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The Hive
An epic, Lovecraftian horror novel in the vein of Black River Orchard and American Elsewhere about a small town that becomes obsessed with a series of random objects left strewn across their town in the aftermath of a storm. From the Bram Stoker award-nominated and bestselling author of Come with Me.
The residents of Mariner's Cove are changing…
In the aftermath of a violent storm, a collective obsession is rapidly developing among the people of this quaint suburban neighborhood. Random, everyday items left scattered upon the lawns, the streets, and the shoreline all seem to call out to them. There is an item for almost everyone, and each item has a certain hold over the person who finds it—a hold that soon turns into unwavering infatuation. They hide their items from each other, obsess over them, and they will do anything—anything—to protect them.
The collective hum of bees' wings...
A young boy finds himself the possessor of a strange and inexplicable power. Is the arrival of this power linked to the increasingly odd and dangerous behavior of the residents of Mariner's Cove? Has he been granted this power in order to thwart whatever is about to happen in this small, bayside community, or is there a more sinister purpose?
All hail the Dragon...
All eyes are on him now.
The residents of Mariner's Cove are watching.
They move as one, like a solitary organism, and will do anything to succeed in their single-minded purpose.
They will not be stopped.
The residents of Mariner's Cove are changing…
In the aftermath of a violent storm, a collective obsession is rapidly developing among the people of this quaint suburban neighborhood. Random, everyday items left scattered upon the lawns, the streets, and the shoreline all seem to call out to them. There is an item for almost everyone, and each item has a certain hold over the person who finds it—a hold that soon turns into unwavering infatuation. They hide their items from each other, obsess over them, and they will do anything—anything—to protect them.
The collective hum of bees' wings...
A young boy finds himself the possessor of a strange and inexplicable power. Is the arrival of this power linked to the increasingly odd and dangerous behavior of the residents of Mariner's Cove? Has he been granted this power in order to thwart whatever is about to happen in this small, bayside community, or is there a more sinister purpose?
All hail the Dragon...
All eyes are on him now.
The residents of Mariner's Cove are watching.
They move as one, like a solitary organism, and will do anything to succeed in their single-minded purpose.
They will not be stopped.
768 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 14, 2026
About the author
Ronald Malfi
75 books4,037 followersRonald Malfi is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling, award-winning author of many novels and novellas in the horror, mystery, and thriller genres. In 2011, his novel, Floating Staircase, was nominated for a Bram Stoker Award for best novel by the Horror Writers Association, and also won a gold IPPY award. In 2024, he was presented with the prestigious William G. Wilson Award for Adult Fiction by the Maryland Library Association. Perhaps his most well-received novel, Come with Me (2021), about a man who learns a dark secret about his wife after she's killed, has received stellar reviews, including a starred review from BookPage, and Publishers Weekly has said, "Malfi impresses in this taut, supernaturally tinged mystery... and sticks the landing with a powerful denouement. There’s plenty here to enjoy."
His most recent novels include Senseless (2025) and Small Town Horror (2024), both of which received favorable reviews and saw Malfi stretch his authorial voice.
Come with Me (2021) and Black Mouth (2022), tackle themes of grief and loss, and of the effects of childhood trauma and alcoholism, respectively. Both books have been critically praised, with Publishers Weekly calling Black Mouth a "standout" book of the year. These novels were followed by Ghostwritten (2022), a collection of four subtly-linked novellas about haunted books and the power of the written word. Ghostwritten received a starred review from Publishers Weekly, which called the book a "wonderfully meta collection...vibrantly imagined," and that "Malfi makes reading about the perils of reading a terrifying delight."
Among his most popular works is December Park, a coming-of-age thriller set in the '90s, wherein five teenage boys take up the hunt for a child murderer in their hometown of Harting Farms, Maryland. In interviews, Malfi has expressed that this is his most autobiographical book to date. In 2015, this novel was awarded the Beverly Hills International Book Award for best suspense novel. It has been optioned several times for film.
Bone White (2017), about a man searching for his lost twin brother in a haunted Alaskan mining town, was touted as "an elegant, twisted, gripping slow-burn of a novel that burrows under the skin and nestles deep," by RT Book Reviews, and has also been optioned for television by Fox21/Disney and Amazon Studios.
His novels Little Girls (2015) and The Night Parade (2016) explore broken families forced to endure horrific and extraordinary circumstances, which has become the hallmark for Malfi's brand of intimate, lyrical horror fiction.
His earlier works, such as Via Dolorosa (2007) and Passenger (2008) explored characters with lost or confused identities, wherein Malfi experimented with the ultimate unreliable narrators. He maintained this trend in his award-winning novel, Floating Staircase (2011), which the author has suggested contains "multiple endings for the astute reader."
His more "monstery" novels, such as Snow (2010) and The Narrows (2012) still resonate with his inimitable brand of literary cadence and focus on character and story over plot. Both books were highly regarded by fans and reviewers in the genre.
A bit of a departure, Malfi published the crime drama Shamrock Alley in 2009, based on the true exploits of his own father, a former Secret Service agent. The book was optioned several times for film.
Ronald Malfi was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1977, the eldest of four children, and eventually relocated to Maryland, where he currently resides along the Chesapeake Bay.
When he's not writing, he's performing with the rock band VEER, who can be found at veerband.net and wherever you stream your music.
Visit
His most recent novels include Senseless (2025) and Small Town Horror (2024), both of which received favorable reviews and saw Malfi stretch his authorial voice.
Come with Me (2021) and Black Mouth (2022), tackle themes of grief and loss, and of the effects of childhood trauma and alcoholism, respectively. Both books have been critically praised, with Publishers Weekly calling Black Mouth a "standout" book of the year. These novels were followed by Ghostwritten (2022), a collection of four subtly-linked novellas about haunted books and the power of the written word. Ghostwritten received a starred review from Publishers Weekly, which called the book a "wonderfully meta collection...vibrantly imagined," and that "Malfi makes reading about the perils of reading a terrifying delight."
Among his most popular works is December Park, a coming-of-age thriller set in the '90s, wherein five teenage boys take up the hunt for a child murderer in their hometown of Harting Farms, Maryland. In interviews, Malfi has expressed that this is his most autobiographical book to date. In 2015, this novel was awarded the Beverly Hills International Book Award for best suspense novel. It has been optioned several times for film.
Bone White (2017), about a man searching for his lost twin brother in a haunted Alaskan mining town, was touted as "an elegant, twisted, gripping slow-burn of a novel that burrows under the skin and nestles deep," by RT Book Reviews, and has also been optioned for television by Fox21/Disney and Amazon Studios.
His novels Little Girls (2015) and The Night Parade (2016) explore broken families forced to endure horrific and extraordinary circumstances, which has become the hallmark for Malfi's brand of intimate, lyrical horror fiction.
His earlier works, such as Via Dolorosa (2007) and Passenger (2008) explored characters with lost or confused identities, wherein Malfi experimented with the ultimate unreliable narrators. He maintained this trend in his award-winning novel, Floating Staircase (2011), which the author has suggested contains "multiple endings for the astute reader."
His more "monstery" novels, such as Snow (2010) and The Narrows (2012) still resonate with his inimitable brand of literary cadence and focus on character and story over plot. Both books were highly regarded by fans and reviewers in the genre.
A bit of a departure, Malfi published the crime drama Shamrock Alley in 2009, based on the true exploits of his own father, a former Secret Service agent. The book was optioned several times for film.
Ronald Malfi was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1977, the eldest of four children, and eventually relocated to Maryland, where he currently resides along the Chesapeake Bay.
When he's not writing, he's performing with the rock band VEER, who can be found at veerband.net and wherever you stream your music.
Visit
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 204 reviews
February 4, 2026
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Needful Things meets Dr Sleep meets The Tommyknockers meets King Sorrow, but only if you took the best parts of those books and smushed them together into a pile of cosmic, non-derivative, macabre deliciousness.
Originally written over a decade ago, this one sat in the trunk until the world was ready to receive it, and until Malfi was established enough to put the finishing touches on it. This feels very different than anything he’s written before. It’s ethereal, off-kilter, and inexplicably uncanny. The evil they face is nameless, faceless, and almost entirely unexplained, and yet it somehow feels wholly understandable.
I wouldn’t recommend this for someone just discovering Malfi for the first time. It requires patience, and a willingness to work for a payoff that’s set up one carefully placed word at a time.
I put this among my favorites of his books, which is saying a lot because he’s my favorite author whose name doesn’t rhyme with even ring. It won’t be for everyone, but it feels right for me.
Needful Things meets Dr Sleep meets The Tommyknockers meets King Sorrow, but only if you took the best parts of those books and smushed them together into a pile of cosmic, non-derivative, macabre deliciousness.
Originally written over a decade ago, this one sat in the trunk until the world was ready to receive it, and until Malfi was established enough to put the finishing touches on it. This feels very different than anything he’s written before. It’s ethereal, off-kilter, and inexplicably uncanny. The evil they face is nameless, faceless, and almost entirely unexplained, and yet it somehow feels wholly understandable.
I wouldn’t recommend this for someone just discovering Malfi for the first time. It requires patience, and a willingness to work for a payoff that’s set up one carefully placed word at a time.
I put this among my favorites of his books, which is saying a lot because he’s my favorite author whose name doesn’t rhyme with even ring. It won’t be for everyone, but it feels right for me.
May 14, 2026
The Hive is officially my favorite book of 2026 so far. Can it hold its standing with Stephen King’s Other Worlds Than These coming out later this year? Maybe. It was that good!
Malfi has a talent for creating memorable characters and deliciously dark environments for them to play in. This book seemed to take it to the next level. It felt like reading a fever dream that you want to unravel, but just can’t.
I’m not even going to go into the story. I don’t know if it’s possible to spoil, it’s so wild! Just don’t try to figure it out as you read it. Let the story carry you with it as you read. You’ll enjoy it much more that way.
Five stars and potentially my favorite book of 2026. Highly recommended!
Malfi has a talent for creating memorable characters and deliciously dark environments for them to play in. This book seemed to take it to the next level. It felt like reading a fever dream that you want to unravel, but just can’t.
I’m not even going to go into the story. I don’t know if it’s possible to spoil, it’s so wild! Just don’t try to figure it out as you read it. Let the story carry you with it as you read. You’ll enjoy it much more that way.
Five stars and potentially my favorite book of 2026. Highly recommended!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Mariners Cove, a small town along the Chesapeake Bay, is cleaning up after a rather volatile storm left a ton of debris scattered around. During the cleanup effort, some of the objects appear to have certain effects on those who find them. They begin having nightmares, as well as hearing voices within their minds. The novel follows several of those different neighbors as they try to piece together what is happening to them along with why these objects have such an important significance on them.
There are a ton of different characters introduced, some getting a little bit more page time than others. So much so that not a ton really happens until 3/4 of the way through. What is tricky with the novel of this length is that there needs to be something to keep the reader motivated to move forward. I thought the character aspect was done really well, but the novel needed a few payouts or action dripped in along the way. It just seemed like so much time was dedicated to rehashing so much of what we already knew. But as I said, from a character development standpoint, there were certain characters that I thought were done really well, specifically Brian.
Being as long as it was, I feel it could’ve benefited from doing one of two things. Either trimming down some of the number of characters we met (I’m not a fan of this option as I thought this aspect was done really well) or adding a little bit more development that moved the plot along a bit sooner. Just throw a few bones the readers’ way to make them feel invested to continue on. The ending was tied up rather nicely. It just felt rather rushed when it did get there.
This was definitely a solid 3.5-star novel. I liked the plot in general and felt that there was good characterization amongst some of the characters. The length and pacing were a bit of the issue for me. As in aside… As the title might suggest, bees do play a significant role, so for any of those afraid of bees, keep that in mind. 🐝
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
There are a ton of different characters introduced, some getting a little bit more page time than others. So much so that not a ton really happens until 3/4 of the way through. What is tricky with the novel of this length is that there needs to be something to keep the reader motivated to move forward. I thought the character aspect was done really well, but the novel needed a few payouts or action dripped in along the way. It just seemed like so much time was dedicated to rehashing so much of what we already knew. But as I said, from a character development standpoint, there were certain characters that I thought were done really well, specifically Brian.
Being as long as it was, I feel it could’ve benefited from doing one of two things. Either trimming down some of the number of characters we met (I’m not a fan of this option as I thought this aspect was done really well) or adding a little bit more development that moved the plot along a bit sooner. Just throw a few bones the readers’ way to make them feel invested to continue on. The ending was tied up rather nicely. It just felt rather rushed when it did get there.
This was definitely a solid 3.5-star novel. I liked the plot in general and felt that there was good characterization amongst some of the characters. The length and pacing were a bit of the issue for me. As in aside… As the title might suggest, bees do play a significant role, so for any of those afraid of bees, keep that in mind. 🐝
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
June 14, 2026
Towers and dragons and wheels, oh my! A town collectively losing their mind, mentally telepathy and more. This novel felt like an ode to all things King.
I enjoyed it. It felt very The Tommyknockers. I enjoyed it. It's long and a bit meandering, but the tension increases steadily and I had fun watching everything spiral out of control. Chaos initiated.
Full review to come...stay tuned!!!
Original:
ARC received!!! Thank you so much, Titan Books. This is one of my most anticipated releases of 2026, and I cannot wait to pick it up!!! This will be read soon.
I enjoyed it. It felt very The Tommyknockers. I enjoyed it. It's long and a bit meandering, but the tension increases steadily and I had fun watching everything spiral out of control. Chaos initiated.
Full review to come...stay tuned!!!
Original:
ARC received!!! Thank you so much, Titan Books. This is one of my most anticipated releases of 2026, and I cannot wait to pick it up!!! This will be read soon.
March 27, 2026
Ronald Malfi is the king of small town horror stories. I don’t care what you say! He’s one of the best at setting the most eerie atmospheres, lingering foreboding, and unsettling characters. The Hive is no different. However, this one is his longest novel to date and it’s an investment. You have to take your time with it and just know the payoff is definitely worth it.
A violent storm crashes through the town of Mariner’s Cove. People start to change and some can feel the humming. There is an underlying obsession among them. Something is taking over their minds. Oh, and get ready for the bees.
I think true Malfi fans will enjoy The Hive as they are already familiar with his slow burning style. This is another character driven horror novel that Malfi expertly weaved. I highly enjoyed it and think you will too. Pre-order your copy!
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pub date 4-14
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
ARC received, yaay. So excited for this. Thank you Titan Books for the copy :D
_____
Ronald Malfi’s ’The Hive’ is an eerie, mind-bending dive into Lovecraftian cosmic horror that manages to stay under your skin long after the final page. For fans of the genre, especially those who enjoy a side of small-town dread, this story is a masterclass in atmosphere, even if it tests your patience along the way.
A fair warning for the squeamish: if you have a phobia of insects, proceed with extreme caution. The book is crawling with bees, expect a lot of stings, welts, and visceral descriptions that will make your skin crawl.
The novel excels at building a sense of "unsettling small-town vibes" that anchors the more otherworldly elements of the plot. Without spoiling the plot and mystery, let’s just say Malfi weaves together a classic but effective mix of tropes: a struggling but deeply loving parent, a child gifted with psychic powers, and a cast of strange, fully-fledged characters whose lives eventually collide in a satisfying "full circle" conclusion. Sprinkle in there the concept of a Hive mind and you get your creepy, disturbing story.
The Pace is a double-edged sword
This is a slow burn in every sense of the word. While the story is undeniably intriguing and creepy, the length is its primary drawback. There is a significant amount of "filler" and fluff that makes the narrative feel daunting. I’ll be honest: I put the book down several times because the pacing felt discouraged by its own density. It feels as though Malfi tried to give the reader everything, resulting in character depth that, at times, borders on excessive.
The bright side is that it is so rich and expansive that it would make a phenomenal TV series, where the "fluff" would have more room to breathe as episodic world-building.
Despite the need for a tighter edit, ‘The Hive’ is impossible not to enjoy if you have the stamina for it. It’s a haunting, complex journey that rewards the reader for sticking through the slower chapters. If you can handle the sting of the length, the payoff is well worth the wait.
Many, many thanks to Ronald Malfi,Titan Books, and NetGalley for the ARC. This is a voluntary review, reflecting solely my opinion.
_____
Ronald Malfi’s ’The Hive’ is an eerie, mind-bending dive into Lovecraftian cosmic horror that manages to stay under your skin long after the final page. For fans of the genre, especially those who enjoy a side of small-town dread, this story is a masterclass in atmosphere, even if it tests your patience along the way.
A fair warning for the squeamish: if you have a phobia of insects, proceed with extreme caution. The book is crawling with bees, expect a lot of stings, welts, and visceral descriptions that will make your skin crawl.
The novel excels at building a sense of "unsettling small-town vibes" that anchors the more otherworldly elements of the plot. Without spoiling the plot and mystery, let’s just say Malfi weaves together a classic but effective mix of tropes: a struggling but deeply loving parent, a child gifted with psychic powers, and a cast of strange, fully-fledged characters whose lives eventually collide in a satisfying "full circle" conclusion. Sprinkle in there the concept of a Hive mind and you get your creepy, disturbing story.
The Pace is a double-edged sword
This is a slow burn in every sense of the word. While the story is undeniably intriguing and creepy, the length is its primary drawback. There is a significant amount of "filler" and fluff that makes the narrative feel daunting. I’ll be honest: I put the book down several times because the pacing felt discouraged by its own density. It feels as though Malfi tried to give the reader everything, resulting in character depth that, at times, borders on excessive.
The bright side is that it is so rich and expansive that it would make a phenomenal TV series, where the "fluff" would have more room to breathe as episodic world-building.
Despite the need for a tighter edit, ‘The Hive’ is impossible not to enjoy if you have the stamina for it. It’s a haunting, complex journey that rewards the reader for sticking through the slower chapters. If you can handle the sting of the length, the payoff is well worth the wait.
Many, many thanks to Ronald Malfi,Titan Books, and NetGalley for the ARC. This is a voluntary review, reflecting solely my opinion.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
As a big fan of Malfi's work.. I am so sad I didn't enjoy this. It started off very promising, the premise was very intriguing and I felt invested in most of the various characters. My main issue with this book was that it felt like it was trying to do too many things at once that it lost my interest trying to piece them all together. By the second half I was just no longer invested and with it being such a long book, that's just a recipe for disaster.
June 9, 2026
Collective Madness
This kept reminding me of The Stand, but with bumble bees. An epic horror full of small town atmosphere. There is a building dread amongst a large cast of characters. They are starting to become obsessive over certain random objects like coat hangers. It starts as an unknown obsession. They don't know why they're doing it.
The hive mind becomes a sort of collective consciousness where those affected can hear each other's thoughts as if they are one. They start enacting roles of the hive like queen bee. There is a shuddering perspective of a psychopath, as well as body horror.
There is too much minutiae for my taste, and for being a long (750+ pages) one, it felt like too much unnecessary detail. It's not the writing per se, as the writing is fine, but more what the writing is focusing on did not keep me engaged. There was quite a bit of sleazy male gaze stuff which I am not a fan of either. I would have preferred a deeper dive into the psychological aspects of the collective madness. I thought the body horror aspect was pretty cool, but it seemed like it was only a short scene, and more could have been done with that terrifying imagery.
This wasn't bad, but not something to reach for unless you are prepared for the page count that goes along with its epic label.
I would read a book by this author again only if it was shorter, as I don't think his epic horror is for me.
3.25🌟
This kept reminding me of The Stand, but with bumble bees. An epic horror full of small town atmosphere. There is a building dread amongst a large cast of characters. They are starting to become obsessive over certain random objects like coat hangers. It starts as an unknown obsession. They don't know why they're doing it.
The hive mind becomes a sort of collective consciousness where those affected can hear each other's thoughts as if they are one. They start enacting roles of the hive like queen bee. There is a shuddering perspective of a psychopath, as well as body horror.
There is too much minutiae for my taste, and for being a long (750+ pages) one, it felt like too much unnecessary detail. It's not the writing per se, as the writing is fine, but more what the writing is focusing on did not keep me engaged. There was quite a bit of sleazy male gaze stuff which I am not a fan of either. I would have preferred a deeper dive into the psychological aspects of the collective madness. I thought the body horror aspect was pretty cool, but it seemed like it was only a short scene, and more could have been done with that terrifying imagery.
This wasn't bad, but not something to reach for unless you are prepared for the page count that goes along with its epic label.
I would read a book by this author again only if it was shorter, as I don't think his epic horror is for me.
3.25🌟
Read
May 16, 20264.0 Stars
It seems like every horror author eventually has the desire to write a long epic piece of horror. While this one does not rise to the level of my personal favourites, I can report that it was a solid read. I typically have a preference for shorter horror but this one felt well paced so I never found myself wishing it was shorter. Instead it was a gripping book with relatable characters and an engaging story. It's clear that the author pulled (loose) inspiration from Stephen King and fans of the iconic author will very likely be pleased by this one.
I would recommend this one quite widely to horror readers, especially those who love the classics and don't mind a chunky novel.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher
It seems like every horror author eventually has the desire to write a long epic piece of horror. While this one does not rise to the level of my personal favourites, I can report that it was a solid read. I typically have a preference for shorter horror but this one felt well paced so I never found myself wishing it was shorter. Instead it was a gripping book with relatable characters and an engaging story. It's clear that the author pulled (loose) inspiration from Stephen King and fans of the iconic author will very likely be pleased by this one.
I would recommend this one quite widely to horror readers, especially those who love the classics and don't mind a chunky novel.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher
May 7, 2026
4.5 stars rounded up to 5.
Out of all the Malfi books that I've read, I wouldn't say that this was my favorite 'story' but probably amongst my favorite of his characters and settings.
There's two types of Malfi books, the questionably supernatural and the blatantly supernatural. This book falls neatly into the latter, as it's made obvious from the very first chapter. That chapter was an attention grabber, and set the stage for what to expect going forward. Though this book is close to 800 pages, it's a very quick and compelling read (not to mention the numerous chapter breaks, and near-blank pages). There's a few things that bug me, and I'll list them below. Not enough to remove a whole star from my rating, as I really enjoyed the whole read. This book kept me guessing as things were getting weirder and weirder. I had no idea what direction this story was going to take.
**Semi SPOILERS below**
I still think the book could have been a little bit longer, because there were some incomplete / unexplained elements.
1) The Trenton house! Whatever happened to that house, why was it specifically that house, why was it significant? After the scene with the boy in the basement, there was no further mention of this house.
2) What happened with Sarah's baby? Why was it significant that she was pregnant?
3) What happened with Alex/Georgette's girls, especially the young one? Did she forget about the colander?
Out of all the Malfi books that I've read, I wouldn't say that this was my favorite 'story' but probably amongst my favorite of his characters and settings.
There's two types of Malfi books, the questionably supernatural and the blatantly supernatural. This book falls neatly into the latter, as it's made obvious from the very first chapter. That chapter was an attention grabber, and set the stage for what to expect going forward. Though this book is close to 800 pages, it's a very quick and compelling read (not to mention the numerous chapter breaks, and near-blank pages). There's a few things that bug me, and I'll list them below. Not enough to remove a whole star from my rating, as I really enjoyed the whole read. This book kept me guessing as things were getting weirder and weirder. I had no idea what direction this story was going to take.
**Semi SPOILERS below**
I still think the book could have been a little bit longer, because there were some incomplete / unexplained elements.
1) The Trenton house! Whatever happened to that house, why was it specifically that house, why was it significant? After the scene with the boy in the basement, there was no further mention of this house.
2) What happened with Sarah's baby? Why was it significant that she was pregnant?
3) What happened with Alex/Georgette's girls, especially the young one? Did she forget about the colander?
Read
May 8, 20265 SHINING MALFI ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️!
It’s going to take both my stomach and my jaw a few days to unclench after finishing Ronald Malfi’s most recent book, The Hive. A horror novel that explores groupthink/cultish/mob mentality and the damage it causes in the suburban town of Mariner’s Cove. As a hive mind takes over the people in this slice of small town America, dread and paranoia build, and build, and build…Malfi puts the pedal to the metal the entire 700+ pages, leaving the reader incapable of setting the book aside for long. Classic small town horror combined with elements of cosmic horror, excellent character development, and as always with Malfi, a plot that continuously surprises the reader as more is slowly and intricately revealed. Highly recommend. I’ve said it before and I say it again, Ronald Malfi is hands down my favorite horror author!!
It’s going to take both my stomach and my jaw a few days to unclench after finishing Ronald Malfi’s most recent book, The Hive. A horror novel that explores groupthink/cultish/mob mentality and the damage it causes in the suburban town of Mariner’s Cove. As a hive mind takes over the people in this slice of small town America, dread and paranoia build, and build, and build…Malfi puts the pedal to the metal the entire 700+ pages, leaving the reader incapable of setting the book aside for long. Classic small town horror combined with elements of cosmic horror, excellent character development, and as always with Malfi, a plot that continuously surprises the reader as more is slowly and intricately revealed. Highly recommend. I’ve said it before and I say it again, Ronald Malfi is hands down my favorite horror author!!
Read
February 21, 2026review to come !!
Did Not Finish
March 8, 2026DNF @ 73%
I normally like Malfi's stuff, but good lord is The Hive ever a slog. And not just a slog but a sssssssssssssslllllloooooooooooooogggggggggggg. It feels unending, and the repetition of entire scenes makes it feel like I've been reading the same chunk of chapters over and over and over for damn near ever now. I'm hard-pressed to recall another book I've read that has so little forward momentum coupled so much self-indulgence.
I opened up The Hive again this morning, unable to muster any enthusiasm whatsoever, to Chapter 41: Door-Becomes-Chair, a tagline the characters have been saying ad nauseam. I swear I've read this phrase about 10,000 times already -- I don't need a whole damn chapter about it!
That's it, I'm done. As the kids might say, I just can't even anymore with all this. Hundreds and hundreds of pages of what has felt like pure pointlessness, so much time right down the shitter. I'm out.
I normally like Malfi's stuff, but good lord is The Hive ever a slog. And not just a slog but a sssssssssssssslllllloooooooooooooogggggggggggg. It feels unending, and the repetition of entire scenes makes it feel like I've been reading the same chunk of chapters over and over and over for damn near ever now. I'm hard-pressed to recall another book I've read that has so little forward momentum coupled so much self-indulgence.
I opened up The Hive again this morning, unable to muster any enthusiasm whatsoever, to Chapter 41: Door-Becomes-Chair, a tagline the characters have been saying ad nauseam. I swear I've read this phrase about 10,000 times already -- I don't need a whole damn chapter about it!
That's it, I'm done. As the kids might say, I just can't even anymore with all this. Hundreds and hundreds of pages of what has felt like pure pointlessness, so much time right down the shitter. I'm out.
April 28, 2026
So I read The Hive and now I don’t trust household objects.
A door? Suspicious.
A chair? Definitely plotting.
A colander? I’m not saying it’s evil… but I’m watching it.
This book is basically: “what if random junk ruined your life?”
And somehow… it works far too well. A storm hits. Objects wash up. People pick them up… and that’s it. Game over. Instant obsession. Like “forget career, family, basic hygiene—I have a door to think about now” levels of commitment. It sounds ridiculous. It is ridiculous.
Malfi then calmly turns it into nightmare fuel.
The town slowly unravels. Everyone gets a little… off. Then a lot off. Then you’re sitting there thinking, “yeah I’d probably also ruin my life over a mysterious object,” which is not a comforting realisation.
Characters? Easy 5 stars. Big cast, but no one feels like filler.
Cory and Uncle Brian = emotional damage in human form.
Michael Danver = man vs door (door is winning).
Stinger = absolutely not, lock the doors, burn the house.
Story? 3 stars. It’s slow. Proper slow. But it’s deliberate. It builds. It connects. And when it clicks, it’s one of those “ohhh… that’s actually very clever” moments.
Dread? Constant. No breaks. No tea pauses. Just a steady hum of “something is wrong” from start to finish. It doesn’t jump scare you. It just stands in the corner of the room… watching.
End result: 4 stars. Brilliant characters. Relentless atmosphere. A weird, slow-burning story that sticks with you.
Also… if you see a random object on the beach?...LEAVE IT THERE!
A door? Suspicious.
A chair? Definitely plotting.
A colander? I’m not saying it’s evil… but I’m watching it.
This book is basically: “what if random junk ruined your life?”
And somehow… it works far too well. A storm hits. Objects wash up. People pick them up… and that’s it. Game over. Instant obsession. Like “forget career, family, basic hygiene—I have a door to think about now” levels of commitment. It sounds ridiculous. It is ridiculous.
Malfi then calmly turns it into nightmare fuel.
The town slowly unravels. Everyone gets a little… off. Then a lot off. Then you’re sitting there thinking, “yeah I’d probably also ruin my life over a mysterious object,” which is not a comforting realisation.
Characters? Easy 5 stars. Big cast, but no one feels like filler.
Cory and Uncle Brian = emotional damage in human form.
Michael Danver = man vs door (door is winning).
Stinger = absolutely not, lock the doors, burn the house.
Story? 3 stars. It’s slow. Proper slow. But it’s deliberate. It builds. It connects. And when it clicks, it’s one of those “ohhh… that’s actually very clever” moments.
Dread? Constant. No breaks. No tea pauses. Just a steady hum of “something is wrong” from start to finish. It doesn’t jump scare you. It just stands in the corner of the room… watching.
End result: 4 stars. Brilliant characters. Relentless atmosphere. A weird, slow-burning story that sticks with you.
Also… if you see a random object on the beach?...LEAVE IT THERE!
Want to Read
September 24, 2025I'm in - no matter what! I love this author!! 2026 let's goo!
April 2, 2026
DNF and should have bailed way sooner. I have never had a book put me into a reading slump before, until I read The Hive.
Granted, the premise is intriguing. But, god, this book is bloated. Every chapter, every paragraph, almost every sentence could be halved and it would still run long. The cast of characters is too big and sprawling, yet they all seem to just be slightly tweaked copies of each other, and the story moves at the pace of a tortoise having an afternoon stroll.
This was my first time reading Malfi and was not a positive experience. It came across as a tribute act Stephen King. In fact, the only positive I took from this was a true appreciation of how good King is at the longer works. People often criticise his lengthier stuff, but at least he knows how to keep your attention and keep the story moving.
As for The Hive, I’m just glad I can finally make it buzz off.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the review copy.
Granted, the premise is intriguing. But, god, this book is bloated. Every chapter, every paragraph, almost every sentence could be halved and it would still run long. The cast of characters is too big and sprawling, yet they all seem to just be slightly tweaked copies of each other, and the story moves at the pace of a tortoise having an afternoon stroll.
This was my first time reading Malfi and was not a positive experience. It came across as a tribute act Stephen King. In fact, the only positive I took from this was a true appreciation of how good King is at the longer works. People often criticise his lengthier stuff, but at least he knows how to keep your attention and keep the story moving.
As for The Hive, I’m just glad I can finally make it buzz off.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the review copy.
April 20, 2026
3.75 rounded up
The Hive
General Thoughts:
I picked this book up as an ARC. I had no idea it was almost 800 pages long in e-book form lol I do not think this book necessarily earned all of those pages. However, it was a decent read that I quite enjoyed for the duration of the read. The ending was climatic and emotional, and felt very satisfying. The author did a great job of building the sense of dread and claustrophobia and panic throughout the characters and situation.
I will say, I predicted some things throughout the novel as well as as a main component of the ending, about halfway through the book. But it still unraveled in a very interesting way that made me satisfied, even though it had some predictability associated with it. I really enjoyed some of the horror elements during my read such as descriptions of body gore and ultimately the horrific happenstance of baser human instincts being activated. This book isn't so much jump out at you scary as it is a collective feeling of dread that continues to build to a climax.
I think the page count alone gives you the idea this is gonna be a bit of a slow burn. But I feel like too many of the POV's got too bloated with descriptions and spent too much time talking about things that ultimately didn't seem to matter in the grand scheme of the book. I really feel like this could've been paired down quite a bit and still given what it gave. That being said, I also feel like there were just too many POV's for me. There were several people that seemed like they were going to be heavy hitters and got a lot of POV time in the beginning, then eventually just paired down and became nothing characters. They had no real position in the end and I felt like they honestly could've been skipped completely. It made the POV's that were the main POV's get less page time, and ultimately might've lessened my emotional attachment to those characters.
I will say I am a bit biased in one way and that's that this book definitely made me feel nostalgic for younger Stephen King. This was a weird and mystical blend of Needful Things and the Shining.
I did really enjoy the supernatural aspect of this.
Overall, I do not regret my time with this novel, but I do feel like I've been reading this book for about half of my life at this point so I'm ready to move on lol if you're a big fan of really thick tomes and a slow burn this might be right up your alley.
Things to Love:
* Building of dread
* Interesting characters
* Mystery that begs to be satisfied
* Nostalgic horror feeling
Things to Question:
* Many POV's with unnecessary details
* Doesn't necessarily earn its pages
Book Stats:
📖: 768 pages
Genre: horror
Publisher: Titan
Format: eARC
Series: Standalone
Audiobook Stats:
⏰: 25 hours 38 minutes
🎤: Paul Bellantoni
Publisher: Tantor Media
Format: Single narrator/multiple POV
Was the narration good??
This was my first novel narrated by this narrator and it took me a minute to fully to get into it. The author's voice was not what I was expecting for some of the characters and it's always really hard for a narrator with such a deep voice to accurately and fairly depict female characters for me. However, this narrator ended up being really, really enjoyed by me. I still don't think he did the female voices a lot of justice however he didn't try to overdo it which helped. But his voice for some of the darker aspects of this novel was absolutely amazing and I want to read more horror books narrated by this narrator
Disclaimer: I read this book as a gifted eARC through NetGalley and a self purchased audiobook. All opinions are my own. This is my honest and voluntary review.
The Hive
General Thoughts:
I picked this book up as an ARC. I had no idea it was almost 800 pages long in e-book form lol I do not think this book necessarily earned all of those pages. However, it was a decent read that I quite enjoyed for the duration of the read. The ending was climatic and emotional, and felt very satisfying. The author did a great job of building the sense of dread and claustrophobia and panic throughout the characters and situation.
I will say, I predicted some things throughout the novel as well as as a main component of the ending, about halfway through the book. But it still unraveled in a very interesting way that made me satisfied, even though it had some predictability associated with it. I really enjoyed some of the horror elements during my read such as descriptions of body gore and ultimately the horrific happenstance of baser human instincts being activated. This book isn't so much jump out at you scary as it is a collective feeling of dread that continues to build to a climax.
I think the page count alone gives you the idea this is gonna be a bit of a slow burn. But I feel like too many of the POV's got too bloated with descriptions and spent too much time talking about things that ultimately didn't seem to matter in the grand scheme of the book. I really feel like this could've been paired down quite a bit and still given what it gave. That being said, I also feel like there were just too many POV's for me. There were several people that seemed like they were going to be heavy hitters and got a lot of POV time in the beginning, then eventually just paired down and became nothing characters. They had no real position in the end and I felt like they honestly could've been skipped completely. It made the POV's that were the main POV's get less page time, and ultimately might've lessened my emotional attachment to those characters.
I will say I am a bit biased in one way and that's that this book definitely made me feel nostalgic for younger Stephen King. This was a weird and mystical blend of Needful Things and the Shining.
I did really enjoy the supernatural aspect of this.
Overall, I do not regret my time with this novel, but I do feel like I've been reading this book for about half of my life at this point so I'm ready to move on lol if you're a big fan of really thick tomes and a slow burn this might be right up your alley.
Things to Love:
* Building of dread
* Interesting characters
* Mystery that begs to be satisfied
* Nostalgic horror feeling
Things to Question:
* Many POV's with unnecessary details
* Doesn't necessarily earn its pages
Book Stats:
📖: 768 pages
Genre: horror
Publisher: Titan
Format: eARC
Series: Standalone
Audiobook Stats:
⏰: 25 hours 38 minutes
🎤: Paul Bellantoni
Publisher: Tantor Media
Format: Single narrator/multiple POV
Was the narration good??
This was my first novel narrated by this narrator and it took me a minute to fully to get into it. The author's voice was not what I was expecting for some of the characters and it's always really hard for a narrator with such a deep voice to accurately and fairly depict female characters for me. However, this narrator ended up being really, really enjoyed by me. I still don't think he did the female voices a lot of justice however he didn't try to overdo it which helped. But his voice for some of the darker aspects of this novel was absolutely amazing and I want to read more horror books narrated by this narrator
Disclaimer: I read this book as a gifted eARC through NetGalley and a self purchased audiobook. All opinions are my own. This is my honest and voluntary review.
June 4, 2026
The Hive dripped slowly. Very slowly at times. The plotting is uneven. Around 80%, I started to squirm and thought about skimming but didn't. The story still tasted sweet.
The best part of the book is the characters. In the interest of space and time, I'm not going to list them all here. There are many, but they are well drawn individually, and even the secondary characters are easy to keep track of. It is easy to care about all of them around their glaring flaws. Malfi is excellent at writing relatable, sympathetic characters.
Unfortunately, this book is a giant step back from Senseless in meaning and theme and Come with Me in emotional depth.
It's great for a surface summer thriller.
The best part of the book is the characters. In the interest of space and time, I'm not going to list them all here. There are many, but they are well drawn individually, and even the secondary characters are easy to keep track of. It is easy to care about all of them around their glaring flaws. Malfi is excellent at writing relatable, sympathetic characters.
Unfortunately, this book is a giant step back from Senseless in meaning and theme and Come with Me in emotional depth.
It's great for a surface summer thriller.
May 5, 2026
3.75⭐️ - Malfi is an autobuy author for me, so I was really excited to dive into The Hive. While it wasn’t my favourite of his, I still had a good time with it. This one felt a little different from his usual style, with a much bigger scope and a slower, more layered build.
Set in the quiet suburban neighbourhood of Mariner’s Cove after a huge storm rolls through, the story follows multiple residents as strange things start happening. Odd items appear, symbols begin showing up everywhere, neighbours start acting differently, and there’s this constant hum of bees.
This is definitely a slow-burn horror and at almost 800 pages, it's a proper CHONKER of a book. Malfi takes his time building the mystery and dread, which I really enjoyed, along with the nostalgic horror feel and the eerie atmosphere around the town itself. I loved the strange powers introduced and the creeping sense that something was very wrong. I did feel the middle dragged a little and my interest dipped at times. There were quite a few POVs and some details felt unnecessary, which made it feel even longer. That said, the tension really picks up again towards the end and pulled me right back in. It was definitely a bit of a rollercoaster, but still a solid read from an author I’ll always keep coming back to.
Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for the ARC.
Set in the quiet suburban neighbourhood of Mariner’s Cove after a huge storm rolls through, the story follows multiple residents as strange things start happening. Odd items appear, symbols begin showing up everywhere, neighbours start acting differently, and there’s this constant hum of bees.
This is definitely a slow-burn horror and at almost 800 pages, it's a proper CHONKER of a book. Malfi takes his time building the mystery and dread, which I really enjoyed, along with the nostalgic horror feel and the eerie atmosphere around the town itself. I loved the strange powers introduced and the creeping sense that something was very wrong. I did feel the middle dragged a little and my interest dipped at times. There were quite a few POVs and some details felt unnecessary, which made it feel even longer. That said, the tension really picks up again towards the end and pulled me right back in. It was definitely a bit of a rollercoaster, but still a solid read from an author I’ll always keep coming back to.
Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for the ARC.
April 28, 2026
Malfi has crafted a detailed and dread inducing cosmic horror. The anxiety and tension are slow building at first, but then culminate in a wild and chaotic conclusion.
I did find that my growing interest from the beginning tapered off somewhat in the middle, and at times the story felt VERY long. There were moments that would reel me back in and helped me to keep reading to find out what happens. Then the activity and intrigue amps up towards the end- so definitely a rollercoaster of a read.
The characters were very well crafted and the highlight of the story, and this does make me want to try out more books from this author again.
Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Titan Books for a copy!
I did find that my growing interest from the beginning tapered off somewhat in the middle, and at times the story felt VERY long. There were moments that would reel me back in and helped me to keep reading to find out what happens. Then the activity and intrigue amps up towards the end- so definitely a rollercoaster of a read.
The characters were very well crafted and the highlight of the story, and this does make me want to try out more books from this author again.
Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Titan Books for a copy!
April 24, 2026
3.75 stars
This one is a little hard to rate. Writing is good, as Malfi generally is, so I enjoyed reading it. The story is interesting but also very slow progressing and quite meticulous in how it is set out.
This is where your mileage may vary. Personally I ended up enjoying it, but at the same time I can see how some people might not want to take so many pages to get to the Endgame (as it is even referred to in the book).
This one is a little hard to rate. Writing is good, as Malfi generally is, so I enjoyed reading it. The story is interesting but also very slow progressing and quite meticulous in how it is set out.
This is where your mileage may vary. Personally I ended up enjoying it, but at the same time I can see how some people might not want to take so many pages to get to the Endgame (as it is even referred to in the book).
May 19, 2026
Ronald Malfi is one of my go-to authors. I love the depth of plot and characters he builds into his stories. Take your time and settle in, this isn’t going to be over quickly, and you won’t want it to be.
At over seven hundred pages, The Hive is a substantial book, and Malfi gives himself plenty of room to explore this creation. I enjoyed the journey he crafted. It wasn’t a linear trip, but it navigated the complicated aftereffects of a once-in-a-lifetime storm with confidence.
I love taking my time with a good book, what’s the rush? The more time I spend with a great book, the better. Malfi created a massive cast of characters, and they all matter; each one plays a part. I pity the editor who had to try to cut this book down to size.
Yes, there were times when someone new appeared and I thought, “Okay, who are you, and what do you have to do with all of this?” But I found that this only deepened my interest. The deeper the mystery became, the more invested I was in the story as a whole, and the more I wanted to get to its core.
If you’re up for The Hive, you will not be disappointed. This is another great work from Ronald Malfi.
*I received a copy of the book from the publisher (via NetGalley).
At over seven hundred pages, The Hive is a substantial book, and Malfi gives himself plenty of room to explore this creation. I enjoyed the journey he crafted. It wasn’t a linear trip, but it navigated the complicated aftereffects of a once-in-a-lifetime storm with confidence.
I love taking my time with a good book, what’s the rush? The more time I spend with a great book, the better. Malfi created a massive cast of characters, and they all matter; each one plays a part. I pity the editor who had to try to cut this book down to size.
Yes, there were times when someone new appeared and I thought, “Okay, who are you, and what do you have to do with all of this?” But I found that this only deepened my interest. The deeper the mystery became, the more invested I was in the story as a whole, and the more I wanted to get to its core.
If you’re up for The Hive, you will not be disappointed. This is another great work from Ronald Malfi.
*I received a copy of the book from the publisher (via NetGalley).
April 6, 2026
I finished this beast of a novel!
After a huge storm, many residents of Mariner’s Cove discover random objects and become obsessed with them. Several people begin to demonstrate telepathy, strange symbols are drawn in public spaces, and all-around weirdness ensues.
The Hive is a tome of a novel, featuring an ensemble cast and a constantly shifting third person POV. While there were many characters, I never had any difficulty telling them apart, as Malfi is so good at establishing memorable, complex characters.
I’d describe the pace of this novel as slow, as it gradually builds dread, allows you time to get to know each character and their motivations, and reveals pieces of the lore surrounding what is causing all of the mayhem and strange happenings in Mariner’s Cove. I will admit that the pacing slows to a glacial pace in the middle to latter third of the book before the final act.
It is impossible not to compare The Hive to Stephen King tomes, in particular The Tommyknockers and Needful Things. The Hive plays with those themes of small town dynamics, obsession, and addiction like those King novels do so well. I was so intrigued by many of the characters, including Cory, his mother, and uncle. And Stinger and his mother were quite the pair😬
If you enjoy longer horror novels like the King books I mentioned above, especially with slow burn elements, bug horror, body horror, and cosmic horror, I recommend you check this one out. I had a fun time reading it!
This was another hit for me from Malfi.
Thanks to Titan Books for an eARC for review on NetGalley!
After a huge storm, many residents of Mariner’s Cove discover random objects and become obsessed with them. Several people begin to demonstrate telepathy, strange symbols are drawn in public spaces, and all-around weirdness ensues.
The Hive is a tome of a novel, featuring an ensemble cast and a constantly shifting third person POV. While there were many characters, I never had any difficulty telling them apart, as Malfi is so good at establishing memorable, complex characters.
I’d describe the pace of this novel as slow, as it gradually builds dread, allows you time to get to know each character and their motivations, and reveals pieces of the lore surrounding what is causing all of the mayhem and strange happenings in Mariner’s Cove. I will admit that the pacing slows to a glacial pace in the middle to latter third of the book before the final act.
It is impossible not to compare The Hive to Stephen King tomes, in particular The Tommyknockers and Needful Things. The Hive plays with those themes of small town dynamics, obsession, and addiction like those King novels do so well. I was so intrigued by many of the characters, including Cory, his mother, and uncle. And Stinger and his mother were quite the pair😬
If you enjoy longer horror novels like the King books I mentioned above, especially with slow burn elements, bug horror, body horror, and cosmic horror, I recommend you check this one out. I had a fun time reading it!
This was another hit for me from Malfi.
Thanks to Titan Books for an eARC for review on NetGalley!
Want to Read
January 16, 2026The new Ronald Malfi! Can't wait for this one, the premise sounds like a vintage Stephen King or something.
Malfi is 5 for 5 for me with the books I've read of his so far, and I have no intention of slowing down now. Definitely my favorite horror author right now!
Malfi is 5 for 5 for me with the books I've read of his so far, and I have no intention of slowing down now. Definitely my favorite horror author right now!
June 16, 2026
god, this book didn't need to be as big as it was. the premise sounded quite interesting, but it ended up being boring and way too repetitive for me.
the characters were fine for the most part. brian, alex, and cory stood out the most for me and were the most interesting to read about. the others were just there lol. the relationship between brian and cory was really adorable, though.
the writing style was engaging enough to be able to finish this 760 page beast, but at the same time, it wasn't that well written. it was more so quick paced.
the story was HIGHLY repetitive. I felt like I was reading about the same stuff over and over again, and I just wanted it to get on with the story. nothing happened whatsoever until the very ending of the book, and by that point, I was just ready to be done with the story. the ending was underwhelming as hell, too. we were building up towards what I thought was this huge thing, and it just fizzled out at the end for me.... I was highly disappointed cos I thought I was gonna love this. 😭
safe to say I can't personally recommend this.
the characters were fine for the most part. brian, alex, and cory stood out the most for me and were the most interesting to read about. the others were just there lol. the relationship between brian and cory was really adorable, though.
the writing style was engaging enough to be able to finish this 760 page beast, but at the same time, it wasn't that well written. it was more so quick paced.
the story was HIGHLY repetitive. I felt like I was reading about the same stuff over and over again, and I just wanted it to get on with the story. nothing happened whatsoever until the very ending of the book, and by that point, I was just ready to be done with the story. the ending was underwhelming as hell, too. we were building up towards what I thought was this huge thing, and it just fizzled out at the end for me.... I was highly disappointed cos I thought I was gonna love this. 😭
safe to say I can't personally recommend this.
April 15, 2026
This was an epic, sweeping, and unique horror novel that really gets under your skin.
The residents of Mariner’s Cove, all driven to a collective obsession after a powerful storm sweeps through one night, leaving objects scattered for the town’s people to find. These found objects become a maddening obsession that drives them to a collective purpose.
There are so many storylines, that all slowly lead to the same place. The way these threads come together is brilliant. The dread building starts from the first few pages and doesn’t let up. It’s very much a slow burn, epic and spiraling horror. The reader very much feels the slow decent into madness from a wide array of perspectives. The tale itself is unique, even if the small town setting with paranormal activity is not. I found myself engrossed in the weirdness of it all.
With that said, although I think the story itself was enthralling and masterfully done, the pacing was not it for me. The middle 40% of this book was a bit of a slog to get through, there are SO many storylines happening and honestly, I didn’t feel invested in most of them. The tone was set that Ellen, Cory and Brian were the main characters, yet they had seemingly little actual story time compared to the other (over a half dozen) characters. I honestly found myself frankly, not caring much for those perspectives as the novel progressed.
There are many repetitive chapters, that seem to add little meat to the story. When they characters are introduced, it would seem they would have a more central arc in the story but most of the just end up being filler. I really could have done without the majority of them. Maybe a chapter or two, but not spanning multiple chapters through the book.
The ending kind of confounds me, it’s seemingly wrapped up, which I very much appreciate. However, some of it felt rushed after the intricately crafted build up, it’s over in the blink of an eye and we still don’t have a lot of questions answered. I suppose perhaps it was purposeful, as confusion was a central theme for the characters in their descent into obsessive madness, but as the reader it was annoying and left me wanting.
If you like epic, spiraling, slow burn horror this is a book for you. For me, although I found the actual story to be compelling, the delivery was a challenge. I could have done without about 40% of this book, which would have helped with my pacing issues and my apathy towards many of the characters.
The residents of Mariner’s Cove, all driven to a collective obsession after a powerful storm sweeps through one night, leaving objects scattered for the town’s people to find. These found objects become a maddening obsession that drives them to a collective purpose.
There are so many storylines, that all slowly lead to the same place. The way these threads come together is brilliant. The dread building starts from the first few pages and doesn’t let up. It’s very much a slow burn, epic and spiraling horror. The reader very much feels the slow decent into madness from a wide array of perspectives. The tale itself is unique, even if the small town setting with paranormal activity is not. I found myself engrossed in the weirdness of it all.
With that said, although I think the story itself was enthralling and masterfully done, the pacing was not it for me. The middle 40% of this book was a bit of a slog to get through, there are SO many storylines happening and honestly, I didn’t feel invested in most of them. The tone was set that Ellen, Cory and Brian were the main characters, yet they had seemingly little actual story time compared to the other (over a half dozen) characters. I honestly found myself frankly, not caring much for those perspectives as the novel progressed.
There are many repetitive chapters, that seem to add little meat to the story. When they characters are introduced, it would seem they would have a more central arc in the story but most of the just end up being filler. I really could have done without the majority of them. Maybe a chapter or two, but not spanning multiple chapters through the book.
The ending kind of confounds me, it’s seemingly wrapped up, which I very much appreciate. However, some of it felt rushed after the intricately crafted build up, it’s over in the blink of an eye and we still don’t have a lot of questions answered. I suppose perhaps it was purposeful, as confusion was a central theme for the characters in their descent into obsessive madness, but as the reader it was annoying and left me wanting.
If you like epic, spiraling, slow burn horror this is a book for you. For me, although I found the actual story to be compelling, the delivery was a challenge. I could have done without about 40% of this book, which would have helped with my pacing issues and my apathy towards many of the characters.
March 23, 2026
Ronald Malfi’s The Hive is set in fictional Mariners Cove, a mixed neighborhood of rich and not so rich people. After a vicious storm, some of these neighbors find themselves fixated on random object and experiencing unusual behaviors. They start to work together with specific roles much like a beehive with The Hivemaster overseeing the activities of the neighbors in preparation for ENDGAME.
The storyline is unique and the characters are relatable. Much of the book is grounded in the metaphysical with the characters reading minds, predicting outcomes, and moving objects with their minds. Malfi fits this into the storyline in such a way that it blends in seamlessly.
I read this as an ARC and I recommend it for those who appreciate Malfi’s writing and metaphysical thrillers. On a deeper level, it is a story about family, neighbors, and community.
The storyline is unique and the characters are relatable. Much of the book is grounded in the metaphysical with the characters reading minds, predicting outcomes, and moving objects with their minds. Malfi fits this into the storyline in such a way that it blends in seamlessly.
I read this as an ARC and I recommend it for those who appreciate Malfi’s writing and metaphysical thrillers. On a deeper level, it is a story about family, neighbors, and community.
May 28, 2026
3 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2026/04/30/...
I’ll be honest. Seeing the sheer size of The Hive when it first landed on my doorstep made me a little nervous. Ronald Malfi has been a must-read author for me for years and I’ve gotten used to his reliably mid-sized novels, the kind I can usually power through in just a couple of sittings thanks to how addictively readable they are. Hence, it’s why this sprawling doorstopper, which I’ve seen described elsewhere as his “tour de force,” felt like a bit of a curveball. Sure, knowing it’s been a long-term passion project for him definitely raises expectations, but from experience, I also know that doesn’t always work in the book’s favor.
Set in a small Chesapeake Bay town on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, the story opens in the aftermath of a violent storm that leaves behind the usual chaos of scattered debris. At first glance, there doesn’t seem to be anything unusual about it. Just a jumble of everyday knickknacks torn loose and flung across lawns and streets. But for some residents of Mariner’s Cove, there’s more to these objects than meets the eye. Each person finds themselves drawn to a particular item, whether it’s a door ripped from its frame or an old metal colander. As these things start to exert a powerful pull on their owners, sparking an obsession that grows more intense by the day, neighbors begin hiding their finds, guarding them ferociously, becoming irrationally angry when questioned, and generally behaving in increasingly erratic and disturbing ways.
While these changes are occurring on an individual level, something else is taking shape on a larger scale. A strange, hive-like consciousness is slowly emerging, manifesting as a low constant buzz consuming the minds of the affected townsfolk. Those who hear it can sense it building into something almost harmonious, connecting and binding them, guiding them towards something they cannot fully explain. And yet, not everyone has been touched by this madness. Several remain on the outside, watching as friends and neighbors transform into something they barely recognize. Among them is a young boy who discovers he possesses a strange ability, one that may be tied to whatever is happening. As the multiple perspectives begin to converge, a pattern is gradually revealed, and with it, the realization that whatever is taking root in Mariner’s Cove is building toward something far more dangerous.
If all of that sounds a little Stephen King-esque, it’s because yeah, it’s definitely is. The influence is unmistakable, from the small-town setting and the ensemble cast right down to the young boy coming into his supernatural powers. The Hive taps into a very familiar nostalgic and immersive vibe, and Malfi is good at creating an atmosphere of creeping horror. There’s also this persistent sense of dread, a lot of it brought about by the idea of ordinary everyday objects triggering a scary fixation in regular people in a quiet, insidious way.
But here’s also where things get a little shaky. I’m talking about places where Malfi seems to have picked up some of King’s less appealing habits. For one thing, The Hive is long. Reeeaally long. And the length isn’t always justified. In many sections of the book, the pacing is a slow burn in the most frustrating of ways, with stretches where the story feels like it’s inching forward, or worse, treading water and biding time instead of building momentum. We circle the same ideas and scenes a lot, with many interactions feeling repetitive or unnecessary. It takes a while for the many plot threads to come together and tighten up.
I also have mixed feelings on the multiple POV structure. On the one hand, the different voices help flesh out the town and give a broader view of how the strange phenomenon is spreading. On the other hand, not all characters are given equal weight or development or page time. Some start off feeling important, only to fade into the background later, while others carry more of the emotional load. That imbalance made it harder to keep track of an already bloated cast list, especially when the story detours into perspectives that don’t seem to pay off in any meaningful way.
That said, there are still plenty of moments that reminded me of why I love the author’s books and why I still think he’ll keep carrying on being a standout name in horror fiction. When The Hive plays up its strengths, like the moments of grotesque body horror or the psychological thrills, that’s when the novel really delivers. Malfi’s writing is also powerful, with an underlying weirdness and surreal quality to it that really sells the blurb’s tease of cosmic Lovecraftian horror.
In the end, The Hive is a solid read, but I so very much wish it had been a bit more balanced and succinct. I would recommend it to fans of Stephen King, but I would also note that, like many of King’s earlier books, this one probably could have used more rigorous editing to trim down the fat, improve the story’s pacing, and sharpen focus. Speaking as someone who will still always pick up anything Ronald Malfi writes, it’s definitely worth checking out, but it’ll help going in prepared with the knowledge that this is much slower and heavier than this usual work.
I’ll be honest. Seeing the sheer size of The Hive when it first landed on my doorstep made me a little nervous. Ronald Malfi has been a must-read author for me for years and I’ve gotten used to his reliably mid-sized novels, the kind I can usually power through in just a couple of sittings thanks to how addictively readable they are. Hence, it’s why this sprawling doorstopper, which I’ve seen described elsewhere as his “tour de force,” felt like a bit of a curveball. Sure, knowing it’s been a long-term passion project for him definitely raises expectations, but from experience, I also know that doesn’t always work in the book’s favor.
Set in a small Chesapeake Bay town on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, the story opens in the aftermath of a violent storm that leaves behind the usual chaos of scattered debris. At first glance, there doesn’t seem to be anything unusual about it. Just a jumble of everyday knickknacks torn loose and flung across lawns and streets. But for some residents of Mariner’s Cove, there’s more to these objects than meets the eye. Each person finds themselves drawn to a particular item, whether it’s a door ripped from its frame or an old metal colander. As these things start to exert a powerful pull on their owners, sparking an obsession that grows more intense by the day, neighbors begin hiding their finds, guarding them ferociously, becoming irrationally angry when questioned, and generally behaving in increasingly erratic and disturbing ways.
While these changes are occurring on an individual level, something else is taking shape on a larger scale. A strange, hive-like consciousness is slowly emerging, manifesting as a low constant buzz consuming the minds of the affected townsfolk. Those who hear it can sense it building into something almost harmonious, connecting and binding them, guiding them towards something they cannot fully explain. And yet, not everyone has been touched by this madness. Several remain on the outside, watching as friends and neighbors transform into something they barely recognize. Among them is a young boy who discovers he possesses a strange ability, one that may be tied to whatever is happening. As the multiple perspectives begin to converge, a pattern is gradually revealed, and with it, the realization that whatever is taking root in Mariner’s Cove is building toward something far more dangerous.
If all of that sounds a little Stephen King-esque, it’s because yeah, it’s definitely is. The influence is unmistakable, from the small-town setting and the ensemble cast right down to the young boy coming into his supernatural powers. The Hive taps into a very familiar nostalgic and immersive vibe, and Malfi is good at creating an atmosphere of creeping horror. There’s also this persistent sense of dread, a lot of it brought about by the idea of ordinary everyday objects triggering a scary fixation in regular people in a quiet, insidious way.
But here’s also where things get a little shaky. I’m talking about places where Malfi seems to have picked up some of King’s less appealing habits. For one thing, The Hive is long. Reeeaally long. And the length isn’t always justified. In many sections of the book, the pacing is a slow burn in the most frustrating of ways, with stretches where the story feels like it’s inching forward, or worse, treading water and biding time instead of building momentum. We circle the same ideas and scenes a lot, with many interactions feeling repetitive or unnecessary. It takes a while for the many plot threads to come together and tighten up.
I also have mixed feelings on the multiple POV structure. On the one hand, the different voices help flesh out the town and give a broader view of how the strange phenomenon is spreading. On the other hand, not all characters are given equal weight or development or page time. Some start off feeling important, only to fade into the background later, while others carry more of the emotional load. That imbalance made it harder to keep track of an already bloated cast list, especially when the story detours into perspectives that don’t seem to pay off in any meaningful way.
That said, there are still plenty of moments that reminded me of why I love the author’s books and why I still think he’ll keep carrying on being a standout name in horror fiction. When The Hive plays up its strengths, like the moments of grotesque body horror or the psychological thrills, that’s when the novel really delivers. Malfi’s writing is also powerful, with an underlying weirdness and surreal quality to it that really sells the blurb’s tease of cosmic Lovecraftian horror.
In the end, The Hive is a solid read, but I so very much wish it had been a bit more balanced and succinct. I would recommend it to fans of Stephen King, but I would also note that, like many of King’s earlier books, this one probably could have used more rigorous editing to trim down the fat, improve the story’s pacing, and sharpen focus. Speaking as someone who will still always pick up anything Ronald Malfi writes, it’s definitely worth checking out, but it’ll help going in prepared with the knowledge that this is much slower and heavier than this usual work.
May 9, 2026
Epic, doorstopper of a book which took me some time to finish but was ultimately a satisfying small town evil saga. Malfi is great at creating dark, mysterious small town settings and this is his most ambitious book to date. The book starts with a woman named Ellen who lives with her young son. Ellen falls asleep and dreams about a dragon only to wake to the biggest storm which had every hit their town. This was no mere storm, but a dark force which begins to cause changes in people during the aftermath. Items left behind in the small town of Mariner's Cove provide a strange draw to various people who will have a vested interest in keeping these objects for themselves. In the background is the strange humming, which is deeply unsettling and always present.
Some of this reminded me of Stephen King's "Needful Things" as it became clear that these objects chose the individuals, not the other way around. Malfi has a great way of building dread, slowly and surely as we see the various characters change in ways that are not expected. There are a lot of storylines here and the book took me over a month to read because I kept putting it down and then having to reread portions when I picked it back up.
The beginning and ending are suspenseful, but some of the middle kind of dragged for me. I especially was drawn to the main characters of Ellen, and Cory and felt that some of the many, many other characters weren't needed. I would recommend this book for those who like quality world building and horror and if you are afraid of insects, this might not be for you! I think this would make a great TV series since a visual medium would work great for the horror aspects of the book. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this ARC to review.
Some of this reminded me of Stephen King's "Needful Things" as it became clear that these objects chose the individuals, not the other way around. Malfi has a great way of building dread, slowly and surely as we see the various characters change in ways that are not expected. There are a lot of storylines here and the book took me over a month to read because I kept putting it down and then having to reread portions when I picked it back up.
The beginning and ending are suspenseful, but some of the middle kind of dragged for me. I especially was drawn to the main characters of Ellen, and Cory and felt that some of the many, many other characters weren't needed. I would recommend this book for those who like quality world building and horror and if you are afraid of insects, this might not be for you! I think this would make a great TV series since a visual medium would work great for the horror aspects of the book. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this ARC to review.
June 16, 2026
This was quite the mind trip. Although, a slow burn, the story wasn’t really filled with many horror moments. Still was a pretty good read. Over 700 pages, a story with many characters, who are closely related. Such a fun read wow, kept me guessing all the way through.
From the very beginning, following, the violent storm that swept through Mariner Cove. There was just an unsettling feeling that crept over this story. Malfi is a genius: Suburban paranoia, hive minded energy, and quiet psychological horror. Just an amazing story to follow along to. Mariner Cove is the last place you want to be after a storm. Just so much tension! I was impressive! Couldn’t get enough of this story, wish it was 700 pages longer. So Brilliant!!!
From the very beginning, following, the violent storm that swept through Mariner Cove. There was just an unsettling feeling that crept over this story. Malfi is a genius: Suburban paranoia, hive minded energy, and quiet psychological horror. Just an amazing story to follow along to. Mariner Cove is the last place you want to be after a storm. Just so much tension! I was impressive! Couldn’t get enough of this story, wish it was 700 pages longer. So Brilliant!!!
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