**Review originally published in SCREAM Magazine**

There’s a lot to love in Drew Starling’s debut novel Sentinel. A pervasive atmosphere of dread, amplified by the eerie methodical pacing and punctuations of brutal violence. A hulking, looming monster with glowing eyes and long, trailing fingers. A hint at a larger world, peering through the fabric of our reality, bolstered by a local cult. And an epic, nightly battle between supernatural entities: avatars that hint at a larger war for the fate of mankind.

The Dryer family has moved to the tiny town of Bensalem in search of a simpler life and a fresh start. The book starts slowly, giving us the lay of the land, allowing us to get to know Aaron, Ellen, and their young son Caleb, and introducing us to the townspeople. Everything is going well until their only neighbor for miles around is horrifically murdered. Then Aaron begins to notice a giant figure lurking in the field in the middle of the night. Things really kick off when Caleb disappears in broad daylight and the subsequent search to find him gradually reveals the centuries-old secrets of the town.

This is my first time reading anything by author Drew Starling, but I was very impressed with his ability to craft a well-paced and satisfying story. The writing is composed and self-assured, and I particularly enjoyed the immersive imagery, world-building, and attention to detail. The dialogue was a bit hit or miss for me, and Aaron came across as ineffectual and frustrating at times, but overall the main characters are developed in a way that really brings them to life. I also like how the story switches perspectives between the parents and the local police officer Cheryl, a tactic that draws us further into the story and gives it a nice balance between supernatural mystery and police procedural.

By far my favorite elements are the creature(s) and the cosmic, Lovecraftian vibes. I don’t want to give away too much, but the creature design is fantastic. The mysterious entity, featured on the book cover, felt so real and original; it had a weight and menace that had me holding my breath and biting my nails whenever it appeared in the dark of the night. There’s also a fair amount of unease and a creeping sensation of the unexplainable that surrounds the events in the story. It feels both grounded and ethereal, and I loved every moment.

Sentinel hits many of the highlights of cult horror, cosmic horror, creature feature, and small town horror. The descriptive writing is impeccable, and I was enthralled by the chilling atmosphere that Starling maintains throughout the book. This is the first book in a series, it’s subtitle is actually The Bensalem Files #1, and I’m very much looking forward to where things go in the next book, Nothus, when it releases later this year!