“𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒔𝒂𝒚 𝒎𝒖𝒔𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒐𝒎𝒔 𝒔𝒑𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒖𝒑 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒍 𝒘𝒂𝒍𝒌𝒔, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒇𝒂𝒊𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆.”

This was my first T Kingfisher book. Needless to say, I need more of them…now. It was an easy read that absolutely consumed me.

ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴍᴏᴠᴇꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴇᴀᴅ is one of my most anticipated reads for 2022.

Please do yourself a favour and read ᴛʜᴇ ꜰᴀʟʟ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴏᴜꜱᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴜꜱʜᴇʀ before starting this, as this is a retelling of that story by Poe.

ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴍᴏᴠᴇꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴇᴀᴅ is creepy, eerie and unsettling. It’s everything I could have ever wanted and it absolutely made my skin crawl with nerves and anticipation.

A gothic, dilapidated mansion. Hares behaving strangely. And fungi, lots and lots of fungi. I am here for all of it. 🍄

We also meet a relative of Beatrix Potter pop up. Strangely enough, the hares made my brain drift to Peter Rabbit (my fave) before I even got to the character.

I absolutely loved everything about this. It’s one of the books I will definitely be reading again.

And let me just say the cover is one of my absolute favourites that I’ve ever seen.

Side note: if you see me running to buy ᴍᴇxɪᴄᴀɴ ɢᴏᴛʜɪᴄ, it’s because she told me too. Basically, T Kingfisher says to read it and I was like WELL OKAY, cause 🍄.

5 ⭐️

This novella of horror will swallow you whole ! I remember first reading the Fall of the House of Usher - I believe this retelling is 10x creeper, spookier and scarier. Grab it if you dare!

Alex Easton, is a soldier and is returning home to see his best childhood friend or her deathbed. Madeline Usher lives in a remote area of Ruritania (a well known fictional country!) and Alex travels for quite some time to find her. Expecting the worse, he is completely surprised by the state of the home and the utter mess that are Madeline and her brother. Fungus, and dampness, glowing water, and howling evenings characterise the isolated mansion. Alex knows he has one shot to solve the mystery of what is behind this gothic terror !#macmillan #torforge

What Moves The Dead

#WhatMovestheDead

From T. Kingfisher, the award-winning author of The Twisted Ones, comes What Moves the Dead, a gripping and atmospheric retelling of Edgar Allan Poe's classic "The Fall of the House of Usher."

When Alex Easton, a retired soldier, receives word that their childhood friend Madeline Usher is dying, they race to the ancestral home of the Ushers in the remote countryside of Ruritania.

What they find there is a nightmare of fungal growths and possessed wildlife, surrounding a dark, pulsing lake. Madeline sleepwalks and speaks in strange voices at night, and her brother Roderick is consumed with a mysterious malady of the nerves.

Aided by a redoubtable British mycologist and a baffled American doctor, Alex must unravel the secret of the House of Usher before it consumes them all.

I have come to the conclusion that T. Kingfisher is one of my must read authors, and I will pick up any story that she puts out. This was a short book which I read in one sitting. I loved the character of Alex Easton and found myself chuckling several times at their inner monologue and conversations with Hob the horse (who is also delightful).

Very grateful for the advanced copy, and I cannot wait to read whatever comes next from T. Kingfisher.

Kingfisher has a clearly-established affection for sensible people. Even if their hobbies or their choices are unusual or actively dangerous, she likes people who ask the basic questions and run away at the appropriate times. Hence the previously unnamed narrator of the short story gets a name in What Moves the Dead, and a personality besides. Alex Easton, an officer and childhood friend of the Ushers, arrives at the gloomy estate and kicks off the story. Alex and Roderick served in the war together, but he was not drawn back into contact by their mutual ghosts. Instead it is Madeline who spurs Alex’s visit, having written Alex a letter so disturbing that ka had no choice but to go to her side.

A note on the pronouns: Alex is a sworn soldier of the fictional country Gallacia, and uses the neopronouns ka/kan, which specifically refer to anyone serving in the Gallacian military regardless of previous identification. Gallacia has several other extremely useful pronouns, including one that I would certainly like to hear more about that is for “rocks and God.” But to return to the point: Alex encounters some early difficulty explaining kan sworn status to Dr. Denton, an American who has witnessed a bit more of the Ushers’ decline. He is at a loss to explain their feverish temperaments and odd behavior, and so he and Alex can largely only wait for the inevitable.

But what, exactly, is inevitable? Alex is perplexed that the Ushers will not leave their miserable home for a more hospitable climate, since it’s clear the moldering walls and grimy passageways are contributing to Madeline’s illness. Their genteel poverty cannot keep up with the decay, but is it more than pride that keeps them at their family’s estate? In trying to understand the hold it has over then, Alex tries to learn more about the countryside, only to find even stranger things creeping across the moors. Kan training and steely resolve may not be enough to fight dangers too huge to comprehend and yet too subtle to be seen, but ka will try.

What Moves the Dead is not the scariest of Kingfisher's work. That honor belongs to The Hollow Places, or perhaps The Twisted Ones. Instead it's persistently unnerving, perhaps taking a note or two from Jeff VanderMeer's Authority with its infestation of uncanny hares. Later revelations were no surprise, not with that opening chapter and not with any knowledge of the original short story. Fortunately, the book is not relying on my least favorite trope, the twist. Instead, Kingfisher builds an atmosphere of dread quite literally from the ground up. You will be afraid of the earth. You will be afraid of the air. You will be afraid of the water. You will, in short, be kept reading by your fearful certainties that something is certainly amiss, and that possibly everything is very wrong.

The pacing is a perfect complement to this creeping dread, feeding out just enough information and action to maintain the perfect state of anticipation. Anyone worried from the first chapter that Kingfisher will veer too hard into adopting 1890’s style need not worry. There is a loose adherence to phrasing and attitudes, but Kingfisher’s trademark humor and forthrightness remain intact, and drive character development forward as well.

There’s so much forward motion in this book that I finished it in two breathless days, eyes glued to the page at every opportunity. Horror fans, Kingfisher followers, and Poe aficionados will all find something to love in What Moves the Dead—and more importantly, will find something to make them shiver.

A retelling of The Fall of the House of Usher, which I have not read and so cannot compare. This is a quick read, at least as interested in noodling around in the world it creates as it is in advancing the plot. It has some genuinely creepy moments, but generally covers well-trodden ground.

Series Info/Source: This is a stand alone novella. I got an eGalley of this through NetGalley to review.

Thoughts: This is a retelling of Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher''. I really enjoyed it. It is creepy, odd, and just well done. The premise is that Alex Easton has retired from soldiering and is going to visit their childhood friend. What they find at the Usher estate is Madeline and her brother, Roderick, in horrible health. Animals around the estate are acting odd and Madeline herself has started speaking in strange voices and wandering aimlessly in the night. Alex must work with a British mycologist and an American doctor to figure out what is going on.

I love the world that Kingfisher builds surrounding the Usher estate and really enjoyed the quirky characters as well. This is a quick and eerie story that touches a bit on Lovecraftian elements. It is a fairly simple story but I enjoyed the atmosphere and how it was written. The way the mystery of the Usher estate rolls out is delectable.

My Summary (4/5): Overall I really enjoyed this. It is creepy, strange, engaging and generates some major Lovecraft vibes. It is a quick, well done read with fun characters, some subtle intriguing world-building, and a well done mystery. I would definitely recommend this if you enjoy Poe retellings or if you like Lovecraft-themed reads. Kingfisher is a go-to author for me and this little novella did not disappoint.

This story is a reimagining of sorts of The Fall of the House of Usher which I can't honestly say I've read too many of, so it was a pretty refreshing story for me! I absolutely loved the writing style and the tone of the story--it really drew me in and made me feel compelled to keep turning those pages. I think, too, that what Kingfisher borrows from the original story is just enough, but not too much, so as to make this retelling feel like a unique story, which I absolutely loved. The cover for this story is also really, really cool. Whoever designed that cover needs a raise! I highly recommend this book, I hope you all give it a shot when it comes out!

The Fall of the House of Usher meets Mexican Gothic but better. I love Poe and I liked the idea of Mexican Gothic but thought it was too long so this book being under 200 pages is perfect! If you loved Mexican Gothic you'll love this and even if you were disappointed by it I think you'll enjoy this for how quick it is!

What Moves the Dead is a retelling of the classic Edgar Allen Poe's, House of the Usher and it is done remarkably. This is a horror novella and it is fantastic. I cannot recommend this book enough and cannot wait for everyone to get their hands on it. 5/5.

**Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance e-copy**

What a wonderful retelling of "The Fall of the House of Usher"! I loved Easton, the sworn soldiers, and Angus. Miss Potter was also a colorful character and a lovely addition. Perfectly creepy and compelling, I highly recommend for fans of Poe, horror, or gothic lit.

A brief and engaging horror story based on Edgar Allan Poe's short story "Fall of the House of Usher." This tale has more of a sci-fi body horror approach than supernatural and offers relatively mild scares (unless the reader if particularly affected by body horror) with a side of dry humor. The characters are likeable, the writing is incredibly well done, and the plot is engaging and fast-paced. Overall a quick and delightful read.

4.5 stars, rounded up

If you liked Mexican Gothic, you should check out What Moves the Dead. This creepy little novella retells and expands upon Poe's story The Fall of the House of Usher. It's a gothic horror novella with a probably gender-queer protagonist, animals and people behaving in disturbing ways, mushrooms that smell like corpses, and [ sentient fungus (hide spoiler)]. The setting is a decaying gothic estate that is quite literally rotting from the inside out.

Retellings of Poe can be hit and miss but I thought this one was excellent and it makes me want to read more from this author! Definitely worth a look. I received a copy of this book for review, all opinions are my own.

I love Edgar Allan Poe, so this retelling was the right book for me! I loved how it held true to the source material while creating something wholly new.

How can I even describe the amount of love I have for this book? What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher is a deliciously dreadful retelling of the Fall of the House of Usher. The visceral descriptions, the haunting atmosphere, and the unique and diverse world created within, all together form a truly horrific masterpieces.

My first book to read by this author but definitely not my last! Such a gripping novel that made it hard for me to put his book down once I started it. Highly recommend!!

This is so gloriously weird. Atmospheric, spooky, suspenseful, with a wickedly funny narrative voice. The protagonist is just so darn likable, and a bit like Gideon in tone. The play with pronouns and gender is fabulous and fully integrated into the worldbuilding. The ending felt a little abrupt but I think just because I wanted it to keep going, it's true to the spirit of the Poe story.

Two things drew me to this book. The first was the eerie rabbit on the cover. Rabbits seem to be trending in horror at the moment and I am really loving it. The second was the fact that this is a retelling of The Fall of the House of Usher. I adore Poe and that story in particular is a favorite of mine. Throw in the fact that I love Kingfisher's writing and I was pretty sure this one was going to be a win for me and you better believe it was.

It is 1890 and retired soldier Alex Easton is summoned to the Usher estate in Ruritania by his childhood friend, Madeline , who believes she is on her deathbed. Upon arrival at the Usher manor, he shocked by it's rundown and dilapidated appearance. And as awful as the property looks, it's inhabitants look even worse. Both Madeline and her brother, Roderick appear deathly pale, lethargic and listless. And even though Madeline is sure she is dying she refuses to leave the property to get help. Everything about the situation and place is chilling and unnatural. From the glowing luminescent lake, to the numerous hares that populate the land, nothing appears normal. It appears that something otherworldly is at hand.

This novella begins as a straightforward retelling of the classic Poe story, but it soon veers off into unforseen territory and what ensues is intriguing, surprising and chilling. I loved that Kingfisher took her inspiration from one of Poe's most well known works and made it entirely her own. Her version of the story provides answers some of the questions that Poe didn't address in his, story making this a more rounded and complete piece of literature. One of my favorite elements of the book is that Kingfisher incorporates her own distictive brand of dark humor into the narrative which added another layer to this already intriguing tale. I thoroughly enjoyed this tale of eerie and grotesque horror.

Thank you to NetGalley andMacMillan Tor/Forge for this ebook in exchange for and honest and fair review.

This book has single handedly reinvigorated my love for creepy/mysterious/ horror books!

When Alex Easton gets word of his childhood best friends', Madeline Usher, depleting condition, he rushes to her gothic manor in Ruritania where he meets an American doctor, James Denton, and a mycologist, Eugenia Potter. Shocked by just how bad Madeline's health is, the 3 work hand in hand to try and uncover the mystery that is the House of Usher.

T. Kingfisher did a great retelling of Edgar Allen Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher", while also putting their own little twists on the classic, filling many voids that Poe left in the original plot. So many things to love: writing style is really refreshing and easily understood, world building is so detailed and atmospheric, and overall creepy/disturbed in the right places. Super fast read that had me eager to preorder right away!

(also, can we just stop and take a moment to pay respects to that cover?! in love with it!)

Highly recommend reading this absolute gem of a book!

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan-Tor/Forge for the ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

I read this in one sitting! I couldn't put it down! Contemporary gothic horror with classic gothic horror vibes. I'm not easily scared by books, but this one totally spooked me!