Ghost Eaters

GHOST-EATERS is Literary Horror from acclaimed and prolific author Clay McLeod Chapman. [Release 2022] A keen revelation of the nature of addiction, in which obsession as a part of personal psychology extends far beyond the expected types [drugs and other controlled substances], GHOST-EATERS carefully peels back the layers to examine what lies deep within the core of these characters.


The novel also takes a rather unique approach to Afterlife. Caution: there is not a lot of hope here, other than the hope of the human spirit and human ingenuity. Its Afterlife is depressing and implacable. Also, set in Richmond, Virginia, once the Confederate Capital and site of a couple of centuries of Slavery plus Civil War battlefields, Revenants are numerous, unavoidable, hungry. So added to the Horror and despair is thought of all those painful, horrifying, backstories.


GHOST-EATERS deserves a wide audience, and will appeal to discerning readers of Horror.

Wow…this book was so f***ed up, but also so good. I did have a hard time getting into but once I was in, I was in! This book was equal amounts creepy and thought provoking. I think for anyone who has ever lost someone, you can get lost and pulled into the draw of this drug. Some parts of this book were so disturbing, but I still couldn’t stop. Really great book!

Thank you so much to the author and the publisher for letting me have an advance read. I’m looking forward to adding this one to my collection and seeing others reactions! Great novel to release around Halloween!

In recent years Clay McLeod Chapman has been on a fine run of form, his latest Ghost Eaters following the excellent The Remaking (2019) and the even better, Whisper Down the Lane (2021) which was one of the literary highlights of the year. All three are great books in their own right, but what is particularly impressive is the fact that they are uniquely distinct from each other with Chapman quietly building an impressive back-catalogue, being equally comfortable writing about the real-life horror of the Satanic Panic era as he is supernatural curses or life after death.

Ghost Eaters cleverly revolves around the theme of addiction in a physical, allegorical and supernatural sense via a drug which allows the users to see ghosts. Before we get to the ghost part, it is clear that main character Erin is in many ways addicted to Silas whom she has had an on-off relationship with through college and slightly beyond. The four main characters are of the age when college is in the taillights behind them and they should be targeting their first professional job in the big bad world. However, things have not worked out that way as Silas is a drug addict and he regularly uses Erin as his safety net as he repeatedly flunks out of rehab for the umpteenth time. Much of Erin’s thought process is connected to Silas and what he is doing, with the novel beautifully capturing how directionless those in their early twenties often feel, but at the same time think they know everything and are invincible (whilst still sponging from their parents).

Erin narrates the novel and although some readers might find her dependency and lack of boundaries regarding Silas to be frustrating, but it is pivotal to the direction the plot heads into. Early in the novel the young woman, like any drug addict, swears off Silas for what she believes to be the final time, only for him to die from an overdose just as she is about to start a new job. Wracked with guilt and pain she misses the funeral, only for things to take a much darker turn when she meets up with her two other old mutual friends with Silas, Tobias and Amara.

There are considerable levels of pain and guilt on offer in Ghost Eaters which is an incredibly dark book and is a druggie juiced up version of the age-old horror trope of attempting to bring a loved one back to life (even though you know you really shouldn’t, as no good can ever come out of it). Toby tells Erin that Silas discovered a drug which allowed him to see the dead, although she does not really believe him, agrees to a séance where the four take the remainder of the drug. This was a terrific sequence which was equally trippy and freaky, with Erin believing she has contacted Silas. Toby says they need to exercise caution, but Erin wants more (spot the addict) and the plot begins to shift through the years in some very clever directions.

In a round about way the book asks the reader how far they would go in order to get the ultimate kick or high? If heroin or ecstasy does not do the job then the drug on offer in this novel provides something more surreal than even the strongest acid could do! And what if lots of people started to take it? I also loved the clever direction the plot moves into when the use of the drug ‘ghost’ expands beyond the close circle of friends.

Ghost Eaters is a fine example of Southern Gothic horror literature, throws in a fair wedge of graphic body horror and includes haunting sequences which are a million miles away from Ghostbusters. However, these sequences are also very sad as the ghost are searching for something they do not have, but which becomes apparent as the plot moves on. The location of Richmond Virginia was also terrific and key to the story, as due to the Civil War and the city’s Confederate history there were more ghosts around than most other places. The sequence when Erin has her first day at her new job (not long after taking the drug) was a killer as the office was littered with ghosts. Freaking out, her new colleagues thought it was first day jitters!

The manner in which events spiralled was very nicely handled, even if things came together rather too neatly in the end, it was still a first rate read. Ghost Eaters expertly plucks at the raw nerves of the grieving process and hints at the bleakest afterlife imaginable. Remember kids, if offered drugs JUST SAY NO (especially ones which offer glimpses of what lies beyond the veil).

A must read for horror fans! This was one seriously creepy book that I am going to have a hard time getting those images out of my head. I also loved the twist on ghosts and that cover!

(Reviewed for Library Journal)
'Silas was a ghost long before he passed away'

"Ghost Eaters" starts off with four young adults in a Richmond, Virginia cemetery who are indulging in substances, mostly content in their drug-fuelled hazes. Their leader of sorts, Silas, leads them to a mausoleum for a seance. What he doesn't bank on is actual ghosts showing up--or at least that's what the protagonist, his girlfriend Erin, sees. A bizarre and disturbing sex scene unfolds. When next we see Erin, she's having dinner with a guy, Tanner, in a posh and hipsterish restaurant. She has dated plenty of men who enjoy the gentility and Civil War vibe. She keeps getting calls from Silas. Things get worse from there, until they come to a head. He leaves Erin with a dying wish. They've driven someplace resting over old Civil War battlefield; a town that hosted Klan rallies. The group of friends are now doing the sceance to try to draw Silas out. Within an unreliable narrator to a tee, things unfold in peril.To say that what Erin and her group of friends unleash is not at all what they were expecting doesn't begin to cover the chain of events that follow. The plot escalates as Erin's hauntings worsen with each move forward.

This isn't just one or two quaint ghosts. This is centuries of ghosts and revenants that are suddenly at every corner where Erin goes. Although the Powhatan people would have historically been buried in what's now eastern Virginia, the author could have handled what is a very overdone and harmful trope in horror of "Native American" burial grounds and taken things in a more culturally conscious direction. The Silas haunting are disturbing to say the least.

With some aspects of the film "Flatliners" as well as the forthcoming "Bodies Bodies Bodies" minus the humour aspects, the narrative of "Ghost Eaters" comes to a head with the reader understanding that Ghost has so much more of a morbid meaning in this addiction horror tale.

Readalikes: the Asylum series by Madeleine Roux, The Wide Carnivorous Sky by John Langan, Black Chalk
By Christopher J. Yates, and Never Saw me Coming by Vera Kurian

Here’s a story about a dead addict ex-boyfriend who left behind the key to seeing ghosts: a highly addictive drug. I didn’t love the main character, but she was absolutely perfect for this story, which is a great mix of horrifying and thought-provoking. She’s just pathetic (maybe “sad” is a better word) enough to make it work. The story also plays off one of my favorite tropes - are they really seeing ghosts or are they just on drugs? The book gets disturbing pretty early and then doesn’t let up for the rest of the book. It’s legitimately terrifying and unnerving for 75% of the book. That’s how well the premise works. Definitely a must-read this year.

A dark and disturbing story of pain, grief, and addiction that absolutely delivers on the scares. When a highly addictive drug that supposedly allows the user to make contact and interact with ghosts hits the streets of Richmond, VA, our protagonist Erin pursues this terrifying high despite the series of horrific visions and revenants that she experiences. Chasing after the spirit of a recently-departed friend, Erin risks everything to make contact even as things become more unsettled and horrific.

This is a truly scary book that delivers on everything it promises, and grants an unflinching perspective of someone who has been in an unhealthy relationship who then basically falls apart under the influence of powerful drugs, guilt, and pain which might be difficult for some readers to accept.

An easy recommendation to horror fans, with a story that leaves a lot to think about after you've finished reading.

Because I got an advance copy from Netgalley I feel honor bound to write a review. However, this book has left me speechless- in the best way. I was totally immersed in every aspect of this novel- the characters, the addictions, and the atmosphere. It is an experience.

GHOST EATERS is an absolute masterpiece. From the opening sequence in the graveyard, to a world irrevocably changed by the end, Clay McCleod Chapman drags you kicking and screaming through guilt and depravity.

The phrase "wanna get haunted" is used frequently in the book, but it's not just a phrase. It's the truth. This book will HAUNT you, and I will not rest until the whole world is haunted.

A ghost story that is about much more than traditional hauntings, Clay McLeod Chapman has crafted a book that explores what it means to be haunted. Erin is haunted by her college ex-boyfriend, Silas, who is a reoccurring presence in her life. When she finally cuts him off and he turns up dead of an overdose, she becomes possessed by what if's.
When another friend from college offers her the chance to see Silas again by taking a new drug that Silas was experimenting with, Erin agrees. But once she tries Ghost, she learns how deep a haunting can be and that there may not be an escape.
The book explores loss, grief, and addictions, including addictions to places, behaviors, people and the past. It's a ghost story while also being body horror and addiction horror. It's an intense and compelling story while also having snarky humor and pointed commentary about history.

Chapman's latest plunges the reader into a world of dread and horror, where the dead are everywhere, existing in a sort of shadow universe where they spend their time wandering, watching, and hungering for life. Their best chance of finding peace seems to lie with being invited into a house where they can settle in and do some proper haunting. Of course, there's a twist to this premise, but I won't give it away here. Chapman's unique take on the ghost genre concerns a psychoactive drug that allows users to connect to the dead. Unfortunately, they connect to ALL the wandering dead souls, not just those they are trying to contact, bringing a whole new level of horror to the phrase "I see dead people." Like many drugs, there' s a tolerance effect, and so more is always needed to maintain the contact, such that Chapman's strung-out living characters come to resemble the dead in many ways. Overall, this is a fascinating foray into a disturbing vision of the afterlife that will leave the reader--dare I say it--haunted.

Ghost Eaters does something a lot of horror novels can't accomplish; it's thoughtful and reflective, but it manages to do so without being pretentious. It's a dark one, diving into the depths of drug abuse and loss, but I highly suggest it for anyone looking to send shivers down their spine.

I absolutely could not put this down from the moment I started it. Each part has its own distinct feel, with the first half of the book having just overall a great aesthetic vibe that really reeled me in. Even after finishing, I can't decide if I'm more unsettled by the horror elements, or how realistic it seems to end up in Erin's position. A beautiful portrayal of grief, addiction, and overcoming obstacles.

Amazing writing, amazing world building and characters.
1000% reccomend this book. Had be gripped for the get go

Thank you to NetGalley and Quirk Books for this ARC

Now that was a ghost story! A very unique twist that kept me on the edge of my seat until the end.

This one comes out in September and let me tell you, WOW! The story uses hauntings to tell a story about addictions and the sorted history of the southern U.S. Reading it makes you physically uncomfortable and tense which just elevates the scares. The first time she sees a ghost, I mean, I could FEEL it!

100% recommend. I predict this will be a top scary season read!

This was a gruesome and incredible story that captured Addiction, and the lengths we would go to for those we love. Erin was a relatable protagonist and easy to sympathise with. I think that people who have dealt with addictions will recognize themselves in her, and those who haven't can still recognize themselves in her. She's very human, and loveable. As someone who has lost a friend recently I could (as a non addict) very much relate to her just wanting to see her friend again. Surface level but on the deep end it really captured what I have seen many addicts endure. Also, it was quite chilling and the ending was amazing. Not many authors can stick a landing like that!

Disclosure: I was provided an advanced copy via Netgalley.

By far one of the more unique modern horror stores I have read recently. Chapman manages to put forward a haunting tale about grief, addiction, and the human condition. I highly enjoyed this, and would recommend it to anyone looking for a good haunting.