horror

A Haunting on the Hill by Elizabeth Hand

~ megs14malloy

A Haunting on the HillA Haunting on the Hill by Elizabeth Hand
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Initially, after hearing of the upcoming release of A Haunting on the Hill, the first-ever authorized novel to return to the world of Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House, I thought, this is either going to be amazing and nostalgic, or we’re all going to hate it…

After reading it in a day, I’m happy to report, I loved it and though I wouldn’t say it was nostalgic, it did successfully deliver the atmosphere I was hoping for.

It’s funny because going in, I didn’t read any reviews and honestly, I didn’t even know what the overall rating for the book was since its release. I was surprised after I finished it and rated it, to see that the overall rating was only a 3.46.

It looks like I’m in the minority opinion again.

In this story, we follow Holly, a struggling playwright, her girlfriend, Nisa, a singer, their friend, Stevie, an actor, and a sort of washed-up starlet, Amanda, as they move into Hill House to work on the play Holly has been writing.

Holly rented the mansion for a month after seeing it for the first time while on a weekend getaway upstate. It just seemed like the perfect place to bring her play, The Witch of Edmonton, to life. It promises to be a next-level artistic experience for all involved.

From their very first tour of the house things seemed off, like the house has a spirit and mind of its own. Nevertheless, Holly isn’t able to stop imagining them living and working amongst its gothic goodness. She feels inspired.

Thus, the lease is signed and all associated parties make their way to the property. It’s showtime.

As with Jackson’s original, I loved the feel of the house. Hand did a great job channeling the dreadful atmosphere and the more supernatural elements were appropriately paced and eerie. It was interesting to watch the house unravel each of the characters in their own unique way.

I did find the writing style a little uncomfortable at first, but then I started to see it more as Holly’s perspective, her way of viewing the world and the unfolding events. It is how I could picture her relaying what was happening around her.

With that in mind, it began to flow a lot more easily for me.

Even though this was one of my most anticipated releases of the year, and I have had a hard copy since its release, I decided to wait for a copy of the audiobook from my local library in order to read it.

I had heard from a couple of different people that the audiobook was amazing and I couldn’t agree more. It is a great production, with fabulous narration and sound effects that boosted my overall reading experience.

I’m not sure if I would have rated it as highly had I just read a hard copy, and unfortunately we’ll never know, because I will never forget this listening experience. It was that good.

I also feel like the way this story is told, a bit slower and more subtle in the beginning, with a lot of character work towards the middle, then a rapid increase in supernatural occurrences as it races towards a rapid conclusion, lends itself well to the audio format.

It kept me engaged and I loved picturing the vivid imagery that Hand developed for us. I also enjoyed getting to know this cast of fairly unlikable characters.

The setting, the atmosphere, the relationships and their interactions, this all suited my tastes quite well. I walk away a very happy girl.

I’m already planning to read this again next year, most likely in the Fall. I am going to read Jackson’s original, immediately followed by this. I think that could help to enhance the experience even more.

At the end of the day, I appreciate so much the story that Hand was able to create here. It had to have been a tremendous amount of pressure to take on this task and I think she did an incredible job with it.

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Review: The Night House by Jo Nesbø

~ megs14malloy

The Night HouseThe Night House by Jo Nesbø
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Blinded by another stunning cover…

Sadly, The Night House was a complete flop for me. I get it. The format, and certain aspects, were creative and I give props for that, but in order to get there, it had to utilize certain plot devices that are a huge turn off for me.

It hurts me to rate this low, but I rate based on my reading experience and this was not a good one.

In this story we meet 14-year old, Richard Elauved, who moves in with his Aunt and Uncle after his parents pass away in a tragic house fire.

As if the loss of his parents wasn’t bad enough, the move puts Richard in a new school, and at 14, it’s not comfortable to be the new kid. Ballantyne is a small town as well, and since Richard is from a city, its a big change for him.

Although he is an outsider, Richard does make a couple of friends. Unfortunately, one of these friends, Tom, goes missing after he and Richard are hanging out one afternoon. Richard claims Tom got sucked through an old phone receiver, but of course, no one believes him.

Except for Karen. One of the few other friends he has made. Karen is an outcast as well and instead of laughing at Richard’s story, she encourages him to pursue it, and to hunt down the clues the police refuse to investigate.

After another classmate disappears after spending time alone with Richard, it’s more important than ever for Richard to prove he’s innocent. Richard would never hurt anyone, would he?

This story could essentially be broken down into three parts. For me, the first most closely resembled what I thought I had signed up for and although I thought Richard was a jerk, some of the plot developments were interesting.

By Act II, I was sort of ticked that it took a particular sharp turn, then by Act III, I was over it completely.

Needless to say, I can appreciate the thought that Nesbø put into the construction of this story, and I do feel like it is a bit of a clever take on some classic themes.

It does feel like Nesbø’s read some R.L. Stine. If he hasn’t, I would be surprised, because this does mirror some of the early Goosebumps tone quite a bit in the first section. From there it gets progressively more Adult, but I digress.

In spite of the fact that this wasn’t a hit for me, I know a lot of Readers will have fun with it. If the plot devices suit your tastes, you could end up loving it. I encourage everyone who thinks it sounds interesting to give it a go.

Thank you to the publisher, Knopf, for providing me with a copy to read and review. Regardless of the outcome, I’m glad I gave it a shot!

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Review: The Watchers by A.M. Shine

~ megs14malloy

The WatchersThe Watchers by A.M. Shine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A.M. Shine’s The Watchers kicks off quickly, with the opening section following a husband and wife, who seeking an adventure, go for a drive through the wickedly-enchanting lands of Connemara, in the West of Ireland.

The events of that drive set the tone, and also the stage, for the rest of the story. Needless to say, I was hooked.

We then meet our MC, Mina, who along with an unusual copilot, a beautiful Golden Conure, also goes traveling through those same wild lands.

Mina’s trying to make a quick buck. It should be easy, delivering the parrot safely to its new owner. When her car breaks down on the abandoned road though, her task suddenly becomes anything but easy. Mina exits her car, bringing the bird with her, as she searches for help.

The woodlands are eerie enough, but the screams make it all so much worse…

With no cell phone reception, or clue as to where she is, Mina has to keep going. There’s no telling how long it could take another car to come along this way.

Eventually she comes across a woman, shouting at her and waving for her to enter a concrete bunker. Scared out of her wits by the woods, Mina does as she’s told and enters the shelter. From there, she becomes captive to that seemingly safe space. A hostage of what’s lurking in the woods.

If you’re expecting answers quickly, don’t be. Part of the success of this story is the way that Shine builds that sense of uncertainty and unease. My thoughts were swirling as Mina entered the shelter.

What the heck was going on? The other residents of the shelter, Madeline, Daniel and Ciara, all seem like they’ve been there for a while, but just how long is unclear? And what is watching them? What are they afraid of?

I will say, about a third of the way through, it did start to slow down for me. We focus more on the characters at that point, and their forced interactions in the tiny shelter.

Part of me feels like that may have been intentional by the author. Perhaps as a way to lull the Reader into a bit of complacency, because just as you forget how much danger these characters are in, it rears its ugly head again and that fear and suspense is back.

Even with this pace change though, I was still intrigued and invested in finding out what the truth was.

This ultimately went in a direction I wasn’t expecting and there were a few reveals, as the conclusion approached, that I found to be so clever and disturbing.

I was definitely impressed with the atmosphere and horror concepts that Shine delivered here. This type of unsettling Folk Horror is something I tend to enjoy and this one will now live rent-free in my brain for a long time.

I recommend this to any Horror Reader, particularly if you enjoy unsettling atmospherea and Folk Horror that can get under your skin and stay there. I would also recommend this to anyone who enjoyed Pines by Blake Crouch, or Bird Box by Josh Malerman.

Overall, I really enjoyed this. The Watchers is a very solid story of Irish Folk Horror. I found it disturbing in the best ways. I’m looking forward to reading more from this author!

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Review: In the Scrape by James Newman and Mark Steensland

~ megs14malloy

In the ScrapeIn the Scrape by James Newman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In the Scrape is a 2019-Coming of Age Horror novella co-authored by James Newman and Mark Steensland.

James Newman is one of my faves, so when I was gifted an ARC-copy, I was super stoked. Then like a huge jerk, I never got around to it…

As I was considering what to pick up this past Halloween week, this gorgeous Autumnal cover popped into my mind. Now is the time.

In hindsight, I’m irked I had this 5-star read sitting on my Kindle for years. How did I not pay this story the attention it deserves? Hopefully this review will be an impetus for some of you to pick it up. That would help my guilt.

In this story we follow two young brothers, Jake and Matthew. The boys live with their abusive father and dream of nothing but escape. Their plan is to make their way to California, where they can be reunited with the mother they miss terribly.

We are told the story by Jake, who is 13-years old at the time the events take place. He gives us the details of the family dynamic and takes us through the days leading up to their planned escape.

The boys have been very strategic about it, saving money and waiting until the right time. Even during the worst of the abuse, they stay focused on their plan. They see an upcoming family hunting trip as the perfect opportunity.

Unfortunately, just prior to the trip, Jake has a bloody altercation with his arch-nemesis, which not only puts a damper on the funds he was hoping to save, but also brings local law enforcement sniffing around.

Nevertheless, their Dad is determined to make it out to their cabin for the first day of deer season, so off they go. Little does he know that first night is going to find him tied to a chair as his boys forge their escape.

Dad is a beast though, will the boys be able to subdue him enough to actually get away? What if he catches them? Who will survive the night?

This is such an incredible story. I loved it. I immediately could tell this was a Newman; I adore his writing. I’ve never read from Mark Steensland before, but I trust if Newman is working with him, he’s nothing short of brilliant.

Coming of Age is a subgenre of Horror that I tend to vibe with really well. I know when some people think of Horror books, they think, scary books, things that scare me, and then if they don’t get scared by a book, they say, this isn’t Horror.

For me, Horror is a more nuanced genre than that and thinking only books that literally scare you can be classified as Horror is simplifying the genre unfairly.

I’ve mentioned this before in other reviews, but this story did such a great job of channeling all of the essential vibes of the subgenre, that I felt it was worth repeating here.

This basically transported me into the lives of these two boys while they were living through what could arguably be the most pivotal year of their childhoods.

In addition to the superb writing, it made me feel so much. By the halfway point, I was commenting how it was breaking my heart. I could feel the pain and desperation of these boys.

The brother’s relationship was beautifully done. I could feel the love between them and the push and pull that made that relationship as special as it was. Given their circumstances, it was clear that they were beyond lucky to have one another.

I also loved how the authors continued to build the tension throughout the story as the end approached. They pulled me in, made me 100% committed to the characters and then got my pulse racing with my sights set on the conclusion.

I would absolutely recommend this to anyone who enjoys Coming of Age Horror, or to anyone who is looking to try the subgenre for the first time.

I mean, Coming of Age Horror novellas really don’t get much better than this. These authors knocked this out of the park. They made me love Jake and Matthew with my whole heart. In short, this filled my soul.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Silver Shamrock Publishing, for providing me with a copy to read and review.

My only regret is that it took me so long to get to it.

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Review: Slappy Birthday to You (Goosebumps Slappyworld #1) by R.L. Stine

~ megs14malloy

Slappy Birthday to You (Goosebumps Slappyworld, #1)Slappy Birthday to You by R.L. Stine
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Slappy Birthday to You is the first book in the Goosebumps Slappyworld series by R.L. Stine. This book was first published in 2017 and features Stine’s iconic ventriloquist dummy character known as Slappy.

I decided to pick this one up because ventriloquist dummies, well actually, all dolls scare me. I wouldn’t be able to sleep in a room that had a doll in it, for example. That doll would find themselves shoved in a closet on the far side of the house. Preferably, a closet with a lock on it.

In this story, we meet Ian Barker, who is gifted Slappy on his 12th-birthday. He has wanted a ventriloquist doll for a few years now and can’t believe he finally has his very own.

We get the story behind Ian’s fascination with the dolls and then we follow what it’s like for him as the proud new owner of Slappy. Spoiler Alert: it doesn’t go well.

What do we know about Goosebumps? It’s nostalgic, it’s formulaic and it can be a lot of fun.

I decided to listen to the audiobook for this story and I do recommend that option. Slappy provides the Introduction, the Epilogue and some fun little observation sections in between. His voice is really well presented on the audio. It definitely sounds like it could be him.

It’s eerie and high-pitched and if I ever saw and actual doll talking I would die and then be resurrected so I could die again. So, thank goodness, so far, that has never happened.

Unfortunately, for me, Slappy is more slapstick than scary at this point. He tries to be witty and snarky, but mainly his bad puns and ill-timed one-liners are anything but funny.

That’s the thing that sort of irks me about this. I love the humor in Children’s and Middle Grade stories, and I feel like it is something that those stories in general should have. Stine’s humor just feels so out-dated and frankly, not good.

I’m not trashing him. He’s a freaking icon and we cherish Goosebumps, Fear Street and basically anything else he has touched over his decades-long career.

However, perhaps he should have someone help him with the jokes, cause these aren’t landing.

There were some fun, creepy moments in this and I did genuinely enjoy the ending. I thought it was clever and definitely gave me a little lift of the brow. It was good.

I will probably be picking up the next couple books in the series, there are 19 total, just to see if they get more engaging for me. I am actually interested to see how we transition into the next tale as far as Slappy’s character goes.

I would recommend checking out this series for hardcore Goosebumps fans, if you haven’t gotten to it already. For newbies, I recommend starting with the original series.

I could be biased, formulating opinions based solely on nostalgia, but so far, nothing touches those originals for me. Overall though, I always have fun picking up a Goosebumps books and will continue doing so for years to come!

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Review: Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology, Edited by Shane Hawk & Theodore C. Van Alst, Jr.

~ megs14malloy

Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction AnthologyNever Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology by Shane Hawk
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Attention Dark Fiction fans: if you only read one anthology all year, it should be this one; an amazing collection!!

Never Whistle at Night is exactly what the subtitle says, an Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology. From the moment I heard about this release, I was stoked for it.

The synopsis sold me. I was also so excited to see the incredible group of authors contributing and that there would be an introduction by one of my all-time faves, Stephen Graham Jones!

I love all things Dark Fiction. It’s definitely my comfort zone and I truly enjoy exploring Dark Fiction inspired by cultures other than my own. I just love learning about the different dark lore/stories that various cultures around the world tell, or incorporate into their broader fictional narrative.

I am no writer, so I’m probably failing miserably in explaining what I mean, but hopefully you get the gist of why I was so excited for this particular anthology.

After the introduction from Stephen Graham Jones, the deep storytelling vibes are set and it’s time to dive in. I was immediately impressed with the variety and depth of the stories included. I had chills by the time I had finished the first story, always a good sign.

Anthologies and short-story collections are always a little hard to rate highly, as it’s very rare to vibe with all the stories included in a 5-star way. You’ll always have some you enjoy a lot and maybe a few that aren’t to your taste.

While I would say that is also true here, overall, for me, this was definitely a 5-star reading experience. Even though not all the stories were tailored to my particular tastes, I could still appreciate just how well they were written, and how each author truly brought their heart and their A-game to this collection.

If you are curious, some of the stand-outs for me in this collection were: White Hills by Rebecca Roanhorse, Quantum by Nick Medina, Snakes are Born in the Dark by D.H. Trujillo, Scariest. Story. Ever. by Richard Van Camp, The Prepper by Morgan Talty, Sundays by David Heska Wanbli Weiden and Collections by Amber Blaeser-Wardzala.

My favorite story of the collection was actually written by one of the editors, Shane Hawk. The story is titled Behind Colin’s Eyes and follows a boy and his Dad embarking on what should be a regular day of hunting, but ends up being anything but that. This one creeped me the heck out. It gave me chills and the whole thing is seared in my brain now. I won’t unsee this. Great work!

Overall, there is so much to love about this collection. There’s definitely something for everyone in here. As mentioned before, the stories cover a wide-range of topics and you can tell that these authors took a lot of care with the stories they were sharing.

Never Whistle at Night is a must read for anyone who enjoys Dark Fiction. Available now!!!

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Review: Cold Moon Over Babylon by Michael McDowell

~ megs14malloy

Cold Moon Over Babylon (Valancourt 20th Century Classics)Cold Moon Over Babylon by Michael McDowell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Cold Moon Over Babylon is a classic Southern Gothic tale that sets the bar high for others. I can’t tell you how many times this book has been recommended to me over the years.

I am so happy that I finally made time for it, because I absolutely adored it. It’s so good.

This story is set in the small, rural town of Babylon, Florida. We follow many folks in the town, but the main drama centers around the Larkin family after the youngest member, Margaret, disappears on her way home from town.

She was riding her bike home when she disappeared. Her grandmother and brother suspect foul play, but others aren’t immediately as alarmed as the family. The police even suggest Margaret, 14-years old, had run off with a boy.

Eventually, Margaret’s body, tied to her bicycle, is found in the local Styx River, just by the Larkin property. That puts the theories to rest. Margaret was viciously murdered.

We follow Margaret’s remaining family, her Grandmother, Evelyn, and her brother, Jerry, as they fight to find out the truth about what happened to Margaret.

This story is beautifully told. It is gripping from the start. The level of atmosphere that McDowell was able to bring to the page feels inspired. I could not only picture everything clearly in my mind, but I could feel it and smell it. It seriously moved me in so many ways.

My heart ached for the Larkin family, especially Jerry, trying to keep his Grandmother together in the face of another family tragedy.

I also thought the villain in this one was so well done. They’re a character you are going to hate. You are going to cheer for their demise. Following their perspective is like getting a front row seat in a sociopath’s mind.

Additionally, don’t even get me started on the horror imagery. Oh man, there are some creepy-ass scenes in this one. The entities haunting Babylon post-the crimes against the Larkin family. Yikes!!

One of my favorite scenes featured a character, Nathan Redfield, driving home from the liquor store and something, or someone, is after him. It was so vivid. It scared me, like legit scared. I had to turn more lights on.

I highly recommend this one. If you are a Horror fan, particularly if you enjoy Horror stories with a lush, small town feel, you have to pick this one up. I was so impressed.

Fabulously done by McDowell. I can’t wait to read more of his work. I have a feeling I will love his other novels just as much and hope to get to them soon.

RIP — Michael McDowell: June 1, 1950 – December 27, 1999.

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Review: Scarewaves by Trevor Henderson

~ megs14malloy

ScarewavesScarewaves by Trevor Henderson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars rounded up **

The small town of Beacon Point has a long and lurid history of eerie local phenomena. People disappear on the regular and creepy creatures are sighted just as regularly.

The adult residents of the town prefer not to talk about these unpleasantries, so they tend to turn the other way, or sweep unsavory incidents under the proverbial rug.

Regardless of the adults lack of action. over the course of several increasingly scary nights, a group of the local kids are forced to work together to try to find out the truth about their town. They need to put a stop to the horrors, before the horrors put a stop to them.

With fast-paced, intense chapters following the kids, as well as excerpts from a local radio show relaying the past spooky history of the town, Scarewaves is a wildly-entertaining read!

I had the pleasure of listening to the audiobook for this one and cannot recommend it highly enough. The production is so well done. It had me giddy!

I particularly enjoyed the sections from the radio show. The narration of the show host, Alan Graves, was so convincing. I would frequently forget what I was listening to, it sounded so much like a creepy podcast. Also included, fantastic sound effects that made those parts extra fun.

I really enjoyed the initial set-up to this one as well. We have a new girl in town, a social outcast, and other kids becoming friends with a cause, and an urgency. They need to figure the mystery of their town out and they learn to rely on one another rather quickly because of that.

I was also so impressed with the horror imagery that Henderson brought to the page. I mean, I know I shouldn’t have been surprised by that, as it is what he does. If you are familiar with Henderson’s illustrations, you know he has an incredibly dark and vivid imagination. We love to see it!

As far as Middle Grade Horror goes, this definitely is top shelf work. There are legit scary moments in this. I would have been obsessed with this as a kid. Heck, I’m almost obsessed with it as an adult!

An absolute monster of a debut for Henderson. I definitely recommend if you are a fan of Spooky Middle Grade that you add this one to your TBR immediately.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Scholastic Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This was an darkly delightful read!

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Review: Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison

~ megs14malloy

Black SheepBlack Sheep by Rachel Harrison
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

Rachel Harrison is one of my go-to authors in the Horror space. I feel like she brings her own special brand to the genre that I would generally classify as Cozy Horror.

Black Sheep is very similar in feel to her earlier works that I adored, Cackle and Such Sharp Teeth. Even though I enjoyed both of those ones a bit more than Black Sheep, this is still incredibly well done.

In this story we are following Vesper Wright, a cynical 20-something, who is estranged from her family and working as a waitress at a job she hates. Seriously, if she has to sing that birthday song one more time…

Sometimes things can go from bad to worse though, and Vesper ends up losing said job after an incident involving very hot nacho cheese. Don’t ask.

Unfortunately, worse is about to get even…worser? Vesper has received an invitation to her cousin, Rosie’s, wedding. Vesper dropped her family like a hot potato the minute she turned 18 and hasn’t looked back.

Sure, she couldn’t stand them, that’s why she left, but she was also told if she did leave their staunchly religious community, she could never return. Thus, she hasn’t. But this invitation; this could change things.

Is Vesper ready to return? Is she ready to face her past and her family’s dark secrets? Why not? She’s certainly not doing a heck of a lot of anything else.

Feeling like something inside her is compelling her to go, Vesper packs her bags and heads home for the first time. The toxic environment she left hasn’t changed much and Vesper quickly begins to question her choice to return.

Her mother, Constance, a former Horror film star is just as terrible, no maybe even more terrible than Vesper remembers. It’s not just her mother though. Everything seems more dangerous and sinister than before. The house, the community, what exactly is going on here?

This is such a great story. It was surprising. I definitely can’t say anything else about the plot without risking giving something away, which I don’t want to do.

I expected this to be a particular type of story and Harrison succeeded in flipping my expectations on their head. This was such a unique take on the poisonous family drama. I really loved the choices Harrison made in telling this story.

One of my favorite aspects of Harrison’s books are her believable and relatable main characters. They just feel so well developed and realistic to me.

Even though the things her protagonists go through are horrific, or even supernatural, in nature, they often make me shake my head in agreement and sympathy. I feel like I am connecting with them on a level that shouldn’t be possible.

Vesper’s experience in this story is vastly different than what any Reader will ever experience, trust me on this, no matter how bad you think your family is, but I still think so many people will be able to relate to her story.

I also love how Harrison brings a level of humor and candor to her stories that keep you chuckling, while simultaneously grimacing in disgust, or horror. That’s a talent.

As mentioned above, this isn’t my favorite one of her stories, but it’s still top notch. I just loved Cackle and related to it so much that it would be hard to beat, and I felt very similarly about Such Sharp Teeth.

I would recommend this to any Horror Reader, but particularly those who have enjoyed Harrison’s work in the past. This is 100%-true to her narrative style and offers up some stunning commentary on home and family.

Harrison has such a creative gift. I hope she keeps on cranking out stories like this for years to come. I will absolutely be picking up each and every one of them.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Berkley, for providing me with a copy to read and review. Harrison never disappoints. This was a fantastic read!

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Rereading a Favorite Horror Novella: What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher

~ megs14malloy

What Moves the DeadWhat Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

5-stars yet again!

This was exactly what I wanted for my first read of October, which is why I chose to reread a tried and true favorite Horror novella by one of my favorite authors, T. Kingfisher.

My goal was to set a tone for the month and What Moves the Dead certainly succeeded in that. It’s more than just a gorgeous cover. Kingfisher creates such an eerie, fun and mysterious tale in under 200-pages. She’s a marvel.

As with many other rereads, I think I was able to enjoy the details of this story even more this time around. Since I knew where the story was going, I could concentrate a little more on the finer points.

My biggest take-away this time through was how much I truly enjoy reading from Alex’s perspective. I love how Kingfisher brings her signature sense of humor to every main character she writes and Alex is no exception.

Alex is such a unique protagonist. They make you feel like you are sitting with a friend who is telling you a story of their last vacation. Granted a really messed up and horrifying vacation, but entertaining nonetheless.

I’m super stoked that Alex is coming back in February in the sequel to this book, What Feasts at Night. It sounds like it is going to contain the same sort of horror-based mystery for Alex to investigate.

Personally, I am counting down the days until I can get my hands on that. It’s definitely one of my most anticipated releases of 2024.

If you love Horror, but haven’t picked this one up yet, what are you doing with your life? Seriously? Get to it! This is the perfect way to kick off your Spooky Season reading!

Original:

In What Moves the Dead T. Kingfisher expertly reimagines Edgar Allan Poe’s The Fall of the House of Usher.

That fact alone sold me on this book, well that and the fact that T. Kingfisher is one of my favorite authors, but then this cover dropped.

A masterpiece shall grace our shelves. Mine for sure because I’ve already preordered a copy and you should too!

The year is 1890 and Alex Easton has just received word that their childhood friend, Madeline Usher, is on the brink of death. Thus, Easton heads off to the countryside to the Usher family estate to be with Madeline and perhaps provide some support to Madeline’s brother, Roderick.

Arriving at the once lavish estate, Easton is shocked that the manor home has fallen into such a horrible state of disrepair. It’s unnerving to say the least.

Equally unnerving is the state in which Easton finds Madeline. They knew Madeline was quite ill, but her behavior belies any illness that Easton is aware of. Madeline’s behavior, speech and appearance are bizarre. She’s actually frightening to be around.

Denton, an American doctor and friend of Roderick Usher, is staying at the home as well while tending to Madeline. It’s clear that Denton has no explanation for Madeline’s mysterious illness.

Additionally, Roderick Usher isn’t quite himself either. He’s not sleeping and claims to be hearing things in the walls of the home. Could he be succumbing to whatever has infected Madeline?

In addition to our main cast we also get some great side characters. Hob, Easton’s trusty horse, was of course my favorite. No one writes animal companions quite like Kingfisher. She gives them such strong personalities, which for anyone who has an animal companion of their own will seem quite relatable.

Another favorite was the intelligent and plucky Miss Potter, a local woman who spends her time researching and painting specimens of fungi. Easton and Potter meet and develop a quick rapport. Easton ends up learning a lot about the local area, lore, flora and fauna from Miss Potter.

The classic gothic vibe of What Moves the Dead meshed so well with Kingfisher’s fresh and witty humor.

Picking up a new Kingfisher story is so comforting for me. It’s like settling in for story time with a horror-loving friend. That’s exactly the feeling I got from this one. It’s eerie and sinister the entire way through, while also somehow managing to keep me laughing.

I loved going along with Easton on their investigation into the mystery surrounding the House of Usher. There is some truly horrifying imagery included that was so well done.

I could picture, smell and taste the decay of this property. It definitely got under my skin.

Thank you so, so much to the publisher, Tor and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with a copies to read and review.

As I mentioned earlier, this was absolutely one of my MOST ANTICIPATED releases of the year and it did not disappoint. Kingfisher is knocking them out of the park in 2022!!!

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