What finally enticed me to accept an early invitation to read Lone Women by Victor LaValle were all the early glowing reviews. Horror is not my usual genre, although I did read it more often many years ago, so I felt like it might be nice to revisit the genre. Especially if it seemed guaranteed to be worth my while. And I’m pleased to say it was!

Sometimes I’m nervous when I pick up a book that crosses several genres, and this one ticks off multiple ones: horror, thriller, historical fiction, western. But they work. All together, they set the perfect tone for this story about secrets and unexpected evil. I especially liked that it was historical fiction, which gave the story more gravitas. The past, itself, is unknown in many ways, and it added to the mystery, made it even more of a story to be told, and passed down.

While this book is horror, it’s not what I would call jump-scare horror. It’s more subtle, a skin-crawling, eerie horror. LaValle is a master of suspense in Lone Women.

We meet Adelaide Henry at the worst time in her life. Her parents have been violently killed, and the reason for their deaths is locked in a trunk she’s dragging along with her as she runs away from her home in California. She’s heading for Montana as one of the “lone women”, women who take advantage of the government’s offer of free land, hoping her secrets will stay hidden. But as someone who’s never seen snow, she’s not prepared for the howling winds or bone-chilling cold of this unforgiving land. As she tries to make a new life as a single black woman, she learns that things aren’t always what they seem.

We meet many characters throughout the story, and each one seems to contain a multitude of secrets and surprises, enhancing that feeling of suspense. LaValle especially succeeds at representing minority women of the time period, their strength and courage in a mostly unwelcome environment.

I didn’t want to stop reading this one, but I did find myself pausing often to wonder, what did I just read!? Cinematic and startling, Lone Women will take your breath away!

I don’t think you can talk about this book without talking about how utterly poor (really nonexistent) the character work is. By the end of this book, I I was likely introduced to well over a dozen characters (in a novel short of 300 pgs I should note) and could not muster up ANY feelings for anyone. So many useless, random, characters are introduced and subsequent random storylines that it is impossible to form interest in any of them bc you are juggling so many of them on top of what I would call the book’s “overarching storyline.” From Fiona’s dad’s missing grave to the cult-leader esque Mrs. Reed and the opera show, to the family known as the Mudges, it was simply too much. It’s critical to note that NONE of the storylines or characters are developed in any capacity. The motivations for characters are either nonexistent or extremely nebulous and involve A LOT of inference/guessing on the reader’s part. For example, The Mudges family motivations were not made clear at all. I eventually understood a little bit more about their motivations but for a majority of the story I didn’t understand the purpose of their characters or what they were doing in the story.

Lone Women was unlike anything I've read and that's one of the things I loved about it! It's difficult to describe - - it's a mixture of historical fiction, horror, mystery/thriller and so on.

The main character, Adelaide Henry moves from California to Montana for a fresh start. She only takes a travel bag and a huge, heavy steamer trunk. Right off the bat, you know there is something strange about Adelaide but you aren't exactly sure what even though you have suspicions.

This author has a brilliant imagination to have thought up this storyline. It was creative and original. In addition, I was unaware about the fact that women could claim land in Montana during that time period. So, I found that quite interesting.

This book shows a great deal of the ugliness of that time. For instance, there is a great deal of discrimination based on socioeconomic status, race and more. Yet,overall, this was a strong story about friendship, found family, and learning to love yourself.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to read and review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

Ok, so what in the world did I just read? Lone Women is definitely one of the most unique books I have read in a very long time. At the beginning, the book appears to be like a western where a black woman, Adelaide Henry, takes off to create a Montana homestead after her parents pass away. But wait! She literally sets her house on fire as she takes a wagon ride to leave California. The mysteries of this book only continue from there.

While in Montana, Adelaide has to learn to survive this harsh countryside. She makes some friends with her neighbor, Grace, and her young son Sam. This is when the book becomes a horror novel mixed with a bit of fantasy. Adelaide has not come alone to Montana, she carried with her family's deepest secret and this secret gets released.

I honestly do not feel like I can do this book justice in a review. It was great. It was surprising with lots of shocking turn of events, and even though it was part fantasy, it still felt really imbedded in a historical fiction realm. I just really have never read anything like it, and it completely kept me hooked for the entire book! Such a great combo on genres!

Adelaide Henry goes from farmer to fugitive in this twisted roller coaster mine bender horror read. Brilliantly written, lgbtiaq historical horror fiction that will have you flipping pages into the wee hours of the night. Nightmare inducer!!!

Once I was well into this book, out of curiosity, I went back to the summary the publisher provided to see just what compelled me to request it from NetGalley. I have heard a lot of buzz about it, but I couldn't remember whether I requested it based on the buzz, or by the description, or a combination of both. What struck me in that summary now was the term "inventive horror". I'm pretty sure, going in, I had no idea what that even meant. I certainly do now.

LaValle begins with perhaps the most compelling first lines I've read in a long while, "There are two kinds of people in this world: those who live with shame, and those who die from it. On Tuesday, Adelaide Henry would've called herself the former, but by Wednesday she wasn't as sure." And thus the journey begins. Lavalle has created some of the fiercest women and some of the most reprehensible men homesteading in the wilds of Montana. Their territory is brutal, and so, too, are their lives. This novel is a tumultuous trip through an unforgiving landscape, with some shocking revelations along the way. It is definitely not for the squeamish or faint of heart, as LaValle does not spare the reader the details. To counter that caveat, I will admit that I might have put myself into that category too, had LaValle's characters not been so compelling and complex. It was a wild ride.

I began this book with many questions, especially the opening scene. And the trunk, what was in that infernal trunk.
I wanted to read it because I’ve always been interested in single western women homesteaders.
Quickly this book turned into something I didn’t like. I discovered what was in the trunk, but it just ruined the book for me.
Not my cup of tea.

Lone Women drew me in from the very beginning. I had heard a little about the book, but went in blind. I’m sure it’s from my early love of the Little House series, but I’m always captivated by stories of early settlers. Adelaide Henry, a lone Black woman, finds herself with her own claim in Montana along with a burden her family has carried for the last 30 years. The story moves quickly, and while you have to suspend belief a bit, it wraps up nicely.

“There are two kinds of people in this world: those that live with shame and those who die from it. On Tuesday, Adelaide Henry would’ve called herself the former, but by Wednesday she wasn’t sure.”

Quick Summary: Adelaide Henry, and her enormous steamer trunk, has made her way to Montana from California. Looking for a new start, she is one of the "lone women" who benefit from the government's offer to free land for those who can cultivate it. Adelaide isn't alone. She has brought the trunk with her. A trunk that must always remain locked in order to keep herself and everyone she meets safe.

Genre: Horror & Historical Fiction
Length: 308 pages
My Rating: 4 stars
Read If You Like: Horror/thrillers, strong female protagonists, westerns with a twist

LONE WOMEN is a nice blend of historical fiction, western, and horror. But it wasn’t too scary. The beginning of the novel grips you and the short chapters keep the pace going at a nice clip. The writing is vivid and atmospheric. I was soaking up the early 1900s Montana setting.

I flew threw the first chunk of the book dying to find out what big secret Adelaide was hiding in her steamer trunk. Then I kept reading to follow the fallout of the reveal amongst her new neighbors in Big Sandy, MT. There were likable and unlikable characters. Adelaide isn’t the only one holding secrets. We get glimpses into the perspectives of the other characters. Their storylines blend effortlessly with the overarching mystery of the steamer trunk.

Vigilantism, racism, theft, revenge, friendship, difficult socioeconomic conditions, and the supernatural. This book blends many themes together and does a good job of it. I really enjoyed this novel!

LONE WOMEN is released today (3/28)! Thank you One World Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC!

"But the human animal is a social animal; a lifetime of being treated like an outsider may make a person yearn to finally be let in."

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Adelaide is Black woman on her own traveling across the country for a new start in the early 1900's. She has fled her home in California with a heavy, locked steamer trunk to start over in Montana. She has heard about the free land programs and she thinks she is strong enough to survive the land and make it hers. But can she escape her secrets and integrate with the small town folk in Big Sandy?

Lone Women is the kind of horror I like most, rooted in real life. There are definitely dark, supernatural elements but the threat of other people and their agendas is always much more terrifying to me. I liked the use of both elements to add to the tension and drama. I always love stories about the pioneer spirit, so even the backstory without the horror elements would have kept me drawn to this story. For me it was pitch perfect on every page.

Thanks to Random House for gifted access via Netgalley. All opinions above are my own.

This is a frighteningly great book to read. The reader will be unwilling to put the book down and continue turning the pages to see what is coming next. Adelaide, as a narrator, is an excellent story. The plot will leave you heavily engaged in every word. The setting is fertile ground for breeding and growing the reader’s imagination. This is a definitely a story that should be on your must read in order to experience all the drama.

Reviewed for NetGalley:

Adelaide Henry leaves her California family farm after tragedy strikes.

Bringing her mysterious steam trunk along to Montana as a homesteader to take advantage of obtaining her own land as a black, single woman in the early 1900s.

This book was so well written that I could have just read about Adelaide starting up her land. Adding the mystery and horror factor just made it that more enticing.

More than anything, I loved the strong female presence throughout.

Quote @ the beginning of the book had me
Ready to dive in “Wanna fly, you got to give up the shit that weighs you down.” - Toni Morrison, Song of Salem

“There were people who would judge her harshly for her thoughts. Those people, she felt, could f&@k themselves.”

Then the 1st chapter, the MC, Adelaide Henry, nonchalant questions whether she wants to dump gasoline on someone’s head and light the person on fire. What am I getting myself into!?

If that doesn’t intrigue you then how about the last 2 sentences in the 1st chapter…
“On Tuesday, Adelaide Henry had been a farmer. By Wednesday, she became a fugitive.”

This book was so different from anything else I’ve ever read. I can see why people are having a difficult time describing the exact genre.

It was faster paced in the beginning and got a little slower towards the middle and end. I kind of wish the pacing would have stayed a bit faster but overall I enjoyed the book.

I think it might make a cool movie.

I liked the last line in the book…“The past is complicated.”

“But secrets, once revealed, are no longer secrets, no matter how tightly you try to seal them away.”

Adelaide Henry carries an enormous steamer trunk with her wherever she goes. It’s locked at all times. Because when the trunk opens, people around Adelaide start to disappear.

The year is 1915, and Adelaide is in trouble. Her secret sin killed her parents, forcing her to flee California and make her way to Montana as a homesteader. Dragging the trunk with her at every stop, she will become one of the “lone women” taking advantage of the government’s offer of free land for those who can tame it—except that Adelaide isn’t alone. And the secret she’s tried so desperately to lock away might be the only thing that will help her survive the harsh territory.

At its heart this is the gripping story of a woman desperate to bury her past—or redeem it.

This is a horror historical fiction novel and I am not sure how I feel about it. The writing is great and I can vividly picture the landscape. The concept is interesting. But the delivery just didn’t do it for me. I seem to be in the major minority here, though, in terms of not connecting with or really enjoying this story. I finished it through sheer grit and determination and I didn’t hate it…but I didn’t really like it either.

Thank you to Netgalley, Random House One World, and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

In 1914, Adelaide Henry rushes from her home nestled in a California valley after lighting it on fire with the bodies of her parents inside. She takes with her an enormous steamer trunk that remains padlocked at all times.
Adelaide drags the trunk across the American West, arriving in Big Sandy, Montana to take advantage of the government's offer of free land to those willing to cultivate it.
Soon she meets other lone women who have braved the elements to homestead. She almost feels she can let her guard down, start a new life ...

until the trunk is opened. 

Victor LaValle is easily one of my favorite writers and Lone Women is easily a favorite book of 2023. The short chapters create so much tension and kept me racing through the pages to discover what was in that trunk! For such a relatively short book, LaValle created an impressive group of fully-realized characters (and I loved that they were all strong females!) and combined historical fiction with chilling horror and fantasy elements!

HUGE thanks to Random House - One World and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review. Lone Women will be released March 28, 2023.

This book is so interesting!

I really enjoyed the history behind this book. History that no one knows about. That’s the kind of history I love. I also loved the horrorish element, though I think it’s more a cautionary tale of inclusion. A tale of thinking for yourself and not following your parents thoughts “just because you were raised that way.” As far as horror goes, it skims the surface for me, though I’ve read few books in the genre. To me, this is more a dark historical fiction. Either way, I really enjoyed the journey. I enjoyed the literary metaphors and elements. I loved the message.

What an amazing read, a horror story that is so much more then that. It’s a story about monsters that are born, monsters that can take human form, loneliness, fear of the unknown and fear of something that looks or acts a little different then “normal.”

Pretty sure this will be one of my top books of 2023. Highly recommend. Lone Women is my first Victor LaValle book but it won’t be my last.

I was intrigued by Adelaide’s speedy departure and ensuing trek to establish herself as a homesteader. She interacted with quite a few memorable “Wild West” characters. And there was always the mystery of what was in her trunk.
However, when the creature made its first appearance, I could not continue. Supernatural horror is just not my thing.
Thank you for sharing your story pre-publication.

Adelaide leaves her home in California following the seemingly mysterious death of her parents and moves to Montana as a homesteader, bringing only a locked steamer trunk with unknown contents. As she begins her life as one of a few “lone women” homesteading in the area and begins to make friends, the secret in her trunk manages to escape terrorizing the locals, both people and animals. Fears of the unknown plus individual secrets turn the townspeople and other homesteaders into vigilantes necessitating the lone women to band together as they become the only ones level headed enough to find a solution to the terror.
This is definitely not a genre that I usually read but this book pulled me into the intrigue immediately with Adelaide disposing of her parents’ bodies and fleeing to Montana. The intrigue continued with the very unusual characters that she encounters and I was hooked and had to find out where the story was going. I enjoyed the way the side stories such as Fiona traveling to ghost towns seemed irrelevant but came together in the end. This book probably won’t appeal to everyone because it’s just so weird and unreal but I think the author did a good job of creating an entertaining story while portraying how differences and fear can turn people into the real monsters.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishers for the Advanced Reader Copy.

I had no idea what I was getting into with Lone Women, as this book was labeled historical fiction and horror. You'll gasp at the end of each parts, and forcibly you'll kept reading to know what is happening. There are unexpected friendships, strong women and a trunk that holds deadly secrets.

Lone Women is a dark, unique story.

Thank you Random House Publishing Group - Random House, One World for the complimentary copy.