4.5 stars but I'll round it up to 5.

I received an advance audiobook copy of When the Wolf Comes Home By Nat Cassidy. Thank you netgalley.

The narration was great! The beginning trigger warning from the author was a definite draw in for this book. If the author has that type of humor, it has to be a fun book, right?

And yes, this was a fun listen. What an interesting take made into a funny (dark humor)/horror/suspense.

I really feel bad for the main female character, what an awful time she's having.

Definitely recommend this book, and prepare for a wild ride.

Be sure to stick around for the heartwarming afterward.

Cassidy has great, smart writing… that can also be incredibly dark and gruesome. I REALLY enjoyed this one.

What would you do if your fears came to life? That is really what is showcased here in this book. Our protagonist, Jess is joined by a young boy, scared and running for his life. After a terrifying encounter with the boy’s father, whom he is trying to escape, Jess is only just beginning to understand the depth of mess she is in right now.

Just like in Nat Cassidy’s previous book, Nestlings, this book parallels various horrors and difficult situations with the vulnerability of caring for children. In both books, what the protagonist would do for the love and protection of the child adds such a heartfelt gravity to the stories. That speaks to me.

After running with the boy, trying her best to get him and herself to safety, she discovers they may not be safe anywhere… not when the boy’s fears begin to manifest, creating danger and mortal peril at every turn.

This was just really fun. I loved the audiobook narration.

Nat did it again! Truly a horror novelist for the ages. When the wolf comes home is the kind of pull-on-your-heartstrings tale that only comes around once in a blue moon. A beautiful blend and homage to the horror stories before him and the lives in which we all need some kind of honor to or closure from— dads.

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.

Yet again, Nat nails it out of the park. The narrator did an incredible job and the Nat cameo was the cherry on top. I was riveted by this story and felt every emotion along the way. Some of the imagery was stomach curdling, the tension was palpable, AND I cried. What else can you ask for from a book?? My ridiculous daddy issues were nervous to read this one, but Nat tackled the themes incredibly. This may seem like a fictional wolf/monster story on the surface, but it’s so much more than that. Amongst other things that I don’t want to get into in attempts to avoid spoilers, I believe it’s a look into how we can let our fears control and overtake our lives and perseverance through that. I would quite literally read nat cassidys chore list. Another five star added to the list.

Imagine your darkest fears become reality. This book was well written but very disturbing. It’s very dark with family trauma. I appreciate the trigger warnings at the beginning of the audiobook. I did listen to this in one day. It’s been a while since I’ve listened/read a good horror book that had my adrenaline pumping.

I’m looking forward to checking out more books by Nat.

Thank you NetGalley, Nat and Macmillan Audio for the eALC!

Publication Date: April 22 2025
Rating: 🩸🩸🩸

What a fricken knock out!
Oh my god, I loved this book. This was disgusting, hilarious, brutal, heartbreaking, and uplifting all wrapped up in one perfect little fairytale. Jessa's character development is by far one of my favorites that I've ever read. Even though she had the option of giving up the entire time, her resilience and need to protect the little boy shone through. I loved the little boy, 'kiddo', and so many times wanted to give him a hug. The abilities he has in such a chaotic and wild world would make anyone crazy. Their bond, shared traumas, and adventures together felt so pure.
Nat's writing style is superb. His ability to tell such a unique story that will hit you in every single feel is truly incredible. This is one of those books that I wanted to pick back up and reread right away. I loved how much this book made me feel a little bit of everything.
Nat Cassidy quickly made his way into my top 5 authors list with my first arc of his, Mary, and he is no doubt holding that position strong.
Thank you so much TorNightfire and Netgalley for my ALC and ARC.

I just finished this audiobook and I know this one will stick with me for a while. It was incredibly well written and full of disturbing detail/imagery, but it was also emotionally wrenching at times. Author @catnassidy has a unique way with words that allows the story he’s telling to burrow deep into your mind, and When the Wolf Comes Home was no exception.

I was really looking forward to reading this based on the description and reviews but I had to pull the plug on it almost immediately. Way too gory. But this is really my own issue - not a critique of the book. I’m sure true horror fans will love it.

Why Nat Cassidy Is Both a Genius and a Monster

I Want to Sue Nat Cassidy For:

Mary: The Awakening - Setting Very High Standards That Ruined Me for All Other Books.
Nestlings - Giving Me Nightmares So Bad I Threw My Kindle Across the Room.
When the Wolf Comes Home - Giving Me FUCKING Anxiety Attacks in Broad Daylight.

I first discovered Nat Cassidy through his debut novel Mary . At first glance, it seemed like an innocent cover—a woman in a bathtub—but upon closer inspection, those subtle yet chilling details began to creep under my skin, amplifying every irrational fear I didn’t know I had. I stumbled across it during a casual Kindle browse, and what followed was a story that was equal parts terrifying, heartwarming, and utterly gripping. It hooked me completely.

Then came Nestlings . By this point, I was already a fan, so naturally, I dove right in. Big mistake—or maybe not? Reading it late at night after work turned out to be a recipe for disaster. The book invaded my dreams, turning them into horrifying nightmares where I found myself living inside the very building central to the story. Lesson learned: don’t read Nat Cassidy before bed.

Fast forward to When the Wolf Comes Home , and you’d think I’d have wised up by now. Determined not to let him get the best of me again, I decided to listen to this one during daylight hours—10 a.m., bright sunshine, walking my dog in our quiet, closed community. Surely, nothing could go wrong here, right? Wrong. Oh, Nat… you did it again. This time, the anxiety hit differently. The characters burrowed deep into my mind, and despite knowing full well that the monsters aren’t real (right?!), I couldn’t shake the panic attacks they triggered. Yet, paradoxically, I couldn’t stop listening. The narrator, Helen Laser, deserves special mention. Her performance is nothing short of phenomenal. She doesn’t just tell the story; she drags you into it, forcing you to live through each character’s terror. There were moments when I wanted to scream at MC—not because she was bad, but because she made me care so much! Spoiler alert: “Take your goddamn keys when you’re running for your life toward your car, Goddammit!” Yes, I actually shouted that while listening.

Let me preface this by saying I wasn’t the biggest fan of Cassidy’s Mary, so my expectations for When the Wolf Comes Home were pretty low. But THIS BOOK SLAPPED. The narrator, the pacing, the story—chef’s kiss. I devoured the audiobook in less than 24 hours, completely hooked from start to finish.

While it’s technically a horror novel, what really lingered with me was the raw, emotional core of the story—specifically, the pain of children wrestling with the disappointment of realizing their parents are flawed, sometimes even deeply broken. That theme crept in slowly, but once it hit, it hit hard. And then came the afterword. Hearing the author’s own voice recounting their thoughts and experiences added a whole new level of weight to the story. It wasn’t just a book anymore; it was personal, it was real, and it absolutely wrecked me. I found myself standing in my bathroom, toothbrush in hand, full-on ugly crying. This book was an emotional gut punch in the best way possible.

“‘I don't know what to do. I feel like... like everything's broke. Like I'm all broke.’

‘Yeah. I know that feeling. Sometimes I think that's just what being alive feels like.’”

It took me some time to formulate my thoughts on this book. And by that I mean as soon as I finished it, my ears tuned into the all out chaos my two kids were engaging in and I couldn’t concentrate because of their screams. This book was so good it *tuned out* my kids.

Frankly, it hurt. But it was also pretty funny. But it was really deep.

I have struggled with anxiety my whole life. I have gone to therapy, tried meditation and yoga. I have tried experimenting with other forms of faith, I have talked about it, I have written about it, I have tried walking it out. I’ve tried it all, but at the end of the day, nothing helped me understand the monster that is anxiety quite like this book.

“I’m always scared of stuff. You get to a certain age and they stop calling it scared and start calling it anxiety. But it’s all the same.”

I grew up. And my child fears grew with me into this ever present Big Bad Wolf that magical thinking just can’t disperse of. Just be positive! They say. Manifest! They say. Everything happens for a reason! They say. As my mind screams and rapidly spins through the Rolodex of fears that is my brain.

We know Nat Cassidy for his amazing contributions to the horror genre. He has become a staple with a handful of horror novels. But When the Wolf Comes Home is different. Nestlings and Mary had depth, without doubt, but Wolf has something else. It was cathartic. And I can only imagine how healing it was for Cassidy to face his own Rolodex and make his monsters small enough to fit on paper.

The hype you’re seeing with this one is real. I can safely say it is a top contender for one of my favorite books of all time.

4.5 stars rounded up

Phewwww this book was a wild ride, in a good way. Or at least in a way that spoke to me and what I like. I actually wasn’t really interested in this one until I saw the audiobook pop up on NetGalley. My thought being well if I hate it then at least I didn’t have to read it with my own eyes. Anyway, smash cut to me feeling like a fool because I loved this book, and shout out to Helen Laser, your narration was stunning, girl!

I really loved the way this story felt like an 80’s action flick, with a big splash of horror of course. I don’t know how other people feel about pop culture references but I personally love them, especially when they’re fun little winks, which this book was chock full of. The only thing that stops this from being a 5 star read is- Actually that’s a major spoiler so I’ll just say Nat knows what he did. But I liked this so much I can wait to buy the physical copy when it comes out. I heard there’s pictures at the start of each chapter? If true, hell yeahhh I think that really adds to the (dark) fairytale quality of this book.

Whatever, I guess you could say I’m a fan of Nat Cassidy and probably he’s an auto buy author for me now.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for an advance copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

READ IT IF YOU'RE INTEREST IN
- Page turners
- Road trip to avoid law enforcement
- Supernatural abilities
- Daddy issues
- Famiy trauma
- Fear and anxiety are huge themes
- Action packed chase story

BRIEF REVIEW
Full disclosure I read over half of this book today and I can't wait to finish it. The action started early and has not let up. Since this is a book club pick and not released yet I will just say that Nat Cassidy has done it again and this story is not like the others ;) I cannot wait to discuss this in book club later this year.

A woman goes on the run with the five year-old boy. She finds hiding in bushes near her home. The boy has obviously been hurt, and his father is after them. Turns out that this little boy is able to conjure almost any horror to life. This is an unapologetically, old-fashioned horror story where there are no logical explanations and no happy endings.

Another excellent novel from Nat Cassidy. This is a fast paced, riveting book that does a fantastic job of mixing old-school classic horror with other supernatural tropes to take a look at family tragedy and trauma. Highly recommend.