A blend of true crime obsession, small-town secrets, and a creeping supernatural undertone into a story that’s as unsettling as it is absorbing.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for gifting me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Honestly - this book is fantastic. It’s twisty, creepy, well-written and surprisingly, full of dark humor that just works. The uniqueness of the plot was what drew me in, and I stayed present in the story the entire time. Kudos to Vandelly for finding a way to bring an unorthodox story to the genre and doing it incredibly well. Four stars.

This book had a premise unlike anything I've ever seen before. I've enjoyed some borrowed/stolen manuscript books in the past but this was something completely unique. The book was twisty and turny, and I never knew where we were going to go next. I loved this book!

Wild ride of a book! I loved Theme Music, by this author, so I had high hopes - I was not disappointed! I was genuinely scared at times, but also found myself amused and laughing. The story and structure were very unexpected so if you’re expecting a normal reading experience you may be thrown off. I was down for whatever, so the reading experience was great.

This read would be excellent for anyone who's interested in slow burn psychological thrillers. For me, it felt a little too slow, while also having too many things happening at once. I would recommend reading this quickly and in as few sittings as possible—maybe this would allow for a better grasp on the narrative.

In An Evil Premise, a woman desperate for success rushes to complete the unfinished manuscript of her comatose sister, a bestselling author, only to discover that the story oddly resembles reality and could be driving her mad to the point where everything begins to feel meta.

The book felt like a horror comedy, and I found myself laughing during creepy scenes and between terrible scenes of horror—definitely a wild read. Psychological horror with insanity and possession is not my cup of tea, but the humor made it entertaining. I thought the characters’ dialogue exchanges were funny and Jewel’s point-of-view was hilarious. The horror was graphic and over-the-top, and the numerous twists of the twists were also way too much (probably intentional), which made it all the more confusing, wild, terrible, disgusting, creepy, mind-bending, and funny. I think that was the idea so the horror succeeded there. Thanks to Blackstone Publishing for the opportunity to read an ARC of this novel.

4.25 stars

This book was a confusing but amazing time. This is a book you have to read quickly, cause there is so much going on that if it takes a while to read you're going to start forgetting characters, events, etc. I loved the premise of this book and how it was written, especially the writing of the narrator. The ending was a little confusing, partly because of the narrator but I imagine that was on purpose. Regardless, I wish I had understood what was happening at the end a little more, but the ending was perfect.

Thanks to Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for the advanced e-copy !

What a wild and insane ride. I absolutely loved this! It was creepy and unsettling but full of dark humor. This slow-burn psychological horror will constantly leave you guessing. It has an amazing, unique plot, fantastic characters, and plenty of intriguing twists. So far, this is easily my favorite horror novel of 2025.

While this book has its creepy moments, it wasn't enough to win me over. The unreliable narrator was too much and the confusion/fake outs at the end were too much. I think if you usually read more horror rather than thrillers you may enjoy the slow burn, but I wasn't the right audience for this story.

An Evil Premise follows the story of Jewel. Her sister is an author who gets into a car accident and goes into a coma. Jewel, wanting to help as much as she can temporarily moves into her sister’s apartment. There, Jewel finds a manuscript that causes her to become paranoid.

I didn’t love this as much as the author’s last book, Theme Music. An Evil Premise is very much a slow-burn novel. I found it to move a little too slowly for my liking, and I kept waiting for things to pick up, which it eventually did towards the end, and had a fun twist.

I did like the fact that Jewel was an unreliable narrator and I enjoyed reading parts of the manuscript, but it was super hard for me to connect with any of the characters due to the pacing of everything.

Overall, I just didn’t vibe with this one, but if you love a slow-burn psychological horror story, I recommend reading this when it comes out on August 12.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for the copy!

This is THE best ARC I have ever read. It also is my absolute favorite read so far this year. I saw absolutely NONEEE of the plot twists coming at the end, and even after there were twists they just kept on coming. Truly a 5 star read!

Alright, so An Evil Premise is exactly what you’d expect from T. Marie Vandelly—dark, twisted, and absolutely not something you should read right before bed (which, of course, I did). The writing is razor-sharp, the atmosphere is dripping with dread, and the tension builds like a slow-creeping nightmare. Vandelly knows how to craft a story that burrows under your skin, and this one definitely delivers.

That said, some of the plot turns are so wild that you just have to roll with it. Like, logic takes a backseat, grabs some popcorn, and watches the chaos unfold. But honestly? That’s part of the fun. It’s a brutal, eerie, and completely absorbing read—just don’t expect to feel good afterward

I am so happy that I got a copy of "An Evil Premise" by T. Marie Vandelly from Netgalley, because I swear I think this is going to be one of the top horror books of 2025.

Like, I think my main advice for other readers is -- just have fun with this. This isn't deep literature, but a damn good story with truly creepy and original moments. I HOPE it will get made into a movie eventually, because I think it would have some of the best jump scares. It's weird to think of a book having jump scare moments, but it definitely did for me!

A must read for horror fans in 2025. "An Evil Premise" comes out in August!

Thank you Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

T. Marie Vandelly’s “An Evil Premise” is a chilling, mind-bending horror story that plunges you into a nightmarish descent of possession, artistic obsession, and blurred reality. With a masterful blend of psychological terror, supernatural horror, and slasher elements, Vandelly crafts an immersive and disorienting experience that will leave you questioning what is real and what is a product of the cursed manuscript at the heart of the story.

Jewel Baldwin never expected to return to her childhood home, but when her estranged sister, bestselling author Deidre Baldwin, falls into a coma under mysterious circumstances, she finds herself back in familiar, though deeply unsettling, surroundings. There, she discovers an unfinished manuscript—one Deidre’s publisher is desperate to see completed. Hoping to make a name for herself as a writer, Jewel agrees to take on the task. But this is no ordinary manuscript. As Jewel reads, strange and terrifying events unfold around her—eerie coincidences that soon become full-fledged horrors. She begins seeing grotesque visions, hearing things that can’t possibly be real, and losing time in ways that defy explanation. The manuscript seems to take on a life of its own, mirroring the bizarre affliction that left Deidre incapacitated. As the lines between fiction and reality dissolve, Jewel begins to wonder if she is being possessed—or if the fear of possession is enough to turn her into a killer.

Vandelly executes the book within a book trope with terrifying precision, incorporating excerpts from the manuscript that add layers of dread and paranoia. Watching Jewel’s unraveling, as she falls deeper into the story’s sinister influence, is both mesmerizing and horrifying. The sense of claustrophobia—heightened by the setting of a childhood home-turned-apartment—creates an oppressive atmosphere where the walls seem to close in, making you feel just as trapped as Jewel.

The book thrives on its unreliable narration, making you question whether Jewel is succumbing to supernatural forces or simply spiraling into madness, especially towards the end where the horror elements really start to ramp up. Every moment feels laced with dread, and Vandelly expertly plays with perception, making it impossible to trust what is real. The horror in An Evil Premise is relentless. There are elements of body horror, psychological terror, and brutal, graphic deaths that will satisfy fans of written carnage. The book also explores deeper themes—obsession, the cost of creation, and the madness that can come from artistic ambition—giving it a level of depth beyond its gory thrills.

While the slow burn builds tension beautifully, it may not appeal to those who prefer a faster-paced horror experience, especially as the book leans into abstract, fever-dream horror, particularly in its final act. The ending, while shocking and full of unexpected twists, left me feeling more confused than satisfied, as it becomes difficult to parse what is real and what is pure delusion. Additionally, Jewel is not the most likable protagonist—she is often selfish and dismissive of her sister—but her descent into madness is compelling enough that it’s hard to look away.

Overall, “An Evil Premise” is a brilliantly executed, nightmarish horror novel that plays with perception, possession, and the power of storytelling in truly terrifying ways. Vandelly’s sophomore novel cements her place as a rising voice in modern horror, delivering a claustrophobic, meta, and deeply unsettling tale that lingers long after the final page.

The beginning of this novel starts out strong. I loved the story and was immediately hooked. The prose is beautiful and well-written throughout the first half of the book. The story also terrified me, which says a lot, and I found myself unable to read it at night. That’s a good thing!

Unfortunately, the dialogue throughout the book feels cheesy. Oftentimes, when the author uses an exclamation point, a period could have been used in its place, creating more impact and adding to the creepiness of the story. The last quarter of the book could use another few rounds of edits as it doesn’t match the beginning’s polished writing. It often read as YA because of how basic the language was and the lack of artful prose.

Overall, I loved the beginning of the book and I think with a few more rounds of editing, this novel could be fantastic and be a true gift to the horror genre.

Thank you Blackstone Publishing and Netgalley for this ARC read!

I really enjoyed Theme Music, so I was very excited for this one. What a wild horror story! I loved the book within a book with the manuscript. It started out slow but really started to build. Things came out of left field,
And that ending? What a wild ride!

Wow. Seriously just wow. I just finished and I’m trying to get my jaw off the floor. What a delightfully twisty and fun read. I loved every single thing about this book. I usually can see where a book is going and I absolutely had no clue at any point what was going to happen next. Then when you think you’ve gotten to the “big” plot twist, it twists again. You’re just along for the ride.

This is absolutely the best book I’ve read for far this year and deserves every bit of 5 stars. It had me hooked from the first chapter and I couldn’t put it down. 5 hours of me just absolutely obsessed with this book.

Is this an unreliable narrator? Is this really happening? What is happening? I’m just gonna sit here reeling in the best possible way over the last 10% of this book.

Thank you to Blackstone Publishing for allowing me to read an ARC of this book. I don’t even know if I’ll make it to the publication date before I re read. This is one of those novels that I know will be an entirely different adventure on subsequent reads.

Evil Dead meets It Rides a Pale Horse in this book about a demonic muse haunting a cursed manuscript that possesses those who add to the story. An Evil Premise takes the “book within a book” story to gory new places, and the result is a frighteningly fun read.

When Jewel receives the call that Deidra, her famous author sister, is injured and in a coma, she travels to her sister’s home to be near the hospital. There she finds an unfinished book draft that Deidra’s publishers are desperate to have finished. An aspiring author herself, Jewel thinks this might be her chance to get the attention of a big publishing company, and agrees to finish the book for them. But this is no ordinary book, and soon the line between reality and fiction begins to blur in a terrifyingly evil way.

This book was very interesting to me. It somehow managed to be both a meta possession-slasher, and also an exploration of the deep personal struggle and sacrifice of the artist trying to create their art. I wouldn’t have thought both could work in the same story, but it really does. Reading this book felt like a fever dream; it is truly frightening, and disorienting at times. I felt pulled into the madness of the story in a way I haven’t experienced since reading House of Leaves and It Rides a Pale Horse; this story yanks you in and won’t let you go.

I would say there is a TW for gore; this is a violent book, and there are multiple descriptive death scenes. I didn’t think they were excessive, and even felt they were necessary in that they are a big part of what the story is trying to do; but if you are sensitive to violence, this may not be the one for you. But if you are a fan of slashers, especially supernatural ones, this book should definitely be on your radar.

I would recommend An Evil Premise to fans of the Evil Dead franchise, as well as to readers who love gory horror, possession stories, evil manuscripts, and disorienting plots.

Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the arc! All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Thank you Netgalley for this arc. I loved this book so much. It was creepy, exciting, mysterious, and overall thrilling. Deidre is a bestselling author and is in a coma. Her sister comes to her rescue to be with her and help her get better. Deidre's publisher reaches out for her finished manuscript, her sister Jewel decides to take over and finish it for her. She desperate for a break, but something weird is going on. The word count continue to rises even when she's not writing.

An Evil Premise is a slow-burning, psychological horror that plays with the idea of fiction bleeding into reality—sometimes literally. The setup is irresistibly eerie: a struggling writer, a cursed manuscript, and a mysterious affliction that seems to consume both body and mind. The concept alone had me hooked, and the first half of the book builds an unsettling atmosphere of paranoia and dread.

Jewel’s descent into obsession is the highlight here. The way she rationalizes each unsettling event—her worsening rash, the growing word count, the sinister thoughts creeping in—makes for a disturbingly immersive read. The story within the story, with its twisted, self-fulfilling narrative, adds another layer of horror that keeps you questioning what’s real and what’s fiction.

That said, the pacing is uneven. The middle section drags a bit, spending too much time on Jewel’s internal struggle without enough external escalation. And while the buildup is fantastic, the climax feels somewhat abrupt and leaves some questions unanswered. The body horror elements are disturbing (in a good way for horror fans), but the book could have leaned even harder into its premise for a more satisfying payoff.

Overall, An Evil Premise is a chilling, paranoid horror with a brilliant concept, even if it doesn’t fully stick the landing. If you love slow-burn psychological horror with creeping dread, give it a shot—but be prepared for an itch you just can’t scratch.