The Un-familiar: A Tale of Cats and Gods by Lynne Hinkey Fiction · Paperback · 228 pages ISBN 978-1-934081-52-5 · Out of Print Click on cover image to see full-size version

There's a beast of a storm brewing, and only a god can stop it.

Coincidence leads to talk and talk to speculation and speculation to rumor and rumor to belief. And belief brings the supernatural to life. There's a lot of talk about what's behind the bizarre weather on the island of Puerto Rico...

Two years ago, people breathed a sigh of relief when Detective Eddie Corredor exposed the crooked and costumed mayor of Rincón as the real monster that had been terrorizing the island with his shady business activities. But now, the natural disasters occurring in a most unnatural manner have people whispering about a supernatural beast again.

Is the chupacabra real or rumor? Señora Milagros, familiar to the dog-god of Mercy, and a handful of other people know the truth, but even they have some surprises in store as a host of new beliefs bring more gods to the island. Can Señora Milagros sort them all out before the recent arrivals destroy the newly returned dog? If not, it's not only her retirement at stake, it's the future of mankind.

Click here to read the first chapter of The Un-familiar.

Lynne Hinkey is a marine scientist by training, a writer by passion, and a curmudgeon by nature. She uses experiences from her years living in the Caribbean to infuse her novels with a bit of tropical magic, from the siren call of the islands to the terror and hysteria caused by the mysterious chupacabra. Visit her at www.lynnehinkey.com.