Mr. Monster

Written by Dan Wells

Narrated by Kirby Heyborne

I killed a demon. I don't know if it was really, technically a demon, but I do know that he was some kind of monster, with fangs and claws and the whole bit, and he killed a lot of people. So I killed him. I think it was the right thing to do. At least the killing stopped.



Well, it stopped for a while.



In I Am Not a Serial Killer, John Wayne Cleaver saved his town from a murderer even more appalling than the serial killers he obsessively studies.



But it turns out even demons have friends, and the disappearance of one has brought another to Clayton County. Soon there are new victims for John to work on at the mortuary and a new mystery to solve. But John has tasted death, and the dark nature he used as a weapon-the terrifying persona he calls "Mr. Monster"-might now be using him.



No one in Clayton is safe unless John can vanquish two nightmarish adversaries: the unknown demon he must hunt and the inner demon he can never escape.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tantor Audio
• Release date: Sep 22, 2010
• ISBN: 9781400188321

Dan Wells

Dan Wells is the author of the Mirador series (Bluescreen, Ones and Zeroes, and Active Memory), as well as the New York Times bestselling Partials Sequence and the John Cleaver series—the first book of which, I Am Not a Serial Killer, has been made into a major motion picture. He has been nominated for the Campbell Award and has won a Hugo Award and three Parsec Awards for his podcast Writing Excuses. He plays a lot of games, reads a lot of books, and eats a lot of food, which is pretty much the ideal life he imagined for himself as a child. You can find out more online at www.thedanwells.com.

Reviews for Mr. Monster

[4hounds · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

These books are really good. The darkness in this one made some parts hard to read - I feel bad for John that his chances with the girl are shot, but I can't imagine how that might work out anyway - I'm looking forward to reading the next one.

[illise_montoya · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I'm the demon slayer. Come and get me.

Fine, Dan Wells. FINE. You're first book only mildly impressed me, but somehow your second book was so much better. Fuck you and your endings. It's so deliciously dark and unforgiving and intensely gripping. Damn you. DAMN YOU. Now I need to read more. Ass.

[penforhire · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

In a very similar way to my review of the first book, I Am Not a Serial Killer, I do not believe that Dan Wells' use of the supernatural adds anything significant to this story. I keep imagining if he wrote this as a straight thriller with just an evil antagonist I would rate this at least four stars.I still enjoy riding along in John's mind. It is a wonderful ride in a scary hall of mirrors. Dan writes this portion so well!The supernatural element to these stories actually make them LESS scary than they would have been otherwise. When it is time to wrap it up we can all have a puddle of black goo.I have one more big nit to pick. The plotting is usually superb but I was astonished to see how poorly the final trap was set. Either that or I misunderstand how it worked. If you wrap a hot (positive) electrical wire to a conductor and touch it... absolutely nothing happens unless your body also provides a path to ground. You can't wrap both wires to a metal object because you would short the circuit and either melt/heat the metal object or blow a fuse/breaker. The voltage in a house circuit, even at the highest allowed in most countries, will not arc over more than a tiny air gap.Now if the pair of bare wires was presented in such a way as to grab both of them then I could believe it but it was not described that way, at least to me.Overall a good effort, enjoyable to read, and a solid three star rating.

[kr_patterson · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

What a thrill ride. Always engaging, even if often disturbing. Gosh, why does it give me such a rush? Should I feel guilty? I really wanted to start it over again after I finished it, which is rare for me. I actually "dosed" myself as I read it, allowing myself only a little bit every night, so it wouldn't end too soon. This book was, if possible, even more upsetting than the first (I am Not a Serial Killer), but the payoff was greater too.

[rmagahiz · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This was like his first book in that it suddenly gets serious 2/3 of the way through, turning up the horror and the action content after a plot/character twist. I am not sure whether this would take the average reader out of the story or not, or whether it is a more common technique than I am aware of.

[beckyjg · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

By the end of I Am Not a Serial Killer John Cleaver, teen psychopath with a heart of gold, had allowed himself to unleash the monster within just long enough to defeat the demon that had been plaguing John's small hometown. As Mr. Monster opens, six months later, John has been working extra hard--with the unwanted but enthusiastic help of his mom--to follow the rules he long ago created to help him tamp down the killer inside him (which he's dubbed "Mr. Monster"). He's afraid to go to sleep at night because of the nightmares that plague him, but he does get an awful lot of reading in.He's even making tentative stabs at normality, using the clunker of a car his mom got him to drive Brooke, the girl of his nightmares dreams to school everyday. Of course, his rules are so elaborate that he doesn't even allow himself to look at what Brooke's wearing when she's sitting beside him in the car (because when he does he can't help but remember those nightmares, in which he has her on a slab in the family mortuary), but it's a start. But bodies will start piling up in small towns with an attraction for serial killers (supernatural or otherwise), and once again, here they are. Young women, this time, strangers to the town, but definitely dead...and horribly abused before their deaths. John, who's been called regularly into the office of FBI Agent Forman who has for some reason set up shop in town after the killings of the previous year, is once again intrigued; on one of his visits for "follow-up" questioning he attempts to elicit information from Forman, who is surprisingly forthcoming.Hmm.Dan Wells has written a sequel which is every bit as good as its predecessor. In fact, though John's investigations into the killings and subsequent discovery of the killer are good--particularly the climactic sequence, which involves prisoners, torture, and a woman bricked up in a wall--what's even better is Wells's peek into the mind of an adolescent boy struggling simultaneously with his first real crush and keeping his psychopathic inner self under control.

[aarondesk · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I generally enjoyed this book. The main character is interesting and relatable. The main premise is cool. The plot was a little slow at times, especially delving into the details of a teenagers life. But it came to an exciting ending, and sets up nicely the next book in the series.

[tuusannuuska-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I think I liked this a little bit more than the first of the series. Hard to explain why, but there you have it. It's interesting to hear the voice of a protagonist who you simultaneously like and dislike and I definitely look forward to finding out what the future will bring for John.

[forevermasterless · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

*Spoilers! Read at your own risk!*

Dan Wells, you’ve done it again! I was blown away by the first book’s unique combination of serial killer-based thrills and fantasy horror. While the supernatural element in the first book was well done, the star of the show was the way Wells depicted John's dark urges and emotional detachment.

The follow up not only delves deeper into that, but also into the origins and specifics of the "Demon" from the first book, and introduces another one.

This book, much like the first, can be divided in half. The first half of the first book was all about the mystery of who the killer was and setting up John's sociopathy and family situation. The second half was all about John stalking Mr. Crowley to find a way to take him out.

The first half of this book is mostly about John's relationship with Brooke. Forces beyond his control are forcing her into his life, which is dangerous because deep down he wants to put a knife in her. The second half, although it happens farther in than halfway, is about John being abducted by the new demon and brought to his torture-house. While John's there he learns some very interesting things about these Demons (or "gods" as the new Demon identifies himself and his kin as) and how this specific one works, which is very interesting.

The demon from the first book took organs to keep his body from falling apart. The demon from this book tortures people, feeding off their fear, anger, and any other strong emotions. He feels anything that the people around him feel, and is practically a mind-reader because of it. I thought this was a brilliant idea for the new demon. Not only is it cool and interesting in its' own right, but it's made even more so by the fact that John is a sociopath. The demon uses John to "calm down" after feeding off the fear of his other victims, since John hardly feels any emotions at all.

The absolute best part of this book though is the end, and I hope the third book lives up to all the expectations I have for it. At the end John kills the demon, and gets backed up by witness testimony from the other victims in the house, and is declared a hero. He winds up with the demon's cell phone, and finds a name he's heard the demon say before. He calls the number and tells the person who answers that the demon is dead, and that he also killed the demon from the first book.

"Why are you telling me this?" she asks.

And what does John say? Well just the most badass thing ever.

"Because you're next. I'm the demon slayer. Come and get me."

Squeeeeeeee! Now John has a constructive outlet for his dark urges. He can become a demon slayer! So. Freaking. Cool.

[jafi14 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved the first book and I love this book I truly can not wait for the next book. GO John !Go kill some nasty Demons...like the ones that almost killed your girlfriend and yourself. 

[alsatia_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I don't read many books in one sitting, but that's how I finished Mr. Monster. This series is not for the faint of heart, but it has a lot to offer if it doesn't squick you out. The protagonist has a very unusual set of problems, but Wells does a good job making everything as realistic as possible. An enjoyable, fast -paced read.

[deltaqueen50 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Mr. Monster by Dan Wells is the second book in his John Cleaver trilogy. This review will contain “SPOILERS” if you haven’t read the first book. Mr, Monster continues the story of John Wayne Cleaver in his quest to appear normal on the outside, even though he is a developing sociopath. He has a set of rules that he tries to live by and is always aware of the monster that dwells within. It is only a couple of months since he unmasked the serial killer that was preying on his town and revealed the demon. He killed the demon but has kept that fact hidden. The town is slowing coming back to normality, believing the serial killer has died or moved on. While John is wrestling with his darker urges and trying to control himself, new bodies begin to show up in town. These bodies are killed in a very different way than previously so it appears a new serial killer is at work. John also feels this is a direct challenge to him and that the serial killer is trying to draw him out. Could this be the demon, returned in a fresh body, or is this the work of someone new? John determines to find out.I have very mixed feelings about this story, parts of it are very well done. The author’s use of subdued humor in John’s struggle to be normal is outstanding. The concept of a budding sociopath trying to blend in is fascinating. Unfortunately, the author also tends to go overboard on the “gross-out” aspects giving me a few too many yucky moments. Also, I have never felt totally at peace with the supernatural aspect of the story, feeling this is a bit of a cop out on the author‘s part.. I will eventually read the final book in the trilogy as overall these stories are very clever and intriguing, and I can’t help but picture a young Dexter and wondering where John’s urges will take him.

[sjkessel · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Wells, D. (2010). Mr. Monster. New York: Tor.Appetizer: Things have calmed down since the events of I Am Not a Serial Killer. There haven't been any more murders and the people in Clayton are starting to relax. Even though John knew the fate of the killer before anyone else, he's still having his own problems. He broke down the wall that kept his dark impulses under control. Mr. Monster is out now and is urging John to do more violence.But then, another body, a girl this time, is found and it looks like the town has another killer. John fears that the dead girl is a message. A message for him.He must deal with the new killer, with trying to keep Mr. Monster in check and, most surprisingly of all, going on a date with a neighbor girl, Brooke, the girl he has been trying to control his obsession with for months.I really liked John's struggle with trying to date Brooke. It was a good challenge for John. *Spoiler for mid-book in this paragraph* I also liked the drama involving John's sister, who is dating an abusive egotistical guy who reminds John of his father. It was an interesting trigger for John's murderous impulses and for insights into the family's past. Although, after John sees a bruise on his sister's face and has to vent his anger, I really hated who is hurt by John's rage. It was a sad enough scene that I almost wanted to stop reading. *End spoiler*I have to admit, Mr. Monster included a lot of dark aspects that won't be for every reader. Reader, be warned.The third and final book in this trilogy, I Don't Want to Kill You, will be out at the end of March. You can pretty much count on the fact that I will be picking it up, wanting to know what happens to John and his many demons.Yet again, I am left feeling like I know way too much about human embalming. I am off to read a book that involves less death. *glances around at YA dystopian, vampire and zombie trends* Assuming there are any light books left out there.Dinner Conversation:"I want to do a lot of terrible things, and it's just easier to come to terms with that side of me by pretending it's someone else--it's not John who wants to cut his mother into tiny pieces, it's Mr. Monster. See? I feel better already.But here's the problem: Mr. Monster is hungry. Serial killers often talk about a need--some driving urge that they can control at first, but that builds and builds until it's impossible to stop, and then they lash out and kill again. I never understood what they were talking about before, but now I think I do. Now I can feel it, deep in my bones, as insistent and inevitable as the biological urge to eat or hunt or mate.I've killed once, and it's only a matter of time before I kill again." (p. 12)."For my sixteenth birthday I got a dead body to play with: Mrs. Soder, the oldest woman in Clayton County, finally died. The corpse was laid out on the stainless steel embalming table, the body bag removed and the body motionless. It had died in the hospital, and they'd shipped it to us in a hospital gown. This made it a lot easier; rather than wrestle with real clothes, or try to get the family's permission to cut them off, we could just snip a tie here and there and have the hospital gown off in seconds. The embalming would be almost too easy--I wanted to take as much time as possible, so I could really enjoy it" (p. 76)."For me, embalming was a form of medication; it brought a sense of peace that I had never found in any other aspect of my life. I loved the stillness of it, the quietness. The bodies never moved or yelled; they night fought or left. The dead simply lay there, at peace with the world, and let me do whatever I needed to do. I was in control of myself.I was in control of them." (p. 79)."They found the second woman's body on Saturday, lying in a ditch on Route 12, covered with a similar array of torture wounds. It was the same place where the Clayton Killer's second victim was found, less than ten feet from the exact spot. It was now obvious that this new killer was trying to communicate something, but what? Was he saying "I'm the same," or "I'd different"? Was he telling us he wanted to be like the first killer, or was he hinting that he already was? More than anything else, I wondered who he was talking to: the police? The whole community? Or was he sending this message to the only other killer in town?Was he talking to me?" (p. 87).

[danstratton · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

One of my least favorite genres is slasher horror. I don't particularly like blood, graphic violence and terrible things people do to one another laid out in front of me. So why in the world would I spend my Spring Break reading one? Because the writer is too good at his craft, darn it. I couldn't force myself to not pick it up nor put it down.The second book in the John Wayne Cleaver series picks up right after the first, I Am Not A Serial Killer, leaves off. John is a teenage sociopath, convinced he has all the makings of becoming a serial killer, but managing to keep all the tendencies bottled up behind walls. He actively works to keep what he calls Mr. Monster, the killer inside, hidden, appeased and locked away from a situation where he might get out and lead John to actually injure someone. But Mr. Monster has his uses, as he helps John face down and overcome a real serial killer at the end of the first book. The problem is, Mr. Monster is not satisfied and now wants to kill again. Can John get the beast within back under control?Adding to the pressure is a nosy FBI agent who is still in the small town of Clayton, trying to solve the last serial killer case. The agent keeps asking a lot of questions of John, who is desperate to keep all his secrets, but driven by a curiosity to know more about a new series of murders in town. The agent keeps feeding him tidbits to keep him coming back, while laying traps to find out the truth of what happened. Can John keep the agent from learning all the secrets without having him believe he is somehow involved with the killings? And how to handle the cutest girl in school who suddenly likes him and considers him a hero and knight protector. There are a lot of twists and turns for this teen who is trying to protect his small town from evil without becoming evil himself.The story, while pulling no punches in the horror department, is so engaging, it is all I could do to not read it in one sitting. Dan Wells is a fantastic writer and does an excellent job of pulling the reader in and spinning a good story. I enjoy his characterizations and how he dives inside the human mind. While more light hearted than the Alex Cross novels by James Patterson (Yes, I have read a couple. Couldn't sleep for a week, thank you.), the series is targeted at teens. Just gross enough to get the attention, but interesting in how he presents John as a character with which to identify. It is easy to see real teens thinking like him. I keep expecting John to snap out of his belief he is serial killer potential. I have high hopes for the next book. Yes, it is downloading to my Kindle right now. I just can't stop myself.

[solacewinter · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Books do not have an excuse to fall flat in the second novel. These are not movies, and arc to the next story. They need to stand strong, or stronger, than the predecessor to hold interest. This one did not fail. This novel explored Mr. Monster a bit better and the character was flushed out the way he should have been in the first novel. John ends up in another predicament with a demon, but where I was wondering how they would link another demon to the small Clayton County, Wells manages to do just that seamlessly and without the reader ever questioning how John keeps coming in contact with demons. John shows he does have a caring heart while he battles his darker side and that he is not the unemotional boy he continued to claim he was in the first one. This is a boy with feelings, though the feelings are torn. He is a much better character in this story and I lost the need to compare him to other unemotional psychopaths and found he stood on his own. Brava.

[jubercat · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Disturbing, but quite good.

[marcejewels · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

From my blogI am in love with this horrifying sociopath, lol. John Clever is a great character indeed. We are introduced to Mr. Monster in this sequel to I am not a Serial Killer. John has serial killer tendencies, he actually dreams about violence. He is more comfortable in the mortuary with his mom, the family embalming business, he is like a kid with candy when waiting for the bodies to arrive. Most people are uncomfortable with dead bodies but when bodies start showing up John is always around. Why is this? Is someone sending John a message, is it coincidence or is John the killer, you will enjoy this thrill ride trying to figure it out.I enjoyed the beginning reminding me why I enjoyed I am not a Serial Killer and then BANG, it all comes to a head and I can't stop reading. I am wow'd with this series. John lives by rules in order to not become a serial killer and he does fight and try to be good. One of his rules is to not look or stalk females, especially Brooke who he really likes and she is so intrigued with him, she likes him too. I enjoyed this part of the story also. Dark and twisted, even horrifying but then a touch of cute.I highly recommend this series, so glad the next in the series just came out. I recommend to read this series in order. The important thing to remember about me is I love stand alone's, I want it all but I have truly enjoyed this series, I feel complete at the end but Dan Wells makes me excited for what is next, the last sentence, OMG. I want more, yes I do.Note - there is a disturbing scene regarding animal cruelty, some may not be able to handle this.

[sandman47 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I found this book to be very new and bold and was glad that the series had continued with such originality, the main character reminded me of a cross between Dexter with a dash of the Winchester brothers, I can't wait to read any upcoming sequels.

[lisathelibrarian_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I was very pleased with this sequel to Dan Wells' book, I Am Not a Serial Killer. It is just as funny, dark, scary, and compelling as the first one. This one takes place about six months after, and John Wayne Cleaver, his family, and community, are recovering from the aftermath of the Clayton Killer. John Cleaver calls his inner monster, Mr. Monster, and it has now been unleashed. It knows now what it means to kill and John must struggle to quell the monster inside him. Although marketed for young adults, his struggle is very adult, his actions have meaning and consequences; his inner struggles are very real. Now he must go on as normal, while pretending to be normal and have a girlfriend, dealing with his mom and wayward sister, and interacting with federal agent who is trying to get to the bottom of the Clayton Killer mystery. This is a very compelling book that read non-stop in one night. I highly recommend reading both this book and I Am not a Serial Killer.

[astuo · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Dan Wells' Mr. Monster, the sequel to I Am Not a Serial Killer, follows budding teenage sociopath John Cleaver as he struggles with both petty, mundane problems like how to fit in at school, how to deal with his squabbling family, with his ongoing mental contest with his evil side (nicknamed "Mr. Monster"), and with a series of murders in his small town that seem connected to the supernatural. The writing and the story are impressive and compelling (though not, I felt, quite as good as the first novel), managing to be evocative of both the teenage experience and chillingly grisly as well; Wells manages to straddle the line between young adult fiction (no swearing, muted sexuality) and full-blown graphic horror expertly. John Cleaver, likable and unsympathetic at the same time (comparisons to Dexter are inevitable, but Wells holds his own), is an engaging, well-drawn character. A great addition to the serial killer genre. Four and a half stars.

[bragan_8 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Sequel to Wells' I Am Not a Serial Killer, featuring teenage sociopath who wants to be a good guy, John Wayne Cleaver. The plot here isn't as substantial as in the first one, although it does feature at least one interesting twist. The real antagonist here is John's dark side, "Mr. Monster", which it turns out is not exactly easy for him to put away after being forced to let it out for the events of the previous book. I found this installment a lot darker and more disturbing than that one -- which isn't necessarily a bad thing. The fact that Wells somehow manages to make John simultaneously sickening and sympathetic is really kind of impressive.

[silversurfer_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The 2nd book in the series starts off several months after the events in the first book. John Wayne Cleaver is still struggling to keep his inner beast inside. He is a sixteen year old sociopath, who could become a serial killer at any moment. He knows what he is, but doesn't want to be what he is destined to become. The character is so fleshed out and real, this is a compliment to the talents of Dan Wells. He makes you care about this kid and feel his anguish. The ending is a set up for the next novel. I can't wait.

[jenreidreads · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wow. I am a big fan of Dan Wells. I Am Not A Serial Killer, to which this novel is a sequel, was one of my very favorite books I've read this year. Since this is a sequel, it lacked a bit of the freshness I enjoyed in IANASK - we've seen inside John Cleaver's twisted mind once already, so it isn't new - but it's still a fascinating world. And John has an even more difficult time battling with his inner demon - Mr. Monster - since he let him out to deal with Mr. Crowley last time. Once I reached the middle of the book, the plot took a great twist and I stayed up all night reading, unable to put it down! Wells definitely knows how to creep out his readers. The villain in this one is quite different from Mr. Crowley, and, if possible, more terrifying. Mr. Monster is also clearly the second book in a trilogy; the final installment is set up very nicely at the end of this one, and I can't wait to read it! Highly recommended!

[erikschreppel · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed Wells follow up to I Am Not a Serial Killer more that the first book. I think partly because I was aware of the supernatural undertones already. While I love I Am Not a Serial Killer, I was reading it thinking it was a Dexterish serial killer novel, and then when he veered into the supernatural I was a little unprepared. So my enjoyment wasn't as full as it could have been. Mr. Monster I enjoyed more because I knew what I was getting into now and could fully appreciate it. Overall am very interested with where he is going with this series and look forward to the third book.