Taking Melody: An Extreme Horror

by T.L. MacRae

Taking Melody is all rage and no romance. This is a love story gone deadly wrong.

Russell told Melody that if she ever left him, he would hunt her down across the world. Nowhere would be safe, she’d have nowhere to hide, no one would be able to help her. Taking her chance, Melody left him and never looked back...

Except for the growing dread that he would do what he had promised, always causing her to look over her shoulder; wondering, waiting...

One day, she finds herself trapped, imprisoned and awaiting a horrific ordeal at his hands. Except Melody knows that no matter what happens, he won’t be walking out alive, but she will.

Taking Melody is a splatterpunk, extreme horror novella of abuse, revenge and a phoenix rising from the ashes.

If you thought Beware the Rosemond Ripper was extreme or bloody, this novella takes feminine rage to bigger, more gruesome heights.

Genres: Horror, Splatterpunk

77 pages, Hardcover

Published May 21, 2025

About the author

T. L. MacRae is a fairy warrior princess from Fife, Scotland. Told too often that her head was in the clouds, she lost touch with reality somewhere around tea parties and chasing unicorns & faeries. She created realms of her own and lives there instead.
She writes unhinged horror, spicy romance, devastating poetry and a little non-fiction. As a survivor she wants to raise awareness of domestic abuse and mental health issues. She believes that writing gives her a voice otherwise silenced by those who benefited from that quiet in the past.
Find her on social media @tlmacraeauthor

Reviews

[Stitching Ghost · Rating 4 out of 5]

The blurb says it all, it's all rage, no romance here.

I appreciated that MacRae made it nearly impossible to really feel sorry for the "victims" in this one, though she really nailed the impulse we have to feel sorry for the people who do us the most harm, she knows how the story goes and it shows.

It's vile and while the story is a bit bare boned if you're in the market for a gross out fest and female rage it would be a pretty good pick.

[GemieLou · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extreme female rage at its finest! This book may be short, but it packs a punch. For anyone who has experienced DV/SA, this is the perfect revenge story (with a good old sprinkle of blood and gore!)

[SeveredTherapy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very rarely I come across a book that I could feel the catharsis from. This is the second one I've read this year (out of the 200+), where I felt myself in need of brain bleach. This author certainly put forth what they needed to, in order to move on and the emotion was fully on display.

The violence found in here wasn't meant to shock or disgust, but rather as a way to get out the frustration (both for the MC and the author). It is presented in a manner that is actually quite palatable and complete with how most people would react in that situation.

With that being said, I come to EH and splatterpunk, because I enjoy the absurdity and ridiculousness. However, it's books like this that remind me that writing is a form of therapy for a lot of authors (including myself).

Many thanks to Ms. MacRae for sharing this with the world. I know it wasn't easy.

5 out of 5 severed thumbs-up.

[Caffs37 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Taking Melody may feature a dramatic pink cover that is every alt girls dream, it might even lure in the unsuspecting reader, but don't be deceived—within its 60 pages lies a pulse-pounding extreme horror story that's as unhinged as it is captivating.

From the moment I started reading, I was hooked by the sheer intensity of the narrative. This book packs an exhilarating punch despite its brief length. The revenge plot surrounding the main character, Melody, is not only satisfying but expertly crafted, making you root for her for all she endured before this point. The gory, extreme elements add a layer of thrill that kept me eager to turn the pages.

I can confidently say that I was left wanting more. If the author ever expands this into a longer format, I would eagerly dive into it without hesitation. For anyone seeking a quick, binge-worthy read that delivers a satisfying blend of horror and juicy revenge, Taking Melody is a must-read.

I loved every bit of it and look forward to exploring more from T.L. MacRae!

[Donna Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5*
CHECK TWs
Wow What a ride this Novella was!!!
It may be short but it defo packs a punch!
It was Gross and Brutal but I loved it 😅

[Jasmine Wells · Rating 5 out of 5]

is it wrong that I enjoyed this? probably 🤣 Mel is badass, pure female rage at its finest.

[Gina 🥰 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brutal. Violent. Female rage. True splatterpunk. Not for the faint of heart AT. ALL. This book holds every trigger warning you could think of. 🥲🥲

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love a good fast paced feminine rage novella. Sometimes short, sweet, and to the point is great and this novella is that.

[Maddie Weeks · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨ Female rage with all the trigger warnings ✨

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

That was intense! hooked from the beginning, definitely check the trigger warnings. This is no for everyone. Feminine rage at full force, gruesome and captivating.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars so close to being 4 stars. I just wasn't convinced on how she got hold of the 2 other guys so easily, but saying that I did enjoy the story behind the revenge and why she did it.

[LJ🥀👻 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of those stories that hits a little harder than you expect it to. It’s brutal, gory, and completely unflinching; but beneath all the blood and chaos, there’s something real there. Something that hurts.
There were moments that felt uncomfortably familiar, which made it hard to read at times, but I think that’s part of what makes it work. It doesn’t sugarcoat anything. It’s raw and angry, and you can feel every ounce of that in the writing.
That said, it’s not perfect; there are a few rough spots in the prose, and some parts could’ve been fleshed out more. But overall, it’s a solid, gut-punch of a story that sticks with you after you close the book.
Not for the faint of heart, and definitely not something I’d call “enjoyable,” but it made me feel something; and that counts for a lot.

[Carrie West · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do NOT read this book if you are squeamish. You have been warned.

Dude. This was so twisty.

Everything that has ever happened to Melody was absolutely heartbreaking. No one should ever have to go through any of that, or made to feel the way she was forced to because of someone else. That said…

Bitch. Yaasssss!!! Take back your life!

It was gory as hell, but it didn’t stop me from enjoying it. Have you seen the movie Promising Young Woman? This was that but with more vengeance. It was marvelous.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Melody's abusive ex-boyfriend and his friends kidnap her with the intent to torture and kill her, but she ends up torturing them instead. This is not fun to read but it's short, brutal, and very satisfying. The few typos were distracting and I didn't like that the epilogue was in third person but I really do like this novella, and although I am in no hurry to read it again, I would be interested in reading more from T.L. MacRae.

[Laura Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

TAKING MELODY
A SPLATTERPUNK NOVELLA BY T. L. MACRAE.
5 ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨s.
Blooming heck that's a trigger warning page and I dove straight in.
Trigger warning central right here.
This is a fast and quick read.
I do love myself a revenge story and this one had it all.
Do not let the pink cover deceive you this is a gory and sick splatterpunk and there's no pink or cute about it.
This book is NOT for the faint hearted.
Any extreme horror or splatterpunk fan will love this.

[Lesley Camphouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

You're thrown right in the middle of the action, so to speak, and this was a fun read.

Melody is abducted by her former lover, who wants to hurt her, together with his two best friends, but then the tables turn...

[Kyrie Orledge · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve rated this 3 stars because the story and attention to detail are really good but it should have been proofed before release. It jumps tenses and makes it pretty hard to read at times. So I marked it down.

[Danielle Carley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I support women's rights and women's wrongs!!! good for her

[Ashley Hana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Feminine rage from the very first page, and I loved every second of it! Turning the tables on your rapists and giving them a taste of their own medicine? Can never go wrong with that.✨️

[Aura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly? Good for her.

[Brittany Keith · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not quite my cup of tea

It was gruesome. And it was gory, but it wasn’t really my favorite. I don’t really recommend it. It’s not the best book.

[Liz Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderfully written, gory, short tale of female rage and revenge. Short but powerful. Brilliant.

[Stephanie Rumbarger · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not the worst book I've ever read..

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Middle of the road book for me. Not terrible but not great. And I wouldn’t call this splatterpunk. It’s just extreme horror. There’s no overarching message.

[Analise Amaral · Rating 4 out of 5]

as she should

[Becki 🤎 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Taking Melody

Ahhh this was brilliant! All the female rage, plus revenge done in the best brutal way! My fav kinda book!

Melody is our FMC she has had a very rough life, she’s stook around with the MMC despite him abusing her & letting his friends do so too but when she wakes up in a warehouse tied up with a table full of torture tools she decides it’s time to fight back 👏🏼

I hated the MMC, he made me rage 😤 when characters get to you, you know it’s written right!

Loved it, it was brutal in the best way. Check your triggers, there’s a lot of torture in this one! 3.5 🌟

[Lucie Hemmings · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this novella and I found it excellent, great and enjoyable because I read in one sitting. I enjoyed the story because story is short. I want more of the story because I enjoy so much and I like to reading more of the characters. I warning you the book have a lot of trigger warnings before you reading it. I recommend you reading this novella for yourself.

[Holly Wheeler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Woah that was brutal!! I do love a revenge story and this did not disappoint. This book is not for the sensitive readers so check triggers! It may have been a short story but wow did it deliver. This was very twisted, brutal and disgusting you’ve been warned.

[Sharon J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Splatterpunk and female rage. My 2 favorite things in a book.

[Abby-Gayle Evans Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story every DV survivor wants to read! Absolute perfection.