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Review: The Man in the Watch Still Visits Me at Night by Joshua Chaplinsky

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The Man in the Watch Still Visits Me at NightThe Man in the Watch Still Visits Me at Night by Joshua Chaplinsky
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Man in the Watch Still Visits Me at Night is a Surreal Horror novel that kept my brains whirring like the inside of a watch; one in desperate need of service.

I was instantly attracted to this novel based on the title. The title alone is creepy to me. What do you mean the man in the watch is visiting you at night? That doesn’t sound healthy.

This story follows three women, Jenna, Nancy and Mrs. Vogel, but they’re not the only perspectives we get to read from. This is a story centering on some very heavy topics, such as abuse and neglect.

The majority of it is set at the Vogel House, which is your typical haunted house at the edge of town, or is it? The Vogel House is a character unto itself. With the perspectives constantly shifting, the Readers sense of time can become muddled quickly. I felt uneasy. It was great!

I could see this being described as a fever dream, but too me, it’s not really. I don’t tend to enjoy fever dream narratives, because I hate not knowing what’s going on.

In this story, whichever perspective I was in, whether it was Jenna, or Mrs. Vogel, or Brian, etc., I always could understand what was happening to them, and what they were experiencing and feeling. To me, where the dream-like quality comes from is the time portion.

It was unsettling in such a compelling way. I was never frustrated with it, or wanting to give up. I just had to know how all of these perspectives were connected.

Chaplinsky’s writing is incredible. It’s so not the type of Horror writing I tend to gravitate towards, but oh man, he captured my attention and never let up.

I had to use my whole brain, the whole time. I was so invested. I think I know what happened, but do I really?

It’s heavy. It’s a mindf*ck of a book. It’s a 5-star.

Thank you to the publisher, CLASH Books for providing me with a copy to read and review. Sometimes stepping outside of your comfort zone is a beautiful thing, and this is one of those times.

I’m looking forward to more from Joshua Chaplinsky!

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Review: Nobody Panic! by C.J. Vick

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Nobody Panic!Nobody Panic! by C.J. Vick
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

In the Summer of 1986, moths inundated the town of Somerville, and Janet was strong-armed by her BFF Maggie into joining the PTA. Two wild occurrences.

Janet has an overriding misfit reputation that’s plagued her since high school, but Maggie’s support and good humor is enough to drag her out of the house for one night. With her slightly melted deviled eggs in tow, the ladies make their way to the meeting.

Unfortunately, most of the other members are just as awful as Janet remembers, and she clearly sticks out like a sore thumb. What’s also noticeable is the absence of Sue, the best bundt cake maker known to man.

The next day, Sue’s body is discovered, the first in what becomes a series of missing housewives. The official story isn’t adding up. Janet’s encyclopedic knowledge of true crime assures her of that.

When Maggie is the next to go missing, Janet is convinced something malevolent is sweeping through Somerville.

Pairing up with two other misfit moms, and the coroner’s apprentice, who had a big ole’ crush on Janet in high school, Janet starts investigating and what she uncovers goes way deeper than Sue’s murder, and a few missing PTA members.

It appears Somerville has been harboring a dark secret spanning back generations. In order to stop this plague on the town, it appears that Janet will need to confront the demons in her own home first. If she fails, she risks losing herself and all she loves forever to the darkness.

After reading the synopsis for Nobody Panic!, I knew this was a story I wanted to pick up right away. It sounded pure 80s, like one of the fun chaotic and campy Horror stories that I was raised on, and it didn’t disappoint.

This is such a fun read. It’s campy in all the right ways. It’s almost innocent in a way, Janet’s personality and the way the drama unfolds, it so pure and good.

The plot was dripping with 80s-nostalgia and Satanic Panic. Vick definitely delivered all the vibes I was hoping for when I went into it.

The only very slight critique I would give is that in the later half, when action really began to pick up, it was hard for me to stay focused, or really picture in my mind, all of what was going on. It had moments where it was almost too chaotic, if that makes sense.

However, this is probably more of a me problem than the book. I mention it only because it did have a slight effect on my experience, as I had to read certain sections a couple of times in order to track what was going on.

Focusing on the numerous positives though, Vick knocked the tone and humor of 80s-Horror out of the park. The chapters were also each titled after 80s-songs, which was so fun. I would love a complete playlist. It would be amazing.

I would definitely recommend this to people who love campy Horror, or books with heavy 80s vibes. Also, definitely recommend for fans of The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires. The two could be cousins.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Sourcebooks Landmark, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I know this doesn’t release for a long time yet, but I couldn’t resist picking it up to kick off my Spooky Season.

Also, if this is a debut from C.J. Vick, I think we’re going to have a long and beautiful relationship. I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next!!!

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Review: An Immaculate Deception by Isabela Livino

~ megs14malloy

An Immaculate DeceptionAn Immaculate Deception by Isabela Livino
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

An Immaculate Deception is a debut Historical Horror novel from Isabela Livino. This book is set in 1870s-Brazil, where we meet and follow a woman named Madalena.

Madalena has fallen in love with a dashing young man, and as sometimes happens, finds herself pregnant, out of wedlock. Having been raised in a strict and religious household, Madalena fears her mother’s head could actually explode when she learns Madalena’s secret.

After Madalena confesses, her Mom’s head doesn’t explode, but she does put up a forceful ultimatum: marry, or surrender the baby.

Madalena feels confident that the baby’s daddy, Leandro, will do the right thing when he hears the news. He’s bound to propose. He loves her. Yeah, yeah, he loves her.

She picks a night to tell him, and just as she’s about to share the news, a terrible storm sweeps in and causes the carriage they’re traveling in to careen off the road.

Awakening after the accident, Madalena finds herself in a bed at Leandro’s secluded estate. She’s being looked over by a Doctor Lobo, and she let’s him know she’s pregnant, to which he’s surprised.

Leandro is also there, but he doesn’t seem the same since the accident. His personality has completely changed. No longer the charming and affectionate lover she once knew, he’s now glowering and always watching.

It’s not just Leandro though, the house itself sets Madalena on edge. She fears it’s haunted. There’s phantom smells, things disappearing, a startling lack of mirrors. She begins to fear Leandro and Doctor Lobo as well. She doesn’t trust them at all. She feels trapped.

She’s got to figure out what’s happening here and get away before it’s too late. It’s not just herself she needs to think about, but also her unborn child. It’s a race against the clock for Madalena; one girl against the world.

This was good. I enjoyed my time with it, and while it didn’t necessarily blow me away, I feel like it’s a strong debut novel. I was particularly intrigued in the 1st-half. It was mysterious and I enjoyed the descriptions of Leandro’s house and the things going on there.

Additionally, there was shift at one point that really surprised me, and I loved that the author chose to set the narrative up the way that she did. It made the reveals more impactful, IMO.

There were some aspects that I found odd and slightly-confusing, but for the most part it had a solid premise, good characters and lightly-creepy vibes.

I would recommend this to fans of The Hacienda, or Mexican Gothic. I think if you like those sort of Gothic Historical Horror stories, this could work for you as well.

I will say, I do feel a little weird about the cover. Speaking of The Hacienda. I feel like perhaps they hit a little to close to Isabel Cañas’s cover style. As soon as I saw this, I thought, does Isabel Cañas have a book coming out that I don’t know about?

I feel like it’s sort of her thing now to have this beautiful, artistic covers with a lone woman in a red dress, especially outside, with some sort of weather brewing, and that’s exactly what this is. I just wish they would have gone in a different direction, as it feels a little copy-catty.

With this being said, this isn’t a review of the Publisher’s choice of cover, it’s a review of the story itself, and that’s what I’ve based my rating on.

Thank you to the publisher, Dutton, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I would definitely pick up more from Isabela Livino in the future.

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Review: She’s a Doll by Barbara Truelove

~ megs14malloy

She's a DollShe’s a Doll by Barbara Truelove
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

She’s a Doll follows Lucy McQuinn, who is not like other girls main characters. Even though she’s smart and sweet, Lucy doesn’t quite fit in with her contemporaries.

The thing that really sets her apart though, happens after she’s murdered by a vile man named Kyle. At the time of her death, her soul takes possession of an 18-inch porcelain doll and she’s ticked.

Vowing to get revenge, Lucy, in her new form, wants to find Kyle and end his life like he ended hers. That proves tricky though. Her size and the fact that she’s made of porcelain, it all works against her. She’s gonna need some help.

Lucy turns to Nicola, a gal she knew in life, a fellow outsider, and someone who also hates Kyle. Understandably, it’s initially difficult to get Nicola to believe what she’s hearing and seeing. I mean, can you imagine a doll coming to you and proposing you work together to kill someone?

We then follow their friendship and their mission, as both women grapple with the unfairness of it all. Will Lucy be able to find the peace she deserves, or will she be forced to stalk the Earth an angry doll forever?

This is such a creative story. I enjoyed it so much. With the synopsis, I wasn’t sure how campy Truelove would end up taking it, as I’ve never read from her before, so was unsure of her style. I was impressed with the nuance in the story, and appreciated all that Truelove brought to the table here.

It’s actually a really nice blend of humor with darker, more serious topics that were thoughtfully explored. It actually packs quite the punch emotionally, and had quieter moments that definitely pulled at my heartstrings.

The audiobook, narrated by Tegan Bourke, was super fun and I definitely recommend that format if you have it available to you. Tegan’s accent and delivery were perfect for Lucy’s character. The narration added such life to the story, and I found it very believable.

Overall, I think this is a great book, offering up much more depth than I initially anticipated. Readers are going to love it. A perfect read for your Spooky Season.

Thank you to the publisher, Dreamscape Media and Bindery Books, for providing me with copies to read and review. I’m so stoked to read more from this author!

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Review: Entities to Lovers by Mallory Marlowe

~ megs14malloy

Entities to LoversEntities to Lovers by Mallory Marlowe
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

Entities to Lovers is a light-hearted and funny Paranormal Romance, set in Boston with dual POVs, from Mallory Marlowe. This book does have a very slight connection to Marlowe’s earlier novel, Love and Other Conspiracies, but you certainly do not need to read that first to enjoy this one.

In this story, we’re following Rory and Ezra. Rory’s Mom owns the Ye Old Spirit Shop in Boston, Massachusetts. The shop carries most of the things you would expect a shop of that name to carry, but they also host very fun ghost tours of the city, and Rory does tarot readings as well.

Ezra, whose main job is as an adjunct History Professor at a local college, moonlights at the shop. He has so much knowledge of the history of the city, and is a sensational host for their tours; personable and handsome.

He also happens to be a thorn in Rory’s side. It annoys her how he’s always showing off what he knows. Sometimes it feels like he’s purposefully trying to get under her skin.

One night, Rory’s Mom does the unthinkable. She makes the two host a ghost tour together. Rory can’t believe it. This is cruel and unusual punishment, and from her own mother!

While hosting that very uncomfortable tour, they end up upsetting a local ghost with a penchant for hexing people. Now saddled with heinously bad luck unless they’re physically near each other, Rory and Ezra need to do whatever it takes to figure out how to break this curse.

This is really cute. I loved the setting in Boston, and it also takes place during the Halloween season, so those vibes were heavily-evident throughout.

I also thought the set-up, and how they were hexed, was super fun. This is forced proximity and even includes one of my favorite things, the ole’ ‘there’s just one bed’ situation. I wonder what’s going to happen there?

Rory and Ezra are both very well-developed characters. I feel like Marlowe took a lot of time and care with them, and it paid off. They felt very real to me. I also enjoyed the dynamic between them, particularly in the first-half.

In the later half, I’ll admit to getting a bit frustrated with them at times. Each one of them struggles with confidence issues and I get that, but I swear, they could not get out of their own ways. I wanted to shake them at times.

Nevertheless, it did make sense considering their backstories and the different life pressures they were facing. I just would have enjoyed maybe a slightly different trajectory for their relationship, with even more focus on the results of the hex and the store.

With this being said, this is strictly personal taste. There’s certainly nothing wrong with the way the author structured their relationship, and it did feel very natural, or as natural as you can get, when you’re basically forced together by a meddling ghost.

Overall, I think this is a very endearing story. It’s humorous and engaging the whole way through. The vibes are perfect for its upcoming Fall release and I know so many Readers are going to love this spicy and sweet Paranormal Romance.

Thank you to the publisher, Berkley, for providing me a copy to read and review. I really enjoy Marlowe’s storytelling and can’t wait for more!

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Review: Incarnate by Alma Katsu

~ megs14malloy

IncarnateIncarnate by Alma Katsu
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

I was sold on Incarnate after seeing it described as a reimagining of The Picture of Dorian Gray, one of my favorite Gothic novels of all time, but for the internet age?

How was Katsu going to spin this? I had to find out.

In this story, we’re following Dorothy Wagner, a VFX designer, who has always wanted to standout and be noticed. Dorothy was bullied terribly when she was younger, but she’s come a long way since then. Old insecurities are hard to totally shake though, and she constantly feels like she needs to prove herself.

After she gets a job with a small upstart company that’s focused on cutting-edge deep fake technology, her abilities to standout start to grow. The owner of the company, Tomas, who has a lot of nervous energy, but boundless knowledge, becomes a bit of mentor for Dorothy.

She learns so much from him that she’s able to master the tech, and in her free time, she creates Isabella. The perfect girl, who takes social media by storm.

Everyone wants to be Isabella, and Dorothy finally feels like she’s reaching her own potential, but as the partnership requests roll in, and the money starts to flow, the inevitable cracks start to show.

I know that rhymes. How perfect. Just like Isabella.

I thought this was incredibly-creative and it’s actually my favorite Alma Katsu to date. They say to write what you know, and she definitely took that advice here. In the mid-2000s, Katsu was one of the US Intelligence community’s 1st Social Media Researchers.

This book is a fantastic exploration of social media’s influence in our lives, and some potential unintended consequences of disruptive technologies.

Framing the story as a The Picture of Dorian Gray retelling was a brilliant choice, IMO. It did drag just a touch for me at the end, but overall, it was a fantastic reading experience.

I loved the body horror bits Katsu included and definitely was impressed with how dark she actually ended up taking this story. Once Dorothy starts spiraling, she really starts spiraling. It was hard to predict how it could possibly end.

I would recommend this to any dark fiction Reader. It’s a great melding of Techno-Thriller and Social Horror, with a dash of fantastical. I really appreciated all the pertinent issues that Katsu explored here. I think this would be a stellar book club pick, as there’s so much to discuss.

Thank you to the publisher, G.P. Putnam’s Sons for providing me with a copy to read and review. I cannot wait to get a hard copy of this one for my collection!

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Review: Happy Hour (Killer VHS Series #9) by Gemma Amor

~ megs14malloy

Happy Hour (Killer VHS Series Book 9)Happy Hour by Gemma Amor
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Happy Hour by Gemma Amor is the 9th-installment in the Killer VHS series. If you’ve never heard of these, they’re a series of standalone Horror novellas, written by a host of different authors, that channel the vibes of 80s/90s Horror.

My thoughts on this one are fairly simple, and can actually be summed up with just one word: UNHINGED!

In this novel, we’re following Brian, who owns a unique ((putting it mildly)) cocktail bar in 1990s-London. Brian has some interesting eccentricities that set his bar apart from the others. I let you discover the details for yourself.

Brian’s perspective reminded me a lot of Patrick Bateman. I’m not sure if the author was inspired by his character when writing Brian, but honestly, he could be Patrick’s cousin. I think they’d get along famously at the family reunion.

As far as the content of the story, I found it compelling. I liked the backstory we got for Brian’s character and the way that the back-and-forth was pieced together.

There’s some great, cringey body horror as well, and I felt Amor did a fantastic job balancing an actual plot with all the toe-curling Horror aspects. There’s actually a coherent story in here, which isn’t necessarily always the case.

While i wouldn’t classify this as Extreme Horror, it’s definitely dipping a toe in those deeper waters. This is actually the first I’ve read from Gemma Amor, but I’m stoked to read more. This was a tantalizing introduction to this author for me. For sure.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Shortwave, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’d love to collect all of these paperbacks.

The covers are always so good, and I’d love to add them to my always-growing Horror collection!

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Review: Fabulous Bodies by Chuck Tingle

~ megs14malloy

Fabulous BodiesFabulous Bodies by Chuck Tingle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Fabulous Bodies follows Poppy Stringer, a fashion influencer, who also happens to peddle in dead bodies at night. Hey, it’s hard to make a living in this economy. Don’t judge.

Poppy receives a call one night that prompts her to retrieve the body of one of her heroes, recently deceased rockstar and queer icon, Eddie Michaels.

She heads to the Medical Examiner’s office, where she’ll finagle access to his corpse, and then get him out of there. It’s all routine for Poppy. That is, until Eddie wakes up.

What follows is a Supernatural Adventure romp through one bloody night in Palm Springs. Poppy is along for the ride, whether she wants to be or not, and Eddie certainly has some surprises for her.

Fabulous Bodies was fabulously-creative, as I’ve come to expect all Chuck Tingle books to be. It’s an odd story, a bit chaotic and surprisingly thoughtful in its character work. I loved the journey Poppy had emotionally.

She was forced to come to a lot of important realizations about her life and relationships. We love that for her. Personal growth, yayee! All with the backdrop of trying to defeat a murderous and undead former idol of hers; NBD.

I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Mara Wilson, and I felt like Mara’s voice was perfect as Poppy. It truly felt like I was just listening to her tell this crazy story about one f*ed up night. I would highly recommend that format.

I also liked how wacky and graphic Tingle made this. It’s campy and unhinged, but also written very well. It reminded me in some ways of books such as Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison, and My Ex, the Antichrist by Craig DiLouie, both of which I enjoyed.

The commentary that Tingle included on fame and influence, were also well done. It’s light, but there, apt social commentary for our times. I appreciate Tingle allowing Readers the space to think for themselves, and in a story this wild, there’s plenty of food for thought.

At this same time though, you can just have fun with. I had a lot of fun listening to it. It’s certainly unpredictable. While I’m not sure how long the details will stick with me, in the moment it was pure entertainment.

Thank you to the publisher, Tor Nightfire and Macmillan Audio for providing me with copies to read and review. I always look forward to Tingle’s newest releases as you never really know what you’re going to get. We love a surprise!

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Review: Crone by Keith Rosson

~ megs14malloy

CroneCrone by Keith Rosson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

🖤💚🖤💚🖤💚🖤💚🖤💚🖤💚🖤

Keith Rosson captured my heart and my full attention last year with Coffin Moon. There was something so devilishly-good about that book. The setting, the grittiness of the plot, the characters; it was a whole mood. It all worked for me and has remained in my mind ever since.

To say that I was excited to get an early-copy of this novel, Crone, would be putting it so mildly it wouldn’t even register. I was stoked for this and as you can tell from my rating, I wasn’t disappointed for a moment.

This novel matches Coffin Moon in tone, so if you also enjoyed that one, I would highly recommend reading this as well. The big difference would be while Coffin Moon is a bit of a vampiric romp, Crone is for the witches in the crowd.

This continues the classic dark Crime Fiction feel that Coffin Moon brought, and is actually even set in the same area of the United States, just in a later time period.

This story follows Eli Lamp, an ex-detective, turned addict, turned ex-addict, whose daughter disappeared 10-years ago. Eli’s battled his emotions since Hannah’s been gone, but the guilt and grief frequently overwhelm him.

Due to a certain incident Eli got himself involved in while investigating Hannah’s disappearance, he’s also now indebted to a local drug gang, the Crooked Wheel. They utilize his skills as an enforcer. It’s a dark road he’s traveled.

We also follow a young woman named Avery. Avery was actually Hannah’s best friend, and the two were together on the night that Hannah disappeared. Like Eli, Hannah has also really struggled since that night. The guilt and shame she’s felt since Hannah disappeared has definitely defined the trajectory of her life so far.

Avery fled their small town as soon as she graduated high school, unable to stand the whispers and looks any longer. Recently though, she’s been having extremely vivid dreams of Hannah calling her back.

After the boss of the Crooked Wheel’s son is found brutally murdered, he asks Eli to investigate it, so they can bring the killer to justice. If Eli’s successful, he won’t owe them any longer. He’ll be a free man.

His investigation brings him into the orbit of Avery, recently returned to town, a girl he never thought he’d see again. Soon the two are entwined in a search for answers that all link back to the night their dear Hannah disappeared.

Contrary to everything they might believe in, signs point to a mysterious something lurking the woods. A something with a bent back, black eyes and claws. No one wants to say witch, but it’s a thought…

This is such a beautifully-devastating story. My heart aches with the weight of it. It’s gritty and violent, showcasing the worst acts that humans can do unto each other.

There’s also a rawness to it all, with humanity just bleeding off the page. Rosson does such an incredible job of examining dark emotions, such as guilt, grief and self-doubt, even hate. This is vengeance-fueled story, much like Coffin Moon, and I was completely invested.

I loved the direction Rosson ultimately went with this. I will say the way he laid it all out, it’s not a path I would typically enjoy, but I think in this case, just because of the overall emotion of the story, it actually worked. He pulled it off.

If you’ve never read Rosson before, you’ve got time. Pick up Coffin Moon before this one releases in September. If you like that vibe, you should absolutely pick this one up as well.

Also, I definitely recommend this for fans of Witchy stories, particularly if you’re itching for something opposite of all the Cozy Witchy vibes we seem to be getting lately.

This is full stop a Horror novel. It’s violent, gory and full of complicated topics and emotions. It’s absolutely stellar and I cannot wait for a hard copy to take residence on my shelves.

Thank you to the publisher, Random House, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This will definitely be making my Best Books of 2026 list!!!

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Review: Dead Weight by Hildur Knútsdóttir

~ megs14malloy

Dead WeightDead Weight by Hildur Knútsdóttir
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Dead Weight follows Unnur, who lives a rather solitary life until the day the black cat shows up at her door. Not wanting to let the poor little thing wander the streets alone, and possibly come to harm, Unnur takes in the cat and begins a desperate search for it’s owner.

As luck would have it, the owner’s identity is discovered and Unnur thinks this will be the end of it. Boy, was she wrong. Ásta, the cat’s owner, is a force unto herself. Unnur is oddly charmed by this mysterious young woman with such a vibrant energy.

When Ásta explains her situation to Unnur and asks if the cat can stay with her on a more permanent basis, until Ásta can properly take her back again, Unnur ultimately agrees. This agreement comes with regular contact with Ásta, as she comes for visits and to bring supplies.

The two women open up to one another over the course of these visits, learning more and more about each other’s lives. It seems to be a bit of a balm for them both.

Unnur comes to understand that Ásta’s life may not be as perfect as it first appears. In fact, she has a dangerous problem on her hands, and Unnur ends up being the only one there when Ásta’s life takes a violent turn. Unnur will do anything to help her friend, and the day she does is the day that both women’s lives change.

Dead Weight is a great novella; solid start to finish. I liked the writing a lot and the way the story unfolded kept me intrigued. It’s quiet in it’s delivery, but I found many ways to connect to Unnur’s perspective. She felt so very real to me.

I loved the fated-feel for the relationship between these two women, brought together by a cat of all things, and I appreciated the depth explored in such a short number of pages. I feel like this is a story that could be even more appreciated upon reread, and I wouldn’t be against it.

It reminded me of a German novella from the late-1950s that I read earlier this year, Killing Stella. That was a very subtle Domestic Horror story, following a housewife who is deeply impacted by a young woman’s presence in her life. The general vibes of that novella were the same ones that I felt here and I’m not mad about it.

I would recommend this to any Reader who enjoys Domestic or Psychological Horror that is more subdued in it’s approach, but ultimately packs a punch.

Thank you to the publisher, Macmillan Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review. The narration by Mary Robinette Kowal was an excellent match for Unnur’s character and had me hooked!

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