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Check Me Out - Haven July 2025

CLOSE TO SHORE

BY MICHAEL CAPUZZO The real-life inspiration behind the Jaws mythos— this gripping narrative of the 1916 Jersey Shore shark attacks reads like a thriller. Capuzzo paints a vivid picture of the period while building just the right amount of dread. If you’ve ever wondered how a single shark changed everything, this is the place to start.


SHARK HEART

BY EMILY HABECK A genre-bender: part magical realism, part quiet love story, told in prose, poetry, and script. A man slowly transforms into a great white shark. It’s weird, symbolic, and surprisingly moving—a deep dive into love, loss, and what it means to change when change is unavoidable.


JAWS: MEMORIES FROM MARTHA’S VINEYARD

BY MATT TAYLOR

Packed with behind-thescenes photographs, local stories, and insider insight, this detailed account brings the summer of 1974 vividly to life. With newly added material and neverbefore-seen images, this is a heartfelt tribute to the islanders who helped shape movie history.


THE SHARK CLUB

BY ANN KIDD TAYLOR

Bitten by a shark as a child, the main character grows up to be a marine biologist— and that early encounter shapes everything. There’s romance, mystery, and a strong sense of place (hello, Florida Keys). Less Jaws, more saltwater-soaked second chances.


JAWS

BY PETER BENCHLEY

This is the classic. It’s lean, mean, and still delivers that creeping dread of something circling just out of sight. The book is pulpier than the movie—more brutal, more adult, and a bit more cynical. The shark’s scary, sure, but so are the humans. It’s a beach read that still bites.


AN OCEAN LIFE

BY T.R. COTWELL

This one’s for readers looking for a twist. After a diver is attacked by a great white, he wakes to find himself seeing through the shark’s eyes. What unfolds is part survival story, part family drama, and part metaphysical puzzle—a fresh, visceral journey into the deep.


MEG

BY STEVE ALTEN Take Jaws, pump it full of prehistoric steroids, and drop it into the Mariana Trench. The Meg is overthe-top in all the best ways— perfect for readers who want their shark stories bigger, louder, and packed with bite. Just suspend disbelief and enjoy the chaos.


SHARKS DON’T SINK

BY JASMIN GRAHAM

Marine biologist Jasmin Graham invites readers into the world of shark science, sharing fascinating insights into behavior, conservation, and the realities of fieldwork. As a woman of color in a space that hasn’t always welcomed her, she blends science with deeply personal reflection. Bold, clear-eyed, and essential.


WHALEFALL

BY DANIEL KRAUS

A surreal survival story where a diver ends up trapped inside a sperm whale after a dive goes wrong. Yes, inside. Strange, poetic, and tense, this novel explores fear, grief, and awe in equal measure. Not a shark story exactly, but it swims in the same deep waters of wonder and terror.

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