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Thin is the Skin
Supernatural Thriller - Horror, Suspense, Mystery
⚠️ Content Warning ⚠️
Sex, Violence, Drug Use, SA, Suicide
The massive forest surrounding The Azure Valley frightens Bianca. A sense of longing and dread permeates the air drifting through those tall trees, chilling her to the bone. She can’t even look at it. And so, she draws the curtains tight, thankful for the high fence out back, and retreats into the comforting façade of electric light and air conditioning. Whatever unseen force prowls in the darkness outside cannot reach her here. Her husband Liam is patient but doesn’t understand. Bianca doesn’t either. All she knows is she doesn’t belong here. Not in The Valley. Not in this house with Liam. No, this life was never meant for her. Liam’s adult daughter Hannah has no problem reminding Bianca of that fact as often as possible. This isn’t her world. She can’t even tend to her once beloved garden, the vines strangling her beautiful flowers since the day she fled from a distant, mournful wail echoing from the mountains above. A stir of a memory.
One day, a strange woman appears in The Azure Valley who seems to know Bianca. Why does this strange woman disturb everyone she encounters except for Bianca? Who is she and what does she want? And what has Bianca forgotten?
⚠️ Content Warning ⚠️
Sex, Violence, Drug Use, SA, Suicide
The massive forest surrounding The Azure Valley frightens Bianca. A sense of longing and dread permeates the air drifting through those tall trees, chilling her to the bone. She can’t even look at it. And so, she draws the curtains tight, thankful for the high fence out back, and retreats into the comforting façade of electric light and air conditioning. Whatever unseen force prowls in the darkness outside cannot reach her here. Her husband Liam is patient but doesn’t understand. Bianca doesn’t either. All she knows is she doesn’t belong here. Not in The Valley. Not in this house with Liam. No, this life was never meant for her. Liam’s adult daughter Hannah has no problem reminding Bianca of that fact as often as possible. This isn’t her world. She can’t even tend to her once beloved garden, the vines strangling her beautiful flowers since the day she fled from a distant, mournful wail echoing from the mountains above. A stir of a memory.
One day, a strange woman appears in The Azure Valley who seems to know Bianca. Why does this strange woman disturb everyone she encounters except for Bianca? Who is she and what does she want? And what has Bianca forgotten?
450 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 26, 2025
5 people are currently reading
8 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
September 24, 2025
Subdermal horror as its best!
Well, that was a blast!
I already knew that p. j. burgy can write, but I had associated the author mostly with genre literature. While it includes some horror and mystery tropes and an element of the supernatural, *Thin Is the Skin* is so much more. It’s a perfect example of how outstanding literature doesn’t need a renowned publisher, but always finds its way.
What’s so special about this beast of a book? First and foremost, I love the character building. The book takes its time to introduce us to the microcosm of “The Valley”: the desperate father Liam, his sick wife Bianca, and their two teenagers—Hannah, the rebel, and Ty, the devoted documentary producer with a taste for the macabre. In the backdrop, we have the peculiar landlord Max, who owns the gated community, a crazy cat lady, a spiritual auntie, and some other neighbors. In fact, if it weren’t for Molly, Trudy and the guards, we would only meet residents of The Valley itself, which is basically the exclusive setting of the book.
With the restricted cast of roughly a dozen dramatis personae and one major location, burgy is able to spin an ever-evolving net of relationships. The story takes us into the backstories of all the characters, connects them with each other, and really brings them to life. I am truly impressed with the depth of the characters, their desires, and their troubles. Combined with a superb writing style, I was simply sucked into the story as soon as I picked up my reader. It is even more impressive that the relatively complex story kept me engaged even when I had to interrupt my reading many times, sometimes with a gap of a whole week. It literally took me months to finish this book, but I never felt that I have lost the thread. That is not an easy thing to achieve and speaks to burgy’s skill as an author.
While the story starts slowly, the content notes are there for a reason. This one is not for the faint of heart, as sexualized violence plays a huge part and there are even some periods of pure onslaught. After all, burgy is a brilliant horror author and knows how to twist our guts. This is done in a brilliant way, though. The body horror elements are not there for pure shock value, but are a logical consequence of the story and never fall into the slippery slope of voyeurism. This book is certainly more brutal than your average novel, but its strength lies not in breaking taboos, but in telling a thoughtful story with fascinating characters. Finally there is a smartly interwoven element of the supernatural that slowly breaks through the skin of the story. I will not spoil the myth but have to add that there are some fresh thoughts that make for a genuinely original mythological backdrop.
That said, *Thin Is the Skin* was easily one of the strongest reads in recent years for me. I expected a well-written horror story, but got a masterpiece that truly stands out in the crowded market. If you can deal with topics of sexual abuse and violence, take a look into this peculiar Valley that holds many surprises. It’s worth it!
Well, that was a blast!
I already knew that p. j. burgy can write, but I had associated the author mostly with genre literature. While it includes some horror and mystery tropes and an element of the supernatural, *Thin Is the Skin* is so much more. It’s a perfect example of how outstanding literature doesn’t need a renowned publisher, but always finds its way.
What’s so special about this beast of a book? First and foremost, I love the character building. The book takes its time to introduce us to the microcosm of “The Valley”: the desperate father Liam, his sick wife Bianca, and their two teenagers—Hannah, the rebel, and Ty, the devoted documentary producer with a taste for the macabre. In the backdrop, we have the peculiar landlord Max, who owns the gated community, a crazy cat lady, a spiritual auntie, and some other neighbors. In fact, if it weren’t for Molly, Trudy and the guards, we would only meet residents of The Valley itself, which is basically the exclusive setting of the book.
With the restricted cast of roughly a dozen dramatis personae and one major location, burgy is able to spin an ever-evolving net of relationships. The story takes us into the backstories of all the characters, connects them with each other, and really brings them to life. I am truly impressed with the depth of the characters, their desires, and their troubles. Combined with a superb writing style, I was simply sucked into the story as soon as I picked up my reader. It is even more impressive that the relatively complex story kept me engaged even when I had to interrupt my reading many times, sometimes with a gap of a whole week. It literally took me months to finish this book, but I never felt that I have lost the thread. That is not an easy thing to achieve and speaks to burgy’s skill as an author.
While the story starts slowly, the content notes are there for a reason. This one is not for the faint of heart, as sexualized violence plays a huge part and there are even some periods of pure onslaught. After all, burgy is a brilliant horror author and knows how to twist our guts. This is done in a brilliant way, though. The body horror elements are not there for pure shock value, but are a logical consequence of the story and never fall into the slippery slope of voyeurism. This book is certainly more brutal than your average novel, but its strength lies not in breaking taboos, but in telling a thoughtful story with fascinating characters. Finally there is a smartly interwoven element of the supernatural that slowly breaks through the skin of the story. I will not spoil the myth but have to add that there are some fresh thoughts that make for a genuinely original mythological backdrop.
That said, *Thin Is the Skin* was easily one of the strongest reads in recent years for me. I expected a well-written horror story, but got a masterpiece that truly stands out in the crowded market. If you can deal with topics of sexual abuse and violence, take a look into this peculiar Valley that holds many surprises. It’s worth it!
May 10, 2025
I just finished this now and I had the hardest time putting it down every night! This book is fantastic! The mystery surrounding the family was well paced and believable. The revealed were great and kept you on your toes. The mystery of certain characters was so well done! I'm really glad I had the chance to read this.
May 21, 2025
Liam and Bianca have the perfect life. They live in a beautiful home in a gated community in the forest. The Valley is definitely a wonderful place to live. Max (or Mr. B as he’s referred to by many locals) takes care of the community and ensures everything runs smoothly - from security to gardening. With the arrival of Liam’s children, Tyler and Hannah, the family spends plenty of quality time together. However, the forest is full of secrets and when a mysterious stranger arrives at the gate to the community, it will set off a chain of events that will rock the community to its core.
The author has put her whole heart and soul into this book and it draws you in. You spend a large portion of beginning of the book getting to know the characters. The action picks up and reaches its dramatic peak near the end and I couldn’t put it down by that point!
I found the story to be very entertaining and I enjoyed getting to knew the characters so well. I felt like part of the family by the time the action ramps up. The ending wraps up every loose end perfectly and I thoroughly enjoyed how the author managed to go back and walk us through events that lead up to the start of the book.
Definitely a book I’d recommend!
The author has put her whole heart and soul into this book and it draws you in. You spend a large portion of beginning of the book getting to know the characters. The action picks up and reaches its dramatic peak near the end and I couldn’t put it down by that point!
I found the story to be very entertaining and I enjoyed getting to knew the characters so well. I felt like part of the family by the time the action ramps up. The ending wraps up every loose end perfectly and I thoroughly enjoyed how the author managed to go back and walk us through events that lead up to the start of the book.
Definitely a book I’d recommend!
September 28, 2025
It was a very interesting read. It’s not something I would normally read but it was captivating. A good read.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews