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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
Published October 9, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 132 reviews
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.
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)
December 8, 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!
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.
October 31, 2025
One of those rare books that finds its way straight to your heart
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!
July 2, 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.
October 18, 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 8, 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 19, 2025
Eery atmosphere, great storytelling, interesting lore and a brave little pup.
November 4, 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 2, 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.
November 15, 2025
Prepare to cry so hard it becomes a medical event
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 15, 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.
September 11, 2025
Heartfelt and well told story. This had whispers of Stephen King and Robert McCammon.
I loved it.
I loved it.
July 7, 2025
I was so excited to get my hands on a proof of Good Boy by Neil McRobert, although I was worried I'd be a little biased - I'm a big fan of Neil's podcast, Talking Scared. Well, Good Boy stands strong on its hind legs in its own right. What masterful storytelling.
When retired nurse Margie sees Jim digging in the square outside her house, she immediately suspects him of having something to do with the disappearance of a local child. But after hearing his reason for being out there, she invites him into her kitchen to tell the rest of his story...
There's barely a word out of place in this tight 150 page novella about an old man named Jim, his faithful four-legged companion and a centuries-old malevolent figure who reappears through the years to steal children as they play.
The monster was terrifying, but what really got me was Jim recounting his life and seeing the isolation that came with doing the right thing. The quiet heroism of putting other's lives before your own happiness. The claustrophobia of being stuck in the small town you grew up in.
Good Boy had everything I needed in a story. The narrative voice is so compelling and confident. The emotional beats hit me so hard I wept. The writing is pitch perfect; evocative description met with northern realism and humour. The unfaltering love Jim had for his dog. It's so good. I can't wait to see what Neil does next.
When retired nurse Margie sees Jim digging in the square outside her house, she immediately suspects him of having something to do with the disappearance of a local child. But after hearing his reason for being out there, she invites him into her kitchen to tell the rest of his story...
There's barely a word out of place in this tight 150 page novella about an old man named Jim, his faithful four-legged companion and a centuries-old malevolent figure who reappears through the years to steal children as they play.
The monster was terrifying, but what really got me was Jim recounting his life and seeing the isolation that came with doing the right thing. The quiet heroism of putting other's lives before your own happiness. The claustrophobia of being stuck in the small town you grew up in.
Good Boy had everything I needed in a story. The narrative voice is so compelling and confident. The emotional beats hit me so hard I wept. The writing is pitch perfect; evocative description met with northern realism and humour. The unfaltering love Jim had for his dog. It's so good. I can't wait to see what Neil does next.
July 4, 2025
Terrific writing. Pacing. Story. Imagery. Depth. Loved the book and read it in one sitting. Will read the authors next books as I enjoyed this so much!
October 10, 2025
After a young boy vanishes in a small northern town, Margie witnesses a peculiar man digging a grave in the exact same spot that he was last seen. Margie confronts the man, but she soon learns that this town has a far darker history than she once realised, and this stranger has his own mission within it.
This has been one of my most anticipated reads for 2025 and it has exceeded all expectations. Good Boy transcends so much more than just horror and folklore. Good Boy explores the small town mentality, grief, companionship, strength, and bravery in the tiniest and fluffiest of forms. Neil McRobert is no stranger to the horror community so it should come as no great shock that he has been able to craft such a glorious and heartfelt novella as this. McRobert’s prose was utterly beautiful and his character work really shone in just 100 pages. I love novella’s as I feel that they can really pack a punch when done right, and Good Boy really takes the reins (or dog lead) in how to do it so well.
Good Boy felt like an ode to both what horror can do as genre in an emotive way, and also what dogs can do for us as humans. Whilst this book was haunted with that folky-cosmic horror, it really boils down to a love between man and his dog and that is something that I know myself and many of us can always connect with. As part of the ‘Northern Weird Project’ with Wild Hunt Books, I expected nothing less than for this to hold the heart of all things from the north, and growing up in a little mid-northern town myself, I felt it sewn into every page. Reading this really felt like sitting across a table with an old friend as they tell a tale over a warm drink. Good Boy will hold your hand gently, make you laugh, make you cry, make you fear the unknown, have you question what it really means to live a life, and you won’t be able to look back after finishing this one.
It’s not often I can truly call a book perfect, but there’s no way little Riot couldn’t take the biscuit with this one. The goodest of boys, the goodest of books.
This has been one of my most anticipated reads for 2025 and it has exceeded all expectations. Good Boy transcends so much more than just horror and folklore. Good Boy explores the small town mentality, grief, companionship, strength, and bravery in the tiniest and fluffiest of forms. Neil McRobert is no stranger to the horror community so it should come as no great shock that he has been able to craft such a glorious and heartfelt novella as this. McRobert’s prose was utterly beautiful and his character work really shone in just 100 pages. I love novella’s as I feel that they can really pack a punch when done right, and Good Boy really takes the reins (or dog lead) in how to do it so well.
Good Boy felt like an ode to both what horror can do as genre in an emotive way, and also what dogs can do for us as humans. Whilst this book was haunted with that folky-cosmic horror, it really boils down to a love between man and his dog and that is something that I know myself and many of us can always connect with. As part of the ‘Northern Weird Project’ with Wild Hunt Books, I expected nothing less than for this to hold the heart of all things from the north, and growing up in a little mid-northern town myself, I felt it sewn into every page. Reading this really felt like sitting across a table with an old friend as they tell a tale over a warm drink. Good Boy will hold your hand gently, make you laugh, make you cry, make you fear the unknown, have you question what it really means to live a life, and you won’t be able to look back after finishing this one.
It’s not often I can truly call a book perfect, but there’s no way little Riot couldn’t take the biscuit with this one. The goodest of boys, the goodest of books.
October 18, 2025
There are a lot of good books out there, so many it’s easy to read and forget the details not long after. Then there are stories like Good Boy; books that you hold in hand on finishing and just sit and think excitedly which of your friends and family to start buying copies for, which people you force if need be to Read.This.Book.
I’m still recovering from being emotion wrung out and struggling to express what a sweet story this is all around.
Hands down my favorite of the year.
I’m still recovering from being emotion wrung out and struggling to express what a sweet story this is all around.
Hands down my favorite of the year.
October 19, 2025
5.0 - I'm sobbing…😭 Huge shoutout to whoever recommended this small gem over on horrorlit. It's without a doubt one of my top 3 new horror releases of the year!
Gonna go hug my dog now :)
Gonna go hug my dog now :)
October 27, 2025
I didn't expect My Dog Skip by way of Stephen King and now I am devastated.
October 31, 2025
I tried to be objective in rating this novella, as I listen to the authors podcast and shoot them a message now and then about happenings in the horrorlit scene. I almost didn’t want to give this a five stars in the interest of neutrality, but in the end I do still believe it earned its rating.
“Good Boy” (unrelated to the unfortunately timed film of the same name) is about a boy, James, who is gifted a small tornado of a dog, “Riot”, after encountering something otherworldly in a grassy field in his hometown. In adopting Riot, he unknowingly enters into a lifelong contract to defend the children of his home, at a sacrifice to his own life.
Knowing Neil’s literature preferences, the influences are clear. It’s a taste of the old world horror, MR James and Arthur Machen, even in structure, the long form story told secondhand to someone else to blur the lines of believability. But it’s also a splash of IT, a story about growing up and watching your life advance, wondering about what could and should have been. However, what will really get you is the true love for animals, of pet companionship, that explodes from this novella. Anyone who’s ever called an animal their best friend will connect with this story. At a slight ~120 pages, it is the most perfect snowy afternoon read, perhaps with a contented furball in your lap while you enjoy it.
“Good Boy” (unrelated to the unfortunately timed film of the same name) is about a boy, James, who is gifted a small tornado of a dog, “Riot”, after encountering something otherworldly in a grassy field in his hometown. In adopting Riot, he unknowingly enters into a lifelong contract to defend the children of his home, at a sacrifice to his own life.
Knowing Neil’s literature preferences, the influences are clear. It’s a taste of the old world horror, MR James and Arthur Machen, even in structure, the long form story told secondhand to someone else to blur the lines of believability. But it’s also a splash of IT, a story about growing up and watching your life advance, wondering about what could and should have been. However, what will really get you is the true love for animals, of pet companionship, that explodes from this novella. Anyone who’s ever called an animal their best friend will connect with this story. At a slight ~120 pages, it is the most perfect snowy afternoon read, perhaps with a contented furball in your lap while you enjoy it.
November 22, 2025
I love this novella so much. What a heartfelt and captivating writing. It has well developed characters and very interesting plot. I love how everything was presented as a story, it was eerie and creepy, the bogart was so fascinating and horrifying. And the best part is of course Riot, what a good boy. I cried a couple of times, this is my confirmation that a book touched me deeply and I would never forget the way it made me feel.
August 26, 2025
My god, what a stunning piece of writing. Jim and Riot will stay with me for a long, long time!
December 19, 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 2, 2025
There is much to be said of this walloping pack-a-punch of a novella, and to call it a merely a good book would be to call its furry hero merely a good boy.
First, the writing. McRobert writes with the comfortable yet precise prose of someone who’s been writing longer than he’s been alive: every paragraph, every phrase, every word just fits. The writing is confident and polished in a way that only a natural-born writer can execute, but is still down-to-earth and real enough that anyone could pick this beauty up and understand it. I can’t wait to get my physical copy, as there were soooo many turns of phrase and idioms that I was dying to underline and ruminate on.
Next the story. It’s about as clean as you can get - no unnecessary rabbit trails, no extraneous characters or details, no fluff, everything and everyone were well-functioning organs in the body that was this beautiful story - but beyond just being clean, it was truly beautiful. Because of some traumatic experiences with dogs, I have a bit of a fear of them. I’ve always thought they were beautiful and I know they can be the most loyal friend a person can have, but I’ve never been a “dog person.” I think this book changed that. Somehow, Neil was able to write a dog who was a fully-formed character without going into either cartoonish anthropomorphism or by just appealing to other famous dogs and acts of bravery. Riot is as real and lovable as any human character I’ve read, and I’m fairly close to asking my wife about finding a Riot of our very own.
Besides that, I loved each and every storyline and fully fell into caring for each one, a hard but necessary feat in shorter form fiction like this one. Only the best authors can execute this in such a short story, and Neil shined like the sun.
Finally, the man. All the best fiction is true. No, I’m not saying Neil is peering somehow into an alternate reality and transcribing what he sees as a kind of history book (well… I suppose we could debate the extent to which the arts do such things, but such is a discussion for another time), but that the themes and topics and heart that Neil touches on in this book - those of childhood, of bravery, of duty, and of life - are as truly and beautifully said a work of poetry. Neil’s heart and worldview shines fantastically through in this novella and I can only hope and pray he doesn’t keep us waiting for whatever’s next - and that it’s longer!
First, the writing. McRobert writes with the comfortable yet precise prose of someone who’s been writing longer than he’s been alive: every paragraph, every phrase, every word just fits. The writing is confident and polished in a way that only a natural-born writer can execute, but is still down-to-earth and real enough that anyone could pick this beauty up and understand it. I can’t wait to get my physical copy, as there were soooo many turns of phrase and idioms that I was dying to underline and ruminate on.
Next the story. It’s about as clean as you can get - no unnecessary rabbit trails, no extraneous characters or details, no fluff, everything and everyone were well-functioning organs in the body that was this beautiful story - but beyond just being clean, it was truly beautiful. Because of some traumatic experiences with dogs, I have a bit of a fear of them. I’ve always thought they were beautiful and I know they can be the most loyal friend a person can have, but I’ve never been a “dog person.” I think this book changed that. Somehow, Neil was able to write a dog who was a fully-formed character without going into either cartoonish anthropomorphism or by just appealing to other famous dogs and acts of bravery. Riot is as real and lovable as any human character I’ve read, and I’m fairly close to asking my wife about finding a Riot of our very own.
Besides that, I loved each and every storyline and fully fell into caring for each one, a hard but necessary feat in shorter form fiction like this one. Only the best authors can execute this in such a short story, and Neil shined like the sun.
Finally, the man. All the best fiction is true. No, I’m not saying Neil is peering somehow into an alternate reality and transcribing what he sees as a kind of history book (well… I suppose we could debate the extent to which the arts do such things, but such is a discussion for another time), but that the themes and topics and heart that Neil touches on in this book - those of childhood, of bravery, of duty, and of life - are as truly and beautifully said a work of poetry. Neil’s heart and worldview shines fantastically through in this novella and I can only hope and pray he doesn’t keep us waiting for whatever’s next - and that it’s longer!
October 24, 2025
Neil McRobert has broken my heart in the BEST way possible. I am a person, like Neil, who likes people more than dogs. Of course, there are a few people, friends and family who are up there, but dogs, man. We all think our dog (or just pet in general) is the best. I've always had dogs my whole life and have loved each one SO much. There's something about when you get that one that just seems like your soul-dog, soulmate, whatever you want to call it. For me, this happened six years ago when I got my little dog, Shadow. I've never felt as connected to any of my other dogs in the past. That's of course not to say that I loved them any less, but THIS dog, he was meant to be in my life.
Where am I getting to with all this? As a longtime listener of Neil's podcast (Talking Scared) I've heard him mention countless times how much Ted means to him and how he hates to even think about a day when Ted isn't here anymore and I feel that SO much with Shadow. I'm always devastated when a pet leaves, but Shadow will absolutely destroy me when his time comes and I don't even like to think about it. If you've ever felt that way with a pet, THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU.
It's a short read but packed so full of heart and love and so beautifully describes in words what it's like to have that pet that comes once in a lifetime. The story itself is so much fun and so mysterious. It felt like sitting in a room by the fire with an old friend and listening to them tell you a story. It's sad, creepy, exciting and will have you cheering and turning the pages so damn fast. The last few pages had me sitting there with literal tears streaming down my face. This felt like a love letter to dog lovers.
Take a seat, get comfy and hug your dog close. This is such a special book and will leave you with a huge smile on your face and tears in your eyes, but not for the reason you think.
Where am I getting to with all this? As a longtime listener of Neil's podcast (Talking Scared) I've heard him mention countless times how much Ted means to him and how he hates to even think about a day when Ted isn't here anymore and I feel that SO much with Shadow. I'm always devastated when a pet leaves, but Shadow will absolutely destroy me when his time comes and I don't even like to think about it. If you've ever felt that way with a pet, THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU.
It's a short read but packed so full of heart and love and so beautifully describes in words what it's like to have that pet that comes once in a lifetime. The story itself is so much fun and so mysterious. It felt like sitting in a room by the fire with an old friend and listening to them tell you a story. It's sad, creepy, exciting and will have you cheering and turning the pages so damn fast. The last few pages had me sitting there with literal tears streaming down my face. This felt like a love letter to dog lovers.
Take a seat, get comfy and hug your dog close. This is such a special book and will leave you with a huge smile on your face and tears in your eyes, but not for the reason you think.
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