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Scurry
Catty Hammond isn't like other girls; she can talk to roaches.
It's not a gift she ever wanted or asked for, but ever since she was a child, it's marked her as different. And in the suburb of Hilly Green, different is just about the worst thing a person can be. After a lifetime as a social pariah—culminating a bloody and terrifying encounter with a deranged murderer—Catty left suburbia and never looked back.
A decade has passed since then, but now a call from her sick mother brings Catty home. Not much has changed in Hilly the houses are still beautiful, the lawns are still immaculate, the people still smile and gossip and quietly judge their neighbors...
...and the serial killer Catty narrowly escaped from all those years ago is still there, watching her.
He has his own gifts. He has his own pride.
And he has no intention of letting the Roach Girl slip through his fingers once more.
It's not a gift she ever wanted or asked for, but ever since she was a child, it's marked her as different. And in the suburb of Hilly Green, different is just about the worst thing a person can be. After a lifetime as a social pariah—culminating a bloody and terrifying encounter with a deranged murderer—Catty left suburbia and never looked back.
A decade has passed since then, but now a call from her sick mother brings Catty home. Not much has changed in Hilly the houses are still beautiful, the lawns are still immaculate, the people still smile and gossip and quietly judge their neighbors...
...and the serial killer Catty narrowly escaped from all those years ago is still there, watching her.
He has his own gifts. He has his own pride.
And he has no intention of letting the Roach Girl slip through his fingers once more.
- GenresHorrorHorror Thriller
374 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 25, 2025
2 people are currently reading
108 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
March 22, 2025
Scurry by Sean Barbour is a beautifully written, immersive story that explores themes like isolation and trauma through a unique lens. The MC, Catty, is both gifted and burdened by an ability that allows her to communicate with roaches.
The writing creates a sense of unease through its atmospheric setting and unique characters, and as the story unfolds, the tension heightens -- the line between personal and external horrors growing increasingly blurred. Catty's journey is emotional, physical, traumatic, and deep, as the Spider closes in.
The narrative introduces a variety of secondary characters and complex themes, adding layer upon layer the story. Not only does this novel dive into isolation and trauma, but it explores human connection. That, and disconnection.
Barbour’s writing is clean and practiced, drawing you into a world that feels both familiar, but also unnerving and strange. Scurry is a haunting exploration of fear, trauma, identity, and survival.
The writing creates a sense of unease through its atmospheric setting and unique characters, and as the story unfolds, the tension heightens -- the line between personal and external horrors growing increasingly blurred. Catty's journey is emotional, physical, traumatic, and deep, as the Spider closes in.
The narrative introduces a variety of secondary characters and complex themes, adding layer upon layer the story. Not only does this novel dive into isolation and trauma, but it explores human connection. That, and disconnection.
Barbour’s writing is clean and practiced, drawing you into a world that feels both familiar, but also unnerving and strange. Scurry is a haunting exploration of fear, trauma, identity, and survival.
January 31, 2025
This was such a pleasant surprise. Wonderful characters, a unique premise and immensely readable. You spend so much time getting to know Catty. Then he adds Tierney and Evan to the story and it pops right off the page. The character building here is so good! That’s before you even get to the reason Catty’s called Roach Girl or the serial killer is called The Spiderweb. The only thing I wished for was even more time with Catty and Tierney, more time with her powers, more time with the fight with Spiderweb. For a 300 plus page book I rarely want more, but in this case give another hundred pages or so!
Come for the cool premise, stay for the wonderful characters!
Come for the cool premise, stay for the wonderful characters!
March 24, 2025
When I saw the cover and read the premise for this book I was immediately intrigued! Thank you to the author for the opportunity to check this book out, I was given a free ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review.
Let’s get right into it, there are things I really enjoyed about this book and some things that were challenging for me.
🪳What I loved:
-Catty! She is such a lovable character
-All the stuff about roaches, I could read a book that just focuses on Catty and her life with roaches.
-LGBTQIA+ representation
-Catty & Tierney’s evolution and friendship
-Evan, another lovable character
-The buildup of some of the really tense scenes, done so well
🕷️Challenges:
-Jumping around mid-chapter sometimes between timelines. It threw the story off a bit, harder for it to flow.
-I liked the serial killer aspect but I’m not sure it fit well for me. I feel like I needed more about them sooner in the book.
-I wanted more roaches! Or like the communication between the roaches and Catty to have evolved more.
Overall I did like this book. It’s not a trope I have read before so I think it would be amazing to see more of a “Roach Girl” type horror vibe out there in the world. There were some challenges for me but I enjoyed the story and would read more books for this author.
Let’s get right into it, there are things I really enjoyed about this book and some things that were challenging for me.
🪳What I loved:
-Catty! She is such a lovable character
-All the stuff about roaches, I could read a book that just focuses on Catty and her life with roaches.
-LGBTQIA+ representation
-Catty & Tierney’s evolution and friendship
-Evan, another lovable character
-The buildup of some of the really tense scenes, done so well
🕷️Challenges:
-Jumping around mid-chapter sometimes between timelines. It threw the story off a bit, harder for it to flow.
-I liked the serial killer aspect but I’m not sure it fit well for me. I feel like I needed more about them sooner in the book.
-I wanted more roaches! Or like the communication between the roaches and Catty to have evolved more.
Overall I did like this book. It’s not a trope I have read before so I think it would be amazing to see more of a “Roach Girl” type horror vibe out there in the world. There were some challenges for me but I enjoyed the story and would read more books for this author.
March 3, 2025
Scurry was such a fantastic read, I found it to be incredibly well written with plot and characters that kept me coming back for more.
Catty is a weirdo, a loveable little weirdo who speaks to roaches. Why does she speak to them? Because they get her, and she gets them. As a lover of the unloved myself, I really connected with Catty as a character. Her flaws and all, she really grew on me throughout the story.
We have found family, self discovery, love, oh and an absolutely terrifying serial killer as well! Honestly, Scurry made my skin crawl but my heart full, I would recommend this in a heartbeat!
Catty is a weirdo, a loveable little weirdo who speaks to roaches. Why does she speak to them? Because they get her, and she gets them. As a lover of the unloved myself, I really connected with Catty as a character. Her flaws and all, she really grew on me throughout the story.
We have found family, self discovery, love, oh and an absolutely terrifying serial killer as well! Honestly, Scurry made my skin crawl but my heart full, I would recommend this in a heartbeat!
March 6, 2025
Catty Hammond grew up as an outcast in her perfect little neighborhood. Bullied in school and belittled by her mother. Her only companions were the roaches she felt an affinity with. It wasn't until high school that she finally found a small group of human friends who didn't look down on her, as they too were considered the freaks and unwelcome weirdos.
As the prospect of college approaches, the friends plan one last childish adventure before they go their separate ways into adulthood. It will be the last thing they ever do together, not because of their educational goals, but because Catty is the only survivor that night from an attack by a serial killer.
Years later, when Catty returns to her childhood home at the demand of her ailing mother, who needs someone to take care of her, the killer has still never been caught.
I was already captivated by this book long before the college years approached. I love a good coming of age tale and I was rooting for Catty to find her way in a world that is not kind to people who don't fit the mold. Adding a serial killer, and seeing how life turned out for Catty and one of her bullies as adults, was the icing on the cake of this well-written plot.
5 out of 5 stars
My thanks to Seann Barbour
As the prospect of college approaches, the friends plan one last childish adventure before they go their separate ways into adulthood. It will be the last thing they ever do together, not because of their educational goals, but because Catty is the only survivor that night from an attack by a serial killer.
Years later, when Catty returns to her childhood home at the demand of her ailing mother, who needs someone to take care of her, the killer has still never been caught.
I was already captivated by this book long before the college years approached. I love a good coming of age tale and I was rooting for Catty to find her way in a world that is not kind to people who don't fit the mold. Adding a serial killer, and seeing how life turned out for Catty and one of her bullies as adults, was the icing on the cake of this well-written plot.
5 out of 5 stars
My thanks to Seann Barbour
April 23, 2025
This was a really interesting story and different from what I'm used to reading but I really enjoyed it. There's something for everyone in this horror thriller. Hate roaches? read this one, and I guarantee that will change 😉
February 11, 2025
My first thought after finishing the story was, wow what a wholesome horror book!
Why would I call it wholesome?? The book feels very well thought out, we aren’t really left with any questions or loose ties at the end, we get to know the main characters well and connect with them. The ending was pleasant and secretly exactly what I was hoping it would be.
Overall fun read! Creepy crawlies, an elusive killer, family trauma, and acceptance.
Not really scary, just good wholesome horror.
Why would I call it wholesome?? The book feels very well thought out, we aren’t really left with any questions or loose ties at the end, we get to know the main characters well and connect with them. The ending was pleasant and secretly exactly what I was hoping it would be.
Overall fun read! Creepy crawlies, an elusive killer, family trauma, and acceptance.
Not really scary, just good wholesome horror.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 25, 2025
“Scurry” follows Catty Hammond, a girl that can talk to roaches, much to her social ostracism. One night Catty’s world shattered when she came face to face with a serial killer. Catty leaves her suburban home with all its trauma and starts a new life. That is until she is called back unexpectedly and needs to confront the horror all over again.
I loved everything about this book. The characters were so relatable: the outcasts, the difficult mother, the high school bro dudes and the nosey suburban neighbors. Outside the diverse cast of characters, I am a sucker for a good serial killer story and the one in Scurry did not disappoint.
After only a few pages in I was already thinking to myself “what the hell? Why are you getting so emotional over a roach”? But the I realized I was that kid. I was the weird kid that saved bugs and liked creepy things. I know the pain of being an outcast in society. And that, was what kept me captivated. The understanding of what it’s like to be different in this world.
Pickup your copy in April. You won’t be disappointed.
I loved everything about this book. The characters were so relatable: the outcasts, the difficult mother, the high school bro dudes and the nosey suburban neighbors. Outside the diverse cast of characters, I am a sucker for a good serial killer story and the one in Scurry did not disappoint.
After only a few pages in I was already thinking to myself “what the hell? Why are you getting so emotional over a roach”? But the I realized I was that kid. I was the weird kid that saved bugs and liked creepy things. I know the pain of being an outcast in society. And that, was what kept me captivated. The understanding of what it’s like to be different in this world.
Pickup your copy in April. You won’t be disappointed.
February 6, 2025
First, Id like to say, I'm actually allergic to roaches, so this cover makes my skin craw, love it.
Catty can talk to roaches, which, I think could be a useful power, it sounds horrifying but, you get what you get, and that's better then no power...
I was a little worried this was going to be a little too campy with no substance, which is not a big deal, but the synopsis had me hoping for more, and I got it.
This had you feeling for Catty, because Seann draws her picture, makes her real, makes you invested.
She's a poor outcast and finally gets a little bit of an escape to be well, someone else, and start over, but as always, things will bring you back home at the worst times.
Catty goes home, and has to deal with a serial killer, after being the lone survivor from her childhood incident. I would be lying if I said I was not suspicious haha.
But things get wild quick so I wont spoil anything else, but holy crap.
My single complaint, I would love more about Catty .
Catty can talk to roaches, which, I think could be a useful power, it sounds horrifying but, you get what you get, and that's better then no power...
I was a little worried this was going to be a little too campy with no substance, which is not a big deal, but the synopsis had me hoping for more, and I got it.
This had you feeling for Catty, because Seann draws her picture, makes her real, makes you invested.
She's a poor outcast and finally gets a little bit of an escape to be well, someone else, and start over, but as always, things will bring you back home at the worst times.
Catty goes home, and has to deal with a serial killer, after being the lone survivor from her childhood incident. I would be lying if I said I was not suspicious haha.
But things get wild quick so I wont spoil anything else, but holy crap.
My single complaint, I would love more about Catty .
April 8, 2025
I received this book from the author in exchange for a fair review.
A character-driven thriller with a definite creep factor, Scurry is a hidden gem!
This book took me entirely by surprise because I thought it was going to be a slasher horror or cat-and-mouse serial killer story. There is a killer, of course, but this book is less about that than the characters’ journeys. The serial killer aspect is almost secondary to the characters’ growth.
The characters are fantastic. Catty is likeable, understandable, and weird in a relatable way. Anyone who identifies as counter-culture or Goth would probably really like her, as she’s of that niche group without feeling like a stereotype. Catty is also great because while she is similar to how she was in high school, she’s not immature - she’s grown into and broadened her personality since then, so her returning home really does feel like a late-20s return versus a character who doesn’t feel any different to when they were 17. And the scenes when she is in high school were great; normally, high school flashbacks are not really interesting to me, but as well as being relevant to Catty’s trauma and the plot, they were actually enjoyable. Mainly because they didn’t follow the same trajectory as all the other high school trauma stories - while there are a few instances of bullying here, they are relatively minor, and most of the story features her bonding with her other (and I say this lovingly) weirdos. As the book says, “You need to own your weirdness, take pride in it. The cruelty of your peers becomes in your eyes the jealousy of your lessers, of dull and uninteresting sheep.” It made what happens actually tragic instead of contrived. There was a nice lack of drama amongst her friends, which was refreshing.
The bulk of the story is about Catty as an adult, with her returning home to deal with her dying mother. While I could have used a bit more about her mother growing up just to solidify why she was so horrible when Catty was an adult, their dynamic is clear and provides a lot of tension.
And then we have Tierney, a secondary character who gets a POV as well, and she is great because she’s on a journey like Catty’s, but instead of dealing with her past, she is wrestling with her future. There’s also a child character that is so realistic and brings out a part of Catty that also bucks stereotypes; that was unexpected. Honestly, everything about this book is a lovely surprise. I really loved the dynamic between Catty and Tierney, as it’s one of reconciliation and perhaps something more? Tierney was likable too, showing that popular girls are also human. Both women, as girls, made mistakes, and now they get a chance to fix them.
The serial killer aspect is interesting because it’s one of those where we know who the killer is (at least when Catty is an adult). The killer is an abhorrent person with gross views, but in that regard, they're actually scarier than just some ghost face. The method and rationale, while terrible, made sense. I could have used a few more scenes with the killer, as much as I didn’t like them as a person, but that was more in retrospect.
While the scenes with the killer have great tension, I would categorize this book as more of a thriller than a horror, actually, but those lines do blur at times.
There is a mild amount of magical realism in the story - in how Catty can talk to bugs - but it’s actually a very small part of Catty’s life. In fact, it’s more of an impetus for her to do things (like stand up to bullies as a child and go to university as a young adult) than something she has to learn about or overcome. It was just something about her that is not explained yet feels normalized in a way and with which she leans on at some points in the story that makes sense.
The bugs were also cute! I hate spiders, so there’s a part about that in which I was like, “of course spiders would be [redacted]” haha! But Catty’s pet roach, Spot, was an adorable animal character. I loved him.
Overall, this is more a story of two women: one facing her fears and the other a hard truth, and how they overcome these things because of one another. I thought it was an excellent novel and highly recommend it.
A character-driven thriller with a definite creep factor, Scurry is a hidden gem!
This book took me entirely by surprise because I thought it was going to be a slasher horror or cat-and-mouse serial killer story. There is a killer, of course, but this book is less about that than the characters’ journeys. The serial killer aspect is almost secondary to the characters’ growth.
The characters are fantastic. Catty is likeable, understandable, and weird in a relatable way. Anyone who identifies as counter-culture or Goth would probably really like her, as she’s of that niche group without feeling like a stereotype. Catty is also great because while she is similar to how she was in high school, she’s not immature - she’s grown into and broadened her personality since then, so her returning home really does feel like a late-20s return versus a character who doesn’t feel any different to when they were 17. And the scenes when she is in high school were great; normally, high school flashbacks are not really interesting to me, but as well as being relevant to Catty’s trauma and the plot, they were actually enjoyable. Mainly because they didn’t follow the same trajectory as all the other high school trauma stories - while there are a few instances of bullying here, they are relatively minor, and most of the story features her bonding with her other (and I say this lovingly) weirdos. As the book says, “You need to own your weirdness, take pride in it. The cruelty of your peers becomes in your eyes the jealousy of your lessers, of dull and uninteresting sheep.” It made what happens actually tragic instead of contrived. There was a nice lack of drama amongst her friends, which was refreshing.
The bulk of the story is about Catty as an adult, with her returning home to deal with her dying mother. While I could have used a bit more about her mother growing up just to solidify why she was so horrible when Catty was an adult, their dynamic is clear and provides a lot of tension.
And then we have Tierney, a secondary character who gets a POV as well, and she is great because she’s on a journey like Catty’s, but instead of dealing with her past, she is wrestling with her future. There’s also a child character that is so realistic and brings out a part of Catty that also bucks stereotypes; that was unexpected. Honestly, everything about this book is a lovely surprise. I really loved the dynamic between Catty and Tierney, as it’s one of reconciliation and perhaps something more? Tierney was likable too, showing that popular girls are also human. Both women, as girls, made mistakes, and now they get a chance to fix them.
The serial killer aspect is interesting because it’s one of those where we know who the killer is (at least when Catty is an adult). The killer is an abhorrent person with gross views, but in that regard, they're actually scarier than just some ghost face. The method and rationale, while terrible, made sense. I could have used a few more scenes with the killer, as much as I didn’t like them as a person, but that was more in retrospect.
While the scenes with the killer have great tension, I would categorize this book as more of a thriller than a horror, actually, but those lines do blur at times.
There is a mild amount of magical realism in the story - in how Catty can talk to bugs - but it’s actually a very small part of Catty’s life. In fact, it’s more of an impetus for her to do things (like stand up to bullies as a child and go to university as a young adult) than something she has to learn about or overcome. It was just something about her that is not explained yet feels normalized in a way and with which she leans on at some points in the story that makes sense.
The bugs were also cute! I hate spiders, so there’s a part about that in which I was like, “of course spiders would be [redacted]” haha! But Catty’s pet roach, Spot, was an adorable animal character. I loved him.
Overall, this is more a story of two women: one facing her fears and the other a hard truth, and how they overcome these things because of one another. I thought it was an excellent novel and highly recommend it.
April 25, 2025
Catty has always been different and misunderstood by those around her. She can talk to roaches and considers them friends from a very young age. She realizes at an early age that the world around her is not understanding, and her peers are not accepting of someone like her. She grows up being bullied by her peers and being told that being "weird" is unexceptable by her mother. Catty has a lot of self-doubt until she meets a group of other rejects in high school. That's when the real horror starts. Catty comes in contact with a serial killer who destroys her world.
Catty leaves her hometown and begins to enjoy life again. She receives a phone call from her mother ten years after the tragic event. Her mom is sick and needs Catty to take care of her. Catty takes some time off from her Ph.D. program to go back to her hometown. She soon finds herself back at square one with her feelings of being misunderstood and the serial killer she tried to forget about all those years ago.
Scurry was a one-of-a-kind, slower paced horror story. It takes a deep dive into Catty's life and into the everyday horrors of learning the world is not a nice place, and how people closest to you can be the worst of the worst. It also speaks on the horrors of losing those close to you in horrific ways. The author's descriptions of the more gory scenes made me shiver and grossed me out. There was a lot of soft horror and immense fear written in this story.
While I'm not a fan of roaches in general, I now look at them in a different light. It was apparent that the author did their research! I thought this story was well thought out and put together. The only critique I had was about Catty's dialogue and thought processes, which felt a little youthful during the present chapters. It was hard to distinguish between the past and present chapter breaks at times. With that being said, Catty's childhood and teenage years were extremely difficult. She still has a lot of trauma from her childhood and teenage years that she needs to comb through, but I think she'll get there!
TRIGGER WARNING: There is one character in this story who does and says despicable things. Homophobic slurrs were used as a way to show how horrible this character was, so be advised about that going into the story.
Catty leaves her hometown and begins to enjoy life again. She receives a phone call from her mother ten years after the tragic event. Her mom is sick and needs Catty to take care of her. Catty takes some time off from her Ph.D. program to go back to her hometown. She soon finds herself back at square one with her feelings of being misunderstood and the serial killer she tried to forget about all those years ago.
Scurry was a one-of-a-kind, slower paced horror story. It takes a deep dive into Catty's life and into the everyday horrors of learning the world is not a nice place, and how people closest to you can be the worst of the worst. It also speaks on the horrors of losing those close to you in horrific ways. The author's descriptions of the more gory scenes made me shiver and grossed me out. There was a lot of soft horror and immense fear written in this story.
While I'm not a fan of roaches in general, I now look at them in a different light. It was apparent that the author did their research! I thought this story was well thought out and put together. The only critique I had was about Catty's dialogue and thought processes, which felt a little youthful during the present chapters. It was hard to distinguish between the past and present chapter breaks at times. With that being said, Catty's childhood and teenage years were extremely difficult. She still has a lot of trauma from her childhood and teenage years that she needs to comb through, but I think she'll get there!
TRIGGER WARNING: There is one character in this story who does and says despicable things. Homophobic slurrs were used as a way to show how horrible this character was, so be advised about that going into the story.
March 17, 2025
This was a horror/thriller slow-burn that really stuck with me. It begins with a girl who has a psychic connection to roaches—yes, she can actually communicate with them. Naturally, this leads to her being ostracized and dubbed the “roach girl” by the small-minded people in her town. After losing her father, her only real supporter, and suffering a traumatic event after high school graduation, she leaves home behind. Years later, she’s forced to put her nearly-finished grad studies on hold to return and care for her mother, with whom she shares a very strained relationship.
Coming home brings a flood of painful memories—not just of the serial killer who brutally murdered her boyfriend and two of her best friends, but also of the emotional scars left from a lifetime of being labeled "weird." What stood out to me is how the book delves into real-world issues: how society judges and alienates people for their differences without understanding them. There’s a strong emotional undercurrent that pulls you in. While the FMC can be frustrating at times—her cynicism makes it hard for her to accept that others genuinely care—she also tugs at your heartstrings because of everything she’s endured.
It’s a unique read that pushes beyond the typical boundaries of the horror genre, and I genuinely enjoyed it. As a side note, as someone who literally loathes roaches, this book also sort of makes you feel a bit sorry for the underrated ugly creatures – ha!!
Coming home brings a flood of painful memories—not just of the serial killer who brutally murdered her boyfriend and two of her best friends, but also of the emotional scars left from a lifetime of being labeled "weird." What stood out to me is how the book delves into real-world issues: how society judges and alienates people for their differences without understanding them. There’s a strong emotional undercurrent that pulls you in. While the FMC can be frustrating at times—her cynicism makes it hard for her to accept that others genuinely care—she also tugs at your heartstrings because of everything she’s endured.
It’s a unique read that pushes beyond the typical boundaries of the horror genre, and I genuinely enjoyed it. As a side note, as someone who literally loathes roaches, this book also sort of makes you feel a bit sorry for the underrated ugly creatures – ha!!
February 12, 2025
SCURRY is a terrific book exploring childhood trauma and social ostracism against the backdrop of American suburban conformity, via a queer woman who talks to roaches. Catty Hammond's psychic bond with insects commonly regarded as pests mirrors her connection to the other misfits and outcasts in her community, and sharply contrasts her with the Spiderweb Killer, her suburban neighborhood's homegrown serial murderer.
SCURRY really comes alive in the second act, when Catty's neighbor Tierney steps in as a secondary protagonist. Tierney provides a perspective that is at once complimentary and contrasting to Catty's, enriching the narrative without undercutting Catty's position. Highly recommended for fans of bugs, 'orrible murder or skipping their high school reunion.
I received this book as an ARC and am leaving an honest review
SCURRY really comes alive in the second act, when Catty's neighbor Tierney steps in as a secondary protagonist. Tierney provides a perspective that is at once complimentary and contrasting to Catty's, enriching the narrative without undercutting Catty's position. Highly recommended for fans of bugs, 'orrible murder or skipping their high school reunion.
I received this book as an ARC and am leaving an honest review
January 22, 2025
Catty is just trying to live her life, but she gets labeled as the ‘weird girl,’ well because she associates herself with cockroaches. One day her and her friends are trying to have a fun night, when they are ambushed and Catty is the only survivor. She spends her adulthood trying to live her life in a normal manner, until her mom calls her home to take care of her. There she reunites with her old neighbor and begins to receive threats about her past and on her life. But, don’t underestimate Catty and her cockroach friends.
A spine tingling that will make you feel like bugs are crawling up your spine.
A spine tingling that will make you feel like bugs are crawling up your spine.
March 13, 2025
Okay, first of all, being able to talk to roaches sounds like a pretty cool power to have. Definitely an interesting concept.
I really liked Catty, she was such a relatable and thought out character (as are the rest of the characters, honestly) I enjoyed getting to know her and her story. And let’s not forget about the unhinged serial killer (talking roaches, a serial killer, dead bodies, oh my!). The Spiderweb Killer is actually terrifying. This story will definitely leave your skin crawling!
This wasn’t my first read by Seann Barbour and it certainly won’t be my last.
I really liked Catty, she was such a relatable and thought out character (as are the rest of the characters, honestly) I enjoyed getting to know her and her story. And let’s not forget about the unhinged serial killer (talking roaches, a serial killer, dead bodies, oh my!). The Spiderweb Killer is actually terrifying. This story will definitely leave your skin crawling!
This wasn’t my first read by Seann Barbour and it certainly won’t be my last.
April 14, 2025
Thank you to the author for the copy for review.
Scurry is a coming of age story of Catty Hammond a girl who can communicate with roaches. Ostracized by her peers, she finds herself in a group of other outcasts. On top of this, there is a killer in town that has a special ability of his own.
The coming of age story of a girl who is different than others was written really well. I really enjoyed the perspective a our main character that beats to the rhythm of their own drum. The encounters with peers and family are very relatable and believable. This book also made roaches likeable somehow. That is a hard thing to do in my eyes. The serial killer aspect was dread inducing, but it is definitely more character focused. I recommend this novel to fans of coming of age stories with quirky characters.
Scurry is a coming of age story of Catty Hammond a girl who can communicate with roaches. Ostracized by her peers, she finds herself in a group of other outcasts. On top of this, there is a killer in town that has a special ability of his own.
The coming of age story of a girl who is different than others was written really well. I really enjoyed the perspective a our main character that beats to the rhythm of their own drum. The encounters with peers and family are very relatable and believable. This book also made roaches likeable somehow. That is a hard thing to do in my eyes. The serial killer aspect was dread inducing, but it is definitely more character focused. I recommend this novel to fans of coming of age stories with quirky characters.
March 13, 2025
Lingering trauma and psychic roaches? Sign me up ! Love how we get to know the characters and find a connection with each one of them. I really enjoyed reading this book and highly recommended you pick up your copy in April. Or you can pre order it now ! I look forward to reading more of this author's work !
March 14, 2025
As a “weird girl” myself I absolutely adored Catty. I mean a girl who talks to roaches? Say less, I’m all in. With a unique serial killer added in the mix too, I found myself unable to put this book down once I picked it up. The character building is wonderful and the plot is well written. You definitely don’t want to miss this one!
June 17, 2025
Hope was a hard thing to kill, no matter how hard you tried. It was like a cockroach in that way.
4 1/2 stars. Seann Barbour's "Scurry: a horror novel about roaches and serial killers" - just "Scurry" from here on out if that's okay - is a story that is about a lot more than it's about. I know that makes no sense, but this was one of those experiences where you ultimately see that we're getting into things that aren't on the "screen" at all. This all definitely had me doing two things: first and foremost, I tore through this well-paced and well-executed story in one day. And secondly, I found myself enjoying a book that had any kind of Young Adult hints in it at all. And with the (anti-)luck I've had in recent years with that genre, that's saying something.
High School had welcomed her into its halls with a dead roach taped to her locker.
Don't get me wrong: this is not a book that you should be sharing with your younger family members, you know, unless they're into thrash metal and dye their hair green. It has brutal horror in it and even some nasty albeit expected and even necessary gore. There is an ugliness in the background of so much that happens here and it definitely has NOTHING to do with the roaches that our protagonist Catty can not only communicate with but loves so very much. Because what this sympathetic "weird kid" aka "freak" goes through from preschool and on into graduate school (go Wolfpack!) is indeed terrifying. However, by the final page, I found myself wondering if most of her terror arises from the appearance and re-appearance of the serial killer in her life or if the true demons that haunt and torment her are the result of the whitebread, suburban decadence that poisons everything around she and her friends.
You don’t belong! You shouldn’t even exist! You should be spider food.
If you skip the bug issue for a while - and I will get back to that - there was far too much to identify with in this book for comfort, both with Catty and her friends as well as Evan, the kid across the street with a heart of gold who also just happens to suffer from Hemifacial microsomia, a condition in which one side of your face doesn't develop as it should. Treatment usually involves reconstructive surgery but as we hear repeatedly from Evan's mother - and an "acquaintance" of Catty's from very early on in life - Tierney, they can't operate until his bones stop growing. So he has to live with the disfigurations until then… something which naturally leads him to be an outcast and even be rejected by his own father. It's no wonder then that he and Catty hit it off so well.
They were all witnesses now. So they had to die.
My point is that I grew up with not something as extreme as Evan, but I was definitely not in the "in" crowd. I was extremely small-sized, totally unathletic (deformed hips will do that), and loved science and math (the nerve!).There were a host of other issues including a mother that was far more worried about public expectations and reputations than the sanity of her children are just some of the topics that I still at this later stage in life discuss often and deeply with my therapist. And if you want to hear something really freaky: BOTH Catty and I went to NCSU and BOTH of us got/are getting our PhD's there … and in totally unviable fields just because we liked the topics! That was wild, feeling like I was back in Raleigh, having escaped at least in part what I grew up with and around… and dreading every time a holiday came up and I had to return to my hometown. So yeah, "Scurry" hit home. A lot. Even if the author was born the year AFTER I finished my thesis and had to head off into the real world. Everyone together: yay…
I do not want to hear about horny roaches while I’m eating!
Fortunately, I never came across a serial killer (and never somehow became one he mumbled owing to certain memories). But even in this book, the serial killer feels less like an actual horror figure like we might remember from the movies and more like a symptom of the society around him. I mean, is his actual motivation … property values? Fitting into the ideal that a faux white collar and utterly isolated mini-society has decided is the way to go? Even the author points out how these neighborhoods rose up after (not-quite-complete) death of segregation, with these classes/races/and religions doing their best to maintain the "purity" and "sanctity" of their homes and families. Protecting them exactly from what is THE question of the day and, again, by the end of things, this drama becomes more about an insane and manic need to worship the consumerism and shallowness of those around us compared to the actual killer in our midst.
He hadn’t killed anyone that anyone cared about.
And Barbour does an excellent job of both building the tension throughout as well as taking us back and forth in time to help solidify our understanding of what has happened to these players as well as naturally what is happening. This, of course, led to a little bit of grumbling on my part. Not because I was dissatisfied with anyone's development, no, but because I did find myself becoming so involved in their lives, I felt cheated (mildly, let's not overexaggerate here) to not see what came next. Where was that kiss at the end going to take us? How about Evan, is he now going to be okay mentally? And what would the Sergeant say once he showed up? How would this incredibly shocking ending be taken by the entire community, one desperate for gossip and dismissive at best where true sympathy was a scarce commodity?
Everyone knows! Everyone agrees! They remain silent, but they’re all on my side!
Good gravy, is it just me being political or does that sound HUGELY familiar?
Anyway, that's the "price" you pay when you get to know - and like and/or hate - folks in a book. This includes their relationships with basically anyone, from neighbors to family to old friends and new. But there was still one aspect that I wish we had more of in this book, and that's why I'm nibbling off a half-star in my review. And that is simply the glaring fact that I wanted MORE BUGS! No, I mean, come on: we have one person connected to roaches and one connected to spiders. Maybe I've watched too many Marvel films over the years - pay attention Paul Rudd! - but I wanted to see a lot more from that aspect. Yes, it added some definite originality and was quite helpful and even humourous in spots, but damnation, if I could do that, I'd be sending out waves upon waves of demented avengers on a regular basis (with apologies to Pink Floyd). Besides: suburbia could us a bit more smiting when its all said and done.
Everything had a role to play, even the pests we all despise.
An awesome book through and through. Terrifyingly tense, some gore, emotional and definitely realistic. Enjoyed it thoroughly!
4 1/2 stars. Seann Barbour's "Scurry: a horror novel about roaches and serial killers" - just "Scurry" from here on out if that's okay - is a story that is about a lot more than it's about. I know that makes no sense, but this was one of those experiences where you ultimately see that we're getting into things that aren't on the "screen" at all. This all definitely had me doing two things: first and foremost, I tore through this well-paced and well-executed story in one day. And secondly, I found myself enjoying a book that had any kind of Young Adult hints in it at all. And with the (anti-)luck I've had in recent years with that genre, that's saying something.
High School had welcomed her into its halls with a dead roach taped to her locker.
Don't get me wrong: this is not a book that you should be sharing with your younger family members, you know, unless they're into thrash metal and dye their hair green. It has brutal horror in it and even some nasty albeit expected and even necessary gore. There is an ugliness in the background of so much that happens here and it definitely has NOTHING to do with the roaches that our protagonist Catty can not only communicate with but loves so very much. Because what this sympathetic "weird kid" aka "freak" goes through from preschool and on into graduate school (go Wolfpack!) is indeed terrifying. However, by the final page, I found myself wondering if most of her terror arises from the appearance and re-appearance of the serial killer in her life or if the true demons that haunt and torment her are the result of the whitebread, suburban decadence that poisons everything around she and her friends.
You don’t belong! You shouldn’t even exist! You should be spider food.
If you skip the bug issue for a while - and I will get back to that - there was far too much to identify with in this book for comfort, both with Catty and her friends as well as Evan, the kid across the street with a heart of gold who also just happens to suffer from Hemifacial microsomia, a condition in which one side of your face doesn't develop as it should. Treatment usually involves reconstructive surgery but as we hear repeatedly from Evan's mother - and an "acquaintance" of Catty's from very early on in life - Tierney, they can't operate until his bones stop growing. So he has to live with the disfigurations until then… something which naturally leads him to be an outcast and even be rejected by his own father. It's no wonder then that he and Catty hit it off so well.
They were all witnesses now. So they had to die.
My point is that I grew up with not something as extreme as Evan, but I was definitely not in the "in" crowd. I was extremely small-sized, totally unathletic (deformed hips will do that), and loved science and math (the nerve!).There were a host of other issues including a mother that was far more worried about public expectations and reputations than the sanity of her children are just some of the topics that I still at this later stage in life discuss often and deeply with my therapist. And if you want to hear something really freaky: BOTH Catty and I went to NCSU and BOTH of us got/are getting our PhD's there … and in totally unviable fields just because we liked the topics! That was wild, feeling like I was back in Raleigh, having escaped at least in part what I grew up with and around… and dreading every time a holiday came up and I had to return to my hometown. So yeah, "Scurry" hit home. A lot. Even if the author was born the year AFTER I finished my thesis and had to head off into the real world. Everyone together: yay…
I do not want to hear about horny roaches while I’m eating!
Fortunately, I never came across a serial killer (and never somehow became one he mumbled owing to certain memories). But even in this book, the serial killer feels less like an actual horror figure like we might remember from the movies and more like a symptom of the society around him. I mean, is his actual motivation … property values? Fitting into the ideal that a faux white collar and utterly isolated mini-society has decided is the way to go? Even the author points out how these neighborhoods rose up after (not-quite-complete) death of segregation, with these classes/races/and religions doing their best to maintain the "purity" and "sanctity" of their homes and families. Protecting them exactly from what is THE question of the day and, again, by the end of things, this drama becomes more about an insane and manic need to worship the consumerism and shallowness of those around us compared to the actual killer in our midst.
He hadn’t killed anyone that anyone cared about.
And Barbour does an excellent job of both building the tension throughout as well as taking us back and forth in time to help solidify our understanding of what has happened to these players as well as naturally what is happening. This, of course, led to a little bit of grumbling on my part. Not because I was dissatisfied with anyone's development, no, but because I did find myself becoming so involved in their lives, I felt cheated (mildly, let's not overexaggerate here) to not see what came next. Where was that kiss at the end going to take us? How about Evan, is he now going to be okay mentally? And what would the Sergeant say once he showed up? How would this incredibly shocking ending be taken by the entire community, one desperate for gossip and dismissive at best where true sympathy was a scarce commodity?
Everyone knows! Everyone agrees! They remain silent, but they’re all on my side!
Good gravy, is it just me being political or does that sound HUGELY familiar?
Anyway, that's the "price" you pay when you get to know - and like and/or hate - folks in a book. This includes their relationships with basically anyone, from neighbors to family to old friends and new. But there was still one aspect that I wish we had more of in this book, and that's why I'm nibbling off a half-star in my review. And that is simply the glaring fact that I wanted MORE BUGS! No, I mean, come on: we have one person connected to roaches and one connected to spiders. Maybe I've watched too many Marvel films over the years - pay attention Paul Rudd! - but I wanted to see a lot more from that aspect. Yes, it added some definite originality and was quite helpful and even humourous in spots, but damnation, if I could do that, I'd be sending out waves upon waves of demented avengers on a regular basis (with apologies to Pink Floyd). Besides: suburbia could us a bit more smiting when its all said and done.
Everything had a role to play, even the pests we all despise.
An awesome book through and through. Terrifyingly tense, some gore, emotional and definitely realistic. Enjoyed it thoroughly!
March 23, 2025
Firstly, thank you to the author for sending me an ARC to read.
This book is painfully unoriginal, and that’s nuts considering the premise.
Catty was awesome as a character. I loved reading about her, and the roach powers were really interesting. I’ve never heard of a book incorporating this before, but I wish so desperately that it showed up more in the book and to a greater effect. The majority of her power in this book manifests in that she senses roaches everywhere; that’s it. She calls three roaches to scramble onto a bully and scare her, but that’s it. She calls on an army of roaches when the serial killer is about to murder her, but they don’t kill him, only scramble on him and nip him a bit. He’s immobilized for maybe a moment, and that’s it? I just thought the whole roach thing was so promising and yet so lamely executed. I was waiting for her to have a roach army or something, but no.
I wanted to feel scared here. Roaches? Serial killers? Sign me up. But the malicious factors of this book were disappointing. The villains and anything malicious to the plot or other characters were cartoonish. Nothing is new character-wise in this book. The bullies are stereotypical, the killer is stereotypical, the misogynistic husbands were stereotypical, and so on and so forth. Honestly, this entire book’s dialogue felt like stuff we’ve all heard before scraped off the top and just deposited into this book. That’s why all the villains felt cartoonish; I’ve heard a million characters talk like this. What’s new?
The pop culture references were a bit much for me. Sarah J. Maas was mentioned. Twice. And on the second time, her name wasn’t even spelled correctly. Pop culture references date your book and stagnate it, and they’re just not fun to read.
I tried to like the writing style but I just couldn’t. There are things said in dialogue and monologue that just seem out of place. The time skips were a little jarring, but overall added to the tension of the story. However, this book jumped back to past moments that didn’t seem to have much bearing on the overall story. There were a lot of typos, as well.
I felt like this book unfortunately focused on the wrong things. I wanted to like this book because of how original it sounded, but its execution left me very underwhelmed.
This book is painfully unoriginal, and that’s nuts considering the premise.
Catty was awesome as a character. I loved reading about her, and the roach powers were really interesting. I’ve never heard of a book incorporating this before, but I wish so desperately that it showed up more in the book and to a greater effect. The majority of her power in this book manifests in that she senses roaches everywhere; that’s it. She calls three roaches to scramble onto a bully and scare her, but that’s it. She calls on an army of roaches when the serial killer is about to murder her, but they don’t kill him, only scramble on him and nip him a bit. He’s immobilized for maybe a moment, and that’s it? I just thought the whole roach thing was so promising and yet so lamely executed. I was waiting for her to have a roach army or something, but no.
I wanted to feel scared here. Roaches? Serial killers? Sign me up. But the malicious factors of this book were disappointing. The villains and anything malicious to the plot or other characters were cartoonish. Nothing is new character-wise in this book. The bullies are stereotypical, the killer is stereotypical, the misogynistic husbands were stereotypical, and so on and so forth. Honestly, this entire book’s dialogue felt like stuff we’ve all heard before scraped off the top and just deposited into this book. That’s why all the villains felt cartoonish; I’ve heard a million characters talk like this. What’s new?
The pop culture references were a bit much for me. Sarah J. Maas was mentioned. Twice. And on the second time, her name wasn’t even spelled correctly. Pop culture references date your book and stagnate it, and they’re just not fun to read.
I tried to like the writing style but I just couldn’t. There are things said in dialogue and monologue that just seem out of place. The time skips were a little jarring, but overall added to the tension of the story. However, this book jumped back to past moments that didn’t seem to have much bearing on the overall story. There were a lot of typos, as well.
I felt like this book unfortunately focused on the wrong things. I wanted to like this book because of how original it sounded, but its execution left me very underwhelmed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 22, 2025
Catty is a weirdo. That’s the most pertinent thing to remember about this book. That’s all very subjective, but it’s the looming thread that keeps the story moving. The ‘Roach girl’ has a pretty tumultuous childhood with the residents of the town, and her judgy mother. Moving into her teen years nothing much changes on that front, but she, as people do, kind of finds her people. Things aren’t too bad, until they are. More trauma happens and Catty will eventually move away from Hilly Green.
Years later, now an adult, and still weird, Catty moves back home to care for her sick mother. This will return her to people from her past - some changed, some not - Introduce some new faces(I loved Evan), and see the return of the terrifying killer from her past.
This is great little character driven story, that I’d say was more in the realms of slow burn thriller than horror, but it did hit the story from some unique angles. Definitely one I could recommend to people who favour various genres.
I do have some gripes - which are personal preferences more than anything - but I would have liked there to be a lot more focus on Catty’s abilities, and with the first half being pretty slow burn, I would have liked the finale to be fuller.
Overall this is a book about how people will ostracise others for not fitting in…. blended through the medium of maternal trauma, horrible children, townsfolk, and serial killers.
Years later, now an adult, and still weird, Catty moves back home to care for her sick mother. This will return her to people from her past - some changed, some not - Introduce some new faces(I loved Evan), and see the return of the terrifying killer from her past.
This is great little character driven story, that I’d say was more in the realms of slow burn thriller than horror, but it did hit the story from some unique angles. Definitely one I could recommend to people who favour various genres.
I do have some gripes - which are personal preferences more than anything - but I would have liked there to be a lot more focus on Catty’s abilities, and with the first half being pretty slow burn, I would have liked the finale to be fuller.
Overall this is a book about how people will ostracise others for not fitting in…. blended through the medium of maternal trauma, horrible children, townsfolk, and serial killers.
June 13, 2025
This is a great fcking book! I bought it because the author was trying to sell 35 copies by a certain date and the book had an interesting premise--a girl named Catty who can telepathically communicate with roaches. I never thought I'd actually feel anything toward a cockroach, but the author was able to humanize a creature that most people despise. I was in a 7-11 in Japan once and the cashier started screaming "gokiburi!" and she actually allowed me behind the counter (a foreign customer) to pick the roach up in a napkin and throw it in the trash. Catty would not have liked that.
I love the Catty character! She was a lot of fun! There's also a great villain: a serial killer in a gas mask exterminating those he sees unfit to live in his idea of a perfect world (sounds familiar). And a suburb populated with superficial people with a hatred for abnormality. The character arcs in this book are amazing!
Usually I read a lot of misery p*rn, but this book was just plain fun. A bloody good time! For once, I read a book where all the characters weren't narcissistic assh*les.
I also read a lot of gross books. Scurry was a nice departure from that. A palate cleanser. The grossest part of this book is a scene in which a character--post-coitus--ties the condom like a water balloon and sits there playing with his own jizz. Ew.
Seann Barbour is a writer to watch! He's great at creating compelling characters.
I love the Catty character! She was a lot of fun! There's also a great villain: a serial killer in a gas mask exterminating those he sees unfit to live in his idea of a perfect world (sounds familiar). And a suburb populated with superficial people with a hatred for abnormality. The character arcs in this book are amazing!
Usually I read a lot of misery p*rn, but this book was just plain fun. A bloody good time! For once, I read a book where all the characters weren't narcissistic assh*les.
I also read a lot of gross books. Scurry was a nice departure from that. A palate cleanser. The grossest part of this book is a scene in which a character--post-coitus--ties the condom like a water balloon and sits there playing with his own jizz. Ew.
Seann Barbour is a writer to watch! He's great at creating compelling characters.
April 24, 2025
I don’t know how to put into words how much I loved this book! It was like a comfort blanket, weighing me down whilst at the same time providing relief and a warm hug.
I love insects, always have and when I read that the protagonist could speak to cockroaches, I knew I had to read this book. This is Catty’s superpower, but also her life’s bane, being labelled as the freak girl since starting school.
I loved following Catty’s life, navigating the challenges of being perceived “different” in the suburbs, and being judged and scowled at even by her mother. I felt similarly all my life, and I could relate to Catty’s relationship with her mum so much!
I was happy when Catty managed to find her gang, only to see it taken away in the worst possible way by a serial killer!
I loved the parallelism with the cockroach (I can’t divulge more to not spoil the story) and Catty’s passion when talking about them. I also loved her renewed friendship with one of her school’s mates and the side story with Evan.
The last part of the book was so fast paced and full of action, with tense scenes that had me biting my nails.
I found this book so emotional and so very much actual. It seems that no matter how much technologically we advance, psychologically we are always underdeveloped as a society. We still fear what we perceive as different and we don’t even try to make an effort at understanding, but we just assume we are always right, reacting by ostracising each other.
If you are looking for a thriller with a heart, challenging but uplifting at the same time, this is the one.
Thanks to the author for a copy and this is my honest opinion.
I love insects, always have and when I read that the protagonist could speak to cockroaches, I knew I had to read this book. This is Catty’s superpower, but also her life’s bane, being labelled as the freak girl since starting school.
I loved following Catty’s life, navigating the challenges of being perceived “different” in the suburbs, and being judged and scowled at even by her mother. I felt similarly all my life, and I could relate to Catty’s relationship with her mum so much!
I was happy when Catty managed to find her gang, only to see it taken away in the worst possible way by a serial killer!
I loved the parallelism with the cockroach (I can’t divulge more to not spoil the story) and Catty’s passion when talking about them. I also loved her renewed friendship with one of her school’s mates and the side story with Evan.
The last part of the book was so fast paced and full of action, with tense scenes that had me biting my nails.
I found this book so emotional and so very much actual. It seems that no matter how much technologically we advance, psychologically we are always underdeveloped as a society. We still fear what we perceive as different and we don’t even try to make an effort at understanding, but we just assume we are always right, reacting by ostracising each other.
If you are looking for a thriller with a heart, challenging but uplifting at the same time, this is the one.
Thanks to the author for a copy and this is my honest opinion.
January 14, 2025
Scurry is a fast paced absolutely skin crawling novel with bugs and a vicious serial killer in a small town.
Catty discovers she can communicate with cockroaches when she was young. When word got out, she instantly became an outcast, a freak, a weirdo.
One summer night after graduating from high school, her, her boyfriend, and two other friends go to the local landfill to blow some stuff up with leftover fireworks from July 4th. I'm not going to spoil anything but Catty will be the only survivor because they discover something horrific there. Bodies almost mummified in spiderwebs with hundreds of arachnids surrounding the bodies. The killer was never found.
Ten years pass and Catty is retuning to that town to take care of her dying mother. But the serial killer responsible ten years ago is still around. And they're determined to finish what they started with the one that got away.
There's much more to this horrifically creepy book but it's best for you to discover on your own. Great characters, trauma, family relationships which are troubled, and a whole lot of bugs and bodies!
I loved this one and I highly recommend it. I received a copy of this book from the author. This review is voluntary and is my own personal opinion.
Catty discovers she can communicate with cockroaches when she was young. When word got out, she instantly became an outcast, a freak, a weirdo.
One summer night after graduating from high school, her, her boyfriend, and two other friends go to the local landfill to blow some stuff up with leftover fireworks from July 4th. I'm not going to spoil anything but Catty will be the only survivor because they discover something horrific there. Bodies almost mummified in spiderwebs with hundreds of arachnids surrounding the bodies. The killer was never found.
Ten years pass and Catty is retuning to that town to take care of her dying mother. But the serial killer responsible ten years ago is still around. And they're determined to finish what they started with the one that got away.
There's much more to this horrifically creepy book but it's best for you to discover on your own. Great characters, trauma, family relationships which are troubled, and a whole lot of bugs and bodies!
I loved this one and I highly recommend it. I received a copy of this book from the author. This review is voluntary and is my own personal opinion.
May 23, 2025
I was supremely impressed with this book.
It took me a minute to get into, but eventually I could not put it down.
Catty is the outcast and has been her entire life. Ever since she found out she could communicate with roaches, the rest of society deemed her just as undesirable.
Spending her entire life failing to live up to the expectations of what her Suburban mother thought her daughter should be, Catty finally finds her people, until they are all brutally murdered.
Returning home years later, Catty finds not much has changed, including the serial killer whom she narrowly escaped.
This has some complex themes on fitting in and what society deems acceptable. It also explores topics of classism and homophobia and handles them quite well. It was written well and is character-driven.
Definitely recommend as a straightforward horror story.
It took me a minute to get into, but eventually I could not put it down.
Catty is the outcast and has been her entire life. Ever since she found out she could communicate with roaches, the rest of society deemed her just as undesirable.
Spending her entire life failing to live up to the expectations of what her Suburban mother thought her daughter should be, Catty finally finds her people, until they are all brutally murdered.
Returning home years later, Catty finds not much has changed, including the serial killer whom she narrowly escaped.
This has some complex themes on fitting in and what society deems acceptable. It also explores topics of classism and homophobia and handles them quite well. It was written well and is character-driven.
Definitely recommend as a straightforward horror story.
January 26, 2025
Scurry is a multilayer novel about bugs, serial killers, trauma, and familial rejection. Catty is a an outcast with an affinity for cockroaches. Lurking in the shadows is a serial killer who enjoys feeding his victims to spiders. After her friends are murdered, Catty vows to leave town and never return. But a phone call from her dying mother forces her back home and right into the web of a killer.
Scurry has a very diverse cast of characters. Catty is and her friends are a loveable bunch of outcasts. The serial killer is a really vile piece of work. The heart of the novel, though, is how Catty battles against rejection and overcomes years of trauma.
Scurry is highly recommended, especially to those who enjoy creepy crawlers.
Scurry has a very diverse cast of characters. Catty is and her friends are a loveable bunch of outcasts. The serial killer is a really vile piece of work. The heart of the novel, though, is how Catty battles against rejection and overcomes years of trauma.
Scurry is highly recommended, especially to those who enjoy creepy crawlers.
April 18, 2025
Catty has been able to communicate with roaches since a young age. Anything different is scary for children so she’s ostracized a bullied. She finally feels good after meeting some open minded kids at her high school. Then everything goes wrong one night in the town dump.
I loved the mix of slasher with supernatural. I really liked Catty’s character and found her very relatable. The first half of the book was a bit of a slow burn for me. But picked up in the second half.
Slasher horror mixed with supernatural and probably the only time I’ll ever say a cockroach pet was cute.
I loved the mix of slasher with supernatural. I really liked Catty’s character and found her very relatable. The first half of the book was a bit of a slow burn for me. But picked up in the second half.
Slasher horror mixed with supernatural and probably the only time I’ll ever say a cockroach pet was cute.
January 13, 2025
Cut my life into pieces. This book's my last resort.
January 2, 2026
I finished „Scurry“by Seann Barbour. A girl who can speak with roaches becomes an outsider. But she will make friends later without completely fitting in with current norms. She will study entomology and keep a cockroach as a pet.
The novel is partly a serial killer horror novel with slasher elements. The eerie threat of the unknown killer is lurking in the backdrop of the novel and is more and more accelerating over time.
A further part is the lives of outsiders in an American suburb. The main point of view is that of Catty, the Roach Girl, who has to cope with many blows of fate and is clawing back into life. Her relationships are complicated and full of conflicts.
I could put myself in Cattie's shoes very easily, and the storyline was sometimes so dense with emotions that I had to take a break to dissociate myself.
The author gives us an understanding of life in this American suburb through many points of view and dialogues by the actors. The reader faces intolerance, misogyny, and contempt for poor people, queer people, and all people who don't fit into a common pattern. The culture of this suburb is shaped by the uniformity and contempt of all that deviates from the norm. Besides, the reader also encounters one ease of blaming the weak for all problems. For all that misery, it was even better to encounter sometimes nice people in this novel too.
The described uniformity of this suburb reminds me of the uniformity of the commie blocks in the former GDR. The flats of them sometimes even had the same furnishings.
The novel gripped me right off the bat. The language isn't too difficult for ESL readers. It is completely recommendable. Besides, I declare by virtue of my office that this book is the best book of the year 2025.
The novel is partly a serial killer horror novel with slasher elements. The eerie threat of the unknown killer is lurking in the backdrop of the novel and is more and more accelerating over time.
A further part is the lives of outsiders in an American suburb. The main point of view is that of Catty, the Roach Girl, who has to cope with many blows of fate and is clawing back into life. Her relationships are complicated and full of conflicts.
I could put myself in Cattie's shoes very easily, and the storyline was sometimes so dense with emotions that I had to take a break to dissociate myself.
The author gives us an understanding of life in this American suburb through many points of view and dialogues by the actors. The reader faces intolerance, misogyny, and contempt for poor people, queer people, and all people who don't fit into a common pattern. The culture of this suburb is shaped by the uniformity and contempt of all that deviates from the norm. Besides, the reader also encounters one ease of blaming the weak for all problems. For all that misery, it was even better to encounter sometimes nice people in this novel too.
The described uniformity of this suburb reminds me of the uniformity of the commie blocks in the former GDR. The flats of them sometimes even had the same furnishings.
The novel gripped me right off the bat. The language isn't too difficult for ESL readers. It is completely recommendable. Besides, I declare by virtue of my office that this book is the best book of the year 2025.
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