“A gripping tale of suspense, intrigue, and human vulnerability.”—Reedsy The North American wilderness. The Dark Web and the monsters within. A young girl’s lifeless body hangs from a tree. The father, consumed by grief, embarks on a relentless search for answers, scouring the treacherous terrain of the internet and of the Pacific Northwest, until he vanishes. Meanwhile, Samantha, a journalist covering mundane new gadgets, sees the case as her chance at a career breakthrough. With danger lurking around every corner, the journey becomes a race to uncover the truth and bring justice to the victims. But as the stakes get higher, will anyone make it out alive? "Gripping debut novel by accomplished author Mathieu Tallegas... a spellbinding story of revenge mixed with cyber forensics, and it will keep you turning pages from start to finish... more startling turns than an amusement park roller coaster, managed masterfully by the author's deft hand... The climax will, as they say, leave you breathless. We award five-plus stars to Feral Game. It stands among some of the best first-time novels we've seen in a while." - Publishers Daily Reviews "A stunning debut novel that captivates readers with a dark and disturbing tale of violence, abuse, and perversion. Tallegas skillfully weaves a complex web of characters, each with their own motives and desires. The protagonist, Tom, is a likable and relatable character, and his journey toward the truth is both suspenseful and emotionally charged. The Pacific Northwest setting is vividly described, and the author's astute observations and attention to detail create an immersive world that feels both realistic and haunting. The author's background in technology is evident in the story's incorporation of cyber security, making the book relevant and modern. The dialogue is realistic, and the characters are complex and multidimensional, making them relatable to readers. Even the most disturbing characters have a level of depth that makes them fascinating to read about. The book also explores important themes such as gender identity, sexual orientation, and mental health, adding depth and nuance to the story. These themes are handled with sensitivity and care and serve to deepen the reader's understanding of the characters and their motivations. A beautifully written thriller that will leave readers on the edge of their seats. A gripping tale of suspense, intrigue, and human vulnerability that is sure to leave a lasting impression and sets a high bar for the author's future works, and readers will undoubtedly be eagerly anticipating his next release. Highly recommended for fans of hardboiled crime fiction and those looking for a thought-provoking read." - Reedsy "With his debut novel, Feral Game, Northwest-based author Mathieu Tallegas introduces to the hard-boiled crime genre a protagonist who can claim a unique pedigree: Seattle tech journalist Samantha Janzen, who fled her Mennonite family when she refused to repress her attraction to women. Now, having established herself as a freelance journalist with a focus on cyberbullying, she finds herself reinventing herself yet again, this time as a detective. ...Artfully combines such signature features of the Northwest as logging and backwoods survivalist skills with the more timely regional abilities of coding and hacking in the service of solving crimes—or, in the case of one of the novel's main characters, Tom Bolger, avenging one. He meets Samantha while trying to crack the computer files of an online abuser who drove his 12-year-old daughter to hang herself, and "Sam" ends up trailing Tom to Canada and working to solve the question of who is responsible for his daughter's suicide. ...Continually pleasantly surprised by the frequency and ease with which the author introduces and then subverts the many hoary tropes of the hardboiled detective genre. With a plot that navigates the flyways and backcountry border crossings between Seattle and a small town near Calgary, Alberta, this lavender-tinged example of contemporary noir punches well above its weight and delivers a satisfying knockout. Though our protagonist isn't standing when the gunsmoke clears, she's still in the game. I look forward to meeting her again." - David Thornbrugh, Editor