This particular ARC sat on my shelf long than I wanted to knowing once I started I would have to finish.

I am a HUGE fan of Josh Malerman. He makes imagery alive and refreshing, even it is dark. There's something about his author's writing style that's irresistible regardless of if I like the book (as a whole) or not. With this collection of short stories, I REALLY liked the first half, and although I wasn't too wild about the second half..

A mix of horror, mystery, thriller, and science fiction. I am not the biggest fan of science fiction, so in those novellas, it felt short, for me, but it was none the less interesting. It should not really deter you from reading the book.

My advice is to give this a read if you enjoy mind twists and dark human nature Your mind will unravel, like yarn, leave you in a knot a few times, leaving, you think, untying, your thoughts out of the peculiar quandary.

My advice is to give this a read if you enjoy mind twists and dark human nature coming alive. It will get the knots and stitching patterns in your mind, moving with each peculiar quandary.

I would rate this book a 3.5, overall. Systems like GoodReads and others make it hard as half stars do not exist, so I had to get crafty of my website and Book instagram for my followers. (check it out!)

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for this ARC.

A very, very nice collection of horror stories by different authors. Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Thank you NetGally and the publishers allowing me an advanced copy of this book

I liked this short story collection a lot more than "Goblin"...

And yes - there are two specific short stories, that stood out to me - but I am not giving it away: It's for me to know, and for you to find out.

Would certainly recommend this book !

I had high hopes from the author as I am a fan of some of their earlier work. This is a mixed bag with most of the novellas missing the mark for me but that's always the risk with any collection. However, knowing what the author is capable of, I expected more.

Spin a Black Yarn by Josh Malerman was received directly from the publisher and I chose to review it. Josh, Josh. Josh, in the beginning, I was a super fan but I am losing interest in your works. It seems you are getting more into the "not really scary," part of horror writing, if you call it that, and your characters now talk way too much. Novellas are my favorite medium to read also but when I find myself skimming, a lot, there should be more action. That being said, some people like the slow burns, so it you are a Josh Malerman fan, or like to read "horror" stories that wont keep you up at night, give this book a read.

3 Stars

This is five well-written, original, mind-bending novellas! The stories are not interconnected, however there are nods to other tales for fans to discover. As always, Malerman did a stellar job. He’s brilliant.

This one was a mixed bag for me. I really enjoyed the first story about half a haunted house and the story about the house cleaner. I absolutely LOVED Jupiter Drop- SciFi and horror and psychological thriller perfectly mixed. I DNF the second story (about a man who always wanted to kill his family but never did- I couldn’t read it as my mom-heart couldn’t take it). I also DNF the last story as the dialog was do drawn out, I found my mind wandering.

Thank you NetGalley!

1. An eight-year-old gaslights a little too much.
2. A father who confesses (with joy) how much he wanted to kill his family.
3. A washing machine that has a side hobby of playing judge and jury.
4. Sometimes the guilt is so bad you go to Jupiter.
5. Triplets play the switch-a-roo game a little too hard.

Spin a Black Yarn is a short-story horror collection. I haven't read any of this author's previous works, so I went in with no expectations. Overall, this was not a bad collection. I loved two of them and was indifferent toward the rest. Short stories should all have a point, or at least I should be able to walk away with a lesson learned or a question for me to ponder. If you are going to pick this one up, the second and third stories are my favorite out of the bunch.

Story #1 2.5 out of 5

Let's not let eight-year-olds play at being babysitters, shall we?

At its core, this short story was about a vindictive brat, Stephanie, who tried to scare the crap out of her younger brother, Robin. As he talks about his childhood, he reviews all the incidents his sister would try to scare him with tales of half of the house being haunted. At times, some of these instances seemed a little too real to just be a prank. We follow Robin's life, and just how much those incidents impacted him. This story was like my childhood, so I never felt "scared." This just might be because I have siblings. We all scare the crap out of our siblings. It builds character, right?

Story #2 5 out of 5

Are you really a monster, if you never act on your monstrous thoughts? This story was my favorite out of the five. A man on his deathbed spends his last few moments regaling his family and friends with all of the horrific fantasies he has lived with. Since his childhood, he has wanted to harm people, and only a childhood friend and his sister helped keep his fantasies in check.

I could not put my Kindle down. This story was complex, gripping, and downright terrifying. I kept questioning the line between right and wrong, good and evil at every turn. It seems pretty clear, who the villain of this story is, yes? Yet, I felt like the man was a victim, in a way, of his own head. This short story explored the complexities of man in a more thorough way than some of the long novels I've read. It did what those books could not in the span of a few pages. Absolutely brilliant.

Story #3 4 out of 5

Imagine a machine that cleans everything in your house, and I do mean everything. From the furniture to the pages of your diary. Sounds perfect! All you have to do is hop in a little tube and watch as your house around you is flooded with cleaning solution. If you are sane, this sounds like a nightmare. Doug and Judy, a rich suburban couple, go ahead and get this new toy, more to show off their wealth than anything. The machine dregs up dark, dirty memories, and we end up discovering just all the awful things Doug and Judy did to get to where they are.

This felt like watching a tennis match. The verbal sparring between the couple was so tense and exciting. They are both equally awful and watching them try to justify their actions left a bad taste in my mouth. Without spoiling the ending, the two definitely got what they deserved.

Story #4 2 out of 5

A guy feels immense guilt over an accident. To cope with the guilt, he goes to Jupiter. Yeah, I did not really understand the point of this story either. I was bored and dissatisfied with how it ended. The guilt and space trip were not tied together in a cohesive way. If the author had taken more time to form these ties, the story would have had the opportunity to be impactful.

Story #5 2 out of 5

I would have enjoyed this story if it had not been so long-winded. It is essentially about two triplets tormenting the man who killed their brother. It was haunting at times, but the long-winded dialogue made my eyes blur, and I ended up skipping whole chunks from sheer boredom.

Thanks to Net Galley and Random House Publishing for the advanced copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

(Review has been shared to Goodreads and Storygraph. It will be reshared and posted on Amazon and Barnes and Noble website closer to release date.)

It was great to get lost again in Goblin and Samhattan. From a house that may or may not be half haunted, to a serial killer who has never killed, to the hunter who is now the haunted; it was a great ride.

Spin a Black Yarn by Josh Malerman - Fantastic!
This was my first Josh Malerman book. (but it won't be my last.)
The first story had me hooked! First story gets 5 stars.
Second story is much the same as I was hooked on every word and didn’t want to stop reading. Out of the first two I can’t say which is my favorite.
Story three was interesting, full of symbolism and what not, good but not my personal cup of tea.
Story four was far out! Got me thinking- still trying to figure it out! 🤣
But the last story Egorov- for me, this story went on too long. I think it could’ve been 1/3 the length and still gotten the point across. The paragraphs were so long I’d get lost and have to find my way again. So it just threw me off and was hard to read. I won’t spoil the ending of that one, but I get why it had to be included.
As always, I mention grammar… The writing was good. Few errors, so this story did not lose a star for grammar. I gave 4 stars because the last story just pulled the pace down so much for me-that it felt like a chore to finish reading it. I was happy when the last story was over, but not excited for that story at all.
However, I did enjoy the acknowledgements at the end of the book and I will definitely pick up more books from Josh Malerman.
In short…

Spin a black yarn
Story one- stunning! Haunting if hill house meets…Blythe manor.

Story two- Argyle
Dark!! Terrifying… phenomenal

Story three: Doug and Judy buy the house washer - meh- it was weird, like I get the symbolism but meh

Story four- the Jupiter drop - still trying to figure it out.

Story five- way too long- had it’s horror’ish moments but also meh for me.

This was a very solid collection of short stories. I especially liked how different they were and how a lot of the horror was what wasn't said, left to the imagination.

Josh Malerman’s SPIN A BLACK YARN is a collection of five novellas that delve into the dark depths of the human psyche. The stories are not interconnected, however there are nods to other tales for fans to discover. It is an absolute delight being back in the Josh-Malerman-story-verse.

Stories range from a sibling's chilling experience in "Half The House Is Haunted" to a dying man's confession of criminal acts and dark desires in "Argyle," the tales explore a range of emotions and fears. "Jupiter Drop" takes a science-fiction turn as the protagonist plunges through the giant gas planet, only to find he's not alone. "Doug and Judy Buy The Washer" examines the dangers of consumerism and the need to fit in. Finally, "Egorov" stands out with its clipped Russian dialogue and intricate plot of deception, vengeance, and murder.

Each story in SPIN A BLACK YARN warrants a uniquely different reaction, leaving readers with feelings of fear, horror, awe, and wonder. As always, Malerman did a stellar job. He’s brilliant. Also, the cover is ominous and beautiful - I want it framed on my wall.

Come on into Samhattan and pull up a stool. This collection of novellas takes place in the same city, but each entry stands on its own, a testament to Malerman's ability to harness moods and subgenres, characters and times.
"Half the House is Haunted" is a song. The drums alternate between bass and snare, steady quarter notes. Minimal decoration, just unyielding beat. The bass pedals a 4 chord progression, just enough distortion to set the tone, and the line never changes. Instead, the verses and chorus maneuver around that stalwart eighth note riff. The singers trade lines and one of them owns the refrain, always the same words, but the context changes depending on the call, the response. When the song ends, the rhythm section keeps playing in your head, but the feeling all the parts came together to create, the psychological beast, that stays in your soul.
"Argyle" is a mammoth of an idea. A suppressed serial killer makes his confession on his deathbed to his wife children, friends, and workmates. A darkly funny meditation on human spirit and human behavior and life's quirks.
"Doug and Judy Buy the House Washer" carries the darkly funny tone, creating a macabre blend of Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" and Keeping up with the Jones's. As many readers will be accustomed to, this story feels like it was written in a whirlwind. Thoughtful yet manic with relentless pacing.
"The Jupiter Drop" journeys into science fiction territory while still maintaining the humanity of the main character, the age old idea of familiarity in an unfamiliar place.
"Egorov" is perhaps the least Malerman-ly entry in the bunch. A Russian family drama with touches of crime and supernatural. The longest entry in the book, "Egorov" is dark, brooding, and unlike anything you've read by the author before.
Stick around for "A Traveling Title, a City, a Friend" - a note on the genesis of the book and a touching tribute to Malerman's manager/friend, Ryan Lewis.

Spin a Black Yarn is, overall, a good collection of novellas that I am glad I got to read. Of the stories in here “Half the House is Haunted” starts things off really well and was a 5 star ghost story that I absolutely will come back to. “Argyle”, “Doug and Judy buy the House Washer”, and “The Jupiter Drop” were all 4 star stories that largely play on fear and suspense and do so really well. Sadly the outlier in this collection for me was “Egorov”. It takes up 30% of the book and was too slow and too long in my option. It lands at 2 stars for me.

Because of “Egorov” I’d say this book ends up at more of a 3.5, but I am rounding it up to 4 stars rather than down because I liked the other tales so much.

Note: arc provided by the publisher via netgalley in exchange for honest review

I am all the way in for anything Josh Malerman does. His books are all great. I've read most and there isn't a bad one among them.

This is a collection on horror novellas and the novella is the perfect length for a story - not too long where it gets bogged down in bullshit and not too short to leave a man wanting more.

All of these stories are great but Argyle was the standout for me. A deathbed confession that becomes something more.

Love it, bring on some more please

Spin a Black Yarn is a collection of five novellas by Josh Malerman. The stories are:

Half the House Is Haunted: A sister insists to her little brother that their house is haunted.
Argyle: A dying man confesses to homicides he never committed.
The Jupiter Drop: A tourist takes the ultimate trip to outer space.
Doug and Judy Buy the House Washer™: A trendy married couple buys the latest home gadget only to find themselves trapped by their possessions, their history . . . and each other.
Egorov: A wealthy old man murders a young man, not knowing the victim was a triplet.

The stories are effectively written and entertaining. Malerman is skilled at establishing a suspenseful atmosphere. The stories are also quite dark and disturbing, but they are also thought-provoking.

Personally, my favorite story in this collection was "Half the House Is Haunted." It is a classic ghost story, but Malerman puts his own unique spin on it, which is what made it my favorite. Ghost stories are usually exhausted and cliche, but Malerman made it so fun to read. The story is told from the perspective of the younger brother, who is trying to convince his older sister that their house is haunted. The story is full of eeriness, and it will stay with you long after you finish reading it.

I would recommend Spin a Black Yarn to fans of horror, suspense, and dark fiction.

I unfortunately DNFd this title. The first few stories felt like I was waiting for the spooky factor to kick in. Just too much suspense with no payoff. Not for me.

Spin A Black Yarn by Josh Malerman is a compilation of five very different novellas, all taking place in a fictitious town called Samhattan. I’ll review each one separately here in order of my preference.

5.0 out of 5.0 stars: Half the House Is Haunted. I loved this story. Part One is titled “8 AND 6” and is narrated by siblings Robin (6 years old) and Stephanie (8 years old). Stephanie has told her younger brother that half of the gothic mansion they call home is haunted. But which half? The top? Bottom? North side? South side? Or maybe every other tile in the entryway is haunted or every other step on the stairs leading to the second floor? Stephanie isn’t telling, but she is trying to scare her brother and doing a good job of it. This novella screamed to me of Shirley Jackson and it is quiet horror at its best. The interplay between the siblings actually reminded me of a time when I was about eight and we went to visit cousins in Connecticut. My cousins were older and I remember Norman telling my sister and I that there was a light switch on the wall that would blow the house up! I believed him and, long into adulthood, I remained wary of light switches. It’s this kind of psychological trickery that Stephanie unleashes on her younger brother. The novella follows the two through adulthood and eventually the death of one. I loved this novella and couldn’t put it down!

5.0 out of 5.0 stars: Doug and Judy Buy the House Washer. This story is a real gem. From the opening sentence, the reader knows he/she is in for a treat. The house washer is an appliance that cleans the entire house — the rugs, the walls, the closets, the furniture, clothing, dishes, etc., etc. While the house washer is working, the home’s occupants are kept secure sitting in a tube that extends from floor to ceiling from which they can watch their new, expensive appliance at work. Doug and Judy, who are only interested in money and status, purchase one of these machines without really bothering to find out anything about it. All they care about is how envious their friends and neighbors will be. But that soon changes as they sit inside the tube and watch as the washer not only cleans, but ferrets out all their dirty little secrets. Perhaps they should have read the instruction book? This was such a fun read. I was enthralled from the first sentence to the last.

5.0 out of 5.0 stars: The Jupiter Drop. When I first saw the title of this novella, I was a little bit disappointed. I don’t really like sci-fi. But, as I got into it, I found it to be more an exercise in psychological horror which is right in my wheelhouse. Steve Ringwald is a man riddled with guilt over the accidental death of his neighbor. The neighbor was outside raking leaves into the gutter when Steve drove by and just ever so slightly nicked him. The neighbor, not injured, smiled, but then fell backward, hitting his head. He subsequently died. Steve, consumed with guilt, loses his family and, now alone, sees an ad in the local newspaper for The Jupiter Drop. This adventure consists of a free-fall trip through the planet Jupiter. Participants are locked in an apartment in which the walls, ceiling and floor are all transparent so that everywhere they look they see the ever-changing gaseous nature of the planet. The journey through Jupiter takes two months and Steve’s only companions are virtual friendly faces and a virtual “mom.” This novella takes the reader on a psychological journey which, by the end, he/she may not be sure what it real and what isn’t. Another great read. I thoroughly enjoyed the ride.

4.0 out of 5.0 stars: Argyle. This novella is the story of a man who, on his deathbed, surrounded by his loving family and friends, confesses that he’s always been a serial killer wannabe. He admits to having fantasies of killing each and every one of them and that now, as his life wanes, he is proud to say that he has made it through life without succumbing to his urges except for maybe one little slip. The man tells his story as friends and family move in and out of the room, some enthralled, others shocked and horrified. This was an interesting story and parts of it were riveting. However, at times, I found myself getting a little bored waiting for something to happen. But still, I recommend it.

2.0 out of 5.0 stars: Egorov. This story has the seeds of a really engrossing read — the plot involving a set of triplets, one of which is senselessly murdered. The remaining two brothers, decide to mentally torture the man they believe responsible for their sibling’s death, by haunting him. Sounds good, doesn’t it? I thought so at first, but then it goes off on tangents. Another man confesses to the murder and, while he has nothing to do with the haunting, a lot of time is spent on him. Also, a lot of words are wasted on the brothers’ mother, father, wives, etc., making the book entirely too long and, to me, tedious. The haunting, which is the compelling part of the novella, seems to take a backseat to the other ruminations and I struggled to keep reading because I was getting hopelessly bored. If this were tightened up, it could be quite a good read, but as it is, I’ll take a pass on it.

In summary, I highly recommend Spin A Black Yarn by Josh Malerman. In a collection of stories like this, not every read is going to be everyone’s cup of tea. But the ones that did it for me, outshine those that didn’t. Thank you to the publisher, Del Rey, for providing me with an Advanced Reader Copy of this great collection of stories.

ARC was given by NetGalley & Ballantine Books in exchange for an honest review.

This review is being published before the release date (August 15, 2023)

Let me be honest, this is my first book from this author, ever. I know, I know! I know so many people who have read from this author and loved their work, and I was excited when this arc landed in my hands. This is a collection of 5 horror stories that feel like they’ve come from real life experiences, all taking place in the same town, in different parts. While there are only 5 stories in this collection, I did find some favorites and a few that missed the mark for me.

As always for my anthologies & short story reviews, I have mini reviews for all the short stories where I talk about my thoughts, feelings, and include content/trigger warnings.


➼ Half the House is Haunted ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Content/Trigger Warnings: Bullying, mentions killing/harming animals, death of loved ones, talk of hospitalization

“Half the house is haunted, Robin. Don’t ask me which half.”

I absolutely adored this short story! Honestly, out of all the short stories in this collection, I think this might be my favorite story of the whole book. I really loved how we follow two siblings, Stephanie and Robin, in this story, a relationship that doesn’t quite have the best reputation. We get both perspectives and see the different tones between the two. Stephanie has a mysterious, ominous tone, while Robin has more of a frustrated, scared tone to it. I thought it was really well done and honestly, I think this could have become a full novella on it’s own.

➼ Argyle ⭐⭐⭐

Content/Trigger Warnings: Death, mentions of kidnapping/abduction, mentions torture, mentions of self-mutilation/self-harm

“We were Dad’s dark glasses, were Dad’s disguise.”

This was such an interesting story that surprised me. We follow a man named Shawn, who’s finally reached his time in life, and with this realization, Shawn has a giant confession, a secret he wants to tell everyone. When I tell you this was such a interesting take on a serial killer, I mean it. I’ve never read a story quite like this and it was interesting to follow Shawn’s story. What stood out to me the most was Argyle herself. I wanted more of her and it felt like her whole appearance through the story was way too short. I wish we saw more of Shawn’s sister too especially since she played such a key role in the story herself, but we never really saw her come into the picture until close to the end. I think it would have been more interesting if she had been more involved.

➼ Doug and Judy Buy the House Washer ⭐⭐

Content/Trigger Warning: Toxic relationship, talk of adultry/cheating, mentions of suicide, death

“Thank you for using the House Washer,” the base says, “Please… tell your friends all about your experience. And why not? For what you paid for?”

When I first started this story, I was pretty darn excited. Whenever I see that technology may be involved in horror, I instantly get intrigued because there’s so many ways it could go and the potential is just palpable. However, I feel rather disappointed by this short story. We follow Doug and Judy, a married couple, who are the most hated people in town, for very good reasons. And they just recently bought a House Washer, that supposedly cleans your whole home, but things don’t go the way Judy and Doug thought they would. This story had so much potential and just missed the mark for me. There were quite a few things and moments that were very predictable for me. For example, the fact that there would be a cycling through both Doug and Judy’s past memories. I think the part I disliked the most was the ending. I think the ending could have been expanded on or there could have been a follow up to what happened. I even predicted how the ending was going to play out and there were a few other things I just wasn’t a fan of. Though this short story is a bit of a play on those who are wealthy or celebrities, this just wasn’t for me.

➼ The Jupiter Drop ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Content/Trigger Warnings: Talk of murder, death, mentions automotive accident (in the past), isolation, hallucinations

“You most certainly did not. There is no life on Jupiter. And if you think you saw life on Jupiter? You are mistaken.”

Steve Ringwald is haunted by a single moment in his life, and now that his wife and kids have left him, Steve is feeling rather empty inside. Steve wants a change, an adventure. So when he reads the morning paper and an ad for the Jupiter Drop catches his eye, Steve might just be considering going. This was such a great concept and fascinating story! I think we’ve all have/had dreams of exploring space or going on a space adventure at one point in our life. What was really interesting was this whole adventure is a way for Steve to work through the single moment that changed his life forever, the one that still haunts him. I was full captivated and my curiosity fueled me as I devoured the pages for this short story. I don’t want to say much, but this story is one I still think about even now.

➼ Egorov ⭐⭐

Content/Trigger Warnings: Death, murder, mentions of poverty, alcoholism, grief, graphic death of animals, depictions of blood, violence

“They held hands above the small wooden table. “Ghost,” Barat said. “Haunt,” Pavel said.”

This was my least favorite of the entire collection and there’s a lot to unpack with this short story. For starters, this “short story” didn’t feel like a short story at all. It read like this was already an individually published novella because this it’s the longest story in the whole book, and makes up a good portion of the last chunk of the book, as well. There’s also the fact that there’s a ton of point of views in this short story, way too many povs. Almost seven or eight different point of views. There was a point where all the different perspectives started to blur together and it became very overwhelming to try to tell the difference between all of them because some had very similar tones to their chapter. And let me take a moment to mention the rat horror. Out of everything in this short story, the direction this goes with the rats was not my cup of tea and made me incredibly nauseous. Not a fun reading time. Overall, this wasn’t the short story for me and I wish the book didn’t end with this story, at all.


I gave Spin a Black Yarn three stars overall, because out of the possible 25 stars (5 stars being possible for all 5 stories) this short story collection accumulated 15 stars (60%)!

The quotes above were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.

Wow, does Josh Malerman write a creepy story... I have had two experiences with him so far - a novella and a novel. I finished the former (A House at the Bottom of a Lake)) and mostly enjoyed it not could not finish the latter (Unbury Carol). So I wasn't sure exactly what I would find in this series of novellas and stories, what I found was fairly evenly split - two of the stories didn't hold my interest at all and two were fabulous but exceptionally creepy. My favorite story in the book by far was Doug and Judy Buy the House Washer. It was everything I want in a short story - original and interesting, with well drawn characters, a quick biting plot, and excellent prose that grabbed me by the throat from the opening lines and refused to let go until the bitter end. I loved everything about it - the concept, the lesson, the creepy factor, and the snark. The other story I enjoyed - if I can really say that without sounding weird - was Argyle. This was the creepiest thing I've read in a long time. The idea of a father confessing on his deathbed to his lifelong desire to kill his family and everyone around him was darkly funny at first but played out in such an utterly sociopathic and horrifyingly explicit way that I turned the pages with distaste, yet couldn't stop turning them... The other three stories in the book just didn't do anything for me. The dark magic of Doug and Judy and Argyle were just not there for me - I had no connection to Half the House is Haunted at all; Jupiter Drop and Egorov started intriguingly but both lost me relatively quickly. It's strange to me how I can respond so differently to stories by the same author in a single book, but I suppose it's not if you read the afterward and see that he has been collecting these stories for some time. Still, the other two stories were so strong that the collection on the whole was still a positive read for me.