4⭐
"Little Girls Everywhere Will Know They Can Aspire to Kill Too"

I have a lot of mixed emotions right now, because wtf did I just read?

Notty, a women with a dark past and concerning impulses, is hired to take care of the children of Mr & Mrs Pounds. Notty has some really dark & gruesome thoughts (which soon turns into actions), however her dark sense of humor & sarcasm make up for it, I guess lol.

* It is quite gruesome but really enjoyable - just please, please, please check your Trigger Warnings.

Thank you NetGalley and RB Media for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

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. Also, I recommend the audiobook because the narrator has this perfect innocent tone that is really unnerving at times.

I had no idea what I was getting into when I started "Victorian Psycho", but I am so glad I did. Virginia Feito’s rich, lyrical prose immediately pulled me in, and by the end, I found myself utterly captivated by Winifred and her unsettling yet fascinating psyche. The novel's macabre humor is perfectly balanced, making it as darkly amusing as it is disturbing.

Anna Burnett’s narration elevates the experience even further—her dry delivery is deliciously perfect, capturing both the wit and eerie undertones of the story. If you're looking for something unique or love a macabre thriller with a literary edge, "Victorian Psycho" is a must-listen.

Thank you to Virginia Feito, RB Media, and NetGalley for sending me the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

What a wild and fun story of women’s rights and wrongs in the Victorian era. Victorian Psycho has rightfully earned all the hype for me.

Dear readers, we follow Winifred Notty during her short stint has governess at Ensor House. Her stay is nothing short of a bloody fun time (for some). All while counting down to maybe the most important Christmas for her! I don’t want to give too much away but this stories goes and does not stop.

I loved Virginia Frito’s beautiful, lush, comical, and often graphic writing. This story is quick, punchy, and of course a story of the complexity of women. I love reading about complicated, sick, and twisted women and this story gives it all.

I lucked out and not only bought a copy of Victorian Psycho early but also got an arc of the audiobook via @netgalley from RBMedia. I had planned to purchase the book (and highly recommend you do the same) but it was such a delight to read this book along with the audiobook! I cannot recommend both and want to thank the publishers and RBMedia for the arc of the Audiobook via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Virginia Feito creates a gothic horror that isn't for the feint 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.

This was so dark, gory, and....funny? I almost feel bad about liking it, since awful things happen to a lot of people. The audiobook narrator was exceptional, and really made me feel like I was inside the mind of the crazy main character.

3.5 stars

While I did not think this a game changing read (perhaps because I am slightly burnt out and need a genre switch for awhile), this is undoubtedly a thrilling read that packed a lot of punch within an impressively small amount of pages.

This is an atmospheric and eerie story about a woman made into a monster, a Victorian Psycho if you may. The pacing, the amount of lore packed into a little book, and the escalation from dread to thrilling action are quite stunning.

However, I did find it too predictable. Thank goodness I listened to this on audio, which is great and made it an easy, casual listen while also being juicy because of the horror.

Thank you to the author, RBMedia, and NetGalley for the eARC. I leave this honest review voluntarily.

Thank you NetGalley for the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Victorian Psycho is a dark comedy horror with a macabre twist on Victorian England. The story follows Winifred Notty, a seemingly prudish governess who arrives at Ensor House, determined to fulfill her duties with virtue. However, her benevolent intentions quickly dissolve once she’s entangled with the dysfunctional and morally grey Pounds family. Soon, her sinister inclinations, stemming from a horror-filled childhood, surface and lead her to a series of gruesome killings. The story has a loose plot, with chapters that feel like diary entries, documenting Winifred’s different occasions with members of the Pounds family and their friends. The narrative is unpredictable, fast-paced, and sometimes over-the-top, but in the best possible way! With its short, addictive chapters and just over 200 pages, the book can easily be devoured in a single sitting!

The story is mostly character-driven and mostly from the twisted mindset of protagonist Winifred. She’s deeply disturbed, incredibly intelligent, and fascinating. While some readers may read this as a story of her descent into madness, others may see it as an unfolding of the grand scheme of a psychopath. Either way, this antiheroine keeps readers fully engaged until the gory conclusion. On the contrary, the Pounds family is dysfunctional and morally grey. With each member of the family, Winifred cleverly places on a different mask—and even when her mask falters, sending momentary alarm bells to others, she’s always prepared with a genius retort.

It should be noted this book has some major triggers, including animal harm and violence to babies, children, and adults. For the first half, the horror is mostly suggestive, through Winifred’s twisted delusions, and the plot doesn’t have a clear direction. The second half begins with a shocking revelation that adds a lot of intrigue. The narrative then becomes more fast-paced and shifts from eerie suspense to outright mayhem, culminating in an ending that has everything you imagined this book would offer—excessive killings, gore, and ridiculous dark comedy scenes. Feito has explained that her inspiration for the novel came from research on historical female psychopaths and her discovery of the violent treatment of women during the Victorian era—so she decided to channel her own anger into writing this book! The book’s explicit exploration of female rage is very compelling and may even cause readers to question some people around them!

Overall, Victorian Psycho is a highly bingeable read suitable for readers of horror and witty dark comedy. Following the success of Mrs. March, Feito once again showcases her talent at weaving compelling psychological horror that is as entertaining as it is disturbing—and much like Winifred’s stay at Ensor House, this book manages to entertain without overstaying its welcome! Readers who enjoy gory horror stories with unreliable narrators, unpredictable plots, and dark, witty humor should highly consider this book! With the book’s hype and popularity leading up to its release, it’s no wonder that it's now slated for a film adaptation!

Narrated by Anna Burnett
Presented by RB Media

I think this would have been better as a read, as opposed to a listen.

It's told first person by a governess, who is driven by the homicidal thoughts she tries to stifle.

Sentences transform in the middle and it can be quite disorienting when listening, but I suspect it would come across as quite clever in written form. I found it a little too strange to listen to and actually listened twice in a row as I was convinced I'd missed things. Turns out I hadn't missed much at all - the book just changes that abruptly.

Some of it was a little too bizarre for me, and it seems more like black comedy than horror. There are elements that are quite absurd and just don't fly as realistic, giving this a more satirical feel.

The audio narrator matched the book's narrator really well in my mind, and her performance was fantastic for the content. I do feel the audio format lessened my enjoyment of this book, but this was never a fault of the narrator.

I think there were some really interesting elements to this story and I can see it gathering a cult following for its bizarreness. I would be interested to read a physical copy because I feel like maybe the audio format doesn't do it justice. I'd happily recommend it to horror fans looking for something a little more unusual.

With thanks to NetGalley for an audio ARC

I could not stop reading this. Unhinged. Unexpected. So atmospheric. “Fred” arrives with so many secrets and a vendetta she is determined to see to fruition. When the book broke the 4th wall, I was in love. Brilliantly written to the point that even the smallest scenes oozed off the page. I am already ready to reread.

I coupled the digital copy with the audiobook narrated by Anna Burnett. Her voice was perfect for the main character. Soothing. Calm. Poised. She is not understood at my normal speeds, but still faster than normal.

Thank you NetGalley, RBMedia, W.W. Norton & Company, and author Virginia Feito for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Wow, this was such a kick in the pants! Governess Winifred Notty begins working at the home of the Pounds family, teaching the two children, Andrew and Drusilla. She dutifully imparts lessons while secretly (and very graphically) thinking about all the horrific things she would like to do to everyone. As time goes by, the darkness inside Winifred grows and grows until - well, you're going to have to read this because, if you have the stomach for it, the denouement of the story is a wild and crazy ride.

this book is not for everyone, but i feel like that is he horror/thriller genre in general. I did, however, like this one. the characters were interesting and a good time. Winifred was a time and I think they were my favorite character. This was a fun and different listen

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and author for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Dark, disturbing, deranged. I thoroughly enjoyed every second of Victorian Psycho. A very quick read, I loved the twisted humor and the writing was absolutely beautiful.

Thank you, NetGalley for an arc for my honest review. The felt really slow. The only interesting part was the flashback for Winifred. Seeing into her past very creepy. But the story lost me towards the middle and end. The ending was too outrageous for me and felt like it was trying too much to be goofy with how unrealistic and over-the-top it was. I was expecting more sinister events to happen throughout the story but it kind felt so silly at times. This was just not for me

Thank you NetGalley and RBmedia for this audiobook arc in exchange for my honest review!

For such a short book, this surpassed all of my expectations. It was gross and disturbing and weirdly addicting. I enjoyed that we got to experience this story through Winnifred’s twisted perspective- she was a fascinating character to follow. I do think I preferred the build-up over the story climax, and I do think the ending was a bit rushed. But I would read more victorian horror by this author for sure and I also thought the audiobook narrator was really great!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of Victorian Psycho
by Virginia Feito

I found this book because of the hype from Peloton's Matty Maggiacomo book club, I do not typically read horror, but heck I love Matty so lets dive in.
and..
What the heck did I just read???????????????! Winifred Notty oh my she ever naughty, She is a innocent looking governess, that is anything but sweet and innocent she has devious dark murderous yet witty way about her. This book is all about murder death gory bloody grotesque murders thoughts, and I am 100% here for it, the ending of the plot twist despite her telling us along what would happen

That was wild (albeit thankfully short) ride. This author has an amazingly creepy way with words. I lost count of the number of times I cringed.
That being said If you’re looking for a ridiculously atmospheric creepy book with loads of disgusting imagery then this is the book for you. I did honestly enjoy it even as I cringed in horror.
This does not come with trigger warnings….i’ll just say if you’re squeamish at all….don't even think about it.
I received an ARC of this title, opinions are my own.

Victorian Psycho is the exact type of horror I enjoy. A character who's a little crazy and causing terrible things to happen. I like the exploration of seeing what has to happen to a person before they snap, and Fred's past is a perfect explanation of why she is the way she is.

That said, I had a lot of trouble with this book. I don't recall there being any trigger warnings, but as a mom of two and someone who HATES reading about child abuse and death, I really needed one. That's what bothered me the most. I expected someone who was unhinged and psychotic, but I was unprepared for the level that Feito took it to. This book is very dark. I can see how it would appeal to readers who like to see how terrible things can get, and they're the very specific crowd I would recommend this to. Emotionally, I found it hard to get through and that every bad thing that happened to the children in this book was simply there for the shock factor.

Aside from that, I did enjoy the story. Fred's casual mention of sex right from the start was jarring, but it was a good indicator of her character. We're not getting a journey of someone losing it--she's already there. Even in Victorian England, I found it VERY difficult to believe that Fred killed all these people without getting caught. And also that she killed a whole mansion full of people without a single one being able to overpower her or any of them grouping together or even anyone being able to escape.

The plot with Mr. Pounds was interesting. I would have liked to see more of that. 200 pages is a short book, and I didn't mind the length, but a little more of a story arc would have been ideal for me as a reader.

Overall, I think this would appeal to people who read horror to see how messed up and dark it can get. With the proper warnings, just in case they need them.

Thank you netgalley for the audio arc.

There is nothing i like about this book. The horror feels so… ”ooo im craaaazy” in a incredibly childish way. The prose feels messy at best and i just cant get past the line ”her boobs jiggled in her corset.

The narrator for the audiobook is nice though! Even if she could not save it.

This was an interesting listen. I have been waiting for this book as I have seen many of the booktoc people that I follow really loving this novel. I wasn't let down and even though the ending wasn't what I thought it should be it left me thinking about the plot for hours after. Highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a quick read/listen.