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Unclaimed Property
When Mallory discovers there is an inheritance waiting for her, she doesn't realize it means going home. As the situation spins out of control, it becomes clear she inherited much more than she bargained for. To accept would change everything-but should she?
- GenresHorror
65 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 17, 2025
1 person is currently reading
109 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
September 1, 2025
What a fascinating and different and *interesting* short novella. This is an intimate and grounded story of a woman learning the truth about her family and thereby herself. Delani is a confident writer and captured the protagonist’s voice so well that it felt like a memoir almost (which makes sense in reading the author’s note at the end). There’s sadness here, but also humor and legit creepies. And Fireball. I’d love to see what she can do with a novel.
December 28, 2025
Unclaimed Property lures readers into the dark mouth of a lost legacy. What is family? What is home? How does it hunger for us through the years we've left it behind and how deadly is it once we're back within reach of its jaws? Every page you turn, this story's fangs will sink deeper and deeper.
June 16, 2025
Unclaimed Property, the debut horror novella by Cat Delani, pulls no punches. It is the story of a young woman revisiting her past when picking up a box of “unclaimed property” left over from when she was orphaned as a small child in Savannah. I flew through this novella in one sitting. With the feel of a mysterious fever dream, we gradually learn the history of Mallory Price: the loss that shaped her, as well as the family legacies that bind. I loved being in Mallory’s head, her wit had me chuckling at times while her pain and confusion was visceral. A moss-dripping southern gothic, this story totally delivered with some of my favorite horror vibes. The creepiness ramps up as the story takes unexpected and satisfying turns to get to its conclusion, all the while hitting you in the feels. I can’t say more for fear of spoilers! Cat is an important new voice in horror, and I can’t wait to read more from her.
June 27, 2025
Interesting premise (though not at all original: young woman goes back home to claim her inheritance, which had been 'unclaimed property' up to that point - for rather unconvincing reasons), good clear prose (though too much repetition - the pattern goes: discovery-introspection-sleep to avoid facing reality-bizarre dream-introspection-car ride-sleep to avoid facing reality-bizarre dream-introspection-discovery, and on and on), and an intriguing ending. However, the choice to tell the story in the form of running commentary on everything that's happening, and from the first-personal point of view, soon proved exhausting. A third-point of view with a greater emphasis on suspense than introspection might have worked better. However, I felt strongly that the author had some emotional baggage to get rid of by writing the story. Unfortunately, the interminable moments of indecision and navel-gazing soon wore thin. It's not a bad debut though. I'll keep an eye out for the author's next work.
October 5, 2025
I can’t remember the last time I became so quickly invested in a character! Mallory Matthews, an orphan with muddled memories after years in foster care, answers an ad to search for unclaimed property. She hits pay dirt and heads back to Georgia.
I felt ALL OF MALLORY immediately, independent and strong, but a little lost and may lean towards bad choices to avoid looking too hard at her past.
Delani leads the reader down the rabbit hole of Mallory’s past as she opens The Box, that is her unclaimed property.
Horror novellas are my favorite and this book hit all the markers of an excellent example: fast moving, well drawn characters, terrifying premise, shocking reveal.
A really good read!
I felt ALL OF MALLORY immediately, independent and strong, but a little lost and may lean towards bad choices to avoid looking too hard at her past.
Delani leads the reader down the rabbit hole of Mallory’s past as she opens The Box, that is her unclaimed property.
Horror novellas are my favorite and this book hit all the markers of an excellent example: fast moving, well drawn characters, terrifying premise, shocking reveal.
A really good read!
June 30, 2025
Had to change rating for personal reasons again
November 9, 2025
I loved this!! This is a horror novella where not a page is wasted. It’s economical without being sparse - somehow, we’re given everything we need. The plot never lets up for a moment, and Mallory felt fleshed-out and real, her emotions palpable as her past and present collide. The pace picks up and up until it feels a little feverish at times and I almost wanted to check Mallory’s temperature.
This story deals with grief and all the messiness of it. The conflicting emotions, the ways it can surprise you, the way it can make you selfish. Mallory is being thrown all over the place by everything this trip has stirred up for her, and we’re being thrown around with her in a way that almost feels claustrophobic. Mallory, us, and her grief all trapped in a motel room fighting for air.
On top of that, this story is CREEPY. From the second Mallory arrives back in Savannah, odd and unsettling things keep happening, things Mallory doesn’t even give her full attention to half the time because she has so much going on. But we do. And let me tell you, we’re keeping note and are creeped tf out!
I loved reading this so much, it’s beautifully written and excellently creepy. Best enjoyed in one sitting with a Fireball chaser. I can’t wait to read more by the author!!
This story deals with grief and all the messiness of it. The conflicting emotions, the ways it can surprise you, the way it can make you selfish. Mallory is being thrown all over the place by everything this trip has stirred up for her, and we’re being thrown around with her in a way that almost feels claustrophobic. Mallory, us, and her grief all trapped in a motel room fighting for air.
On top of that, this story is CREEPY. From the second Mallory arrives back in Savannah, odd and unsettling things keep happening, things Mallory doesn’t even give her full attention to half the time because she has so much going on. But we do. And let me tell you, we’re keeping note and are creeped tf out!
I loved reading this so much, it’s beautifully written and excellently creepy. Best enjoyed in one sitting with a Fireball chaser. I can’t wait to read more by the author!!
September 10, 2025
“I expect it to cause a dip in the mattress, even though I know it isn’t heavy. That’s just the weight it has.”
Much like the box of Unclaimed Property, this book is similar in that it holds a heavy weight while being in a small package, and I always love a novella with a heavy punch.
It’s hard to get into some of the aspects of this book that I love without spoiling it, but it certainly kept me on my feet. The box haunts the pages, with a feeling that something is off the entire way. That bit of surrealism has some moments moving by like a dream. The pacing is so well done that it keeps that unreal quality throughout.
There’s a personal touch to the book, which I feel always makes a story better when you can feel the author has put a bit of themselves into their characters.
Much like the box of Unclaimed Property, this book is similar in that it holds a heavy weight while being in a small package, and I always love a novella with a heavy punch.
It’s hard to get into some of the aspects of this book that I love without spoiling it, but it certainly kept me on my feet. The box haunts the pages, with a feeling that something is off the entire way. That bit of surrealism has some moments moving by like a dream. The pacing is so well done that it keeps that unreal quality throughout.
There’s a personal touch to the book, which I feel always makes a story better when you can feel the author has put a bit of themselves into their characters.
May 24, 2025
In UNCLAIMED PROPERTY, Cat Delani shows us the true nature of grief. Loss is a knife that doesn't grow dull with time - rather, we learn how to avoid being cut again until we can't anymore. So prepare to be gutted, because this is a debut you won't want to miss.
June 22, 2025
Mallory, Mallory, Mallory Price
Cat wrote a book and it was quite nice!
Cat wrote a book and it was quite nice!
June 11, 2025
Unclaimed Property is a searing debut horror novella about a character grappling with grief, that human experience we all deal with. Delani adds a fresh take on the grief horror subgenre with fantastic prose, weight, and humor. Pick this one up if you’re a fan of Rachel Harrison or Clay McLeod Chapman.
July 2, 2025
A debut that’s haunting, weighty, and already echoing with spectral resonance before the first page is even turned!
Cat Delani doesn’t just write horror—she consecrated it. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
I was instantly pulled into the semi-unreliable psyche of Mallory Price, a woman caught in the wake of trauma, identity loss, and the quiet thrum of something very wrong lurking just beneath the surface, with a sense of empathy. It’s grief horror, cult horror, and paranormal dread all braided together. It’s uniquely spectral and personal.
From the first page, I was immersed in Mallory’s consciousness with a sense of intimate disquiet. There’s an eerie in medias res, like waking in a stranger’s house with your name stitched into the sheets. The tension builds with a slow, layering suspicion and vulnerability until reality itself feels porous. Mallory may not be a classic unreliable narrator, but there’s a terrifying clarity in how unknowable everything around her becomes.
This novella packs a punch with the thematic weight. Identity. Grief. Legacy. The ache of being alone in life and wondering why. And also the strange, desperate beauty of found family. I loved it.
And if we’re being honest—the dedication and acknowledgments alone deserve 5 stars and you can’t tell me otherwise.
It’s a haunting, humane, and beautifully unsettling debut. Delani is one to watch—and Unclaimed Property is a harbinger of great things to come.
Delani has carved something truly eerie and enduring into the gothic walls of indie horror.
Cat Delani doesn’t just write horror—she consecrated it. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
I was instantly pulled into the semi-unreliable psyche of Mallory Price, a woman caught in the wake of trauma, identity loss, and the quiet thrum of something very wrong lurking just beneath the surface, with a sense of empathy. It’s grief horror, cult horror, and paranormal dread all braided together. It’s uniquely spectral and personal.
From the first page, I was immersed in Mallory’s consciousness with a sense of intimate disquiet. There’s an eerie in medias res, like waking in a stranger’s house with your name stitched into the sheets. The tension builds with a slow, layering suspicion and vulnerability until reality itself feels porous. Mallory may not be a classic unreliable narrator, but there’s a terrifying clarity in how unknowable everything around her becomes.
This novella packs a punch with the thematic weight. Identity. Grief. Legacy. The ache of being alone in life and wondering why. And also the strange, desperate beauty of found family. I loved it.
And if we’re being honest—the dedication and acknowledgments alone deserve 5 stars and you can’t tell me otherwise.
It’s a haunting, humane, and beautifully unsettling debut. Delani is one to watch—and Unclaimed Property is a harbinger of great things to come.
Delani has carved something truly eerie and enduring into the gothic walls of indie horror.
June 12, 2025
Unclaimed Property by Cat Delani is a tight, haunting read that blends horror and grief in a way that really sticks. Mallory’s journey starts with a mysterious inheritance and quickly spirals into something way more intense and I couldn’t stop reading.
Delani nails the feeling of panic and mental unraveling. You’re right there with Mallory, and the tension just keeps building. The horror hits hard, especially toward the end, and the emotional weight behind it all gives the story real depth.
My only gripe? The swearing felt a bit much at times. I’m fine with I'm UK based and near Liverpool lol so I'm not sensitive with swearing, but here it sometimes pulled me out of the story instead of adding to it. But this isn't ruin my enjoyment of the book.
Still, I kind of wish it had been longer. Delani’s writing is strong and I’ll definitely be reading whatever she puts out next. If you're into horror with heart (and don’t mind some rough language), this one’s worth checking out!
Delani nails the feeling of panic and mental unraveling. You’re right there with Mallory, and the tension just keeps building. The horror hits hard, especially toward the end, and the emotional weight behind it all gives the story real depth.
My only gripe? The swearing felt a bit much at times. I’m fine with I'm UK based and near Liverpool lol so I'm not sensitive with swearing, but here it sometimes pulled me out of the story instead of adding to it. But this isn't ruin my enjoyment of the book.
Still, I kind of wish it had been longer. Delani’s writing is strong and I’ll definitely be reading whatever she puts out next. If you're into horror with heart (and don’t mind some rough language), this one’s worth checking out!
July 6, 2025
Unclaimed Property was a really interesting read! I was expecting the usual haunted inheritance story, and while there are elements of that here, Cat took the idea in a bit of a different direction, which made this story a fresh experience for me.
Though, I did think at times that parts of the story got a little repetitive. The main character seemed to do a lot of similar things on a cycle, and I think if this was a longer story, it wouldn't have been as noticeable.
I also ended the story with a lot of unanswered questions. Who (or what) was the entity? What happened to Mallory? What does her future look like now? Does she make a new deal? What are the benefits of what was done for her?
Unclaimed Property was a good debut for this author. While it didn't land all the way with me, I did still enjoy the read and would definitely read more by Cat in the future.
I'd really love to see a sequel or extended release! im so curious about where Mallory goes from here and what happens next!
Though, I did think at times that parts of the story got a little repetitive. The main character seemed to do a lot of similar things on a cycle, and I think if this was a longer story, it wouldn't have been as noticeable.
I also ended the story with a lot of unanswered questions. Who (or what) was the entity? What happened to Mallory? What does her future look like now? Does she make a new deal? What are the benefits of what was done for her?
Unclaimed Property was a good debut for this author. While it didn't land all the way with me, I did still enjoy the read and would definitely read more by Cat in the future.
I'd really love to see a sequel or extended release! im so curious about where Mallory goes from here and what happens next!
September 20, 2025
It wasn't bad, but there were definitely some areas that could've been improved appon. Apparently, she wrote this first as 55K gothic novel and then somehow condensed it into 60 pages, but that is pretty much impossible to do well. It could've benefited from being longer and making the actual tension moments longer. I could see this being more the i production to a full length novel. For only 60 pages, the set up took a bit too long making the start a bit dull, and it was difficult to connect to the main character because of tok many details (Spotify daylists and relations to friends) and too little (actual personal history and the roots of her trauma). All in all, it has potential but it would've been better longer with better proportions of exposition and core problem.
June 22, 2025
“Little but fierce;” this debut novella packs a huge punch. Evocative writing, I could perfectly picture my home state of Georgia through Delani’s words and found myself craving some late night WaHo — which has often been a sanctuary in my life, much as it seemed to be for Mallory.
This was an excellent example of grief horror, and I felt instantly drawn to Mallory and the mystery she unfolds amidst her grief and trauma. The vibes were a perfect mix of horror with heart and creepy as hell. I loved this promising debut and cannot wait to read more from Delani!
This was an excellent example of grief horror, and I felt instantly drawn to Mallory and the mystery she unfolds amidst her grief and trauma. The vibes were a perfect mix of horror with heart and creepy as hell. I loved this promising debut and cannot wait to read more from Delani!
June 26, 2025
I really enjoyed this quick read. I tend not to gravitate toward grief horror, but I was glad to have read this somber and mysterious novella. Cat Delani excelled in giving Mallory a strong, funny, and contemplative personality. While this is a slow burn, the ending packs a punch that makes the entire journey worth the destination.
Read
July 7, 2025Cat’s voice is growing and strong. Mallory is a character riddled with the unknown of her past, and she’s determined to keep it that way (all except for the money, of course), but there’s an unknown force pulling her in, and before you know it, Cat has the reader, alongside Mallory, curious, and scared, of what we do not know.
October 2, 2025
This was an absolutely wonderful debut, though to qualify it with "debut" is unfair. No such notation is needed, as Cat Delani's first book stands shoulder to shoulder with the most enjoyable of today's horror fiction. Tightly plotted, with excellent and realistic characters, and she absolutely sticks the landing. Spooky season read!
November 4, 2025
Flew through this horror novella as I really wanted to know what happened. Easy enough to read but I didn't feel invested in the character, and the style of writing felt a little repetitive and formulaic.
June 22, 2025
An A+ debut from a very talented author
I absolutely devoured this! It was well paced, well written, and intriguing. I really hope to see more from Cat in the future!
I absolutely devoured this! It was well paced, well written, and intriguing. I really hope to see more from Cat in the future!
July 8, 2025
Cat Delani is one to watch
This is my first Cat Delani, but it won’t be my last. I’m a sucker for a dream-bending reality maelstrom.
This is my first Cat Delani, but it won’t be my last. I’m a sucker for a dream-bending reality maelstrom.
August 20, 2025
A Southern Gothic novella, equal parts post-antebellum horror and elegy, that reframes grief with a twist: sometimes what we can mourn most is ourselves.
June 18, 2025
Ooo interesting concept! I would love to read more about Mallory’s life, maybe a prequel about the fire. Easy and fast horror thriller, something to get you right in the mood for a night reading.
July 1, 2025
4.5 stars
This was great! A strong, assured debut novella. I found it to be an engrossing, wholly original take on grief horror.
I loved Mallory, she was funny and real, and although this was perfectly paced and ended at just the right moment, I wanted more! More Mallory, more of the story from that moment because it was so good and shiver-inducing. I had serious Shirley Jackson vibes at some points which heck yes.
Also, the italics thing: I love when italics are used in books this way and done well.
This was great! A strong, assured debut novella. I found it to be an engrossing, wholly original take on grief horror.
I loved Mallory, she was funny and real, and although this was perfectly paced and ended at just the right moment, I wanted more! More Mallory, more of the story from that moment because it was so good and shiver-inducing. I had serious Shirley Jackson vibes at some points which heck yes.
Also, the italics thing: I love when italics are used in books this way and done well.
August 10, 2025
A delightful debut from an author we are CERTAIN to see more from in the horror community. You won’t see the ending coming!
June 7, 2025
First to review! SUCK IT Z :) This debut novella from Delani is a sucker punch to the emotions. It exploits and attacks the tenderness of one’s heart with no remorse. The writing style is reminiscent of Rachel Harrison and you do not want to miss this tale of grieving and its aftermath from a new, powerful voice in horror. Anyone can relate to grief and loss, as it is universal. Grieving is a complicated process, even if your relationship with your own parent or loved one is a strained one. This story focuses on Mallory as she comes into possession of some things from her late father that she found via an unclaimed property website. She figures "what do I have to lose?" ... and then the story takes a turn, many actually. I cannot spoil this, as I read a very early copy of it. I truly cannot wait to see what Cat has in store for us next. You can preorder this book NOW. Publication date is June 17, 2025!
July 24, 2025
This book is genuinely so good! Delani really has a unique way of describing situations and the ability to make you truly understand what's going on in Mallory's head; I was panicking with her, I was confused when she was confused, I also thought maybe I was losing my mind.
The end of this story had me scream-messaging Delani live at 3am in all caps for at least 20 minutes.
if you're a fan of horror, themes of overcoming childhood trauma, and learning to accept your inner demons, definitely read Unclaimed Property.
The end of this story had me scream-messaging Delani live at 3am in all caps for at least 20 minutes.
if you're a fan of horror, themes of overcoming childhood trauma, and learning to accept your inner demons, definitely read Unclaimed Property.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews