Reviewing Four Horror Novellas

Hello readers! This post has four mini-reviews for some horror novellas I read in October. The first is What Feasts at Night by T. Kingfisher, which occurs in the same world as What Moves the Dead. The other three were the October picks for The Literally Dead Book Club. The Night Guest by Hildur Knútsdóttir, Graveyard Shift by M.L. Rio, and This is Where We Talk Things Out by Caitlin Marceau.

Welcome, or Welcome back! My name is Amanda and this is where I share spoiler-free book reviews and other bookish things. Thanks for visiting. Let’s get Smitten For Fiction.

Title: What Feats at Night
Series: Sworn Soldier
Author: T. Kingfisher
Pages: 147
Publication Date: Feb 13, 2024
Publisher: Tor Nightfire
Genre: Horror, Gothic, Historical Fiction

As a favour to Miss Potter, Alex Eaton travels to their family hunting lodge in the middle of nowhere to help prepare it before her arrival. Alex arrives to find Codrin, the caretaker, dead. The cabin is surrounded by a strange silence. In the nearby village, they hear rumours that the caretaker was killed by a hag who comes to steal your breath at night.

When I read a book by Kingfisher, I feel like I’m sitting in a room, and they’re telling me the story. The character development and atmosphere that she can create in a short amount of pages is incredible. The nightmares and folklore were creepy and I had a really good time reading this one. I hope more books are coming with these characters.

Appeal Factors: character-driven, unconventional, slow-paced, angsty, mystical, dark, mysterious, disturbing

“The problem with telling a story, of course, is that you already know that I’m telling you about something significant that happened.”

“Tomorrow, in my experience, is only worth worrying about when there’s something you can do about it.”

“I sometimes think the fundamental disconnect with civilians is that they think a war is an event, something neatly bounded on either end by dates. What anyone who’s lived through one can tell you is that it’s actually a place. You’re there and then you leave, but places don’t stop existing just because you aren’t looking at them.”

Title: The Night Guest
Author: Hildur Knútsdóttir
Pages: 197
Publication Date: October 2021
Publisher: Tor Nightfire
Genre: Horror, Mystery, Feminism

What a strange story. This one had me guessing to the end, and I honestly don’t know if I understand the ending. However, I had a good time reading this one. I was intrigued the entire time. The Night Guest is set in Reykjavík. The main character, Iðunn, is always tired despite doing everything she can to get a good night’s sleep. Friends and family try to help, and doctors don’t have any answers. Then one night she falls asleep wearing a step counter watch and wakes to discover she has walked 40,000 steps in her sleep. Where does she go at night? What is she doing?

This is a tragic story about a woman’s slow descent into madness after the death of her sister. This one was creepy and had me checking my Fitbit in the morning. I can’t even imagine what it would feel like knowing you’re wandering around at night and have no memory of it. The super-short chapters make this a fast-paced read. The audiobook is great.

Appeal Factors: character-driven, issue-oriented, open-ended, unconventional, tragic, heartwrenching, thought-provoking, mysterious, sinister, and compelling

Title: Graveyard Shift
Author: M.L. Rio
Pages: 144
Publication Date: September 2024
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller, Gothic

A group of people from different fields often meet in a cemetery at night to smoke. One night they find a hole in the ground. They witness a stranger dumping something into the hole and work together Scooby-Doo style to uncover the truth. With dark academia vibes, Graveyard Shift is a medium-paced novella that takes place over one night. It touches on mental illnesses such as insomnia, anxiety, and depression. I like the writing style, but there are plot holes. It needed to be longer. It left me wanting more (and not in a good way).

Appeal Factors: character-driven, issue-oriented, open-ended, slow-paced, moody, quiet, gruesome, and offbeat.

Title: This is Where We Talk Things Out
Author: Caitlin Marceau
Pages: 93
Publication Date: Sept 2022
Publisher: Darklit Press
Genre: Horror, Thriller, LGBT+

This story is about Miller. Her father died recently and she agrees to spend a weekend with her estranged mother Sylvie at a remote cabin. Maybe this is the perfect opportunity for them to find a connection. This suspenseful story is about family trauma. It’s not a unique story, but wow the intrigue! I can’t believe what Marceau can accomplish with so few words. Miller’s actions didn’t make sense sometimes, so that affected the logical parts of the plot. The atmosphere of the cabin in a winter storm is claustrophobic.

“It feels like you do.” “Okay, but how you feel doesn’t dictate the truth of the situation.”

“And while Sylvie had a bad habit of extending poison ivy disguised as olive branches, Miller had a worse habit of accepting them.”

Appeal Factors: character-driven, open-ended, medium-paced, emotional, heartwrenching, high-drama, moody, sad, suspenseful, dark, sinister, disturbing, haunting.

› In the past I have given a rating out of ten and converted that to a star rating, but I’m no longer giving a star rating here on my blog. I will continue to do that on Goodreads and The Story Graph.