The Secrets of Insects

by Richard Kadrey, Christopher Shy (Illustrator)

The Secrets of Insects is the first short story collection by New York Times bestselling writer Richard Kadrey. Covering more than 20 years of his career, these tales take readers from the plains of Siberia to a decimated Los Angeles, from Hell to long forgotten cities, from hidden murder rooms to houses haunted by more than ghosts.

The stories here explore themes of primal fear, loss, fractured love, and a search for meaning in a meaningless world.

In “Razor Pig,” we meet a father in search of his lost daughter, both of whom have sinister secrets.

“Flayed Ed” brings together murderer Ed Gein and an ancient Aztec god.

“In Suspect Zero” a young killer goes in search of a mentor and finds something far stranger.

“Candy Among the Jades,” which appears here for the first time, shows us Sandman Slim’s Candy reunited with her Jade sisters only to be confronted with an impossible request.

These tales showcase both Kadrey’s wide-ranging imagination and his clean, precise prose style in a host of stories ranging from strange fantasy to the darkest horrors.

Limited: 1000 signed numbered hardcover copies

Table of Contents:

Ambitious Boys Like You
The Secrets of Insects
Razor Pig
A Trip to Paris
A Hinterlands Haunting
Suspect Zero
Black Neurology—A Love Story
Flayed Ed
A Sandman Slim Christmas Carol
The Air Is Chalk
The Tunguska Event
Horse Latitudes
Snuff in Six Scenes
What Is Love but the Quiet Moments after Dinner?
Devil in the Dollhouse
Candy Among the Jades

Genres: Short Stories, Horror, Fiction, Fantasy

286 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 2023

About the author

Richard Kadrey is a writer and freelance musician living in Pittsburgh, best known for his Sandman Slim novels. His work has been nominated for the Locus and BSFA awards. Kadrey's newest books are The Secrets of Insects, released in August 2023; The Dead Take the A Train (with Cassandra Khaw), released in September 2023; The Pale House Devil, released in September 2023.

Reviews

[Tasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I truly enjoy Richard Kadrey's writing style. He has not let me down at all. All the stories in this collection are amazing and well written. There is a broad range of emotions with these stories.

Thank you #NetGalley for #TheSecretofInsects.

[Eddie McKee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This man is the master of horror short stories. I took a chance without being familiar with the author. This is the first book I have ever read where I said "WTF?" out loud when reading several of the stories, especially Razor Pig.

[cassiterite · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to know what the bug said.

When I was in high school I was obsessed with Stephen King, and my favorite was his Everything's Eventual collection of short stories. Now I'm obsessed with Richard Kadrey, and I've found his Everything's Eventual. Excellent stories, they will haunt me. Thanks again, Richard.

[David Simon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here’s a thing I love as a reader…when an author I know primarily through their novels wows me with a short story collection. Richard Kadrey’s Sandman Slim is one of my favorite series of all time, and his other novels—The Everything Box and The Grand Dark to name just two—are equally wonderful.

The Secrets of Insects is a collection of short stores that spans 20 years of Kadrey’s career, and proves, not that I had any doubt, that he’s just as comfortable at shorter lengths. Not surprisingly given his novels, Kadrey is mining a dark vein here. Killers, both supernatural and not, prowl these pages, along with ancient, murderous gods, a demonic carnival, a post-apocalyptic Los Angeles, real life cannibal Ed Gein, and all manner of mayhem.

Kadrey never, ever holds back. There is horror here, dark fantasy, and suspense, and Kadrey has a real knack for grabbing you by the back of the neck and dragging you into places you may not be ready to go. His characters, whether human or not, whether good or evil (and let’s face it, most are some gradation of evil), feel like they actually exist, that Kadrey found them and dropped them kicking and screaming into the pages. They have a gritty, lived-in feel. Likewise, his settings are original and surprising, even if they are awash in blood.

For fans of Sandman Slim—and really, everyone should be—there are a couple of stories set in the Sandman Slim universe. One of them, Candy Among the Jades, appears here for the first time. It’s worth the price of admission all by itself. It features Candy and a whole bunch of Jades, and what else do you need to know?

The publication date for The Secrets of Insects is right around the corner, on July 31st. Pre-order today, so it’s waiting for you in your mailbox or on your Kindle!

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an entertaining enough collection for horror fans, but Kadrey's short stories don't have anywhere near the punch his novels do. There are a few really memorable stories in the collection: "Black Neurology—A Love Story," a weird tale of rebirth; "Flayed Ed," which imagines serial killer Ed Gein as a priest of Xipe Totec; and the previously unpublished "Candy Among the Jades," where we catch up with one of my favorite characters from the Sandman Slim series.

Received via NetGalley.

[Nox Addams · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent set of short stories from one of my favorite authors. While all of these stories are beyond worth reading, I would be remiss if I didn't mention that several of them have been previously available in other formats. An excellent blast of short stories with some amazing standouts (Suspect Zero being an absolute must read), recommended without caveat if you've been unable to catch these short stories elsewhere or you're missing a peek back into the world of Sandman Slim.

[Cathleen Maza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark and disturbing sums up this assortment of creepy tales that vary in length. I wasn't sure what to expect from this collection, but was delighted by the author's steadfast ability to stand his ground and not cop out to "happy endings". That being said, some of the material may prove too dark even for regular readers of the horror genre. However, the more it made me flinch, the more I wanted to read. Bravo!

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Horror is my usual choice, but I thought I'd give this a chance, and thought it was OK. Some good writing here, and some creative ideas within the stories.

I really appreciate the free copy for review!!

[Marisol Puga · Rating 5 out of 5]

Til The Wheels Come Off, Baby

Everyone is going to die one day.
Yet, despite that I am grateful to have existed during the same time as Richard Kadrey’s writing.
As always, amazing. Especially the Candy story.

[Dan Fever · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great collection of short stories. I went into it blind and was pleasantly surprised by the two Sandman Slim stories I hadn't read yet. (not including Devil in the Dollhouse). I really enjoyed A Hinterlands Haunting, Suspect Zero, and The Air Is Chalk.

[Nightshade · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesomely strange and wonderfully weird

This is one of the best short story books I've ever read and I definitely think anyone that has read any of the other of Richard Kadrey's books will love this one just as much.

[Christopher Keiser · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice collection of disturbing stories.

[Strega · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great group of short stories from an author with a rather dark bent. Most are good reads, with just a couple where it seems he got lazy with the finish. Or maybe just ran out of interest.

[Tessa A. · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not a single one of these was interesting to me. They're not clever, the writing has no uniqueness, they all just bleed together into monotony. It really wasn't for me.

[Todd · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed these short stories! His writing is exceedingly engaging!