In Mad Hands

by Jon Athan

Heading out on their first date night in two years, Yocelyn and Joel Cooper entrust their son, two-year-old River, to their frequent babysitter, Kristine Sloan. Kristine has proven herself to be reliable and caring, looking after River like a little brother. So, it was supposed to be a quiet, peaceful, romantic night for the couple.

But Kristine has different plans up her sleeves—different callings in her mind, different voices to please.

Jon Athan, the author of Are Your Parents Home? and Our Dead Girlfriend, changes the 'babysitter from hell' formula with his first extreme horror novella. Don't worry, you're in good hands...

Warning: This book contains graphic content. Reader discretion is advised.

Genres: Horror, Splatterpunk, Novella

Paperback

Reviews

[Youssra (semi ia) · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was gross which I don't mind, but it was also boring which I do mind.

[✮ osanna aoki ✮ · Rating 2 out of 5]

”Do not pity those who are meant to be cleansed. Push through the doubt and you’ll find desire. When you find desire, you’ll find your seat next to me on our odyssey to the heavenly kingdom. Trust me, my children. Trust me. Trust me…”

The Coopers are ready for a well-deserved date night and a much needed break from their irrepressible toddler, River.

Entrusting a regarded babysitter named Kristine— parents Yoselyn and Joel put their son into her care for the evening.

But something is wrong with Kristine tonight.

She has other plans.

Ascension.

Kristine is obsessed with ascending alongside Father— who is really Wyatt Berryhill, a doomsday cult leader who preaches his tales of sacrifice, human essence, and purity on TV.

This has lead Kristine down a dark path of murder— targeting River as her latest victim.

But this novella is not so much focused on the child as it is Kristine’s own savage self-destruction.

Shorty goes absolutely crazy.

I found this novella to be brutal.

Brutal and ⟡ boring ⟡.

The pizza cutter scene was peak body horror though, and I do enjoy reading about a delusional main character— but this just missed for me.

It’s definitely a disgusting little book, and the gore is absolutely rampant.

In Mad Hands is all body horror, no real plot— and that’s okay sometimes. I’m down for anything extreme, it just fell flat.

I like Jon Athan, but I haven’t really found a book of his that has captivated me since reading Into the Wolves’ Den, but I’ll continue to try.

This nasty novella gets a ★ ★ ½ star rating, rounded down. The body horror element kept me reading, that’s about it.

Maybe I just didn’t like the trope or something.

[Steph's_Creepy _Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did not stretch my nipples out to try to see how it would look and feel for educational purposes for this book...
I think this is an elevated level of Jon Athan, and I absolutely loved it.
This has EVERYTHING! Deranged FMC, cult vibe, gore, good plot, unsuspecting kid, trauma, cheeky adult humour. Loved it!!!

[Eve Moss · Rating 5 out of 5]

HEY
WHAT
SHE DID WHAT WITH A PIZZA CUTTER
WHAT IS GOING ON
I need a cigarette

[Erica★ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had my jaw on the floor! As a new mom myself in 2024, I felt every ounce of anxiety Jocelyn and Joel experienced when leaving their young child at home with a babysitter. However, I could never have imagined the horrors they come home to. This is a truly gruesome read, so definitely check the trigger warnings before diving in.

Jocelyn and Joel plan their first date night in two years and hire a babysitter to watch their son, River. What should be a simple evening out quickly turns into something far more disturbing, making this an intense and unforgettable read.

[Charlene (Char)🍁☕️📚 · Rating 5 out of 5]

While reading this book I have never gasped or said “Oh My God” as many times as I have while reading this book. This novella is a little over 100 pages so that’s a testament to the gruesome in this book.

This book is about a couple named Yoselyn and Joel. They decide to have a date night while entrusting the care of their two year old son, River to their tried and true babysitter, Kristine. I’m sure you can imagine it’s hard finding a consistent babysitter for a two year old.

A night on the town becomes a night of terror Kristine slowly starts to lose her mind. One thing is clear is she wants to please “Wyatt Berryhill” her spiritual father. She wants to make sure she “ascends”. Many are called but few are chosen.

I did enjoy how Athan did write the cult element but didn’t make it the focal point. That truly was talented writing at its finest. This book would make any parent cringe and think long about getting a babysitter. Be sure to check your triggers as Athan has written about all of them. Definitely a good and gruesome read. This is extreme horror.

Thank you, Jon for providing me with this ARC I’m truly grateful and appreciative. All opinions and thoughts expressed are my own. Well whats left of my thoughts 😂.

[Mellisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summary: Yoselyn and Joel Cooper leave their son with a trusted babysitter for a long-awaited date night - only to discover their trust is horribly misplaced.

Review: If this book is labeled extreme horror, believe it. There is nothing exaggerated about that claim. This novella is brutal, graphic, and deeply heartbreaking, pushing boundaries in a way that only true extreme horror fans will appreciate. This is not a story for casual readers or those unfamiliar with the genre - going in unprepared will only lead to an unfair reading experience.

Jon Athan once again proves why he stands out in extreme horror. His writing is horrific in the best possible way: disturbing, emotionally devastating, and impossible to forget. As always, it’s a painful read - but a brilliant one. I’ll be eagerly waiting for whatever he releases next.

[Amanda castro · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t think I’ve ever wanted a book to end more than this one.

Literally this one was a doozy, in a good Extreme Horror-y type way.

If you want a short extreme horror novella that packs a punch from start to finish, THIS IS YOUR BOOK.

Let’s just say I will never look at a pizza cutter the same way ever again 😖😬🫣

[Crys · Rating 4 out of 5]

Parents, you might want to rethink having that date night. This babysitter from hell novella is jam packed with gore, culty vibes, and parents worst nightmares! Splatterpunk and extreme horror fans. If you’ve got triggers.. do your research before diving into this one. It is a tough read but if you read splatter and extreme horror you already know how that goes lol

Kristine has watched River before, everything was fine before, so why should this time be any different? Oh but it most certainly can be.

[Summer Simmons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Insane read! First Jon athan read, I will never look at a pizza cutter the same way 👀

[Christina Faris (books_by_the_bottle) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to my friend Carriesreadsthem_all for the giveaway win!

Yoseclyn and Joel are going on their first date night in two years, leaving their son River in the capable hands of their babysitter, Kristine. But Kristine has other plans…she is going to do whatever she is called to do.

This was my first “extreme horror” read and I am SHOOK (in the best way possible!) I figured I would read a few pages and see if I could handle it the next thing I know it's 2AM and I have read the entire novella.

This isn’t a story for the faint of heart (or stomach!) but I couldn’t couldn't tear myself away from it! Kristine descended further and further into madness and the ending felt like the rug was pulled out from under me, even though I could see it coming. As a parent myself, its truly horrifying to imagine the unthinkable happening - especially when your child is out of your own hands/sight. The constant nagging eelings Yoseclyn and Joel had of their son - hearing phantom cries - was enough to get under my skin and make me want to hug my own kids tighter.

Jon Athan is one talented writer to pull together a story that evokes these
At this point, the author has not decided on a date to release but if you want to check it out, or even dip your toe into extreme horror, check this one out when you can! But be mindful of trigger warnings.

TW: Extreme gore and violence

[Becki 🤎 · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Mad Hands 😱

I won this in Athans giveaway meaning I got to read it now & OMG if I didn’t already have it, I’d be running to purchase it! This has got to be one of the most brutal ones I’ve read so far by Athan 😱

Joel & Yoselyn haven’t had a child free night in nearly 2 years. Happy that they’ve found Kristine who’s more than happy to look after River, they decide It’s time to drink wine, have some food & relax at the movies.

However back home Kristine has totally different plans of her own with River…she’s totally deluded, thinking that the world is going to end & the only way she will be safe is to make sacrifices to prove herself 🫣

Honestly as a female, the amount of times I winced through this! Eeesh, the whole ordeal had me cringing like mad, those toes where CURLED 😬 F me it was SAVAGE body horror!! I don’t think a book has ever had me pick it up and down that many times!! It was a lot 😅

Seriously check your triggers & ladies be prepared going into this 😬 I did keep thinking all the way through, how traumatised the parents would be coming home to all of that 😱 BUT I loved it!! If a book can get me like that then it’s an automatic favourite 👌🏻

Also have to mention that I loved how Athan included the end chapters on hows & whys for this novella & future personal projects! It was a nice touch! A definite ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Lia's Haunted Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

(4.5 rounded up)

This is a beautiful, wholesome story about a woman searching for spiritual ascension… okay, maybe it's not really wholesome at all.

Kristine is a babysitter with a very specific goal: transcendence. She becomes obsessed with a cult she discovers through TV and fully commits to doing whatever is required to be chosen. And when I say "whatever," I mean it. The story is graphic, deliberate, and unapologetic, and never boring. Every detail matters. Every step feels intentional.

There’s a warped logic to Kristine’s journey that makes it unsettling in the best way. To transcend, you must leave parts of yourself behind, and she takes that idea extremely literally. Her fixation on River, the child she’s babysitting, and his “essence” and her own essence, pushes the story into deeply uncomfortable territory that Athan does not shy away from.

Also, fun fact I didn’t need to learn but now know forever: if you squeeze a
stomach, it kind of feels like a stress ball.

P.S. this is a great book for parents.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read so much extreme horror and splatterpunk, having NEVER been triggered. This audio had me feeling so faint I had to sit down in front of a fan during my work shift. Jon has such a way with words that they grip you intensely and won’t let go. DO NOT READ if you’re triggered by child brutality.

[Kelsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Out of all of Athan’s books, this one is definitely in the top 3 toughest for me to read. It played on one of my biggest fears—a terrible babysitter. This was so graphic and disturbing I had to read extra fast through a few parts because it just hit on my fears too much. So, if you’re a paranoid mother like me and like to torture yourself, this may be your book 😅

[Hayley Surabian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yoselyn and Joel Cooper have a very rambunctious son River who is in his terrible two stage. They desperately need a date night so they call their trusted babysitter Kristine. She has babysat for them before so they knew that there wouldn’t be any issues with her taking care of River. But boy were they wrong!

During their date night Yoselyn kept having these nagging thoughts about her son and feeling that she needed to check on him….and she definitely should have gone with her gut. Kristine is on a mission to obey Wyatt, the leader of her “religious” group and she will do whatever his voice tells her to do, even if it means lives are going to be taken. Some of the things she does had me wincing in pain just reading about it. I have always had a fear of leaving my children with a babysitter and this novella doesn’t help that fear at all!

Another great read from Jon! I received an advanced copy of the novella in exchange for my honest review.

[Mickey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oof. Once again, Jon Athan brings every parents worst nightmares to life, making you want to stop reading but not being able to.
This story answers the question, "Do you really know the person looking after your child?" Because we've all heard the stories... people with credentials coming out of their hoohaa but still harming children. As a parent, these stories terrify me, and having a child a little older than the boy in this book, all I can say is; I won't be letting anyone look after my child for a long time 😅
The writing had me fully invested and, while I often wish novellas were longer, I didn't with this one. It packed enough into the 100 or so pages, and I'm not sure what else could possibly have happened had it been longer.

Now, we all see the name of the author, right? We all know what kind of stories he writes, right? So let that be a warning to you. This is not for the faint hearted or the essily offended. This is brutal and gory and heartbreaking. If the authors name alone isn't enough of a warning, check the TWs for this.

[Tony splatterpunk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yoselyn and Joel go out for the evening leaving Kristine babysitting 2 year old River, but Kristine has plans the story takes a very dark and disturbing turn in a very blood splattered way, check the trigger warnings for this one!

[Risshan Adele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Woah

Pure chaos and insanity. Babysitters are scary. This lady went so far 🤣 making sacrifices to the tv on a platter. That’s commitment! So gorey.

[A.M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a novella which I will not give any details. This needs to be read blindly. If you’re new to this genre and are looking for a quick extreme horror read, this is the one.

[renee w · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joel and Yoselyn Cooper have a beautiful two-year-old son by the name of River. They decided it’s finally time for a date night. They hire a 19-year-old babysitter whom they’ve used previously for very short periods without incident. Little did either of them know that Kristine is suffering from a religious breakdown . She believes a man on the TV , whom she refers to as father “God”is talking to her about how there is going to be a new world coming and how she must make many sacrifices in order to hold a seat on the vessel that she believes is coming. This is by far every parent’s worst nightmare. This is not for the faint of heart . Hell it was a hard read for me .

[Milt Theo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jon Athan gives his own spin on the "Babysitter From Hell" horror trope, bringing his considerable storytelling skills to bear on one of the most terrifying themes in family horror ever! Christine, the babysitter in this novella, is simply insane - not merely a psychopath, but totally nuts. She believes in a cult-leader's promises of "ascension" (this part of the story is inspired by the real case of the Heaven's Gate religious group), prepared to do whatever it takes to guarantee she's not left behind when the cult members' souls "ascend," i.e., reach a higher, purer level of existence. Christine's beliefs are branded as 'religious,' namely private and internal, and so beyond public examination; thus she never raises suspicion on that account among the parents who hire her. She's certified, knows first aid and CPR, she follows instructions, she instills confidence, she's polite and disciplined, and kids seem to like her.

The time to "ascend" is now. Christine's new job is toddler boy River, taking care of him when his parents go on their date night. The parents leave, prepared to have a good time after so long. Christine stays, ready to act on her convictions. The cult leader's being interviewed on TV, and Christine knows how to interpret his words as the demands she has to fulfill in order to transcend. The TV will tell her what she's gotta do, as long as she's dedicated and knows how to listen.

Time to give River his bath.

"In Mad Hands" gave me acute anxiety. Even when nothing bad is happening on the page, I was feeling nauseous and dizzy. An impending sense of doom permeates the novella, and it doesn't take long to see why. Athan makes the wise decision not to show the story's worst scene directly. From a writer's point of view, this is wise because it allows readers to fill the gap with their own imagination; from a reader's point of view, I'd say this was one hell of a WICKED choice, since my overactive imagination went places I wasn't all that eager to visit! But what follows that (missing) scene is awful in its own right. Page after page of extreme gore, brutal, hardcore, what have you -so watch out. This one hurts, especially the ending.

Cudos to Athan for another brilliant work.

[Hannah Sian-X · Rating 5 out of 5]

What the F*CK did I just read?!?!?!

I almost stopped numerous times, but I kept going back to want to read more.

The scenes with River, I had to pause here and there; those were absolutely brutal. Horrible. Unimaginable.

Kristine's own torture scenes? Wow. Just wow. Made me think - Can someone actually do that to themselves? To inflict so much pain on themselves? Surely not.

But what a read! Really glad it only lasted 90 odd pages, I actually don't think I would have been able to carry on if it was over 200+ pages!

I've read many Jon Athan books, which are all messed up in their own ways, but I really think this book, is up there with one of the worst (but best) I've read so far.

It takes you beyond realism, in my opinion, you really have to keep telling yourself this ISN'T REAL. This is made up.

But my God I feel like I need to take a break now from the world, stop, I want to get off.

10/10 yet again, Jon, you messed up, grotesque but fantastic piece of talent.

Bravo.

[Amanda Ruzsa · Rating 5 out of 5]

True to form, I was left in a state of absolute shock by the time I finished this novella. Jon Athan really has a knack for devastating horror tales. This is a wild ride that hits hard and doesn’t let up. Makes me happy I no longer need babysitters for my kiddos. As in his many other works, he really brings the story to life with realistic and believable characters, descriptive and depraved horror scenes and always keeps you hooked until the end. 100% Recommend but check warnings.

Thank you to Jon for the ARC!

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

I truly enjoy all of Athan’s books and this was no exception. Although I would have loved more back story on Kristine and what lead her down this path, I enjoyed how graphic this novella was. The self mutilation, the mental health issues, the aspect of a cult and the fear/anxiety the parents have while trying to enjoy a night out.
This gives a whole new meaning to ‘babysitter from hell’. Normally, you would associate that phrase with physical misconduct or neglect but nothing like what you read here.
I would have loved to have given this book a full 5 stars but like I said, I would have loved a little more backstory of the main character. It just jumps into her arriving at the house and taking on the babysitter duties. It does give a little snippet of a couple of her past babysitting jobs and how she harmed them.
I truly enjoy ARC’s from Jon Athan and being part of his Street Team!!

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a wild ride. I went in completely blind and in true Jon Athan fashion— received a bit of everything. I’m calling this novella one that’d be a perfect introduction in to Jon’s work itself. I felt like we got a bit of everything with this story. I know I’m being vague with this review, but splatterpunk and extreme horror fans— this was an excellent read. Dare I say, if you’re new to the genre, this would be a perfect piece to pick up as well. Being a novella, you can get the right taste for this world. I truly hope Jon does decide to continue down this novella route. I ate this up. Perfection teaser taste for Jon’s writing. While this story is a perk to being on his street team, this is also me begging Jon Athan to unleash IN MAD HANDS to the world so they too can enjoy this story.

Thank you so so much, Jon Athan for this copy.

[Danyel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was insane. I would 3.5 maybe.

The shock value was intense. Her purse ability to continue doing what she was doing was insane.

[Horromantasy Book Mom · Rating 5 out of 5]

A bleak and unflinching read. When Yoselyn and Joel finally take their first date night since the birth of their son, they leave him in the care of Kristine—a seemingly sweet, religious babysitter. But her devotion hides something sinister. Determined to prove herself to Father, Kristine will do anything to deliver the “essence” he craves.

This book is disturbing, gory, and relentless, with heavy religious fanaticism woven through the horror. Not for the faint of heart, but seasoned extreme horror and splatterpunk readers will find this one both brutal and unforgettable.

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

My goodness Jon Athan. For a novella, this ending got to me more than novels 3 times its length.

Horrific and disturbing. 5 out of 5.

[Ashley Hana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sir sure as hell took babysitter horror and made it into a whole new thing. Holy hell, this was hard to sit through. The sheer dedication to mutilate yourself like that? With all those details? I genuinenly felt nauseas for a big part of the book.

And not only is Athan king of making you feel all the disgusted feels; he really impressed me with the adoration and love coming from the Cooper family.