs into fatal WMD. It’s a gnawing claw of a nightmare tale, that spurts blood, coughs up terror and leaves something lurking in the dark below. Yikes!”
Simon Marlowe, author of the Mason Made trilogy
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“Those who opened the box were the first to die. It may not have been Pandora’s box, but it released an evil abomination, a chimera, a freak, but one that was neither of nature nor supernatural. A beast unleashed on the inhabitants of the historic coastal town of Deal. Once the busiest port in England, now a quiet seaside resort, a place where the Lusus knew it could satiate its inbuilt ravenous desire for fresh flesh - human flesh. Despite being no great fan of the supernatural horror genre this is the fifth of Coppel’s novels that I have read. To put that into perspective, I never felt the urge to read a second book by Stephen King.
Works of fiction have two extremes. The supernatural horror genre, often populated by almost superhuman superheroes, and the realistic day to day dramas that engulf believable characters to whom the reader can relate. What Coppel has done in Lusus Naturae, and done well, is to blend the two. Pedants would argue that the plot is unbelievable even with the state of technology today, let alone in the mid twentieth century. But why bother to read supernatural horror fiction if you cannot suspend belief? Despite that, Coppel’s characters are far from superhuman, they are ordinary people, warts and all. If you were to ask yourself, ‘How might people I know behave in such extraordinary circumstances?’, the answer might be quite close to Coppel’s plot.
‘Lusus Naturae’ had a particular appeal to me as the action is set only a few mile from where I live, I know the town of Deal reasonably well. Coppel blends fictional and real locations together so convincingly that I found myself looking up one of his fictitious places as somewhere I might take my grandchildren. The blend between real and imagined is seamless and locations are so well identified that following the action on a map adds an extra bonus for those who know the town. I would not be surprised if one of the featured properties was Coppel’s own home.
The writing is well paced. Just as you begin to think the start is a little slow, Coppel smoothly, gradually and imperceptibly increases the tempo until it is difficult to put the book down and you find yourself thinking, ‘I’ll just read one more chapter’. It may well keep you awake at night just for that reason. Along the way Coppel drops subtle hints as to where the plot might lead, yet in equal measure introduces unexpected twists that catch the reader unawares.
Recommended? Certainly.”
- Tony Auffret, author of The Tufton Street series
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“A spine-chilling story that had me hooked from the very first page. Once again, Coppel proves himself to be a master in the horror genre in this terrifying tale, reminding us that sinister creatures may be closer than we think. If you’re looking for a book to sink your teeth into, make sure to add Lusus Naturae to your tbr immediately.”
– R. N. Cogley, author of Gruesome Getaway and An Inquiry into Innocence
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Further reviews from NetGalley:
“ I received this book as an ARC through NetGalley. Wow! I have just finished this horror story and it was so good. I read late into the night (with the lights on!) to finish it. The book follows the town of Deal and a monster that has a taste for humans. What I loved was that the story was told from both the monster, the people of Deal and the people brought in to help get rid of the monster. I will be recommending this book. It's a good length, well written and I really enjoyed the story.”
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“Chris Coppel's Lusus Naturae delivers an eerie, slow-burning horror tale set against the deceptively idyllic backdrop of Deal, a picturesque seaside town. Coppel does an excellent job juxtaposing postcard-perfect scenery with creeping dread, drawing the reader into a chilling what-if scenario that unfolds beneath sunlit skies and cobbled lanes. The story’s monster is genuinely unsettling - a grotesque and hungry science experiment that brings real menace to the narrative. Coppel's strength lies in crafting palpable tension and a vivid sense of place.Lusus Naturae succeeds as a moody and imaginative entry into the horror genre. Fans of atmospheric horror with a touch of classic creature-feature flair will find much to enjoy here. It’s not the most relentless novel, but it is a memorably creepy one.”
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“ It took me a while to get into this book but once I did, I found myself not wanting to put it down. I am so glad I read it but at the same time I am also kinda afraid of the dark now. I really enjoyed it.”
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“This was a smart creature feature. I would describe myself more as a psychological horror girlie, so I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this as I got into it. Deal is our setting, a small, seaside town in England. Jay and his research colleagues, one of whom happens to be his ex-wife Emma, are there to study a shipwreck, the Lady Lovibond. During the extraction of the wreckage from the sands, they discover a much newer shipwreck, less than a hundred years old, and can't help but investigate while waiting for the Lady Lovibond to be prepared ashore. They discover and extract a stone sarcophagus (secretly) and bring it ashore. Well, the government gets involved, the sarcophagus gets opened, and carnage ensues. The team inadvertently brought back an evil to Deal that had been sunk decades ago. Once the book got going, I found the pacing to be great. I loved the inclusion of the creature's perspective interspersed throughout. There were some excellent plot twists. It was a fun horror thriller with some historical and sci-fi elements. I recommend to anyone who enjoys a good monster story.”
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5 STARS - Highly entertaining horror thriller ~ This horror thriller is set in Deal, a seaside town in Kent, England. There are celebrations underway due to the discovery of a shipwreck on the Goodwin Sands, the 18th century tri-masted schooner, the Lady Lovibond.
It happens to coincide with the formal opening of a new tourist attraction, an old mine offering an underground experience.
Jay Sallinger and his team have arrived from the Marine Archaeology Trust to study the wreck. The only cause of tension appears to be that he's going to have to share the research with a French team that arrives led by his ex-wife Emma.
The strange discovery of a much newer wreck caught up with Lady Lovibond leads to them recovering a stone sarcophagus. Secretly bringing it ashore and hiding it to be able to study it in peace has disastrous results as they unwittingly unleash a monster in the town. One that dates back to the second world war.
After the build up the pace explodes as carnage ensues. Before they know it Jay and Emma are caught up in a government conspiracy and a desperate fight for survival.
The monster itself, the Lusus Naturae, is truly terrifying and exists for one purpose only. The craving of human flesh.
It's a mix of the supernatural and mad science and before long there are body parts and gore all over town.
Coppel brings us a real page-turning adrenaline ride. Full of excitement and scenes of claret coloured devastation that sear themselves onto your eyeballs.
There's a side plot with Jay & Emma's relationship but what I really liked was the unique way we get shifts to the creature's point of view & hear its thoughts. We understand the monster even as it scares us.
5 STARS - A visceral, bloody, seaside nightmare ~ Chris Coppel lures us in with the quaint charm of a coastal postcard, only to tear it apart with claws soaked in blood in Lusus Naturae, a chilling blend of historical horror and creature-feature gore that turns Deal’s cobbled streets into a hunting ground.
There’s something gloriously cinematic about the opening—this isn’t just a monster book; it’s an atmosphere-heavy descent into nightmare. Imagine the bastard child of The Goonies, The Lost Boys, and The Mummy. Coppel captures that tension between the familiar and the unthinkable with real finesse. One moment you’re picturing ice creams and deck chairs, the next you’re wading through entrails. The small-town setting is beautifully done, grounding the supernatural horror in a very human world that makes the monster feel so wrong, so other. A true lusus naturae—a freak of nature—that stalks the living like it's always been hungry.
The pacing occasionally stumbled, especially around the midpoint, where the horror became a little repetitive before it ramped up again. But what it lacks in narrative tightness, it makes up for in sheer visceral fear and an ending that had me grimacing like I was watching a cursed newsreel.
If you like your horror with teeth, heart, and history, Lusus Naturae is one to sink your teeth into—just don’t read it before or during a seaside holiday.
5 STARS - AMAZING !!! ~ Now, I have read some creature/ monster books but this truly stands out to me.
So many aspects were original which made this a book to remember.
Firstly, I am a sucker for science so having a scientific side to this book was right up my ally and I felt it added more depth to the book, a deeper understanding of the characters and what lurked in the dark.
Exploring the history of the creature was totally unexpected.
World War II, experiments, government conspiracies and science.
Now what a messy mix to have a man killing machine formed from but how exciting for the reader.
Safely tucked under a blanket reading this monstrous book.
Now the way this book was written added so much excitement to the read. Reading from the creatures point of view isn’t something I have seen before but I completely adored this. I felt the fear factor was increased and another layer of suspense was built by this style of writing.
This is definitely a book you should give a go, it will provide you with original monster action which is hard to come across these days.
Just make sure you watch out for what could be lurking in the dark.
5 STARS - This would make a solid movie adaptation. ~ This was a surprisingly fun and gripping read. The writing pulled me in right away, and I really enjoyed how the story unfolded, slowly at first, then building up into something much darker. The contrast between the charming seaside setting and the horror that followed made it even more unsettling in the best way. I liked the way the characters connected through the chaos, and it kept me curious till the end. Definitely one of those stories that stays with you for a bit.
- Reviewed in the United States