Title: I Am the Monster Under the Bed

Author: Emily Zinnikas

Release date: September 15th, 2026

*Huge thanks to the publisher for sending me a digital ARC of this one!*

I gotta be honest – when I saw the email from St. Martin’s Press come through offering this ARC for review, I wasn’t a fan of the title. After having read the book – and loving it by the way! – I’m still not a fan of the title. Reading the title initially, it gave me the sense that this was YA or middle grade horror. Pushing my trepidation aside, I read the synopsis and a light bulb went off. This was going to be my jam.

When I was a kid first getting into horror, there were only two tropes that truly terrified me – monsters under the bed and creatures in the woods. When I read the synopsis, I was immediately snagged by those two details. That as a child, Willa, the MC, had memories of something under her bed. And, that a group of teens went into the woods and only Willa came out. And though, in the description it doesn’t outright say ‘creature in the woods,’ that’s where my mind immediately went!

What I liked: Keeping with my ‘I gotta be honest’ opening line, I honestly had no idea this was Emily’s debut novel. When a publisher reaches out regarding an ARC opportunity, I have one line of thought – is the synopsis something I’d enjoy. If I’ve heard of the author before, great. If not, it doesn’t turn me away if the synopsis is intriguing. The reality of life is that we all have the same twenty-four hours in the day and every day is busy. I only have so much reading time – even less right now during the summer – so, I want to maximize my reading pleasure, and when I read this synopsis, I knew I’d enjoy it.

The novel follows a world renowned author, Willa, who paints under the moniker W. Sloane. Few know that W. Sloane is one and the same as the sole survivor of the Rapture Mystery Slayings, the event where six of Willa’s high school friends were brutally murdered, while she survived. She didn’t do that, she knows it, but back then, the local police and residents doubted her story and that she was the only one to return. She was always considered weird. She had a friend named Elliot who lived under her bed. She stayed clear of her basement, where the shadow people lived and wanted her gone, and she fed the forest to keep it full. On the night of the deaths, she forgot to leave meat out for the forest to feed, so, for all of these years, she’s blamed herself for their deaths, though she didn’t kill them.

She’s stayed away since graduation, but that all changes when a celebrity psychic calls her out and demands the cold case be reopened. Coupled with her beloved high school art teacher passing away, she’s forced to return and confront her past, and how that’s rippled into the present, head on.

Zinnikas does a great job of painting (no pun intended) the reclusive nature of Willa. The why of her shunning publicity, even as her paintings are hung in the most prestigious museums and art galleries around the world. And when a journalist sneaks in under the false pretense of an art interview, her cover is blown and the paparazzi nature of our TMZ world helps send Willa back to Rapture.

Once there, we get to see a familiar storyline. The return of the outcast. How small minds stay small in small towns and how those who remain can’t fathom that people change. Luckily for Willa, she befriends a new cop, even as people from her past show up and she struggles to not spiral. She’s there, doing this for the one woman who believed in her.

There were at least a dozen scenes in here where I felt my feet pull away from the end of my bed. Between trips down memory lane where Willa recounted her friendship with Elliot under her bed, to scenes within the forest and how branches would move and sway as though independently controlled, I was terrified. There’s large sections of this book that read close to the horrific atmosphere shown normally in Indie horror, not in polished, Big Five Press horror, so kudos to Emily and her editor for keeping the book as dark as they did, because that was a significant worry I had when I started.

Additionally, I’d like to point out how much I loved Zinnikas’ internal dialogue aspects of Willa as she struggled with her guilt/experience/survivor mind. Between how Willa was processing being stalked, running into the high school teacher who was inappropriate with her all those years ago, and being the only survivor – while being alluded in public by adults and professionals that she was the one who did it – Willa is a complicated character. Never once did it feel like an overwhelming amount of hurdles for the reader to deal with and the flow of Willa’s mental state was easy to follow and feel for.

The final quarter takes a different turn with the psychic becoming more involved and the secrets of Rapture coming to the surface. Those things that Willa saw that made her weird. It made for a fantastic finale, the forest really coming into detail and the cinematic climax as equally scare as hell and cathartic.

What I didn’t like: The only thing that stuck out for me was that I found a lot of the Rapture random people introduced didn’t get much time to become individual entities. Which meant when Willa would bump into a rando in the grocery store or wherever, I often couldn’t remember if she’d already encountered them or not. It wasn’t a big thing, but outside of a few Rapture residents, most of the characters beyond the main crew were all grey and not materialized.

Why you should buy this: This was fantastic. Every beat felt hypnotic and Willa made for a great MC. I’m still stunned this was a debut novel, because it reads like Zinnikas has been publishing for years. A dark, gripping, engaging read, ‘I Am the Monster Under the Bed’ had me hooked from the beginning. After having finished it, I want to read even more books with people being friends with what goes bump in the night and you already know how much I love my horror set in the woods.

For anyone looking for a fast-paced scarefest, this one will make you keep the lights on and flipping the pages until the sun rises once again. And for anyone wanting a smalltown who-dun-it with creeps and thrills, look no further.

Loved this one.

Hey all! I hope you’re doing well and managing the craziness that is 2026!

So, back in March of 2026, Kaiju Killers Pt I was released. I posted about it here on my website and the response has been awesome so far! At the same time as its release, I also announced Kaiju Pt II! BUT, neglected to actually post it here. SMH. I’m so sorry!

I’m trying to be more on the ball with updates, but for some reason, dropped said ball here.

Pt I and Pt II work as sequels and complimentary pieces to my novel Mastodon. They fill in some of the behind-the-scenes moments of Mastodon, and the craziness within, while also continuing the story.

Even better – Joe Hempel and Fright Night Audio will be releasing the Audiobooks of both parts, and we’re shooting for a September and October release for those!

The covers for both Kaiju Killers – which when side-be-side make for an amazing image – were handled by Geoff Parrell at Numb Phase Design! Find his work here – https://numbphasedesign.ca/

Geoff also did the cover for my novella We Watch.

You can grab Pt I & Pt II here – mybook.to/mastodonseries

or grab Pt I at the direct link;

And you can grab Pt II at this direct link;

Title: The Video Store Massacre

Author: Michael Grimala

Release date: May 15, 2026

*Huge thanks to Michael for sending me a digital copy to review!*

Where I grew up, there wasn’t a lot.

Really small town, no stores/malls, and for the most part I was my own entertainment. We had three TV channels, CBC being the staple on Saturday nights for Hockey Night in Canada. I spent a lot of time in our backyard playing sports by myself or spending time in the trees along the base of the mountain our house butted up against.

One thing we did have was a VCR. And just two houses down from us, Marilyn Scott rented VHS tapes out of her garage – think most were $1, some $2, so without fail – and several times a week – I’d grab a buck or two from my mom and walk over, in search of something to watch. Marilyn also let us run a tab, so in some cases, after we were done playing at the park across the street from her place, I’d stop in and grab something, dutifully writing down the title and how much was owed in her notebook.

Between the VHS rentals and my other neighbour lending me her Stephen King novels, this was my introduction to horror. Marilyn didn’t care what I rented. I was eight, nine, ten, and she’d look the other way if it was PG13 or Rated R. I watched everything I could get my hands on, knowing full well my younger sisters wouldn’t want to watch any of the movies.

Recently, the amazing Tony Jones messaged me about a book he thought I’d love. He raved about it, said it was an unexpected gem and that it was a throw back to the kids band together to battle an evil that dominated most of the 80s and 90s horror films. I was intrigued by it and then to my surprise, the author, Michael Grimala emailed me and offered a review copy!

What I liked: Honestly, I didn’t even read the synopsis. Tony had loosely described it and the title had me hooked. Remembering how much fun my youth was by grabbing VHS tapes purely by cover image/title, I went in decently blind.

The novel follows a new-to-town kid named Calbert, who hastily has arrived in Auburndale after his mom insisted they pack and leave their old place. He’s unsure why, and even worse, the move happened during mid-summer, so he can’t even use school to make friends. That changes though, when his mom leaves for work and he sneaks out to explore the town. His mom is very protective of him and doesn’t want him going anywhere on his own, though for why he’s unsure.

While exploring, he runs into Ray, John and Denise, three kids his age who are huge horror fans and who are planning on making their own horror movie. After getting ran out of the local movie store from an angered school principal, they end up at the abandoned Drive-In Movie Theatre, where the trio hang out and watch films in the old staff area. It’s here that Calbert learns some people believe the place is haunted, after a bunch of people were killed years prior.

It’s from there that Grimala begins to reveal the horrors. We get a lot of really fun scenes, where each of the kids need to confront and deal with their own personal fears, all the while trying to figure out the truth of what happened all those years ago. They’re desperately trying to stay alive, as the horrors begin to haunt both their waking and sleeping lives and throughout, they try to determine ‘why.’ Why now? Why them? And why is it even happening?

We start to get those answers, but in doing so, Grimala ramps up the carnage, the chaos and the volume of fake blood that’d be necessary, should this ever be adapted. Throughout though, this remained exceedingly fun, a great homage to the movies and books I read as a youth, much like many fellow readers.

The settings we experience in here also help to heighten the story. We get a school, a video store, the drive-in, a hotel and a few others I won’t mention to remain spoiler free, but each and every one worked to both entertain but also ramp up the action. I really enjoyed how the set pieces were used and utilized and added to each of the characters terror.

The ending works well, and we get a huge cinematic send-off with all of the moving components coming together and those characters who’ve survived working to overcome the last push that evil always seems to have in media such as this one.

What I didn’t like: The one thing that I noticed, that ended up dimming some of the shine of this book, was that there was very little backstory build up of the main characters. We learned very little about most of them, outside of some key details that were necessary, and because of that, the emotional connection we’d typically develop with each of them just wasn’t as significant as it could’ve been. Saying that, nobody likes to be bogged down by excessive backstory, nor seeing a book that feels well-paced, slow to a slog because an additional two hundred pages of backstory were added, so I think this might be an individual reader thing, where I wished for a bit more and others may find it was the perfect amount.

Why you should read this: ‘The Video Store Massacre’ is a fun, throwback novel harkening to the fast-paced 80s and 90s horror movies featuring a great cast of kids who you want to see overcome increasingly difficult odds. Grimala must’ve wrote this with a maniacal grin on his face, because it feels fresh and vibrant, while also paying homage to a lot of movies and books that came before it.

A debut novel that’ll stay with you long after the credits end, this is a perfect summer read for those of us who like to stay up far past our bedtimes wondering what’ll happen next. And now I wish I could walk down the street to Marilyn’s garage and rent a few tapes for the weekend!

Title: Nightjars

Author: Michael Wehunt

Release date: September 29th, 2026

*Huge thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for a digital ARC of this one!*

Since discovering Michael’s collection ‘Greener Pastures’ I’ve always been excited for each of his releases and devoured them upon their landing on my Kindle. I was honoured to have Michael even reach out previously to see if I’d review his novella ‘Everything Is Beautiful and Nothing Bad Can Ever Happen Here,’ and when I while writing my own novella ‘We Watch’ (which I also dedicated to Michael [humble brag, lol!]), his novella heavily influenced the tone and atmosphere I was going for within. When I read his PHENOMENAL novel ‘The October Film Haunt’ I couldn’t wait to see what his next full length release would be. And then ‘Nightjars’ was announced and I had to take a calming, collective gulp. Why? Because I struggle heavily with Vampire fiction. Since I was a kid, Vampire media – no matter the format – just never did anything for me. I didn’t find them terrifying. I wasn’t scared of their powers or their fangs or their glamouring ability. My wife and I watched True Blood when it originally aired and I don’t think I made it to the end of it, though I’m pretty sure she did. Vampires, to me at least, are far down on the list of things I enjoy.

So, with my significant Vampire prejudice in place, I put my trust in Michael’s storytelling ability.

‘I Believe in Wehunt’ just might need to a shirt.

What I liked: The novel centers around Luke, his ex-wife – who happens to be pregnant from her new significant other, and their daughter. Luke has battled addiction, which lead to his separation, but has vowed to stay on the straight and narrow to be their for his daughter. His father wasn’t always there and when he was, Luke has odd memories. Those memories are thrust into the forefront of his life when strange photos are shared with him. Soon, the meaning behind those photos is revealed and Luke needs to do whatever he can to prevent his daughter from being taken.

Michael does a really solid job of setting the stage here. We see Luke, learn to tentatively like him – even if he is a bit sappy and frustrating – and easily understand how much love he has for his daughter. It’s there in his efforts to stay clean and sober. It’s there in the playhouse he’s building with her when she spends time with him. And it’s there when he gets a small, wooden version of her made, one that lives in the playhouse to keep it warm while she’s at her mom’s.

Wehunt also does a great job of showing the push-pull nature of Luke and his ex’s relationship. How she wants to trust him and keep love for him in her heart alive – at least for their daughter’s sake – but when things start to go up the creek and they both can’t find paddles, it’s that mutual love for their daughter that band them together. Even when they’re apart.

One thing this book managed to do, which took me a bit to put into words, was how Michael painted colors with his prose. It was a phenomenal approach to storytelling. One where some scenes were faded blue and moldy green and others were warm yellows and glowing oranges. It was subtle at first, but as the book progressed, I could tangible feel the cinematic approach he was using with his descriptions, one where the dark greys and ashes blacks were ripped down the middle with thick splashes of vibrant read. It was as close to read a graphic novel – as a novel – as I think I’ve ever experienced.

The final quarter of the book takes a similar approach while also ramping up the pacing and tension. We arrive where all roads have lead and there we see and learn the history of the main Vampire that has been terrorizing Luke and haunted Luke’s past, and we see Luke transform from ‘just a dad’ to something willing to go that extra step and do even more to make sure his daughter is ok. It added a significant extra layer of emotion to the story, even as Luke’s POV was lessened and his ex-wife’s increased.

The ending can only be described as powerful. There’s a sliver of light (pun intended, ba dum tiss!) for a sequel within this world based on the decisions made and questions answered, but as is, if we see this as ‘THE END’ it was a gut punch and spoke to the family dynamics that played out across the scope of the story.

What I didn’t like: I mean… if you don’t like Vampire fiction, this is a Vampire book. But, if you’re like me, what pulled me through this novel was Wehunt’s mastery of atmosphere and the family emotional narrative.

Why you should buy this: If you’re a Wehunt fan, you’ve probably already pre-ordered this, like I have. If you’re a Vampire fan, then you’ll absolutely want to gobble this down. And, if you’re not a Vampire fan, I’d still suggest you give this one a go, simply for the fact that this felt like the first time I read the graphic novel ’30 Days of Night.’ That was one of the rare Vampire released I’ve loved and been unnerved from.

Wehunt takes a darkened idea and twists it into a blackened narrative that showcases what makes him such an amazing writer. Heart, soul, and atmosphere all coated with a thick layer of blood.

Perfection.

Title: Murphy’s Lore

Author: Dan Soule

Release date: May 22nd, 2026

I think it was back in 2020 that Dan reached out to me to see about if I would be interested in reading his novel ‘Witchopper’ and potentially blurbing it. Since then, Dan’s churned out a run of novels and novellas that have created one of the most solid bibliography’s out there. ‘The Jam,’ ‘Neolithic,’ ‘Savage,’ ‘Witchopper’ and jaw-droppingly amazing ‘The Ash’ are all must-reads and have all solidified two things for me. The first is that Soule knows how to craft a tale that’ll have me ripping through it with a grin on my face. The second is that his books are sorely overlooked. Much like his friend (and mine), Joseph Sale, I wish more folks would find his books and eat them up, because they’re phenomenal and always equal parts action and emotion.

Having previously loved what he did with his sci-fi/horror release ‘The Ash,’ I was really curious about what he’d crafted here. Sci-fi/horror is always a favorite subgenre of mine and so, when he announced this, I grabbed a copy right away and couldn’t wait to dive in. Once I did, I knew I was in for a treat. Funny enough, I didn’t realize until the afterword that I already owned this one, as it originally appeared in a Crystal Lake three-author release alongside Lee Mountford and Joseph Sale!

What I liked: The book opens up on a ship christened Reggie, where the crew are working to maintain a space defense system that protects earth from deeper space known as Agoul Space. Murphy is the rookie of the crew, and though technically she’s more the medic, every member is sort of a Jack-of-all-trades onboard, ensuring things run smoothly. A retrieval vessel will be coming to pick them up soon, swapping out new crew with them, so it’s just a case of waiting until their ride arrives.

Things take a turn when something’s detected nearby. When they discover that it’s coffin from an infamous research vessel, the decision to bring it onto the ship and see what it contains is met with mixed reactions, but because it’s from the vessel known as the Palantine, one of the first research ships sent to Agoul Space, only to never be heard from again, they decide to get the coffin.

Soule does a great job of giving us just enough information about the characters and banter between them, that we’re able to make some connections and understand their inner workings. One crew member has gone a bit insane, Ito having raved about a spy on board and because of that, they’ve been sedated, but once the coffin is opened, Murphy begins to wonder if there’s more going on than they think and that maybe Ito was onto something. A relic is discovered, strange sounds are heard and when the greatest enemy known to mankind suddenly appears, this becomes a story about survival and the horrifying claustrophobia of being sucked out of the vessel to be sent adrift through deep space.

I really enjoyed the pacing throughout. Soule starts us off easy and jovial before the story turning suspicious and tension-filled. Then, it finishes with a pedal-to-the-metal joyride of explosions, hallucinations and every-second-might-be-your-last.

The ending was a lot of fun. While reading this, I felt like I was back in my bedroom as a teenager, watching one of the sci-fi/horror VHS tapes I’d rent every weekend. This felt like a glorious ode – and wonderful update – to the late 80s and early 90s movies that were equal parts amazing and bat-shit crazy. It was great to see Dan mention that was what inspired him to write this in the afterword.

What I didn’t like: The main thing that jumped out at me is ultimately discussed in the afterword, but I’m still going to mention it here. While reading the book and having the Agoul space and Agol (I might be spelling this wrong) extraterrestrials introduced, I felt like I was missing something. I didn’t remember it from ‘The Ash,’ which I was wondering if that novel was connected to this one, but I just felt like I was expected to know what they were, so at first I was a bit confused. Soule explains in the afterword that he’d thought about expanding those two elements and shares about them a bit more, which cleared up some of my confusion, but I also had no idea this was the same novella from that Crystal Lake three author release, as the name of the story changed. I also didn’t know that it’s related to the stories Lee and Joseph wrote, so I wonder if they have a bit more mythology explained. I’m hopeful Dan does another release where he goes into it more in depth, because I’d love to learn more about it. Side note – years ago Joseph Sale, myself and Brian Fatah Steele discussed releasing related/interconnected novellas in a shared universe, so I was excited to read that Joseph was able to scratch that itch with Dan and Lee!

Why you should buy this: If you’re looking for just an all-round action-packed fun time, ‘Murphy’s Lore’ will be a perfect read to cure that fix. Murphy’s a great character, their back story really intriguing and honestly, anytime you get a great space sci-fi/horror book, we’re lucky. Soule is such a solid, masterful writer, one who isn’t afraid to take chances and make the reader feel big emotions and this one is yet another prime example of that.

A quick, chaotic novella that hopefully sets the stage for a huge world-building slate of releases, ‘Murphy’s Lore’ was a perfect cinematic read.

Title: The Siren of Groves Peak

Author: Glenn Rolfe

Release date: June 30th, 2026

*Huge thanks to Glenn Rolfe for a digital ARC of this one!*

I’m fast approaching a decade of reading Glenn’s signature brand of horror and throughout that time – including when he released a few books under a pseudonym – he’s created a phenomenal fictional grouping of towns in Maine, that he uses to set his novels within.

That’s very apparent within his newest, the murderous mermaid rampager known as ‘The Siren of Groves Peak.’ This is a treasure trove of Easter eggs when it comes to all of his books and I suspect should you give this one multiple reads, even more will pop their heads up, but as is, if you’ve been reading Rolfe for any length of time, expect to be smiling a bunch when you connect this one to his other books.

I’ve got a love/hate relationship with mermaid/siren horror. On one hand, it can be fascinatingly in depth. On the other, it can often times feel repetitious and same-old-same-old.

Going in, I was excited to see what Glenn did, knowing his penchant for character-driven stories and emotional narratives.

What I liked: The novel takes place in Groves Peak, a lobster town that for some time has had plentiful hauls. The men all know why, and some of their wives do to, but for the most part, the residents are unaware of the deal that’s been made. A siren is behind their success. She’s been there for decades and made a deal. She’ll seduce the men in the hopes of conceiving a baby – the thing she wants most in the world – and in return she’ll ensure the lobster fill their traps. This is all well and good until a murder takes place and everything is thrown for a loop.

The majority of the story follows Lizzy and Willow, young women who’re also the daughters of two of the towns more prominent fisherman, though Lizzy’s dad has fallen on hard times. He’s an alcoholic who’s never quite recovered from his wife packing up and leaving one night, years ago, and though he’s searched for her, she’s never been found.

Rolfe gives us tidbits of how lobster fishing fuels each life, and as that fishing dries up, stress mounts and more and more bodies are discovered. Rolfe paints a vivid picture of what the coastal town is like, and in doing so, does such a great job that you’ll feel drenched and freezing while reading.

The final quarter of the book is essentially a full-throttle series of revelations and discoveries. The towns secrets are revealed as is the individuals who played various parts in everything and Glenn does a superb job of packing this with a ton of action and a ton of emotion.

What I didn’t like: In this particular novel, I found there to be a few too many characters. In doing so, I just didn’t care about them to any degree. Sure, folks like Vernon and Lenora have a role to play, but I don’t think their storyline added much to it, considering similar characters were introduced to a degree as well. Though Glenn does this within each of his novels, in this case I found it just felt like every few chapters more and more characters were introduced, which distracted from the main ones I was wanting to follow.

Why you should buy this: If you’ve been a long-time reader of Glenn’s books, you’ll be all over this and love it. If you’ve never read any of his books, this is a great jumping in place. It features all of Glenn’s hallmarks in storytelling, as well as those aforementioned Easter eggs, which will make for great ‘a-ha’ moments when you read his other books.

The siren is done really well and thankfully, Glenn doesn’t spend much time humanizing it to any degree. We see how it reacts when things take a turn and we get to see it turn into a hideous, vengeance-filled monster, which was a lot of fun.

Overall, Rolfe’s delivered another fantastic novel, one that nestles really nicely into his ever-expanding bibliography.

Title: Drone

Author: Dan Howarth

Release date: April 24th, 2026

Throughout history, people have shared stories of hearing an almost imperceptible ‘hum’ or drone. A quick Google search will bring up numerous examples, as well searching for it on Youtube or Tik Tok. I remember in late 2025 following a few Tik Tok accounts based out of Whitehorse in the Yukon who were asking about people hearing a noise and sharing folks recollection of the noise. It’s an interesting phenomenon, one that seems to have no specific reason behind it happening, while also seemingly ‘easily’ explained by others.

Over the last number of years, I’ve read a few of Dan Howarth’s releases – and seriously if you’ve not read his novel ‘Last Night of Freedom’ yet, you absolutely need to get on that, freaking phenomenal – and really enjoyed them. When he announced this one, I was at first drawn in by the gorgeous cover art, but then reading the description, I was hooked. I was hoping to get this read as soon as possible after it was released, though that wasn’t the case. When I did jump into it, I was smiling from ear to ear. Howarth has a cadence to his writing that is both comforting but also anxiety-driven. It’s as though each word has an energy to them and as you flip the page, that energy is minutely increased, only becoming apparent to the reader after it’s too late to turn back.

What I liked: The story takes place on a remote island where the inhabitants live a fairly simple life. Saying that, there’s nothing simple about it. They farm. Farming is perhaps one of the most difficult and stressful professions/lives anybody could ever choose and in this case, our main character Gallagher didn’t choose. He was born into the life, his father a farmer. And after his father passed away, Gallagher inherited the farm and all its shortcomings. Money is tight, losing a single animal can be a death blow and as the outside world moves further away from buying from those on the island, Gallagher wonders what awaits his own future.

And then one day he wakes with a noise in his head he can’t shake. He rubs his ears, tries covering them and even sees the local doctor whom he detests, but there’s nothing that seems to lower the never ending sound. It keeps him awake, makes him angry and begins to gnaw at his very psyche.

Then, when he finds his sheep in a mass of violence and throwing themselves against barbwire in an apparent attempt to take their own lives, he knows this is more than just a noise in his head.

Howarth does a wonderful job of making this novella feel gritty and unrelenting. The pacing of it is akin to how Gallagher must’ve felt as the days go by and the drone in his head doesn’t stop. At first, the chapters feel lush and pleasant. And then they begin to morph, the words becoming more caustic, more abrasive and the sections within the chapters harsher and dirtier. We see Gallagher become angrier, we see him interact with a neighbour whom he’s not spoken to in almost a decade and we see a follow up visit to the doctor, and all three aspects point him towards a single way, a single action to make the noise diminish and potentially even go away.

The novella also heavily deals with the realities we all face every day with prices going up, pay going down and how those not in the top 1% of the wealth have to find different ways to make ends meet, all while knowing we’re just one bad bounce away from total ruin. Gallagher runs these thoughts through his mind over and over, both to contemplate just how bad things have become, but also in an attempt to silence the sound. The drone won’t be silenced by thought.

The ending is a brutal look at where things go when left unchecked and Howarth has a cinematic penchant for delivering harsh moments through the lens of masterful prose.

What I didn’t like: There were two aspects that stuck out to me, but both are pretty much reader preference. The first was that not a lot of time is put into the likely cause of the drone or where it came from. Sure, Gallagher talks to others to see if they hear it, but there’s really no rumour’s or so-and-so said this etc. It’s just quietly accepted that the sound exists and Gallagher devotes his time to figuring out how to end it. Even when he goes to the doctor, she says she’ll contact colleagues and then we learn they don’t have any ideas.

The second thing was the POV shift at the end. I can’t go into it for spoiler territory, but I found it very jarring when it happened. It’ll either work for you or not.

Why you should buy this: Howarth manages to give us a novels worth of emotions in a novella page count and does it with blistering glee. ‘Drone’ teases the reader with the potential of a larger unknown at work, but focuses on a singular man. It’s essentially a master work in macro ideas with micro execution. It’s relatable on a number of levels; between the apocalyptic shifts that occur within the small town – first we see lines to shops lower and then we see first responder stations board up and nobody answers the phones, and then we see the shift in the people themselves. Howarth blends the familiar with the foreign, and it’s a unique look into what would happen to ourselves and to our neighbours should something like this ever occur.

A novella that is the true definition of a page-turner, ‘Drone’ is both eerily unsettling and absolutely captivating.

Title: The Summer Fun Massacre

Author: Craig DiLouie

Release date: June 16th, 2026

*Huge thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a digital ARC of this one!*

Of all the subgenres of Horror and Dark Fiction, one of my least favorites is the slasher. I’m not sure why, it’s just never been one I’ve enjoyed, and that even extends to movies. A lot of the lauded slasher films of the 80s that are considered horror classics today didn’t grab my attention back then and even now, I’m kind of meh about them.

Saying that, there’s always been a few that have managed to break through my hardened exterior and though I typically stay away from reading slasher books, when one of your favorite authors has a slasher horror novel coming out, you take a chance with it, hoping their steady hand will break through that previously mentioned exterior.

DiLouie’s writing has always connected with me, and he’s written three of my all-time favorite books. ‘Suffer the Children’ and ‘One of US’ are masterpieces, but it’s the third book of those three that had me take a chance on this slasher. ‘Episode Thirteen’ was a revelation, and as a reader who dislikes most mixed media/epistolary stories, DiLouie managed to take those aspects and transform them into a book I absolutely loved. So, with that in mind, I figured it wouldn’t hurt to give this one a chance.

What I liked: The novel throws us into the deep end immediately. 1992. Summer Camp. And teen campers are being slaughtered. Tom, a local police officer, was just there, and found nothing from the initial call. When a second call is made, he thinks somethings up and returns, finding chaos, carnage and a sole survivor – Laura. Shades of a similar summer camp massacre in 1982 come racing back and when Laura tells him that a man wearing a rabbit head mask was behind it, he knows somethings up.

From there, DiLouie showcases the struggle that Tom goes through internally and externally. On one hand, his former girlfriend, Mary, was the lone survivor of the ’82 murders. Since then, she’s lived on the periphery of society, angry that the police didn’t help her back then. That event was his kick in the pants to become a police officer. He doesn’t believe the rumors of ‘The Hungry Hare’ that surround the town. Suggesting that a huge rabbit lurks in the woods and kills those who sing his rhyme. Though that’s who both Mary and Laura claim was behind the murders. His boss – and fellow officers, a rag tag mix of members – all want to wrap things up in a neat bow, there’s an election coming after all, but Tom doesn’t see how the man they’ve targeted as the suspect was the one who did it. But looking deeper into the clues only gets him in trouble from all ends.

Tom’s battle between what feels right and what he should be doing as an officer becomes the major narrative for the majority of the novel. DiLouie uses it perfectly to force the reader to ask themselves what they’d do in a similar situation.

The final quarter of the novel is pure cinematic glee. We get twists, turns, reveals, acceptance and resolution. DiLouie even manages to pack in some unseen backstory twists that add a layer of craziness, while also pushing Tom further in one direction, before he needs to head back in the other. It makes the ending a very solid, complicated affair where we learn some truths while also coming to grips with the ‘why.’

What I didn’t like: I don’t think this is spoilery, but for me, I wished there was significantly more about The Hungry Hare. It felt like it was going to be a major part of the novel itself but felt minimal overall. That could be explained, or expanded upon in the sequel coming later this year, but as a singular novel, I just wanted much, much more.

Why you should buy this: If you love slasher novels/movies, this one will be right up your alley. If you enjoy police procedurals, this also ticks all those boxes. And if you love layered, twisty novels that make you second guess everything every few chapters, this one’s perfect for you. DiLouie has delivered another fantastic novel, one filled with fun, gore and difficult decisions, which has become a bit of his trademark it seems.

And once again, he’s managed to make this jaded reader enjoy a book he wasn’t so sure about. Well done, Craig.

Title: The Thirteenth Mark

Author: James Lincoln

Release date: November 13th, 2025

*Huge thanks to James for sending me a digital review copy of this one!*

Some time ago, I received a DM on Instagram from a reader who’d read my Father of Lies compendium and let me know they really enjoyed it. I thanked them and shared that ‘When I Look…’ is related to that, they let me know they were snagging it, and then, as two book fans often do, we went on our way, liking some posts by each other.

Recently, they DM’d me again (and I’m hoping you don’t mind me sharing this!) and they mentioned that their husband had released a novella and asked some questions about ways to increase visibility etc. etc. Now, if you’ve been following me for any length of time – and this goes all the way back to my time with the mighty Kendall Reviews and even my feature there, Books From the Crypt – I love reading and reviewing and promoting books that haven’t been plastered everywhere. You know the ones I mean. Books From the Crypt was focused on sharing books with less than 50 Goodreads ratings. There’s an entire world of books waiting for readers to discover that don’t have big press push and influencer posting. And by all means – read those books, post those books, love those books. Big books are as amazing as little books. But if I can share some of my online platform space by showcasing those other books, I will.

And ‘The Thirteenth Mark’ is one of those books that I hope I share, one of you buys it, loves it, recommends it and more and more people find it, because this is a book worthy of being on all of our horror shelves – digital and physical.

After receiving that DM, I mentioned a few different ways that they might increase visibility, but then also offered to review it. I wasn’t sure when I’d get to it, but wanted to try and get in read sooner. Then, the other night, I had a bit of insomnia and cracked it open on my Kindle. 50% later, I forced myself to go to sleep, knowing that if I didn’t close my Kindle cover, I’d have to finish it.

What I liked: Is Liminal Isolated Forest Horror a subgenre? I know I’ve kind of tried to write some stuff that borders on that description before, but I can’t think of anything that even came close to what I read in this one.

The book follows our unnamed main character, who awakens disoriented somewhere in a forest. He’s relatively unscathed, but doesn’t know his own name, where he is, why he’s there or even what he looks like. He starts walking. The forest around him is calm, quiet and unnerving. Is the forest even real? Is he?

Soon, he comes upon a cabin. The cabin seems familiar, but he’s not sure why. He thinks he’s been there before, but he can’t be positive. He enters and finds a place that’s walking the line between abandoned and lived in.

Lincoln does a great job of subtle sightline shifts. For a first release, his mastery of atmosphere is phenomenal and its that aspect that he slowly adjusts – to the readers frayed edges of anxiety’s detriment – as the novella goes on.

On its surface, the book is ‘simple.’ A sort of Ground Hog Day idea, where this character goes to sleep, wakes up, repeats. But there’s these unseen, but felt, volume adjustments to the tension with each passing page that really snap into you as you read.

We get the addition of a Polaroid camera and pictures left behind that seem to shift with each glance. We get a dense fog that arrive and noise within. We get shadows that suggest someone else is there. And we get a growing dread that when we finally get to the grand revelation, we won’t like what we discover.

I won’t share where this one goes – for me it was a fantastic ending, one that really does the idea the author was trying to accomplish justice – but I think even if you don’t like the ending, the story that leads up to it was absolutely captivating.

What I didn’t like: While this one grabbed me and never let me go, if you’re looking for a book packed with action and gore, you won’t find it here. Some readers will find this book doesn’t move along fast enough for them. This one is like a Skinamarink or The Backrooms style story set in the forest and if that doesn’t appeal to you, then this might not be a good fit.

Why you should read this: In his afterword, James doesn’t allude to any of his own personal influences in writing this, but the closest atmosphere I’ve come across to this one was in Adam Nevill’s ‘Last Days.’ A growing dread where each page feels heavier to read and every paragraph seems to stack another weight on your chest.

‘The Thirteenth Mark’ hits all the high-notes and for me it’s one that is easily a hidden gem. I’m hopeful more people discover this one because it was fantastic and I think it’s one that will grow and grow over the next few years as more readers find it.

Outstanding.