Wretch

It’s the hottest summer ever in Chicago history, and homicide detective Donnie Branson is trying to keep his cool as his personal life crumbles and he searches for an elusive killer who has slaughtered a homicide witness. Chicago Outfit boss, Tico ＂ The Meatgrinder＂ Tortellio, has emerged from the safe cocoon of his mob world, craving to get his hands dirty. His grisly mission: to destroy the fiend who raped his comatose daughter in a local hospital. That fiend is Derek Hoffman, a steroid-abusing-sociopath whose body and mind have been grotesquely transformed after his participation in a clinical trial for an experimental ED-arousal-drug called, LIBIDONAL. Overdosing on the drug, Hoffman has become a raging beast, high on lust and blood. A pharmaceutically-created monster, he roams the steamy city, leaving unspeakable terror and carnage in his wake. Soon the race is on as both Branson and Tortellio hunt for Hoffman, each man bent on finding Hoffman first to deliver his own brand of justice. But who can take Hoffman down if they do find him?

JEREMY WAGNER’s most recent novel, RABID HEART, received a 2019 IPPY AWARD for ＂ BEST HORROR E-BOOK and also received 2019 NEXT GENERATION INDIE BOOK AWARDS for ＂ BEST HORROR NOVEL＂ and ＂ BEST OVERALL BOOK DESIGN.＂ RABID HEART was also nominated for a 2019 SPLATTERPUNK AWARD for ＂ BEST HORROR NOVEL.＂ JEREMY’s short story, NORWEGIAN WOODS-- which appeared in the BIG BOOK of BLASPHEMY anthology-- was nominated for a 2020 SPLATTERPUNK AWARD for ＂ BEST SHORT STORY.＂