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Michelle Bowers
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★★★★★
A gripping psychological horror that stays with you
From the very first page this novelette pulls you in with strong Black Phone vibes—raw grief, unreliable narration, and a creeping sense of something wrong beneath the surface. The present-tense style takes a tiny second to settle into, but once it does, it keeps the tension tight and immediate. The author’s prose is atmospheric and deeply felt; the way he describes light, emotion, and the small everyday details of family life feels authentic and lived-in. You genuinely connect with the narrator and his fractured family.
The story builds beautifully through Part 2 and lands on a chilling cliffhanger in Part 3 that left me staring at the page. I also want to give a special shout-out to the author’s note at the very end—it’s powerful, thoughtful, and ties perfectly into the themes. Take the extra minute to read it; it’s worth it.
A couple of very small polish items (punctuation and one tiny consistency question) are the only reasons this isn’t flawless, but they’re easy fixes and didn’t pull me out of the story. Overall this is a solid, emotional, and haunting little horror piece that punches well above its length. I’ll be watching for whatever this author writes next.
Highly recommended—especially if you like psychological thrillers that make you think about grief, guilt, and what we bury inside ourselves.
From the very first page this novelette pulls you in with strong Black Phone vibes—raw grief, unreliable narration, and a creeping sense of something wrong beneath the surface. The present-tense style takes a tiny second to settle into, but once it does, it keeps the tension tight and immediate. The author’s prose is atmospheric and deeply felt; the way he describes light, emotion, and the small everyday details of family life feels authentic and lived-in. You genuinely connect with the narrator and his fractured family.
The story builds beautifully through Part 2 and lands on a chilling cliffhanger in Part 3 that left me staring at the page. I also want to give a special shout-out to the author’s note at the very end—it’s powerful, thoughtful, and ties perfectly into the themes. Take the extra minute to read it; it’s worth it.
A couple of very small polish items (punctuation and one tiny consistency question) are the only reasons this isn’t flawless, but they’re easy fixes and didn’t pull me out of the story. Overall this is a solid, emotional, and haunting little horror piece that punches well above its length. I’ll be watching for whatever this author writes next.
Highly recommended—especially if you like psychological thrillers that make you think about grief, guilt, and what we bury inside ourselves.
Reviewed 5 days ago