I Don't Recognize This World Anymore

by Kristopher Triana

Most people who go to prison don’t go willingly. The same cannot be said for corrections officers, who take on one of the most dangerous jobs in America.

Liam Donnelly’s new profession requires him to spend most of his time in a women’s correctional institution. Norrington houses the worst female offenders in the country, but with his dog in need of cancer treatment, Liam is desperate for cash, and works whatever overtime shifts the captain offers. But it’s simply not enough.

When inmate Zoe Hallister is brought to Liam’s unit, he begins a criminal partnership with her, running dope, cellphones, and other contraband into the prison. Zoe even pairs him with a drug dealer on the outside—her unstable cousin, Dennis.

Tensions rise as the privately-owned prison fills with narcotics. Violent attacks increase. Predators thrive. Prisoners reconnect with their old gang members. Liam knows things are getting too dangerous, but his feelings for Zoe continue him down a dark path. Soon he realizes he’s not as in control of the situation as he thought he was, and finds himself in a world he no longer recognizes as Zoe drives Norrington into chaos.

Genres: Horror, Dark, Thriller

398 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 17, 2025

About the author

Kristopher Triana is the author of Gone to See the River Man, Full Brutal, They All Died Screaming, Shepherd of the Black Sheep, Toxic Love, and more.

His fiction has appeared in countless magazines and anthologies and has been translated into multiple languages, drawing praise from Publisher's Weekly, Cemetery Dance, Rue Morgue, Scream, The Ginger Nuts of Horror and others.

Full Brutal won the Splatterpunk Award for Best Horror Novel of 2019, and Triana won the award again in 2022 for The Night Stockers, which he cowrote with Ryan Harding.

He lives in Connecticut.

Reviews

[Dead Inside · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I was changing, my time as a criminal was altering my personality….when I saw females at stores I was sure they were shoplifting, when I drove past bars where they were all dolled up, I saw only diseased sluts who would hurl their feces and used tampons at me if I dared to say hello.”

[Jonathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The true horrors. Triana is the best there is at writing characters. Admittedly, I didn’t quite want to read this right away due to the synopsis not sounding like the best. However, this was close to being a masterpiece. Such a roller coaster from start to finish.

Man prison really does change you. Liam, the main character, who gets a job as a CO in a women’s prison soon finds out that applies to CO too. This is for fans of Netflix Orange is the New Black, dog lovers, and a strong main character. Totally worth the read. I couldn’t stop reading and the ending was unexpected to say the least.

Likes: The plot, the premise, the characters, powerful read.

[Wrath · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant piece of writing.

[RoseDevoursBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I tore through this book in just six days! I found myself reaching for it every spare moment I had. There’s something incredibly addictive about Triana’s writing and the way he brings his characters to life (no surprise considering he’s one of my favorite authors). It felt like watching an intense TV series I was hooked on and couldn’t wait to see what happened next. If I had to compare the experience to anything, it’d be like binge-watching a darker version of Orange is the New Black or Breaking Bad. Themes of prison life, drugs, and a man unraveling into a darker version of himself— and it all starts with one heartbreaking motivation: his love for his dog Charlie, who got diagnosed with cancer. In a desperate attempt to pay for treatment, he takes a job as a corrections officer, which sets everything in motion.

Liam was a great character, and there was always this underlying tension around how his decisions might ripple into bigger consequences. The people he got mixed up with kept throwing him into unpredictable situations, and I was constantly on edge waiting for something wild to go down— and it most certainly did! While this book is tamer compared to some of Triana’s more brutal works, it still delivers with its suspenseful moments, bursts of violence, and a gripping look at corruption in private prisons and the darker side of human nature.

I do wish there had been more scenes between Liam and his dog, Charlie- the emotional core of the story felt a bit sidelined at times. However, I was thoroughly entertained by the chaotic situations Liam kept stumbling into. The ending genuinely caught me off guard! While it might have come together a little too easily, it was still a surprising and satisfying conclusion.

Overall, this is a fantastic read! I’m actually a bit sad it’s over and wish there were more pages to tear through. I’d even love to see a sequel! If you’re looking for a dark thriller set in a women’s prison, this one is definitely worth picking up!

4.5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

[Bjørn Skjæveland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Triana never disappoints. 4.25 stars!

This is more of a "normal" dark crime-thriller, as opposed to the splatterpunk and extreme horror that Triana is more commonly known for. It's also a scathing critique of the private for-profit prison system in the US. Highly entertaining, with a devilishly twisted ending!

[B. Kirby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hooked from the first sentence. I absolutely love Triana’s writing. I was itching to get a prison book and this thing delivered. Had everything I wanted. Bravo.

[Jada Reads Horror · Rating 5 out of 5]

As Taylor swift once said “it must be exhausting always rooting for the antihero”

[Shae Bentley · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️ - What an absolute ride this book was. It hooked me immediately and I absolutely tore through it. At its core, this is a prison story, but Triana turns it into something far more intense, weaving grief, violence, and desperation into a narrative that’s as gripping as it is brutal.

The story follows Liam, who, in a desperate attempt to pay for cancer treatment for his dog Charlie, takes a job as a corrections officer. Watching his life spiral out of control was both wildly entertaining and anxiety-inducing in equal measure. Triana’s characters are written with such depth that you feel like you know them. The loneliness, the yearning for connection, and the way that longing mutates into obsession and danger are portrayed with devastating clarity.

Triana doesn’t hold back on the grit either. The manipulation, the snitching, the staffing shortages, and that ever-present threat of violence create an atmosphere of constant tension. The dehumanisation and hopelessness of prison life bleed through every page, making this book feel raw and uncomfortably real. It shines a harsh light on the corruption within private prisons and the darker sides of humanity.

It’s violent, unhinged, darkly hypnotic, and surprisingly emotional at times. If you enjoy a wild, prison story that drags you straight into the depths of human depravity, this is one you need to read!

Thank you to Kristopher Triana for the gifted ebook. I did immediately purchase a physical copy because I needed this masterpiece on my shelf!

[Michelle Sherrier · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded up! Wow! What a fun prison story this was. Watching Liam’s life spiral out of control and seeing the story end the way it did was wild! I absolutely loved this book and the writing style, I felt like I really knew these characters throughout. You need to read this one if you enjoy a crazy prison story.

[Becki 🤎 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t recognise this world anymore 🐦‍⬛

Firstly thank you so much to Triana for sending me an audible code for this! Secondly, WOW this was the gift that kept on giving 😯

Liam is at a crossroads in life, having broke down & doing a brief spell in a mental hospital his wife decides this isn’t what she signed for and a divorce is needed. He’s had to find a new home & a new job but he has his best friend Charlie, the beautiful Labrador that has been with him since a pup. He is his reason for living.

Finding a job as a corrections officer in a woman’s prison is his only option right now. He settles in quickly, and soon starts connecting with inmates. Liam is a little on the soft side & takes to Zoe very fast. What starts as an act of kindness leads to him questioning his whole character.

When he finds out Charlie has cancer and the treatment is more than he could ever afford, he goes against the grain & starts a business with Zoe & her cousin Dennis, smuggling drugs into the prison for Zoe to distribute. He soon sees how much money he is earning & it takes ahold of him, he gets greedy!! How far is he willing to go though & can he actually trust Zoe & Dennis?!

All good things must come to an end for some 👀

Omg I LOVED this so much! It’s been on my tbr for so long & I’m sad it’s ended, I want to read it again already 😭 The situations Liam got himself into! Oh I wanted to shake him at times, how naive can one person be?!

It’s crazy because this obviously does happen, which makes the story all the more compelling. I do love when you read something that makes you think like wow this stuff really does happen, it can be as simple as needing to do something for a good reason that can then end up taking over your life!

I didn’t expect the ending in the slightest! It was an ohhhhh that’s NAUGHTY. It did make me wonder if we’ll maybe get a sequel in time? 🤞🏼

Anyway, go read it, it’s amazing ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ from me! Thanks again for the code, it’s very much appreciated 🫶🏻🤎

[Leslie Kurt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book by Kristopher Triana. I love his storytelling, especially when he writes a first-person POV. Being inside a prison in first-person was an unnerving experience. The book is not quite as extreme as some of his other books and doesn’t even get to be more than noir until quite a ways in, but it's still an interesting story. The only thing I could ding it on is that it was quite a bit longer than his typical books, and there were some parts that could’ve been cut without sacrificing the plot or character development. My wife and I listened to this on Audible, and we’re also big Chuck Brugee fans. He pulled off another excellent performance.

[Thomas Hobbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually thought this was a political fiction book, but I was way wrong.
Prison, drugs, corrupt correction officers and lots of insane female prisoners.
Liam a newly hired CO, wants to be his best but life always gets in the way. His dog has cancer and his new job even with overtime doesn't pay that well. He only has one option and he has to cross into the darkside of society.
Great book Liam, Zoey and Dennis, were all beautifully written characters.

[Tracy Hipp · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

I enjoyed this book but having read several Kristopher Triana books I was expecting and hoping for more gore. It's set in a prison, it lends itself to this. Don't get me wrong, there is a lot, but..... me wanted more. Triana is an excellent storyteller though and I enjoyed the ride.

[Camille · Rating 4 out of 5]

That ending.... Prison really does change people.

[Levi Arnold · Rating 2 out of 5]

breaking bad if walter white really hated women

[Jamie Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have pets and love them the way most pet owners do, you’d probably do damn near anything for them. I would sell everything I own to save my cats if I had to. But would you go as far as criminal acts? Chancing your safety and career and morality? In this book the main character Liam has to decide what he will do when his dog Charlie has cancer and needs treatment. He may end up risking it all. He may end up getting caught. But what he knows is that if he takes this opportunity nothing will be the same again.

Liam is starting over, he’s in his mid-forties, divorced and alone with just his best friend and dog, Charlie. He takes a job at Norrington, a maximum security women’s prison as a correctional officer. With zero experience and not a hell of a lot of pay, he’s still ready to give it a try and start over. Early on in this new journey is when he finds out about Charlie’s cancer. Conveniently, he’s been propositioned by more than one female inmate at Norrington to test the waters and see how “dirty” of a CO he can be. He finally caves when he starts bonding with Zoe. She’s ready to do business with Liam and has many different ways of showing it. With her crazy criminal cousin Dennis on the outside for a way to get the things needed for Zoe to sell, and for Liam to get his cut of money, Liam will be figuring out ways to move product for Zoe.

Without going into too much more detail, you can imagine how messy things get. Liam did start out with the desperation of wanting to save Charlie but as the money and power and control start influencing Liam even more, things get more serious. And more deadly. And there is not a sliver of morality at this point.

Triana definitely has a great style and kept me wanting more. I knew I would be hooked simply as the backdrop is a prison and it is a trope we don’t see as much and when I find very underrated. Sometimes this story being told from Liam’s perspective pissed me off because I didn’t like the way he started changing. And changing how he feels about people, criminals, addicts and especially how he views women in general now.

The ending!! It is one where you don’t want it to happen but it was totally ended exactly how it should be. I hope to see more thick books like this from Triana in the future! Maybe a sequel to see where everyone is at years later?! Nahhh not every book needs a sequel. But I’m okay and supportive if it happens. Ha!

Enjoy this book, happy reading!

[Kimber Kra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was, heartbreaking.
They say that prison changes a person, even if you’re not an inmate.

Liam gets a job as a CO at a women’s for profit prison.
The reason he got the job, is to hold desperately onto the one thing he has left after a series of tragedies, his dog, Charlie, who has cancer.
His morality is challenged when he befriends Zoe, an inmate, and her MESSSSY cousin, Dennis. From there we are exposed to the travesties and workings of a high volume low staff women’s prison. Everything spirals, and it just, hurts in the best way.
You feel the twist in their humanity.

It’s best not to know what they’re in there for, and
Once you do, you won’t recognize this world anymore.

It’s a pure showcase of the racism, corruption, sexism, misanthropy, substance abuse, mental illness, and violence that occur within barbed wire fences.
It was cruel. Bleak. Amazing.

[Sharon Leung · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fully enjoyed

A fascinating storyline with amazing characters. A man now divorced, struggling on his own, no job no prospects and suffering with depression. His only saving grace is Charlie. His doting dog that is like a part of him. He sees an ad for postings in a prison for officers. He applies and his life begins to change. This read is full to brimming with deceit, sex, and violence. Your dragged into a world of hate, misguided ways and bloody need. Innocence and criminality are twisted to become a must to save life and cause death. But can it go on? Things start to go awry and struggles are made.
My favourite characters have to be the brazen Lily and Liam. Lily as she has such a care free way about her and knew what she wanted form the get go, never wavering. Recommended to anyone who loves a good gritty read.

[Mary Martin · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really don’t understand all the good reviews. I read almost strictly horror/thriller books, and I found this absolutely juvenile and disgusting, and not in a good way. This is the first book I’ve read by this author, and I don’t plan on reading more. I get the feeling this guy really hates women, and that alone made me not even want to finish. I also have a feeling this didn’t have a copy editor, with mistakes like “subscription” instead of “prescription”, and “penile” instead of “penal”. Like, seriously? I wanted this book to just end by the time I got about 40% through, but I trudged through because I was curious about the ending. Well, that was a major disappointment as well. This was not anything like what I expected it to be, and I regret reading it. Waste of time.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Minor Spoilers

The new Triana treads into territory similar to its predecessor, The Old Woman, a personal favorite from the author. This time, we're thrust into the Norrington women's correctional facility, rife with disloyalty from both inside and out. While some reviews criticize the motives behind Liam and his dog's relationship, I found their financial struggles entirely plausible. The symbolism of crows interwoven with America's broken healthcare system and historical native bloodshed adds an ominous texture to the novel. However, despite these high-stakes elements, I was somewhat let down by the farcical (though plausible) dialogue when the warden appeared for a final chat. This felt like poor taste for the culminating confession.

Another nailbiter from KT that I recommend!

[Nik Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

What would you do to save your best friend? Would you turn your back on your morals to extend their life by an unforeseen amount of time. These are the questions Liam Donnelly must answer when his dog Charlie is diagnosed with cancer. Liam is a correctional officer at Northington's women's prison, a divorced man struggling with his mental health. When he finds out his dog has cancer, Liam is willing to do whatever it takes to raise the money for his treatment, but how far is Liam really willing to go. Will the corruption get to him, or will his morals prevail.
Triana takes us into the seedy world that is the American prison system. This book is beautifully written and plays with your emotions from start to finish. This is in my top 5 reads for 2025.

[Ang Boone · Rating 5 out of 5]

The ending completely caught me off guard, yet perfectly aligns with the corruption of the American penitentiary system. The protagonist’s transformation captures the powerful reflection of the psychological horror of being on either side of the bars. Once again, Triana made me question if humanity even exists anymore and can destroy your soul within ~3 pages.

"Humanity likes to delude itself into believing it has matured, that it has evolved from the dark ages of torture and persecution. But anyone who has spent time in prison on either side of the bars can tell you just how brutal human beings remain at their core. Under the right conditions, we go right back to ripping each other's guts out with hot irons."

[Carly Springs · Rating 3 out of 5]

the true horrors

This feels very different compared to the handful of Triana’s other books I’ve read. Instead of diving deep into the deplorable acts people can be capable of, with intensity and grotesqueness, this story is rather tame in the realm of extreme horror. The true horror of this story, the known villain, a living nightmare for so many people- is the Privatized Prison Industry.
While this book didn’t have me at the edge of my seat like some of my Triana favorites, I still enjoyed this read. If you’re looking for a story that starts a little slow before snowballing down a hill of chaos, pick this up!

[Chandra Claypool (WhereTheReaderGrows) · Rating 5 out of 5]

If it's Triana, you just know you're going to get an amazing, authentic, dark, bloody and powerful read. I DON'T RECOGNIZE THIS WORLD ANYMORE is just more proof of this. Liam has one of the best character arcs I've read in a very long time. We get a look inside a for profit prison where things don't run quite as they probably should. Where the feral women within take charge. Liam has to adjust to things as they adjust to him. All for the love of a dog.

Make sure to add this to your TBR and absolutely give this a read. I couldn't recommend it more.

[Paul Tindol · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished up Kristopher Triana's new prison novel "I Don't Recognize This World Anymore," and man, was it stellar! Definitely a contender for novel of the year. The story follows, a man who takes a job at a woman's prison, known to house some of the most violent inmates in the system, in order to help pay for his dog's cancer treatments. What follows is a fast-paced Breaking Bad-esque tale that descends into crime, chaos, and corruption with a strong message about the American criminal justice system.

[hunter · Rating 4 out of 5]

triana always delivers on depravity but i felt like there wasnt enough in here. it’s clear none of the characters are good people (they’re in prison obviously); with liam, i felt like we needed to spend more time with him and his descent into madness. the ending felt a bit abrupt but it wrapped up in a way that i’m still satisfied. i almost want a book that’s just profiles on the inmates so we get an insight into their crimes, maybe that’s just me craving more depravity.

[Kris B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good overall. The characters and women's prison setting was all well done. I was expecting more bloodshed but the interesting story compensated for that. I had hoped for a different ending but thats just a personal opinion and probably wont affect most other readers.

[Will Cantrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not your typical Triana. But man this thing really went wild at the end. I would compare this to a more dirty version of Orange I’d the New Black. You see more of a dirty CO life than the prisoners. Def worth a read.

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who loves their animals as children and do whatever I could to save them, I was beyond excited to see what extremes Triana would take that in this book. Different than Gone to see the river man but not as extreme full out as full brutal this book finds its place and was a hit for me.

[Clayton Gallaway · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another amazing book by Triana. I could not put it down it sucks you right in. Great character and story building and more of a crime/thriller novel then his typical works but it has lots of real life horror most people wouldn’t see. I highly recommend it.