Review by Booklist Review
When diner waitress and struggling actress Jess finds a five-year-old boy alone and frightened outside her apartment one night, she brings him inside and feeds him leftover pizza while she tries to find out his name. When the boy's father shows up not long after, the child is clearly terrified of him. A bloodbath ensues, and Jess and the boy go on the run. Violence follows unrelentingly in their wake as Jess tries to keep the boy safe while also trying to unravel how she feels about the recent death of her estranged father and deal with the fact that she recently pricked her finger on a used needle while cleaning the diner bathroom. Cassidy plays with and subverts readers' expectations in delightful and surprising ways in this twisty, gory horror thriller that's also a moving, insightful examination of grief and obligation and the nature of fear. Recommend to readers who enjoyed the twists and emotional resonance of Catriona Ward's The Last House on Needless Street (2021) or the chase-based plots of Gretchen Felker-Martin's Manhunt (2022) or Blake Crouch's Run (2024).
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Cassidy (Nestlings) balances gut-wrenching horror and jaw-dropping twists in this stellar outing. Jess, an unsuccessful actress who works at an L.A. diner, has a history of putting her compassion for others over her personal happiness and safety. So when she discovers a terrified little boy in her backyard being attacked by birds, she invites him inside and out of harm's way. But as she's figuring out her next steps, a naked man appears outside; he seems to be after the child, who panics when the two make eye contact. Jess and the boy watch through the window as the stranger gets into an argument with two of Jess's neighbors, who are then attacked by a huge, wolflike creature that breaks into Jess's home. She escapes with the boy, the start of a desperate flight for survival that leads to a shocking revelation about the neglected child: whatever he fears becomes manifest in the real world. There's a wonderful Twilight Zone feel to this clever conceit, but even as the threat level rises, Cassidy keeps Jess's choices plausible and grounded, making the nightmare she's found herself in all the scarier. This is a hair-raiser. (Apr.)
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review
After a particularly bad day at work at a 24-hour Los Angeles diner, aspiring actress Jess finds a young boy whimpering outside her apartment complex and brings him inside. This is no ordinary boy, and the father who is looking for him is a monster who will stop at nothing to get him back. So opens Cassidy's (Nestlings) latest horror novel, his best to date. Cassidy consciously frames his story about daddy issues as a homage to classic pulp horror and chase novels, with clear Twilight Zone influences as well, and this description only scratches the surface. Full of action, adventure, blood, and twists, the tale is anchored by the evolving relationship between Jess and the boy, who are the beating heart at its terrifying center. Readers beware, as the text warns, "no one will be spared," but not in the way anyone will anticipate. The horrors encountered here will burrow deep, forcing a confrontation with the power fear holds over everyone. VERDICT Cassidy's original and thought-provoking take on the werewolf trope will appeal to fans of fast-paced horror featuring strong characterization, such as classic Dean Koontz, the books documented in Grady Hendrix's Paperbacks from Hell, and anything by Brian Keene.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
