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The Midnight Muse
Not yet published
Expected 10 Mar 26When a metal band’s lead singer vanishes in the woods, the mushrooms in the forest might know more than they’re letting on in this mycelium-metal horror novel from Shirley Jackson Award-nominated author Jo Kaplan.
The dead collect in low places. That’s what Brynn Werner, lead singer of metal band Queen Carrion, wrote in her notebook before she vanished while staying at a cabin in Oregon’s Umpqua National Forest.
A year later, on the anniversary of her disappearance, the rest of her bandmates visit the cabin to remember her and find a way to move on. But tensions arise over who should be their new singer and who is responsible for Brynn’s disappearance—tensions that boil over as they realize not all is as it seems at Trail Creek Cabin.
Strange entries in the guestbook write about visions of a pale form that moves through the trees, figures wearing gas masks lurk in the distance, and there’s a strange fungus growing from the wall of a tunnel in the cabin’s basement. Then they hear Brynn’s voice echo impossibly through the forest—and the pale form that emerges from the trees is her perfect likeness. Is it her ghost…or something else?
Brynn knew there was a secret in these woods. It’s why she chased her muse here to finish her masterpiece. The Midnight Muse is an alluring and grotesque dissection of self and fungus. Kaplan delivers an ominous spiral of psychological torment as the members of Queen Carrion slip into a more natural skin.
The dead collect in low places. That’s what Brynn Werner, lead singer of metal band Queen Carrion, wrote in her notebook before she vanished while staying at a cabin in Oregon’s Umpqua National Forest.
A year later, on the anniversary of her disappearance, the rest of her bandmates visit the cabin to remember her and find a way to move on. But tensions arise over who should be their new singer and who is responsible for Brynn’s disappearance—tensions that boil over as they realize not all is as it seems at Trail Creek Cabin.
Strange entries in the guestbook write about visions of a pale form that moves through the trees, figures wearing gas masks lurk in the distance, and there’s a strange fungus growing from the wall of a tunnel in the cabin’s basement. Then they hear Brynn’s voice echo impossibly through the forest—and the pale form that emerges from the trees is her perfect likeness. Is it her ghost…or something else?
Brynn knew there was a secret in these woods. It’s why she chased her muse here to finish her masterpiece. The Midnight Muse is an alluring and grotesque dissection of self and fungus. Kaplan delivers an ominous spiral of psychological torment as the members of Queen Carrion slip into a more natural skin.
350 pages, Paperback
Expected publication March 10, 2026
10 people are currently reading
677 people want to read
About the author
Jo Kaplan
25 books166 followersJo Kaplan is the Shirley Jackson Award nominated author of It Will Just Be Us and When the Night Bells Ring. Her short stories have appeared in Fireside Quarterly, Black Static, Nightmare Magazine, Vastarien, Horror Library, Nightscript, and Bram Stoker award winning anthologies. She has also published work as Joanna Parypinski. In addition to writing, she teaches English and creative writing at Glendale Community College and plays cello in the band Guerra/paz. You can find her on social media @joannapary.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
June 27, 2025
Instantly gripping, creepy and atmospheric! The Midnight Muse begins with Brynn, the lead singer from Queen Carrion, a heavy metal band, goes to a cabin in the middle of nowhere to get in touch with her muse and do some song writing. The band recently experienced some bad press (this is putting it lightly) after a tragedy at one of their concerts. She hopes to write some killer new songs. She was never seen again.
A year after Brynn went missing, the remaining band members of Queen Carrion, go to the same cabin in the woods. Things become creepy and eerie right off the bat. They find a book where other guests of the cabin mention having strange experiences but strange does not even begin to describe what the group experiences.
Often it is the things that go 'bump' in the night that people need to fear. In The Midnight Muse, it is other things that the group members need to fear. Things are about to get dicey as they become infected, being to change and die. This book brought so many different horror films to mind such as the blob, the thing, the cabin in the woods, the ruins, etc.
This book started off strong - very strong. I was completed invested in the story and on the edge of my seat. I could not get enough of the mystery of what happened to Brynn. Then as bizarre and strange things began to happen, I thought 'YES!' it's about to get REAL fast.
But then, it sorts of fell off a cliff for me. I was loving it until I wasn't. I literally went from; this book is amazing to "what the h*ll?" Sigh, it just lost me. I so thought this was going to be a huge hit with me, but around the 60% mark, I was not enjoying the book as much as I had been in the beginning.
I did love the creepy and eerie vibe of this book. I also enjoyed the atmosphere and the cabin in the books. I enjoyed the aspect of the band coming together to say goodbye and figure out where to go from there. What didn't work was some of the reactions of the characters. I would be beyond freaked out of my mind and some of their reactions are rather ambivalent. I found that I was loving the book when I wasn't quite so sure what was going on, but things were freaky weird. When I knew more of what was happening and what would happen, that is when my interest waned.
Others enjoyed this book more than I did so please read their reviews as well.
Thank you to Clash books and Edelweiss 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 📖
A year after Brynn went missing, the remaining band members of Queen Carrion, go to the same cabin in the woods. Things become creepy and eerie right off the bat. They find a book where other guests of the cabin mention having strange experiences but strange does not even begin to describe what the group experiences.
Often it is the things that go 'bump' in the night that people need to fear. In The Midnight Muse, it is other things that the group members need to fear. Things are about to get dicey as they become infected, being to change and die. This book brought so many different horror films to mind such as the blob, the thing, the cabin in the woods, the ruins, etc.
This book started off strong - very strong. I was completed invested in the story and on the edge of my seat. I could not get enough of the mystery of what happened to Brynn. Then as bizarre and strange things began to happen, I thought 'YES!' it's about to get REAL fast.
But then, it sorts of fell off a cliff for me. I was loving it until I wasn't. I literally went from; this book is amazing to "what the h*ll?" Sigh, it just lost me. I so thought this was going to be a huge hit with me, but around the 60% mark, I was not enjoying the book as much as I had been in the beginning.
I did love the creepy and eerie vibe of this book. I also enjoyed the atmosphere and the cabin in the books. I enjoyed the aspect of the band coming together to say goodbye and figure out where to go from there. What didn't work was some of the reactions of the characters. I would be beyond freaked out of my mind and some of their reactions are rather ambivalent. I found that I was loving the book when I wasn't quite so sure what was going on, but things were freaky weird. When I knew more of what was happening and what would happen, that is when my interest waned.
Others enjoyed this book more than I did so please read their reviews as well.
Thank you to Clash books and Edelweiss 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 📖
July 13, 2025
thanks netgalley for the arc:)
I absolutely loved this one, the storyline was exciting and mysterious from the first page to the last. Especially in the beginning, the eerie atmosphere was written phenomenally, I really felt uneasy while reading, it was fantastic. The structure of the book with all the flashbacks, foreshadowings, excerpts of notebooks/blogs/letters and so on, additionally added to that, it was done brilliantly. As a huge metal fan myself I obviously loved all the music aspects as well, but I'm sure this book can also be a great read for non-metalheads. All in all huge recommendation for everyone who likes nature horror and body horror.
I absolutely loved this one, the storyline was exciting and mysterious from the first page to the last. Especially in the beginning, the eerie atmosphere was written phenomenally, I really felt uneasy while reading, it was fantastic. The structure of the book with all the flashbacks, foreshadowings, excerpts of notebooks/blogs/letters and so on, additionally added to that, it was done brilliantly. As a huge metal fan myself I obviously loved all the music aspects as well, but I'm sure this book can also be a great read for non-metalheads. All in all huge recommendation for everyone who likes nature horror and body horror.
November 3, 2025
Reading for review in the January 2026 issue of Library Journal.
Three Words That Describe This Book: cursed bands, liberal use of ephemera/foreshadowing and flashbacks, monster in the woods
Also Sporror-- I would have thought this was a spoiler but it is signaled on the cover so I am fine saying it.
Multiple POVs
The PNW Heavy Metal band Queen Carrion was led by the talented Brynn. She always talked about her "muse." After a tragedy at a club in Portland, she went into the Oregon woods-- following her muse to complete the final song for their epic concept album. She never returned.
1 year later the band goes back to the same woods to get closure.
All of this happened before the "present" in the book. The present chapters are labelled "After" and are narrated only by Harlow -- the drummer and Brynn's best friend since childhood. It is clear that things went badly when the band returned to the woods and that most, if not all, of the band didn't return. Harlow is institutionalized.
There is a lot of foreshadowing and then flashbacks, also ephemera. All of it and the "After" chapters, increases the level on unease and makes the horror more present for the reader. There
The resolution of what happened to Brynn is included although, like the entire story, it is linked to a much larger, terrifying natural horror-- fungus associated. But this is a terrifying story of a monster in the woods, a SF sporror, and also there is a lot about the band, their "curse" (which is well explained and resolved within the book). It is cinematic with great characters-- many of whom you know are unreliable (Harlow for example but not only her) and yet all are people we want to follow. We want to learn more about each band member and are given enough to find them sympathetic. This matters as the monster in the woods starts knocking them off.
A few good twists are here as well. A realistic and immersive horror novel. I have read books by Kaplan before and I would read more again.
A terrifying addition to the Sporror subgenre like Girl in the Woods by Wagner, also a great music/cursed bands horror like My Ex, The Antichrist by DiLouie. It will satisfy both readers. Even some nature is going to kill you fans as well, especially those where you keep reading even though you know it is going to end badly like This Wretched Valley by Kiefer.
Three Words That Describe This Book: cursed bands, liberal use of ephemera/foreshadowing and flashbacks, monster in the woods
Also Sporror-- I would have thought this was a spoiler but it is signaled on the cover so I am fine saying it.
Multiple POVs
The PNW Heavy Metal band Queen Carrion was led by the talented Brynn. She always talked about her "muse." After a tragedy at a club in Portland, she went into the Oregon woods-- following her muse to complete the final song for their epic concept album. She never returned.
1 year later the band goes back to the same woods to get closure.
All of this happened before the "present" in the book. The present chapters are labelled "After" and are narrated only by Harlow -- the drummer and Brynn's best friend since childhood. It is clear that things went badly when the band returned to the woods and that most, if not all, of the band didn't return. Harlow is institutionalized.
There is a lot of foreshadowing and then flashbacks, also ephemera. All of it and the "After" chapters, increases the level on unease and makes the horror more present for the reader. There
The resolution of what happened to Brynn is included although, like the entire story, it is linked to a much larger, terrifying natural horror-- fungus associated. But this is a terrifying story of a monster in the woods, a SF sporror, and also there is a lot about the band, their "curse" (which is well explained and resolved within the book). It is cinematic with great characters-- many of whom you know are unreliable (Harlow for example but not only her) and yet all are people we want to follow. We want to learn more about each band member and are given enough to find them sympathetic. This matters as the monster in the woods starts knocking them off.
A few good twists are here as well. A realistic and immersive horror novel. I have read books by Kaplan before and I would read more again.
A terrifying addition to the Sporror subgenre like Girl in the Woods by Wagner, also a great music/cursed bands horror like My Ex, The Antichrist by DiLouie. It will satisfy both readers. Even some nature is going to kill you fans as well, especially those where you keep reading even though you know it is going to end badly like This Wretched Valley by Kiefer.
August 6, 2025
Thank you netgalley for the arc
This was so unsettling!!! The body horror was top notch. When I read the synopsis and saw this was being marketed as a “mycelium-metal horror” I was already sold. As someone who loves mycology this really hit the mark in a lot of ways. While I wasn’t the biggest fan of the ending it’s still really solid and I would definitely recommend to anyone who likes thriller/horror novels and bonus points if you like fungus lol
This was so unsettling!!! The body horror was top notch. When I read the synopsis and saw this was being marketed as a “mycelium-metal horror” I was already sold. As someone who loves mycology this really hit the mark in a lot of ways. While I wasn’t the biggest fan of the ending it’s still really solid and I would definitely recommend to anyone who likes thriller/horror novels and bonus points if you like fungus lol
July 14, 2025
What a cool book! I think this has been the most unsettling book I have read! The Midnight Muse blends body horror, claustrophobia, and government conspiracy, and the occult in such a seamless way! I really had a great time. I love the order in which information is shared with the reader, from the main story to the snips and peeks of third-party info.
My only complaints with this book- I wish the ending was either scarier and more open-ended OR more neatly tied up. It felt a little non-committal.
I wish we dug more into Harlow's experiences in the facility. Was Queen Carrion really following her? Were her visits from "Wendy" and "Lou" actually the Pseudo? There was such a gap in sophistication from when we saw the pseudo as Brynn before Harlow and Thorn are rescued and as how they are presented to Harlow in the facility (IF Wendy and Lou are the Pseudo and not just Harlow's imagination). I think the present/AFTER time period could have been more impactful or spooky.
All in all, I really liked this book and have already recommended it to all my spooky loving friends. Thank you for the chance to read and review!
My only complaints with this book- I wish the ending was either scarier and more open-ended OR more neatly tied up. It felt a little non-committal.
I wish we dug more into Harlow's experiences in the facility. Was Queen Carrion really following her? Were her visits from "Wendy" and "Lou" actually the Pseudo? There was such a gap in sophistication from when we saw the pseudo as Brynn before Harlow and Thorn are rescued and as how they are presented to Harlow in the facility (IF Wendy and Lou are the Pseudo and not just Harlow's imagination). I think the present/AFTER time period could have been more impactful or spooky.
All in all, I really liked this book and have already recommended it to all my spooky loving friends. Thank you for the chance to read and review!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 25, 2025
Simply put, an extraordinary achievement! Flawless writing, superb characterization, incredible plotting twists - not to mention the anxiety-inducing body horror scenes and the terrifying forest setting, full of atmosphere and raw beauty. Strangely, however, the premise felt quite familiar, and this took out a bit of the excitement for me: the book builds essentially on the same idea as Debra Castaneda's "The Spore Queen," which I'm not going to spoil for anyone by mentioning the details of either book. It follows closely the same pattern of people missing in the woods, has the identical story concept (Kaplan even has a "Queen Carrion" to Castaneda's "Spore Queen"), though without the ecological message, the cultish vibes or the eco-horror aspects of the latter. That said, if Castaneda's book is a beautiful sail-powered yacht, Kaplan's novel is a huge cruise ship you can lose yourself in for days, thanks to the strong LOST vibes and the portrayal of musical creation and metal band life in intimate detail.
“The Midnight Muse” excels on so many fronts, it's easy to see it as a major contender for best horror book of 2026: metalheads will love it, fans of trippy mycological horror will adore it, and readers of complex, densely plotted horror fiction will simply go crazy for it! And with good reason: alternating between different timelines (before and after the disaster figuring centrally in the book), including several formats in which the story is told (top secret documents, diary entries, interview transcripts, and so on), the information being given drop by drop without the book turning into a slow-burn thriller/mystery (in fact, the novel starts in one place and ends up in an entirely different spot, going from cabin horror to woods horror to scifi horror, crossing a bunch of surprising horror tropes), "The Midnight Muse" manages to tell a riveting though extremely complicated, occasionally over-the-top, horror story without ever missing a step.
If you're after a horror story that will slowly grow on you (pun intended), one that you'll have to stretch out so it'll last longer, with just the right amount of creepiness, then this is the book for you. Highly, very highly recommended!
“The Midnight Muse” excels on so many fronts, it's easy to see it as a major contender for best horror book of 2026: metalheads will love it, fans of trippy mycological horror will adore it, and readers of complex, densely plotted horror fiction will simply go crazy for it! And with good reason: alternating between different timelines (before and after the disaster figuring centrally in the book), including several formats in which the story is told (top secret documents, diary entries, interview transcripts, and so on), the information being given drop by drop without the book turning into a slow-burn thriller/mystery (in fact, the novel starts in one place and ends up in an entirely different spot, going from cabin horror to woods horror to scifi horror, crossing a bunch of surprising horror tropes), "The Midnight Muse" manages to tell a riveting though extremely complicated, occasionally over-the-top, horror story without ever missing a step.
If you're after a horror story that will slowly grow on you (pun intended), one that you'll have to stretch out so it'll last longer, with just the right amount of creepiness, then this is the book for you. Highly, very highly recommended!
August 4, 2025
Wow! What a twisty and quirky story. Mycelium! I love it.The story has all the feels for a horror and sci fi fiction. Dark, creepy, mystery, grotesque, anxiety. Yes, a few times I felt my heart rate go up. The writing flowed well. I did enjoy the breaks of "official" documents. I thought that was well done. Really pulled you into wanting to solve the mystery. Thanks to Netgalley for this early preview.
March 28, 2025
This is a super early review, so I will keep it short. I LOVED THIS!
If you love creepy body horror, nature horror, and isolated cabin in the woods vibes- this is the book for you.
On the anniversary of the vanishing of their lead singer Brynn, the rest of her metal band Queen Carrion gather at the place she went missing. A cabin in the Oregon woods, isolated, where something lurks. Something that drew Brynn in… and they can hear her faintly singing through the woods.
If I went off vibes alone, this would be a five star, but with the story, the characters, the music, the body horror… it is just off the charts!
If you love creepy body horror, nature horror, and isolated cabin in the woods vibes- this is the book for you.
On the anniversary of the vanishing of their lead singer Brynn, the rest of her metal band Queen Carrion gather at the place she went missing. A cabin in the Oregon woods, isolated, where something lurks. Something that drew Brynn in… and they can hear her faintly singing through the woods.
If I went off vibes alone, this would be a five star, but with the story, the characters, the music, the body horror… it is just off the charts!
September 23, 2025
“The dead collect in low places”
Midnight Muse by Jo Kaplan
4/5✨’s
This was the perfect book to kick off spooky season. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!
Midnight Muse starts with the remaining members of Queen Carrion who are going on a trip to a cabin in the woods with Harlow, the bands drummer, being hellbent on searching for their missing lead singer Brynn, while the others are simply hoping for a relaxing vacation in the woods. Though the other members have accepted that Brynn is likely dead and will never be found, Harlow has never given up hope. The trip takes a sharp turn when Rhys, one of the band members, falls horrifically ill and the group learns about what grows, consumes, and calls out in the woods at night.
I was really engrossed in the first half of this book and looooved the body horror and vivid descriptions of what the characters were experiencing. The “monster” and story like was like nothing I’ve read before which I found refreshing. I enjoyed the way Kaplan added in scientific documents, entries in a guest log, and journal pages into the story line. The book kept me on my toes and I never knew what twists and turns were coming.
About halfway through the book slowed for me and I didn’t feel as engaged as I did during the beginning of the book, but I still really enjoyed it!
Quotes
“Because I’m only alive when I’m with you.”
“God feels too simple. Like a copout, easier to sealer than whatever’s really out there.”
“When you experience something that seems impossible, reality gets hard to hold onto.”
Midnight Muse by Jo Kaplan
4/5✨’s
This was the perfect book to kick off spooky season. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!
Midnight Muse starts with the remaining members of Queen Carrion who are going on a trip to a cabin in the woods with Harlow, the bands drummer, being hellbent on searching for their missing lead singer Brynn, while the others are simply hoping for a relaxing vacation in the woods. Though the other members have accepted that Brynn is likely dead and will never be found, Harlow has never given up hope. The trip takes a sharp turn when Rhys, one of the band members, falls horrifically ill and the group learns about what grows, consumes, and calls out in the woods at night.
I was really engrossed in the first half of this book and looooved the body horror and vivid descriptions of what the characters were experiencing. The “monster” and story like was like nothing I’ve read before which I found refreshing. I enjoyed the way Kaplan added in scientific documents, entries in a guest log, and journal pages into the story line. The book kept me on my toes and I never knew what twists and turns were coming.
About halfway through the book slowed for me and I didn’t feel as engaged as I did during the beginning of the book, but I still really enjoyed it!
Quotes
“Because I’m only alive when I’m with you.”
“God feels too simple. Like a copout, easier to sealer than whatever’s really out there.”
“When you experience something that seems impossible, reality gets hard to hold onto.”
May 12, 2025
Netgalley ARC!!
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I was so stoked to be able to read an ARC of this book. Brynn and her muse will stick with me forever. There was body horror, biology, witchcraft, metal music, multiple perspectives and more. Fantastic book and Im looking forward to reading more from this author.
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I was so stoked to be able to read an ARC of this book. Brynn and her muse will stick with me forever. There was body horror, biology, witchcraft, metal music, multiple perspectives and more. Fantastic book and Im looking forward to reading more from this author.
Read
December 17, 2025I don't rate books that I copy-edit. But in moments like these, I wish that I did. I received the manuscript of The Midnight Muse three days after the very sudden and quite traumatic death of my seventeen-year-old cat, who was everything to me. Feeling fractured and unmoored, I dove headfirst into this project, hoping that it would be the distraction I needed. Instead, I found myself alongside the main character, Harlow, navigating a reality more terrifying than anything in fiction—the loss of a loved one.
This exploration of grief, loss, and the uncertainty of how to move forward was, of course, one of many horrifying elements in this unique, atmospheric, and eerie novel. However, I didn't realize the magnitude of the role working with this manuscript had in my own grieving process. That is, until I submitted the edits and the dam I'd constructed on day one subsequently came crashing down.
Placing my own emotional entanglements aside, as an avid lover of horror and all the stories—whether on page or screen—the genre has to offer (and sometimes repeat to the point of oversaturation), The Midnight Muse sets itself apart as it's unlike anything I've ever read.
This exploration of grief, loss, and the uncertainty of how to move forward was, of course, one of many horrifying elements in this unique, atmospheric, and eerie novel. However, I didn't realize the magnitude of the role working with this manuscript had in my own grieving process. That is, until I submitted the edits and the dam I'd constructed on day one subsequently came crashing down.
Placing my own emotional entanglements aside, as an avid lover of horror and all the stories—whether on page or screen—the genre has to offer (and sometimes repeat to the point of oversaturation), The Midnight Muse sets itself apart as it's unlike anything I've ever read.
August 31, 2025
This ARC was given to me by NetGalley and CLASH Books. This doesn't affect my review. Thank you CLASH Books!!!
The Midnight Muse - 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.
This book sounded right up my alley. Heavy metal, fungus, and horror are one of he best descriptions of a book I've ever heard. And I'm glad to say this book lived up to my expectations! It was graphic, the descriptions of the fungus are fascinating and horrifying, and the characters grab you and hold you in. The tension created is done masterfully. I really have nothing to complain about.
Some people dislike the ending of this book, but I actually enjoyed it. I thought it was an end that was satisfying, but lets the audience know that this whole... situation is still very unknown.
If you enjoy fungus horror, heavy metal, and the SCP Foundation (I don't think I've seen anyone bring up the SCP vibes the latter half of the book has), then this is for you. Please note that this book has pretty graphic alcoholism if that's a trigger for you!
The Midnight Muse - 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.
This book sounded right up my alley. Heavy metal, fungus, and horror are one of he best descriptions of a book I've ever heard. And I'm glad to say this book lived up to my expectations! It was graphic, the descriptions of the fungus are fascinating and horrifying, and the characters grab you and hold you in. The tension created is done masterfully. I really have nothing to complain about.
Some people dislike the ending of this book, but I actually enjoyed it. I thought it was an end that was satisfying, but lets the audience know that this whole... situation is still very unknown.
If you enjoy fungus horror, heavy metal, and the SCP Foundation (I don't think I've seen anyone bring up the SCP vibes the latter half of the book has), then this is for you. Please note that this book has pretty graphic alcoholism if that's a trigger for you!
September 11, 2025
Unfortunately this book really wasn’t it for me. I found the premise intriguing however I felt the pacing was a bit “off”. I struggled to keep up with characters/location/plot and found myself having to re-read passages multiple times in order to take in and understand what was going on. The depth of the characters was a little inconsistent which made it difficult for me to have any great feeling or connection towards them. I do also think this book would have benefited from being a little shorter as it did go on for a looooonnggg time, only for the end to be a little underwhelming. A tighter edit may have done this story a little justice as there were some great concepts and spooky moments which unfortunately got lost in the rabble of everything else.
Thank you to NetGalley, Clash Books and Jo Kaplan for providing this ARC ✨
Thank you to NetGalley, Clash Books and Jo Kaplan for providing this ARC ✨
August 27, 2025
Thanks NetGalley for the ARC -
As a horror and metal fan, this was a very fun read. Enjoying metal isn’t a requirement for this book, but enjoying horror definitely is. The horror itself was very well written and I felt attachment to the characters. My two main pieces of feedback: First, is that the characters often moved into very logical thinking quickly. I have to say, I would not be thinking logically if I was witnessing similar things. Second, is that as someone who’s less familiar with fungus and mushrooms, a little bit of additional explanation would have been helpful for me. Overall, creepy and eerie read.
As a horror and metal fan, this was a very fun read. Enjoying metal isn’t a requirement for this book, but enjoying horror definitely is. The horror itself was very well written and I felt attachment to the characters. My two main pieces of feedback: First, is that the characters often moved into very logical thinking quickly. I have to say, I would not be thinking logically if I was witnessing similar things. Second, is that as someone who’s less familiar with fungus and mushrooms, a little bit of additional explanation would have been helpful for me. Overall, creepy and eerie read.
September 6, 2025
Thanks to Netgalley for giving me to opportunity to read this amazing book.
Firstly, I love fungi inspired horror, but I never had LGBT metal fungi horror, which I loved.
This books mixes various past and present but does it perfectly, I never was confused.
The plot twist at the end was really well done, Jacqueline was so well writen.
I do wish it had been more saphic, more focus on Harlow feelings for Brynn.
All together I really could see this becoming a movie, for me I envisioned like that because all the descriptions felt so vivid some parts really terrifyed.
Firstly, I love fungi inspired horror, but I never had LGBT metal fungi horror, which I loved.
This books mixes various past and present but does it perfectly, I never was confused.
The plot twist at the end was really well done, Jacqueline was so well writen.
I do wish it had been more saphic, more focus on Harlow feelings for Brynn.
All together I really could see this becoming a movie, for me I envisioned like that because all the descriptions felt so vivid some parts really terrifyed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Want to read
May 12, 2025🌺 Pre-Read:
Here’s to hoping I get an ARC of this! 🤞🏾
Here’s to hoping I get an ARC of this! 🤞🏾
August 20, 2025
the last of us meets a metal band
August 26, 2025
4.5 rounded up.
FRTC
FRTC
August 18, 2025
Thank you NetGalley and CLASH Books for this Advanced Reader’s Copy of the Midnight Muse by Jo Kaplan.
As a fan of the horror genre, this was disturbingly dark and creepy. If anyone saw my face while reading it, I’m sure it had a look of disgust on it. This was classic horror with enough gore and suspense to keep you reading.
Brynn Werner, singer & songwriter of Queen Carrion, vanishes while at the Trail Creek Cabin. A year later, her bandmates – Rhys, and his girlfriend Jacqueline; Wendy; Louella; and siblings, Harthorn and Harlow – visit the same cabin as a means of closure for her disappearance. For Brynn’s best friend, the drummer, Harlow, there are other motives.
The story is told via multiple timelines. There are the events that take place when the bandmates visit the cabin after Brynn’s disappearance. There’s the Aftermath of those events. Also employed in the novel are additional textual elements such as entries from the cabin’s guestbook, media articles related to past events, and scientific entries regarding the book’s subject matter lending credence to the story. I found this book to be somewhat similar to the Troop by Nick Cutter. If you enjoyed this one, you’d enjoy that one as well.
Should this ever be optioned for a movie, the soundtrack would be lit. And please incorporate a metal cover version of Garth Brooks’ song Friends in Low Places:
'Cause I've got friends in low places
Where the whiskey drowns and the beer chases my blues away
And I'll be OK
Yeah, I'm not big on social graces
Think I'll slip on down to the oasis
Oh, I've got friends in low places’
The final lesson here: Don't do drugs…especially mushrooms! And, be mindful of who or what you're fucking in the forest because the dead collect in low places.
As a fan of the horror genre, this was disturbingly dark and creepy. If anyone saw my face while reading it, I’m sure it had a look of disgust on it. This was classic horror with enough gore and suspense to keep you reading.
Brynn Werner, singer & songwriter of Queen Carrion, vanishes while at the Trail Creek Cabin. A year later, her bandmates – Rhys, and his girlfriend Jacqueline; Wendy; Louella; and siblings, Harthorn and Harlow – visit the same cabin as a means of closure for her disappearance. For Brynn’s best friend, the drummer, Harlow, there are other motives.
The story is told via multiple timelines. There are the events that take place when the bandmates visit the cabin after Brynn’s disappearance. There’s the Aftermath of those events. Also employed in the novel are additional textual elements such as entries from the cabin’s guestbook, media articles related to past events, and scientific entries regarding the book’s subject matter lending credence to the story. I found this book to be somewhat similar to the Troop by Nick Cutter. If you enjoyed this one, you’d enjoy that one as well.
Should this ever be optioned for a movie, the soundtrack would be lit. And please incorporate a metal cover version of Garth Brooks’ song Friends in Low Places:
'Cause I've got friends in low places
Where the whiskey drowns and the beer chases my blues away
And I'll be OK
Yeah, I'm not big on social graces
Think I'll slip on down to the oasis
Oh, I've got friends in low places’
The final lesson here: Don't do drugs…especially mushrooms! And, be mindful of who or what you're fucking in the forest because the dead collect in low places.
September 4, 2025
The Midnight Muse is a haunting, atmospheric read that had me hooked from the first page. Jo Kaplan weaves a narrative that pulses with dread, lingering unease, and moments that filled me with genuine anxiety. The story kept me desperate to read on, always needing to know what waited at the end.
The dynamic between the characters was one of the novel’s greatest strengths. Each band member felt flawed and human, their grief and secrets feeding into the tension as the group unraveled. I especially loved how their relationships and inner turmoil mirrored the horror creeping in from the outside.
Kaplan’s use of shifting perspectives and mixed formats—letters, guestbook entries, newspaper clippings—was incredibly effective, layering mystery upon mystery while heightening the unsettling atmosphere. And the fungal horror threaded throughout the story was both imaginative and deeply disturbing, lingering with me long after I turned the final page.
This is a bold, unforgettable novel—equal parts chilling, innovative, and emotionally raw. I’d highly recommend The Midnight Muse to fans of horror that blends psychological unease with supernatural and ecological dread.
The dynamic between the characters was one of the novel’s greatest strengths. Each band member felt flawed and human, their grief and secrets feeding into the tension as the group unraveled. I especially loved how their relationships and inner turmoil mirrored the horror creeping in from the outside.
Kaplan’s use of shifting perspectives and mixed formats—letters, guestbook entries, newspaper clippings—was incredibly effective, layering mystery upon mystery while heightening the unsettling atmosphere. And the fungal horror threaded throughout the story was both imaginative and deeply disturbing, lingering with me long after I turned the final page.
This is a bold, unforgettable novel—equal parts chilling, innovative, and emotionally raw. I’d highly recommend The Midnight Muse to fans of horror that blends psychological unease with supernatural and ecological dread.
July 2, 2025
I have a real soft spot for horror featuring musicians, especially when it’s got rock or heavy metal – Jennifer’s Body, We Sold Our Souls both come immediately to mind – so I was looking forward to reading The Midnight Muse as soon as I spied it on NetGalley. The mushrooms on the cover helped there too, it felt like a delightful amalgamation of several of my great loves. Part of my love of these kinds of stories is, yes, my own love of metal music, and part is due to my deep and abiding love of the Faust mythos, many of whose tropes infuse the plot. It’s like they go hand in hand, after all, who wouldn’t do anything to be famous right? While The Midnight Muse does include the overarching theme of a pact with a horror from beyond time and space, it was saved from being predictable by the inclusion of one of my other favourite plot points – mad scientists and a secret evil organisation.
The fact that The Midnight Muse went down a sort of analogue horror route was delightful. I’m a huge fan of the SCP Foundation, Mystery Flesh Pit National Park and the backrooms videos (even if I’m too scared to watch sometimes). Somehow the way the story was written made this aspect feel like a secret conversation between me and the author, like they were asking “hey, you get it right?” and I loved every minute. The news articles and redacted papers peppered throughout the story broke scenes up nicely and felt like they were adding background to the story without pulling me out of a moment or feeling like they were there just to provide exposition. If anything, they increased my investment in the story and made for a good way to mark moving forward and backwards in time through the plot as well as a little more context for mentioned events that didn’t get discussed in depth. Having a news article about the fire, for example, gave me some context for characters emotions and actions, even if we didn’t get more in-depth information until later. They helped to seed information and build expectation in a novel way that was executed very well.
The writing style was very comfortable and comforting – my favourite turn of phrase being “Words tumbled... like amateur gymnasts stumbling through a routine.” Characters felt like they had their own distinct styles so even though there were multiple points of view throughout, I didn’t get confused as to whose perspective I was reading from. I’m a big fan of Jacqueline and loved her characterisation as a recovering people-pleaser. I formed a deeply personal connection with many of the characters this way, simply through how they each felt distinct and like they were working through their own issues. While they might have been judged by other characters, I didn’t feel like the author was judging them or leading us to do so and the band and their antagonists ended up feeling like a sprawling maniacal internal family system. I loved that everyone had their obsessions and vices and how key plot points were revealed piece by piece as characters (mostly Harlow) came to terms with their trauma and were able to face the past.
One of my favourite parts of horror media is the series of questionable choices that have to happen in order for the plot to progress and there are two here that had me screaming at the book. The first is the phrase “let’s kick things up a notch” which always end well and in this case was followed by the presentation of shrooms chocolate, which also always ends well, especially when combined with copious amounts of alcohol, and definitely always contains only psylocibin. The second is the choice to stay in a cabin in the middle of the woods that towards the end is revealed to have no reviews. I’d just spent a bit of time driving around the east coast of Australia and consequently booking a few motels and I can tell you there is no way in hell I am booking a place to stay without first checking the reviews. Absolutely delightfully baffling behaviour, but isn’t it the point of characters to be a little bit stupid? It’s not as fun if we can’t scream at or cheer them along through the pages.
I received an ARC of The Midnight Muse from NetGalley in return for an honest review. The Midnight Muse is due to be published on 10 March 2026. Read more at Strange Queer Things
The fact that The Midnight Muse went down a sort of analogue horror route was delightful. I’m a huge fan of the SCP Foundation, Mystery Flesh Pit National Park and the backrooms videos (even if I’m too scared to watch sometimes). Somehow the way the story was written made this aspect feel like a secret conversation between me and the author, like they were asking “hey, you get it right?” and I loved every minute. The news articles and redacted papers peppered throughout the story broke scenes up nicely and felt like they were adding background to the story without pulling me out of a moment or feeling like they were there just to provide exposition. If anything, they increased my investment in the story and made for a good way to mark moving forward and backwards in time through the plot as well as a little more context for mentioned events that didn’t get discussed in depth. Having a news article about the fire, for example, gave me some context for characters emotions and actions, even if we didn’t get more in-depth information until later. They helped to seed information and build expectation in a novel way that was executed very well.
The writing style was very comfortable and comforting – my favourite turn of phrase being “Words tumbled... like amateur gymnasts stumbling through a routine.” Characters felt like they had their own distinct styles so even though there were multiple points of view throughout, I didn’t get confused as to whose perspective I was reading from. I’m a big fan of Jacqueline and loved her characterisation as a recovering people-pleaser. I formed a deeply personal connection with many of the characters this way, simply through how they each felt distinct and like they were working through their own issues. While they might have been judged by other characters, I didn’t feel like the author was judging them or leading us to do so and the band and their antagonists ended up feeling like a sprawling maniacal internal family system. I loved that everyone had their obsessions and vices and how key plot points were revealed piece by piece as characters (mostly Harlow) came to terms with their trauma and were able to face the past.
One of my favourite parts of horror media is the series of questionable choices that have to happen in order for the plot to progress and there are two here that had me screaming at the book. The first is the phrase “let’s kick things up a notch” which always end well and in this case was followed by the presentation of shrooms chocolate, which also always ends well, especially when combined with copious amounts of alcohol, and definitely always contains only psylocibin. The second is the choice to stay in a cabin in the middle of the woods that towards the end is revealed to have no reviews. I’d just spent a bit of time driving around the east coast of Australia and consequently booking a few motels and I can tell you there is no way in hell I am booking a place to stay without first checking the reviews. Absolutely delightfully baffling behaviour, but isn’t it the point of characters to be a little bit stupid? It’s not as fun if we can’t scream at or cheer them along through the pages.
I received an ARC of The Midnight Muse from NetGalley in return for an honest review. The Midnight Muse is due to be published on 10 March 2026. Read more at Strange Queer Things
December 15, 2025
“Wild thoughts came to her—that maybe the staircase went on indefinitely, that there was no end, that if she didn’t turn back she would be trapped in an infinite downward trajectory, driven to her own destruction by her desire to follow Brynn to the ends of the earth.”
I want to start by thanking NetGalley, Jo Kaplan and CLASH Books for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review. The Midnight Muse will be out March 10, 2026! This book was so eerie, I wasn’t expecting how creepy it would get and I felt so squeamish at some of the horror. I went in absolutely blind and found Kaplan’s monster in the woods to be so terrifying original, especially with its design and MOD. A scary spore-like being communicating through parroted sound that will eat you and absorb you into its being. Out of all the books I’ve read, I would liken this to something like M.L. Rio’s The Graveyard Shift but really I’ve never come across anything like The Midnight Muse before.
Overall, I found this novel to be really interesting however, I really struggled with how much was going on. There are numerous main characters, multiple timelines, multiple POVS and multiple twists that tug the book back and forth between a paranormal horror and a sci-fi thriller. The three main plots we go back and forth between are the lead singer going missing a year before after a traumatic gig, a year later when the rest of the band go camping in the same woods, and an undefined time later when the drummer of said band gets institutionalized. There is drama with the band and the question of who in the band might have murdered the missing singer, there are monsters and gas-mask wearing gun-wielders in the woods and there are conspiracy theories and ghosts haunting the drummer once she’s escaped.
To me, this created a pacing issue I really battled against; especially when I felt this was just a means to withhold information for the sake of a twisting plot. As well, just because I felt like there was so much going on, I found it hard to connect deeply to any character other than Harlow (loved Thorn and Wendy) and couldn’t really sit with any of the loss or violence we are presented with because it just kept happening. Being overloaded with so many characters and so much background knowledge really lost its focus for me which was disappointing as I was really intrigued by the overall concept presented.
With that being said, I want to mention some stand out moments where I was absolutely won over by Kaplan’s writing:
“But if, for some reason, you happen to feel the same way, then when you’re done reading this, pretend I’m drowning and come give me mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Because I’m only alive when I’m with you.”
“Pretend Audrey was a drum: lay down a sick beat on her face, supplement with double kicks to her gut.”
”Well, if we make it out of here alive,” Jacqueline said, still jab-stepping, “I’m writing a terrible review.” A guffaw spilled out of Lou’s throat, which surprised her. She clapped a hand over her mouth. She was even more surprised when Harlow spoke up, her voice flat: “‘A carnivorous mold ate my friends, and I ended up lost in the woods. One star.’”
Overall, very creepy and gross but hard to follow, especially when creeped and grossed out. Will not be camping in Portland anytime soon; especially with an unrated AirBnB.
3/5
I want to start by thanking NetGalley, Jo Kaplan and CLASH Books for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review. The Midnight Muse will be out March 10, 2026! This book was so eerie, I wasn’t expecting how creepy it would get and I felt so squeamish at some of the horror. I went in absolutely blind and found Kaplan’s monster in the woods to be so terrifying original, especially with its design and MOD. A scary spore-like being communicating through parroted sound that will eat you and absorb you into its being. Out of all the books I’ve read, I would liken this to something like M.L. Rio’s The Graveyard Shift but really I’ve never come across anything like The Midnight Muse before.
Overall, I found this novel to be really interesting however, I really struggled with how much was going on. There are numerous main characters, multiple timelines, multiple POVS and multiple twists that tug the book back and forth between a paranormal horror and a sci-fi thriller. The three main plots we go back and forth between are the lead singer going missing a year before after a traumatic gig, a year later when the rest of the band go camping in the same woods, and an undefined time later when the drummer of said band gets institutionalized. There is drama with the band and the question of who in the band might have murdered the missing singer, there are monsters and gas-mask wearing gun-wielders in the woods and there are conspiracy theories and ghosts haunting the drummer once she’s escaped.
To me, this created a pacing issue I really battled against; especially when I felt this was just a means to withhold information for the sake of a twisting plot. As well, just because I felt like there was so much going on, I found it hard to connect deeply to any character other than Harlow (loved Thorn and Wendy) and couldn’t really sit with any of the loss or violence we are presented with because it just kept happening. Being overloaded with so many characters and so much background knowledge really lost its focus for me which was disappointing as I was really intrigued by the overall concept presented.
With that being said, I want to mention some stand out moments where I was absolutely won over by Kaplan’s writing:
“But if, for some reason, you happen to feel the same way, then when you’re done reading this, pretend I’m drowning and come give me mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Because I’m only alive when I’m with you.”
“Pretend Audrey was a drum: lay down a sick beat on her face, supplement with double kicks to her gut.”
”Well, if we make it out of here alive,” Jacqueline said, still jab-stepping, “I’m writing a terrible review.” A guffaw spilled out of Lou’s throat, which surprised her. She clapped a hand over her mouth. She was even more surprised when Harlow spoke up, her voice flat: “‘A carnivorous mold ate my friends, and I ended up lost in the woods. One star.’”
Overall, very creepy and gross but hard to follow, especially when creeped and grossed out. Will not be camping in Portland anytime soon; especially with an unrated AirBnB.
3/5
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 10, 2025
I’m a lover of organic horror and metal music, so this book really sounded like it could be a great and fun pick for me. And I was right, I genuinely had a lot of fun with it. I think the premise of this band going into the woods to mourn their late singer was great. It includes one of my favorite themes (grief), and since metal bands often have a somewhat negative reputation, I was curious to see how the author would portray the characters.
The book begins with the band’s drummer, Harlow, drinking in a café and reminiscing about the insane experience she had with her band in those woods. Right from the start, we’re told how it all ended, so the main question becomes how we got there. I don’t mind this kind of storytelling, but I felt like it didn’t add much to the narrative. Throughout the book, we get chapters set after the main events (focused on Harlow), but I didn’t find them necessary. The main story was interesting enough on its own and didn’t really need that extra context.
Another thing I found unnecessary was the explanation of why Brynn (the missing or dead singer) went to the woods alone in the first place. I don’t think it added anything to the story. It could have easily worked if she had just wanted to go camping alone, but strange things happened to her, and now the band is coming to see whether she’s dead or if they can find her. Making her aware of what was happening in the woods and having her go there to find her “muse” didn’t feel needed.
Now, onto the main problem I had with the plot, it’s partly scientific and partly paranormal. I liked that the book tried to give some background on how sentient mushrooms could even exist; it was vague but believable enough. However, as the story went on, it started to go beyond any kind of scientific explanation, and that’s where it lost me. I think it would have worked better as either a paranormal story or a science-based one, but not both.
The writing style was easy to follow, and I didn’t have many issues with it, except one. Although the story is told in third person, each chapter focuses on one of the six characters. I appreciated getting different perspectives, but whenever one character was in focus, the others seemed to fade into the background. There were several times when I wondered what happened to a character because they wouldn’t be mentioned for ten pages, even though they were just with the character we were following. When a character wasn’t the focus, it felt like they stopped existing, and that really bothered me.
I also felt the book was a bit too long, especially in the second half. With some tightening and the removal of a few chapters, it could have felt more cohesive.
Still, despite my criticisms, I had a lot of fun with it, and I definitely want to read more from this author in the future.
The book begins with the band’s drummer, Harlow, drinking in a café and reminiscing about the insane experience she had with her band in those woods. Right from the start, we’re told how it all ended, so the main question becomes how we got there. I don’t mind this kind of storytelling, but I felt like it didn’t add much to the narrative. Throughout the book, we get chapters set after the main events (focused on Harlow), but I didn’t find them necessary. The main story was interesting enough on its own and didn’t really need that extra context.
Another thing I found unnecessary was the explanation of why Brynn (the missing or dead singer) went to the woods alone in the first place. I don’t think it added anything to the story. It could have easily worked if she had just wanted to go camping alone, but strange things happened to her, and now the band is coming to see whether she’s dead or if they can find her. Making her aware of what was happening in the woods and having her go there to find her “muse” didn’t feel needed.
Now, onto the main problem I had with the plot, it’s partly scientific and partly paranormal. I liked that the book tried to give some background on how sentient mushrooms could even exist; it was vague but believable enough. However, as the story went on, it started to go beyond any kind of scientific explanation, and that’s where it lost me. I think it would have worked better as either a paranormal story or a science-based one, but not both.
The writing style was easy to follow, and I didn’t have many issues with it, except one. Although the story is told in third person, each chapter focuses on one of the six characters. I appreciated getting different perspectives, but whenever one character was in focus, the others seemed to fade into the background. There were several times when I wondered what happened to a character because they wouldn’t be mentioned for ten pages, even though they were just with the character we were following. When a character wasn’t the focus, it felt like they stopped existing, and that really bothered me.
I also felt the book was a bit too long, especially in the second half. With some tightening and the removal of a few chapters, it could have felt more cohesive.
Still, despite my criticisms, I had a lot of fun with it, and I definitely want to read more from this author in the future.
November 16, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this free eARC in exchange for an honest review.
You know how people like to say oh, Stephen King, he makes mundane things into horror, you'll never look at sewer drains or lost pet posters the same, ohhh? Jo Kaplan does that to the little mold spots that grow in the corners of bathrooms. This is a very refreshing take on some common horror tropes (spooky woods, satanic metal, unethical science, etc) and I absolutely loved every second of it. Maybe one of my favorite reads of the year.
The pros: What can I say. The characters are fantastic, I loved everybody in the band (including Rhys, that jackass), and I loved getting perspectives from all of them. It's all in third person, but their narration styles are still distinct and personalized. And by the way, the prose is wonderful. It is well-balanced, beautiful when it needs to be and utilitarian at others, while still keeping the voice with which character we're following. Tension is held throughout this novel incredibly well. And the asides of various secondary sources - newspaper articles, interviews, notebooks, letters - are so interesting and a wonderful support of the story. I do really love that we, the readers, get the full story that no single other character does. It makes me want to re-read just x character's chapters to see that flow of knowledge, though I know in group events they don't retread much. And finally, like I already said, the horror. I loved it so much. I love the The Thing vibes (literally one of my favorite movies of all time), I love the bits of science, I love the little touch of eldritch we get in there. Such a fantastic time.
The cons: I have trouble pinpointing anything! I thought the ending wrapped up a little too fast, and there was one twist that I felt could've been foreshadowed more. There are a few things that were left unanswered that I felt like I should've had a little more information on, if not actual answers for. There's a spot in the middle-end or so where we have some odd dialogue/narration that recaps information in previous chapters that felt very awkwardly put in - I point this out because it's the only time I can recall it happening. But all said, I really can't find much to criticize!
Absolutely rocked, fuck yeah.
You know how people like to say oh, Stephen King, he makes mundane things into horror, you'll never look at sewer drains or lost pet posters the same, ohhh? Jo Kaplan does that to the little mold spots that grow in the corners of bathrooms. This is a very refreshing take on some common horror tropes (spooky woods, satanic metal, unethical science, etc) and I absolutely loved every second of it. Maybe one of my favorite reads of the year.
The pros: What can I say. The characters are fantastic, I loved everybody in the band (including Rhys, that jackass), and I loved getting perspectives from all of them. It's all in third person, but their narration styles are still distinct and personalized. And by the way, the prose is wonderful. It is well-balanced, beautiful when it needs to be and utilitarian at others, while still keeping the voice with which character we're following. Tension is held throughout this novel incredibly well. And the asides of various secondary sources - newspaper articles, interviews, notebooks, letters - are so interesting and a wonderful support of the story. I do really love that we, the readers, get the full story that no single other character does. It makes me want to re-read just x character's chapters to see that flow of knowledge, though I know in group events they don't retread much. And finally, like I already said, the horror. I loved it so much. I love the The Thing vibes (literally one of my favorite movies of all time), I love the bits of science, I love the little touch of eldritch we get in there. Such a fantastic time.
The cons: I have trouble pinpointing anything! I thought the ending wrapped up a little too fast, and there was one twist that I felt could've been foreshadowed more. There are a few things that were left unanswered that I felt like I should've had a little more information on, if not actual answers for. There's a spot in the middle-end or so where we have some odd dialogue/narration that recaps information in previous chapters that felt very awkwardly put in - I point this out because it's the only time I can recall it happening. But all said, I really can't find much to criticize!
Absolutely rocked, fuck yeah.
May 1, 2025
The music we listen too has a profound ability to speak to us, connect with us and help shape us into the people we are. But what if the music decided to consume us, infiltrate our every being and take over our souls? Well, that is what happened to the lead singer of metal band Queen Carrion, Brynn Werner and ultimately, the rest of the band members.
Mainly focusing on the story of the band’s drummer, Harlow, we’re introduced to the rest of Queen Carrion (plus an additional groupie) staying together in a cabin in the woods (always a bad idea!), a year after the disappearance of their lead singer Brynn Werner (who just so happened to go missing in the same woods they’re staying in).
Wanting to understand what happened to Brynn the previous year, the band members gain more than just answers. They gain clarity and an insight into the person that Brynn is/was, or should I say, who Queen Carrion was.
This story is everything you could want from a horror story, fast-paced, intense, anxiety-inducing and generally just a scary read. The chapters in this book are split between the main events of the story in the woods, events that transpired before and after the main story, articles about the band (both before and after the main story) and reports which make more sense as you progress through the story. It can take a bit of getting used to the flip-flopping between timelines and different writing styles, but once you get used to it, it really helps immerse you into the story and learn more about Brynn through the perspective of everyone in her life.
After each (main) chapter, there’s a new revelation with some of these honestly having me sitting there with my mouth hanging open and one in particular I remember exclaiming ‘WTF’!
If you’re looking for a horror story to truly keep you on your toes, pick up The Midnight Muse when it releases on the 10th March 2026!
Mainly focusing on the story of the band’s drummer, Harlow, we’re introduced to the rest of Queen Carrion (plus an additional groupie) staying together in a cabin in the woods (always a bad idea!), a year after the disappearance of their lead singer Brynn Werner (who just so happened to go missing in the same woods they’re staying in).
Wanting to understand what happened to Brynn the previous year, the band members gain more than just answers. They gain clarity and an insight into the person that Brynn is/was, or should I say, who Queen Carrion was.
This story is everything you could want from a horror story, fast-paced, intense, anxiety-inducing and generally just a scary read. The chapters in this book are split between the main events of the story in the woods, events that transpired before and after the main story, articles about the band (both before and after the main story) and reports which make more sense as you progress through the story. It can take a bit of getting used to the flip-flopping between timelines and different writing styles, but once you get used to it, it really helps immerse you into the story and learn more about Brynn through the perspective of everyone in her life.
After each (main) chapter, there’s a new revelation with some of these honestly having me sitting there with my mouth hanging open and one in particular I remember exclaiming ‘WTF’!
If you’re looking for a horror story to truly keep you on your toes, pick up The Midnight Muse when it releases on the 10th March 2026!
August 6, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (4.75/5 stars), so I have rounded up.
I had such a great time with The Midnight Muse. I read it in one sitting because I just couldn’t pull myself away. It has that perfect blend of eerie atmosphere, body horror, and mystery that keeps you on edge the whole way through.
The story follows the bandmates of Queen Carrion, who return to a remote cabin in the Oregon woods one year after their lead singer, Brynn, vanished without a trace. The setup already had me hooked: a missing person, a secluded cabin, and something strange growing beneath the surface literally. The vibe is unsettling in the best way, and Jo Kaplan does a brilliant job building tension through the setting, the shifting dynamics within the band, and the bizarre things happening in the forest.
The creepy guestbook entries, the gas mask figures in the trees, the strange fungus crawling from the basement tunnel, it all gave me serious what the hell is going on? Energy. And when Brynn’s voice starts echoing through the trees? Yeah, full chills.
One scene in particular was gloriously gross (you’ll know it when you get there), and honestly, it was so well done that it made me both gag and cheer. That’s horror gold.
The pacing was spot-on, and the characters felt fully fleshed out, flawed, and believable, each carrying guilt, secrets, or some simmering resentment. Kaplan nails the emotional undercurrent while delivering a solid horror read.
If you love creepy, secluded cabin-in-the-woods horror with fungal weirdness, psychological dread, and a bit of gore, this one’s for you. It’s haunting, strange, and unforgettable.
Big thanks to NetGalley and Clash Books for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I had such a great time with The Midnight Muse. I read it in one sitting because I just couldn’t pull myself away. It has that perfect blend of eerie atmosphere, body horror, and mystery that keeps you on edge the whole way through.
The story follows the bandmates of Queen Carrion, who return to a remote cabin in the Oregon woods one year after their lead singer, Brynn, vanished without a trace. The setup already had me hooked: a missing person, a secluded cabin, and something strange growing beneath the surface literally. The vibe is unsettling in the best way, and Jo Kaplan does a brilliant job building tension through the setting, the shifting dynamics within the band, and the bizarre things happening in the forest.
The creepy guestbook entries, the gas mask figures in the trees, the strange fungus crawling from the basement tunnel, it all gave me serious what the hell is going on? Energy. And when Brynn’s voice starts echoing through the trees? Yeah, full chills.
One scene in particular was gloriously gross (you’ll know it when you get there), and honestly, it was so well done that it made me both gag and cheer. That’s horror gold.
The pacing was spot-on, and the characters felt fully fleshed out, flawed, and believable, each carrying guilt, secrets, or some simmering resentment. Kaplan nails the emotional undercurrent while delivering a solid horror read.
If you love creepy, secluded cabin-in-the-woods horror with fungal weirdness, psychological dread, and a bit of gore, this one’s for you. It’s haunting, strange, and unforgettable.
Big thanks to NetGalley and Clash Books for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
September 5, 2025
“I’m seeing things that aren’t there.”
“How do you know they’re not there?” Lou asks. “Maybe you’re just the only one who can see them.”
Cursed and bloodcurdling—this book had me in a chokehold from chapter one.
A year after their lead singer Brynn Werner disappeared, what is left of the cursed metal band Queen Carrion ventures on a trip to stay at the cabin in Oregon’s Umpqua National Forest where Brynn vanished. Queen Carrion has a history with ghastly tragedies, but when Brynn’s voice sings to them from between the trees, they soon find themselves in a horror movie, with figures wearing gas masks and fungus moldering the walls in the basement.
She has seen impossible things, things which have irreparably broken the world.
The Midnight Muse is like nothing I’ve ever read, switching between two timelines—before and after the nightmare at the cabin—alternating different points of view with gossipy news articles, letters, notebook entries, research papers, and whatnot added in between. It gives the book a fast pace and holds your attention hostage, forcing you to turn the next page.
Now people know Queen Carrion. Not for their music, not for their talent, but because they are cursed.
Furthermore, each individual character was a true masterpiece—a Picasso, probably—with flaws deep like stab wounds, pasts haunting them, secrets they’d keep to the grave, and scars that could never be undone, and their own reason to come to the cabin in the first place.
And from the beginning, you know most of them are going to die.
Physically? She felt like shit. Mentally? Well, she was reaching the end of her rope.
Moreover, this book was unsettling. Goosebumps ran across my arms and I felt increasingly uncomfortable reading—which was great! Body horror, paranormal funguses, and the terror of real people. What a thrill to read something so bizarre.
She thought it funny how death could exist in such little things: the brief barrel of a gun, a switchblade concealed in the palm. It was so easy to make a choice—pull a trigger, slash a knife—that could not be undone.
In short, The Midnight Muse is deeply unsettling, horrifying, and an amazing read. Composed from a thousand parts, it is a masterful symphony. This book is for anyone who loves either metal, horror, or both. Dive into this book and let Queen Carrion haunt you!
Harlow thought she should have been horrified, but she had seen multiple people die this weekend and imagined there must be some kind of limit to the amount of horror a person could feel before their adrenal system just said, you know what, fuck it, let’s go get a pizza.
“How do you know they’re not there?” Lou asks. “Maybe you’re just the only one who can see them.”
Cursed and bloodcurdling—this book had me in a chokehold from chapter one.
A year after their lead singer Brynn Werner disappeared, what is left of the cursed metal band Queen Carrion ventures on a trip to stay at the cabin in Oregon’s Umpqua National Forest where Brynn vanished. Queen Carrion has a history with ghastly tragedies, but when Brynn’s voice sings to them from between the trees, they soon find themselves in a horror movie, with figures wearing gas masks and fungus moldering the walls in the basement.
She has seen impossible things, things which have irreparably broken the world.
The Midnight Muse is like nothing I’ve ever read, switching between two timelines—before and after the nightmare at the cabin—alternating different points of view with gossipy news articles, letters, notebook entries, research papers, and whatnot added in between. It gives the book a fast pace and holds your attention hostage, forcing you to turn the next page.
Now people know Queen Carrion. Not for their music, not for their talent, but because they are cursed.
Furthermore, each individual character was a true masterpiece—a Picasso, probably—with flaws deep like stab wounds, pasts haunting them, secrets they’d keep to the grave, and scars that could never be undone, and their own reason to come to the cabin in the first place.
And from the beginning, you know most of them are going to die.
Physically? She felt like shit. Mentally? Well, she was reaching the end of her rope.
Moreover, this book was unsettling. Goosebumps ran across my arms and I felt increasingly uncomfortable reading—which was great! Body horror, paranormal funguses, and the terror of real people. What a thrill to read something so bizarre.
She thought it funny how death could exist in such little things: the brief barrel of a gun, a switchblade concealed in the palm. It was so easy to make a choice—pull a trigger, slash a knife—that could not be undone.
In short, The Midnight Muse is deeply unsettling, horrifying, and an amazing read. Composed from a thousand parts, it is a masterful symphony. This book is for anyone who loves either metal, horror, or both. Dive into this book and let Queen Carrion haunt you!
Harlow thought she should have been horrified, but she had seen multiple people die this weekend and imagined there must be some kind of limit to the amount of horror a person could feel before their adrenal system just said, you know what, fuck it, let’s go get a pizza.
October 8, 2025
I couldn’t decide whether this was a 3.5 or 4.5 star read 😭
When I read the blurb, I instantly knew that I needed to read this. Mycelium metal?! Perfect description of this book.
The first 10% of this book was a little confusing, there are a lot of characters thrown at you and it’s really quite hard to follow who is who, with a lot of backstory that doesn’t get revealed until later in the book. But once you push past that, you will have one of the most unsettling body horror books of the last 20 years.
I was shocked and horrified at some parts of this book and I loved it. I loved Harlow as a character, so flawed yet brilliant. The snippets of external sources (news reports etc) was a nice touch and I felt immersed.
The pacing was a little off for me, and I didn’t realise until I was halfway through. But around the 60% mark, I found I was enjoying it less than I was 20% previously. SO MUCH happens in the first 20-30% of the book that after that, the threat starts to become a little stale and you lose interest. Especially since you kind of already know the outcome (thanks to some chapters that are set in the future)
Overall, I had a lot of fun reading it, the author did an amazing job at bringing you into the world and I think I’d definitely reread it and recommend it if you’re looking for a true body horror.
Thank you to NetGalley and Clash Books for the arc of this book. My review reflects my accurate experience with this book.
When I read the blurb, I instantly knew that I needed to read this. Mycelium metal?! Perfect description of this book.
The first 10% of this book was a little confusing, there are a lot of characters thrown at you and it’s really quite hard to follow who is who, with a lot of backstory that doesn’t get revealed until later in the book. But once you push past that, you will have one of the most unsettling body horror books of the last 20 years.
I was shocked and horrified at some parts of this book and I loved it. I loved Harlow as a character, so flawed yet brilliant. The snippets of external sources (news reports etc) was a nice touch and I felt immersed.
The pacing was a little off for me, and I didn’t realise until I was halfway through. But around the 60% mark, I found I was enjoying it less than I was 20% previously. SO MUCH happens in the first 20-30% of the book that after that, the threat starts to become a little stale and you lose interest. Especially since you kind of already know the outcome (thanks to some chapters that are set in the future)
Overall, I had a lot of fun reading it, the author did an amazing job at bringing you into the world and I think I’d definitely reread it and recommend it if you’re looking for a true body horror.
Thank you to NetGalley and Clash Books for the arc of this book. My review reflects my accurate experience with this book.
July 17, 2025
This was really good! I read it really close to Girl in the Creek, and I think you'd enjoy one if you enjoyed the other. They both have a pretty similar story about going out into the woods to find someone, only to deal with mushroom monsters and body horror. Both were equally as fun, but I do think this one had the edge a bit because I think the characters were just a bit more interesting and fleshed out. The only issues I had were that there's a twist with a character towards the end of the book that felt pretty random and a bit unearned. The last few chapters also kind of dragged and I think you could probably shave off like 30-40 pages to make that part more concise and it would have been a bit more satisfying. This is also very much a petty complaint and it very much just me being an obnoxious snob with metal music, but the band seems kind of corny. I was excited to seemingly read a body horror book about a black metal band, but they sound more like Evanescence or something hah. Again, I don't think that's going to bother a lot of people. It's just a me thing. The book itself is super fun I wish half stars were an option because this is definitely more like 3.5 stars, but it's still very much worth a read, so I'll bump it to 4. Especially if you're into body horror and sporror because those aspects of the book are great. Thanks for the ARC!
July 25, 2025
- body horror
- forest rot mushroom horror
- heavy metal band
- government conspiracy
- eerie occult
- rottagegore
- macabre music obsession
- 4.5 stars rounded up
- multi-pov 3rd person
I love mushrooms so much, and add them to an eerie atmospheric horror where members of a heavy metal band go to an isolated cabin in the woods a year after their lead vocalist goes missing in the same woods?? You are telling me you are combining two of my favourite things: forests and music -- and giving me a spine-tingling tale that is equal parts poetry and terror? YES.
Give me ten of these. I enjoyed the multi-POV format interspersed with excerpts from news articles, journals, lyrics, blogs, reports and conspiracies -- it almost reads like a mystery horror? We get rot, infectious fungus that seems to have a mind of its own and we get well-fleshed out characters who each have their dark sides that become more and more apparent as they're pulled into a void where they might just lose more than their lives.
This will slap as a movie adaptation besties we need to make it happen somehow-- it comes out next spring just in time for summerween so you should consider pre-ordering, just saying ;)
(Thank you Netgalley & Clash Books for the Review Copy :) All opinions are my own)
TW: SA; please be mindful of that before picking this one up :)
- forest rot mushroom horror
- heavy metal band
- government conspiracy
- eerie occult
- rottagegore
- macabre music obsession
- 4.5 stars rounded up
- multi-pov 3rd person
I love mushrooms so much, and add them to an eerie atmospheric horror where members of a heavy metal band go to an isolated cabin in the woods a year after their lead vocalist goes missing in the same woods?? You are telling me you are combining two of my favourite things: forests and music -- and giving me a spine-tingling tale that is equal parts poetry and terror? YES.
Give me ten of these. I enjoyed the multi-POV format interspersed with excerpts from news articles, journals, lyrics, blogs, reports and conspiracies -- it almost reads like a mystery horror? We get rot, infectious fungus that seems to have a mind of its own and we get well-fleshed out characters who each have their dark sides that become more and more apparent as they're pulled into a void where they might just lose more than their lives.
This will slap as a movie adaptation besties we need to make it happen somehow-- it comes out next spring just in time for summerween so you should consider pre-ordering, just saying ;)
(Thank you Netgalley & Clash Books for the Review Copy :) All opinions are my own)
TW: SA; please be mindful of that before picking this one up :)
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