Small Town Horror
by Ronald Malfi

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book to review!

You cannot go wrong when reading a novel by Mr. Malfi. He is a leader in the genre of horror, mystery and suspense. As with his other novels (yes, I have read them all !) Small Town Horror is an engrossing & frightening adult coming of age tale.

Five friends took part in what became a tragic accident when they were teenagers. Since then the once inseparable group broke apart and made new friends, followed different paths and tried to forget that fateful night 20 years ago..

Now in the present (twenty years later) all five lives beginning to slowly unravel .Some of the group realize what is happening is too strange to be coincidental and that perhaps the time has come to pay for their past sins. The five reunite in their old home town unknowing that soon their lives will forever be altered.

Filled with chills, twists and nail biting moments, Small Town Horror is a great read and I would strongly recommended it to all horror fans. I would go as far to recommend it to non horror fans because this may just be the book to convince you to join us in all things scary .

5 Stars!

In some ways this is a story we’ve all heard before. A group of teenage friends growing up in a small town do something bad, cover it up hoping to get away with it and twenty years later something happened and the secret starts to fall apart. But add in a vengeful ghost, his mother and some dark and gruesome events and this becomes a horror story, especially when written by Ronald Malfi.

Andrew Larimer, one of the group of friends escaped to New York where he has a high flying career in law, a wife and a baby on the way. Except for his father’s funeral he has never gone back to his small Maryland hometown, but now he has received a phone call saying he needs to come back now as their carefully kept secret is in danger of being exposed. Strange happenings and sightings of a ghostly figure put them all on edge, especially Andrew whose baby is due any day.

This has a slow build initially as the story unfolds in two time lines, then and now, creating a chilling and eerie atmosphere. Everyone has their own secrets they are keeping from the group, including Andrew and its revelation was one of those Aha! moments that explained his reticence about being completely open with his old friends. There are some good twists in the tail and a very creepy and chilling ending.

Ronald Malfi does it again! An intriguing storyteller, who gives you little bits of horror to remind you what kind of story you’re reading. Much like the author’s erie story Black Mouth, our main protagonist Andrew returns home to a childhood friend to find his wife has gone missing. With Andrew being a lawyer and his old friend Dale now being a person of interest, they will finally have to come to terms with an accident from their past and the possible ghosts of it starting to haunt them now.

One thing the author does, is really develop an individual personality of each character, gives each a different and unique story that keeps you engrossed but never leaves you feeling like you’re wondering who is whom.

Also, what a couple of great twists right before the end; one definitely blew my mind. If you haven’t tried Ronald Malfi yet but are a horror reader who enjoys a detailed story, this could be a great start

I absolutely love horror novels set in small towns so I had high expectations going into this book and it did not disappoint! We have a group of adult friends getting back together after a dark secret from their past begins infecting their present.

The story had a creepy atmosphere, a supernatural slant (or are the spooky things that are happening simply stress and guilt induced?), and the edge of a thriller. I also loved the commentary on life in small towns. If anything, I just wanted more of the story, which is a testament to how much I enjoyed it. I would have loved for Kingsport and its townsfolk to have been even further fleshed out.

But overall, this was such a great read. And as most of it is set around the Fourth of July, it’s also perfect for summer!

Small Town Horror, written by Ronald Malfi, tells the story of five childhood friends as they are summoned back to their small, coastal Maryland home town and forced to confront past mistakes that have sent their lives in wildly different directions. Small Town Horror reads as part mystery, part haunting as what happened twenty years ago is connected to the characters' present turmoil. We are left wondering if and how each character will atone for what happened and every lie told since that fateful moment.

While the premise of Small Town Horror wasn't original (I think we can all recall a thriller written about a group of friends who reunite for reckoning of past sin), I appreciated the quality of Malfi's writing. Malfi's books are popular for a reason - he does an excellent job of setting the scene and creating characters. However, the story felt long winded with a rushed ending. The finale could have been better set up for success, which was surprising given the attention to detail paid to other elements throughout the story.

This was my first Malfi book and what an atmospheric read! The dread was eerily present and I constantly found myself just waiting for something bad to happen. You could feel the impending doom throughout the entirety of the book.

The pacing was a bit slow for me. I found the characters to be very unlikable as well. There were some twists that I did not see coming and I also thought the ending was great.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for gifting me this ARC and making a new fan of Ronald Malfi. I absolutely loved this book. It has IT and Stand By Me vibes while also remaining true to itself. It dives deep into childhood secrets and friendships and makes you question just how far is too far. I highly recommend this book to horror fans!

It’s a tale as old as time- you try to leave behind small town USA but that small town won’t let you go.
The only member of a friendship group who “got away” is forced back when his friend’s wife goes missing. Andrew is starting to see weird shadows and smell strange smells even before he returns so the approach of the 20 year anniversary of their secret doesn’t bode well.

As always this author’s story is well written, well paced, and I read it in a day- as all Malfi’s books should be read. However I didn’t love it as much as some of his other works. Whether this is because the characters were all so flawed I didn’t mind what happened to them I’m not sure. The horror worked on the unknown- was Robert’s mam actually a witch? Was it all just guilt? All very well done. And I really liked the ending and how it explained the flow of the book.
No I’ve changed my mind 5 stars not 4!

I am convinced that Robert Malfi can only write 5 star books for me. This man is an absolute horror genius. The way that he creates connections throughout this story, that all tie together in the end is just mind blowing to me. He writes this story with so much care, every thing he detailed in this story was done so beautifully. The twists were twisting HARD. I never saw them coming whatsoever. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book that just made me feel, for lack of a better word, doom for all of the characters. I could NOT put this down because I had to know what was going to happen to each one. And how Malfi knew my fear of frogs… I’ll never know (he told me he knows everything LOL). This is one I will want to read again everytime halloween comes around. Along with his Come With Me of course. Don’t miss out on this one! It comes out 6/4/2024.

One of the most consistent deliverers of solid horror fiction working today, Ronald Malfi just seems to get better and better. Small Town Horror provides exactly what it promises, a small Maryland town with a dark secret. Kingsport draws Andrew Larimer back from his life in New York to deal with fallout from events that happened twenty years previous. From the first page, there's a detachment to Malfi's storytelling that gives the impression of a vein of... something-darkness? evil? secrecy?-running through the story, keeping the reader off-kilter and unsure throughout the course. That unsettling atmosphere makes the story's twisted paths and unexpected directions land in a stronger manner. Truly, there are time when it feels as though the author is simply playing with you. Small Town Horror succeeds as an immensely readable piece of horror fiction about a group of friends battling evil in their hometown, while also exploring the trope through a critical lens in order to provide the reader a unique journey. A phenomenal blend of mystery and supernatural that, for me, tops an impressive list of books by a talented author.

Ronald Malfi is quickly becoming on of my favorite horror writers (Dont worry Stephen Graham Jones, no one can knock you off the no. 1 position).
Malfi is to me what Stephen King is to many others, telling very human stories, getting you very involved in their lives, and then having the horror hit you very hard because of that involvement. Except Malfi manages to do it without the bulk of a King book. I'm not saying Malfi books are skimpy, Small Town Horror clocks in at just shy of 400 pages - but what it isnt bloated, rather just right.
Five close knit friends are responsible for a terrible event and have never been held responsible. Now on the twentieth anniversary Andrew, our narrator, comes back to the home town to find his friends lives are falling apart, with some of them believing they are literary being haunted by the past.
And while this might not be the most original idea in the history of horror, Ronald Malfi makes it his own.
You really get to know the main character Andrew, as he tells you of the uneasy feelings he has been getting since his wife announced her pregnancy, and understand why he lies to his old friends about his marriage, trying to keep his new world away from the horrors of the past.
Small Town Horror will definitely be in my top 5 books of 2024.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC.

Ronald Malfi is one of the best writers working in the horror/thriller space, and he continues to 1-up himself. This one felt like a cross between Come With Me and IT.

Andrew, a successful lawyer in NYC, returns to his home town after his childhood friend's wife goes missing. Him and his friend group come to believe they're cursed due to a crime they committed in their youth. Without spoiling, I loved the horror elements that came into play. One of the scariest in his entire library.

My favorite read of 2024 so far.

First off, let me say how excited I was to get Malfi's newest book. Soooo excited.

Quick synopsis: Andrew is a hot shot lawyer in NYC who receives a call in the middle of the night from his childhood friend, Dale, who is summoning him back to his hometown and he "should know why". Intriguing for sure. Andrew leaves right away to a small town off the Chesapeake Bay to try and find out what is going on. Long story short, 5 childhood friends encountered a tragedy back when they were in high school that drove them all apart and now are being brought together again due to a new tragedy. Are they connected? I love these types of novels of bringing the past and present together. It reminds me of Stephen King's "It". Is it connected or not?

What I liked: The atmosphere was there! It was eerie for sure. It was a mixture of supernatural, horror and just plain mystery.

What I didn't like: It seemed slow. Not drug out slow that I was bored but more so asking when we are getting to the meat of the story. Also I didn't feel the vibe of the 5 friends while in the past storyline. They didn't seem to give off the feeling of a close knit group.. But that's just a minor quibble.

To combine the like and dislikes: It started out very eerie and I loved the past and present being tied together. We do find out early on what the tragedy was and while that is usually something I dislike it didn't hinder the rest of the book. I will say 3/4 of the way through I thought I knew where it was going and was a tad bored but STILL wanted to know how it ended up. Then the reveal happened, and I was shocked, and it takes a lot to shock me. I had no idea. And it all made sense on the why the MC acted a certain way. I was like ohhhhh!!!!. It then took off and the pages were flipping until there were no more to flip. Malfi, I just wanted an epilogue. There was no nice, neat bow tied on the ending but I kinda wanted one after that phenomenal ending. I know, conundrum, phenomenal but wanting more?! It happens....

If you like a combo of mystery, supernatural, horror and past meets present.... this just may be for you.

I'm newer to this author but definitely have liked all of his works s to this point. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I devoured “Come With Me” a few years ago after picking it up at a local bookstore on a whim. Since then, Malfi has become one of my favorite authors and I’m incredibly thankful for the opportunity to read this ARC of his latest. “Small Town Horror” did not disappoint! This book devastated me in the best of ways and I’ve found myself thinking about it often in the days since I finished it. This is absolutely a book I’ll be buying for my collection!

Tig, Eric , Andrew, Meach and Dale are childhood friends who are forever bound by one fateful July 4 th evening in their youth.
As soon as he is able, Andrew leaves his home town for NYC to start a new life and escape the secrets that haunt him . 20years later, when he is summoned by his old friend Dale whose wife has gone missing, Andrew feels obligated to return to the place he vowed he’d never go again. Upon arrival, strange things begin to occur to all of the old friends who fear that they may be cursed for their actions in the past and the life that was lost all of those years ago. This was such a dark and twisty read. Malfi is a master at setting a scene and bringing such a creepy atmosphere to his novels. As the story escalates, it becomes apparent that the past cannot be escaped and ultimately the friends must pay for their sins. An excellent novel that I gave 5 stars!

I’ve read so many statements calling Malfi the heir to Stephen King and I get it.

This truly is one of those small town horror novels. Our group of kids (now adults) are living and reliving a horror and, honestly, the read feels kind of epic.

I was absolutely gob smacked by one reveal and found myself so worried for our characters.

Expect surprises, eeriness, and a ton of heartbreak.

A fantastic read!

• ARC via Publisher

Ronald Malfis Small Town Horror forces five childhood friends to confront their own dark past as well as the curse placed upon them.
Malfi is a master of well... small town horror in my opinion... I love his heavy use of the past, secrets, memories and isolated locations.
Malfi is drfinitly one of my comfort authors who I know will not disappoint.

Andrew Larimer has made a name for himself as the top lawyer of his firm. He thought he had escaped his small town background for good, when his childhood friend Dale calls him with an emergency that brings him back to his old stomping grounds. A secret from their childhood has come back to haunt them. A secret the five friends promised to never tell anyone about.

Will their secret be uncovered or will one of them confess to the police? Tensions are high and trust is thin between the old friends. Their secret might finally shatter their lives if not their minds.

The pacing of this book slogged a little in the middle. The characters were not likeable in my opinion, but were tolerable in the actions they took. I enjoyed the mix of mystery with a touch of the supernatural. I kept guessing until the end if their paranoia was manifesting the ghosts they were seeing or if they were really there. Overall a pretty solid book. Not my favorite, but a good read.

Another amazing read by Ronald Malfi! Any horror lovers HAVE to give his books a try, I have yet to be disappointed.

His writing style is top notch and he sucked me in from the very beginning. His characters all make me uncomfortable for different reasons! It’s written in two timelines. Current and when they were 16 and they did something they kept secret for 20 years.

Malfi knows how to make you uncomfortable in the best way. I’ve always hated birds, and after this book, I feel valid to continue that. Also…frogs. Why are they so creepy!?

The plot twists in this book were 🤯 AND THAT ENDING!

I absolutely enjoyed the read and highly recommend adding this to your TBR!

Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Publishing for the early read and review!! And a huge shout out to Ronald Malfi for always taking me on a crazy ride!

Well, that was messed up. The ending, I mean. The rest of the novel was a fairly standard slow burn of a ghost story, and then all of a sudden things got incredibly … whatever in the hell that was. I might be slightly traumatized by how quickly everything went sideways.

This book starts out as your usual “the main character did something bad as a teenager and now they have to return to their hometown and face the music” horror story. It's a fairly slow burn, with the plot shifting back and forth between the present day and the fateful night of July 4, 2003 when Andrew Larimer and his friends got themselves into … a wee bit of a situation. It kind of has undertones of I Know What You Did Last Summer meets It, but with a storyline that's completely its own.

None of the five friends are particularly likeable, but some of them are way more sympathetic than others. Meach's character is particularly well-written and complex, and you can't help but feel a little bad for him, I think. Andrew is a huge pushover and probably would have tremendously benefitted from growing a spine, but at least he's not the most awful of the bunch, I suppose?

This isn't a particularly action-packed book, but Malfi does a fantastic job of slowly building the sense of dread. You know something terrible is coming, but you have no idea what it is or when it'll happen. And then – BAM! – you're hit with a huge twist and things go wrong very, very quickly. I'm not entirely sure how I feel about the ending, but the build up to it is top-notch.

But, yeah, that ending. Holy fu … crap. It's almost like the last chapter is from a totally different book, both in intensity and in feeling. Things get way, way more … weird. Did I love it or did I hate it? I have no idea, but I probably won't forget it anytime soon.

My overall rating: 3.7 stars, rounded up. Small Town Horror is a dark and creepy novel that'll keep you feeling unsettled (and sometimes downright horrified) right up until the very end.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Titan Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is June 4, 2024.