Shapeshifter by J.F. Gonzalez

Shapeshifter by J.F. Gonzalez

copyright = 2008
pages = 323
source = purchase
date completed = 10/18/08

This novel is the story of Mark Wiseman and how he has to deal with being a werewolf. He gets caught on his company's security cameras shifting and the CEO just happens to see it. He uses the tape to blackmail Mark into killing other members of the company board to prevent a merger. And that's about as complicated as it gets.

I always look forward to finding a werewolf book because they seem scarce these days. But I shouldn't have wasted my money on this one. The CEO is typical--embezzling money, doing his secretary, arrogant and thinks money can buy anything. There is no explanation at all for Mark being a werewolf--just one day he gets mad and suddenly he's a wolf. He's had "control" over the condition for years and one day at work he just shifts for no reason. Mark conveniently ends up hooking up with the CEO's secretary (gorgeous blond rumored to be sleeping her way to the top but she's really a smart, caring woman underneath--again, typical). She finds out about the blackmail and the killing and stays with him! She repeatedly says she will never leave him. Hmmm...killer, werewolf, no control--sure, stay. Beyond that, the writing was terrible in some cases and full of cliches. Here are some examples:

"They were like two kids in a candy store."
"When it passed again he regarded the body with bated breath..."
"His body still felt like it had been put through the ringer."
"The road ran before him like a long, black tongue."
"John Wayne Airport in Irvine was a quick hop, skip, and a jump away."
"There had been a short, pregnant pause."

Overall, not worth full price. Snag it used if you want to try it.