Starred review from September 1, 2025
Jones's (I Was A Teenage Slasher) latest bites deep, sharpened by exquisite writing and the limning of authentic American horrors. In 2012, the diary of Arthur Beaucarne, a Lutheran pastor from the early 1900s, was discovered; his descendant, the scholar Etsy Beaucarne, plans to use that diary to finally gain tenure. However, within it, Etsy uncovers a bloody, brutal tale of the American West, featuring a Blackfeet man who is also a monster, a grandfatherly minister running from his sins, and a historic massacre spanning generations. This novel goes beyond a simple vampire tale. Jones beautifully weaves together past and present, loss and vengeance, and the stories of three intertwined characters: frustrated academic Etsy (voiced in the audiobook by Marin Ireland), conflicted pastor Arthur (Owen Teale), and Blackfeet vampire Good Stab (Shane Ghostkeeper). The accomplished voicework helps these characters feel distinct, while Jones's haunting prose shows how all three endure traumas that stain their souls and this nation's history. All this, combined with the audiobook's use of sound effects, ensures that the novel's chilling atmosphere will linger. VERDICT Any horror fan should try out Jones's other works to bask in his greatness, but this blend of historical, Western, and horror might be his pi�ce de r�sistance.--James Gardner
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