I was skeptical of the story within a story within a story, but Jones pulls off this structure perfectly in The Buffalo Hunter Hunter. Already one of my favorite books of 2025.
Protagonist Good Stab tells his story confession-style to Lutheran priest Arthur Beaucarne, who writes down the narrative in the early 20th century. Decades later, Beaucarne's descendant Etsy transcribes the diary in a last bid to save her tenure-track university job. The structure is absorbing, with each voice distinctive, adding layers to the story. Further, it mirrors one of the book's major themes, questioning who is telling the story and who has the "final" word on history. It's difficult to root for any of the characters, as they all do chilling things to serve their own interests. Good Stab's motivations of survival and the survival of his people ring true, yet make his path no less disturbing.
I'm a horror fan, but was still disturbed by some of the turns in this novel and surprised by the twists. Haunting, beautifully written, and deeply unsettling. Highly recommend.

4/5 stars!

Stephen Graham Jones does not miss. A gripping, visceral horror, that wields both the horrifying truth of colonization and the fantastical nature of vampires. Jones's prose may not be for everyone, but one cannot deny his sheer ability at portraying the type of fear that slides deep into your bones. The multi -pov should have been arduous, but it instead we were led through the twists and turns by voices that felt grounded right in the soil. There is something so perfectly scary about this book. Soon to be lauded as a true horror classic.

Another excellent book by Stephen Graham Jones! I finished this book today and gave it 5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟! Thank you so much to @sagapressbooks #sagasayscrew for the audiobook and ebook, definitely recommend the audio with the full cast or narrators! It made the experience so enjoyable! 🦬🩸

Read if you like:
Vampires
Native American historical fiction
Gory horror elements with an animal twist

This reminded me a little bit of Dracula with the academic aspects, and if you’ve read Dracula, I’d love to hear your thoughts on this book!

[Thank you, Saga Press and NetGalley, for providing this eARC in exchange for my honest review.]

A spectacular tale of Indigenous retribution historic(al) in both genre and magnitude. Emotionally gripping as so much good horror is, The Buffalo Hunter Hunter draws the reader in through layers of artfully woven character testimonial and close, enveloping settings; by the time you notice you're caught, it's far too late.

TBHH is, to my ears, a welcome syncopation in the rhythm of Stephen Graham Jones's work. It's still heart-pounding horror with a lot to say, but its bite (sorry) feels more like a slow puncture than the gnawing of, say, My Heart Is a Chainsaw. Give them both a read! I'll certainly be coming back to The Buffalo Hunter Hunter. There's a lot left to chew on.

I was gifted a copy of this ebook from Net Galley and Saga Press in exchange for an honest review. This book is currently available. I DNF'd this book at 65%. This is my third Stephen Graham Jones book and I don't think his writing is for me. All the characters and Native American words for things was just confusing and not enjoyable. It took me out of the book to the point I has no idea who anyone was or what was going on. I may eventually go back and finish the remaining 35% but I just needed to step away as I wasn't enjoying my time reading it.

Alright so, initially, I had <i>nooo</i> interest in reading this. I see vampire and immediately lose interest but holy crap am I glad I gave in to the peer pressure from Saga Press’s instagram stories!

I paired the audiobook with the ebook and the narration is just *chefs kiss*. They definitely brought the characters to life so well, and the end bit felt so reminiscent of Blair Witch Project’s film style (but for audio obvs).

This was a bit of a slower burn but the eerie vibes are rife throughout. And when the story climax hits, it made it all the more worth it.

As my first Stephen Graham Jones novel, I was not disappointed in least. He did such a phenomenal job at weaving real life atrocities into this book.

This very much reminded me of Dracula but if Dracula was Native American. The premise was very interesting and I loved the historical aspect. Unfortunately, the pace caused the book to move too slowly prohibiting me from wanting to pick it back up to find out what was going to happen next.

THE INDIGENOUS VAMPIRE REVENGE STORY OF MY DREAMS!

Stephen Graham Jones has done it again and I think this is one of my new favorites from him. TBHH is historical horror primarily set in 1912 in Montana. It follows a Lutheran Pastor approached by a Blackfeet Vampire telling his life story in small increments each Sunday.

Typically in stories where we have separate POVS/storylines I am heavily invested in one and not in another. However, I loved every single chapter of this. Both Good Stabs storytelling and Three Persons interpretation of those stories had me on the edge of my seat.

This is a bit of a slow burn so it took me a while to get into - but the payoff was SO. WORTH. IT.

*Thank you to Saga Press and Netgalley for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review*

Brutal and emotional. This masterpiece of storytelling blends history and horror.. This book won’t leave you for days , no weeks, probably months .Dark and absolutely horrific you won’t soon forget this story

The Buffalo Hunter Hunter is unlike any horror book I’ve read before. The message and history within this book is so important and powerful. That being said I struggled really hard with the writing style of this one. I don’t know what it was about it but my brain had a really hard time understanding what was going on. I know this is a me issue though and not the books fault at all. Overall I still really appreciated this book. The audiobook is also fantastic and I highly recommend reading it that way.
3.5/5 Stars

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for sending me an arc copy in exchange for my honest review.

Stephen Graham Jones is an absolute treasure, we’re so lucky to live at the same time as him. The more time I spend on the book, the more I love it. The characters are so meticulously crafted and human. The actual vampire mythos is like nothing I’ve seen before, it’s a sharp wild thing with grit and teeth. Exactly as vampire horror should be. I loved it.

🩸Book Review🩸

Thank you so much to @sagapressbooks for my gifted e-arc copy of The Buffalo Hunter Hunter, by Stephen Graham Jones.

This is my 3rd and official favorite go with SGJ.
One thing to know, and know it wholly and with certainty is this: SGJ books are a guaranteed sssslllllooooowwwww BURN. The writing style is distinctive, and it always takes time to adjust. You need to be alert and ready to zone in…
— I know for some this sounds like a turnoff, and tbh, I would say with confidence that he’s not going to be for every reader. But allllllll of this to say.. his books are so. truly. WORTH IT. I cannot stress this enough.

🦬

If I hadn’t previously read books by him before or had trusted friends who praised this one, I may have DNF’d. I particularly struggled between 30-45%… but then I got my footing, and the pacing and details started to pull together and make more sense, and I was hooked from there until the end.

This book gives voice to tragically buried and unknown pieces of history through a brutal vampire horror tale. The slaughter, massacre, and genocide of Natives by white men is at the core of this story. The sins of the white man and the deep lore and generational trauma is carried is what fuels this tale. It was gory, tragic, infuriating, and a slow weaving of details to bring us to the pinnacle of unadulterated heartache and mourning.

🦬

Good Stab and Three Persons are honestly two utterly unforgettable characters added onto my bookish repertoire. And Etsy’s modern day time jump and role in the beginning and end of the story ended up really pulling this in as what became my favorite of his works.

Be ready to reflect when you read SGJ’s stories. They’re important, and they give voice to a culture and history that deserves so much more awareness, vindication, and knowledge. I’m grateful I stuck this one out. I would truly recommend.

4.5⭐️

Amazing, as always. Amazing, as expected. Amazing, in ways that I have never thought possible.

The Buffalo Hunter Hunter is such a deep dive into understanding the indigenous American experience through the lens of horror, vampires, and life in general. It's beautiful, heartbreaking, and an experience all in one.

The setting is intoxicating. The way Stephen Graham Jones is able to describe in such detail environments that will feel real in your mind. It's incredible!

The horror is up there, giving the reader a gory, bloody, vampire soaked story.

What can't Stephen Graham Jones do?! This is a vampire story wholly unique from anything I've ever read. This vampire horror story also includes history that was new to me! Learning about the massacres is so important. While difficult to fathom, it's extremely important to understand what native americans went through. Not just a vampire story, there is real pain in the history of these events. Additionally, the vampire traits were so unique but also included traditional vampire lore. Lots of gore in a good way! Stephen Graham Jones is an incredible writer and I need to read his backlog immediately.

Stephen Graham Jones knows how to set a stage. It is a little on the long side and slower paced than some of his other horror reads so far but it certainly sets a creepy and heavy atmosphere. But outside of the horror, it's a genuinely good character story with complexity and depth. It touches on so many themes like cultural identity, survival, revenge, and resilience.

Excellent as always!

The best novel from Stephen Graham Jones yet. This novel is a departure from Jones' previous books which tended to focus on younger protagonists with a rambling sense of inner dialogue and I loved every second of the story told from a more formal and structured narrator. It's got a slower start but the building uncertainty and creeping sense of danger hanging out in the background throughout the progression are extremely engaging. I could not stop reading this and I was desperate to see where everything was heading and how all the unresolved mysteries would crash together at once. Even if you haven't ever read from this author before I would recommend it highly.

The Buffalo Hunter Hunter is Stephen Graham Jones doing a rodeo with vampires—bloody, brisk, and wicked‑smart. Think: dusty Montana, sharp Indigenous humor, and a body count that’d make my Fitbit give up. Reads fast, bites hard, leaves you laughing and side‑eyeing your campfire. Five outta five Zero Sprites. And if you’ve got weekend plans, clear ‘em—this thing gulps you down quicker than I demolish a bag of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. Just don’t blame me when you start judging every sunset for optimal vampire ambush lighting.

I cried like six times. Heavy on the gore and emotion and the long-steeping sadness, but oddly light on the scares? I think I was just too sad to be scared, honestly. But I did genuinely love this. 4.5/5



Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This vampire novel offers a fresh and suspenseful take on the genre, centering around an Indigenous vampire targeting buffalo hunters on the frontier. The tension builds steadily, keeping you hooked without relying too heavily on gore or jump scares. What really stands out is the author’s use of dueling perspectives—each character is given a distinct voice and motivation, adding depth and nuance to the story. It’s not just a tale of horror, but also one of vengeance, identity, and survival. As a companion read to the recent film Sinners, this book complements that gritty tone while carving out its own unique space in the genre. It’s atmospheric, thoughtful, and deeply rooted in both folklore and history. A great choice for fans of horror looking for something a little different and a little smarter than your average vampire fare.

This historical horror novel wasn’t what I was expecting but it was incredible. This isn’t like anything I’ve read before and I’m looking forward to reading more by SGJ. My one critique is SGJ’s verbiage throughout the novel. I found myself re-reading chapters because it didn’t make sense to me the first time around. That being said, I still throughly enjoyed reading this.