Keith Berard, a member of the Safety team at Quonset Point, recently published his debut novel, “Creatures,” a supernatural noir mystery that blends gritty detective storytelling with a darkly imaginative twist. Set in a shadowy urban world where monsters lurk behind every alley and truth hides beneath the supernatural, “Creatures” follows a werewolf private investigator on the trail of a dangerous secret.
Balancing suspense, dark humor, and a touch of horror, the novel explores the timeless struggle of good versus evil through the lens of creatures both literal and metaphorical.
“The novel is part mystery, part monster story, and all heart,” said Berard, noting that his inspiration came from a lifelong love of film and books. “I’ve always been drawn to great storytelling. Authors like Douglas Adams and John Scalzi taught me that genre fiction can be both fun and meaningful—witty, weird, and still deeply human.”
While writing hasn’t always been a central passion of Keith’s, storytelling has. “I’ve never been someone who journaled or wrote every day, but I’ve always loved telling stories, especially the kind that let you escape into another world for a while,” he said. “Writing this book was part of a larger goal I set for myself to start checking off bucket-list items. I’ve been skydiving. I’ve seen the Grand Canyon. And now, I’ve written a novel.”
Keith notes, however, that getting published wasn’t easy. “It was a much harder process than I expected until I connected with Stillwater River Publications. They believed in the story and helped guide me through everything, step by step. They made something that felt impossible feel real.”
“Creatures” by Keith Berard is now available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle formats. Just search “Berard Creatures.”
