Virginia Feito's debut novel, Mrs. March made it to my top favorites of last year, so I was elated to get an ARC for her newest book, Victorian Psycho.

This is the chilling, yet acerbic tale of Winifred Notty, a newly employed governess at Ensor House. Running from her past violent compulsions, she situates herself in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Pounds, a wealthy and unempathetic couple, and their two children, Andrew and Drusilla. Through flashbacks, we learn more about Winifred and her troubled youth and uncertain parentage as well as the mystery behind what led to her employment at the manor. [ After a series of progressively heinous nighttime activities, the story culminates in Winifred's slasher-esque killing spree of the Pounds family and their Christmas guests. (hide spoiler)]

Partially a revenge story, and wholly a horror story, Victorian Psycho treats readers to tongue-in-cheek carnage. Blood and gore, but made witty and indifferent. I was hoping for a bit more from the story, either in the direction of Drusilla's ending, or the resolution with Mr. Pounds, or even just Winifred herself, who seemed to barely mind her own demise. But, for what it was, I had fun time.

Thank you to W.W. Norton and Company for providing this ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review! Giving this a 4.5 because I really enjoyed my time with this book! Am I becoming a horror girl??? If you've read the title, you know what the story is about which is so fun. It reminded me somewhat of Samantha Allen's Patricia Wants to Cuddle in that it has spooky/gory elements but was still humorous somehow? I really enjoyed the pacing as well! I didn't feel like there were any lulls in the story. I would have actually liked the story to be a bit longer! I felt like the development of all the guests of Ensor house could have gone further. However I think that's a good sign though because it just means I was left wanting more! I also loved how the chapter subtitles tell you what is going to happen in the chapter, and how Winifred addresses the reader directly a few times. Overall a really fun time!

I loved it! It was bloody and gory and an absolute mess of events that the main character creates. It was unhinged and very descriptive. It was witty and held my attention from page one. It was a quick read and the audiobook was perfect. The narrator really delivered all the gory details in the best way possible.

Nope. This definitely is not for me for multiple reasons. First of all, the writing style is super strange and all over the place. I felt like I couldn't collect my thoughts to get anywhere in this story. I also thought the line "breasts jiggling in my corset" is a wild way to open up a book. I think this will be great for a small group of major horror fans, but this won't work for a lot of people.

A Darkly Witty Descent into Madness

Virginia Feito’s Victorian Psycho delivers a unique blend of gothic horror and dark comedy, centering on Winifred Notty, a governess with a macabre imagination and a penchant for mischief. From the moment she steps into Ensor House, Winifred’s presence disrupts the dreary monotony of the Pounds family, and her sardonic wit quickly becomes the novel’s greatest strength.

Winifred is undeniably engaging—her sharp humor and twisted sense of amusement breathe life into the bleak, claustrophobic setting. However, while her antics keep the pages turning, the overall story doesn’t quite match her energy. The plot unfolds in a slow, measured way, building toward an unsettling climax that, while effective, may not fully satisfy readers looking for deeper psychological complexity or stronger narrative momentum.

Feito’s writing is stylish and clever, capturing the eerie atmosphere of Ensor House with a modern edge. Victorian Psycho doesn’t reinvent the gothic governess trope, but it does inject a delicious dose of wickedness into it. For readers who enjoy biting wit wrapped in creeping dread, this novel offers an entertaining, if somewhat uneven, ride.

I just finished reading Victorian Psycho and unfortunately, it was my first flop of 2025. I had high hopes for this book, but the plot was non-existent and the pace was slower than a snail. I almost gave up on it multiple times, but I pushed through hoping for a redeeming ending. Sadly, that didn't happen. The main character, Winifred, was a total psychopath with zero development and the creepy elements were just thrown in randomly.

If Jane Eyre and Patrick Bateman wrote a book together, this would be it. So disturbing but also darkly funny. It’s very inspired by penny dreadfuls. It was everything I hoped it would be. I am not surprised in the slightest that A24 is already making this into a movie and I cannot wait. Thank you to Netgalley and Liveright for letting me read this book early in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Virginia Feito and W.W. Norton for this ARC!

I’m fully embracing the Weird Girl Winter trend by hibernating and devouring strange fiction. Trust me—it’s a vibe! Enter “Victorian Psycho”—possibly one of the weirdest books I’ve ever read, but I was obsessed.

🩸 What I Loved:
First, do not read this book while eating—seriously, just don’t. Some scenes are downright stomach-turning. The plot is filled with deviousness, blood, and moments of dark humor that kept me glued to the pages. The dialogue is razor-sharp and often laugh-out-loud witty. And that Victorian setting? Absolutely perfect for the eerie atmosphere, drenched in gothic vibes and a creeping sense of dread.

🔥 Read If You Like:
🖤Unlikeable female leads
⚔️Graphic violence
🎭Breaking the fourth wall

⏩ Pacing:
At just over 200 pages, this book grips you from the first chapter and doesn’t let go. You’ll be wondering, WTF am I reading? but unable to put it down.

👀 Do I Recommend It?
Absolutely—if you can handle the chaos and gore. The main character is one of the most unlikeable, wickedly witty psychopaths I’ve ever encountered. It’s unsettling, odd, and exhilarating. A fever dream I was more than happy to ride out.

A fast-paced dreamy gothic nightmare. This was at time really gross but in the best way. Feito really goes there and isn’t afraid to shock the reader. I loved how bizarre and cut throat Winifred is.

This story is so brutal and jaw dropping. You never knew what in the world was coming next. Short and sweet and to the point. A monster of a story wrapped up and presented, teeth and all.

Have you ever wanted to read a book where the FMC is basically a combination between Mary Poppins and Patrick Bateman from American Psycho? Well look no further because this is the book for you!

God, this book was a wild ride. I read it all in one sitting, and I couldn’t put it down. My mouth was hanging completely open once I finally reached the climax of the story. Between the beautifully written yet absolutely disgusting imagery in this book, I thoroughly enjoyed each page. This was the first gothic horror novel that I wrote that took on a more sardonic approach, and I surprisingly really enjoyed it. There was something about the dark comedy that juxtaposed the grim goings-on that took the prose to a different and exciting level for me.

Winifred Notty may just be one of the craziest protagonists that I’ve ever encountered, and I loved every second of following through the batshit inner workings of this governess’ mind.

It’s also definitely a Christmas novel in the way that Terrifer 3 is a Christmas movie (hopefully someone gets what I’m putting down).

Victorian Psycho is a horror story that gleefully takes everything that a lady in Victorian society was supposed to be and smashes it into a bloody pulp. It is the kind of book that grabs you from the first few pages and violently propels you through the adventures of Winifred Notty and her experiences as a governess: a position that is wholly unsuitable for the kind of “fun” that Notty likes to have. At around 200 pages, it is a book that can be easily fit into the busiest of days, especially if you need a story that has a lot of humor with a hefty dose of gore.

30/100 or 1.5 stars

I am so sorry to say that I did not like this at all. I tried to get past the first few pages even though the writing style immediately was not working for me. I do understand what the author was trying to do here, but it was cringey and felt off with all the comments the main character had to say about every person they interacted with. Being a psycho and being an asshole are two different things. I read until 13% and had to stop.

This was not the book for me, unfortunately.

5 stars

Thank you NetGalley, the author, and Liveright Publishing!
This is a rather unique horror book that was one of my most anticipated reads of 2025, and let me say IT DID NOT DISAPPOINT! Victorian Psycho is a historical fiction horror book drenches us in the blood that Miss Notty, new governess at the Pounds' house, has previously and will continue to spill. The Writing style of this book is utterly brilliant in the way that you are fully immersed in the story with the way that Miss Notty's quick wit talks to you, the 'dear reader'. This victorian blood bath will have you questioning what the hell you are reading but also cheering Miss Notty on her vicious tirade.

I read both the digital and audiobook version of this book, and I think I enjoyed the digital version slightly more. This book was gorgeously creepy and unapologetically macabre, and at no point in the book did I have any idea what was going to happen. Very spooky and vibey, really enjoyed it!

There was nothing that was going to get in the way of me devouring this book in one sitting. This is definitely written for the darker appetites and it was just the book I needed after reading a lot of lighter, fluffy stuff.

This was a wholly VIBES read. You don’t love what the main character, Winifred does, but you care about her in a way. She is wildly messed up and the things she spends her time doing are horrifying. Still, you’re enjoying the ride…

That is really all that needs to be said about this book. Check trigger warnings because this book is viscerally graphic.

All you need to say is female protagonist that's a little psychotic and I am SAT. There's no way I wasn't going to read this. Unfortunately, this really missed the mark for me. I think its main downfall was its short length. Short and concise can really work in horror but here there wasn't enough time to develop the main character enough to ever take her seriously. I love stories with a horrible protagonist that you hate to love or when an author can make you empathize with an evil character. I never got to a point with Fred that I could empathize with or hate her either way.

There were also things that just didn't make any sense/some major plot holes, in my opinion, that weren't even attempted to be explained. It feels like you're meant to read it for the ride of Fred's antics but not think too hard about how she's able to successfully do all of the things she's doing.

The writing does that thing where it says something completely fucked up/gory/disturbing but in a lighthearted tone. Kind of similar to what Maeve Fly does. It made me drop my jaw and laugh out loud reading Maeve Fly, but there wasn't an instance in this book where it had that intended effect on me. I can't really explain why other than I just wasn't jiving with Fred.

I don't have the exact quote handy but my favorite part of this book was where the men are discussing something gruesome and a comment is made along the lines of the subject matter being too dark for women to handle and Fred thinks to herself about how men think women are these delicate sensible beings, but being in a woman's body is literally horrifying having to bleed every single month and experience the horror of your body being ripped open from childbirth. But yeah sure women are too delicate to handle dark conversations. Really enjoyed that part though I'm sad the story as a whole didn't work for me.

Virginia Feito creates a gothic horror that isn't for the faint of heart. The unreliable narration of the novel was compelling, and I found it interesting that we slowly discover in small increments the truth about Winifred as time goes on. I also thought the description of the "darkness" within her was incredibly well done.

I will say that, despite the short length, the novel feels so slow. There were some parts that were incredibly hard to read due to the gore. I also personally draw the line which murdered infants/children--which this novel, unfortunately, had throughout. There were also some things Winifred got away with that seemed a bit unbelievable.

While this book wasn't for me, fans of horror may find Winifred's unreliable pov fascinating to read.

2.5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and W.W. Norton & Company for an arc of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Welcome to Ensor House, where Winnifred (Fred) Notty accepts a position as governess. Ensor is the home of Mr. and Mrs. Pounds, who lay claim to two precocious and unlikeable children. Fred’s interaction with the children ranges from dry sarcasm to bizarre, to outrageous, but that’s by the by. Mr. Pounds exhibits an unusual liking for Fred as they stroll the grounds together, and his phrenology studies lead him to state that in a skull-to-skull comparison, he and governess Fred are a perfect match. So where does that leave Mrs. Pounds? Well, she exhibits a nasty kind of vindictiveness, such as forcing her children’s governess to sleep in the dog kennel. A scene of Fred biting a horse’s rump, to deliberately cause an accident, reminds readers that all is not quite well here!

Several violent incidents play out in real time, including two murders, one of a baby. In each case the events go unnoticed, the conclusion being that they are sequences in Fred’s head, but are they? A grotesque and macabre bucket list, perhaps? Or is the point less the actual murders, but rather, what can be perpetrated without anyone paying due attention?

As with her novel Mrs. March, Feito’s protagonist envisions dreamlike revenge sequences, murders, and blood. Literary icons such as Jekyll and Hyde, and Dr Frankenstein and his monster come to mind—the darkest inhuman nature of mankind, which for the most part, thankfully, runs unseen beside our better natures. The Twelve Days of Christmas is an unusual denouement sequence, as is the allusion to the ‘last supper’ of Ferrante of Naples. Tagged as dark humour, satire, and horror, this is a study of the psychopathy of human nature and, on this level, it works brilliantly. Whether it works as a gothic historical novel, I will leave for other historical novel aficionados to decide.

I have had the pleasure of reading this as an ARC and i have thoughts

I gave it 4 stars due to the vibe alone this gave me, it screamed gothic VICTORIAN horror. Most times when a story is about a women becoming a new governess for a rich family its usually comes with tropes of either ghost stories or kids with baggage. but let me tell you that your defiantly in for a pleasant surprise.

this book gave me the vibe of crimson peak manor with dark hallways, creaky floors, servants whisperings, old cranky maids/cooks, weird family dimensions and of course the main walking through the cold dark manor with a candelabra. how this store unfolded was TOP tier.

This book was not what I expected, but it was what I expected at the same time. I'm not sure if that makes sense. But, it was a fast-paced, gruesome read with lots of body-horror and female rage.