I've enjoyed everything I've read from malfi and this one didn't disappoint. Interesting stories. Perfect creepy vibes. Looking forward to malfi's next title. Highly recommend They Lurk to anyone.

I am a huge fan of collections and anthologies, moreso because if I don't love a story, I don't lose interest in the entire book. With They Lurk, I was glad to find that all of the stories were original and different! Some eerier than others, but generally a great collection of novellas. One wasn't particularly my favorite (The Separation I believe it was called) but the rest I really enjoyed! This was my first by Malfi and I'm glad I finally read (listened) to his work! I plan to read one of his longer novels, now that I've gotten a taste for his writing style. (Side note: I live in Florida and that story gave me major creeps!)

I really wanted to enjoy these short stories.
Unfortunately, they did not captivate my attention as I hoped they would.
When listening to them I often found my mind wondering, which is not a great sign.
I’ve heard great things about this author, so I will definitely be checking out this other books.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC. Although this review is for the audiobook format, it applies equally to the novel.

This is a gripping horror novel and Ronald Malfi masterfully creates a chilling atmosphere of dread and suspense.

This story introduces us to a group of friends who reunite for a camping trip in the woods, only to find themselves hunted by a mysterious and deadly creature.

The audiobook is narrated by the talented Scott Brick, one of my favorite narrators, who does an excellent job of bringing the characters in this (and many other stories) audiobook to life. He matches his tone and pace to the mood and intensity of the scenes, making the listening experience immersive and engaging.

A must-listen for fans of horror and thrillers, as it delivers a thrilling and terrifying story that will haunt you long after you finish it.

Malfi's writing is superb, and he skillfully balances the action, the mystery, and the character development. This novel explores themes such as friendship, guilt, trauma, and survival, adding depth and complexity to the story.

If you are looking for a spine-tingling and heart-pounding audiobook, look no further than They Lurk (just keep your lights on 😉).

They Lurk by Ronald Malfi was a welcome surprise. This is my first book by this author and it did not disappoint. They Lurk is a short story collection that is equal parts creepy and mysterious. I really loved this book and highly recommend it.

As with any collection of novellas or short fiction, there will always be some that work for me more than others and this collection is no different. What I will say is that overall, the collection was good, if not mind blowing and a great way for any reader new to Malfi to sample his writing style. As I say, none of these stories blew me away, but my favourites were 'After the Fade' and 'Fierce'. Overall, a good but not great collection.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I absolutely love Ronald Malfi work. He is creepy and mysterious and this book in particular did not disappoint. I found him through Net Galley and he is now on my instant buy author list. I highly recommend readers listen to the audiobooks.

Oh my... this audiobook is perfect for anyone looking for an adult version of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. Some of the stories had me sleeping with the light on, while others left me sick to my stomach (something I never felt from a book before). I love true crime and horror novels/movies, but this one got to me in a way I never experienced before. If you are looking for a good scare, look no further than They Lurk! Definitely check trigger warnings. I can't recommend this book enough! Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

🎃THEY LURK by @ronaldmalfi🎃

💀💀💀

Thank you to the author, @netgalley and the publisher, @tantoraudio for the audio-ARC.

This volume contains five short stories or novellas that have been grouped together; Skullbelly, The Separation, The Stranger, After the Fade and Fierce. Skullbelly was by far my favorite of the five, but I also really enjoyed The Separation, the Stranger and After the Fade. Compilations like this can be hit or miss for me but I think I would give this a solid four stars as I enjoyed most of the stories (although I could have taken or left the last story, Fierce).

I am not entirely sure but I thought Skullbelly actually showed up in at least one of the other stories so perhaps that is a theme between the novellas that I did not fully grasp. Either way, Skullbelly in itself was pretty terrifying and had some folklore aspect to it that drew me in! If you like shorter snippets of horror this might just be the ticket for you!

This one is out in the world as of July so go get your grubby little hands on it!

🍂🍂🍂

Fall is definitely in full swing right now in Seattle and I am getting cozy with some mysteries and thrillers. Looking forward to scary movies and a haunted house later this month!!

Do you have any fall or Halloween traditions?

💚SMASHBOT💚

When I requested this book, I didn’t look at the description. I saw that it was written by Ronald Malfi, one of my favourite authors, and pressed request! I love Malfi’s writing style and his stories resonate with me. He is a master of horror. With that said, They Lurk is a compilation of short horror stories, which I don’t normally gravitate towards. As with most compilations, some of the stories were better than others. There were some extremely graphic gore scenes that traumatized me. I wasn’t expecting that. I guess that speaks to Malfi’s strong descriptive writing skills.

This was an older publication and it showed. I prefer Malfi’s more current works. However, this was the perfect October read and I think other readers who enjoy short stories will enjoy this book more than I did. I would suggest reading other reviews.

The audio performance was average. Good range of voices that added some entertainment.

A gracious thank you to #NetGalley and #TantorAudio for an audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This book contains five very creepy stories that are sure to keep you thinking about them, even after you have put down the book. A perfect read for the fall season.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

*A big thank-you to Ronald Malfi, Tantor Audio, and NetGalley for a free audiobook in exchange for my honest review.*
I could not resist requesting Mr Malfi's offering of novellas in hope of a little horror during summer time. Each plot is intriguing but one novella gripped me from the very first sentence I heard. I would recommend this title to Mr Malfi's fans and fans of the genre.

They Lurk by @ronaldmalfi - As with all anthologies, this one had stories I loved, stories that were okay and ones that I didn't care much for. Luckily, this book had more stories that I loved than most anthologies I read

Audio review: Narrator was fine. Easy to listen to.

Main review: Ronald Malfi is a horror author I always feel I should enjoy more than I do. His choice of subject matter, his cool ideas, his grasp of various types of horror all tick my boxes. But when I read his work the experience is very hit and miss. I suspect this is at least partly me. And there does seem to be a corelation where I enjoy his longer form work more. This collection of novellas is fine. It's relatively entertaining. Unfortunately none really stood out for me or gave me the chills I was looking for. I definitely preferred his previous collection. However, I have really enjoyed some of the authors novels so if you're a horror fan, I would still recommend checking his work out.

I've seen Ronald Malfi's name around, and find the covers and titles of his books intriguing, so was excited to give this collection of novellas a try, hoping to get a taste of his writing. I wasn't sure what to expect, but came away from this read with very mixed feelings!

I really didn't enjoy the first two stories -
'Skullbelly' was an interesting idea but I found the ending anticlimactic, and felt the story was told from an uninteresting point of view. I'd much rather have read from the son's point of view, rather than an investigator after the fact.
'The Separation' wasn't for me - I couldn't pin down the time period the story was set in, the characters spoke and acted like it was pre 1950s but I think it's meant to be set today? The story and characters didn't grab my attention and this story won't stick in my mind for long.

If I'd been reading this collection physically, I'd probably have DNF'd after this start, but I'm so glad I pushed on with the audiobook because the final three stories - 'The Stranger', 'After the Fade' and 'Fierce' were all between 4-5 star reads.
'The Stranger' took a simple idea and ran with it, I loved the surreal body-horror direction it went (be warned if you're squeamish!) and it reminded me of Stephen King short stories.
'After the Fade' was a thrilling apocalyptic story, I loved the setting and found all the characters intriguing. I could have read a full novel built around this story!
'Fierce' was relentless in its pace and I really enjoyed its format jumping back and forth between the past and present. Very visceral, every sound, smell and feeling was vividly described.

Overall I'm glad I read this collection - the stories averaged at a rating of 3.2 stars. I'll keep an eye out for more from Ronald Malfi.

The perfect anthology of creepy reads. I love a good creepy quick read. Perfect for the upcoming spooky season

This was my first Robert Malfi book, and I devoured it.

Skulbelly: a group of teenagers go camping where they shouldn’t an only one returns- too traumatized to speak.
I found this one to be interesting, but I found myself wanting more from the story.

The Separation: Charlie isn’t the same since his wife left him. He feels like he’s been displaced and isn’t equipped to handle to depression that’s devouring him.
This one was trippy- but the animal abuse really got me bad. This was my least favorite of the five. Don’t hurt the animals.😢

The Stranger: What would you do if you found a random person sitting in your car, refusing to get out?
I loved this one. It was so gross, gory, and absolutely bizarre.

After the Fade: The start of an apocalyptic event from the point of view of regulars at a bar. A young woman stumbles in with something protruding from the back of her head.
If you like Sci-fi you would enjoy this one. It reminded me of The Birds, but with bugs… you have been warned…

Fierce: A mother & daughter narrowly survive a car accident in the snow, only to end up in an even more intense survival situation, that resembles a part of their past…
This one was survival horror and I ate it up. It gave some good black mirror vibes.

I love creature horror and every time I read it I remember why I love it so much. These 5 novellas all have creatures in common and all of them were excellent. The narrator did a fantastic job. Every time I read Malfi he cements himself a little further in my favorite authors list. He has the power to unsettle me in the best way and I appreciate when an author can do that and do it well. I will be getting a physical copy of this immediately!

I enjoyed each of the five stories, but I wished for more time with each story. This often happens for me when reading short stories. The author did a great job setting the atmosphere with each story, especially The Stranger. I was really creeped out by this story. I was literally on the edge of my seat waiting to figure out what would happen next. The Separation was a bit grotesque for my liking, but also I what I expect from a horror story.

Overall, a great collection of short stories that I recommended to horror lovers.

Ever get that feeling like there’s something lurking just out of sight? Every single one of these stories will get under your skin and make you want to keep all the lights on.