Wicked Jenny is creepy fun, and a perfect read for fans of Stephen King or Dan Simmon’s coming-of-age horror books!

This dual-timeline novel takes the reader back and forth between a childhood friend group and the traumatic event they all endured, and the present day when one of their number is found murdered. After his murder, frightening things start to happen to the remaining friends. As they work to get to the bottom of whatever’s happening, they start to realize that no secrets can stay buried forever, and something nightmarish just might be after them.

This book is very well-written, and had some genuinely creepy moments. I really enjoyed the story, and I hope the author continues the series! I would recommend this to fans of coming-of-age horror, thrillers, and folk horror.

Thank you to NetGalley and Severn House for the arc!

This was a strong start to the Cauntionary Tale series, it had that element that I was hoping for. I loved that it was a group of people and that something was haunted to them. Matt Hilton has a strong writing style and was able to create a strong concept and world that was built. I was invested in what was going on with the characters and how it worked overall.

I’m sure this will be compared to works by authors like Stephen King, but I can’t agree. Because I actually enjoyed this story! Like most kids back in the 1980s, Andy and his teenage friends loved exploring the woods, running around, and getting into mischief. But they never imagined that the female classmates they teased at their local pond hangout would become victims of a horrible crime. Now it’s over three decades later and it’s all coming back to them. Literally.

One of Andy’s friends, Carl, is found brutally beaten to death by a canal. Suddenly, all four of the remaining friends start having visions and experiencing things they can’t explain. But it’s not just them, their wives and partners are also being haunted by the same nightmarish entities. That keeps them from believing it’s all in their heads, but they can’t all be hallucinating or going mad…or can they?

It’s not like the killer from back then is pursuing them - he committed suicide before he could be prosecuted. He was the only suspect and his suicide cemented it for any doubters. So Andy and his friends' only theories lean towards the supernatural. A swamp creature, astral projection, you name it, they consider it. If it wasn’t for the physical proof of the creature they all see, it could easily be explained as an unknown murderer and the story wouldn’t veer towards the paranormal. But the ending is more logical and based on reality than the reader expects, and I appreciated that. It’s too easy to just blame it on a ghost or creature, this author seamlessly blends reality into the uncanny.

I wasn’t surprised by the ending; the author gave a bit too many clues throughout the book, but it didn’t keep me from enjoying it. It's a fun tale that evokes just the right amount of nostalgia and horror. It’s also the first in a series and I can’t wait to see what comes next!

This Stephen King esq read is really good.

4 boys who witnessed a childhood trauma which later come back to haunt them. Along with a local legend/urban myth I found it intriguing and brilliant.

It is a spooky tale and one I really loved. It has all the drama of a coming of age tale and finished to be quite something else. I am sure most readers would love it and it's one of those books I wouldn't mind seeing come to life on the big screen

This was a fun, spooky read! I found it difficult to get into the story at first but I am glad I persevered as I enjoyed it! I liked the supernatural elements and the dual timelines of the original tragedy and the present day story. I liked that each of the men had their own chapters from their viewpoint! I was not expecting the ending and the author did a good job of hiding just enough from the reader so that it came like a punch to the stomach when all was revealed. A great, creepy read! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy.

I enjoyed the coming of age angle and the story itself, but unfortunately I didn’t jell with the authors writing style.
I actually found it to be quite condescending at times, repeating and explaining what we have just witnessed, for example.
The author also made a decision to include a lot of local slang and colloquialisms in his story, which in turn required a lot of explaining what they meant, which is a pet peeve of mine in writing. It took me right out of the story and I felt this happened rather repeatedly.
Thank you to NetGalley for the Arc, but I’m afraid I don’t think this author is for me.
I can see he has an extensive back catalogue and no doubt has his fans already familiar with his style, so I’m sure this will still do well.

2.5 stars rounded up to 3

My students, who share the loves of this genre with me, are going to love this! I felt fully immersed in this story and read it into the small hours!
I won’t spoil the plot but it’s going to be a winner next year and I will be buying a copy myself. Brilliant!

This book had a great plot with intriguing characters. I’ll definitely be looking out for more from this author.

There's a solid story here, of the -by now quite familiar- "IT"/"Stand By Me" type (a group of kids have a nasty experience, one which comes back to bite them as adults, in supernatural dressing), but the bland and mostly descriptive writing made it very hard for me to get into the book: for some, this writing style is easy and unchallenging; for me, the constant first person-third person changing of POVs tired me out, the flashbacks interrupted the flow right when the pacing was getting good, and I could not relate to the characters at all. I finished the book merely out of curiosity. It's supposed to be the first in a series, and it shows: loose ends and a rather unoriginal twist set the background for what's to come and entice the reader to come back for the next volume. Unfortunately, this type of writing isn't for me.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: Jan. 7, 2025
Author Matt Hilton has introduced a new level of spooky-urban-legend-come-to-life with his novel, “Wicked Jenny”, which will instantly appeal to fans of Stephen King and C.J. Tudor.
In 1988, thirteen-year-old Andy Miller and his friends, Carl, Brian, Johnny and Gavin, are the only witnesses to the brutal murder of their classmate and attempted murder of her sister. They lead police to the town eccentric who, while awaiting trial, kills himself in his cell. Now, years later, the friends reunite again when one of their own is found murdered in a way that is eerily familiar to the murder from years ago. But with the only suspect dead, it isn’t possible. Unless you believe the local legend about Ginny Greenteeth, the entity who lives in the ponds and pulls “bad boys and girls” to their deaths.
Right away, “Wicked Jenny” reminded me of “It” and “Stand by Me”, with the group of misfit young boys who witness a murder and are reunited again when the same crime occurs to one of their own. The haunting, downright creepy “Ginny Greenteeth” urban legend brought on C.J. Tudor vibes. Since I am a huge fan of both authors, I knew that Hilton’s “Wicked Jenny” would deliver on the scares.
Told in alternating timelines, in 1988 and the present, Andy is the primary protagonist, although the other boys/men (depending on the timeline) take their turn, too, and their narrations are clearly marked, which I always appreciate.
From the beginning I was left speculating where this novel was going to take me. Would it veer toward the paranormal, bringing the urban legend of Ginny Greenteeth to life? Or would it be a murder story, where a serial killer used the urban legend to cover their tracks? Hilton couldn’t go wrong either way and yet he somehow managed to find a way to tell the story that was both, and also neither, bringing about an ending that was deliciously unexpected.
Hilton is a horror novelist known for his Joe Hunter thriller series, but I’m embarrassed to say that “Wicked Jenny” was the first time I’ve heard of Hilton. I loved the creepy vibe Hilton hits with, as well as the suspenseful murder storyline and the supernatural figure created from sticks, leaves and pond detritus. “Jenny” was terrifying from the first pages, and I highly recommend horror readers check out Matt Hilton. I definitely will be on the hunt for his past (and future) novels.

Can you ever leave behind your past? This story is told in two timelines. In 1988, Andy, Carl, Brian, Johnny, and Gavin were barely teenagers when a murder and a devastating injury shocked their community. These five have potential in formation about the heinous crime, but it sets in motion, another tragedy.
This once inseparable group drifted apart. Now, years later, Carl has been murdered. Could his death be related to the crime from their youth? If so, how, and why. Soon the remaining men are seeing strange visions. Besides not trusting these characters, I was never sure at first if something supernatural was going on. Or if these men just had extremely guilty consciences, manifesting in strange ways. No spoilers here, but I did not guess one aspect of this story, though I was certain about another.
These men were not very likable, to me at least, but I had to know who killed Carl and why the other characters were being tormented/haunted. I was really surprised when everything came together. This is the first book I have read by this author, and I would read more.

Told through two different timelines (the 80's & present day) Wicked Jenny is the story of a group of friends who are tormented by a horrifying incident from their past.
It's a short, spooky read that builds up an air of unease until its satisfying conclusion.
For a more indepth review you can check out my spoiler free review here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRZf2lGhGSA

Guilt, secrets, the passage of time, regret and murder!

1988: A group of friends (Carl, Andy, Gavin, Brian, Johnny) taunt and tease sisters Melanie and Poppy at the Frog Ponds. Later Melanie is found dead and her sister, Poppy, has been severely beaten. The group of friends point the finger at an older boy, but was he responsible????

Present day: Carl's body has been found at Frog Ponds. The remaining friends try to piece together what is happening as they begin to have questions about what is happening to them....

I enjoyed how this book showed how secrets and guilt affect people. How certain things from our past stay with us and haunt us. Ever do something in your younger years and wish you had never done it or at least handled it differently? I thought this was handled nicely in this book.

This book is a fast read which has an eerie and creepy vibe. It also has a shocking twist at the end which I did not see coming. This was an interesting book told in two timelines that while I enjoyed, I didn't love it. Wicked Jenny did deliver on atmosphere, guilt, tension, and creepiness.

2.5 Stars

half horror and half murder mystery. i guessed the twist half way in, and some of the other plot points, but the lead up to it was fun, i guess?? the writing itself i didn't have a problem with. it was easy to read, it flowed. the chapters were short enough to breeze through. the story didn't really go in a way i was expecting but that was the disappointing part.

my biggest complaint was that none of these characters were likable. like at all. and the way the women were written was high key annoying. If i had been so invested already I might have stopped.

If you're looking for a somewhat short read for spooky season, pick this one up! I enjoyed the intriguing characters, the dual timeline and the overall feeling of creepiness throughout the entire book.

I received an ARC copy of this book from netgalley. It's the perfect "spooky season" read. A short horror/thriller that I just could not put down. The book flows really well with short chapters and multiple pov. The chapters set in the past (1988) gave me a stand by me vibe. I did not see the twist coming at all. It's the first book I've read from the author Matt Hilton and I will definitely be checking out his other books. The writing style flows and has you on the edge of your seat wondering where the story could go next. A solid 4 star read.

I thought this was a solid book overall, but there were a few loose ends that I didn’t feel like were resolved. However, it was most definitely creepy, fast-paced, and an interesting read!

This book had a great plot with intriguing characters. I’ll definitely be looking out for more from this author.

This was a fun, spooky read! I found it difficult to get into the story at first but I am glad I persevered as I enjoyed it! I liked the supernatural elements and the dual timelines of the original tragedy and the present day story. I liked that each of the men had their own chapters from their viewpoint! I was not expecting the ending and the author did a good job of hiding just enough from the reader so that it came like a punch to the stomach when all was revealed. A great, creepy read! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy.

This book is about a supernatural water witch, murders, and the secrets between friends. A group of five boys encounter another boy with a hammer near a creek in the woods. When a female schoolmate is found bludgeoned to death and her sister left in a coma, they inform the police about what they saw.

Now, as adults, one of them is found near the same location murdered under the same circumstances. And something seems to be haunting the remaining four. Is it a warning or something else?

This novel is great at keeping the biggest secret until the end and I didn't see it coming. We go back to the past and the present as their lives are horrifically changed as this creature appears to be stalking them relentlessly. They all have things kept hidden but there's one which changes everything.

Part supernatural story and part murder mystery, this book keeps you guessing and gives you the chills as this creature starts to appear to people close to the men as well. I recommend this one.