Third in thriller cop series proves to be a haunting nail-biting game changer of a story
Since the release of his first book in 2018, author Dwayne Clayden has quickly become an author to follow. In his first ever series, Clayden has released two books following the Calgary cop Brad Coulter who always seems to find trouble no matter where he goes. Starting out as a rookie in Crisis Point, Coulter was promoted to a Sergeant in Outlaw MC, and now, in Clayden’s newest book Wolfman is Back, Coulter is now a Detective. Four years have passed since the events in Crisis Point and Coulter has been through many dangerous encounters in his line of work. However, the events that lie in wait for Coulter in Wolfman is Back are far worse than anything he has endured thus far. Readers will have no idea of the shocker the third installment of Clayden’s series has in store for them.
Two years have passed since the war between the Gypsy Jokers and the Satan’s Soldiers ended. The Hell’s Angels is the only biker gang known in Calgary now and they have remained relatively quiet, not causing any disturbances that would have the cops going after them. That does not mean Calgary is safe from harm, for a former Gypsy Joker, Jeter Wolfe, has escaped from prison. As the former enforcer of the Gypsy Jokers, Wolfe has a reputation: large, cruel, and ruthless. He was a man who always got his way, especially when it came to having his way with prostitutes. He had sworn revenge against many individuals before he was put in prison, some of these individuals near and dear to Detective Brad Coulter. Now that Wolfe is free, Detective Coulter is on the case with his team to catch him. The only questions are: who will be Wolfe’s targets and will Coulter be able to protect them?
A tip of the hat must go to Clayden for becoming a stronger storyteller with each new book he writes. He made an excellent first impression with his debut and the first in his series, Crisis Point, as he focused on a single band of criminals doing wrong. His second, , was more complex and realistic than the first, leaving a chilling impact on readers as two biker gangs warred against one another. Now, with Wolfman is Back, readers will be left shaken by how terrifying one single human being can be and the damage one single human being can do within a short period of time.
Unlike his first two books, Clayden focuses on characters readers have come to know rather than introducing a plethora of new characters like in Outlaw MC. The smaller roster of characters creates an incredibly steady flow in telling the story, making it move faster than it seems to be moving. As has become Clayden’s norm, readers will get a first person look into the thoughts and actions of each of the characters, with both good and evil intents. Readers know by now how selfless Coulter is and it is wonderful to see the development he has had in the past two books/ four years from a somewhat reckless rookie cop into a more mature take-charge detective. He is definitely a character who cares when no one else seems to and he is the protector of the people of Calgary and the protector of those he cares for most.
However, the character readers will really want to pay attention to is the Wolfman himself, Jeter Wolfe. Clayden has done such an incredible job of creating a character that is both hauntingly captivating, yet terrifying at the same time. Just from Outlaw MC, readers will know how terrifying Wolfe is, but what makes him, in a way, captivating is the way he thinks. It is hard to imagine even writing a character such as Wolfe for he is a twisted character. “…the mistake the psychiatrists and my colleague are making is thinking that Wolfe lacks intelligence, that he is simple and slow. Nothing could be further from the truth. He is clever, deceitful, devious and manipulative. He knows exactly what he is doing” (Clayden Loc 1775).
Wolfman is Back has proven to be yet another nail-biting experience for readers who have been following Clayden’s Calgary cop. The beginning of the third installment of this series is a bit slower paced, but by the time readers reach the halfway point of the story, they should anticipate on finishing it in one sitting. Their eyes will be glued to the page and won’t be able to move fast enough as Clayden throws in various twists and turns all the way to the shocking conclusion. Readers who are just being introduced to Clayden’s suspense thriller series should read Crisis Point and Outlaw MC first before going into Wolfman is Back for this book is a game changer for Coulter moving forward. Readers should be on the lookout for Clayden’s next book of the series, for after finishing these first three books, they will be anxious to know what happens next.
Originally published at http://rolloutreviews.com on December 5, 2019.
