The Women Without Eyes

by Micah Castle

Cherry Brooke is gripped by fear. With the Southside Killer already stalking the city, leaving a trail of victims in his wake, Detective Wolfe has his hands full. Six months ago, a woman was found murdered in Refleski Park, her eyes missing. Now, another victim has been discovered, bearing the same horrifying signature. Yet another killer is on the loose.

As Wolfe digs deeper, he uncovers a chilling a series of murders spanning decades, each marked by the ritualistic removal of the victim's eyes. The only clue connecting the killings is a mysterious symbol branded on the victims' bodies.

Driven by guilt and a thirst for justice, Wolfe finds himself on the trail of a killer far more sinister than he could have imagined. His pursuit leads him to William Acerieas, a man consumed by his family's dark legacy and a twisted obsession with an ancient book.

Wolfe's investigation plunges him into a world of ancient rituals, terrifying secrets, and a horrifying truth that will shatter everything he believes. But can he uncover the truth behind the Women Without Eyes before another life is claimed?

Genres: Horror, Crime, Thriller

177 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 27, 2025

About the author

Micah Castle is a weird fiction and horror writer. He's an author of multiple books, and his stories have appeared in various magazines, websites, and anthologies.

While away from the keyboard, he enjoys spending time with his wife, playing with his animals, spending hours in the woods, and can typically be found reading a book or writing somewhere in his Pennsylvania home.

Reviews

[Ga.selle (Semi-hiatus) Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

"They spun around him as though he lay in the center of a horrific merry-go-around. Over and over again, their eyeless faces loomed over him, blood pouring from their gaping sockets."

"When he opened his eyes, the world spun, then slowed, then stilled. The nightmare raged inside his head, but he willed his body to stand, willed his mind to focus on his one and only task.
I have to finish."


First half of the story is more on police procedural / serial killer / slasher vibes/ occultism...the second half is weirder which I guess is the author's take on Lovecraftian and cosmic/body horror. Visceral, abhorrent and gruesome. I like that it feels like I was reading a short story from Barker's books of blood.


Big thanks to the publisher, Booksirens for the arc. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. 🖤

[Kate Victoria RescueandReading · Rating 3 out of 5]

Part detective procedural, part mad laboratory journal. Readers follow Wolfe as he chases two serial killers, and William as he tries to live up to his bizarre family legacy.

I enjoyed the gruesome/creepy sections, as well as the cosmic mystery aspect to the tale. Loved the body horror, especially at the end.

There were a few timeline issues I noticed (Wolfe refers to his daughter’s birthday that was a few weeks prior as a year ago. A few times Susan’s case is referred to as over a year old instead of a few months. Etc).
The story was also a bit jumbled towards the end when William/Wolfe integrated into the same timeline sections- for example, Wolfe would be narrating, but somehow William’s actions (hiding the tranquilizer gun) were being narrated at the same time as well.
I didn’t understand the emphasis on the SS Killer as they seemed, in the end, to only be a reason to tie up resources for the police. I wish there had been more of a connection to the main characters. Otherwise, so much emphasis was put on them throughout the plot, but really it’s just a person who we know nothing about when they are caught.

Thank you to BookSirens and the author for a copy.

[Skye · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting foray into cosmic horror mashed up with a police procedural, but I felt it needed more development to make it really work. Most of the book reads like your standard cop thriller, down to the crumbling marriage and minor God complex suffered by the main character. Then, the narrative totally flips at about 60% of the way through, and you're suddenly reading a completely different book.

I wish there had been more foreshadowing or insight into what was coming, especially since the crime thriller plot points were obviously telegraphed and the ending, up to a certain point, was easy to guess if you're familiar with the genre. I feel like the cosmic horror elements would have integrated into the narrative better if they had appeared earlier, even if it was just in hints that you didn't get until the end.

In terms of the crime thriller part, it was alright, except I felt that narrative was really bogged down by the addition of the other crimes. I was constantly wondering if they would be relevant as anything other than background dressing, but it felt like they were just an extra hint of gruesome details with no relevance. Also, what on Earth is going on in the smallish college town that they have TWO unrelated, highly ritualistic killers on the loose?

I found Wolfe to be an OK protagonist, but I was disappointed that we didn't get too much of his motives or personality shining through once cosmic things start happening to him. We spend all of the novel inside his head, but he goes silent on us when the plot shifts and we're left with impersonal actions and sensations that weaken the crazy stuff that's happening to him and around him. William's narrative dies in the same way, making the end feel like a rollercoaster of things that the reader wasn't adequately prepared for throughout the rest of the novel and now has to brave without context from familiar characters to guide them.

My last point is about the female characters - each and every one of them felt like tools to make the narrative move forward, rather than real people. Each is a cardboard cutout that seems to have been created specifically to fulfill a role - as victims, as family members, etc. I know this isn't necessarily uncommon in horror and thrillers, but I was disappointed regardless.

Overall, the concept was really promising, but it needed some TLC in a lot of departments.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Milt Theo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I confess I struggled quite a lot with this book, mostly because there are some glaring editing errors which a beta reader could and should have caught early on: names of characters are mixed from the very first page(!), inappropriate adjectives are used in character descriptions, inconsistent narratives are given for the same actions, etc. Plus the pacing is sometimes too slow, especially in the beginning, as if the author didn't have a specific end in mind and took his time to figure it out without going back and trimming things a bit. And the plot is not always easy to follow: "The Women Without Eyes" is actually two books, an occult thriller separated into a thriller (the first half) and a supernatural horror (the last half), with the ending attempting to collapse the first into the second. I'm not sure this worked. But I easily give 3 stars overall because the book captures very well the 90s mood as shown in cop and thriller movies of the time.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Christina Pfeiffer · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE WOMEN WITHOUT EYES
By: Micah Castle
Release: 1/27/25
Page count: 193
KU: No Hoopla: No

Synopsis: A generational family tries to bridge the gap between life and death but a cop is hot on the most recent member’s trail. When the cop becomes personally affected, gaps get much, much smaller.

First line: “The street lamp cast a faint, white glow into the car and illuminated the old man’s eyes.”

Favorite line: “Hade’s rainbow with a heartbeat.”

Thoughts: Wow. Just wow. Micah is consistent with the cleverness and emotion of his writing. This one invokes such raw and visceral feelings. Equal parts: thriller, sci-fi, police procedural, and body horror, it is a must read for anyone who enjoys gasping so loud they startle their family. *

*Know from personal experience

Rating: 5/5

Other recommendations: RECONSTRUCTING A RELATIONSHIP, A HOME IN THE DARKNESS

[Diana | Indie Book Addict · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Women Without Eyes is a gripping, dark thriller that blends police procedural with elements of cosmic horror. As Wolfe uncovers a series of ritualistic murders marked by the eerie removal of victims' eyes, the chilling mystery of the Acerieas family's twisted past unfolds.

The dark atmosphere and vivid descriptions truly immerse you in this haunted world. The constant tension in Wolfe’s pursuit of justice, combined with the unraveling of the sinister legacy tied to an ancient book, keeps you engaged. It has a great mix of suspense and an intriguing plot. While I would have liked to see more of the cosmic horror elements throughout, the book still delivers a gripping and eerie experience overall.

[Josette Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

What starts out as a detective trying to solve new murders soon becomes a ride into the beyond. Speculative fiction is a new genre of reading that I have decided to try. This book was very graphic. I became pretty queasy when reading about William taking his offerings. The author wrote how easy it would be for a serial murderer to slip through the cracks when a police department is understaffed and working on a more serious case. I could not believe how many years the Acerieas family had convinced other members to continue trying to find the Other side. The end definitely fit the say, ”Be careful what you wish for.”

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for providing a review copy.

The Women Without Eyes is the third book I've read now by Micah Castle. While not my favorite, it is a worthy entry into his catalog. I'm a big fan of crime stories crossed with horror, and this book starts out as a fairly standard crime novel, then things start to take a supernatural bent. I was a bit confused in the last chapter leading up to the end, but ultimately, I enjoyed the ending. 4 stars

[Mireya · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thanks to BookSiren for the ARC copy of "The Women Without Eyes". This has not affected my review at all, which are my own thoughts.

A series of horrific murders leaves Cherry Brooke terrified of the South Side Killer, and it also leaves Detective Wolfe with enough work on his hands for a lifetime. Moreover when it seems like he is the only one paying attention to an old murder case where the killer took out the woman's eyes and left her in a ritualistic position. Wolfe is sure they actually have two serial killers on their hands when a second victim, very similar to the eyeless woman, is found. No matter what, Wolfe will make sure justice is made in both cases.

On the other hand, having recently lost his grandfather (his only relative left) William Acerieas, consumed by his family legacy and obsession with a old book, struggles to fulfill the family's divine mission that's spanning centuries and is much bigger than any of them, William included.

At its core, The Women Without Eyes is a story about families, how the characters are shaped by them, by the one made by blood and the chosen one through shared experiences. But it is still a detective story, a horror story, that kept me glue to its pages with every little detail Detective Wolfe found out and with every struggle that William encounter as he went on.

The characters were amazing, very vivid and believable, well-crafted and with quite distinct voices, which is something I always look for when reading multi-POVs books. Detective Wolfe's obsession with his job and catching the killer bleed both in his life and through the pages, to the point that I was fully invested in his investigations and ministration, going along with whatever he wanted to do. All while William's desperation for not being capable of fulfilling his family legacy ate him away, his desperation palpable with every chapter we venture deeply into the story.

I must admit that, for as much as I liked this book, for a while, I thought it would be your typical detective story following a series of murders that no one else seems interested in, with how Detective Wolfe is a man more married to his job than to his actual family. How the eyeless women case consumes him until it is everything he can think of, even leaving aside the South Side Killer case and forgetting important dates of his family.

All, until the very end, revealing the twist the tension and subtle clues have been building up to page by page and the truth behind William's efforts and what all it amounts to. So, yes, I also admit that my favorite part of TWWE was the end, the climax, the truth, the true horror of the story. The part that is going to be with me, forever. Hopefully, it won't give me nightmares😂

I'd like to take a look into Micah Castle (the author)'s mind, see what's there, 'cause the descriptions at the end of everything that Wolfe is going through and the horrors around him were *chef's kiss*. Amazingly disturbing and gloriously terrifying.

For horror lovers, the weird lovers and those that want to venture into a detective story with a great twist, this is for y'all. Guarantee to be left thinking about it for days

[Chase N · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Procedural with a Paranormal Twist

Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Characters: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Twist/Suspense: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.66

Title: A Procedural with a Paranormal Twist: The Women Without Eyes by Micah Castle

I love police procedural thrillers. Honestly, once you’ve read one, you’ve read them all—and that’s exactly what I like about them. They’re predictable in structure, but it’s the stories within that framework that keep me hooked. The Women Without Eyes fits that mold at first, but then it takes a sharp, unexpected turn that left me both fascinated and bewildered.

The world-building is done exceptionally well, grounding the procedural elements in a gritty, believable environment. However, the pacing dragged a bit up until the 50% mark. It wasn’t enough to lose me, but it felt like the narrative was holding back. Then, suddenly, it took off in a way that was both heartbreaking and visceral. There’s a raw ache woven into the protagonist’s journey, one that hit hard as the story’s emotional weight finally landed.

The serial killer is interesting—not unique, but compelling in his own right. His cause, methods, and justifications made him an engaging character to follow, especially as his growing confidence in his crimes was undercut by moments of second-guessing his own motives. That internal conflict added an unexpected layer of complexity to his character.

But the ending is where things truly diverge from the procedural formula. While justice is technically served, the story takes an unconventional, almost paranormal turn. It was such a stark shift that I had to reread the final chapters twice just to make sure I wasn’t missing something. There’s no traditional happy ending here, which fits the dark content, but the abrupt genre pivot was jarring. It left me more confused than anything—not because the plot was hard to follow, but because the narrative veered into territory I wasn’t prepared for after spending 65-70% of the book in a grounded, realistic world.
I don’t know if I’d recommend this. It’s not bad—far from it. The writing is beautiful, with vivid descriptions and gut-wrenching emotional beats. But it’s odd. It lingers in a way that’s hard to define, leaving me unsettled more by its tonal shift than by its darker themes.

If you’re looking for a straightforward procedural, this might not be it. But if you’re open to something that challenges the genre’s conventions, The Women Without Eyes might be worth your time. Just be ready for the unexpected.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Morgan Tanner]

I was excited to hear of another Micah Castle release and wasted no time in pre-ordering this beast. The cover was a definite selling point, and what a title! But saying all that I still went into this one blind (please pardon the pun). I was obviously expecting something scary and other-worldly, and this didn’t disappoint in either respect.

William is a young lad with not much going on in his life. Well, apart from being part of an ancient family who do questionable things to ladies. Yes, I’m talking about murder, kids. Oh, and eye removal, of course. We’re straight into the action here with a kill being stalked, before the inevitable happens.

We are then introduced to our protagonist, Detective Wolfe. He is definitely the cliché cop, ie. spending too much time on the job and not enough with his young family. Wolfe is actively involved in the investigation of the aforementioned eyeless body murder, before another corpse is discovered.

What makes things more difficult is the police are already searching for another serial killer in the area.

Things carry on like this for the most part, with Wolfe hassling his chief for more resources to catch this ‘new’ serial killer. We also see William going about his days, with his need to kill. And this need is very much an old family tradition, one he doesn’t entirely understand, but has been raised to never question his actions.

Before long, stuff happens bringing our two main characters together. And then things go off the charts.

Cosmic horror, the likes of which infect and plague the most vivid of nightmares, are delivered full-force. It’s a bit of a shift in tone, though I was waiting for things to go full-on weird, so I was happy with this. Things don’t end all rosy here, which is another tick for me.

If you fancy your police/crime procedure books to take a twist on the supernatural, then look no further.

[Alison Faichney · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was my first book by Micah Castle and while I’d still love to check out some more work of his, The Women Without Eyes was a struggle for me. It starts off as a standard police procedural with two *different* serial killers at work in a small, fictionalized college town. Honestly none of the characters were super likable. Wolfe was a bit cliched and it was difficult for me to really care about these two murderers when very little time is spent with the victims and the police were all over the place in terms of investigating. The SSK could easily have been left behind and more dimension added to the second killer and how these deaths are shaping the town.

At two separate times women of color (one Black and one Asian) are referred to as colored. I realize the book is set in ‘94 but this still made me eye twitch. I recognize the author may have been trying to capture some of the racism in policing in terms of how white victims are treated versus POC, but honestly I can’t imagine any racists using colored for an Asian victim. There’s another outdated term that likely would have been used so this just felt unnecessary to me. Additionally, there were some errors in the setting and characterization that pulled me out of the book. I don’t plan on listing them here as the book has yet to be published so there’s a chance they have been or will be edited.

The book eventually delves into this cosmic horror world which was probably my favorite part of the book. Unfortunately this is just the last little bit and we’re never really given all the pieces of that puzzle.

I definitely feel like Castle can write and has some wild ideas in that noggin of his. I don’t think we really got to see the full extent in The Women Without Eyes and do agree with some other reviews this one could still use some polishing.

[Craig Matthews · Rating 4 out of 5]

William Acerieas has been raised to believe that murderous rituals are the key to opening a bridge to The Other Place, and groomed to inherit a role that has been filled by men in his family for many previous generations. Detective Wolfe is burnt out in a city with a serial killer running rampant, trying to balance his job with his wife and young daughter, when he starts to see a pattern emerging that hints towards another ritual murderer looming. Their work, or perhaps fate, seems destined to put them on a collision course—and may just uncover some truths that could change everything.

Set in 1994 Cherry Brooke, The Women Without Eyes combines a detective procedural with an undercurrent of the occult. Alternating between Wolfe and the police investigations into two serial killers haunting their precinct and William's family burden, the dual perspectives give the book a cat-and-mouse feel that keeps the suspense ratcheting up throughout. The story keeps asking until the end—are these killings being carried out ritualistically by a psychopathic family for no reason other than they always have, or could they really work and create a connection between realities?

Short, punchy chapters and a plot that constantly pushes forward make this a quick read, coming in at under 200 pages. I found myself unable to put it down, reading in one day over a couple of sittings, and enjoying the sections following William's point of view equally as engrossing as those following Wolfe's. Expect some brutal killings and compelling but flawed characters, all building to a climax that fans of Castle's previous work will no doubt love.

[Ryan McCutcheon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The Woman Without Eyes - Micah Castle


⭐⭐⭐.5/5


I'll keep this spoiler free


Willaim inherits the family "tradition" whilst challenging and missing his grandfather, he struggles with reality but acknowledges what must be done.


Wolfe, a detective with family issues ends up on the case of a gruesome murder of young women, branded and eyes missing around the same time the precinct is tackling a serial killer known as SSK. Wolfe is your typical detective, always putting work before family, making excuses and just trying to be a good guy and a good cop 


The Women Without Eyes starts INSTANTLY from the very first sentence, you're thrown into a situation that unfolds at a meticulously rapid pace and just keeps on rolling. The book is detailed beautifully, the scenery and imagery, whilst at times unsettling is so vivid and you feel as if you're there wether seeing through the eyes of William or Wolfe 


You can feel sympathy for William, hes been trained and thrust into a situation almost at will but acknowledges it's his choice to keep up the "family tradition". I felt he was always fighting with himself, but was in too deep to stop and would be letting his grandfather and family down, he made a promise to him after all.


I won't go into too much for detail regarding the ending but just know Micah Castle has written a wonderfully short novella that feels very unique in the Thriller/Horror world, I'm honoured to have read it and been able to review it

[Jazzy Manning · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am incredibly grateful to both Book Sirens and Grendel Press for the opportunity to read and review The Women Without Eyes. Being selected to explore this captivating story before its official release has been such a treat, and I can’t wait to share my thoughts on it with all of you. A huge thank you to the teams at BookSirens and Grendel Press for their generosity and for making this advanced reading experience possible.

What on Earth did I just read?

The Women Without Eyes starts off as a regular crime thriller and it was going okay. It wasn’t the best ever but it was good, it was fine.

Then all of a sudden we go into this whole other world and that’s where it lost me.

The idea was a good one but similar to other reviews that I’ve read, it does in fact need polishing.

The biggest issue for me with this book was some things just made sense and not in a story telling kind of way, but in a grammatical kind of way. It seemed to be like some words were missing from sentences among other things. In the acknowledgements it thanks alpha and beta readers and I honestly find it hard to believe that this is a finished novel that has gone through the whole proof reading and editing process.

This is quite unlike any other ARC I have ever read.

I enjoyed the story to an extent but I just couldn’t get over the writing. I’m sorry Micah, I really really wanted to like it.

I do hope that my comments are taken in a constructive way, I mean no harm. I just want this book to be everything it could be. Perhaps if not for this time, maybe the next.

[Tasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Over the course of the four books I have read by Micah Castle, he has become one of my favorite authors. His stories are not your typical horror-type genre. He combines many of the genres into one story. This particular book is crime thriller, horror, and science fiction. If you like this kind of mix in your stories, then every single book he has written is something you’d enjoy.

However, The Women Without Eyes is my favorite so far. I always find it easy to get lost in his stories. The writing is smooth and always fits the timeline and theme all throughout the story. I connected with both main characters, Detective Wolfe and William Acerieas.

Detective Wolfe is on the hunt for a serial killer, when along comes another killer. Further into the story, Wolfe is given no choice but to solve the round of new murders by the newest killer in town.

William Acerieas is training to take over the family’s business. He goes through a lot of inner turmoil as the story progresses. He isn’t sure what is right or wrong and makes choices based on that.

This is one story that I think everyone should read. It’s quick, heartfelt, psychologically scary, and supernatural.

[Marco · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book I've read by Micah. Even though the quality is as good, it didn't click as much as the previous read.

The first half of this book is pretty much a cop thriller. While I'm fond of those, I've been reading plenty of them and have grown a bit anaesthetized by the usual tropes. The main detective perfectly fits the usual character, I didn't find him to have much depth beyond that.

The first half is also on a different level from the second half, where the cosmic horror I've appreciated in Micah really kicks in. I would have liked to see this earlier in the book, as it would have made it more interesting, and probably given an interesting spin to the tropes mentioned above.

I did enjoy it as a whole, but I much preferred the last third to the rest of the story. Some parts seemed a bit disconnected and difficult to follow.

All in all, another good story by Micah.

3.5 stars rounded to 4.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

[Elaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fresh idea and the plot had me reeling! I would have liked more information on the main characters and perhaps more background on his marriage - did he habitually put his work first? Did his wife not understand the requirements of being a policeman? I would like to see the story tightened up a bit, I really wanted to give it more stars.

There were several places where the timeline didn't quite jive, notably Tabby's past party, and a careful copyeditor should have caught those things. And the whole subplot of the South Side Killer - what was the point? I get that it diverted police from this killer who was taking eyes, but it was too much. Without revealing too much, the police could simply have been so understaffed that they couldn't pursue so many cases. There was a fascinating dive into the occult in this book but it did get a bit confusing at times.

This ARC was provided by BookSirens and the publisher, the opinions expressed herein are strictly my own.

[Marin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Woman Without Eyes is part police procedural, part supernatural thriller.

Detective Wolfe is (among other serial killer murders) assigned to ritualistic murders of women, which includes removal of victims eyes. But, because the police is understaffed, he is the only one who cares what happened to the victims.

First part of the book is great, it involves mystery, tension, you start to care about the Wolfe, but second part when it goes to the occult part, it feels like it lost a bit of itself (like it was a bit rushed).

I really liked the book until the last few chapters (until the mystical part), because it looked like the novel is building up in realistic world, then turns abruptly into paranormal.

If you are in for a police procedural with paranormal twist, I recommend The Women without Eyes.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Beverly Laude · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was almost like two separate stories put together. A lot of the book was like a psychological thriller/police procedural, then you throw in the other story. The second story was a Lovecraftian cosmic horror complete with horrible creatures and weird rituals.

There were also some continuity issues with names and timelines that caused me to pause in my reading to figure out what was happening.

I know that the author was using the SSK murders to show Wolfe's lack of attention to his family and the murders of the two women found without eyes. But, I think that whole storyline was longer than it needed to be, then solved in a snap of the fingers.

I would have preferred more of the cosmic horror/ritual story, with more emphasis on the background of that whole part. Not a bad book, but not really what I expected from the title, cover and horror tagline.

[Brian Mcclain · Rating 4 out of 5]

A duo pov tale between a killer trying to uphold the ritualistic traditions of a family he doesn't fully believe in and the detective trying to hunt him down this goes from a police procedural to something far more and though there's some suspension of disbelief needed it's a fun journey.

If I had any comments it's that perhaps it's a little trope-y and some of the story beats were formulaic but for the most part that's made up for by the imagination behind everything and where it goes in the conclusion.

The characters aren't super deep but there's enough there to empathize especially with the detective but also a little bit with the killer who is definitely a victim of his upbringing and circumstances.

Definitely recommended.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Joan Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story is a dark detective story. There are two parallel stories happening at the same time that attempt to come together in the end.

The editing still needs a lot of work. The timeline is way off throughout the story. The characters in the end get muddled and confusing.

The main villain is doing his best to carry out his family legacy. He is the last of his family still living. The detective in the story is working overtime. His family comes second to his work.

The story does have a detective style feel of the 80s and 90s. I enjoyed the bloody gore in this story. A lot of the banner between the characters flows naturally.

The book feels like two separate stories. The first half is similar to John Grisham style. The second has a Lovecraftian style of cosmic horror.

[Hannah Lawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Women Without Eyes is a dark, gripping thriller that mixes crime investigation with disturbing horror elements. The mystery of a ritualistic killer removing his victims’ eyes creates an eerie atmosphere that keeps the tension high from start to finish.
Detective Wolfe is a strong lead, driven by guilt and determination as he uncovers a trail of murders linked by ancient symbols and a terrifying family legacy. The story goes beyond a typical serial killer plot and adds a chilling supernatural edge.
Unsettling, suspenseful, and full of twists, this is a great read for fans of dark crime thrillers with a horror vibe.

[Sammi Dyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Women Without Eyes is as good as Reconstructing a Relationship, which is one of my all time favorites by Micah Castle. They are both vastly different, yet both equal good. TWWE was a disturbing story about deranged murders that had me sitting on the edge of my seat. I love reading all things occult, serial killer, and dark and twisted. This has all the elements I love. I’d say it’s a psychological thriller meets horror. If you haven’t read anything by him you are truly missing out. His writing is engaging and ohhh so gruesome.

[David Swisher · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Women Without Eyes is a split POV occult crime / horror story that follows a serial killer carrying on an ancient family legacy steeped in occult lore and the detective, already dealing with a serial killer loose in the city and a struggling family life, who starts to piece together a history of "eyeless women" killings.

Micah sets the story up well, alternating between the dual POVs and setting up a terrifying cosmic climax that is as frightening as it is satisfying.

You don't want to miss this one.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. Just wow. I had never read anything by this author before, so this is definitely an author I am going to follow. Talk about uncomfortable. I stayed up all night reading this book with every light on in the house. This book had it all, suspense, thriller, murder, paranormal - if you like any of these themes, this is for you. Wow.

The reason I gave 4 stars is that I never give 5 because I believe no one is perfect, however, I wish I could give it 4.95 stars!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Jennifer Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story has all of the elements of a horror story that I love. You have not only one serial killer on the prowl, but technically two. As expected, the cops come up empty handed on at least one of the fronts. The main cop we deal with in the story at first feels like this is due to the victims being of mixed races, but then it gets way more personal. Since there doesn't seem to be a likely way for justice to be served, he kind of take sit down a different, twisted path. Our story shifts to more of a cosmic horror and has a mind blowing turn of events.

[Diane Elizabeth Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book with a difference. I was quickly drawn into the plot and was frantically turning the pages.
This was a quick read but not without a lot of content. We have deranged William desperately trying to complete his family's ancient mission and we have our typical obsessed detective trying to stop him.
I liked Wolfe for the most part, but I felt this story would have been so much more interesting if the whole focus of the investigation concentrated on the main killer. The other serial killer for me was an unnecessary layer that really diluted the story.
It was a well written tale and the author's skill at weaving an atmospheric environment really came into its own during the finale and I'm grateful to BookSirens for the ARC. This is an honest voluntary review. The ending for me however, was so different from the rest of the book that it felt like a bit of horror/paranormal was needed to live up to the synopsis so it was thrown in at the end.
If this is your thing then you won't be disappointed.

[Bradford · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Women Without Eyes
By Micah Castle

Huge thank you to the author for providing me with an ebook in exchange for an honest review.

The author did a great job of writing a multi-genre story that will appeal to many readers.This book was a good mix of occult horror, crime thriller, cosmic horror, and a little bit of grief horror.

I enjoyed the dual POVs where we got to go into the mind of the detective and the killer.

This was well-paced, kept my attention, and was something new for me to read as I typically don't get into the crime thriller genre.

This is only my second book by this author, but it won't be my last! I have previously read Reconstructing A Relationship and enjoyed that as well.

This gets 4.5⭐️s rounded up to 5 where applicable. This would be a great book for horror fans to dip their toes into a procedural crime thriller!

[Caitlin Holt · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This almost felt like two separate books, half police procedural, half cosmic horror. There are some plot points throughout that I think somewhat blend them, but for the most part, the difference between the first and second half felt pretty stark.
I had difficulty getting fully immersed in the first half, so I was delighted when it took a cosmic turn. It really upped my enjoyment of this book.