In Invasive Species, an ancient sea monster masquerading as a beautiful woman must consume nine teenagers to maintain her immortality. Enjoy this LitStack Review by Allie Coker of the new novel from Ellery Adams.
Make sure to catch the author interview at the end of this review!
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In This LitStack Review of Invasive Species
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Invasive Species by Ellery Adams
Here There Be Monsters
When readers think of suburban horror, such a term might call to mind monsters of the big screen such as Jaws, Cujo, and …Mrs. Smith? Seldom does it seem appropriate to be a nosy neighbor, but for the neighborhood in Adams’s new novel, it just might be their saving grace.
It’s the start of the 1980s and the inhabitants of Cold Harbor, Long Island are experiencing what we will call “suburban plight”—a mix of anxieties over the rat race, sexual tensions, and the all-encompassing goal of seeming like a Stepford wife while very much remaining your own woman.
Mrs. Smith embodies all the traits a woman should not be—hungry, unabashedly proud, and stand-offish at the same time. No nurturing side, no desire to socialize—just sheer, undisguised self-interest that men have been enjoying for far too long. But all is not as it seems with her and her lurking power comes at a cost. In order to be immortal, she must claim human sacrifices before fall, and not just anyone will do.
Maiden, Mother, Sage
Natalie Scott has wrested the power away from men looking to take advantage before. Now, her no-nonsense singular focus of rising to the top of her career clouds out any other competing priorities such as her children or close friends. Jill, Natalie’s daughter, fills this gap by bonding with their Icelandic housekeeper, Una, who believes the children that something is rancid about Mrs. Smith.
Beth, eager to cling to what gives her so much hope and purpose (a loving husband, a future family despite fertility issues), will stop at nothing to take down her unwelcome sexual rival.
Elaine, a mama bear hellbent on boosting her son’s popularity if she can just commandeer Mrs. Smith’s backyard, is determined to take on this fiend directly too, not knowing that her opposition is packing much more than her reclusive behavior suggests.
A sinfully delightful read that holds nothing back, Invasive Species has released at the perfect time of year. Intrigue on the water, in the streets of suburbia, and in our own craven minds provides all the chills and engrossment we didn’t even know we needed.
LISTACK: The novel certainly had the same feeling as some suburban creature horrors of the 1980s. What made you decide to set your story during that era?
ADAMS: This novel is very autobiographical. It’s basically my childhood, which is one of the reasons it is set in 1982, sans the hungry neighbor. There was a woman living on our street who never came outside. In 14 years, I never saw her. Not once. Her garden was wild and weird. It included a boarded-up well and what looked like old, flat grave markers. My brother and I found vintage jewelry while working in her garden. Also, during the early 1980s, women were entering the work force in fields previously dominated by men.
Not only did they have to face challenges at work, but they were also expected to take care of everything on the homefront. This pressure, which women still grapple with today, caused a shift in relationships and family dynamics. I wanted to show how the pressure to be perfect can turn anyone into a monster.
LITSTACK: What do you feel this story says about women’s appetites?
ADAMS: For centuries, a fictional woman with an appetite was held up as monstrous. If she chased her own desires without first considering her community, she was seen as a threat. A woman who expressed emotion or exhibited a wish for power or independence must be controlled. All the women in Invasive Species, human or not, want to break free of societal rules and take charge of their own destinies.
LITSTACK: Out of all the adult characters in the novel, Una is the trusted one for Jill’s concerns. What makes her so different from the other women?
ADAMS: Una is an immigrant and of a different economic class than the other women. Her Icelandic roots make her more open to believing in the supernatural. Iceland is a country steeped in folklore. The sea monsters in their collective myths are legion. Una is also deeply connected to nature. Not only does she have a green thumb, but she grew up in a community that depended on the land and sea to survive. This history gives her a wisdom and insight the other women don’t have.
LITSTACK: You have several bestselling series. What prompted you to write a standalone this time?
ADAMS: I wanted to write a genre-blending novel that combined suburban drama, coming-of-age, and folklore horror that had just enough dread to creep people out but also a ton of heart. Invasive Species is a little campy at times, which is a nod to those creature features from the 1980s. It’s also meant to challenge readers into asking themselves, “What’s the invasive species in this novel?” and “Who is the real monster here?”
LITSTACK: Do you have a personal interest in mythology? If so, is that something you’ve possessed for a long time?
ADAMS: I love contemporary Greek retellings, especially those with a feminist vibe. It’s about time someone told the stories of women like Medusa and Medea from a female POV, but I love myths from all cultures. Mrs. Smith is not based on a Greek myth, but on an amalgamation of female, shapeshifting, aquatic monsters/deities from several cultures including Japan, Africa, and Babylonia.
LITSTACK: Is there something you wish people knew while reading this book?
ADAMS: I loved giving Mrs. Smith a voice. Monsters don’t usually get a POV, but hers was such fun to write. She doesn’t care what people think of her, she simply feeds her desires. She’s cold and powerful but also a victim of humanity’s greed and pollution.
LitStack Spots
Here are a few other LitStack Spots we definitely are adding to our TBR Stack, including Horror Movie by Paul Tremblay, The Change by Kirsten Miller, and When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill.
Ellery Adams, a USA TODAY and New York Times bestselling author, has written dozens of mystery novels. She shares her North Carolina home with her husband, two trolls, and three keyboard-hogging felines. Ellery loves reading, coffee, bubbly, jigsaw puzzles, baking, and rearranging her bookshelves.
Allie Coker lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. She holds a BA in English from Davidson College and an MFA in creative writing from Queens University of Charlotte. Her novella, “The Last Resort,” was published in 2021. She has a forthcoming chapbook from Finishing Line Press in January 2027.
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As an affiliate of Bookshop.org, Malaprop’s, Books-A-Million, Audiobooks.com, Chirp, 2nd & Charles, Amazon, NameHero, Envato, and Place-It, LitStack may earn a commission—at no cost to you—when you purchase through our affiliate links. We appreciate the brands we work with, and also appreciate that using our affiliate links may help you find your next great read, a book or two or more, in whatever form, while simultaneously supporting LitStack. When you use our affiliate links, you help keep LitStack running—and for that, we thank you.
As a Bookshop, Malaprop’s, BAM, Barnes & Noble, Audiobooks.com, Amazon, and Envato affiliate, LitStack may earn a commission at no cost to you when you purchase products through our affiliate links.
