I really wanted to like this book. It has everything I would love on paper, a Gothic antihero, a spooky manor house, and an interesting class analysis in Victorian England, but this narration fell flat. The tone was fast and silly at times in a way that made no sense for the genre and subject matter.

It was a struggle to get through and there was a lot of telling and not showing when it came to Fred's flavour of evil. I understand the book meant to show how well she can masquerade as meek and what that looks like internally, but I felt like there were no real stakes despite it being quite a bloodbath.

This book was provided for free in exchange for an honest review, thanks to Netgalley and W.W. Norton.

Victoria Feito’s novel Victorian Psycho was delightfully disgusting—glorifying guts and gore in the most jaw-dropping fashion. Every new page was filled with scenes and dialogue somehow progressively more unhinged than the last.

I found myself rooting for the main character, Winifred Notty, from page one. My adoration for Winifred increased alongside her insanity. I’m not entirely surprised at myself for this, because I do in fact tend to happily devour a good unreliable narrator driven storyline. With that being said, the way that Feito expressed the tumultuous nature of Winifred’s grasp on reality through her actions and inner dialogue was so descriptive that I could not stop reading, even with the artfully illustrated carnage throughout the story. Yes, there are major content warnings for just general gore and violence, however, when I say that the gore absolutely is necessary and furthers the plot, I mean that I do not think it would have been nearly as fascinating of a read if there were even a sentence less.

As a life-long avid reader, it is typically very difficult for a novel to reveal a “big twist” in the plot that I didn’t already see coming from the first two chapters. Most novels, even novels that fall within the mystery and thriller genre, are full of tropes big and small that are easily identified if looked at close enough. With the plot twist in Victorian Psycho, however, I heard myself audibly saying “What? Huh? Excuse me?” so many times in a row that my husband turned and asked if I was doing alright. Obviously not because ???. That was insane. Immediately upon re-reading that sentence for the 16th time, mouth agape, I scrambled to mentally review all of the scenes and plot points leading up to that. I was able to piece a lot of clues together that pointed to this reveal. For a split second I was frustrated that, for once, I did not see this coming. But the further I read the more I understood that Feito crafted this narrative in such a brilliant way that it was impossible to focus on anything else besides trying to navigate what this Victorian psychopath will do next.

All in all, I intend on giving this novel a high recommendation to my non-squeamish friends and family when it is released to the public.

PS: If you were a big fan of the short story The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, you’ll love reading about the sweet, sweet revenge of a Victorian woman gone mad.

3.5!!! Let me first say I love a good psychological thriller - however they not only hard to write, but hard to write well. Virginia Feito wrote not only a good one but an eerie gothic one! What a feat! This was such a fun little read. Winifred Notty is batshit crazy, loved the character completely- especially seeing her come fully herself at the very end.

Excited to see where this goes with the adaptation that is coming out for this shortly after.

Thank you to Netgalley & Liveright for the ARC!

So weird and fun! I loved the interesting take on the governess and the gothic in this. I'm very excited to see the film version with Margaret Qualley as well.

I knew that this book was a gothic horror. But the level of horror was far too extreme for me, as in let's see how much we can get Julie's jaw to drop. I couldn't with it. I get that the main character Winifred was suppose to be a psycho and vile, did awful things, but there were no redeemable qualities to her. I mean, she did say some pretty funny things to the kids that she governed occasionally.

Also, there was a lot of animal abuse, death, children abuse, death, cannibalism. If this is your thing, go right ahead and read it, but it wasn't my thing I guess.

Thanks to NetGalley for sending me an ecopy for an honest review

Thank you, NetGalley and Liveright, for sending me an e-ARC of this book.

Full disclosure: I DNFed this work around 30%. This review solely is my opinions based on how far into the story I got. An attempt at combining The Turn of the Screw with American Psycho without the blurred lines between supernatural and the psychological or the satire on masculine fragility. It is a satire, though. I just didn't get it: Unless it was to mock me as a reader. Winifred Notty arrives at Ensor House with good intentions, but her nefarious nature prevents her from following through with her good intentions. I mean, her last name is the literal phonetic spelling of "naughty." Feito has a tongue-in-cheek approach to painting grotesque scenes masterminded by Winifred so she can avoid facing her truth. I couldn't connect with the setting, characters, or message with this work. However, I think this could be many other people's cup of tea, so don't take my review to heart.

💛💀Unhinged & deranged💀💛


Pub date: 2/4/25

Pages: 208

Genre: Horror, thriller, humor 

Trigger warnings: abuse, child abuse, mild gore


Winfred “Fred” Notty, our MC is quick to let us know she is not very demure, not very mindful and, in fact, quite the opposite. She's very unhinged,  very deranged, very delusional, and oh so very much psychotic. And I'm here for all of it. 


Quick synopsis from Goodreads:


“Winifred Notty arrives at Ensor House prepared to play the perfect Victorian governess-she'll dutifully tutor her charges, Drusilla and Andrew, tell them bedtime stories, and only joke about eating children. But the longer Winifred spends within the estate's dreary confines, and the more she learns of the perversions and pathetic preoccupations of the Pounds family, the more trouble she has sticking to her plan. Whether creeping across the moonlit lawns in her undergarments or gently tormenting the house staff, Winifred struggles at every turn to stifle the horrid compulsions of her past. When her chillingly dark imagination breaches the feeble boundary of reality on Christmas morning, Winifred is finally ready to deliver on her generous gifts.”


Between the poetic style of writing mixed in with intrusive thoughts, is the unhinged mind of a monster with a petticoat and a dress, that somehow lands a job being the governess to the Pounds children and a stay at the Ensor House where her mind starts to slip and can't distinguish between her gruesome fantasies and the reality at hand. And down the line, they both start to merge. 


What goes on in these pages is deranged, unhinged, hilarious, and an addictive read.The author, Virginia Feito, does an outstanding job at captivating and keeping your attention. It was an extremely fun read, one which I did not want  to end. 


I would like to thank NetGalley. W.W. Norton & Company, as well as Liveright, for the opportunity to read this e-book ARC

Victorian gothic horror with a governess you won't soon forget. Winifred Notty has just arrived for a governess position at Ensor Hall. There is no slow build up here: we know from the beginning that Winifred (or Fred as she likes to be called) is obsessed with murder gore, dead animals and people and all things disgusting. She is entrusted with two children: eight year old Andrew and thirteen year old Drusilla. Her employers are Mr. and Mrs. Pounds and while Mrs. Pounds is stern and clearly doesn't like her, Mr. Pounds finds Fred amusing and takes her on walks.

I found the writing clever and at the same time much of Fred's rambling thoughts were disgusting. I also hate storylines where babies or children are hurt. Something about this one though kept me going as I had to find out what was going to happen and where Fred's visions would take her. I believe it was the author's intent to show the disdain the Victorians felt for children born out of wedlock, for servants and even for children who were often worked to death in factories or mines. As we see glimpses of Fred's upbringing we understand her need for some stability and love something she never experienced. The novel comes to it's main objective when Christmas time arrives and a number of guest come to Ensor house. In the descriptions of the guests we can see the foolish preoccupations of these people with clothing, manners and appearing wealthier and smarter than they really were. This novel works only as a very short novella sized piece; any more and the gore overload would be too much. The author also chooses the main character to have thoughts and speech which seem way too modern for the time and there may be a purpose there which escapes me. I am rating it four stars because it kept my interest and was very original and fresh. A great deal of violence and gore, often towards children. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this ARC for review.

Hard pass on this one, y'all.

Winifred Notty is hired as a governess for an insipid wealthy couple and their equally insipid children. Through the novel, both as it takes place and in Winifred's past, we learn how odd she is and her bloody trail through her life, which culminates in a mass murder at the wealthy couple's house during Christmas, after which Winifred is arrested and hanged for murder.

I'm just not sure what the author's point was here. Was she trying to have a Victorian, female retelling of American Psycho? Was she just trying to shock? I didn't get it. And though the book is fast-paced (I read it in a few days), I can't say I enjoyed it. I love horror, but well-done horror. Not this bloody drivel masquerading as horror.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free copy for review.

“Victorian Psycho” by Virginia Feito delivers one visceral gut punch after another. VP is grotesque, disturbing, unnerving, chilling, saturated with sardonic social commentary, and robust depictions of aptly historical meals where you can see and taste every morsel in your mouth. Until there’s such gluttony you experience sensory overload, followed by a certain unshakable queasiness.

Which I suspect is exactly the author’s intention and reflects the immensity of Feito’s talent.

The story centers on Notty, a deranged and bloodthirsty governess, who takes the reader on a psychologically deranged journey that feels almost like a fever dream in its madness. It is not a journey for the meek or faint of heart. No detail is spared for the reader. The language and vocabulary are *chef’s kiss*.

The novel is exquisitely written.

Like eating a rich meal, I could only take a few bites at a time (after a certain point) and found myself having to set the book aside for a while before I could return to it again. This grew more frequent in the last 1/3 to 1/4 of the book. That is the only reason I considered knocking off a star. However each time I returned to it, I was immediately sucked into the story again and Feito’s immaculate descriptions. I simply had saturation points, which is a testament to the impact of the book. I expect this one will develop a cult following.

I highly recommend this book to any lover of dark psychological horror, luscious language, seductive prose, fever dream-like immersion tempered by ‘unreliable reality’ and the entire “American Psycho” tribe.


Thank you to NetGalley, the Publisher, and Author for providing me with this ARC to honestly review.
Releases Feb 4th.

This was the first Victorian Gothic Novella that I have read in years. At times this presented to be a difficult read with Dark humor, and punchy lines. I loved this book. I was able to gobble it up in no time. My daughter's were shocked because this was a different type of read for me. When you read this novella, you will not be disappointed.
Thank you for the ARC.

This was fantastic in a disturbing way. I loved it and could not stop reading. This is not for the faint of heart, it is for someone who likes dark stories with body horror. It is atmospheric and being in the governess's head was entertaining, Great for people who enjoy horror and gothic settings. Thank you to the publisher for the EARC.
4 Stars

I DNFed this halfway through, but skimmed the last half so I can still write a review. This was disturbing for no other reason than to be disturbing. There was no actually plot, just Winifred being mean and violent. I absolutely hated this book and would literally never wish reading this on anyone I liked.

Thank you Netgalley and Liveright for the advanced copy!

*Victorian Psycho* is a darkly humorous and twisted delight that mixes Victorian elegance with a gruesome psychological edge. Virginia Feito masterfully creates a chilling atmosphere, drawing readers into Winifred's disturbing descent with vivid descriptions and wicked wit. The novel’s macabre tension keeps you guessing, balancing horror and satire perfectly. This is a must-read for fans of gothic horror who enjoy a touch of dark humor woven into their thrillers!

i will say i could not put this book down. it was fast, quick paced, and genuinely one of the weirdest books i think i’ve ever read. although nothing ‘crazy’ happens in the first 60% of the book, it takes a wild turn for the ending. i wouldn’t say i loved victorian psycho but it was fun and i was entertained!

Thank you NetGalley and W. W. Norton & Company for providing me with an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

I didn’t realize when I started this book that it was a play on American Psycho (it’s a bit obvious now with the title). The story follows Winifred Notty as she is hired on as the new Governess at Ensor House. Mrs Notty acts as a Patrick Bateman character, hiding a darkness that manifests into murder.

While I found the story entertaining, I kind of don’t see a point to it. The book advertises itself as a satire on Victorian society, but I simply don’t see it. I think the author glossed over details that could’ve made the book more complex and more purposeful, but as it stands now, it is an entertaining story and nothing more.

2 stars.

This story follows the psychotic Winifred Notty, who becomes the new governess for the children in the Pounds household. Right off the bat, I struggled with the writing style, it feels all over the place, wonky. I don’t know if it’s just me, but something about it didn’t sit right.

And then there’s Winifred herself. Somehow, she gets away with everything. She’s out here committing murder after murder, but no one bats an eye? (view spoiler)The logistics of these scenes are so far-fetched that it’s hard to stay invested in the story.

In the end, none of it made sense, and I just couldn’t suspend my disbelief enough to enjoy it. Winifred’s psychotic antics could have made for an intriguing, twisted tale, but with all these plot holes and the wonky writing style, it just fell flat for me.

This book is so fun! If you love dark comedies, you'll enjoy this one.

Virginia Feito's "Victorian Psycho" is a delightfully dark and gory tale about governess Winifred Notty. She has just started at Ensor House, but things are afoot at the dreary estate. As things come to a head on Christmas, Winifred has some little gifts to bestow upon the Pounds family and their guests.

AH! I loved reading this a lot. It was such a fun little romp. I thought Winifred was hilarious and a little crazy, but I love her for it. I honestly wanted this book to end differently but I guess there is something cyclically lovely about the way that it did end. I thought Feito did such a fun job with this. It felt like reading "Jane Eyre" but with a very well done modern twist to it.

I did dock a point mostly because although I did enjoy this, it did feel like something was missing. I don't know what though and that makes me sad because I wish I could verbalize it.

That said, I would absolutely recommend this. If you're squeamish, probably a safe idea to skip this one.

This was a very spooky and fun time and with immaculate vibes!

And apparently it's already in pre-production to become a movie?? And the book isn't even out yet? That's insane and I'm so excited for it. After having read this book, I can definitely picture it being such a creepy and atmospheric film that I will definitely be seeing!

Spooky vibes from a spooky gothic manor and a rather obnoxious family that lives inside. This book follows the new governess of this family and the weird (in a bad way) things that she gets up to. Like criminal and insane things. She is a weirdo, there's no other way to put it.

This is also a super short book (only about 200 pages), so you could probably read it in one sitting if you wanted to.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! My Goodreads review is up and my TikTok (Zoe_Lipman) review will be up at the end of the month with my monthly reading wrap-up.

Whew! My goodness, Virginia! I thought I knew what I was in for after reading (and LOVING) "Mrs. March", but this Virginia really said "Oh, you liked "Mrs. March"? That's cute.", and then immediately proceeded to put her writing skills on nightmare mode and took my ass for a RIDE. I fear that Virginia Feito may actually be the Victorian Psycho here, and I say this in the best way possible.

This book is very short (around 100 pages less than "Mrs. March"), but this tiny book packs a huge punch and it went by SO QUICKLY, not due to the short length but because Feito is a master at pacing which has you continually turning page after page after page like you're a druggie waiting for your next hit.

Miss Notty (naughty?) reminds me SO MUCH of the Jorg Ancrath from Mark Lawrence's "Prince of Thorns" book. Just an absolute fucking menace, a total psycho that had me going "Oh Fuck" several times, and rooting for her the entire time. I love COMPLEX villains, and Miss Notty is just that. She's a terrible, horrible creation that I was rooting for the entire time. The comedic relief in the book made the horrific atrocities committed in this book not feel so overwhelming, but this book is absolutely dark as all hell and Mrs. March wouldn't stand a chance against our naughty Winifred Notty.

I'm SHOCKED at how far Feito went in this book, and it makes me wonder what other messed up shit she has up her sleeve for the future. This was just so so so so good.

The book cover is great, but it is quite deceiving as it is just does not prepare the reader for the horror that is to come. I can see this being not for everyone, but this was for me. It's so for me that it feels like Feito is rewarding me for buying "Mrs. March" in every edition and format possible.

5/5 stars. Loved it. Will be recommending it and buying it the second it is available for hard copy purchase. Please never ever stop writing, Virginia! We need more unhinged characters who are way past their medication time.

Thank you so much to Virginia Feito, W. W. Norton & Company and Netgalley for allowing me to read a truly twisted read that has set the bar for 2025 book horror.