Under the flickering streetlights of suburban Chicago a young banker becomes entangled in an ancient vendetta when he unwittingly falls prey to the curse of a vengeful cat god who will stop at nothing in its quest for revenge.

Michael Merlino leads a charmed life. With a beautiful family and a top job, his existence is blissfully free of struggle, free of worry and most of all, free of meaning. But Michael’s luck is about to change and not for the better. When his father dies he leaves Michael a strange inheritance: a cryptic message and an old car. Michael assumes that the bizarre bequeathment is just the last act of a befuddled old man. So when he feels a gruesome crunch under the tire of the car he believes it to be nothing more than an unfortunate and messy accident. But the kitten Michael crushes under his wheels is no ordinary feline; it is the spirit of Leo the Egyptian cat god, a powerful and malicious deity bent on taking its vengeance. Unaware of the ancient wrath that has attached itself to him, Michael is baffled by a series of increasingly serious incidents in his personal life that are as unexpected as they are frightening: his dog is savaged by a wild bobcat; his son is stalked by a vicious clawed beast; and his brother-in-law is attacked by a bloodthirsty big cat. Hunted by a silent, sinister presence, Michael finds himself trapped in an escalating game of cat and mouse. And with mysterious bloody accidents following him everywhere, fingers soon begin to point at Michael, linking him to several unsolved killings in the neighborhood. Michael begins to realize that the town’s fate and his own survival depend on him destroying the malevolent god. But with nine lives pitched against one can he survive long enough to finish the job?

Nine Lives is the thrilling debut novel from George M. Moser, a captivating and quirky tale in which a chilling horror rises from the most unlikely of places. Masterfully fusing legends of Egyptian antiquity with elements of popular horror and urban myth, Moser delivers an atmospheric narrative full of dark twists and turns. Moser conjures characters of deep emotional richness, bringing a heartfelt realism to his work. Nine Lives portrays the twin fears of a man who is haunted by his own psychological demons as well as demons from the beyond. Evil manifests itself as terrifying feline beasts as well as more familiar incarnations such as denial, self-doubt, dishonesty and greed. At times romantic and at times absurdist, Moser’s thoughtful and captivating storytelling delivers a tale of black comedy and powerful human drama making Nine Lives into much more than a horror story. A rip-roaring plot with a noble morality, Nine Lives is a must-read for all discerning fiction fans, cat lovers, horror buffs and indeed, anyone who likes a great read with a truly worthwhile message.

About the Author: George M. Moser graduated from St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa with a degree in Business Finance. He enjoyed a successful career in real estate in the Chicago area and became an active and upstanding member of the community, making charitable donations to local hospitals, churches and community projects. George M. Moser currently lives near Chicago with his wife and children and spends his free time writing. Nine Lives is his first novel and he is currently working on a further two titles. Nine Lives by George M. Moser (published by iUniverse 2012, RRP $20.95) is available online from retailers including Amazon.com and can be ordered from all good retailers.