A wastewater compliance enthusiast can’t take it anymore, so becomes a masked avenger. But his efforts to clean up the city backfire, and he must now juggle his notorious new identity with the day job, a humorless detective on his trail, and a growing cadre of misguided fans.

SYNOPSIS:

A monster slithers in the shadows, tormenting scofflaws and miscreants. But the Slug is no crimefighter. He’s a frustrated worker at the sewage treatment facility.

Infuriated by trivial transgressions, social misfit and compliance specialist Terry Gramble dons cape & cowl and sets out for vengeance… but everything he fixes worsens. When his dubious, fumbling deeds generate unexpected notoriety, a humorless detective picks up the trail of the supposed Masked Mollusk: Gastropod of Justice.

Misconstrued by the press and perverted by unsolicited volunteers, Terry’s campaign then evolves into one of messaging and containment. Meanwhile, the non-binary nature of his work-inspired mascot resonates with certain persons in his circle, forcing him into excruciating moments of personal revelation.

Subsequent romantic intrigue and his mentor’s untimely retirement pique further complication, as does the dawning realization that his infamous enforcement efforts cause unintended societal outcomes.

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“A thought-provoking and outside-the-box read that quickly hooks the reader’s interest and sustains it. Simply put, an unusual vigilante story. … A well-drawn, complex, unique protagonist and his relationships definitely show potential to explore how we should treat others. … Quirky and highly original.”

—The Black List