Midwestern Gothic

In this collection of four novellas, Thomas (The Boy in the Woods; Violet) brilliantly presents a book that not only is dripping with overwhelming dread on every page but also serves as a proof of concept for the Midwestern gothic. The novellas, all set in the fictional town of Blantonville, KS, are framed by the works of Thomas’s most famous characters, the horror novelists from his book Kill Creek. From cosmic to folk horror, from a twist on the summer-camp slasher to a Hitchcockian psychological nightmare, each single-sitting read stands alone as a fully realized, unnerving tale, expertly merging compelling storylines and fascinating characters. However, it is the sense of place that shines here, illustrating how the vast, wide-open prairie can turn against the characters and provoke terror in readers. An immersive, chilling, and unsettling read that will put Blantonville on the horror map right next to Castle Rock.