BOOK REVIEW: BUT WORSE WILL COME BY CC ADAMS

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If you are in the market for a novella with which to while away a couple of hours then the debut from CC Adams, “But Worse Will Come” might just be the ticket. A tense story of the hunter and the hunted, it doesn’t cover much in the way of fresh ground but it is an engaging and solid read nonetheless.
 
Set in modern day London, the plot is centred on Theo Papakostas who as a boy escaped the clutches of a creature he met in a cemetery. Thirty years later, his luck finally runs out and he finds himself in an increasingly desperate game of cat and mouse as it hunts him down.
 
From that description, you’d assume the plot is rather slight and to be honest it does feel like a short story idea that has been stretched to fit a longer format. The first half of the novella, concentrating on Theo and his life, moves along with a slightly clunky and awkward air to proceedings. The slow and uncomfortable pace emphasizes key aspects of Theo’s character in relation to maintaining close relationships, a plot point that will get an extended workout in the latter half of the story as he is thrust into a high stakes game of jeopardy.
 
Whilst this does work to an extent, there are certain key characters in which a lot of time is invested in only for them to ultimately feel rather inconsequential. This comes to the fore in the latter half of the novella as the noose around Theo’s neck tightens and characters that appeared important suddenly disappear without a trace, never to be seen again. It’s somewhat disconcerting when it happens but this is probably the effect that Adams is attempting to elicit from the reader, a sense of the familiar becoming strange and threatening in the blink of an eye. This is a story where manipulation and the fear that results from experiencing the unknown are of crucial importance
 
I must concede that there is a gnawing sense of dread that permeates the latter stages of the novella as Theo is reeled in by the creature’s machinations. However that feeling is tempered by a curious sense of restraint to proceedings. There were a few moments where I thought the beast might have been unleashed and allowed to let rip but the emphasis here is more on subdued pursuit and psychological torment than visceral horror. 
 
In retrospect, I can’t really say that the points I’ve taken issue with in “But Worse Will Come” are seriously detrimental. This is a solid tale of a predator stalking its prey and in all fairness it’s certainly one of the more readable creature feature stories that have been served up this year. However, much like a dish you’ve never eaten before this one wasn’t quite seasoned to my own personal taste. Probably best if you sample its flavour and decide for yourself.