“Five childhood friends reunite, 20 years later, in their Chesapeake fishing town and are forced to confront their own dark past as well as the curse placed upon them in this paranormal horror masterpiece from the bestselling author of Come with Me.

Maybe this is a ghost story…

Andrew Larimer has left his past behind. Rising up the ranks in a New York law firm, and with a heavily pregnant wife, he is settling into a new life far from Kingsport, the town in which he grew up. But when he receives a late-night phone call from an old friend, he has no choice but to return home.

Coming home means returning to his late father’s house, which has seen better days. It means lying to his wife. But it also means reuniting with his friends: Eric, now the town’s deputy sheriff; Dale, a real-estate mogul living in the shadow of a failed career; his childhood sweetheart Tig who never could escape town; and poor Meach, whose ravings about a curse upon the group have driven him to drugs and alcohol.

Together, the five friends will have to confront the memories—and the horror—of a night, years ago, that changed everything for them.

Because Andrew and his friends have a secret. A thing they have kept to themselves for twenty years. Something no one else should know. But the past is not dead, and Kingsport is a town with secrets of its own.

One dark secret…

One small-town horror…”

Hello and welcome to damppebbles. Today I am delighted to share my review of Small Town Horror by Ronald Malfi. Small Town Horror is published by Titan Books today (that’s Tuesday 4th June 2024) and is available in hardcover, audio and digital formats with the paperback to follow. I chose to read a free eARC of Small Town Horror but that has in no way influenced my review.

I’m a huge fan of Ronald Malfi’s books. It all started when I read Come With Me back in 2021. Boy, did that book make me sit up and take notice. Since then I’ve made it my mission to read everything Malfi has written. You can find my reviews of some of his other books HERE. There is something about the set-up of the author’s stories, something about the characters, and something about how utterly devastating the denouement tends to be that has, in the short space of a few years, made Ronald Malfi one of my favourite authors. So, of course, I was thrilled to get hold of an early copy of Small Town Horror. The last couple of offerings published here in the UK have been rather excellent short story collections, so I was very much looking forward to getting stuck into a full length novel. And it did not disappoint one jot!

Andrew Larimer is a successful lawyer in New York. His wife, Rebecca, is expecting their first child and things really seem on the up for the couple. So when late at night, an old friend from his hometown of Kingsport calls and tells Andrew he must return to the small fishing town, he reluctantly does exactly that. Leaving heavily pregnant Rebecca alone, telling her he’s going on a business trip rather than the truth. Andrew swore he would never return to Kingsport. The town doesn’t fit in with his life anymore. He managed to escape, the others didn’t. Now all grown up, Andrew, Dale, Eric, Tig and Meach need to confront what happened that night twenty years ago. They need to own up to what they did. Otherwise, it could be the end of everything as they know it…

Superbly written, as I have come to expect from this author. Small Town Horror has a creeping, building sense of foreboding and I gobbled it up with glee. Andrew is a fairly normal guy on first meeting. He’s successful, adores his wife and, understandably, is fairly anxious about becoming a father for the first time. But Andrew’s ‘fairly anxious’ is a little more heightened perhaps than other first time parents. When he receives a call from an old childhood friend that implies he must return to Kingsport, he drops everything and heads home. Enter everything ominous you can possibly think of. On arrival at his late father’s house he’s greeted by turkey vultures sitting on the roof, a smell of death permeating the premises, evidence of a squatter and a pressing sense that there is something seriously wrong with the house. Surrounded by his father’s possessions, having to face his grief head on, Andrew decides the house will do for the short time he plans to stay. But then things get really weird.

Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. Small Town Horror is another stunning read from a skilled storyteller. Malfi’s characters are very believable. You may not particularly like them, but you will become invested in their story. And what a story they have to share! Utterly haunting, creepy, full of atmosphere and with a strong sense of place. I was drawn into the world of Kingsport and the dark history held between these five people. There’s an absolute shocker of a twist in the second half of the book which changed everything for me. Perfectly placed and expertly delivered for maximum effect. I cannot get enough of the author’s writing and I urge all horror readers out there to make sure you have at least one Ronald Malfi book on your shelf. Once you’ve read one and experienced the author’s clever, vivid, emotional, haunting prose I can guarantee you’ll be on the hunt for more! As for THAT ending…*chef’s kiss*. Absolute perfection. I am devastated and I flipping loved it. Highly recommended

I chose to read and review a free eARC of Small Town Horror. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.

Small Town Horror by Ronald Malfi was published in the UK by Titan Books on 4th June 2024 and is available in hardcover, audio and digital formats with the paperback to follow (please note, the following links are affiliate links which means I receive a small percentage of the purchase price at no extra cost to you): | amazon.co.uk | Waterstones | bookshop.org | Goodreads | damppebbles bookshop.org shop | damppebbles amazon.co.uk shop | damppebbles amazon.com shop |

Ronald Malfi is an award-winning author of several horror novels, mysteries, and thrillers. He is the recipient of two Independent Publisher Book Awards, the Beverly Hills Book Award, the Vincent Preis Horror Award, the Benjamin Franklin Award for Popular Fiction, and he is a Bram Stoker Award nominee. Most recognized for his haunting, literary style and memorable characters, Malfi’s dark fiction has gained acceptance among readers of all genres. When he’s not writing, he’s fronting the rock band VEER.