Black Cat Bones

by Brian Bowyer

A young girl and her mother escape the mother’s abusive lover to the safety of a remote cabin—where life descends further and unravels around them, as addiction and starvation lead to drastic measures that challenge both their stomachs and their minds.
From Brian Bowyer (author of Old Too Soon, Flesh Rehearsal, Autumn Gothic, and more) comes a twisted novelette that will linger in your mind long after you’ve turned off the light.

Genres: Horror

39 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 9, 2025

Reviews

[Horror Bookworm Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Horror Bookworm Recommendation
Black Cat Bones by Brian Bowyer
https://horrorbookwormreviews.com/

The day after her ninth birthday, Alicia meets a stranger named Darnell Staples. Having a mother that is a junkie with an extremely abusive boyfriend, the little girl chooses to extract herself from her terrible situation. With Mr. Staples’ introduction to dark magic, a way out is stumbled upon with the assistance of Black Cat Bones.

Bowyer cleverly blends hoodoo, mysterious mojo and inter-dimensional portals within the pages of his newest release, Black Cat Bones. Introducing the reader to a malevolent kind of magic, Black Cat Bones is a heavy-handed trip into the realms of good, evil and eternal liberation. Love and grief, violence and bliss, these are the places that Bowyer has created between the intense territories of darkness and light.

Brian Bowyer’s style of writing induces an unforgiving bleakness that consists of a silver lining of strange reality. It’s as though he compels the reader to look within themselves to interpret their own moral ambiguity. All this stems from the profound and poetic talent Bowyer possesses and why you should experience his fearless and unconventional approach to storytelling.

I feel like each and every reader will take away something different from this story. As for me, this is my take away: if you’re feeling lost and whatever you’re going through, just remember you’re not alone. And oh yes, beware the Black Cat Bones! A five star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Horror Bookworm Recommendation.

[Wayne Fenlon · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of those stories where I'm constantly thinking, Christ, what's gonna happen next?
Lol.

A bit of a dark fairytale kind of vibe going on here, but nowhere near as dark as Brian Bowyer often swings. And it could easily have gone that way. Could have gone many ways in fact. And that's the beauty here. It's unpredictable. Tightly written as always, too, with a real thought provoking ending for a change. And you know what? It suited me just fine.

Really great stuff.

Five stars.

[Paige Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a dark yet beautiful story. This can easily be read in one sitting as it’s only 40 pages long.

Alicia lives with her junkie mother and her abusive boyfriend. Eventually the girl and her mother venture off on their own where Alicia is living through Darnell’s voice through her radio. He makes things easier for her, her escape from reality. Alicia may have a troubled life but she makes a friend in the darkest of times who helps her get by.

Brian always sucks me in with his stories. The writing is always easy to get lost in. If you’re looking for a good book that hits hard then give this one a shot.

[Honey Dy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Contrary to what i initially believed, no cats were harmed or killed in the making of this novella. If you must know, Black Cat Bones was used to refer more to the use of dark magic than anything else, and thank God for that.

Our novella starts the day after Alicia's 9th birthday, where she meets Darnell Staples, who lives in her neighbourhood and has quite a questionable reputation. Living with a drug addicted mother and her sexually abusive boyfriend, Alicia decides to hang out with Darnell, using the time as a means to escape her troubled life. From there, the story turns into one of survival and the long-term effects of what drug abuse will do to a person.

At only 39 pages, i don't really want to give too much away, but let me just say, if you want a quick read, with twists and turns to keep you hooked from start to finish, try giving this one a shot.

Brian surely packed a punch with Black Cat Bones, and with short chapters, i dont think you'll be able to get enough of this intense but magical novella.

"ᴛʜᴇ ᴍɪɴᴅs ᴀɴ ᴀᴡғᴜʟʟʏ ʙɪɢ ᴘʟᴀᴄᴇ. ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ's ᴀ ʟᴏᴛ ᴏғ ᴘʟᴀᴄᴇs ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ ᴄᴀɴ ɢᴏ ᴀɴᴅ ʜɪᴅᴇ ɪɴsɪᴅᴇ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴍɪɴᴅs. "

This is my second time reading a story by Brian Bowyer, and it certainly won’t be my last. His writing style is incredibly compelling, drawing me in and leaving a lasting impression that keeps me eager for more.

[Jamie Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

Happy to say this was my first Brian Bowyer book and I truly enjoyed it! It’s a short story and I was able to snag it on Godless!

This is a bit of a sad story, following a little girl who is trying to navigate life with her absent, drug addict mother and her mother’s abusive boyfriend. What I can only describe as a fever dream, the journey that the girl and her mother go on is traumatic and depressing. Luckily there is a little bit of hoodoo magic to help along the way.

I can’t give away anymore since it’s a short story. Brian’s writing is easy to follow and wonderfully descriptive and puts you in his story effortlessly. I will be reading more from him, no doubt.

Hope you check it out! 🐈‍⬛🦴✨

[Danielle Yvonne · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The mind’s an awfully big place. There’s a lot of places people can go and hide inside their minds.”

Bowyer is an auto-buy/top author for me. The man is a master at his craft and can tell a hell of a story no matter the length. It can be 10 pages or 600 pages, and the story is always a five star for me. This one is no different. Brutal. Beautiful. Brilliant. 🤌🏼

Highest of recommendations. Grab it now on Godless.

[Michael Shotter · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Black Cat Bones" is a quick and captivating read, blending Bowyer's trademark penchant for fast-paced, unsettling, and unorthodox storytelling with elements of surrealism amid brief flourishes of social commentary and philosophical pondering. For me, this felt like more of an experience, or a catalyst intended to incite contemplation, than a tale meant to begin and end with the nuts and bolts of its plot and structure, so those craving a more traditional narrative may enjoy it less, but I definitely appreciated its unique vibe and found everything satisfyingly trippy and thought-provoking. Nicely done!

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

loved this as a quick read and would definitely classify this is as a dark, modern fairy tale. inspiring to read about alicia overcoming a tragic and perilous family and venture into mysticism.

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another Bowyer hit. Raw, dark, and brutal.

[Nat Whiston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brian sure knows how to go dark and into the deepest and most depraved side of humanity. Seems to be a gift and a curse, as we follow nine year old Alicia, who has seen and endured more things than any child should.
We follow her meeting with her new friend Darnell, as she goes hunting for pets. In this case insects and bugs, bonding with her new friend over her trauma. I was hesitant but hopeful that Brian was going to show a good kind side to human nature. But then poof! Gone. Literally, and Alicia is dragged back into her nightmare of a life with her junkie mother and abusive boyfriend.
Which is kinda no surprise to the reader, as what follows is like a child's fever dream. Which involves death, running away and a fight for survival, while also highlighting the horrifying reality of addiction. To see it through the eyes of a child just makes it that much worse. The only thing that seems to be holding this little girl's mind set together, is a voice on the radio. This was a very bizarre tale from the archives of Brian Bowyer that raised a lot of questions for me. An intense story that makes you question whether it's based in reality or a child coping with overwhelming horrors.

[Elle Stockton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has it all—magic, a surprise twist that blew my mind, great characters, plus Bowyer’s footprints—drugs, gore, and justice for the rapist of a nine-year-old girl. I couldn’t read the book on Kindle fast enough.

Honestly, “Black Cat Bones” is pure fun to read. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Highly recommend.

[Brooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bowyer weaves a whimsical masterpiece in just 39 pages. His characters are rich and memorable long after turning the last page.

The imagery of the radio host and his dialogue displayed like a movie in my mind.

Heavy themes are dealt with masterfully. Black Cat Bones will stick with you 🐈‍⬛ 🦴

[Misfit Biscuit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this short story. Absolutely amazing story telling and really left you with questions.

[Sarah Budd · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The mind is an awfully big place. There's a lot of places people can go and hide inside their minds."

This is my first ever Brian Bowyer experience and I am so excited to have discovered his work! Black Cat Bones immediately drew me in. At first it feels like a modern day fairy tale until things got very dark.
The tale starts with a lonely nine year old girl, Alicia making friends with Darnell an homeless man full of intrigue.
What I really enjoyed about Black Cat Bones was how unpredictable it was. I haven't read anything like this and am really intrigued to read more by Brian Bowyer. In this tale he has drawn upon many elements such as dark magic, crime, thriller, horror and a dash of cosmic horror all harmonising together perfectly. I gobbled this book up in one read and can't wait to read more!

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young girl, abused by her step father. A heroin addicted mother, a homeless preacher like guy... here we find some of the most depressing characters ever. Does the young girl survive at the end? What is meant by the term black cat bones? What does the high as a kite mother offer her daughter to survive the lack of food. Gosh, what a fucked up story. Definitely no read for the depressed or down hearted. No other author like Brian can write that authentic about the fringes of society. Really recommended!

[Mort · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bowyer's writing style is unique and his voice holds power, as he manages to get maximum impact with very few words.