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Good Boy
IT meets The Fisherman in this story of supernatural horror, nostalgia and mystery.
After a boy vanishes on the outskirts of a small Northern town, a woman spies from her window a mysterious man digging a grave in the exact spot of the disappearance.
However, when she confronts him, the man's true purpose is far more chilling than she could have imagined and the history of the town’s fatal past unfolds. What has been hiding in this small northern town all these years?
After a boy vanishes on the outskirts of a small Northern town, a woman spies from her window a mysterious man digging a grave in the exact spot of the disappearance.
However, when she confronts him, the man's true purpose is far more chilling than she could have imagined and the history of the town’s fatal past unfolds. What has been hiding in this small northern town all these years?
Unknown Binding
First published October 9, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 328 reviews
April 19, 2026
This was such a great story!
Soon after a boy goes missing, Margie spies a man digging a hole in the park next to her house. She finds it too coincidental and decides to investigate. The man explains what he’s doing and begins to tell her a fascinating story as to why. The story he tells is fascinating indeed.
This is highly recommended for all you dog lovers out there. It shines a light on our special friendships we have with them. As well as how special each and every one of them is.
This is another installment of The Northern Weird Project and absolutely my favorite!
Soon after a boy goes missing, Margie spies a man digging a hole in the park next to her house. She finds it too coincidental and decides to investigate. The man explains what he’s doing and begins to tell her a fascinating story as to why. The story he tells is fascinating indeed.
This is highly recommended for all you dog lovers out there. It shines a light on our special friendships we have with them. As well as how special each and every one of them is.
This is another installment of The Northern Weird Project and absolutely my favorite!
November 13, 2025
"Thankfully, there are two things that people can always talk about: the weather and dogs."
While it'd be easy to tell you what kind of horror lies at the heart of Good Boy, considering the brevity of the synopsis and the book itself, I'm not going to do that. Really, I have to say it's a shame that so many reviews here are going well beyond the description from the publisher and laying out the plot. There's not much to this short tale, so my advice is, if it sounds interesting to you, avoid reviews and go in blind for the fullest enjoyment possible.
All I will say is that there is a touch of folk horror and I think Stephen King may have actually read this one that he blurbed, because the story as a whole has distinct callbacks to short horror of the early 20th century. Good Boy is more heartfelt than it is scary, but it is very well-written, and far be it from me to not love a story about how wonderful dogs are. Of the five novellas I've read so far in the Northern Weird collection, this one has been my favorite (and there have been some very good ones).
4.5 rounded up for the good boy.
While it'd be easy to tell you what kind of horror lies at the heart of Good Boy, considering the brevity of the synopsis and the book itself, I'm not going to do that. Really, I have to say it's a shame that so many reviews here are going well beyond the description from the publisher and laying out the plot. There's not much to this short tale, so my advice is, if it sounds interesting to you, avoid reviews and go in blind for the fullest enjoyment possible.
All I will say is that there is a touch of folk horror and I think Stephen King may have actually read this one that he blurbed, because the story as a whole has distinct callbacks to short horror of the early 20th century. Good Boy is more heartfelt than it is scary, but it is very well-written, and far be it from me to not love a story about how wonderful dogs are. Of the five novellas I've read so far in the Northern Weird collection, this one has been my favorite (and there have been some very good ones).
4.5 rounded up for the good boy.
December 19, 2025
It’s a small northern town, a young boy has gone missing, and a woman witnesses a strange man digging a grave in the exact place the boy was last seen. She confronts the man and discovers his purpose is even more chilling than she could have imagined. An unusual horror novella that while never coming close to terrifying, does keep you interested throughout.
October 15, 2025
This atmospheric story-within-a-story wears its heart on its sleeve. It is a meditation on dedication, loneliness, responsibility, companionship, and commitment, all while reminding us that sometimes our roles in this life are to be the support for others to be their best selves. It also takes a few moments to reflect on the nature of living in a small, rural town, as well as the voyeuristic attention to tragedy that cares more for spectacle than healing wounds but is never preachy or lost in diatribe. Just a story about living in place and observing all the aspects of that place, warts and all. I also like the idea of the invisible heart of bravery that may keep us safe without our knowing, and what kind of burden that invisible heroism can become. This is a moving story about facing the darkness and knowing that, with your best friend at your side, you can do so without fear. It is the story of a boy and his dog, sure, but it is more a story about how that relationship unlocks the best in both of them, even when it comes with its own types of sacrifice. Just the right levels of creepy and heart-warming, with wonderful, relatable characters, efficient writing that feels comfortable but evokes a sense of bucolic pragmatism, and the type of relationship you hope to be able to always come home to.
(Rounded from 4.5)
(Rounded from 4.5)
March 10, 2026
Phenomenal!
A boy goes missing in a small Northern town. Margie, who lives next to The Square where the boy was taken is surprised one evening to see a man digging in the very spot the boy vanished. She knows she should mind her own business but what if he's the kidnapper?
He then tells Margie a story she won't soon forget. A story about how he along with his Jack Russell Terrier, Riot, keep an evil entity at bay - the one that is snatching the kids.
"Mostly it's just been me and Riot against the world. And I wouldn't want anyone to pity me. A lot of people go through their whole lives without ever having a single friend as good as mine." 🐶🐾💘😢
This is another edition to The Northern Weird Project but unlike the others this is more of a love letter to dogs than to horror and I was ALL FOR IT!!! I am and will always be a dog lover and this book proved what I already knew: Dogs are the most loving loyal creatures and we are blessed to have them by our side. 5 stars!
A boy goes missing in a small Northern town. Margie, who lives next to The Square where the boy was taken is surprised one evening to see a man digging in the very spot the boy vanished. She knows she should mind her own business but what if he's the kidnapper?
He then tells Margie a story she won't soon forget. A story about how he along with his Jack Russell Terrier, Riot, keep an evil entity at bay - the one that is snatching the kids.
"Mostly it's just been me and Riot against the world. And I wouldn't want anyone to pity me. A lot of people go through their whole lives without ever having a single friend as good as mine." 🐶🐾💘😢
This is another edition to The Northern Weird Project but unlike the others this is more of a love letter to dogs than to horror and I was ALL FOR IT!!! I am and will always be a dog lover and this book proved what I already knew: Dogs are the most loving loyal creatures and we are blessed to have them by our side. 5 stars!
June 27, 2025
“I cried for myself, and this long life that was always less than I wished it had been.”
I just finished this and I’m bawling my eyes out Neil! This story was so beautiful, with the quiet love of a good dog and a life not fully lived. I adored this book so much! Neil’s podcast is so brilliant with his incredibly insightful questions that creates the most compelling conversations, it’s no surprise to me that he is also a fantastic author! This is a tale about a small patch known as the square in the town of Symester in northern England where the children play but a darkness looms there where many children over the years have disappeared. It’s a bit of cosmic, creepy horror but mostly it is a beautiful story of a man named Jim and his very good boy named Riot. Jim was such an incredible man and he’s one of my favorite characters ever. I fell in love with the duty he was strapped with and his love for his dog. And that dog! So sweet and brave!! But Jim’s story was just so touching, it really hit me hard. Please read this, it’s definitely going in my top five of the year. Thank you so much to wild hunt books for this arc!
I just finished this and I’m bawling my eyes out Neil! This story was so beautiful, with the quiet love of a good dog and a life not fully lived. I adored this book so much! Neil’s podcast is so brilliant with his incredibly insightful questions that creates the most compelling conversations, it’s no surprise to me that he is also a fantastic author! This is a tale about a small patch known as the square in the town of Symester in northern England where the children play but a darkness looms there where many children over the years have disappeared. It’s a bit of cosmic, creepy horror but mostly it is a beautiful story of a man named Jim and his very good boy named Riot. Jim was such an incredible man and he’s one of my favorite characters ever. I fell in love with the duty he was strapped with and his love for his dog. And that dog! So sweet and brave!! But Jim’s story was just so touching, it really hit me hard. Please read this, it’s definitely going in my top five of the year. Thank you so much to wild hunt books for this arc!
October 31, 2025
One of those rare books that finds its way straight to your heart
November 21, 2025
"Good Boy" is, without a shadow of a doubt, one of the finest books I've read in 2025. It follows a man and his dog as they set out to save a small English town from the nightmare of a malevolent creature that quite literally feeds on children. That being out of the way, any time a book gives me Boy's Life vibes, I’m instantly sold, and my only real complaint here is that this novella was over far too quickly.
Neil McRobert has penned a few short stories for various anthologies, but this is - as far as my modest digging can confirm - his first proper, full-length outing. And I sincerely hope he plants himself back at his desk sooner rather than later, because "Good Boy" was magnificent, superb, astonishing, etc.
Five gleaming stars.
Neil McRobert has penned a few short stories for various anthologies, but this is - as far as my modest digging can confirm - his first proper, full-length outing. And I sincerely hope he plants himself back at his desk sooner rather than later, because "Good Boy" was magnificent, superb, astonishing, etc.
Five gleaming stars.
September 11, 2025
A very good boy indeed...
If you're a horror lover or a dog lover (or better yet both) Good Boy is a novella well worth taking for a walk around the block.
Neil McRobert is the host of the acclaimed, hugely popular - and just very damn good - Talking Scared podcast. With his debut fiction release, he proves himself a damn good author too.
Good Boy has genuine frights and scares but at its heart, it is a story of a man and his dog, of loyalty and friendship. Within its pages you'll find a coming-of-age tale, cosmic-meets-folk horror, and a meditation on grief and sacrifice, not to mention coal-black Northern humour and a tangible sense of place. Much like Riot, the good boy of the title, this small story is so much more than its little size lets on.
I devoured this in one sitting. Be ready to cry, laugh, and most definitely...keep the lights on. As Talking Scared listeners know, Neil is a gifted interviewer and natural conversationalist so it makes perfect sense that the framing device of this book is two people connecting over conversation, one telling the other their story. To me it felt like I was sitting across the table from Jim, our hero, hanging onto every word and owing him nothing less.
Highly recommend this treat!
If you're a horror lover or a dog lover (or better yet both) Good Boy is a novella well worth taking for a walk around the block.
Neil McRobert is the host of the acclaimed, hugely popular - and just very damn good - Talking Scared podcast. With his debut fiction release, he proves himself a damn good author too.
Good Boy has genuine frights and scares but at its heart, it is a story of a man and his dog, of loyalty and friendship. Within its pages you'll find a coming-of-age tale, cosmic-meets-folk horror, and a meditation on grief and sacrifice, not to mention coal-black Northern humour and a tangible sense of place. Much like Riot, the good boy of the title, this small story is so much more than its little size lets on.
I devoured this in one sitting. Be ready to cry, laugh, and most definitely...keep the lights on. As Talking Scared listeners know, Neil is a gifted interviewer and natural conversationalist so it makes perfect sense that the framing device of this book is two people connecting over conversation, one telling the other their story. To me it felt like I was sitting across the table from Jim, our hero, hanging onto every word and owing him nothing less.
Highly recommend this treat!
October 16, 2025
A heart breaking tale of a man, his dog, and a lifetime of stopping a monster from eating the children.
When a boy goes missing from a vacant patch of land, an elderly woman notices an older man digging a hole by the tree where it happened.
But this isn't about a serial killer as one might imagine with that setup.
The man, as it turns out, is burying his beloved dog. When the woman invites him inside (as it's still a bit suspicious), he agrees. Over some tea and whiskey, he's going to tell her a story about a Boggart, his dog, Riot, and his lifetime spent trying to keep the monster away.
This story is fantastical at first. He claims to have had Riot since he was eleven years old and also claims to have had a personal and painful encounter with this creature called a Boggart. Her disbelief turns into something else as the story goes along and it's a frightening yet heart tugging tale for not only Riot but the man himself.
This is one of those books that manages to scare you and wring your emotions equally. It's wonderfully written and easy to get lost in the narrative. I highly recommend it.
When a boy goes missing from a vacant patch of land, an elderly woman notices an older man digging a hole by the tree where it happened.
But this isn't about a serial killer as one might imagine with that setup.
The man, as it turns out, is burying his beloved dog. When the woman invites him inside (as it's still a bit suspicious), he agrees. Over some tea and whiskey, he's going to tell her a story about a Boggart, his dog, Riot, and his lifetime spent trying to keep the monster away.
This story is fantastical at first. He claims to have had Riot since he was eleven years old and also claims to have had a personal and painful encounter with this creature called a Boggart. Her disbelief turns into something else as the story goes along and it's a frightening yet heart tugging tale for not only Riot but the man himself.
This is one of those books that manages to scare you and wring your emotions equally. It's wonderfully written and easy to get lost in the narrative. I highly recommend it.
November 9, 2026
Que libro más bonito. Es raro encontrar esta ternura en un libro de terror, algo que algunos autores tan talentosos como Bradbury o S. King hicieron con maestría en algunas ocasiones, y que en me he vuelto a encontrar en esta pequeña novela. La he disfrutado muchísimo y sospecho que estos dos buenos chicos se quedarán conmigo mucho tiempo.
October 14, 2025
(3.5) The latest in the Northern Weird Project novella series, this is a sweet, non-scary horror story about a man and his faithful dog; together, the pair protect children from the monster that stalks the local village green. It all hangs together well, with gentle fleshing-out of our heroes, Jim and Riot, and Jim’s confidant Margie. Nice to see the variety of stories included in this series; this is not the sort of thing I would’ve picked up otherwise, but I enjoyed it.
July 1, 2025
It should come as no surprise that someone like Neil McRobert would know exactly how to craft a perfect horror story. Known for his interviews with famous horror authors, which are always chock full of insightful analysis of the text and lovely banter that only *sometimes* circles back to a love of Stephen King (most often, IT), McRobert is no stranger to what makes the masterpieces of the genre magical. In Good Boy, McRobert has distilled all of the very best qualities of those who influenced him into a modern masterpiece of timeless horror, hope, and love. From McCammon’s Boy’s Life, Stephen King’s IT, and the perfection of dialogue and monologuing of Mike Flanagan — this small little book has something that none of those stories ever had: McRobert’s unparalleled understanding of structure and an eye for the tiniest human moments that pull at even the most jaded of heartstrings.
Comparing Neil’s work to some of the greatest powerhouses of the horror genre might seem reductive to his own skill. His ability to craft a seemingly simple story about a boy and his dog, yet turn it into a cosmic nightmare and meditation of grief, growing up, and place, is what truly sets him apart from anyone else currently writing in the space today.
Good Boy is a rare perfect book. I simply cannot overstate how impressive the scope of this story is within the confines of such a slim volume.
Comparing Neil’s work to some of the greatest powerhouses of the horror genre might seem reductive to his own skill. His ability to craft a seemingly simple story about a boy and his dog, yet turn it into a cosmic nightmare and meditation of grief, growing up, and place, is what truly sets him apart from anyone else currently writing in the space today.
Good Boy is a rare perfect book. I simply cannot overstate how impressive the scope of this story is within the confines of such a slim volume.
July 3, 2025
I’ve been a listener of Neil McRobert’s Talking Scared podcast for several years now. Neil is a fantastic interviewer - he has quite literally interviewed many of the biggest names in horror fiction and the macabre. It is a quintessential podcast for the horror reader.
So, how is his debut novella?
I’m very pleased to say that his writing is just as delightful as his podcast. Good Boy feels like the exact sort of story that Neil would write - it’s smart, empathetic, and full of heart.
Margie, an older lady living in a small Northern England town, sees a man with a shovel from her window, four days after a young boy has gone missing. She confronts the man, Jim, who sits down with Margie and tells her essentially his life story, that includes one of my favorite canine companions on the page, Riot, and a supernatural entity that has a hunger for children in a square in the town.
Good Boy has folk horror, cosmic horror, small town horror, all wrapped into one narrative that feels like two people sitting down to tell a story. Good Boy is about life, love, regret, duty, and what we deem important in life. It will creep you out in spades and make you tear up by the end.
Good Boy is a dazzling debut from one of horror’s best people.
Good Boy is out on October 9th from Wild Hunt Books. Thank you to Wild Hunt for the eARC in exchange for a review!
So, how is his debut novella?
I’m very pleased to say that his writing is just as delightful as his podcast. Good Boy feels like the exact sort of story that Neil would write - it’s smart, empathetic, and full of heart.
Margie, an older lady living in a small Northern England town, sees a man with a shovel from her window, four days after a young boy has gone missing. She confronts the man, Jim, who sits down with Margie and tells her essentially his life story, that includes one of my favorite canine companions on the page, Riot, and a supernatural entity that has a hunger for children in a square in the town.
Good Boy has folk horror, cosmic horror, small town horror, all wrapped into one narrative that feels like two people sitting down to tell a story. Good Boy is about life, love, regret, duty, and what we deem important in life. It will creep you out in spades and make you tear up by the end.
Good Boy is a dazzling debut from one of horror’s best people.
Good Boy is out on October 9th from Wild Hunt Books. Thank you to Wild Hunt for the eARC in exchange for a review!
October 24, 2026
Great story, but I think I’m more of a cat person ₍^. .^₎⟆
October 19, 2025
Eery atmosphere, great storytelling, interesting lore and a brave little pup.
February 9, 2026
In a small village, shortly after a young boy has disappeared, Margie Jones looks out her window towards a field the locals call the Square where she sees an old man digging a hole. She investigates and learns the man, named Jim, is burying his dog in an attempt to stop a monster. She invites him back to her home where recites a tale that goes back decades and involves the frightening truth behind the village's history of missing children.
A solid, old school-ish folk horror story. The characters, especially Riot, are the stars.
A solid, old school-ish folk horror story. The characters, especially Riot, are the stars.
November 15, 2025
Prepare to cry so hard it becomes a medical event
October 14, 2026
This book is a folk story which will break your heart. Particular love that it’s set around the countryside in Manchester - I haven’t read any books which are (feel free to recommend me some). We start with a woman called Margie who notices a man digging a grave in the same spot that a little boy has just gone missing from. We get this story within a story narrative, which is so Northern in tone it feels like home. Riot is a very loyal good boy, and the companionship that is highlighted between dog and owner is so real. The folklore/terror and isolation is also handled very well, I think theres something about living in a small village or town which can be very isolating and in itself a form of horror. This demonstrates that well while also adding in some folklore that I’ve rarely read about before.
Overall, the storytelling is impeccable and I urge you to read this is one sitting if you can as you won’t want to put it down! I recommend this one to beginner horror readers, seasoned horror readers, dog lovers, honestly I can see so many people falling in love with this one.
I can’t wait to read more from this author!!!
Overall, the storytelling is impeccable and I urge you to read this is one sitting if you can as you won’t want to put it down! I recommend this one to beginner horror readers, seasoned horror readers, dog lovers, honestly I can see so many people falling in love with this one.
I can’t wait to read more from this author!!!
January 24, 2026
Neil McRobert ist ein Name der in der Welt der Buch-Podcasts ziemlich bekannt ist, zumindest wenn man auf Horror steht. Wer seine Interviews kennt, weiß dass er gute Geschichten schätzt und mit Good Boy schenkt er uns eine davon.
Diese atmosphärische Novelle erzählt von dem Leben eines Jungen und seines Hundes die gegen das Böse kämpfen. Das klingt erstmal nicht besonders außergewöhnlich, aber Neil McRobert schafft es in diese wenigen Seiten so viel Gefühl hineinzupacken, dass man einfach nicht anders kann als mit den beiden mitzufiebern. Darüber hinaus werden auch noch andere Themen wie Pflichtgefühl, Einsamkeit und Selbstlosigkeit so wunderbar thematisiert, dass dieses kleine Büchlein mich durch und durch überzeugen konnte.
Diese atmosphärische Novelle erzählt von dem Leben eines Jungen und seines Hundes die gegen das Böse kämpfen. Das klingt erstmal nicht besonders außergewöhnlich, aber Neil McRobert schafft es in diese wenigen Seiten so viel Gefühl hineinzupacken, dass man einfach nicht anders kann als mit den beiden mitzufiebern. Darüber hinaus werden auch noch andere Themen wie Pflichtgefühl, Einsamkeit und Selbstlosigkeit so wunderbar thematisiert, dass dieses kleine Büchlein mich durch und durch überzeugen konnte.
July 25, 2026
A book which effortlessly expands the definition of what the horror label can be through pure, simple storytelling. No gimmicks, immense heart.
This book made me emotional.
Also, dogs are the best. Yes, I said it. Cat people, please deal with it. 🤭
This book made me emotional.
Also, dogs are the best. Yes, I said it. Cat people, please deal with it. 🤭
November 3, 2025
I quite liked this. Read it in one go. It's a bit sappy at times- and the ending is predictable- but very suspenseful and captivating.
July 1, 2025
Neil McRobert has been a constant in horror readers’ ears for the last five years. He’s taken the pulse of the horror community, shared conversations with the brightest voices in the industry, and been a guiding force for every kind of reader walking into the untamable forest that is the horror genre. McRobert’s interview style works in a way that is a bit hard to describe, academic yet conversational, but more than anything, Neil knows his way around stories. He knows the value of them, the importance of voice, and how to evoke sentiments from those who create. A person like McRobert also knows how to tell a story as evidenced by his debut novella, Good Boy, the tale of the world’s bravest dog and his devoted owner.
Summarizing Good Boy in this way feels lacking, to be very blunt, because Good Boy is about so much more than a man and his dog. No, Good Boy is about love. Love for ourselves, love for our fellow creatures, love for man, and the duty we feel to keep the world going against all the darkness that comes to our doorsteps. This is a novella with more empathy and bleeding emotion than any one story has a right to hold, pulling on the deepest sentiments to depict a love like any other. A love that is unconditional, magical.
A woman sees a man digging a hole in an unusual setting following the disappearance of a young boy from that very spot. And like any good woman, she’s determined to figure out what this peculiar behavior could mean, for better or for worse. Margie, the good woman in question, confronts Jim, this strange man, and opens the door to a story she could have never fathomed, one filled with horror, heart, and unpredictable realities even for herself.
McRobert’s storytelling is nothing short of masterful. It is one thing to tell a story that entertains, but telling stories that make us feel on the level in which Good Boy accomplishes is something else entirely. Neil’s is a lived-in voice that is steeped in personality that demands all of your head and heart, a voice that delivers a story that matters. Margie and Jim and Riot, while only occupying approximately 115 pages of space and around 3-4 hours of uninterrupted reading, burrowed deep within my heart to make a home. Their lives prove to be fully formed emotional ventures into humanity, made possible through palpable care. McRobert elevates a notion that has fallen by the wayside in today’s day and age, the value and responsibility of giving witness, of being present.
And isn’t that what deep love, and ironically fear, boils down to? When we love fiercely and unconditionally, we are devoted beings. We are there every day giving ourselves, our attention, our essence. We cultivate meaningful bonds and sacrifice ourselves in the name of all that we believe in. The absence of all of these things is ignorance, turning a blind eye, and allowing fear to fester. This is where horror thrives, and why the “big bad” of Good Boy is so thoroughly haunting.
These are the deep-rooted sentiments that McRobert unearths with a tremendous amount of ease, a graceful, warm style of writing that delivers equally in horror and heart. Good Boy instills feelings of hope on the darkest of days through the small things we recognize, wet noses, tennis balls, and unstamped dog tags. Neil McRobert writes with love. He shows us that bravery comes in many forms; monsters need not be slain with gore, rather devotion. Darkness wanes in the light of this kind of love, in this kind of raw storytelling. Good Boy is far more than a novella; it’s a hand on a shoulder, a wet dog kiss.
Summarizing Good Boy in this way feels lacking, to be very blunt, because Good Boy is about so much more than a man and his dog. No, Good Boy is about love. Love for ourselves, love for our fellow creatures, love for man, and the duty we feel to keep the world going against all the darkness that comes to our doorsteps. This is a novella with more empathy and bleeding emotion than any one story has a right to hold, pulling on the deepest sentiments to depict a love like any other. A love that is unconditional, magical.
A woman sees a man digging a hole in an unusual setting following the disappearance of a young boy from that very spot. And like any good woman, she’s determined to figure out what this peculiar behavior could mean, for better or for worse. Margie, the good woman in question, confronts Jim, this strange man, and opens the door to a story she could have never fathomed, one filled with horror, heart, and unpredictable realities even for herself.
McRobert’s storytelling is nothing short of masterful. It is one thing to tell a story that entertains, but telling stories that make us feel on the level in which Good Boy accomplishes is something else entirely. Neil’s is a lived-in voice that is steeped in personality that demands all of your head and heart, a voice that delivers a story that matters. Margie and Jim and Riot, while only occupying approximately 115 pages of space and around 3-4 hours of uninterrupted reading, burrowed deep within my heart to make a home. Their lives prove to be fully formed emotional ventures into humanity, made possible through palpable care. McRobert elevates a notion that has fallen by the wayside in today’s day and age, the value and responsibility of giving witness, of being present.
And isn’t that what deep love, and ironically fear, boils down to? When we love fiercely and unconditionally, we are devoted beings. We are there every day giving ourselves, our attention, our essence. We cultivate meaningful bonds and sacrifice ourselves in the name of all that we believe in. The absence of all of these things is ignorance, turning a blind eye, and allowing fear to fester. This is where horror thrives, and why the “big bad” of Good Boy is so thoroughly haunting.
These are the deep-rooted sentiments that McRobert unearths with a tremendous amount of ease, a graceful, warm style of writing that delivers equally in horror and heart. Good Boy instills feelings of hope on the darkest of days through the small things we recognize, wet noses, tennis balls, and unstamped dog tags. Neil McRobert writes with love. He shows us that bravery comes in many forms; monsters need not be slain with gore, rather devotion. Darkness wanes in the light of this kind of love, in this kind of raw storytelling. Good Boy is far more than a novella; it’s a hand on a shoulder, a wet dog kiss.
September 2, 2025
This arrived yesterday morning in the post and I literally devoured it yesterday.
Hoo boy, this Northern Weird Project is next bloody level!!! This book by Neil McRobert is fantastic, it had me scared shitless!
Not to give anything anyway but the "hidden secret" gave me the friggin willies!
The writing is engaging and well paced with believable characters and a great story arc. The story is by turns terrifying, sad, funny and wistful.
I thoroughly enjoyed this read and as a proud Northerner I am buzzing with this series.
An absolute 5 star read.
Hoo boy, this Northern Weird Project is next bloody level!!! This book by Neil McRobert is fantastic, it had me scared shitless!
Not to give anything anyway but the "hidden secret" gave me the friggin willies!
The writing is engaging and well paced with believable characters and a great story arc. The story is by turns terrifying, sad, funny and wistful.
I thoroughly enjoyed this read and as a proud Northerner I am buzzing with this series.
An absolute 5 star read.
December 29, 2025
Really enjoyable. This one and Turbine 34 are my favourites in the series so far.
September 21, 2026
Reminiscent of John Langan’s “The Fisherman” and “This Fleshy Side of the Bone,” this little novella combines cosmic folk horror and the bond between humans and dogs. I may or may not have had a tear in my eye at the end… really sweet little story
January 8, 2026
Holy shit this is bad
December 7, 2025
Many other reviewers have provided synopses of this novella far better than I could. What I did feel compelled to add however, was READ THIS! Especially if you love dogs and believe they are sent from above. ❤️
As an aside, there's a horror film out this year with the same name that also is about an amazing dog.
As an aside, there's a horror film out this year with the same name that also is about an amazing dog.
July 4, 2025
A remarkably assured debut! Good Boy isn’t simply a tale packed with heart, though it undoubtedly is that, but a beautifully framed portrait of grief, friendship, and sacrifice. To tell stories within stories and maintain not just interest but tension, and weave these stories in such a way as to hit the reader with ALL THE EMOTIONS, is a real skill. Another writer to watch, is McRobert.
April 12, 2025
Neil hosts one of the best horror podcasts going, and I am lucky to have my hands on an early copy of his novella. This thing is POWERFULLY written, funny, compelling and surprising. I’m excited for people to read it in the fall.
The man can write.
The man can write.
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