Wicked Jenny by Matt Hilton is an intense and atmospheric thriller that grabs hold of you and refuses to let go. From the first page, Hilton establishes a gripping narrative with a chilling sense of dread, making it clear you’re in for a dark ride.

The story centers on themes of revenge, guilt, and the weight of the past, all brought to life through vivid prose and well-drawn characters. Jenny is a compelling figure—her presence looms large, a haunting mix of fragility and menace. Hilton does an excellent job of weaving in her backstory without bogging down the pace, which is relentless in the best way.

The pacing is one of the book’s greatest strengths. There are moments where the tension is almost unbearable, and Hilton masterfully balances action with quieter, emotionally charged scenes. The rural, eerie setting is beautifully described, adding a layer of isolation that heightens the stakes.

The only reason this isn’t a five-star read for me is that some of the twists felt slightly predictable, and a few secondary characters could have been fleshed out more. However, these minor critiques didn’t detract much from my overall enjoyment.

If you’re a fan of gritty, suspenseful thrillers with a psychological edge, Wicked Jenny is a must-read. It’s a chilling tale that lingers long after the final page. Highly recommended for fans of Matt Hilton or anyone seeking a dark and satisfying story.

I enjoyed this book! It was well written and I liked the setting and description. The addition of some paranormal elements was great too. It was super creepy in parts.

I felt the relationships between the characters could have been explored a little more, and I did find it a bit slow paced at times. But overall, a really enjoyable read and I'm looking forward to reading the next in the series!

The spooks and the chills! I loved the setting of a psychological paranormal story, with it passing back and forth between the past and the present, to unfold events.

You really don't know who is behind anything until it all comes together in glorious revenge. Beautifully put together, entertaining, and hard to put down.

Thank you NetGalley and Severn House for the copy!

Wicked Jenny is a decent thriller with a good atmosphere and a strong premise, but the uneven pacing and lack of emotional depth left me wanting more. It’s a quick read with a chilling vibe, but it didn’t fully deliver on the suspense or character development I was hoping for.
The twist at the end was surprising, but I didn’t find it entirely satisfying, as it felt somewhat rushed and not fully set up throughout the narrative.
Thank you to Severn House and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Green Jenny or Wicked Jenny, an urban legend brought to life in this terrifying story of murder, deception and death.
It’s an addictive read that causes the reader many a shiver and a desire to leave the light on!
The ending is simply petrifying and shocking in equal measure, literally left me gasping for air.
Have you been a bad boy?
Well, keep looking over your shoulder because something may be coming to get you!
Thoroughly gripping and well deserving of a 5 star rating.
Highly recommended.

Net Galley ARC Review: Thank you so much to Net Galley for this opportunity!!
Overall, this story has a very interesting premise and there are some really fun twists!! However, I do feel like the characters were a bit boring and the ending was kind of predictable. It was ok but it wasn’t great.

I really liked this one! Kept me reading and excited to see the end. I didn’t quite guess the twist either. A nice blend of classic thriller with supernatural elements.

Andrew and his boyhood friends were “almost” witnesses to a horrific crime when they were younger. After the murder of one of their group, they reunite as adults and uncanny events occur. Are they all seeing the almost dead girl from their past? Has she recovered and moved back to town?

Coming of age horror with a spin on the folk horror story of Ginny Greenteeth.

I absolutely love the cover. It is what caught my attention and made me look at this book. Story was ok, nothing really special. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

Woah this book was so good. I had such a great time reading this. I was on the edge of my seat/ Thank You Matt Hilton. I had no clue what was going to happen next.

The mind can be a powerful thing--especially when fueled by vengeance.

As teens, five friends tangentially witness a wrenching and violent attack on two female classmates. As far as anyone in town is concerned, the guilty party was caught and punished. But there seems to be someone (something?) convinced that those five friends know more than any of them have shared.

Wicked Jenny is gritty and gruesome. The more I read, the more I questioned what actually happened in the past and what was unfolding next. The horror genre isn't really my cup of tea, but I was engaged throughout much of the book. Things started to feel long-winded and somewhat repetitive, leading me to skim-read through some chapters until I reached the height of the vicious reveal.

Thanks to NetGalley and Severn House for the opportunity to read an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Wicked Jenny is a psychological thriller that revolves around 5 young men who have drifted apart since an incident when they were 13. Most of the early story is from Andrew's point of view. He seems to be the "glue" which holds the five kids together when they were growing up. The book opens with one of the old "gang" having been murdered. There are some supernatural elements to the story, but if the characters were on a certain Reddit group they would all be labeled as ESH.
Wicked Jenny flows well, dipping selectively back into the past, then resuming in the present. While a bit predictable at the end, it was enjoyable.

I received a free e-arc via NetGalley

I love a good horror novel and the idea of a dual 1980’s/present day timeline drew me in. Unfortunately, the book was just not great. The writing style felt childish and the book moved slowly. It was just boring in the end.

I'm sorta on the fence with this one. I enjoyed it, but I found it overly predictable. I'd give it 3 stars.

The mix of paranormal and real was something I enjoyed and I think the author managed this mix well. The characters made me uncomfortable, which I assume is the entire point of the story, but like I said it was overly predictable and I knew what was coming very early on.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an e-ARC of this book.

Unfortunately, this one wasn’t for me. I found the plot slow and the writing was too plain. The characters were also too similar and it was hard to follow what was happening. It’s not a bad book by any means, it just wasn’t my cup of tea.

In 1988, five friends spend their time roughhousing around as well as doing some very unpleasant things to frogs in a very uninhabited, marshy area where they can do as they please. During one of these excursions, they stumble across two other female classmates, Melanie and her sister Poppy. The boys are not very nice to the two girls at all. They make fun of them and then eventually go on their way. Unbeknownst to the boys , Melanie and Poppy are severely attacked after they leave. Fast-forward to present day where we are re-introduced to the five boys all grown up, of course tragedy strikes again, which brings them all together and in turn has them revisiting their past. Who was involved in the current and past tragedy? Could the legend of Ginny Greenteeth, a supernatural being that is connected to the pond, be the culprit?

As the plot advances, I was asking myself: Could this just be something as simple as a human murderer or really a supernatural entity that is involved. The book does a great job of putting both into play. I really enjoyed the chapters of the past even though I didn’t really get a good vibe that these friends were as close as what they were intended to be. Carl did not seem to fit in with a group at all. However, it was still enjoyable to watch them interact and then how it all played out once tragedy struck. I actually preferred the 1988 timeline over the present. I just felt that some of the present chapters in regards to figuring out both tragedies felt overused. What I did like about the present day was the angle of Poppy. I wish there would have been more time devoted to her. I also really enjoyed the ending. I just felt getting there took too long. Overall, I definitely liked this book and how it turned out. It was just missing a little bit in the middle to connect it all fluidly. I would certainly recommend if you enjoy the coming of age mixed with a bit of supernatural.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

Actual Rating: 2.5/5

Matt Hilton’s Wicked Jenny begins with an intriguing, spooky setup: a group of childhood friends—Andy, Carl, Johnny, Brian, and Gavin—are dealing with the violent death of one of their own. The dynamics between the boys, particularly with Carl as a sadistic bully, set the stage for an unsettling tale of revenge and mystery. However, the story struggles to maintain its momentum, with uneven pacing and shallow character development detracting from its potential.

While the eerie atmosphere and supernatural elements offer some thrills, they often veer into corny territory. The pacing is especially problematic, starting off slow and only picking up around the halfway mark. Even then, the spooky moments fail to fully immerse the reader, often feeling more like a distraction than a core part of the story.

The biggest drawback is the cast of unlikable characters. Andy, who takes center stage, is a particularly frustrating protagonist. The dialogue is frequently misogynistic, and every female character is written in a reductive, negative light. This choice makes it difficult to invest in the narrative or care about the unfolding mystery. Moments that should deepen the plot instead reinforce the flat, unsympathetic nature of the characters. Even the female character POV chapters have poorly written perspectives, which reduce the emotional impact of their stories unfolding.

By the end, Wicked Jenny feels more like a missed opportunity than a compelling read. Its mix of slow pacing, unlikable characters, and an underwhelming resolution leaves little impact, though it may still appeal to readers looking for a light, spooky diversion. For those seeking a gripping or satisfying revenge story, this one falls short.

I am deeply grateful to NetGalley and Severn House for this opportunity to read a digital ARC and provide my honest review.

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