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Fiend
Historical horror maven Alma Katsu turns her talents to the modern world for the first time, in this terrifying tale about an all-powerful family with an ancient evil under its thumb.
"If you liked Succession but think it would have been a lot more fun with a 1,000 year old demon, then Alma Katsu's Fiend has got you covered." —Grady Hendrix, New York Times bestselling author of Witchcraft for Wayward Girls
Imagine if the Sackler family had a demon at their beck and call.
The Berisha family runs one of the largest import-export companies in the world, and they’ve always been lucky. Their rivals suffer strokes. Inconvenient buildings catch on fire. Earthquakes swallow up manufacturing plants, destroying harmful evidence. Things always seem to work out for the Berishas. They’re blessed.
At least that is what Zef, the patriarch, has always told his three children. And each of them knows their place in the family—Dardan, as the only male heir, must prepare to take over as keeper of the Berisha secrets, Maris’s most powerful contribution, much to her dismay, will be to marry strategically, and Nora’s job, as the youngest, is to just stay out of the way. But when things stop going as planned, and the family blessing starts looking more like a curse, the Berishas begin to splinter, each hatching their own secret scheme. They didn’t get to be one of the richest families in the world without spilling a little blood, but this time, it might be their own.
"If you liked Succession but think it would have been a lot more fun with a 1,000 year old demon, then Alma Katsu's Fiend has got you covered." —Grady Hendrix, New York Times bestselling author of Witchcraft for Wayward Girls
Imagine if the Sackler family had a demon at their beck and call.
The Berisha family runs one of the largest import-export companies in the world, and they’ve always been lucky. Their rivals suffer strokes. Inconvenient buildings catch on fire. Earthquakes swallow up manufacturing plants, destroying harmful evidence. Things always seem to work out for the Berishas. They’re blessed.
At least that is what Zef, the patriarch, has always told his three children. And each of them knows their place in the family—Dardan, as the only male heir, must prepare to take over as keeper of the Berisha secrets, Maris’s most powerful contribution, much to her dismay, will be to marry strategically, and Nora’s job, as the youngest, is to just stay out of the way. But when things stop going as planned, and the family blessing starts looking more like a curse, the Berishas begin to splinter, each hatching their own secret scheme. They didn’t get to be one of the richest families in the world without spilling a little blood, but this time, it might be their own.
256 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 16, 2025
125 people are currently reading
19786 people want to read
About the author
Alma Katsu
38 books3,525 followers"Hard to put down. Not recommended reading after dark." -- Stephen King
"Makes the supernatural seem possible" -- Publishers Weekly
Award-winning author of eight novels, including historical horror (The Hunger, The Deep, The Fervor) and spy novels (Red Widow, Red London). Coming September 2025: FIEND (Putnam)
"Makes the supernatural seem possible" -- Publishers Weekly
Award-winning author of eight novels, including historical horror (The Hunger, The Deep, The Fervor) and spy novels (Red Widow, Red London). Coming September 2025: FIEND (Putnam)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 395 reviews
October 29, 2025
When you spend your life yearning to prove yourself worthy of leading the family, and that moment finally arrives, only to realize it’s your worst nightmare. The first half was slow and a bit dull, while the second half leaned into mild horror, though it never quite delivered that heart pounding fear. The ending was a bit suprising. Not a bad read, but definitely not Alma’s best work.
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March 9, 2025Like Succession meets The Fall of the House of Usher (Netflix) and Genie in a Bottle lore. More soon!
FIEND by Alma Katsu is a dark, cutthroat family drama of high-stakes wealth, unchecked ambition, and supernatural temptation, perfect for fans of Succession and The Fall of the House of Usher. I was transfixed by this modern Gothic masterpiece from one of my favorite voices in horror.
FIEND by Alma Katsu is a dark, cutthroat family drama of high-stakes wealth, unchecked ambition, and supernatural temptation, perfect for fans of Succession and The Fall of the House of Usher. I was transfixed by this modern Gothic masterpiece from one of my favorite voices in horror.
September 19, 2025
Succession meets Supernatural meets The Fall of the House of Usher!
The Berisha family is one of the richest families in the world. They own a very successful export company. They are so successful and appear to be blessed. However, their competitors are not. Bad things happen to those against them and tragedy always strikes. Is this a blessing or a curse?
As Zef, the father and leader of the family gets older, his three children are always at battle to take the reign. Can they be cutthroat enough? Who has what it takes to follow in their father’s footsteps?
Oh-my! This family is downright nasty! Every single character is just gawd awful. BUT I LOVED IT!!! These are people that you love to hate! The dumpster fire is absolutely glamorous. The creepy meter is just right too! I’d say I’m instantly a fan! Fiend is a quick read that’s delicious and perfect for spooky season! I highly recommend it.
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pub Date 9/16/25
The Berisha family is one of the richest families in the world. They own a very successful export company. They are so successful and appear to be blessed. However, their competitors are not. Bad things happen to those against them and tragedy always strikes. Is this a blessing or a curse?
As Zef, the father and leader of the family gets older, his three children are always at battle to take the reign. Can they be cutthroat enough? Who has what it takes to follow in their father’s footsteps?
Oh-my! This family is downright nasty! Every single character is just gawd awful. BUT I LOVED IT!!! These are people that you love to hate! The dumpster fire is absolutely glamorous. The creepy meter is just right too! I’d say I’m instantly a fan! Fiend is a quick read that’s delicious and perfect for spooky season! I highly recommend it.
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pub Date 9/16/25
August 30, 2025
A dark family legacy comes to light in Fiend by Alma Katsu. The Berisha family is a powerful and wealthy family that runs one of the most successful companies in the world. No matter what happens in the world or who comes up against them, they always come out on top! A male heir must marry another Albanian to take the reins and be the keeper of family's dark secrets.
That might have worked in ancient times but Dardan, the male family heir, but his sister, Maris wants to be the one to run their company. Nora, their younger sister is happy to sit back and watch as her two older siblings compete to be the head of the family. But will be the head of the family be a blessing or a curse?
Welp! I so wanted to love this one. Alma Katsu has written some amazing and hard to put down books such as The Hunger and The Deep. I had a hard time putting those gripping books down. I had such high hopes for this book but sadly Fiend failed to wow me. I didn't mind this modern take on power and curses. I could not connect with any of the characters at all. I did not root for any of them. I didn't want to boo or hiss at any of them either. None failed to cause a strong emotion or reaction from me.
It pains me to say that this book wasn't horrible, but it wasn't great either. I wanted more horror or at least more horrific moments. I wanted more depth, more tension, more horror, more dread, and more atmosphere. This book felt very flat to me. I kept wondering when something BIG was going to happen. What did work in this book was the pursuit for power within a family. The competition to be the best and the one to run a company after the patriarch steps down.
Other reviews are enjoying this book more than I did so please read their reviews as well.
Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖
That might have worked in ancient times but Dardan, the male family heir, but his sister, Maris wants to be the one to run their company. Nora, their younger sister is happy to sit back and watch as her two older siblings compete to be the head of the family. But will be the head of the family be a blessing or a curse?
Welp! I so wanted to love this one. Alma Katsu has written some amazing and hard to put down books such as The Hunger and The Deep. I had a hard time putting those gripping books down. I had such high hopes for this book but sadly Fiend failed to wow me. I didn't mind this modern take on power and curses. I could not connect with any of the characters at all. I did not root for any of them. I didn't want to boo or hiss at any of them either. None failed to cause a strong emotion or reaction from me.
It pains me to say that this book wasn't horrible, but it wasn't great either. I wanted more horror or at least more horrific moments. I wanted more depth, more tension, more horror, more dread, and more atmosphere. This book felt very flat to me. I kept wondering when something BIG was going to happen. What did work in this book was the pursuit for power within a family. The competition to be the best and the one to run a company after the patriarch steps down.
Other reviews are enjoying this book more than I did so please read their reviews as well.
Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖
December 2, 2025
**3.5-stars**
Fiend focuses on the Berisha family, who own one of the largest and most powerful import-export companies in the world. The patriarch of the family, Zef, rules the family, and his company, with an iron fist.
His three children, Dardan, Maris and Nora, all know their place within the family. As the only boy, Dardan is slated to take over the company, with Maris, just a girl, having a more minor role, and Nora, the baby of the family, basically excluded from it all.
This family, powerful as they may be, is dysfunctional as all get out. Basically, think Succession, but more messed up...
For most of their lives, the children believed the family was blessed, but as they grew, they come to understand the aura surrounding the family's success may actually be a curse.
When things stop going as planned, the family splinters and cracks, revealing the dark underbelly hiding at the heart of the family. They didn't become one of the richest family in the world without spilling a little blood, but this time, it may be their own to hit the ground.
Alma Katsu is well-known for her Historical Horror novels, of which I've read two, but this is actually her first foray into writing a modern-set Horror story.
I liked this one. I loved the super messy family dynamic and how it included Then and Now sections. There's no way I could read this without thinking of Succession, so if you were a fan of that show, you should give this one a go.
I also like the ideas behind the Horror elements of the story, though the highlight for me was the family itself. We mainly get the story told through Maris's perspective, and she did have an interesting role within the family.
I also enjoyed learning about this business. I do like stories that include business activities. I know that may seem strange to some, but it's a personal interest of mine, so I do enjoy the rare book that includes those details.
I think for me, the reason I couldn't rate this higher is that I wanted more of everything. It felt very surface level. Coming in at just over 250-pages, I honestly would have been happy with another 50-pages of content.
Especially towards the end, as the pace increased, I would have loved to have spent more time with those concluding events. I also would have loved a bit more of the family history. Further, the supernatural elements could have been descriptive as well, IMO.
Overall though, this is an entertaining story. It reads very quickly, and is worth picking up. I think if you are someone who enjoys family dramas, or stories that involve business dealings, you could have a lot of fun with it.
Katsu did a great job with this modern setting, and I'm hoping she writes more stories like this one. Even though this won't make my Favorites List for 2025, I'm still really glad that I read it, particularly during Spooky Season.
Thank you to the publisher, G.P. Putnam's Sons, for providing me with a copy to read and review. Katsu is an author I'll definitely be reading more from in the future!
Fiend focuses on the Berisha family, who own one of the largest and most powerful import-export companies in the world. The patriarch of the family, Zef, rules the family, and his company, with an iron fist.
His three children, Dardan, Maris and Nora, all know their place within the family. As the only boy, Dardan is slated to take over the company, with Maris, just a girl, having a more minor role, and Nora, the baby of the family, basically excluded from it all.
This family, powerful as they may be, is dysfunctional as all get out. Basically, think Succession, but more messed up...
For most of their lives, the children believed the family was blessed, but as they grew, they come to understand the aura surrounding the family's success may actually be a curse.
When things stop going as planned, the family splinters and cracks, revealing the dark underbelly hiding at the heart of the family. They didn't become one of the richest family in the world without spilling a little blood, but this time, it may be their own to hit the ground.
Alma Katsu is well-known for her Historical Horror novels, of which I've read two, but this is actually her first foray into writing a modern-set Horror story.
I liked this one. I loved the super messy family dynamic and how it included Then and Now sections. There's no way I could read this without thinking of Succession, so if you were a fan of that show, you should give this one a go.
I also like the ideas behind the Horror elements of the story, though the highlight for me was the family itself. We mainly get the story told through Maris's perspective, and she did have an interesting role within the family.
I also enjoyed learning about this business. I do like stories that include business activities. I know that may seem strange to some, but it's a personal interest of mine, so I do enjoy the rare book that includes those details.
I think for me, the reason I couldn't rate this higher is that I wanted more of everything. It felt very surface level. Coming in at just over 250-pages, I honestly would have been happy with another 50-pages of content.
Especially towards the end, as the pace increased, I would have loved to have spent more time with those concluding events. I also would have loved a bit more of the family history. Further, the supernatural elements could have been descriptive as well, IMO.
Overall though, this is an entertaining story. It reads very quickly, and is worth picking up. I think if you are someone who enjoys family dramas, or stories that involve business dealings, you could have a lot of fun with it.
Katsu did a great job with this modern setting, and I'm hoping she writes more stories like this one. Even though this won't make my Favorites List for 2025, I'm still really glad that I read it, particularly during Spooky Season.
Thank you to the publisher, G.P. Putnam's Sons, for providing me with a copy to read and review. Katsu is an author I'll definitely be reading more from in the future!
October 8, 2025
Partly inspired by the Sacklers and Dopesick Alma Katsu combines a story about corporate ambition with tales of ancient evil. The obscenely-wealthy, Albanian American, Berisha family oversee a business in which collective greed knows no bounds, happy to silence anyone or anything that gets in its way: from whistleblowers to the child workers employed in its sweatshops overseas. The family’s overseen by Zef Berisha who runs the business but is also head of his family’s clan. Zef’s anger is legendary, so much so even his immediate family live apart from him. Former beauty queen and wife Olga also hails from Albania, together they have three children. Dardan is their eldest and heir apparent, followed by Maris who resents her overlooked status as a woman in a family of powerful men, finally comes Nora who despises Zef’s unethical, cutthroat business practices.
Described as a kind of supernatural twist on Succession, Katsu’s narrative moves between past and present to show how their troubled upbringing has shaped each of the now-adult Berisha children, turning them into deeply unlikeable characters. Regarded as bizarrely lucky by outsiders, the family has a closely-guarded secret. The family’s head is gifted, or perhaps cursed, with unthinkable power, one which makes them able to literally crush their enemies. This ability stems from a type of spirit or malicious genie bonded to the Berisha dynasty for thousands of years. Katsu’s slender plot hinges on a struggle for power between Dardan and Maris which highlights the misogyny that exists both within their family and in the wider business community.
For the most part Katsu’s novel’s fairly gripping, if somewhat pulpy. But I didn’t find it as satisfying or as convincing as Katsu’s historical horror – then again, I wasn’t a Succession fan either. I found the focus on the family a little claustrophobic. I’d have preferred a dash more horror, and a greater emphasis on worldbuilding and mythology than on family dynamics and dodgy corporate dealings. In addition, and this may be a personal gripe, I wasn’t sure that the family’s Albanian heritage was entirely relevant to the story, I felt the representation of Albanians, and of an Albania steeped in superstition, tended to tip towards reinforcing unhelpful, negative stereotypes. All of which made me uneasy. However, I can see that this has had a mixed reception so far, with numerous other readers finding it far more entertaining than I did.
Thanks to Netgalley and publisher Titan for an ARC
Rating: 2.5
Described as a kind of supernatural twist on Succession, Katsu’s narrative moves between past and present to show how their troubled upbringing has shaped each of the now-adult Berisha children, turning them into deeply unlikeable characters. Regarded as bizarrely lucky by outsiders, the family has a closely-guarded secret. The family’s head is gifted, or perhaps cursed, with unthinkable power, one which makes them able to literally crush their enemies. This ability stems from a type of spirit or malicious genie bonded to the Berisha dynasty for thousands of years. Katsu’s slender plot hinges on a struggle for power between Dardan and Maris which highlights the misogyny that exists both within their family and in the wider business community.
For the most part Katsu’s novel’s fairly gripping, if somewhat pulpy. But I didn’t find it as satisfying or as convincing as Katsu’s historical horror – then again, I wasn’t a Succession fan either. I found the focus on the family a little claustrophobic. I’d have preferred a dash more horror, and a greater emphasis on worldbuilding and mythology than on family dynamics and dodgy corporate dealings. In addition, and this may be a personal gripe, I wasn’t sure that the family’s Albanian heritage was entirely relevant to the story, I felt the representation of Albanians, and of an Albania steeped in superstition, tended to tip towards reinforcing unhelpful, negative stereotypes. All of which made me uneasy. However, I can see that this has had a mixed reception so far, with numerous other readers finding it far more entertaining than I did.
Thanks to Netgalley and publisher Titan for an ARC
Rating: 2.5
February 16, 2025
ARC for review. To be published September 16, 2025.
2.5 stars
The Albanian-American Berisha family runs one of the largest and most important import export businesses in the world. Things always seem to work out for them, whistleblowers die, records disappear, sometimes in mysterious ways.
Patriarch Zef is exacting and not always kind. Mother Olga supports Zef in all that he does, even though he doesn’t live with the family and only returns for Sunday dinner once a week. Dardan, the eldest child and only son is the heir apparent, but he seems ambivalent about taking over Berisha and becoming keeper of the family secrets. Maris, his younger sister, feels she is better suited for the role but her father won’t consider her because she is female. Youngest daughter Nora is a do-gooder and a party girl; she would like to see Berisha do more good in the world but doesn’t work for the company.
Things start to go awry when Dardan decides to make a move for himself and the family secrets? Maybe they aren’t so secret.
I loved Katsu’s THE HUNGER so I was really looking forward to this. Unfortunately, it was nowhere near as good. There was build up to….not much. Everything was exactly as it seemed (kind of. I guess there was one twist but it wasn’t very shocking if you paid attention.) Katsu has skills but they weren’t shown to their best advantage here.
2.5 stars
The Albanian-American Berisha family runs one of the largest and most important import export businesses in the world. Things always seem to work out for them, whistleblowers die, records disappear, sometimes in mysterious ways.
Patriarch Zef is exacting and not always kind. Mother Olga supports Zef in all that he does, even though he doesn’t live with the family and only returns for Sunday dinner once a week. Dardan, the eldest child and only son is the heir apparent, but he seems ambivalent about taking over Berisha and becoming keeper of the family secrets. Maris, his younger sister, feels she is better suited for the role but her father won’t consider her because she is female. Youngest daughter Nora is a do-gooder and a party girl; she would like to see Berisha do more good in the world but doesn’t work for the company.
Things start to go awry when Dardan decides to make a move for himself and the family secrets? Maybe they aren’t so secret.
I loved Katsu’s THE HUNGER so I was really looking forward to this. Unfortunately, it was nowhere near as good. There was build up to….not much. Everything was exactly as it seemed (kind of. I guess there was one twist but it wasn’t very shocking if you paid attention.) Katsu has skills but they weren’t shown to their best advantage here.
September 24, 2025
"Only a true monster eats its own kind."
I'm such a sucker for wealthy dysfunctional families facing long overdue karma!
I'm such a sucker for wealthy dysfunctional families facing long overdue karma!
June 10, 2025
Alma Katsu’s upcoming horror novel, FIEND, was my most anticipated book of the year. Thank you @mbc_books for this gifted copy! Katsu is delivering a modern-day story for the first time, with the Berisha family taking center stage.
The Berisha family is an Albanian family that makes the Sacklers look like angels. The family runs an extremely lucrative import-export business and has evaded the law for as long as anyone can remember. The family just seems to have the most luck in the world and somehow their foes end up being…handled. The family includes three siblings—Darden, the oldest son and heir to the family business; Maris, the second born daughter who lives up to the family’s potential, but doesn’t have the “look” to run the family enterprise; and Nora, the youngest daughter who wishes the family business did more for a sustainable and equitable future. The three siblings’s parents are trophy wife Olga and Berisha family CEO Zef. Without going into detail, FIEND dives into what happens when the world’s luckiest family all of a sudden has to deal when their luck suddenly dries up.
I really enjoyed this book and it’s being called a combination of Succession meets The Fall of the House of Usher, and I truly agree with that sentiment! It takes a bit longer than you’d expect to get to the action, but I enjoyed the backstory and build-up. At first you may not think this story is horror related, but by the final act you’ll definitely see this book’s sinister side. A little on the short side, I only wish we had more! STARS: 4, PUB: 9/16
The Berisha family is an Albanian family that makes the Sacklers look like angels. The family runs an extremely lucrative import-export business and has evaded the law for as long as anyone can remember. The family just seems to have the most luck in the world and somehow their foes end up being…handled. The family includes three siblings—Darden, the oldest son and heir to the family business; Maris, the second born daughter who lives up to the family’s potential, but doesn’t have the “look” to run the family enterprise; and Nora, the youngest daughter who wishes the family business did more for a sustainable and equitable future. The three siblings’s parents are trophy wife Olga and Berisha family CEO Zef. Without going into detail, FIEND dives into what happens when the world’s luckiest family all of a sudden has to deal when their luck suddenly dries up.
I really enjoyed this book and it’s being called a combination of Succession meets The Fall of the House of Usher, and I truly agree with that sentiment! It takes a bit longer than you’d expect to get to the action, but I enjoyed the backstory and build-up. At first you may not think this story is horror related, but by the final act you’ll definitely see this book’s sinister side. A little on the short side, I only wish we had more! STARS: 4, PUB: 9/16
September 21, 2025
No family gets as rich as they are without getting blood on its hands.
If you're not a fan of the obscenely wealthy, you may like this tale of a fabulously rich family haunted by an ancient demon.
Here we have Maris, the middle child, who yearns to take over the family business. Only two things stand in her way: her sexist father who will only pass the company reins to a male heir, and her older brother who possesses testicles, but not the fortitude to do what needs to be done. Even without the horror elements, this is an interesting look at family dynamics. Fans of Succession should dig the scheming and intrigue. Toss in the family "curse" and you've got some schadenfreudian fun on your hands. This is probably not Katsu's best, but I certainly enjoyed watching this unpleasant family self-destruct.
Thanks to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for sharing.
If you're not a fan of the obscenely wealthy, you may like this tale of a fabulously rich family haunted by an ancient demon.
Here we have Maris, the middle child, who yearns to take over the family business. Only two things stand in her way: her sexist father who will only pass the company reins to a male heir, and her older brother who possesses testicles, but not the fortitude to do what needs to be done. Even without the horror elements, this is an interesting look at family dynamics. Fans of Succession should dig the scheming and intrigue. Toss in the family "curse" and you've got some schadenfreudian fun on your hands. This is probably not Katsu's best, but I certainly enjoyed watching this unpleasant family self-destruct.
Thanks to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for sharing.
September 6, 2025
2.5 stars. This didn't work for me, I kept waiting for it to come together but it never did. I was open to the idea of a rich family having made a terrible bargain for their privilege, but there are a lot of inherent obstacles in that kind of narrative. How is the reader supposed to care what happens when every single character is pretty terrible? Who are we supposed to be rooting for? The narrative kept hopping away from one character's point of view to another, but not in a way that made sense or helped move things forward. It just made it feel more choppy and disconnected. Ending was unsatisfying, wasn't sure what the point of the book was.
September 18, 2025
’Only a true monster eats its own kind’
Fiend is a supernatural horror reminiscent of the TV show, Succession and Allen Poe story, The Fall of the House of Usher. Following the wealthy Berisha children, cowardly but idealistic Dardan, head-strong but cruel Maris, and flaky but calculating Nora, the impact of the families ‘curse’ comes to a head.
This is Katsu’s first contemporary book, following a line of historical horrors, and I felt that it was a success. Her signature character-focused narrative made for a consistently compelling story, each one having such a unique voice. The pacing was excellent, and despite the books short length the story was fully realised with a wonderfully vengeance-filled ending.
I enjoyed the morally grey aspect of the siblings. They was incredibly flawed and yet I still felt myself rooting for each of them. While including supernatural elements, the true horror of the narrative was based on the trauma that can arise from an abusive or negligent parent. Zef, the siblings father, was a despicable person and made for an engaging antagonist. I love the way in which Katsu always incorporates realistic ‘horror’ within her stories.
Overall, Fiend gets 4/5 stars.
thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review! <3
Fiend is a supernatural horror reminiscent of the TV show, Succession and Allen Poe story, The Fall of the House of Usher. Following the wealthy Berisha children, cowardly but idealistic Dardan, head-strong but cruel Maris, and flaky but calculating Nora, the impact of the families ‘curse’ comes to a head.
This is Katsu’s first contemporary book, following a line of historical horrors, and I felt that it was a success. Her signature character-focused narrative made for a consistently compelling story, each one having such a unique voice. The pacing was excellent, and despite the books short length the story was fully realised with a wonderfully vengeance-filled ending.
I enjoyed the morally grey aspect of the siblings. They was incredibly flawed and yet I still felt myself rooting for each of them. While including supernatural elements, the true horror of the narrative was based on the trauma that can arise from an abusive or negligent parent. Zef, the siblings father, was a despicable person and made for an engaging antagonist. I love the way in which Katsu always incorporates realistic ‘horror’ within her stories.
Overall, Fiend gets 4/5 stars.
thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review! <3
March 7, 2025
I really, really, really like the author. I did not really, really, really like this book.
As I try to pin down what didn't work for me with this one it comes down to a few little things.
There wasn't a single character I liked, nor was there one I loved to hate. I just didn't really enjoy any of them.
As for the story, it was not as complex as I'd hoped. Exactly what you think is happening is happening. There were few surprises.
I did enjoy the cultural aspects, but I just kept expecting something more.
A miss for me, but I'll look forward to the author's next book.
As I try to pin down what didn't work for me with this one it comes down to a few little things.
There wasn't a single character I liked, nor was there one I loved to hate. I just didn't really enjoy any of them.
As for the story, it was not as complex as I'd hoped. Exactly what you think is happening is happening. There were few surprises.
I did enjoy the cultural aspects, but I just kept expecting something more.
A miss for me, but I'll look forward to the author's next book.
November 19, 2025
It's just not good, babes!!
I was so excited for this book. I came into this expecting another Fall of the House of Usher (Netflix, 2023), since apparently everyone does their own rendition of "Succession, but supernatural!" now (see also: Olivie Blake's Gifted and Talented), and I loved TFOTHOU.
Unfortunately, "Fiend" is a muddled mess. Stuff is brought up, or happens, and passes by in a blur without ever getting re-examined. Characters never tell each other anything, don't genuinely care about each other (so why should the reader care about any of them?), and almost every single death happens offscreen. The author goes for a "the characters are in the dark just like the reader!" approach that sure was convenient for her. No need to write anything compelling, especially answers to mysteries YOU introduced, when you can shrug and be like "It's a secret!! Shhh!!!" up until the end.
I think that all throughout the book, we're mostly meant to sympathize with Maris. It's her POV we're in the most and she's the one being wronged left and right and center for basically the whole book, being mostly helpless and disrespected by everyone. However, Maris herself is also an annoying asshole with a superiority complex, and not the entertaining kind of asshole. She spends her time on weird power plays with everyone that never pay off, and yet still considers herself a smart, capable genius that needs to be handed all kinds of power because..... ? She's an entitled prick?
I'm not even sure the author KNEW she was an entitled prick. I really couldn't tell whether we were going for an "This is an unlikeable character and you're meant to laugh at her downfall because of her hubris" or "This is a woman damned by sexism at every corner that's trying her best and still failing and that's tragic" approach. Maybe even both? Jack of all trades, master of none?
The other POVs, like Dardan or Nora, coming in a couple of times in the entire book were pretty much useless, just a little break from Maris so the reader could find out things she couldn't know. I feel like the author wanted a multi-POV story at first, but then either got tired of all the effort or straight up forgot.
My absolute favourite part of the book was the very, very weird relationship that Alma Katsu has with beauty and other women. Beauty and its privileges in society get mentioned multiple times in the book, which sounds great.... except it's only to point out that Maris is, apparently, ugly and just so unattractive, unlike her mother and Nora, who are just so blonde and beautiful. I kept expecting the narrative to challenge this in some way instead of a "Ha ha, ugly" finger point, but it never happens. There's a scene in which Maris buys desserts for her father and the narration goes out of its way to say "Maris, of course, had none. She easily gained weight with her bodytype". Why was that a necessary mention?? Olga is constantly reduced to just her beauty and having the genes to make pretty babies, unironically- Maris thinks "I don't want to be just like her, having no agency whatsoever" all the time, and then proceeds to never spare a thought or empathize with Olga again.
Why would I expect Maris to have more empathy for women? Because she herself expects that. She has at least 2 inner monologues about "girl power" and "girl solidarity" when a female interviewer goes off script and attacks her to get a good scoop and further her own career (like Maris herself isn't ready to step on corpses to be a good little CEO for daddy). I kept expecting the book to challenge that and it never did. It stank of Alma Katsu being one of those "I get on better with men than women, women just have so much DRAMA!" people.
Frankly, this review makes me look like I had strong feelings about the book. In reality, I'll have forgotten I read this in two weeks.
I was so excited for this book. I came into this expecting another Fall of the House of Usher (Netflix, 2023), since apparently everyone does their own rendition of "Succession, but supernatural!" now (see also: Olivie Blake's Gifted and Talented), and I loved TFOTHOU.
Unfortunately, "Fiend" is a muddled mess. Stuff is brought up, or happens, and passes by in a blur without ever getting re-examined. Characters never tell each other anything, don't genuinely care about each other (so why should the reader care about any of them?), and almost every single death happens offscreen. The author goes for a "the characters are in the dark just like the reader!" approach that sure was convenient for her. No need to write anything compelling, especially answers to mysteries YOU introduced, when you can shrug and be like "It's a secret!! Shhh!!!" up until the end.
I think that all throughout the book, we're mostly meant to sympathize with Maris. It's her POV we're in the most and she's the one being wronged left and right and center for basically the whole book, being mostly helpless and disrespected by everyone. However, Maris herself is also an annoying asshole with a superiority complex, and not the entertaining kind of asshole. She spends her time on weird power plays with everyone that never pay off, and yet still considers herself a smart, capable genius that needs to be handed all kinds of power because..... ? She's an entitled prick?
I'm not even sure the author KNEW she was an entitled prick. I really couldn't tell whether we were going for an "This is an unlikeable character and you're meant to laugh at her downfall because of her hubris" or "This is a woman damned by sexism at every corner that's trying her best and still failing and that's tragic" approach. Maybe even both? Jack of all trades, master of none?
The other POVs, like Dardan or Nora, coming in a couple of times in the entire book were pretty much useless, just a little break from Maris so the reader could find out things she couldn't know. I feel like the author wanted a multi-POV story at first, but then either got tired of all the effort or straight up forgot.
My absolute favourite part of the book was the very, very weird relationship that Alma Katsu has with beauty and other women. Beauty and its privileges in society get mentioned multiple times in the book, which sounds great.... except it's only to point out that Maris is, apparently, ugly and just so unattractive, unlike her mother and Nora, who are just so blonde and beautiful. I kept expecting the narrative to challenge this in some way instead of a "Ha ha, ugly" finger point, but it never happens. There's a scene in which Maris buys desserts for her father and the narration goes out of its way to say "Maris, of course, had none. She easily gained weight with her bodytype". Why was that a necessary mention?? Olga is constantly reduced to just her beauty and having the genes to make pretty babies, unironically- Maris thinks "I don't want to be just like her, having no agency whatsoever" all the time, and then proceeds to never spare a thought or empathize with Olga again.
Why would I expect Maris to have more empathy for women? Because she herself expects that. She has at least 2 inner monologues about "girl power" and "girl solidarity" when a female interviewer goes off script and attacks her to get a good scoop and further her own career (like Maris herself isn't ready to step on corpses to be a good little CEO for daddy). I kept expecting the book to challenge that and it never did. It stank of Alma Katsu being one of those "I get on better with men than women, women just have so much DRAMA!" people.
Frankly, this review makes me look like I had strong feelings about the book. In reality, I'll have forgotten I read this in two weeks.
September 7, 2025
Alma Katsu has a way with words, and I have a hard time not falling in love with every book she writes. This book Fiend, plays into all of my obsessions with the Sackler family dynasty. This family is disgusting, terrible awful people who own a terrible awful inhumane company just like all of the other despicable giant corporations around the world. But this family is special. They have evil on their side. Alma creates characters that we almost feel sorry for, not quite but ALMOST. They are not flat despicable characters, she makes them real. If you are obsessed with any sort of true crime books, you will love the story. It is not real, but it is definitely based in reality with a supernatural twist. Usually, Alma writes books that are historical fiction based in the past, but this one is fully grounded in the present and there’s so much happening in this book that it seems ripped from the headlines. This is another true winner from Alma Katsu pick this up on September 16!
December 1, 2025
Thanks to my partner PRH Audio for the gifted audiobook! This was an interesting story about money and people who always come out on top. It was dark and a great segue into spooky season. Especially between the cover and the name of the book! I did find myself wanting to know more about how everything started and if it can be set free as Nora intended. I listened to the audiobook version and found it to be a quick read and I enjoyed the narration.
September 18, 2025
what do you mean your family has a demon protector and it commits the biggest sin by being lame??
September 28, 2025
2.5/5
I didn’t care for this at all and struggled to finish. It reminded me somewhat of Olivie Blake’s Gifted and Talented, which I’m also not a fan of. Apparently I don’t like reading about the spoiled children of wealthy upper-crust, moneyed parents. I generally prefer historical fiction so it wasn’t a shock that I didn’t enjoy Katsu’s first foray into a modern setting however I didn’t anticipate actively disliking it to this extent.
I didn’t care for this at all and struggled to finish. It reminded me somewhat of Olivie Blake’s Gifted and Talented, which I’m also not a fan of. Apparently I don’t like reading about the spoiled children of wealthy upper-crust, moneyed parents. I generally prefer historical fiction so it wasn’t a shock that I didn’t enjoy Katsu’s first foray into a modern setting however I didn’t anticipate actively disliking it to this extent.
August 11, 2025
I enjoy Alma Katsu's historical horror novels - this is her first modern horror story and unfortunately I don't think it hits as hard as the likes of The Deep or The Hunger.
Fiend is a family drama story centred around a wealthy family which should be an interesting complex story however it lacks depth - it could have had a little more substance to make the outcome feel shocking. It's only around 210 pages so that could be the issue for me - we just needed more to the story to make it feel more fleshed out.
Fiend is a family drama story centred around a wealthy family which should be an interesting complex story however it lacks depth - it could have had a little more substance to make the outcome feel shocking. It's only around 210 pages so that could be the issue for me - we just needed more to the story to make it feel more fleshed out.
September 16, 2025
In the past I’ve loved Alma Katsu’s books. She’s a fantastic storyteller with a history of terrific female protagonists. There was just something about Fiend that didn’t hit right for me. It almost felt like this book moved too fast for me. I would’ve appreciated a little more characterization, a little more worldbuilding. I did love the propulsiveness of the plot, which I know is only possible due to the existing structure and length, but I think I would’ve given up a little of the propulsiveness in exchange for a little more depth. 3⭐️
I was provided a copy of this title by the author and publisher via Netgalley. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. All reviews three stars or under will not appear in my main social media. Thank you.
I was provided a copy of this title by the author and publisher via Netgalley. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. All reviews three stars or under will not appear in my main social media. Thank you.
August 25, 2025
Loads of fun, ate it right up.
September 22, 2025
The nitty-gritty: A powerful family grapples with tradition, loyalty and a powerful demon in Alma Katsu's latest, a horror story heavy on family drama and light on the supernatural elements.
Demons seem to be having their day lately, and Fiend is yet another take on the subgenre. Alma Katsu veers away from historical fiction to tell a contemporary story of an uber rich family in the import-export business who seems to have uncanny luck when it comes to their business dealings. The patriarch of the family, Zef Berisha, calls that luck “the protector,” an entity who grants wishes and makes sure the Berishas will continue to thrive, no matter the cost or body count. It’s a great idea, but for me, the execution was lacking, and as in other demon-centric stories I’ve read lately, I wanted more of the demon and less of the family drama. Still, Alma is an excellent writer, and her dialog is on point. And as unlikable as her characters are, their interactions felt believable and added a liveliness to the story. Still, this isn’t my favorite of the author’s books.
The Berisha family has been at the top of their game for centuries, and Zef Berisha isn’t about to give up his success. His three children, though, aren’t exactly the best choices to take the reins of the business when he’s gone. Dardan, the eldest and only son, is soft hearted and doesn’t have the ruthless edge needed to succeed. Maris is the middle child and the most driven, but unfortunately she’s a woman. Nora is the youngest and is more concerned with her image and having fun than getting involved in the family business.
But things are starting to fracture. Zef is making unreasonable demands, especially on Maris, who wants nothing more than to take over as “head of the clan” someday. And when people close to the family start to die in suspicious ways, Zef is faced with some big decisions. Who is going to be strong enough to shoulder the responsibility of controlling the protector and ensuring the family’s success?
The story is told in two timelines, although most of it takes place in the present. Katsu dips into the past to show what it was like growing up in the Berisha family, and we see key scenes through the eyes of all three siblings. Maris has an encounter with the demon at a young age but doesn’t understand it. Even as an adult, she doesn’t know everything about how the family operates, so there’s an air of mystery surrounding the demon that might frustrate some readers. I found the descriptions of smoke appearing over Zef’s head or a tingling sensation whenever the protector was “activated” too vague to satisfy my cravings for a good demon possession story, unfortunately, and I didn’t completely understand the mechanics of how the entity was used by the family.
Of all the characters, Maris was the most interesting, and I really sympathized with the way her family treated her. I didn’t care for the fact that her looks are brought up over and over. She’s referred to as the “ugly” daughter (Maris has inherited her father’s thick eyebrows and masculine features, while Nora is the “pretty” one), as if the head of a successful business has to be either male or a gorgeous woman. The family is Albanian, so I suspect these are cultural beliefs and opinions about what a woman should do and look like, but it was still unsettling to read about.
There are some suspenseful moments and a couple of good mysteries surrounding some of the deaths connected to the family, but the plot itself was tough to pin down. Is the demon itself the mystery of the story? Or is it the big reveal of who will succeed Zef? Neither of these threads are resolved in a satisfactory way, and on top of that, Katsu throws in a twist at the very end (and I do mean the very end) that sort of came out of left field and left me scratching my head.
I know this review has been mostly complaints, but I did enjoy my time spent reading Fiend, even if all my questions weren’t answered. Perhaps a meatier page count could have expanded on some elements that just didn’t work for me, but lots of readers are giving Fiend high praise, so do check it out if you’re a fan of the author.
Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.
Demons seem to be having their day lately, and Fiend is yet another take on the subgenre. Alma Katsu veers away from historical fiction to tell a contemporary story of an uber rich family in the import-export business who seems to have uncanny luck when it comes to their business dealings. The patriarch of the family, Zef Berisha, calls that luck “the protector,” an entity who grants wishes and makes sure the Berishas will continue to thrive, no matter the cost or body count. It’s a great idea, but for me, the execution was lacking, and as in other demon-centric stories I’ve read lately, I wanted more of the demon and less of the family drama. Still, Alma is an excellent writer, and her dialog is on point. And as unlikable as her characters are, their interactions felt believable and added a liveliness to the story. Still, this isn’t my favorite of the author’s books.
The Berisha family has been at the top of their game for centuries, and Zef Berisha isn’t about to give up his success. His three children, though, aren’t exactly the best choices to take the reins of the business when he’s gone. Dardan, the eldest and only son, is soft hearted and doesn’t have the ruthless edge needed to succeed. Maris is the middle child and the most driven, but unfortunately she’s a woman. Nora is the youngest and is more concerned with her image and having fun than getting involved in the family business.
But things are starting to fracture. Zef is making unreasonable demands, especially on Maris, who wants nothing more than to take over as “head of the clan” someday. And when people close to the family start to die in suspicious ways, Zef is faced with some big decisions. Who is going to be strong enough to shoulder the responsibility of controlling the protector and ensuring the family’s success?
The story is told in two timelines, although most of it takes place in the present. Katsu dips into the past to show what it was like growing up in the Berisha family, and we see key scenes through the eyes of all three siblings. Maris has an encounter with the demon at a young age but doesn’t understand it. Even as an adult, she doesn’t know everything about how the family operates, so there’s an air of mystery surrounding the demon that might frustrate some readers. I found the descriptions of smoke appearing over Zef’s head or a tingling sensation whenever the protector was “activated” too vague to satisfy my cravings for a good demon possession story, unfortunately, and I didn’t completely understand the mechanics of how the entity was used by the family.
Of all the characters, Maris was the most interesting, and I really sympathized with the way her family treated her. I didn’t care for the fact that her looks are brought up over and over. She’s referred to as the “ugly” daughter (Maris has inherited her father’s thick eyebrows and masculine features, while Nora is the “pretty” one), as if the head of a successful business has to be either male or a gorgeous woman. The family is Albanian, so I suspect these are cultural beliefs and opinions about what a woman should do and look like, but it was still unsettling to read about.
There are some suspenseful moments and a couple of good mysteries surrounding some of the deaths connected to the family, but the plot itself was tough to pin down. Is the demon itself the mystery of the story? Or is it the big reveal of who will succeed Zef? Neither of these threads are resolved in a satisfactory way, and on top of that, Katsu throws in a twist at the very end (and I do mean the very end) that sort of came out of left field and left me scratching my head.
I know this review has been mostly complaints, but I did enjoy my time spent reading Fiend, even if all my questions weren’t answered. Perhaps a meatier page count could have expanded on some elements that just didn’t work for me, but lots of readers are giving Fiend high praise, so do check it out if you’re a fan of the author.
Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.
May 30, 2025
Review in the June 2025 Issue of Library Journal
Three Words That Describe This Book: Ancient Evil, Multiple Points of View, Thriller-Horror Hybrid
Draft Review:
The uber wealthy Berisha family has ruled the import-export industry for a thousand years. Over that millennium, any time someone tried to cross them, death and destruction came decisively and swiftly. Readers encounter the Berisha family in 21st century NYC through the eyes of current patriarch, Zef’s, three children: Dardan, eldest and only son, a reluctant heir; Maris, middle child who wants nothing more than to usurp Dardan; and Nora, youngest, who wants the family and use their power to put good into the world. Alternating between the three, in timelines set “Now” and during their childhood, “Then,” readers are able to get a full picture of each sibling while also watching them come to terms with the demon that both controls and blesses their family. All the more horrific for its realism, Katsu’s first contemporary Horror novel is oozing with dread as it accurately captures the evil required to obtain and retain exorbitant wealth at a moment in history when billionaires are destroying the world with their greed. The idea of an assist from an ancient demon feels chillingly possible.
Verdict: Critically acclaimed for both her Horror and Thriller novels Katsu presents a fast-paced story that will unite all of her readers. Fans hungry for readalikes to the TV show Succession will be lining up for this one, but it also pairs well with the terrifying satire of Sarah Langan’s A Better World as well.
This is a book about the Horror of greed and uber wealth, but it is also a terrifying tale of an ancient evil and the family that it is attached to.
Everyone in the world knows the uber rich Berishas family is blessed by the gods and only an idiot will cross them. Those who do-- terrible things happen to them. Every. Single. Time
3 siblings-- the next generation in the Berisha family. Their family-- Albanian-- has done import-exports better than anyone for 1,000 years. They are the wealthiest of the wealthy people in the world. They are also horrible. The have connections with factories where workers are abused and killed, they are ruthless.
The story is told through the perspective of the 3 sibilings-- all in their 20s. Dardan is the eldest and only son. He is being groomed to take over. He knows how heavy the burden is because he is being told the truth from his father to get him ready, but he doesn't want to do it. He knows he has to but still. Maris the middle child who wants desperately to be in charge. She will do anything for it. And Nora, the baby, the one who wants to change the legacy of the family and use their power to put good into the world.
Zef is the dad. He holds the power, his anger needs to be controlled or the family is at danger. He lives apart from them to protect them and his wife-- visiting every Sunday. He is like the head of a mafia family as well. Their connection to Albania and their very large family is important.
The now story line as everything is falling apart is juxtaposed by "then" when the kids were each smaller and a time when they started to understand what was really going on with their family but didn't fully understand.
All of the revelations from "then" are slowly revealed throughout the "now" storyline. Everything unfolds in a thriller type pacing and structure which works perfectly. We know there is a supernatural force of some kind early on, but the full power, fury, and history of it-- that is slowly unveiled at just the right speed.
This book is more terrifying because it feels so real at this moment in history where Billionaires with evil agendas are running our country and destroying it with their greed. Adding the power of an ancient evil doesn't seem that far fetched right now. Actually, it would be better than our current timeline. And that is saying a lot because this book is oozing with dread and horror from every page.
Fast read, but still plenty of character and world building. The three siblings are very distinct and the back story to the ancient evil and its powers is original and compelling.
Easy connections for all of your patrons who love Succession but also the dark fantasy, mafia drama of Fonda Lee's The Green Bone Saga which has more of the historical aspects, but probably the best readalike is-- A Better World by Sarah Langan-- From NoveList--An outside-the-box satirical thriller follows a family's odyssey into an exclusive enclave for the wealthy that might not be as ideal as it seems. Horror-Thriller-Satire excellence.
Three Words That Describe This Book: Ancient Evil, Multiple Points of View, Thriller-Horror Hybrid
Draft Review:
The uber wealthy Berisha family has ruled the import-export industry for a thousand years. Over that millennium, any time someone tried to cross them, death and destruction came decisively and swiftly. Readers encounter the Berisha family in 21st century NYC through the eyes of current patriarch, Zef’s, three children: Dardan, eldest and only son, a reluctant heir; Maris, middle child who wants nothing more than to usurp Dardan; and Nora, youngest, who wants the family and use their power to put good into the world. Alternating between the three, in timelines set “Now” and during their childhood, “Then,” readers are able to get a full picture of each sibling while also watching them come to terms with the demon that both controls and blesses their family. All the more horrific for its realism, Katsu’s first contemporary Horror novel is oozing with dread as it accurately captures the evil required to obtain and retain exorbitant wealth at a moment in history when billionaires are destroying the world with their greed. The idea of an assist from an ancient demon feels chillingly possible.
Verdict: Critically acclaimed for both her Horror and Thriller novels Katsu presents a fast-paced story that will unite all of her readers. Fans hungry for readalikes to the TV show Succession will be lining up for this one, but it also pairs well with the terrifying satire of Sarah Langan’s A Better World as well.
This is a book about the Horror of greed and uber wealth, but it is also a terrifying tale of an ancient evil and the family that it is attached to.
Everyone in the world knows the uber rich Berishas family is blessed by the gods and only an idiot will cross them. Those who do-- terrible things happen to them. Every. Single. Time
3 siblings-- the next generation in the Berisha family. Their family-- Albanian-- has done import-exports better than anyone for 1,000 years. They are the wealthiest of the wealthy people in the world. They are also horrible. The have connections with factories where workers are abused and killed, they are ruthless.
The story is told through the perspective of the 3 sibilings-- all in their 20s. Dardan is the eldest and only son. He is being groomed to take over. He knows how heavy the burden is because he is being told the truth from his father to get him ready, but he doesn't want to do it. He knows he has to but still. Maris the middle child who wants desperately to be in charge. She will do anything for it. And Nora, the baby, the one who wants to change the legacy of the family and use their power to put good into the world.
Zef is the dad. He holds the power, his anger needs to be controlled or the family is at danger. He lives apart from them to protect them and his wife-- visiting every Sunday. He is like the head of a mafia family as well. Their connection to Albania and their very large family is important.
The now story line as everything is falling apart is juxtaposed by "then" when the kids were each smaller and a time when they started to understand what was really going on with their family but didn't fully understand.
All of the revelations from "then" are slowly revealed throughout the "now" storyline. Everything unfolds in a thriller type pacing and structure which works perfectly. We know there is a supernatural force of some kind early on, but the full power, fury, and history of it-- that is slowly unveiled at just the right speed.
This book is more terrifying because it feels so real at this moment in history where Billionaires with evil agendas are running our country and destroying it with their greed. Adding the power of an ancient evil doesn't seem that far fetched right now. Actually, it would be better than our current timeline. And that is saying a lot because this book is oozing with dread and horror from every page.
Fast read, but still plenty of character and world building. The three siblings are very distinct and the back story to the ancient evil and its powers is original and compelling.
Easy connections for all of your patrons who love Succession but also the dark fantasy, mafia drama of Fonda Lee's The Green Bone Saga which has more of the historical aspects, but probably the best readalike is-- A Better World by Sarah Langan-- From NoveList--An outside-the-box satirical thriller follows a family's odyssey into an exclusive enclave for the wealthy that might not be as ideal as it seems. Horror-Thriller-Satire excellence.
September 1, 2025
4.25 / 5 stars
'Fiend' is a very different type of story than those written by Alma Katsu in the past.
If you enjoyed Mike Flanagan's The Fall of the House of Usher or David Bruckner's The Night House, you'll probably enjoy this book.
Does it feel super original? Not to me.
Did that ruin my reading experience?
Not at all.
Recommend. ✌🏻
'Fiend' is a very different type of story than those written by Alma Katsu in the past.
If you enjoyed Mike Flanagan's The Fall of the House of Usher or David Bruckner's The Night House, you'll probably enjoy this book.
Does it feel super original? Not to me.
Did that ruin my reading experience?
Not at all.
Recommend. ✌🏻
September 13, 2025
Fiend by Alma Katsu. Thanks to @putnambooks for the gifted copy ⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Berishas run a successful company and have always had luck on their side. When their “luck” stops, the family begins to splinter.
I was expecting this to be more of a horror story than it was. It was more about the family and business. They were all pretty awful people, which made the story appealing for me personally. I like reading about bad people. The concept behind it was great.. just wish it spooked me a bit more.
“Hundreds of years of vengeance - deaths, natural disasters - have borne witness and the Berishas are blessed by fate, protected by the gods. It’s why people have feared them for generations. For eons. and only an idiot crossed them.”
Fiend comes out 9/16.
The Berishas run a successful company and have always had luck on their side. When their “luck” stops, the family begins to splinter.
I was expecting this to be more of a horror story than it was. It was more about the family and business. They were all pretty awful people, which made the story appealing for me personally. I like reading about bad people. The concept behind it was great.. just wish it spooked me a bit more.
“Hundreds of years of vengeance - deaths, natural disasters - have borne witness and the Berishas are blessed by fate, protected by the gods. It’s why people have feared them for generations. For eons. and only an idiot crossed them.”
Fiend comes out 9/16.
September 15, 2025
Book Review 📖🍂
thank you so much partner @putnambooks for the gifted copy!
Fiend
by Alma Katsu
About the book 👇🏽
The Berisha family runs one of the largest import-export companies in the world, and they’ve always been lucky. Their rivals suffer strokes. Inconvenient buildings catch on fire. Earthquakes swallow up manufacturing plants, destroying harmful evidence. Things always seem to work out for the Berishas. They’re blessed.
At least that is what Zef, the patriarch, has always told his three children. And each of them knows their place in the family—Dardan, as the only male heir, must prepare to take over as keeper of the Berisha secrets, Maris’s most powerful contribution, much to her dismay, will be to marry strategically, and Nora’s job, as the youngest, is to just stay out of the way. But when things stop going as planned, and the family blessing starts looking more like a curse, the Berishas begin to splinter, each hatching their own secret scheme. They didn’t get to be one of the richest families in the world without spilling a little blood, but this time, it might be their own.
🍂 My thoughts:
This is the first book I’ve read by Alma Katsu, with many on my TBR, and it will not be my last! This isn’t exactly a fast paced* read but It is a fast read that can be binged in one sitting at 239 pages. I really enjoyed the build up and the way the story unfolded, especially after going into this book blind. You won’t love any of the characters but in a book with rich people with absolutely no moral compass, it’s not all that surprising. The Protector was a unique concept to me and one I didn’t see coming! More than just an evil entity… It’s haunting and sinister in a way that’ll keep you flipping pages until you get the answers you’re looking for. If you enjoy reading books with horrible rich people, curses, and an ominous presence, you definitely need to give this one a read! Fiend is out tomorrow 9/16/25!
Happy reading 📖🍂
thank you so much partner @putnambooks for the gifted copy!
Fiend
by Alma Katsu
About the book 👇🏽
The Berisha family runs one of the largest import-export companies in the world, and they’ve always been lucky. Their rivals suffer strokes. Inconvenient buildings catch on fire. Earthquakes swallow up manufacturing plants, destroying harmful evidence. Things always seem to work out for the Berishas. They’re blessed.
At least that is what Zef, the patriarch, has always told his three children. And each of them knows their place in the family—Dardan, as the only male heir, must prepare to take over as keeper of the Berisha secrets, Maris’s most powerful contribution, much to her dismay, will be to marry strategically, and Nora’s job, as the youngest, is to just stay out of the way. But when things stop going as planned, and the family blessing starts looking more like a curse, the Berishas begin to splinter, each hatching their own secret scheme. They didn’t get to be one of the richest families in the world without spilling a little blood, but this time, it might be their own.
🍂 My thoughts:
This is the first book I’ve read by Alma Katsu, with many on my TBR, and it will not be my last! This isn’t exactly a fast paced* read but It is a fast read that can be binged in one sitting at 239 pages. I really enjoyed the build up and the way the story unfolded, especially after going into this book blind. You won’t love any of the characters but in a book with rich people with absolutely no moral compass, it’s not all that surprising. The Protector was a unique concept to me and one I didn’t see coming! More than just an evil entity… It’s haunting and sinister in a way that’ll keep you flipping pages until you get the answers you’re looking for. If you enjoy reading books with horrible rich people, curses, and an ominous presence, you definitely need to give this one a read! Fiend is out tomorrow 9/16/25!
Happy reading 📖🍂
August 26, 2025
*Disclaimer:* A digital ARC of this book was provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Fiend is the story of the Berisha family, and the series of internal and external tragedies that find them and threaten the family in rapid succession. We closely follow middle child Maris as she tries to find a way to maneuver herself to the top of the pecking order. And also there's a demon, tied to the family, which has paved the way to their success for generations.
It is pretty sad when the epigraph is the best part of a book. I saw the three quotes preceding the novel and I was like, "Yes! Game on!" And then the book fell flat on the first page and continued to be flat, bland and hollow. At first, I thought perhaps Katsu's style doesn't work for me, but I wanted to give the book a fair shake and get to 20-30%. And though the writing persisted in being oddly bland and devoid of almost any depth of feeling, I did want to know if the telling of the story improved or if the plot ever materialized (it does, between the 50-70% mark).
I found this to be a very dull plot that moved in a strange, jump-cut sort of way. A character would be texting someone at the office, and then a sentence later (with no transition), they are in a bar together. A character would say/think something and then 2-3 pages later completely contradict themselves. Character arcs/timelines were not consistent. Any scheming was quickly concocted and resolved, as well as any sources of tension. Anything that arose as an impediment or threat would resolve in a page or two, or in just a few brief sentences. Feelings were told, not shown. There was no atmosphere and the setting was a cardboard cut-out; I didn't even know what season we were in until past the 90% mark. The writing at every turn felt lackluster and shallow.
Sadly, for an alleged horror novel, this had no jump scares, no chills, no tension. Nothing really happened of note. I guessed all the deaths and twists, and I felt nothing about these characters at all. There is just something missing from Fiend for me. There was nothing to sink my teeth into. Honestly, if the book hadn't been so short, I would have DNF'd it.
And as a final note, I think the blurb tagline "Imagine if the Sackler family had a demon at their beck and call" should not mention the demon. As the reader, you then go into the book knowing there's a demon, but then it's not confirmed until way too late in the book, so all the "oh is this real? no it couldn't be" waffling that the characters do feels silly because we already know that it's real because of that promo line.
Note: I would typically use a copius # of examples in a review like this to illustrate my points, however the ARC I read is a proof copy not a final edition so there may be changes to the text. Also because an ARC is an ePub, not a kindle file, the notes/highlights are handled differently on kindle and trying to review them is a nightmare so I am not even going to bother, sorry!
Fiend is the story of the Berisha family, and the series of internal and external tragedies that find them and threaten the family in rapid succession. We closely follow middle child Maris as she tries to find a way to maneuver herself to the top of the pecking order. And also there's a demon, tied to the family, which has paved the way to their success for generations.
It is pretty sad when the epigraph is the best part of a book. I saw the three quotes preceding the novel and I was like, "Yes! Game on!" And then the book fell flat on the first page and continued to be flat, bland and hollow. At first, I thought perhaps Katsu's style doesn't work for me, but I wanted to give the book a fair shake and get to 20-30%. And though the writing persisted in being oddly bland and devoid of almost any depth of feeling, I did want to know if the telling of the story improved or if the plot ever materialized (it does, between the 50-70% mark).
I found this to be a very dull plot that moved in a strange, jump-cut sort of way. A character would be texting someone at the office, and then a sentence later (with no transition), they are in a bar together. A character would say/think something and then 2-3 pages later completely contradict themselves. Character arcs/timelines were not consistent. Any scheming was quickly concocted and resolved, as well as any sources of tension. Anything that arose as an impediment or threat would resolve in a page or two, or in just a few brief sentences. Feelings were told, not shown. There was no atmosphere and the setting was a cardboard cut-out; I didn't even know what season we were in until past the 90% mark. The writing at every turn felt lackluster and shallow.
Sadly, for an alleged horror novel, this had no jump scares, no chills, no tension. Nothing really happened of note. I guessed all the deaths and twists, and I felt nothing about these characters at all. There is just something missing from Fiend for me. There was nothing to sink my teeth into. Honestly, if the book hadn't been so short, I would have DNF'd it.
And as a final note, I think the blurb tagline "Imagine if the Sackler family had a demon at their beck and call" should not mention the demon. As the reader, you then go into the book knowing there's a demon, but then it's not confirmed until way too late in the book, so all the "oh is this real? no it couldn't be" waffling that the characters do feels silly because we already know that it's real because of that promo line.
Note: I would typically use a copius # of examples in a review like this to illustrate my points, however the ARC I read is a proof copy not a final edition so there may be changes to the text. Also because an ARC is an ePub, not a kindle file, the notes/highlights are handled differently on kindle and trying to review them is a nightmare so I am not even going to bother, sorry!
September 22, 2025
Another reviewer said it perfectly:
"...It is pretty sad when the epigraph is the best part of a book."
This was a major waste of my reading time.
December 15, 2025
I found this story so mesmerizing that I finished reading in less than two days. Any time I had a spare moment, I would read a chapter or more. FIEND is fascinating, disturbing, and very topical (just substitute your least favored family in high power in the real world).
While the hit HBO series SUCESSION detailed the power struggle within the wealthy and dysfunctional family running a media empire, FIEND takes it one step further. Author Grady Hendrix's blurb on the cover says it best: "If you liked SUCESSION but think it would have been a lot more fun with a thousand-year old demon, then FIEND has got you covered."
I've heard enough about author Alma Katsu to have bookmarked several of her novels as ones to investigate further. It's funny that based on her reputation for historical fiction with a horror element that the first book I choose to read by her takes place in modern times. This was a complete impulse read that I snatched off the library shelves (but not snatch for real - I checked it out with my library card).
The Berisha family at the center of this story is absolutely fascinating, wealthy from their import-export business, privileged and entitled, and very dysfunctional. Their business practices are always under scrutiny but they seem to be "blessed" and always manage to avoid paying for the consequences. In short, they are all mean people.
But there's a price to pay for their prominent position and other Albanian immigrants say they have been cursed due to a long-ago tragedy that they were responsible for. The family patriarch, Zef, will eventually pass on the mantle to one of his three children - - and they all have their own ideas about the future direction of the company and what their role might be.
Darden is the only male heir, destined to take over but weak and unsure of himself. Maris is the middle daughter, smartest of the group, but never given enough credit because of her gender. Nora, the youngest, is the most rebellious and careless - - too busy taking drugs, alcohol and partying. But that doesn't mean none of them aren't scheming.
It's not easy to like any of these characters, but Katsu does an admirable job of conveying their point of view. Darden was the easiest to empathize with, but I would not want to be his friend. Maris seemed to be the most deserving of the three to become the new leader, but I didn't want her to get there because of the underlying threat.
That threat is a supernatural one, and enough of a ruthless presence that father Zef would live in a separate residence, and aside from business meetings would only see his family members for a group dinner on Sundays.
Katsu foreshadows the demonic presence in early chapters and through flashback scenes. The horrific scenes/incidents are detailed after-the-fact so there is no in-your-face action passages. This serves to build a sense of dread that only grows larger as the book progresses. By revealing less specific details of the demon other than some superficial elements - our imaginations take over and the danger becomes even more horrific and powerful.
While the hit HBO series SUCESSION detailed the power struggle within the wealthy and dysfunctional family running a media empire, FIEND takes it one step further. Author Grady Hendrix's blurb on the cover says it best: "If you liked SUCESSION but think it would have been a lot more fun with a thousand-year old demon, then FIEND has got you covered."
I've heard enough about author Alma Katsu to have bookmarked several of her novels as ones to investigate further. It's funny that based on her reputation for historical fiction with a horror element that the first book I choose to read by her takes place in modern times. This was a complete impulse read that I snatched off the library shelves (but not snatch for real - I checked it out with my library card).
The Berisha family at the center of this story is absolutely fascinating, wealthy from their import-export business, privileged and entitled, and very dysfunctional. Their business practices are always under scrutiny but they seem to be "blessed" and always manage to avoid paying for the consequences. In short, they are all mean people.
But there's a price to pay for their prominent position and other Albanian immigrants say they have been cursed due to a long-ago tragedy that they were responsible for. The family patriarch, Zef, will eventually pass on the mantle to one of his three children - - and they all have their own ideas about the future direction of the company and what their role might be.
Darden is the only male heir, destined to take over but weak and unsure of himself. Maris is the middle daughter, smartest of the group, but never given enough credit because of her gender. Nora, the youngest, is the most rebellious and careless - - too busy taking drugs, alcohol and partying. But that doesn't mean none of them aren't scheming.
It's not easy to like any of these characters, but Katsu does an admirable job of conveying their point of view. Darden was the easiest to empathize with, but I would not want to be his friend. Maris seemed to be the most deserving of the three to become the new leader, but I didn't want her to get there because of the underlying threat.
That threat is a supernatural one, and enough of a ruthless presence that father Zef would live in a separate residence, and aside from business meetings would only see his family members for a group dinner on Sundays.
Katsu foreshadows the demonic presence in early chapters and through flashback scenes. The horrific scenes/incidents are detailed after-the-fact so there is no in-your-face action passages. This serves to build a sense of dread that only grows larger as the book progresses. By revealing less specific details of the demon other than some superficial elements - our imaginations take over and the danger becomes even more horrific and powerful.
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