The Pounds family are all terrible people. Notty's observations are quite funny and also disturbing. The first strange sentence I read, I had to pause and reread. Yep, that says what I thought it said...the further I read, the more curious I became. What the heck is going on with this woman?
I couldn't help but to read sentences aloud to my husband because they were terrible, but yet so nonchalant. I couldn't help but laugh throughout...(what does that say about me I wonder?).
There were a couple of twists that threw me for a loop. Just a lot of really unexpected scenes.
This was a fun read and the novella size was perfect!

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for an early copy of this book!

I enjoyed #VictorianPsycho a lot. It was as funny as it was depraved. A typical novel about a governess is turned upside down into twisted revenge. Feito's keen use of imagery was as excellent as it was disgusting in parts. 4.5 stars. I rounded up.

"It is early fall, the cold is beginning to descend, and in three months everyone in this house will be dead."

Winifred Notty has just arrived at Ensor House to serve as the governess for the Pounds' family. She has searched for a long time to find the Pounds family. While passing the days tutoring the Pounds children, Drusilla and Andrew, Winifred tries to keep her violent imagination in check. She finds the children entitled and stupid, but she must continue and have patience. Christmas is coming and she has a very special gift planned for all those at Ensor House.

This book was my ideal horror - I love the gothic, Victorian vibes and the callous and dark humor of the main character. It was a quick read (208 pages) filled with devious humor and gore. The inner dialogue of Winifred is purely psychopathic and shocking but in the best way. If you don't like gore, then this one is not for you. The writing style is a little different but played to the thought process of the main character perfectly. You start to lose what is real or imagination as Winifred holds back her inner desires. This was a fun dark comedy horror following a woman seeking vengeance.

Thank you Netgalley and W. W. Norton & Company, Liveright for the ARC for review!

3.75 stars

How is one to possibly resist this horrifying cover and this amazing title?

As one might expect from that aforementioned title, this book features an aptly named Victorian psycho. Winifred is a governess, but she is no Jane Eyre. This character has a lot of thoughts and feelings - and participates in specific actions - that any typical person would consider utterly disturbing. While I'm grateful I won't ever interface with her in life, I'm thrilled I got to spend some time in her absolutely warped mind. This is all made even more appealing by the fantastic setting: GREAT sense of time and place here.

This is not a read for the delicate, but if there's a little darkness in you, you, too, may enjoy getting it out in a safe, vicarious manner!

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Review: What a wild ride. I would have never requested or picked this book up if a friend didn't encourage me too and I'm not really sure why that is. I loved this. If you have read the book Maeve Fly, you will enjoy this. If you are a fan of any of the following please consider picking this up.

*murderous women
* revenge
* dark humor and satire

Things to be aware of, there is extensive animal harm, body horror, very dark themes and gore. The author uses those moments to form characters and aspects of the story, it did not feel tasteless. The ending was like a set of fireworks, it was amazing. And the very last line is one you won't forget. I highly recommended this just make sure you've considered what I warned about above.

I enjoyed this book so much! I loved Mrs March when it came out but this book felt completely different. Darker, creepy, wholly enjoyable

Nope. I tried. I tried again. Then I gave up. I appreciate a good horror novel and I'm not adverse to a bit of gore but this just went too far for me, Interesting concept but it just wasn't my cup of tea and I DNF. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Winifred Notty is the new governess at the Ensor home to two children Drusilla and Andrew. She comes with a purpose to destroy the family by all means necessary. It's so weird to say I had a good time reading this one. There's babies being murdered! I should not have had a good time, but the author did an amazing job at combining the eerie gothic setting with one of humor & satire.

When they say psycho, they mean psycho! Certainly dark, eerie, and creepy, we follow Miss Notty who experiences an extreme devolution in psyche and carries out the ultimate revenge. I enjoyed how the plot and pacing of the story followed where the character was at, the longer the story goes on the more devolved she becomes. The discussion of inherent evil and darkness in unlikeable and disturbed female characters is something this does really well. The tone of the writing was so unique and combined horror and dry sarcasm that made for a fun reading experience. Definitely not for everyone, but if you like a kooky crazy woman who is not afraid to get her hands dirty, Miss Notty might be right for you!

Thank you to W.W Norton and Company and NetGalley for an Advanced Reader Copy in Exchange for an honest review

This was a wild ride from page one and I loved every second of it!

Victorian Psycho is dark and disgusting in all of the best ways. The book explores human depravity with incredible irony and humor, and the pace makes it impossible to put down. The setting of a spooky, sprawling mansion is perfect, too. Feito's use of imagery and description is masterful and makes this an immersive read.

Plus: feminine rage and Christmas??? This hits it all.

I am a little conflicted on how I feel about this one. On one hand, I loved the obvious ties to American Psycho with a female protagonist wrecking just pure chaos on a family estate. I laughed out loud several times at some clever quips delivered in just a super unique name. But for some reason, I remained a little removed from this story and I had to force myself to pick it up. When I did, I was glad, but I felt disconnected from the story. I am not sure if it is because the clearly major divide of the MC or the setting but I wished I had that drive a little more.

Winifred Notty is one of the most deliciously wicked characters I’ve encountered. Dry, witty and unabashedly evil, she delights in sharing her tale.

I enjoyed this a great deal. Highly recommended.

This is the exact kind of book that encompasses the whole "I support women's wrongs" thing, lol. The main character here is ABSOLUTELY UNHINGED, but in an extremely fun sort of way. Folks who struggle with gore or grossness or violence may not enjoy this, and I think anyone who struggles with a complex or "bad" main character - especially when they're a woman - will hate this. But I really liked it! I loved the self-awareness Fred seemed to have, balanced alongside this general disconnect she has with the world and society around her. The pacing for the first 70% was a little slow, almost dream-like with things happening and the reader being unsure if the narrator is reliable or not. Once the action starts picking up though, it's a wild ride to the end!

Victorian Psycho
Virginia Feito
Horror / Gothic / Fiction / Historical Fiction


Grim Wolds, England: Winifred Notty arrives at Ensor House prepared to play the perfect governess―she’ll dutifully tutor her charges, Drusilla and Andrew, tell them bedtime stories, and only joke about eating children. But long, listless days spent within the estate’s dreary confines come with an intimate knowledge of the perversions and pathetic preoccupations of the Pounds family―Mr. Pounds can’t keep his eyes off Winifred’s chest, and Mrs. Pounds takes a sickly pleasure in punishing Winifred for her husband’s wandering gaze. Compounded with her disdain for the entitled Pounds children, Winifred finds herself struggling at every turn to stifle the violent compulsions of her past. French tutoring and needlework are one way to pass the time, as is admiring the ugly portraits in the gallery . . . and creeping across the moonlit lawns. . . .

Okay, this book was UNHINGED and I loved it.
It kept my attention the whole time & I honestly flew through it. If you are into deviousness, gore and blood, humor and snarky thoughts, then this book is for you!
At only 208 pages, it makes for the perfect quick read!
I will absolutely be recommending this read to everyone in 2025.

Thank you to @netgalley, @virginiafeito, & @liveright for a copy of this e-book in exchange for my honest review.

Many readers will look at this title and immediately have an idea of what this book will be. And they will be right, but it's so much more than a version of Bateman. Victorian Psycho finds its own voice and violent mayhem, but it doesn't take itself too seriously. It is comedically macabre, soaked in blood, and I enjoyed every page of this book. It was superb down to the last word.

Do you like absolutely UNHINGED horror books? Well do I have the book for you! Victorian Psycho is a bloody romp of a good time. Think American Psycho but set in Victorian England. The titular psycho is Ms. Notty, a governess who becomes employed by the rich and pompous Pounds family.

This book GOES THERE and it packs a lot into ~200 pages. The pacing is brisk and the chapters are short. Frito’s prose is gorgeous and also has a glee to it. I laughed out loud so many times because this book is DARKLY funny. Every time I laughed I immediately felt bad about it 😬. I love the tone she sets and the themes she explores.

If you are someone who needs content warnings, consider all of them present with this one. Like I said, she really goes there but it also somehow has a subtlety to it, in that she implies things MUCH worse than on the surface (which is saying something).

This will definitely go into the best of the year contention for later this year. Fantastic book!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

What made Victorian Psycho stand out was the subversion of the classic gothic governess. Winifred, the governess plays an anti hero with a penchant for violence. The murders she commits are disturbing and graphic, however they are followed with comical reactions. Narrated from Winifred's perspective, Victorian Psycho provides a unique and entertaining voice to the modern gothic.

This book has every trigger warning imaginable--most of it perpetuated by an unapologetic female character. While this story is definitely not for everyone, I really loved this brand of feminism. As a lover of gothic horror and strong female characters, I read this book quickly.

Thanks to Netgalley for my review copy.

A delightfully unhinged (almost campy) horror romp with a fast-paced plot and memorable protagonist. There aren't any particularly big surprises or plot twists, but the story is action-packed and it's hard to look away from the violent spiral of events. Stunningly immersive, creepy, and disturbing. Perfect novel for anyone who likes a gory horror movie and appreciates a side of class commentary.

I loved Feito's debut, Mrs. March, so I was super excited to hear she'd written another book! Happy to say that this one did not disappoint, and Feito is now an auto-buy author for me. The theme of female rage has been quite popular lately, with some books being a bit better executed than others. The market is quite saturated, so for me, a book with this theme has to feel fresh and engaging in a way that hasn't been done to death. Feito has done that. Almost every sentence of this book shocked me, not only with how well written they are, but with the content. This book was gross and subversive in the best way possible, and at the end I actually laughed out loud and said "Good for her!" and meant it!

Ok WOW I thought all of the 5 star ratings might be a bangwagon everyone was hopping on... Nope. This is just as good as everyone is saying. I will be thanking my peer pressure-er's profusely.
I'm learning I'm VERY picky when it comes to horror (not in the sense that I think others are objectively bad, I just know they aren't for mmeee personally), but this checked all the boxes I didn't even know I had. I am so so so excited to have given this a chance.

This reminds me a little bit of My Men by Victoria Kielland translated by Damion Searls, though I'm not sure if it's simply recency bias.

{Thank you bunches to Virginia Feito, W. W. Norton & Company, Liveright and NetGalley for the DRC in exchange for my honest review!}