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Mean Spirited
An alcoholic teacher and father’s world spirals out of control when a former student is killed and he is left with her dog and the dark presence that follows it.
Matt Matheny teaches during the day, drinks at night, and barely hides his functioning alcoholism from his veterinarian ex-wife, Lucy, and his six-year-old son, Mikey. His world spirals out of control when a former student is killed, and he's left with her dog, Conehead. But something isn't right with Conehead. A dark presence follows him, and very soon, people around him die. Matt realizes the only way to protect his son is to sober up and work with Lucy to expose the dog’s mysterious past and face a secret so shocking—an evil so relentless—that it threatens to unleash hell on an entire town.
This horror novel pays homage to Stephen King’s Cujo, and films like It Follows and The Strangers. It is a haunting and suspenseful exploration of the unseen and the supernatural, set against the seemingly tranquil backdrop of rural West Virginia. Nick Roberts masterfully builds tension and atmosphere, creating a sense of impending doom with meticulous detailing and vivid imagery. The psychological exploration elevates the narrative, making Mean Spirited a compelling read for those who seek a blend of horror, mystery, and emotional depth.
Whether you are a seasoned fan of the genre or a curious newcomer, Mean Spirited promises a gripping and thought-provoking journey into the realms of the supernatural.
Matt Matheny teaches during the day, drinks at night, and barely hides his functioning alcoholism from his veterinarian ex-wife, Lucy, and his six-year-old son, Mikey. His world spirals out of control when a former student is killed, and he's left with her dog, Conehead. But something isn't right with Conehead. A dark presence follows him, and very soon, people around him die. Matt realizes the only way to protect his son is to sober up and work with Lucy to expose the dog’s mysterious past and face a secret so shocking—an evil so relentless—that it threatens to unleash hell on an entire town.
This horror novel pays homage to Stephen King’s Cujo, and films like It Follows and The Strangers. It is a haunting and suspenseful exploration of the unseen and the supernatural, set against the seemingly tranquil backdrop of rural West Virginia. Nick Roberts masterfully builds tension and atmosphere, creating a sense of impending doom with meticulous detailing and vivid imagery. The psychological exploration elevates the narrative, making Mean Spirited a compelling read for those who seek a blend of horror, mystery, and emotional depth.
Whether you are a seasoned fan of the genre or a curious newcomer, Mean Spirited promises a gripping and thought-provoking journey into the realms of the supernatural.
272 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 15, 2024
1150 people are currently reading
17110 people want to read
About the author
Nick Roberts
31 books2,514 followersNick Roberts is a native West Virginian and a doctoral graduate of Marshall University. He is an active member of the Horror Writers Association and the Horror Authors Guild. His works include Anathema, The Exorcist's House, It Haunts the Mind & Other Stories, and Mean Spirited. He currently resides in South Carolina with his family and is an advocate for people in recovery from substance use disorder.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,216 reviews
July 4, 2025
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 1/2
The late, great DMX once said “get at me dog, rrrrr arf arf”, and that pretty much sums up this book. Who knew Labradors could be so dread-inducing?
This was delirious and demented in all the best ways. Using the dog as a vessel for the supernatural was a unique angle, and Conehead stands out as one of the more memorable animal characters I’ve encountered. I mean the dog has a cone shaped head. That’s wild enough in and of itself, but some of the things that Conehead does in this book are among the most bonkers, bizarre, and unnerving I’ve read.
The only reason this doesn’t get a higher rating is that some of the scenes felt a bit repetitive towards the end. It felt like the same scene playing on replay with different victims. I could have used a bit more variety in the details of the supernatural sequences. It was still scary, and it was still unique, so I give it a bit of a pass.
I have yet to read a Nick Roberts book I didn’t love, and this is no exception. If you’re looking for a scary, unique and quick read, this one is probably for you…
The late, great DMX once said “get at me dog, rrrrr arf arf”, and that pretty much sums up this book. Who knew Labradors could be so dread-inducing?
This was delirious and demented in all the best ways. Using the dog as a vessel for the supernatural was a unique angle, and Conehead stands out as one of the more memorable animal characters I’ve encountered. I mean the dog has a cone shaped head. That’s wild enough in and of itself, but some of the things that Conehead does in this book are among the most bonkers, bizarre, and unnerving I’ve read.
The only reason this doesn’t get a higher rating is that some of the scenes felt a bit repetitive towards the end. It felt like the same scene playing on replay with different victims. I could have used a bit more variety in the details of the supernatural sequences. It was still scary, and it was still unique, so I give it a bit of a pass.
I have yet to read a Nick Roberts book I didn’t love, and this is no exception. If you’re looking for a scary, unique and quick read, this one is probably for you…
September 17, 2025
We're into the scary stuff straight from the off in the prologue, with Robbie and her dog, Conehead, encountering some... strange occurrences.
We then move forward a few days, and we meet our protagonist, Matt, a teacher who also happens to be an alcoholic. He has a 6-year-old son, Mikey (Michael), and is divorced from his ex-wife Lucy, a veterinarian.
Via ensuing circumstances, Matt ends up in possession of Conehead and takes him in to look after. Mikey, who has been pining for a dog, is thrilled.
It's pretty clear from quite early on that we're dealing with an evil presence and/or supernatural entity controlling Conehead. All is revealed as the story progresses as to the what and why.
There were a few discrepancies with the writing here and there; for instance, in one scene when Matt is at the vet with the dog, first it was on his lap, then it was at his feet, and in the next sentence it's back on his lap again. Minor, but it's things like this that can interrupt the reading flow and have you rereading back to double-check.
Bar a couple of niggles, this was a good horror read. The creepy tension kept mounting throughout, and there were some genuinely scary moments.
There were conflicting emotions in this because, well... I'm a dog lover. One minute you're screaming in your head, 'Don't kill the dog,' and then 'Just kill the evil dog.' ;)
I quite liked the ending; it fitted with what had happened throughout the rest of the story.
This Author definitely has a talent for writing horror. I jumped into this after reading The Exorcist's House a while ago, which I enjoyed (I need to move on to the sequels of that at some point). Whilst this one probably wasn't quite as good, it's still a pretty decent read.
Rating this one 3.5/5, but will round up.
We then move forward a few days, and we meet our protagonist, Matt, a teacher who also happens to be an alcoholic. He has a 6-year-old son, Mikey (Michael), and is divorced from his ex-wife Lucy, a veterinarian.
Via ensuing circumstances, Matt ends up in possession of Conehead and takes him in to look after. Mikey, who has been pining for a dog, is thrilled.
It's pretty clear from quite early on that we're dealing with an evil presence and/or supernatural entity controlling Conehead. All is revealed as the story progresses as to the what and why.
There were a few discrepancies with the writing here and there; for instance, in one scene when Matt is at the vet with the dog, first it was on his lap, then it was at his feet, and in the next sentence it's back on his lap again. Minor, but it's things like this that can interrupt the reading flow and have you rereading back to double-check.
Bar a couple of niggles, this was a good horror read. The creepy tension kept mounting throughout, and there were some genuinely scary moments.
There were conflicting emotions in this because, well... I'm a dog lover. One minute you're screaming in your head, 'Don't kill the dog,' and then 'Just kill the evil dog.' ;)
I quite liked the ending; it fitted with what had happened throughout the rest of the story.
This Author definitely has a talent for writing horror. I jumped into this after reading The Exorcist's House a while ago, which I enjoyed (I need to move on to the sequels of that at some point). Whilst this one probably wasn't quite as good, it's still a pretty decent read.
Rating this one 3.5/5, but will round up.
January 26, 2025
This is now my second book by this author, and I am becoming a fan. This was straight out of a really good B horror movie. In the blurb, it's described as Cujo meets It Follows and that is actually a PERFECT description. (check triggers 💀)
While this didn't outright scare me, this was still creepy, had some truly disturbing scenes, and entertained me from beginning to end. Speaking of the end... Mr. Roberts.. just why?😅 Also, shoutout to the audiobook narrator for his creepy demon voice👹
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pre-read
This cover is absolutely horrifying, so I HAVE to read this😅
While this didn't outright scare me, this was still creepy, had some truly disturbing scenes, and entertained me from beginning to end. Speaking of the end... Mr. Roberts.. just why?😅 Also, shoutout to the audiobook narrator for his creepy demon voice👹
__________________________________________________
pre-read
This cover is absolutely horrifying, so I HAVE to read this😅
July 28, 2025
Mean Spirited ended up being a surprisingly great book. It started off strong with the prologue. The horror was intense.
When the story switches to the point of view of Matt Matheney, I felt the pace slow and things started to get repetitive. Lots of doors were opening or closing on their own just before lights went out, etc., etc. I was close to walking away from the story when the plot took a new twist and I was completely hooked through to the end.
The character writing is good. We get to see some great growth in Matt. Conehead, the dog is quite endearing when he's being a good boy. Roberts did a great job pouring doggy characteristics into the goofy Lab.
The horror aspects were strong enough to give me bad dreams. I was on the edge of my seat throughout much of the book.
I need to read more from Nick Roberts. I'd give Mean Spirited five stars if I didn't have a hard time getting into the story at the beginning. But once it got going, it was difficult to walk away from. I'm settling on 4 stars.
When the story switches to the point of view of Matt Matheney, I felt the pace slow and things started to get repetitive. Lots of doors were opening or closing on their own just before lights went out, etc., etc. I was close to walking away from the story when the plot took a new twist and I was completely hooked through to the end.
The character writing is good. We get to see some great growth in Matt. Conehead, the dog is quite endearing when he's being a good boy. Roberts did a great job pouring doggy characteristics into the goofy Lab.
The horror aspects were strong enough to give me bad dreams. I was on the edge of my seat throughout much of the book.
I need to read more from Nick Roberts. I'd give Mean Spirited five stars if I didn't have a hard time getting into the story at the beginning. But once it got going, it was difficult to walk away from. I'm settling on 4 stars.
July 5, 2024
I want to preface by saying that despite hating this book, I truly don't mean to personally attack the author or be critical for the sake of being critical. For this exact reason I would like to justify some of the reasons for why I'm giving this a 1. I'm less irate by the quality of the book itself and more annoyed by the huge percentage of 10/10 reviews that set my expectations for a higher quality work.
I have never written a book review before but this story was SO frustrating that I just had to vent for my own sake. I also want to point out that I mention other books I've read throughout as good-quality examples of certain concepts that “mean spirited” tries to convey.
Horror elements and stereotypes that have a (in my opinion) a very high chance of turning goofy and ridiculous no matter how well the book is written:
-Smiling dogs, I think many people just think of the smiledog meme which became mocked with time.
-Pale figures with sunken black eyes, pretty stereotypical. I feel like the choice of appearance was lost potential for something scarier.
-Menace ghostkid with a good heart. A 10 year-old willingly became a criminal and then killed several people, but then acted like a sweet angel when he died and his soul inhabited the dog? The only thing that mildly saves this is that he made a sinister selfish choice in the ending.
-Basing an entire book on a facebook spirit summoning conspiracy that relies heavily on just using the power of love and friendship.
-Bipolar people are evil i guess? Im not denying that the disorder can cause behavior disruption but the mentally ill=evil stereotype is cheap and old.
-Laughing manically with head thrown back dramatically. It happens so. many. times. Nothing but comical at this point.
Dialogue:
I don't know how to word this nicely but it's some of the worst I've read. The choice of words in several discussions with 6 year old Mikey is odd and feels like it's written for an adult instead. The nonstop usage of “sport”, “buddy” etc was grating and made me start expecting a “buckaroo”.
The infodumping that's clearly meant for the reader is a turnoff. I don't buy that people would speak like that in those contexts.
I'm also aware that an addict's urges are constantly present but the reader can be aware without being reminded for the umpteenth time that Matt needs a hit. It gets whiny.
-A well written example of something that has dialogue which is tense and feels probable can be found in Stephen King's “Apt pupil”:
The length and writing style:
If this book gained an editor they would have possibly removed over ⅓ of the text since whole actions, scenes, and thoughts keep getting repeated and reused over and over again. It massively drags down the reading experience. At Least 6 people have the exact same horrified reaction of gasping in fear and dropping something from their hand. like 4 characters soil or almost soil themselves. Peanut shells are mentioned twice as a sound comparison.
The types of hauntings are all over the place and it feels like the author took a bunch of loosely related ideas and threw them together in a soup. It feels so forced that it kinda comes across as funny even with the plot explanation later on.
-A well written example in a story that involves repeated actions (that is short and does not overstay its welcome) can be found in Jaqueline Harpmans “I who have never known men”.
Characters choices and emotions:
Lucy wont stop crying holy damn! I'm a crybaby and still find this to be over the top. I think she cries like 12 times in the book. I'm all for people showing emotion, but when so damn many of the characters in the book shed tears I start rolling my eyes when even the hardened redneck starts crying too. One key to making a character's physical sorrow have an impact on the reader is to use the tears sparingly.
I keep doubting that the author has interacted much with kids, much less anxious traumatized kids. You really think a 6-year old would excitedly run back into a house the day after he and his family were attacked and nearly killed in there the night before? Kids are not dumb and they tend to value safety and familiarity over anything else which does not align with a lot of Mikeys actions/attitudes. He keeps wildly swinging between carefree and happy to terrorized. I also feel like he would be scared of the dog after the first or second demonic dog-transformation.
I didn't really give a damn that Matt seemed to risk losing access to his son after the attack at his home, which is bad if we are supposed to care about our protagonist. He actively made repeated bad choices at the cost of his son's safety. WHY should we care? At that point in the story he had no redeeming personal qualities.
-A well written example involving competence in a hopeless situation can be found in Naomi Salmans “Nothing but the rain”.
The dog problem:
One trick to making a reader like a horror character is to make them observant, smart, or proactive: our fear for their safety tends to stem from the horror of being in danger despite trying to escape or fight it.
Almost every adult in this story seems dumber than a bag of bricks and it gets enraging after a while. At some point you just lose any compassion for the person repeatedly shooting their foot. Matt gets multiple chances to change his choices regarding the dog while repeatedly witnessing a pattern of dangerous consequences surrounding it.
The motivation for a lot of these choices is because of 1) Mikey's love for a dog that he has known for a very short time and 2) The guilt of letting go of a dog and/or the guilt of prioritizing your human loved ones over a labrador that bit you the first time he met you.
I would argue that overriding your kid's wishes to keep them safe from murderous demonic entities is worth the cost of the kid's heartbreak, but I'm not a parent so what would I know?
I also think it's insane to bring in a large dog with a bite history into a forever home with a small child but I know some people would cuss me out over that attitude. It just made me detest Matt for his stupidity from the get-go.
My empathy for these characters disappeared the moment they clearly prioritized an animal's potential life over their own child's life. I feel like the author gives you NO incentive to have affection for Conehead beyond “dog cute” despite it being 100% confirmed to the parents that he is the source of the supernatural monsters.
-A well written example involving a dog who becomes possessed and is dealt with realistically in a life or death situation can be found in Gus Morenos “This thing between us”.
The plot solution to the problem:
Where and when was it exactly established that the dog's heart ceasing would be enough to close off the spirits? The original plan was to shoot Conehead, but obviously he would have fully died a.k.a become “biologically dead", which means complete death in both the brain and body. I think Lucy, who has medical knowledge, would have highly doubted this plan of so-called “clinical death” which only temporarily stopped the dogs heart. How could they be SO sure that spirits did not reside in his brain? So much of the lore within the story seems to focus heavily on mind over body so the entire solution feels like an illogical asspull to try and get a dramatic ending.
-A well written example following a curse/supernatural event which is technically solved but still backfires in the end can be found in Stephen King's “Thinner”.
Regarding the rape attempt:
I can handle reading about disturbing events if there is a narrative or atmosphere-based reason for it. I lose engagement if i feel like that shit was thrown in purely for shock factor, especially sexual violence, as this was. What enforced this was how the attempt consisted of 90% of Conehead yapping about what he was going to do when a properly written "show don't tell" would have made the moment seem less exploitative, which may sound contradictory. The just-shock-factor moment of the gas pump nozzle moment later on was so needlessly pornlike that it was beyond offensive. The funny part is that these scenes would have shocked me in an effective way if the antagonists who possessed these characters actually had a haunting pattern of a predatory nature, which they didn't.
-A well written example of an attempted assault evoking horror but not feeling unnecessary is the one in B.R. Yeargers “amygdalatropolis” which serves a major narrative role for the main character and his escalation into inhumanity.
Product placement
A part of me died everytime a dated franchise or nonrelevant event was mentioned, which felt like it was often (minions movie, cereal brands, COVID with several lengthy paragraphs going over what it was and how it existentially impacted the new generations for some reason).
I have never written a book review before but this story was SO frustrating that I just had to vent for my own sake. I also want to point out that I mention other books I've read throughout as good-quality examples of certain concepts that “mean spirited” tries to convey.
Horror elements and stereotypes that have a (in my opinion) a very high chance of turning goofy and ridiculous no matter how well the book is written:
-Smiling dogs, I think many people just think of the smiledog meme which became mocked with time.
-Pale figures with sunken black eyes, pretty stereotypical. I feel like the choice of appearance was lost potential for something scarier.
-Menace ghostkid with a good heart. A 10 year-old willingly became a criminal and then killed several people, but then acted like a sweet angel when he died and his soul inhabited the dog? The only thing that mildly saves this is that he made a sinister selfish choice in the ending.
-Basing an entire book on a facebook spirit summoning conspiracy that relies heavily on just using the power of love and friendship.
-Bipolar people are evil i guess? Im not denying that the disorder can cause behavior disruption but the mentally ill=evil stereotype is cheap and old.
-Laughing manically with head thrown back dramatically. It happens so. many. times. Nothing but comical at this point.
Dialogue:
I don't know how to word this nicely but it's some of the worst I've read. The choice of words in several discussions with 6 year old Mikey is odd and feels like it's written for an adult instead. The nonstop usage of “sport”, “buddy” etc was grating and made me start expecting a “buckaroo”.
The infodumping that's clearly meant for the reader is a turnoff. I don't buy that people would speak like that in those contexts.
I'm also aware that an addict's urges are constantly present but the reader can be aware without being reminded for the umpteenth time that Matt needs a hit. It gets whiny.
-A well written example of something that has dialogue which is tense and feels probable can be found in Stephen King's “Apt pupil”:
The length and writing style:
If this book gained an editor they would have possibly removed over ⅓ of the text since whole actions, scenes, and thoughts keep getting repeated and reused over and over again. It massively drags down the reading experience. At Least 6 people have the exact same horrified reaction of gasping in fear and dropping something from their hand. like 4 characters soil or almost soil themselves. Peanut shells are mentioned twice as a sound comparison.
The types of hauntings are all over the place and it feels like the author took a bunch of loosely related ideas and threw them together in a soup. It feels so forced that it kinda comes across as funny even with the plot explanation later on.
-A well written example in a story that involves repeated actions (that is short and does not overstay its welcome) can be found in Jaqueline Harpmans “I who have never known men”.
Characters choices and emotions:
Lucy wont stop crying holy damn! I'm a crybaby and still find this to be over the top. I think she cries like 12 times in the book. I'm all for people showing emotion, but when so damn many of the characters in the book shed tears I start rolling my eyes when even the hardened redneck starts crying too. One key to making a character's physical sorrow have an impact on the reader is to use the tears sparingly.
I keep doubting that the author has interacted much with kids, much less anxious traumatized kids. You really think a 6-year old would excitedly run back into a house the day after he and his family were attacked and nearly killed in there the night before? Kids are not dumb and they tend to value safety and familiarity over anything else which does not align with a lot of Mikeys actions/attitudes. He keeps wildly swinging between carefree and happy to terrorized. I also feel like he would be scared of the dog after the first or second demonic dog-transformation.
I didn't really give a damn that Matt seemed to risk losing access to his son after the attack at his home, which is bad if we are supposed to care about our protagonist. He actively made repeated bad choices at the cost of his son's safety. WHY should we care? At that point in the story he had no redeeming personal qualities.
-A well written example involving competence in a hopeless situation can be found in Naomi Salmans “Nothing but the rain”.
The dog problem:
One trick to making a reader like a horror character is to make them observant, smart, or proactive: our fear for their safety tends to stem from the horror of being in danger despite trying to escape or fight it.
Almost every adult in this story seems dumber than a bag of bricks and it gets enraging after a while. At some point you just lose any compassion for the person repeatedly shooting their foot. Matt gets multiple chances to change his choices regarding the dog while repeatedly witnessing a pattern of dangerous consequences surrounding it.
The motivation for a lot of these choices is because of 1) Mikey's love for a dog that he has known for a very short time and 2) The guilt of letting go of a dog and/or the guilt of prioritizing your human loved ones over a labrador that bit you the first time he met you.
I would argue that overriding your kid's wishes to keep them safe from murderous demonic entities is worth the cost of the kid's heartbreak, but I'm not a parent so what would I know?
I also think it's insane to bring in a large dog with a bite history into a forever home with a small child but I know some people would cuss me out over that attitude. It just made me detest Matt for his stupidity from the get-go.
My empathy for these characters disappeared the moment they clearly prioritized an animal's potential life over their own child's life. I feel like the author gives you NO incentive to have affection for Conehead beyond “dog cute” despite it being 100% confirmed to the parents that he is the source of the supernatural monsters.
-A well written example involving a dog who becomes possessed and is dealt with realistically in a life or death situation can be found in Gus Morenos “This thing between us”.
The plot solution to the problem:
Where and when was it exactly established that the dog's heart ceasing would be enough to close off the spirits? The original plan was to shoot Conehead, but obviously he would have fully died a.k.a become “biologically dead", which means complete death in both the brain and body. I think Lucy, who has medical knowledge, would have highly doubted this plan of so-called “clinical death” which only temporarily stopped the dogs heart. How could they be SO sure that spirits did not reside in his brain? So much of the lore within the story seems to focus heavily on mind over body so the entire solution feels like an illogical asspull to try and get a dramatic ending.
-A well written example following a curse/supernatural event which is technically solved but still backfires in the end can be found in Stephen King's “Thinner”.
Regarding the rape attempt:
I can handle reading about disturbing events if there is a narrative or atmosphere-based reason for it. I lose engagement if i feel like that shit was thrown in purely for shock factor, especially sexual violence, as this was. What enforced this was how the attempt consisted of 90% of Conehead yapping about what he was going to do when a properly written "show don't tell" would have made the moment seem less exploitative, which may sound contradictory. The just-shock-factor moment of the gas pump nozzle moment later on was so needlessly pornlike that it was beyond offensive. The funny part is that these scenes would have shocked me in an effective way if the antagonists who possessed these characters actually had a haunting pattern of a predatory nature, which they didn't.
-A well written example of an attempted assault evoking horror but not feeling unnecessary is the one in B.R. Yeargers “amygdalatropolis” which serves a major narrative role for the main character and his escalation into inhumanity.
Product placement
A part of me died everytime a dated franchise or nonrelevant event was mentioned, which felt like it was often (minions movie, cereal brands, COVID with several lengthy paragraphs going over what it was and how it existentially impacted the new generations for some reason).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 30, 2024
I was pleasantly surprised (not surprised really, this author is phenomenal) at how absolutely creepy this book was. Right from the beginning we are thrown into a horrifying scenario. The author expertly portrays themes of addiction, supernatural entities and possession throughout this novel. The scary factor is off the charts. I am forever haunted by the imagery and character portrayals. We are introduced to Matt—an alcoholic former teacher and father— who is mourning the untimely death of a former student, and stumbles upon the goodest boy ever— Conehead. As the story unfolds, things don’t seem quite right with the dog, but on several occasions he’s a savior to the family. If you have dogs, love dogs, this may be an extra creepy read for you. Roberts is one of very few authors able to give me nightmares… even a year after reading one of his works. I wholeheartedly recommend —and implore— that you read this book if you want to fear the dark, the unknown corners of your land, or your faithful furry friend.
January 19, 2024
To be quite honest, this book scared the hell out of me. With characters so three-dimensional and palpable, you’ll hear them knocking around your house, Mean Spirited doesn’t just crawl under your skin, it chews it up and spits it out. This is Nick Roberts at his finest.
October 21, 2024
Well I think I’m alone on this so please read other reviews! I thought this was really cliche and it never brought any emotional or horror level of interest for me. Oh well, probably a case of me not him.
April 24, 2025
2.5/5 ✨ rounded down.
this could have been sent in an email...after chapter nine or ten it gets repetitive to the point i already knew what was going to happen every time there was something "creepy" happening.
i wasn't a fan of the writing style or dialogue throughout & was bored for majority of the time. i ended up skimming the last 80ish pages just so i could be done.
don't get me started on the gas station part cause what even was that???
this could have been sent in an email...after chapter nine or ten it gets repetitive to the point i already knew what was going to happen every time there was something "creepy" happening.
i wasn't a fan of the writing style or dialogue throughout & was bored for majority of the time. i ended up skimming the last 80ish pages just so i could be done.
don't get me started on the gas station part cause what even was that???
December 26, 2023
"𝑰𝒕'𝒔 𝒐𝒌 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒔𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒅, 𝒔𝒐𝒏...𝒊𝒕'𝒔 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒅𝒐 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖'𝒓𝒆 𝒔𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒔."
Nick Roberts engages the author from the first sentence. No exposition, no extra words or unnecessary descriptions, just one hell of a story that had me looking over my shoulder in the light of day.
When alcoholic English teacher Matt gets the news that a former student of his was killed, he frames one of her poems he had filed away, intending to leave it at her home for a relative to pick up. Instead, Matt ends up leaving with her dog, a Lab named Conehead. He hasn't even left the driveway when he starts seeing odd things. He chalks the odd visuals up to needing a drink and takes the dog to his ex-wife's veterinarian practice to have it checked out before gifting it to his young son, Mikey. But when monstrous things happen in the dog's presence, Matt can't tell at first if the dog is responsible for the acts or if he's a vessel for something not of this world.
This story had everything I love in a horror tale...deeply flawed, realistic characters; a supernatural element; genuinely scary moments; a fast-paced plot; and an ending that made me spew a string of profanities because the author had the absolute audacity to go there and pull it off.
Thank you so much to the author for the early copy and for my place on his ARC team. Coming March 15, 2024.
Nick Roberts engages the author from the first sentence. No exposition, no extra words or unnecessary descriptions, just one hell of a story that had me looking over my shoulder in the light of day.
When alcoholic English teacher Matt gets the news that a former student of his was killed, he frames one of her poems he had filed away, intending to leave it at her home for a relative to pick up. Instead, Matt ends up leaving with her dog, a Lab named Conehead. He hasn't even left the driveway when he starts seeing odd things. He chalks the odd visuals up to needing a drink and takes the dog to his ex-wife's veterinarian practice to have it checked out before gifting it to his young son, Mikey. But when monstrous things happen in the dog's presence, Matt can't tell at first if the dog is responsible for the acts or if he's a vessel for something not of this world.
This story had everything I love in a horror tale...deeply flawed, realistic characters; a supernatural element; genuinely scary moments; a fast-paced plot; and an ending that made me spew a string of profanities because the author had the absolute audacity to go there and pull it off.
Thank you so much to the author for the early copy and for my place on his ARC team. Coming March 15, 2024.
September 6, 2024
"Like I said, it ain't a person. At least, not anymore. It wants nothin' more than to drive ya insane and then kill ya." "And there ain't just one."
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Where do I even begin with this one?! Okay so I LOVED this book. This is everything I love in a possession horror read. A great plot, disturbing imagery, great backstory and an ending that sends shivers down your spine.
Yes! This book delivers on all aspects and I devoured this in a few hours. Why did I take so long to read this? I was spooked and intrigued at the same time.
The story is well written and crafted. The pacing was excellent with creepy things happening in the first 1/4 of the book. That opening scene really set the tone for what was to come. It started out strong and kept up momentum all throughout. There was never a dull moment...not one.
I also liked that the characters had their own issues yet, it didn't take away from the plot. The story remains solely on the evil at hand. I know I mentioned the imagery before but, I have to say once again just how detailed it was. I had no issues visualizing what the author was describing. Talk about nightmare fuel.
This book genuinely scared me...genuinely. I am thoroughly impressed and this author is now on my radar. Easily one of the best horror books I've read of all time.
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Where do I even begin with this one?! Okay so I LOVED this book. This is everything I love in a possession horror read. A great plot, disturbing imagery, great backstory and an ending that sends shivers down your spine.
Yes! This book delivers on all aspects and I devoured this in a few hours. Why did I take so long to read this? I was spooked and intrigued at the same time.
The story is well written and crafted. The pacing was excellent with creepy things happening in the first 1/4 of the book. That opening scene really set the tone for what was to come. It started out strong and kept up momentum all throughout. There was never a dull moment...not one.
I also liked that the characters had their own issues yet, it didn't take away from the plot. The story remains solely on the evil at hand. I know I mentioned the imagery before but, I have to say once again just how detailed it was. I had no issues visualizing what the author was describing. Talk about nightmare fuel.
This book genuinely scared me...genuinely. I am thoroughly impressed and this author is now on my radar. Easily one of the best horror books I've read of all time.
April 19, 2025
My first read of Nick Roberts and reading all the positive reviews I was looking forward to this one- the premise was interesting and the inclusion of a dog with supernatural events sounded great. Unfortunately, I didn't feel the creepiness was executed well enough to illicit the dread I was hoping for. If anything, I found some of the scenes quite comedic - on several occasions the dog stands on two legs and grins. Now, yes, that may be creepy, but for some reason I found it amusing instead and thus, took all scariness away. That will serve me right for getting taken in by reviews that claim "this is the creepiest book I've ever read" - huh, I dread to think what your back catalogue of reading has been. Maybe I'm just desensitised to a lot of things these days.
I might be doing Nick an injustice here but, for me, the book was also filled with pointless "filler" info that had me skim reading through pages. I've not done that for a long time in a book.
Just didn't hit the spot for me.
I might be doing Nick an injustice here but, for me, the book was also filled with pointless "filler" info that had me skim reading through pages. I've not done that for a long time in a book.
Just didn't hit the spot for me.
January 18, 2024
I've read most of Roberts' work and can honestly say that it's a joy to watch him raise the bar each time. The character development in Mean Spirited is fantastic, and the author really captured the emotion throughout. I cried twice while reading the final few chapters, and again as I sorted through my emotions after finishing the book.
There are some unsettling scenes throughout, most of which come at the reader with little or no warning. If jump scares in books are a thing, this one is littered with them! I think Roberts has always had a knack for creating unsettling imagery within his writing, and it's a skill that he continues to perfect.
I look forward to watching his writing career flourish. I may even use this time between releases to check out his anthology appearances that I've yet to pick up!
If you're looking for a horror book that has it all, Mean Spirited is a very strong contender. From a creeping sense of foreboding to wonderfully satisfying character arcs to an ending you won't anticipate, this is a novel that will be talked about frequently and favourably in the months ahead!
There are some unsettling scenes throughout, most of which come at the reader with little or no warning. If jump scares in books are a thing, this one is littered with them! I think Roberts has always had a knack for creating unsettling imagery within his writing, and it's a skill that he continues to perfect.
I look forward to watching his writing career flourish. I may even use this time between releases to check out his anthology appearances that I've yet to pick up!
If you're looking for a horror book that has it all, Mean Spirited is a very strong contender. From a creeping sense of foreboding to wonderfully satisfying character arcs to an ending you won't anticipate, this is a novel that will be talked about frequently and favourably in the months ahead!
July 26, 2025
One of the scariest books I've ever read. Avoid reading at night!
March 4, 2024
It only took a couple of experiences reading the work of Nick Roberts for him to become a favorite author for me. I was aggressively excited (that's a thing) to get my hands on his latest novel, Mean Spirited.
Mean Spirited starts out with one of the strongest, and scariest, prologues I've read in a long time. It sets the stage for a book that does what few horror books have been able to do. It scared me. The way Nick sets the scene and describes what the characters are seeing and feeling were extremely effective. My heart beat faster when theirs did, my breath hitched along with them. And I'm sure, at some point, I let out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding.
The characters, including Conehead the dog, are real and complex. You empathize with them all in some way. Matt, our human MC, is an alcoholic teacher. I was really cheering for this guy throughout the book to fight his inner demons as well as fight the hellish nightmare they were all experiencing. His ex-wife Lucy is understandably frustrated with Matt, as she wants him to be a better man for their son. 6 year old Mikey is a brave, amazing kid. And Conehead is an adorable Labrador that is very smart and protective...mostly.
There are twists and surprises, the pacing is unrelenting, and this book has some of the scariest imagery I've read. This is an absolute must read, highly recommend!
Mean Spirited starts out with one of the strongest, and scariest, prologues I've read in a long time. It sets the stage for a book that does what few horror books have been able to do. It scared me. The way Nick sets the scene and describes what the characters are seeing and feeling were extremely effective. My heart beat faster when theirs did, my breath hitched along with them. And I'm sure, at some point, I let out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding.
The characters, including Conehead the dog, are real and complex. You empathize with them all in some way. Matt, our human MC, is an alcoholic teacher. I was really cheering for this guy throughout the book to fight his inner demons as well as fight the hellish nightmare they were all experiencing. His ex-wife Lucy is understandably frustrated with Matt, as she wants him to be a better man for their son. 6 year old Mikey is a brave, amazing kid. And Conehead is an adorable Labrador that is very smart and protective...mostly.
There are twists and surprises, the pacing is unrelenting, and this book has some of the scariest imagery I've read. This is an absolute must read, highly recommend!
December 5, 2025
Fantastic horror in an economy of words. There are no pages-long build up to a blast of stone cold fright. Boom. There it is. Not like a jump-scare, just a statement of fact. A dad walks in to see his child crawling across the ceiling…. Stated very forward without the usual tropes of glowing eyes, dripping fangs, gaping maws, razor sharp claws, etc. Nope. Just a refreshingly simple approach to a scary story without pretentious hubbub.
Can recommend.
Can recommend.
Read
January 3, 2024Nick Roberts is one of the few authors who can consistently scare me. Full review to come.
December 31, 2024
3.5⭐️ rounded up bc I appreciate the amount of times the author worked dingleberry into the story
February 8, 2025
the ending had chills running down my spine. i don’t think i’ll ever get tired of nick’s writing.
December 17, 2024
“NOW IT’S TIME TO PLAY WITH US.”
This story seriously scared me! My god, the scenes with poor Ronnie gave me nightmares. I felt spooked reading the rest of the bloody, supernatural events that happened to Matt & his family as well.
Poor Conehead- I was simultaneously terrified of him and deeply sorry for him. My parents have a wildly goofy yellow lab and he’s all I could picture while reading this. I stopped by their house midway through the story and was a little freaked out when their dog Clancy was happily greeting me; Conehead has completely changed my perspective now about him haha and I am slightly wary around him.
So, if you want a deeply disturbing, hauntingly creepy story centred around a (sometimes) sweet and gentle dog, this is the book for you!
Side note: sorry, but I could’ve smacked Mikey when he blurted the plan out in Chapter 29. C’MON KID EVERYONE’S LIFE IS AT RISK HERE!!!!
This story seriously scared me! My god, the scenes with poor Ronnie gave me nightmares. I felt spooked reading the rest of the bloody, supernatural events that happened to Matt & his family as well.
Poor Conehead- I was simultaneously terrified of him and deeply sorry for him. My parents have a wildly goofy yellow lab and he’s all I could picture while reading this. I stopped by their house midway through the story and was a little freaked out when their dog Clancy was happily greeting me; Conehead has completely changed my perspective now about him haha and I am slightly wary around him.
So, if you want a deeply disturbing, hauntingly creepy story centred around a (sometimes) sweet and gentle dog, this is the book for you!
Side note: sorry, but I could’ve smacked Mikey when he blurted the plan out in Chapter 29. C’MON KID EVERYONE’S LIFE IS AT RISK HERE!!!!
March 15, 2024
Jesus christ! It's one of the creepiest things I've read this year. Definitely had me side eyeing my own dog, though. Conehead will live in my head rent-free for a long time to come.
"Sometimes doing the right thing feels wrong."
Honestly, this book scared me shitless AND broke my mama heart....well played sir...well played indeed. Mean spirited truly pulls out all the punches and takes you on a wild and bloody ride. This book may frighten you, give you anxiety, make you cry, and even make you laugh. One thing is for sure, once it sinks its teeth into you....it won't let go.
"Sometimes doing the right thing feels wrong."
Honestly, this book scared me shitless AND broke my mama heart....well played sir...well played indeed. Mean spirited truly pulls out all the punches and takes you on a wild and bloody ride. This book may frighten you, give you anxiety, make you cry, and even make you laugh. One thing is for sure, once it sinks its teeth into you....it won't let go.
May 8, 2024
I was going to give this 2 stars until I came upon the part about the possessed dog wanting to r*pe the mom.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 5, 2025
The first thing I did when I opened this book was ask, “Does the dog die?” And while that question haunted me for a bit, it quickly faded to the background, because Mean Spirited had me from page one. I tore through this in a few hours. It’s that good.
After a family rescues a dog, things start going very, very wrong. We’re talking full-blown paranormal terror, deep emotional unraveling, and oh yeah… murders. The story spirals in the best possible way, and the characters? Flawed, raw, human. I found myself caring about each of them, even when they were making choices I wouldn't agree with.
What I appreciate most is that the dog is not merely a plot device or emotional bait; it serves as the catalyst. The story builds around this single act of kindness (rescuing a dog), and from there it becomes something much bigger and darker. The horror comes from the environment, choices, and desperation.
October 24, 2025
Okay, so this book actually scared me and gave me chills! The horror and supernatural elements were really well done. I loved how it started off strong and terrifying right from the prologue, and that ending twist was perfect. If you’re looking for a book that will keep you up at night, this is definitely the one.
We follow Matt, an alcoholic teacher and father, whose life spirals out of control after his former student is killed leaving him with her dog and the dark presence that comes with it.
We follow Matt, an alcoholic teacher and father, whose life spirals out of control after his former student is killed leaving him with her dog and the dark presence that comes with it.
July 24, 2025
This may be the scariest book I’ve ever read - and I don’t say that lightly. From page one, the dread crept in and never let up. The atmosphere was so thick with tension, I felt like I was living inside the haunting alongside the characters. The paranormal elements are terrifying, the pace was perfect, and the horror is deeply psychological, laced with moments that genuinely made my skin crawl.
What sets this book apart is how grounded the characters feel, making every supernatural encounter hit that much harder. I actually cared about what was happening to them, and I think that’s what made the horror so effective. It’s not just jump scares or gore for shock value, it’s the creeping realization that something is very wrong, and it’s not going away.
If you're looking for a book that will genuinely mess with your head and keep the lights on at night, Mean Spirited delivers. This is horror done right.
What sets this book apart is how grounded the characters feel, making every supernatural encounter hit that much harder. I actually cared about what was happening to them, and I think that’s what made the horror so effective. It’s not just jump scares or gore for shock value, it’s the creeping realization that something is very wrong, and it’s not going away.
If you're looking for a book that will genuinely mess with your head and keep the lights on at night, Mean Spirited delivers. This is horror done right.
March 31, 2024
One of the books that I read by this author, was The Exorcist's House. This was an excellent book. Mean Spirited, didn't take off until the second half of the book. The most important character in the book was the dog, Conehead. Connecting with the other characters was difficult. I was very surprised at the ending. I recommend this book, to all fans of horror.
March 2, 2025
Fantastic supernatural horror story revolving around a dog named Conehead who has evil spirits attached to him. The spirits are very scary and violently present themselves through the novel. Conehead, a Labrador, is one of the main characters and his personality is nicely presented. The story is primarily told through Matt, a recently divorced father struggling with alcohol. At times a little too much time is spent in Matt’s narrative.
Overall it’s an exceptional horror story touching upon serious issues of family relationships and dynamics, and alcoholism. The supernatural incidents throughout the novel with Conehead are super gory, vivid, and terrifying. It’s really fun to read a book with a dog playing such a prominent role. After reading this I’m glad I’m currently a cat person.
Overall it’s an exceptional horror story touching upon serious issues of family relationships and dynamics, and alcoholism. The supernatural incidents throughout the novel with Conehead are super gory, vivid, and terrifying. It’s really fun to read a book with a dog playing such a prominent role. After reading this I’m glad I’m currently a cat person.
March 10, 2024
I went into this book as blind as possible and I’m so glad I did. It was a treat to watch the story unfold with perfect pacing and development. Roberts’ is skilled in the art of setting up the narrative in a way that absolutely captivates you, before grabbing you firmly by the throat. He’ll let you breathe just enough, before knocking the wind out of you again…and again. And his endings? Excellent as always. Characters that navigate real life issues, perfect in their own flawed ways? Check. Dark, creepy, sometimes downright terrifying scenes? Check. A loveable dog? Check. This book delivers in so many ways that horror/thriller readers will love.
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