A taut, anxiety-filled coming-of-age story with that quintessential 80’s slasher vibe, Malerman’s ‘Daphne’ is the perfect read to get you in the Halloween spirit. Definite recommend

The town of Samhattan is plagued. Shhhh. Quiet your thoughts. Don’t think about it. Push it down. If you think about her, she will come. Decked in denim from head to toe, the smell of booze and cigs trailing behind her. Hulking 7-foot frame, blue painted-over face. Stop thinking about her. Do you smell that? Is she already here? Stop. Whatever you do, 𝘿𝙊𝙉'𝙏 𝙏𝙃𝙄𝙉𝙆 𝘼𝘽𝙊𝙐𝙏 𝘿𝘼𝙋𝙃𝙉𝙀.

Kit is a high school basketball star in the tiny town of Samhattan. Her friends and teammates are riding the high of their big game win, the Summer rolling in, and the prospect of college. Until they start thinking about her. When Natalie tells her team the legend of the town’s hauntress, Daphne, no one thinks anything of it, until they do. The real story of Daphne is unclear: Was she murdered? Was she socially outcast? Was she truly evil? It didn’t matter. No matter which version they replayed in their minds, they’d done it enough. Daphne is back. She’s here, and girls on the basketball team are paying the price. Kit and her teammates are running out of time, how do you stop something like this? Can something like this be stopped? Kit asked the rim, and the rim never lies—the outcome is looking bleak. All they can do is try, before it’s too late.

Daphne is a breath of fresh air. A supernatural slasher where the villain is a denim-clad metal head with a penchant for murdering athetic teens is enough to get me sucked into a novel but, Malerman didn’t rely on this premise alone. Themes of anxiety and the symptoms surrounding those who struggle are realistically portrayed, highlighting how the feeling creeps up on you and swallows you whole. This sentiment reverberates in the form of Daphne, which is a cool as fuck way to personify the feeling. While this aspect elevated Daphne, elements of a slasher are not shied away from. The kills were unsuspected, gruesome, and so fun to visualize: guts n’ gore galore. Because of Daphne’s elusive yet violent nature, she very much gave off a Freddy Kreuger vibe, coming for you in ways others couldn’t see or wrap their heads around.

If you wanna know if it’s worth the read or not: I’m still thinking about her.

Daphne is my first Josh Malerman read; though, I have seen the film adaptation of Bird Box. I was pleasantly blown away by this book. I got my horror fix in a big way with our supernatural titular character stalking and killing characters with brutal ease. There are some genuinely terrifying and creepy moments, a lot of which reminded me of the film, It Follows.

The story revolves around the Samhattan high school girls basketball team and more specifically the player Kit Lamb. She not only scores a game-winning buzzer beater but gets the terrifying answer to a question from the rim as to whether local urban legend Daphne will kill her. Daphne is a 7-foot girl decked out in denim with an interest in heavy metal music. She was supposedly murdered a long time ago in Freddy Krueger mob justice fashion. But that doesn't stop her from coming back, especially if you think of her until it becomes an obsession.

Unfortunately, our basketball team can't stop thinking about her after hearing the story at a sleepover. Kit already deals with crippling anxiety, but now that's not the only terror creeping up on her.

I loved a lot of this book from Kit to the spooky Daphne to the various basketball references here and there. This was a sharp teen-based novel that I could see a lot of snooty, highbrow critics hating. But, man, I devoured this savory dish with delight.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 out of 5. Fear Nerd says, "Check it out!"

Thanks to Net Galley and Del Rey Books for the advance copy!

Terrifyingly Sound!
Josh Malerman has the incredible writing style that quickly awakens the fear receptors in our minds. The tone is such that your freak out level rises with each bump or rustle. As the story progresses you watch the ballers continue to think and the more you think about something the more power it has over you. But can you do it in reverse? Phenomenal story set in my home state, Michigan. Should I be scared? Am I? Most definitely!!!

“You think you can think something into being?”

Yes. Yes, I do. And, I will. Not here, not on this digital page per se, but I’ll do it. I’ll build it. I will alter my brain geography, the life of the mind, all that, and I will port it over to the tangible here and now. And, I will keep in mind that this can work both ways.

That’s what’s happening in Samhattan. TO Samhattan. And, most of all, to Kit.

Inception really nailed home that when one is told not to think of a particular thing, that’s exactly what they’re going to think about. SO what is Samhattan trying to very much not think about, but definitely, overwhelmingly thinking about?









Daphne.

Yeah. Her. Daphne Vann.

Now you are too, yeah? That name, Daphne, is it now swirling around your brainpan? In one sense, this book, yesyesyes, think about it, run with it. In another sense: sorry?

But then, maybe not. Wait. No, definitely not. Daphne? Daphne’s necessary. Daphne’s our way to thinking into being.

Here, Malerman tells what is, to me, his best story yet. Each book is different, fits a different mood, a different landscape, and is thus, like your favorite band, kind of hard to pick a strict favorite, an unwavering favorite, one that doesn’t change along with you.

But still.

Black Mad Wheel, for example, that one tapped into something. But this. This is…

It’s kind of like I never burned my high school journal and it made its way to Michigan, landed in a stack of twenty for two dollars books at a garage sale and Malerman was somehow able to actually read my handwriting so scratchy scrawly it may as well be code, and then that journal became Jolly.

Daphne feels a lot like my head, and often times my heart.

Even in the seemingly simplest, smallest ways.

Like stereos.

Knowing the precise volume you can have your music at and still feel it but not wake anyone up in the middle of the night. I’ve lived that. I’ve journaled about that. Many times. Page after high school page of witching hour musical excursions. Page after page of dreaming, my thoughts timed to and riding the needle in the records’ grooves.

And then there’s anxiety.

Which, that’s how Daphne really smacks me around (with her bare ******* hands).

This book, it’s incredible, is a fantastic, frightful tale. Readers all over the world are going to absolutely devour it, but what I’m really trying to get at in a long story short (too late) manner is how this book FEELS.

Just as you can’t not think about whatever it is you’re told not to, with anxiety, you can’t not think about anxiety, and it’s totally common, especially with the stigma surrounding mental health in our society, that unless you yourself have it, you may not understand just how very real it is, how each attack feels like THE ONE, and how you can’t always just think of something else or just stop worrying or just breathe or just count five gaps things or whatever. It really is kind of hard to explain. How does one put into words or synopsize the feeling of “ohgodimdying” but no you’re not not one bit, definitely not dying? You comet of it, yeah, but until you do you’re not entirely sure that you actually ever will.

So for Malerman to have this discussion with us readers, it matters more than I can even or ever say, and is so, so, so necessary. We shouldn’t brush feelings under the rug, even not so pleasant ones. Denial makes nothing go away.

Just ask Samhattan.

You can maybe, possibly not think about Daphne, but not thinking does not eradicate. It maybe even strengthens. When a suppressed sensation/though/feeling surfaces, it’s often more powerful, because in burying it you forgot how to navigate it.

So yeah.

Think about Daphne. Acknowledge Daphne. Then navigate.

You can think a thing into being. Anything.

Daphne is an amazingly well written and gripping psychological horror that is genuinely scary. I felt I was there watching events unfold and could feel Kits anxiety. As someone with anxiety, Josh Malermans portrayal of anxiety is spot on and adds to the tension of the book. Thank you netgalley and randomhouse for the ARC.

Ugh. I’m so sad and frustrated. I really, really wanted to enjoy Daphne but I just was so bored during most of it. A complete miss for me.

Definitely an interesting read, suspenseful - but without much of a spook factor. I did indeed like the main character, but the events lacked the edge that makes it hard for this story to compete with recent horror novels. Oddly enough, I wouldn't recommend it; just didn't have the "oomph" of a true horror story. But I wouldn't turn people away from it, if they ask me about it.

I was really looking forward to this read, as I previously enjoyed other works by Josh Malerman. Unfortunately, I did not enjoy DAPHNE as I thought I would. Despite the many positive reviews of other readers, I personally felt bored throughout and disappointed in the end. I did love the concept of slasher story/urban legend about a vengeful ghost; however I didn’t connect with any of the characters and I didn’t love the diary entries and repetitive internal dialogues.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Random House for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

**Thank you to the publisher for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review**

Sadly & frankly I was bored most of the time while reading this. There were very few moments where I got a tiny bit of spook which is why the 2 star instead of 1 rating comes from. I’m proud of myself for completing the book and giving it a shot though. This one didn’t work for me.

Kit is a member of the renowned Samhattan High School Girls Basketball team, but before the biggest game of summer league, the night before Kit made the game-winning shot, the girls heard a dreadful story from a teammate, a myth from Samhattan history, about Daphne, a slain Giantess who comes back from the grave clothed entirely in denim, who smells of smoke and alcohol, and who kills anyone who thinks about her too much. Everyone in the town is aware of Daphne's narrative, but out of self protection, they have been taught to ignore it. While an outside police officer is desperately trying to understand and put an end to the bloodshed, readers are gripped as Kit and her teammates are mercilessly picked out.

As Kit's team is being given a wake-up call from an undaunted Daphne, Kit is called out as a liar. An investigator from the old Samhattan state police force starts to dig deeper into the case and soon Kit finds herself at the center of an urban legend with roots in the state's dark past. An old general in the army finally gets Kit to break her own silence, but his discoveries have a curious effect on Kit, and she becomes a target of a mystery with a scary impact on the people who care about her.

The irony of the situation is what really draws readers into this chilling book. Kit has always known the old legends, and yet there is something new about the newest legend - one which proves to be quite unnerving for the residents of Samhattan and the many new readers.

What began with a murder is now the biggest murder mystery in town, and the locals know more about the case than the authorities do. Was it a real murder or something supernatural? And what is going on with Kit, who has gotten herself tangled up in the case?

Join the macabre world of Samhattan as Kit and her teammates search for the truth. Find out about the gruesome reality of old Samhattan, a town of violent denizens who rely on the quiet passing of time to avoid the death they fear to believe is reality.

"True horror" is a complex concept, and Malerman nails it right off the bat: "I tell you this story because it happened, because it is impossible not to believe." The sole purpose of this book is to give you a short, intense burst of terror, and it does that wonderfully.

What Malerman has done with this story is brilliant. To take a mythical tale in the form of a fairy tale and turn it into a modern horror novel that has tight pacing, deathly suspense, and a demonic twist is remarkable. I haven’t read anything quite like this novel, and now that I have, I hope to never read anything like it again. I think this is Malerman at his best. Daphne is a literary masterpiece, and I cannot wait to see what else Malerman has up his sleeve.

**This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated!**

This book was a solid read, but maybe not for everybody. I would recommend it to horror fans, but there’s a lot of ambiguity with the ending that may put off a lot of readers.

Daphne gave off Myers / Voorhees vibes for me.
I would have liked to have known more about Daphnes past, but that probably would've taken away some of the mystery of Daphne herself.

As for the character of Kit. Her journal entries gave me a headache. Found them very hard to follow and had me wanting to toss into my DNF pile. Only kept going because I NEEDED to see Daphne win or lose.

Josh Malerman, the author of Bird Box is back with Daphne and the premise immediately grabbed my attention. An urban legend slasher? Sign me up coach!

This is a coming-to-age slasher that is geared toward adults but also is labeled as young adult. I thought it leaned more YA. There also was a hefty slow build, yet I was able to stay engaged. What did I like? The spooky parts. Kits basketball team starts falling like dominos.

About our not-so-friendly gal pal ghost, Daphne: She is 7 feet tall, wears denim from head to toe, and reeks of cigarettes and booze. If you even so much as think about her, she will come for you. Very Freddy Krueger esque

Something worth mentioning? Our main character, Kit suffers from anxiety which resonated with me. It was creatively captured with diary entries, they felt so real.

Would I recommend it? Shoot your shot! Especially if you're a fan of basketball and slashers. However, Malerman has an unusual writing style here that may not be for everyone.

As always, I appreciate the Acknowledgments. Don't miss out on that.

Thank you @netgalley / @randomhouse for this e-arc!!

This book was an interesting experience. I have very rarely in my life read a book without chapters. It takes a skilled hand to pull it off and I think that Malerman did. It takes a while to get into the group of the book but once you hit about the 30% mark the story really starts picking up.

The way I would describe The plot is what if there was a slasher that worked like the game. You know the thing that we used to play in middle school where if you remembered the game then you lost it. Daphne works in the same kind of way; she pops up when you think about her.

I’m not particularly sure I enjoyed how much of the book was taken through journal entries but I liked the switch and perspectives that we’ve got between the characters.

Overall I would give this book about 3 1/2 stars. Mostly just because the beginning dragged on so long it took me days to get to the parts that actually got to me. The formatting makes the book makes it by definition, not for everybody but I do think that horror enjoyers will like this book.

“There are no lines, crossed or uncrossed, no law, and no breaking it. There is only navigating the damage that has been done to you and the damage you cause.”

This was my second novel by Malerman and I went into it thinking it was “just a slasher” story. I found it to be so much more than that in the best way!

This book has all the typical elements of an urban legend tale: teenagers being angsty, a town covering up a dark secret and adults who don’t really believe. Kit Lamb is a promising baseball player who will soon leave her small town for college. One night during a get together her friend tells a ghost story about unspoken of secret Daphne. No one knows for sure what Daphne did or what happened to her…all that is certain is that thinking of Daphne summons her. Soon after this awful things start happening to Kit’s teammates and it’s a race against time to unravel a mystery no one in town can seem to talk about.
“Is Daphne going to kill me?”

I found this to be a tense, multilayered horror book that perfectly intertwines coming of age themes, urban legend fear and the real struggles of anxiety.
Can’t wait to read more by Malerman in the future!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book. This was my first time reading Malerman although like everyone else, I enjoyed the Bird Box movie. That being said, the plot was great, very creepy, suspenseful and reminiscent of "Carrie". However, with the characters being in high school it felt too Young Adult for me. If the characters would've been older it would've made the story better. . I did love that story revolved around a girls basketball team and mentioned several professional WNBA players. Also, the author mentions Brittney Griner and with her current situation in Russia, I'm not sure if readers will like that. It didn't bother me, but made me think twice about it. Lastly, I did like that the author gave the main character anxiety because mental health is an issue you don't see much in books.

Psychological thriller. And lately I’ve been afraid to read Josh Millerman‘s books. The most recent ones I read had animal cruelty and that’s something I can’t deal with. So with trepidation I read his books. I love his writing and I always loved all his books I just wish he would keep the animal cruelty out. Thank you Nead Kelly and the publisher for providing this book to

I have always loved horror and different horror stories but Daphne is not part of that love. I did not love this book by Josh Malerman and I had hoped the Bird Box author could hook me with a serial killer/urban legend story but it never felt fun or good to read this book.

The characters were not very like able and I hate to say it I rooted for them to die. It sucks to read a horror book and not care for anyone but I never cared for anyone in the entire book.

I hate to say it but Daphne just wasn’t scary, compelling or interesting.

Daphne is the third book by Josh Malerman that I’ve read, and all three have been five stars! I love this author’s mind for horror, creativity, and writing style. And talk about a cover!

This book is a mash between a coming-of-age story, a psychological thriller, and a slasher. Bird Box vibes for sure, mixed with Freddy Krueger (the elusive slasher), and even a little of My Best Friend’s Exorcism or It.

Malerman creates a unsettling and claustrophobic feeling for readers that only intensifies as the story progresses. There was some great imagery; the slashing scenes were uniquely written and uncomfortable to visualize (in the best way).

Daphne’s character is fascinating. She’s one of the more interesting villains that I’ve read about. The idea of a 7 foot ghost that appears when you think of her? Kind of terrifying, honestly. And without spoiling too much, the way that the feeling of anxiety is personified is genius.

I guess what I’m trying to say is… I can’t stop thinking about Daphne.