The Shoe Creeper

By: Ian Hunter

Narrated by: Max Dowler

Have you ever seen a random shoe on the side of the road?

Halloween is approaching, and in the seaside town of Seaton, Devon, Ethan Halston's life is changing. His parents are arguing, his gran is losing her memory, and his best friend has a secret.

Things begin to spiral when a child is nearly kidnapped. Has a monstrous shoe creeper come to town, and does Ethan's gran know more than she's letting on?

©2025 Ian Hunter (P)2025 Ian Hunter

Critic reviews

'Like Patrick Ness and Roald Dahl got together to write a spooky story' - Phil Hickes, author of the Aveline Jones series

Ethan versus the shoe creeper

Ian Hunter is a natural storyteller that weaves tales that will catch your attention. I love how in the story he deals with the grandmother with dementia and explaining to her grandson what is wrong with her. This story does include the subject of bullies and fighting in his family between his mom and dad. The author tells a story of horror, danger and suspense all the while keeping it appropriate for a 12-year-old to read and understand. I did not want to stop listening to the audio book and loved the ending.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Spooky fun!

I read extensively in the middle grade space, but am not generally drawn in by a horror tale. Shoe Creeper by Ian Hunter, however really hooks you with it's heart ... all while the horror keeps you on the edge of your seat. (And don't worry, it's age appropriate horror - just the kind readers/listeners in this age group are ready to tackle!)

Ethan, the protagonist, has a lot going on in his life -- an aging grandparent and quarreling parents, not to mention the pressures of navigating friendships at twelve years old. To top it all off, it appears that a storied monster has chosen this time to return to Ethan's town.

Ethan has a pretty good idea of what this monster is all about, thanks to tales from his Gran. Armed with advice from Gran (and shoe freshener), Ethan sets out to determine whether a recent kidnapping attempt in town is related to the Shoe Creeper. Before long, the stakes are even higher and Ethan has even more to worry about in this fast paced gem.

Ian Hunter does a great job of keeping the wild, spooky tale of a Shoe Creeper grounded with truly relatable issues ... friendships, bullying, conflict at home ... all wrapped up in a wonderfully perilous situation.

Throughout the tale, we see Ethan be brave, compassionate and determined - even when things go scarily wrong!

The narrator delivers a great performance, adding the perfect voice and tone to this tale.

Kids will like

The Shoe Creeper by Ian Hunter is a great kids adventure folk tale. Max Dowler did a great job with the narration. The story is entertaining, enjoyable, funny, and more. I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.highly recommended