Being that the Midwestern United States is not the first place I think of when I hear the word "gothic," I found the title alone intriguing enough to request this from NetGalley. (That and the fact that I'm already a fan of Scott Thomas' work.) As it turns out, this was a great decision on my part!

Midwestern Gothic contains 4 novellas that range from cosmic to gory to just plain scary. If you've read his book KILL CREEK, you are already familiar with Blantonville, Kansas. (Please note that you do NOT have to have read KILL CREEK to read this collection. But if you have, there are some nice Easter eggs here for you!) In my opinion, Blantonville is just as scary as Derry, Maine, Oxrun Station, or Goblin, Michigan. (If you know, you know.)

Within this novella we meet a few of the citizens of Blantonville, but what's most interesting about this book as a whole is that it's the land itself that is haunted. The history of it, the battles over it, etc.. It's not a haunted house, it's not a serial killer, (though there are some), it's just land. Land that has soaked up the blood of its inhabitants for years, even centuries.

Stand alone doors in a field, pathways to other worlds, a smidge of the cosmic, a horrific story of summer camp, and a woman who watches the apartments of her neighbors instead of television. The last tale of the woman watching a nearby apartment building was brilliant. (Rear Window-ish brilliant.) The main character of the story is editing a book about gothic stories in the Midwest, while being a character in a book about gothic stories of the Midwest. Again, I say BRILLIANT!

This novella collection has everything a horror lover like me wants in a book. It has the scares and the gore, but it also has a sense of itself, if that makes any sense. As I was reading, the admirable skills of the author became readily apparent and I devoured the 440 pages within a week. When I wasn't reading I wanted to be. MIDWESTERN GOTHIC made me wish I didn't have a full time job and a family. It was that good.

To sum up, I think this is now my favorite Scott Thomas book, even over KILL CREEK, which I adored. Four novellas, each its own distinct tale, each taking place on that haunted Midwestern land.

My highest recommendation!

*ARC from publisher. Thank you!*

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC.

HUGE fan of Kill Creek, so was very excited to read these 4 short stories. Totally exceeded my expectations--especially the returning characters from Kill Creek.

My favorite was A Boy in the Woods. Great twist on the classic summer camp yarn.

Eager to read Scott Thomas' next novel.

Having lived in the Midwest my entire life this book of short stories was a real treat. Gothic horror can be found anywhere, even in a barn or a farmhouse or possibly just the stolen land.

I enjoyed all the stories, but my absolute favorite was One Half of a Child’s Face. My favorite movie of all time is Hitchcock’s Rear Window and this had all the vibes.

Sienna is lonely without her daughter, having to share weekends with her ex husband and his new girlfriend. She passes the time by editing a collection of essays, Scares and Stripes, (I’d like to read that myself) and watching the windows and people in the apartment building next door. Her ex husband happens to live in one of those apartments.

The horror in this tale is real and monstrous. Imagine the movie Sinister, but with a single mom heroine. I immediately related to Sienna. She’s one of my favorite characters in a book so far in 2024z

For fans of gothic horror with a modern twist, folk horror and strong female protagonists.

Thanks to NetGalley for my ARC

I had a good time with Midwestern Gothic. Usually I am not a fan of novella/short story collections because they feel so random. This was different because of the connection between the stories. It reminded me of the way so many Stephen King novels are connected by the haunted town, or a land that is eerie and dangerous somehow. Thomas did a nice job developing satisfying and uniquely spooky stories. My personal favorites were The Door In the Field and The Boy In the Woods.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

"Midwestern Gothic" by Scott Thomas is a compelling collection that delves deep into the heart of American folklore, intertwining the mundane with the macabre. This anthology of novellas is a testament to Thomas' ability to transform the familiar landscapes of the Midwest into realms of haunting tales and unsettling mysteries.

The book opens with "The Door in the Field" , where we follow Rayland Allen, a construction worker whose bad day spirals into a nightmarish ordeal. Thomas masterfully crafts a narrative that is as much about the internal demons as it is about the external horrors that Rayland faces.

In "The Boy in the Woods" , the innocence of summer camp is shattered by a creeping evil that infects the counselors. Young Eddie Reicher's fight for survival is a chilling reminder of the thin veil between childhood fears and real-world terrors.

"One Half of a Child’s Face" introduces us to Sienna Franklin, a recently divorced mother who becomes entangled in a disturbing mystery centered around a peculiar painting. Thomas' exploration of obsession and the supernatural is both gripping and thought-provoking.

The collection concludes with "Wear Your Secret Like a Stone", as the seemingly innocuous task of setting up a Halloween book display unearths a dark sectet. This story is a poignant commentary on the shadows that lurk beneath the surface of small-town life.

Scott Thomas' "Midwestern Gothic" is not just a series of horror stories; it is a mosaic of the human condition, painted on a canvas of the eerie and the Gothic. The novellas, each around 100 pages, are the perfect length to immerse oneself fully without overstaying their welcome. The interconnections between the stories and nods to Thomas' previous work, "Kill Creek" , add layers of depth and intrigue.

The use of folklore is particularly striking, with each tale drawing from different cultural backgrounds, yet all converging in the Midwestern setting. The references to horror literature throughout the book create a rich tapestry that celebrates the genre and its enthusiasts.

"Midwestern Gothic" is a must-read for fans of horror and Gothic fiction. This is a collection that but resonates with the reader, ensuring Scott Thomas reputation as a master of Midwestern Gothic, and this book is a shining example of his craft.

Thank you NetGalley and Inkshares for the ARC.

Midwestern Gothic by Scott Thomas is an ode to Midwestern horror. The Midwest is filled with a blend of industrial and decaying barns, thick forests, sprawling corn fields, rolling hills of wheat, and an unlabeled feeling of unease when the sun falls behind the horizon. As a Midwesterner myself I loved seeing my part of the country receive recognition for its unique brand of gothic horror. It’s the place I call home and the place I think deserves its own regionally specific horror.

Midwestern Gothic is comprised of four novellas revolving around different characters throughout Kansas. Each novella makes references to Thomas’s other novel Kill Creek which adds a layer that fans will love to pick up on. The revolving cast makes for a fresh start to the horror with every novella. My personal favorite was the very last story, One Half of a Child’s Face. It was a meta text that acknowledged its roots. The slow drip horror in this story revolves around a woman struggling with motherhood, divorce, guilt, and her past all while realizing there’s an antique horror stalking the neighborhood.

While Midwestern Gothic contains four separate stories, there’s an underlying thread that ties them all together. Thomas uses each novella to push the idea that the Midwestern brand of horror doesn’t stem from any individual human action but can be traced back to the land itself. Midwestern horror is a part of the soil, a part of the land itself, a brand of horror that we’ve built homes and lives upon, a horror we cannot escape because it has been here longer than we have. It was a wonderfully interesting take on horror that stands on its own against the main competitors of Southern and Northeastern Gothic.

My thanks to Inkshares Press, Scott Thomas and Netgalley.
So, I'll admit that I enjoyed this every bit as much as I expected. Scott Thomas has my respect and a wee bit of my very aged, teriyaki flavored, dried up husk of a heart! Lol!
I've seen a few reviews that said that they hadn't read the other Thomas books, so they had no comparison. Bunch of bullshit! Thomas doesn't make you dependant on his other books. He merely references them for context. IYKYK.
I hated the first story. Hate..
The rest? Multiple stars!******So, maybe, 4? Ha!
Scott Thomas is an auto but for me. The man just writes the strange shut and that makes.me happy!

I’ve never read kill creek by Scott Thomas but I did enjoy Midwestern Gothic. It was really fun to get the short insight how every story came to be at the beginning. After reading these I don’t want to go to Kansas (because of these scary stories) but he gave a sense of having been to Kansas and fits all the vibes. I love the interconnecting, slow detailed writing style that allows tension to build. This was a fun read for sure.

2.5 stars - Unfortunately, I was underwhelmed. I loved Kill Creek by Thomas, but this series of 4 shorts was a world away. I'll keep my review short because I don't wish to speak ill towards a creation by an honoured author. Perhaps others will find more of a connection in the pages!

Pros: interesting premise, I enjoyed how there was some connection to each of the four authors from Kill Creek, and I enjoyed 2 of the stories out of 4.

Cons: bloated with irrelevant text, forgettable, boring.

Thank you Netgalley, Scott Thomas, and Inkshares publishers for this advanced copy

Kill Creek by Scott Thomas has been on my TBR for a long time, but believe me when I say, while you might pick up some Easter Eggs along the way, it is not required reading to enjoy Midwestern Gothic. As with any story collection, some are stronger than others, and Wear Your Secret Like a Stone was a particular favorite of mine; it was like the creepiest scavenger hunt ever. While I enjoyed all the stories, the one that is really sticking with me is One Half of a Child's Face. The visuals conjured by Thomas' writing come from nightmares. Midwestern Gothic is a strong collection and a must-read for any Scott Thomas fan.

Midwestern Gothic is my first read from author Scott Thomas and has been a delightfully scary ride. Each tale of the four included novellas dives deep into the Midwestern culture and delivers spooky and frightening tales that can only be told in this Gothic style. I enjoyed the first novella so much that I purchased Kill Creek on audiobook to duel listen as I read this advanced copy and it did not disappoint. If you love books like Different Season by Stephen King but want a book set a bit closer to home (like I did living in North Oklahoma), you'll love this midwestern twist on what can happen in the open fields, campgrounds, quarries, and suburbs of mid-U.S. living.

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read this pre-release. I'll definitely be suggesting it once it makes its debut.

"Do you really want to know what I know? Now is your chance to turn back. I wish you would."

Four novellas. They're pretty good but very long. I would have liked each one more had they been cut by 40 percent. So, all in all, it was difficult to rate this collection.

I haven’t read Kill Creek, so I didn’t understand all the references to it. I also found the stories a bit drawn out and dry.

Thank you anyways to the author and NetGalley for a copy!

These are some of the best short horror stories that I've read all year! This author has firmly pulled me in as a new fan and I cannot wait to read more from him. Defining, terrifying, sleep-with-a-nightlight-on type of horror!

Midwestern Gothic by Scott Thomas is an intriguing collection of four eerie novellas from the acclaimed author of "Kill Creek."

It has a strong start with "The Door in the Field," where a construction worker grapples with his inner demons, while "The Boy in the Woods" unveils the dark secrets lurking within a seemingly innocent summer camp. In "One Half of a Child’s Face," a woman's voyeuristic curiosity leads her to a mysterious painting, while "Wear Your Secret Like a Stone" follows a store worker's chilling discovery after her controversial choice for a book recommendation in a Halloween store display. Wear Your Secret Like a Stone and The Boy in the Woods were my two favorites, but all were delightfully creepy and weird.

With each story offering a unique blend of suspense and creepiness, "Midwestern Gothic" promises an unforgettable journey into the depths of the unknown. Perfect for those seeking a spine-tingling read to accompany their next late-night reading session! Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

What a wonderful surprise! I was instantly drawn to Scott Thomas's Midwestern Gothic, as a fan of the gothic and from the Midwest (born and raised in northern IL and recently moved to southern MO, and apparently not too far from the author's hometown, and the town he used as inspiration for the fictional Blantonville in his collection). The last story in Thomas' collection features snippets of an essay on what midwestern gothic is, how the traditional gothic setting of an old house is transferred to the setting of the old land in the midwest, because that's where our historical stories of pain, misery, and horror reside: in the land.

If you're unfamiliar with the American midwest, this book is a great place to start to get the vibe of what it can be like in the rural parts of the middle of our country. Even though I grew up in Illinois and not Kansas, I could still see a lot of what I remembered from my own childhood in settings of these stories, but even if I didn't have that connection Thomas evokes that atmosphere expertly.

This book contains four incredible novellas, all wonderful and engrossing, varying between turning tropes on their head to embracing those tropes in homages to other genres. I also really love that a couple stories also include some cosmic horror, my favorite :)

The Door in the Field - A line in a book that's not meant to be there sends a man on a downward spiral, dragging him and a few of those around him down a path of no return. Spooky, creepy, and something I've actually had nightmares about from growing up surround by cornfields.

Wear Your Secret Like a Stone - "There are shadows in the forest that cannot be trees". Ah! About the dangers of getting stuck in a small town... lol

The Boy in the Woods - Probably my favorite story in the bunch, it's a classic summer camp horror story but with a fun twist. Very enjoyable and fun, has some spooks but not outright scary.

One Half of a Child's Face - A close-second for favorite and the most outright cosmic horror of the bunch. This, focusing more on the protagonist's mental state and the lives of the people in Riverside Apartments, would make for an excellent full-length novel, I think! Great ending as well.

At the end, I learned from the author bio and acknowledgements that Thomas had an hand in RL Stine's The Haunting Hour tv show and that alone would have sold me on this book had I know, because that is one of the best and most underrated kid's horror shows out there, with some genuine scares.

I think Midwestern Gothic is going to be one of my favorite books this year.

I loved kill creek so having this set in the same world was fantastic.
These are 3 solid short stories that you won't want to put down.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read and review this book

One of the Best 5 Star Books I've Read This Year!

Scott Thomas is genuinely a master of the craft. When I saw that he had a collection of novellas coming out I knew I was going to love them. His writing style just pulls you under a spell and you'll blink and realize that 100+ pages have flown by as you found yourself devouring his stories. His writing similarly to that to Stephen King seems to be interwoven with characters from all of his work finding homes and mentions through the pages of this story! It makes for such a fun Easter Egg hunt!

The body horror, the psychological terror, and the deliciously devious character writing will ensure that this book will haunt you for ages to come!

The Door in the Field - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

- This story ramps up slowly, but by the ending of this story, you'll know nothing is safe. What a twisting and turning story that truly gave me whiplash because of the reveals. The pacing (even with a slower start) keeps you wanting to know more and the style that this is presented with takes it to the next level.
- There are also some Easter Eggs in this that think long time fans of Thomas are going to LOVE!

Wear Your Secret Like A Stone ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

- I won't be able to put into words how literally terrifying this story was. The way that Thomas chose his words in this story, the sheer journey that the main character, Tara, takes is just literally superb. It truly scared the death out of me. The imagery of what happens appears behind my eyelids every time I close my eyes. This is truly amazing folk horror.
- PS - if you loved Grady Hendrix's Ankle Snatcher then this will give you the cravings you've been having.

The Boy in the Woods ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

- Wow, this is a whirlwind of a summer camp story that is chock full of deliciously devious body horror. This story follows Eddie who has unfortunately been bullied for a majority of his life due to a dog related accident. However, Eddie witnesses something bone chilling seemingly torn from the pages of one of his favorite stories. Kids at his camp aren't right. They are so far from right that Eddie is now in fear for his life.
- Seriously perfect for fans of the Faculty (film) or The Troop by Nick Cutter.
- I'm serious - please give us a glimpse into the Camp's future after the events of this story! What a thrill ride.

One Half of a Child's Face ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- This story didn't grab me as quickly as the others in this collection, however the pay off in this story was so Hitchcock that I loved it just the same. This plays out like some twisted Rear Window but with a terrifying and horrid twist that as a reader I really enjoyed.
- The Easter eggs in this story are really fun too!


All in all this collection is truly spectacular and will stick with me for a while to come. Some of the horror sequences in this story are next level and inspired such bone-deep terror. These stories are fun and have so much for readers!

🚪 Midwestern Gothic by Scott Thomas 🚪 This collection of tales is broken into 4 unique stories told by Thomas and each one has something truly unique to say and show you. I was riveted by the first story of an ordinary man with an anger problem thrust into a growing series of horrific events few can even begin to comprehend let alone this poor guy. From a dark Kansas field to a girl who wants nothing more then to escape the confines of a small town to a boy at summer camp who can’t escape the cruelties of bullies even as something darker crashes into his life to a single mom who has to share her only daughter with a man who lives in an apartment where strange things are occurring there should be something for everyone. I was expecting to be thrilled by the work of Thomas and for two of the stories I was, feeling a sense of creeping fear as the thought that the noise I just heard outside my country home might just be something more. But the other half of the stories felt rushed, harried and distracted as the author allowed what at first was a small trickling of his own political views which turned into what I felt was deluge that hampered these two stories mightily. What could have been bothers me as this entire collection could have been something truly special and unique but instead I was beat over the head at multiple times by opinions I feel the author didn’t take long enough to explore for himself before interjecting them into his story. For what Midwestern Gothic was, and could have been, I would recommend a read if only for the first and third stories. Thomas has an interesting writing style and I would love to explore other works of his and wait to see what he can come up with next. Thank you to @netgalley for the ARC copy of this book and as always my opinions are mine and mine alone. If you could go anywhere in the great USA where would you go and why? Let me down down below ⬇️ #arc #arcreader #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookreview #bookreviewer #bookreviewersofinstagram #horrornovel #horrorbooks #horrorbookstagram #horrorbook #thrillerbooks #thriller #thrillers #horrorart #horrorcommunity #horrorstories #bookstaghouls #honestreview #honestreviewer

A haunting reminder that everything comes with a price. The price of the land we covet is often blood. Loved this new take on the American Gothic in the Midwest.