Whalefall

June 5, 2023
This gripping sci-fi thriller from bestseller Kraus (who previously coauthored the novelization of The Shape of Water with Guillermo del Torro) takes readers quite literally into the belly of the beast. After local diving legend Mitt Gardiner dies in a suicide by drowning, his estranged high school–age son, Jay, sets out to bolster his own reputation as a diver by retrieving his father’s remains. Returning to the water after two years away from his domineering dad, Jay makes the risky dive. Instead of locating the body, however, he finds a giant squid, and then a massive sperm whale finds them both. Accidentally ingested, Jay struggles to escape the whale’s belly before the creature either digests him or retreats to depths that could crush him. Jay’s struggle to free himself from his blubbery prison mirrors his struggle to free himself from his father’s shadow, which forms the real heart of the story. Kraus provides solid nautical science alongside the stretchy coincidences that fuel Jay’s survival. Just on the brink of horror fiction, especially for the claustrophobic, this deep-sea thrill ride will have readers on the edges of their seats.

Starred review from June 10, 2024

Kraus's (The Ghost That Ate Us) latest follows 17-year-old Jay Gardiner, who dons his scuba gear in search of his father's remains in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Monastery Beach. The two were estranged and hadn't reconciled before his father's suicide the year prior. The guilt is eating Jay alive, and despite his unresolved anger, he hopes to make amends with his mother and sisters by returning with his father's remains. However, his endeavor quickly becomes a fight for survival when, upon encountering a sperm whale, he is swallowed alive. With his oxygen depleting, Jay must free himself not only from the whale but also from his oppressive past. Kirby Heyborne's impassioned narration intensifies Kraus's fast-paced and action-packed writing. Heyborne's authentic portrayal of Jay's physical pain and mental anguish puts listeners in the belly of the whale alongside Jay. More than a tale of survival, this novel reflects on fathers and sons and love and loss while providing a stirring look at the beauty and harshness of the natural world. VERDICT Both heart-wrenching and hopeful, this gripping production takes listeners on a nerve-wracking nautical odyssey. A suspenseful and scientifically accurate survival thriller further enhanced by the outstanding audio experience.--Meghan Bouffard

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