Creepers by David Morrell

Published by

Sarah Ann

on

March 14, 2011

Creepers is the 1st book in the Frank Balenger series by David Morrell, who also wrote the First Blood/Rambo series.

I remember seeking this book out specifically because it was about urban exploration, which I think is super interesting. I used to live in a military reservation in Hawaii that was situated in an old volcano crater, directly above underground bunkers and living quarters. I wanted very badly to be a “creeper” when I lived there.

“Creepers” is slang for urban archaeologists who explore condemned, abandoned buildings that are either banned from the public or awaiting demolition. In this book, a group of explorers visit an old hotel located in the ghost town of Asbury Park on Jersey Shore. Apparently, the hotel was designed by a paranoid, sadistic, eccentric agoraphobic millionaire (sounds a lot like the Sarah Winchester house to me).

The creepers are accompanied by reporter Frank Balenger, who plans to honor the urban explorers anonymously in the New York Times, considering this practice is mostly illegal. But little does the group of creepers know they’ll discover much more than just timeless artifacts.

Creepers is absolutely gripping, horrifying, and incredibly fast-paced. This author is an amazing storyteller, the mystery unfolds quite gracefully. The book is action-packed, but also features a slew of interesting historical references, a hint of romance, and mind-numbing terror. All these features blend together nicely to make for gratifying reading.

Scavenger is book #2 in the Frank Balenger series. Other books by David Morrell include:

What did you think about Creepers, did you like it?

Last Updated on January 20, 2026 by Sarah Ann

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