The Culling - Bryan Alaspa

Something sinister is unfolding in Clear Lake, Illinois. A series of teen suicides has rocked the town, the deaths eerily connected, forming what experts call a "suicide cluster." When the CDC dispatches two seasoned investigators to uncover the cause, they expect to find an environmental or psychological trigger. Instead, they stumble upon a force beyond science-a darkness feeding off despair, spreading like an infection. As the body count rises, the agents must confront an evil that defies reason, one that is intent on growing stronger. Can they stop it before Clear Lake becomes the epicenter of something far worse?

The Culling draws inspiration from real-world psychological phenomena, blending investigative thriller elements with supernatural horror in a way that will appeal to fans of Paul Tremblay and Stephen Graham Jones.