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Bodies of Work
Not yet published
Expected 7 Apr 26A chilling supernatural revenge novella from the acclaimed author of Wake Up and Open Your Eyes. Perfect for fans of Joe Hill and Delilah S. Dawson.
At sixty-six years old, Winston Kemper has always been a nonentity. No one notices him. His simple existence barely registers for those who come into contact with him. Some call him feeble-minded. He is a janitor at the local church, a groundskeeper by default, and that's it. No friends, no family. When he's done with work, he returns home—a remote, single room apartment located above a garage—and that is where his true work begins.
Winston Kemper is a collector of voices, and his magnum opus—The Butterfly Girls—is a sprawling epic of untapped imagination. It has no single canvas, no particular frame. It is everywhere—scribbled on the walls, the floor, and countless notebooks.
Winston is creating a fantasia which exists in words, images and blood. As part of his 'art' he has been murdering forgotten women. Poor souls who slip through the cracks of society, who no one's looking for. Mothers, sisters, daughters to someone, but no more.
Winston takes their lives, their voices.
But now he can hear them. They whisper to him. They talk of revenge.
Winston Kemper might not believe in ghosts, but he is about to learn they are very real. And they are very, very angry.
At sixty-six years old, Winston Kemper has always been a nonentity. No one notices him. His simple existence barely registers for those who come into contact with him. Some call him feeble-minded. He is a janitor at the local church, a groundskeeper by default, and that's it. No friends, no family. When he's done with work, he returns home—a remote, single room apartment located above a garage—and that is where his true work begins.
Winston Kemper is a collector of voices, and his magnum opus—The Butterfly Girls—is a sprawling epic of untapped imagination. It has no single canvas, no particular frame. It is everywhere—scribbled on the walls, the floor, and countless notebooks.
Winston is creating a fantasia which exists in words, images and blood. As part of his 'art' he has been murdering forgotten women. Poor souls who slip through the cracks of society, who no one's looking for. Mothers, sisters, daughters to someone, but no more.
Winston takes their lives, their voices.
But now he can hear them. They whisper to him. They talk of revenge.
Winston Kemper might not believe in ghosts, but he is about to learn they are very real. And they are very, very angry.
175 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication April 7, 2026
3258 people want to read
About the author
Clay McLeod Chapman
183 books1,855 followersBooks. Children's books. Comic books. Film.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
February 1, 2026
I’ve read a few of this author’s books and I think my favorite is currently “Acquired Taste,” his short story collection. But the strength of this one was in the visuals, and how art was used as a means to both express the torment of a killer’s mind and set the victims free.
Winston’s artistic method is very interesting to read about, and the perfect level of disturbing due to the materials he uses. It makes me wish I could actually see his work, as much as I hate to admit it.
It took me a moment to realize that the strange interludes with the Butterfly Girls were parts of Winston’s writing. He’s actually not a bad writer. (His obsession with the Morton Salt girl is wild, though.) These sections remind me of something out of a classic Disney film, like Fantasia but with dialogue. I love the colorful descriptions and the gore. It’s a wild mixture of cutesy fairytale visuals and bloody violence.
The narration did take a bit of getting used to, as it’s a collective voice. All of Winston Kemper’s victims are telling the story together, sort of like a Greek Chorus. Maybe that’s why the timeline feels disjointed, and things jump around quite a bit in a way that seems disorienting.
This was an interesting read, though definitely bleak, and it was worth it for the colorful and creative portrayals of the victims and the power of their voices.
3.5 stars.
Thank you to Netgalley and to the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.
Biggest TW: Mention of SA, Suicide, Harm to children, Gore
Winston’s artistic method is very interesting to read about, and the perfect level of disturbing due to the materials he uses. It makes me wish I could actually see his work, as much as I hate to admit it.
It took me a moment to realize that the strange interludes with the Butterfly Girls were parts of Winston’s writing. He’s actually not a bad writer. (His obsession with the Morton Salt girl is wild, though.) These sections remind me of something out of a classic Disney film, like Fantasia but with dialogue. I love the colorful descriptions and the gore. It’s a wild mixture of cutesy fairytale visuals and bloody violence.
The narration did take a bit of getting used to, as it’s a collective voice. All of Winston Kemper’s victims are telling the story together, sort of like a Greek Chorus. Maybe that’s why the timeline feels disjointed, and things jump around quite a bit in a way that seems disorienting.
This was an interesting read, though definitely bleak, and it was worth it for the colorful and creative portrayals of the victims and the power of their voices.
3.5 stars.
Thank you to Netgalley and to the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.
Biggest TW: Mention of SA, Suicide, Harm to children, Gore
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
To say this is just another book about a serial killer would be like saying the Mona Lisa is just another painting of a woman. Yes, it's about a serial killer but it goes deeper and much more dark.
The killer in question is an old man who lives a secluded lonely life as a janitor for a church in a small town. He believes God has given him a work of art to complete and he's awaiting his one last victim to fulfil his duty before he dies.
But his muses, the voices of his previous victims, are going to do everything they can to stop him. And soon, he can hear them.
Again, this is a very basic description. This novella is dark, disturbing, and bone chilling. But we are hearing this man's story from the victims themselves and despite how gruesome things will get the narrative has a lyrical, visceral quality which adds to the overall dread. It's terrifying.
I highly recommend it. I received an ARC of this book through Netgalley. This review is voluntary and is my own personal opinion.
The killer in question is an old man who lives a secluded lonely life as a janitor for a church in a small town. He believes God has given him a work of art to complete and he's awaiting his one last victim to fulfil his duty before he dies.
But his muses, the voices of his previous victims, are going to do everything they can to stop him. And soon, he can hear them.
Again, this is a very basic description. This novella is dark, disturbing, and bone chilling. But we are hearing this man's story from the victims themselves and despite how gruesome things will get the narrative has a lyrical, visceral quality which adds to the overall dread. It's terrifying.
I highly recommend it. I received an ARC of this book through Netgalley. This review is voluntary and is my own personal opinion.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via the publisher Titan Books.
Bodies of Work is a dark, creepy, and chilling novella following a serial killer and his victims who seek revenge from the other side.
Winston Kemper is a janitor at his local church and gets by living a simple life that blends into the background, making it easy for him to carry out his 'art'. For Winston isn't just a feeble sixty-six year old man: he's a collector. He selects his muses carefully, which can take many years between each one, and he patiently awaits until one falls in his lap and his inspiration strikes. For each of his muses becomes one of his seven 'Butterfy Girls' which exist within a fantasia of his own imagination and design. Each muse is someone that nobody will miss, and each is similar to the last. For such a short read, it felt like a full sized book. I found it fascinating exploring how Winston became how he was and how some of his victims (in death) sympathised with him, becoming what he was.
I found it an interesting and unique revenge novel with layers that slowly peel back throughout the story.
This was such a chilling read, and I just had to know the ending. The book does delve into dark and harrowing topics, so do check trigger warnings.
Bodies of Work is a dark, creepy, and chilling novella following a serial killer and his victims who seek revenge from the other side.
Winston Kemper is a janitor at his local church and gets by living a simple life that blends into the background, making it easy for him to carry out his 'art'. For Winston isn't just a feeble sixty-six year old man: he's a collector. He selects his muses carefully, which can take many years between each one, and he patiently awaits until one falls in his lap and his inspiration strikes. For each of his muses becomes one of his seven 'Butterfy Girls' which exist within a fantasia of his own imagination and design. Each muse is someone that nobody will miss, and each is similar to the last. For such a short read, it felt like a full sized book. I found it fascinating exploring how Winston became how he was and how some of his victims (in death) sympathised with him, becoming what he was.
I found it an interesting and unique revenge novel with layers that slowly peel back throughout the story.
This was such a chilling read, and I just had to know the ending. The book does delve into dark and harrowing topics, so do check trigger warnings.
February 2, 2026
Bodies of Work, the newest horror novella by Clay McLeod Chapman, is a weird, creepy, sad, and tense story of revenge. Winston Kemper, an old feeble janitor, has been secretly creating art in his tiny apartment. Collages, drawings, and his magnum opus, a written story about Butterfly Girls and war. As part of his art, he has been murdering forgotten women, his muses, and everything his art revolves around.
I’m a huge fan of Clay’s writing and his lyrical prose is put to excellent use to weave this story about art, creativity, and revenge. It has a very unique POV, told from the perspective of the murdered girls, as they recount Winston’s story and their own stories even as they forget them, as Winston has been rewriting theirs. It’s such a powerful story and examines how we view killers and their victims differently in both art and real life. True crime is a tricky subject and I think it’s so important to remember that these stories were of real people with real stories of their own. And how we don’t always know those stories.
Clay does an excellent job portraying Winston as a complicated, sad, but despicable character and the way he weaves Winston’s back story into the narrative is so well done, explaining, but not excusing, how he came to be how he was.
If you enjoy stories about art and creativity and stories of revenge with a nice dose of lyrical prose, Bodies of Work is another excellent story by one of our modern masters of horror. Check it out.
Thank you to Titan Books for the eARC for review on NetGalley!
I’m a huge fan of Clay’s writing and his lyrical prose is put to excellent use to weave this story about art, creativity, and revenge. It has a very unique POV, told from the perspective of the murdered girls, as they recount Winston’s story and their own stories even as they forget them, as Winston has been rewriting theirs. It’s such a powerful story and examines how we view killers and their victims differently in both art and real life. True crime is a tricky subject and I think it’s so important to remember that these stories were of real people with real stories of their own. And how we don’t always know those stories.
Clay does an excellent job portraying Winston as a complicated, sad, but despicable character and the way he weaves Winston’s back story into the narrative is so well done, explaining, but not excusing, how he came to be how he was.
If you enjoy stories about art and creativity and stories of revenge with a nice dose of lyrical prose, Bodies of Work is another excellent story by one of our modern masters of horror. Check it out.
Thank you to Titan Books for the eARC for review on NetGalley!
January 9, 2026
This novella was completely unexpected. It tells the story of Winston, a man isolated from the world. A man who, as a child, grew up neglected and abused. A man who used his imagination as an escape from the cruelty of his reality.
This will not be a read for everyone. It is a story within a story, sometimes layered even deeper than that. The writing pulls you through Winston’s mission, what he believes to be a task given to him by God. You witness his actions, experience his imagination, and follow the narrative he believes to be real as that imagination begins to take form.
For such a short novella, it paints a deeply painful portrait of loneliness. You can’t help but feel for Winston, despite the crimes he commits. My only complaint is that I wanted more.
Thank you NetGalley and Titan Books for the ARC!
This will not be a read for everyone. It is a story within a story, sometimes layered even deeper than that. The writing pulls you through Winston’s mission, what he believes to be a task given to him by God. You witness his actions, experience his imagination, and follow the narrative he believes to be real as that imagination begins to take form.
For such a short novella, it paints a deeply painful portrait of loneliness. You can’t help but feel for Winston, despite the crimes he commits. My only complaint is that I wanted more.
Thank you NetGalley and Titan Books for the ARC!
January 9, 2026
Bodies of work was strange in the best way. It was creepy, tense, and just feels off from the start. The story slowly gets under your skin without trying too hard. Winston especially stood out to me as he gave serious Ed Gein vibes (I saw someone else say this too!) which made every scene with him even more unsettling. It’s not a fast read and does take a while to get into, but it keeps pulling you back in. If you like dark, uncomfortable stories that stick with you, this one’s worth picking up. 🦋
Thank you NetGalley & Titan Books for the ARC copy!
Thank you NetGalley & Titan Books for the ARC copy!
January 10, 2026
Thank you, Titan, for the ARC!
PUB DATE: April 7, 2026
BODIES OF WORK by Clay McLeod Chapman is a stunning and terrifying novella. It may be Chapman’s best yet; an incredibly unique and harrowing story with a lot to unpack despite its short length.
Chapman writes horror beautifully, weaving grisly scenes with lyrical prose. The book moves the reader through a wide range of emotions; I was scared, sad, and angry. The format adds to the tension as well; Chapman skillfully weaves a story within a story and intersperses the butterfly girls’ voices throughout. The effect is chilling, making us feel as though we are in a dark fairy tale where the line between reality and imagination is blurred.
While the events involving the women in BODIES OF WORK are absolutely horrific, Chapman takes the narrative a step further. He forces us to confront how quickly we forget those who disappear and how society moves on from lost women, sometimes even blaming them for the tragedies they’ve succumbed to. Who will tell their stories, especially if those who stole their voices no longer exist? What happens to the legacies of these women? Who will remember them? BODIES OF WORK also illustrates how men strip women of their power, often by first silencing their voices, for their own gain or because they’ve deemed it “best” for them. It makes the horror in BODIES OF WORK even more realistic, scary, and maddening.
Winston isn't a black-and-white villain. It would have been easy to make him a one-dimensional character, but Chapman makes Winston complex; he is a victim, too, and at times I even felt sorry for him. But then we see and relive the abhorrent acts Winston has committed; he’s robbed these women of their lives and taken advantage of them at their weakest. It is a stark reminder of the cyclical nature of trauma and abuse, which makes the revenge aspect of BODIES OF WORK even stronger and more important.
BODIES OF WORK is a powerful concept, but with Chapman behind the pen, it is a work of art.
PUB DATE: April 7, 2026
BODIES OF WORK by Clay McLeod Chapman is a stunning and terrifying novella. It may be Chapman’s best yet; an incredibly unique and harrowing story with a lot to unpack despite its short length.
Chapman writes horror beautifully, weaving grisly scenes with lyrical prose. The book moves the reader through a wide range of emotions; I was scared, sad, and angry. The format adds to the tension as well; Chapman skillfully weaves a story within a story and intersperses the butterfly girls’ voices throughout. The effect is chilling, making us feel as though we are in a dark fairy tale where the line between reality and imagination is blurred.
While the events involving the women in BODIES OF WORK are absolutely horrific, Chapman takes the narrative a step further. He forces us to confront how quickly we forget those who disappear and how society moves on from lost women, sometimes even blaming them for the tragedies they’ve succumbed to. Who will tell their stories, especially if those who stole their voices no longer exist? What happens to the legacies of these women? Who will remember them? BODIES OF WORK also illustrates how men strip women of their power, often by first silencing their voices, for their own gain or because they’ve deemed it “best” for them. It makes the horror in BODIES OF WORK even more realistic, scary, and maddening.
Winston isn't a black-and-white villain. It would have been easy to make him a one-dimensional character, but Chapman makes Winston complex; he is a victim, too, and at times I even felt sorry for him. But then we see and relive the abhorrent acts Winston has committed; he’s robbed these women of their lives and taken advantage of them at their weakest. It is a stark reminder of the cyclical nature of trauma and abuse, which makes the revenge aspect of BODIES OF WORK even stronger and more important.
BODIES OF WORK is a powerful concept, but with Chapman behind the pen, it is a work of art.
December 4, 2025
A ghost story? Revenge? A novella about the bonds of sisterhood?
This little bit of grief horror is guaranteed to make you feel some sort of bad way. It reminded me slightly of Tiffany McDaniel's "On the Savage Side" with the extra charged emotion from the disappearance and murders of those considered the "less dead". There is also a fairytale-esque aspect that I can't pin down.
Ugh, this is one of the first reviews and don't want to misrepresent. However, Mr. Chapman does excellent grief horror and this is no different.
This little bit of grief horror is guaranteed to make you feel some sort of bad way. It reminded me slightly of Tiffany McDaniel's "On the Savage Side" with the extra charged emotion from the disappearance and murders of those considered the "less dead". There is also a fairytale-esque aspect that I can't pin down.
Ugh, this is one of the first reviews and don't want to misrepresent. However, Mr. Chapman does excellent grief horror and this is no different.
January 18, 2026
This is definitely not my usual horror book, but I really enjoyed the story being told from the perspective of the women the killer has murdered. I did not enjoy the overly graphic and vulgar snippets from the serial killers work of fiction. But I found the sorry gripping and harrowing and definitely worth a read. Thanks Titan for my advanced copy!
March 16, 2026
I’m not having much luck at the moment. This one just didn’t click at all for me. The writing was just too jumbled and, to be honest, annoying.
Also, while I liked the idea I would much rather read this story written by someone who identifies as a woman.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy.
Also, while I liked the idea I would much rather read this story written by someone who identifies as a woman.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy.
January 20, 2026
The fact that everyone is under the impression this is a sweet old man when he is a full on serial killer is so unnerving 🤦🏼♀️ I enjoyed learning about the women he unalived that was probably my favourite part of the book! The plot will definitely take you for a ride!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is something else!! 🔥
I know I might be exaggerating but this story feels more like art than a novel. Where do I even begin to explain what this book is about... 😂 The story follows an old man who is a serial killer. He is a low life and there is literally nothing special about him, at least that is what other people think. He's actually a mentally ill person who believes God gave him the task to complete his art. ✨️ But his art involves muses and these are girls he needs to murder in order to get them to become a part of his Butterfly Girls project. 🦋 But these girls are starting to haunt him because they don't want any other victims to fall prey to this monster.
This isn't your typical serial killer story. Yes, you do get to read how this men has become what he is, but the Butterfly Girls keep interfering. They kind of tell you the story and their opinion about this men who took their life. Sure, they think it's sad what he had to see when he was a child but it doesn't give him the audacity to kill them?! And that made this book really strong imo. 🔥 So you kind of have a multiple POV but in such a different way.
The only part I didn't really like were the fantasy parts. I don't see how they fit into the storyline exactly.
I already told you that Bodies of Work is a novella and I don't think it should have been longer. No unnecessary talk, but straight to the point. The book sets an eerie vibe and it literally gave me chills at some points. The atmosphere was written beautifully. 🥹 I loved the parts where the girls tell about their lives and how they became a victim. It's a sad and intruiging story. I don't think this book is for everyone because it's quite weird but I can say I really enjoyed it! 🫶🏼
I know I might be exaggerating but this story feels more like art than a novel. Where do I even begin to explain what this book is about... 😂 The story follows an old man who is a serial killer. He is a low life and there is literally nothing special about him, at least that is what other people think. He's actually a mentally ill person who believes God gave him the task to complete his art. ✨️ But his art involves muses and these are girls he needs to murder in order to get them to become a part of his Butterfly Girls project. 🦋 But these girls are starting to haunt him because they don't want any other victims to fall prey to this monster.
This isn't your typical serial killer story. Yes, you do get to read how this men has become what he is, but the Butterfly Girls keep interfering. They kind of tell you the story and their opinion about this men who took their life. Sure, they think it's sad what he had to see when he was a child but it doesn't give him the audacity to kill them?! And that made this book really strong imo. 🔥 So you kind of have a multiple POV but in such a different way.
The only part I didn't really like were the fantasy parts. I don't see how they fit into the storyline exactly.
I already told you that Bodies of Work is a novella and I don't think it should have been longer. No unnecessary talk, but straight to the point. The book sets an eerie vibe and it literally gave me chills at some points. The atmosphere was written beautifully. 🥹 I loved the parts where the girls tell about their lives and how they became a victim. It's a sad and intruiging story. I don't think this book is for everyone because it's quite weird but I can say I really enjoyed it! 🫶🏼
January 24, 2026
Winston is an elderly janitor in an isolated church. And Winston has a secret, hiding in six steel drums. Soon to be seven. His magnum opus, his art, requires sacrifice. And muses are hard to come by.
This novella is utterly unique. With prose that is lyrical, flowing, and at times as delicate as a butterfly wing, the story flows like a dream. While the story is dark and bleak, there is beauty in it, and it feels like reading someone’s diary, their thoughts laid bare, so real is the world that is created.
With a combination of third person narrative and internal dialogue, and a mix of fantasy and real life, there is no part of this story that doesn’t feel well-placed. While I can safely say this book will not be for everyone, you can see that you are in the hands of a pro right from the very start. I was heavily invested in the characters, and Winston is so complex that at times I felt real sympathy for him: he felt real, as did his struggles with life, religion, passion, and community.
I likened this story to being inside a David Lynch movie while I was mid-read, and that still feels accurate after I’ve finished. Expect the unexpected, expect darkness, light, psychedelic worlds, art, despair. Expect nothing and everything. Expect butterfly wings.
This novella is utterly unique. With prose that is lyrical, flowing, and at times as delicate as a butterfly wing, the story flows like a dream. While the story is dark and bleak, there is beauty in it, and it feels like reading someone’s diary, their thoughts laid bare, so real is the world that is created.
With a combination of third person narrative and internal dialogue, and a mix of fantasy and real life, there is no part of this story that doesn’t feel well-placed. While I can safely say this book will not be for everyone, you can see that you are in the hands of a pro right from the very start. I was heavily invested in the characters, and Winston is so complex that at times I felt real sympathy for him: he felt real, as did his struggles with life, religion, passion, and community.
I likened this story to being inside a David Lynch movie while I was mid-read, and that still feels accurate after I’ve finished. Expect the unexpected, expect darkness, light, psychedelic worlds, art, despair. Expect nothing and everything. Expect butterfly wings.
January 29, 2026
What happens to the girls who get abducted and taken from this world? With Winston Kemper they get trapped in his mind. Each girl, every story, and of course their voice. He is the keeper of the butterflies he created.
Shiloh Baptist church where Winston finds his muses. One at a time. Will he complete his goal of 7 butterflies? I really enjoy how this novella has two POVs- current day and one speaks for the victims of the killer.
The author uses very descriptive language to really get you to see the scene fully and feel it. This supernatural revenge novella is just what I need to add a little spice to my reading genres.
“Women vanish. People forget their names, and appearances barely demand our attention “ I love this because it’s so true.
Add this to your TBR!!
Shiloh Baptist church where Winston finds his muses. One at a time. Will he complete his goal of 7 butterflies? I really enjoy how this novella has two POVs- current day and one speaks for the victims of the killer.
The author uses very descriptive language to really get you to see the scene fully and feel it. This supernatural revenge novella is just what I need to add a little spice to my reading genres.
“Women vanish. People forget their names, and appearances barely demand our attention “ I love this because it’s so true.
Add this to your TBR!!
February 27, 2026
Thank you NetGalley for the eARC of Bodies of Work by Clay McLeod Chapman.
This novella used so many words to say so little. I think this story would have resonated with me more in a different media. Like as a graphic novel or an episode of some crime show like Criminal Minds. As it is, it’s messy and choppy and scattered. Which, hey, that may be the point. But it was less enjoyable to read because of it.
This novella used so many words to say so little. I think this story would have resonated with me more in a different media. Like as a graphic novel or an episode of some crime show like Criminal Minds. As it is, it’s messy and choppy and scattered. Which, hey, that may be the point. But it was less enjoyable to read because of it.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I would LOVE to know what goes on in Clay's head because this is certainly one of his most disturbing pieces of work I have read from him so far. Bodies of Work follows Winston, a church groundskeeper. He has no friends, no family, and is never noticed by anyone. He slips through the cracks day by day, and at night, he goes home to his apartment above his garage, and that's where his day really begins. He is a collector of voices, the Butterfly Girls, girls whom he murders, girls who, like him, slip through the cracks and are never remembered by anyone. He takes their lives and their voices, but he starts hearing these voices, and the voices are out for revenge.
The book is short, but it packs a punch. You can feel the loneliness deep within Winston, but you don't feel sorry for him because of how horrible a person he truly is. It is creepy and tense, and you feel all these emotions until the end of the book, when these girls get their revenge. You witness his actions and how deeply unsettling it truly is. It makes you realize how many women's voices are stolen, how their stories will never be told, and how chilling it is when you apply it to the real world. You also hear the voices of the women he murdered, and learning about them was the best parts of the book.
The book is short, but it is dense. It didn't exactly get five stars from me because of how confusing it was at times for me, how back and forth it was between Winston's story and the girl's, but overall, it is a fantastic horror novella that packs a punch and will leave you thinking way after you finish the book.
The book is short, but it packs a punch. You can feel the loneliness deep within Winston, but you don't feel sorry for him because of how horrible a person he truly is. It is creepy and tense, and you feel all these emotions until the end of the book, when these girls get their revenge. You witness his actions and how deeply unsettling it truly is. It makes you realize how many women's voices are stolen, how their stories will never be told, and how chilling it is when you apply it to the real world. You also hear the voices of the women he murdered, and learning about them was the best parts of the book.
The book is short, but it is dense. It didn't exactly get five stars from me because of how confusing it was at times for me, how back and forth it was between Winston's story and the girl's, but overall, it is a fantastic horror novella that packs a punch and will leave you thinking way after you finish the book.
March 7, 2026
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for approving me to read this book, i’m rating it 3.25-3.5 stars.
My most unique read of 2026 so far that’s for certain, it’s quite beautifully written in a dark brutal way that captures revenge and obsession.
Winston is a misguided, confused and driven man thats definitely experienced some things, I don’t even want to say he’s cruel because all his actions seem part of some deep conviction that it feels like he doesn’t even see the depth of his actions and the lack of humanity in carrying them out,
The angels, oh my heart bleeds for them. They are depicted as these warrior women who strive for a goal and they are a unit of beauty and wonder forever changed by their meeting with Winston. They seem loosely free but conscious, like background characters in a story that is very much about them, they are main characters.
The story has a fever dream like quality for me, its dark and gripping but it did have me wondering the point of it all at points which is sadly why I couldn’t rate it higher, but i like the writing and once it all came together I found some things I really liked about it.
My most unique read of 2026 so far that’s for certain, it’s quite beautifully written in a dark brutal way that captures revenge and obsession.
Winston is a misguided, confused and driven man thats definitely experienced some things, I don’t even want to say he’s cruel because all his actions seem part of some deep conviction that it feels like he doesn’t even see the depth of his actions and the lack of humanity in carrying them out,
The angels, oh my heart bleeds for them. They are depicted as these warrior women who strive for a goal and they are a unit of beauty and wonder forever changed by their meeting with Winston. They seem loosely free but conscious, like background characters in a story that is very much about them, they are main characters.
The story has a fever dream like quality for me, its dark and gripping but it did have me wondering the point of it all at points which is sadly why I couldn’t rate it higher, but i like the writing and once it all came together I found some things I really liked about it.
March 15, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!
I really struggled with this one, I just felt like the writing style just wasn’t for me. It was very much in the young adult sort of remit, and, when it comes to horror, I really do struggle with that. I just feel like it could have been a little bit more elevated in what it was trying to put across.
I felt like this book was a weird mishmash of serial killer fiction as well as fantasy, and it just didn’t do it for me. I felt no real connection to any of the women, nor did I feel that Winston was particularly compelling. I just left feeling that it was a little cold.
I think there just could have been a bit of a refocus in the writing, and while I get that the girls supporting Winston was within his delusions, I still found it a bit difficult to take. I am looking forward to reading more from this author, but hopefully I will enjoy future forays a little more.
I really struggled with this one, I just felt like the writing style just wasn’t for me. It was very much in the young adult sort of remit, and, when it comes to horror, I really do struggle with that. I just feel like it could have been a little bit more elevated in what it was trying to put across.
I felt like this book was a weird mishmash of serial killer fiction as well as fantasy, and it just didn’t do it for me. I felt no real connection to any of the women, nor did I feel that Winston was particularly compelling. I just left feeling that it was a little cold.
I think there just could have been a bit of a refocus in the writing, and while I get that the girls supporting Winston was within his delusions, I still found it a bit difficult to take. I am looking forward to reading more from this author, but hopefully I will enjoy future forays a little more.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This is a quirky novella where collecting voices only serves to haunt Winston.
He has an agenda and believes his work is his calling. His butterflies tend not to agree and insist on protecting the last 'sister'.
The voices trouble Winston although it seems that he tries to ignore them. He doesn't appear to think he's done any wrong and,whilst people feel uneasy in his company, nobody expects to find what he does after dark!
Winston's art is intriguing and sad as you hear from the sisters, particularly the last as she tries to adapt to her new place in the world.
He has an agenda and believes his work is his calling. His butterflies tend not to agree and insist on protecting the last 'sister'.
The voices trouble Winston although it seems that he tries to ignore them. He doesn't appear to think he's done any wrong and,whilst people feel uneasy in his company, nobody expects to find what he does after dark!
Winston's art is intriguing and sad as you hear from the sisters, particularly the last as she tries to adapt to her new place in the world.
January 20, 2026
4.5 stars
LOVED this!! What a twisted and sick story, that was simply impossible to put down. Winston was a deplorable man, with violent tendencies disguised as God given powers. I loved the different POVs, they really helped to bring the horrors of this story together. The narrative featuring the girls was also creative and unlike anything I’ve read before. A gripping horror, with the perfect balance of gore and eeriness.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for kindly providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. #BodiesOfWork #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
LOVED this!! What a twisted and sick story, that was simply impossible to put down. Winston was a deplorable man, with violent tendencies disguised as God given powers. I loved the different POVs, they really helped to bring the horrors of this story together. The narrative featuring the girls was also creative and unlike anything I’ve read before. A gripping horror, with the perfect balance of gore and eeriness.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for kindly providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. #BodiesOfWork #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
January 22, 2026
(ARC) 2.75⭐️ Gah, no! This one had so much potential for me, but ultimately the writing style lost me (sobbing). I kept weaving in and out of loving it and then being completely disinterested, and it all came down to the strange fantasy side quest.
I just wanted the story of the girls haunting their murderer and getting revenge. I kept getting pulled back into this random fantasy realm I never asked to be part of.
The ending helped me understand why it was included, but it wasn’t something I cared about and ultimately felt unnecessary.
I just wanted the story of the girls haunting their murderer and getting revenge. I kept getting pulled back into this random fantasy realm I never asked to be part of.
The ending helped me understand why it was included, but it wasn’t something I cared about and ultimately felt unnecessary.
February 23, 2026
Would it be wild to describe a novella about a serial killer as beautiful? This is as visually stunning as it is a visceral descent into madness through art, religion and trauma. A bit reminiscent of the disturbingly sympathetic Ed Gein series, but told through the sort of hive-mind voices of Winston Kemper's victims, I saw Winston as a victim too. But I was always rooting for the butterflies.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC!
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC!
Read
March 6, 2026On the surface this is a book about a life long serial killer and the six women he killed who exist as his ghosts.
But it’s more like a fever dream story as the women live both as ghosts, forgotten by their killer and as butterfly girls in his artistic masterpiece. The story uses art to express the maelstrom and torment of Winston’s mind. And the girls are the one’s who tell us of how they died, of who Winston used to be and perhaps how he came to be tormented with his mission to find his seven butterfly girls. Even as they forget themselves and fight for space as ghosts, they don’t forget what he did to them. It’s told in pieces, mostly from the collective girls’ pov, moments of Winston’s pov, with sections of the butterfly girls living the novel he wrote. It offers bright fantastical fairytale esque breaks between the more mundane violence that is all the more horrifying for how easily he managed it, for how long he gets away with, for how little the dead girls can do to stop him taking another. I
It’s dark and chilling, having a killers story told by his victims. Their voices shining brighter than his gruesome deeds. The writing has a lyrical, raw quality that adds to the dread and intensity. A very unique read!
Thank you titanbooks for the proof copy. All thoughts are my own
But it’s more like a fever dream story as the women live both as ghosts, forgotten by their killer and as butterfly girls in his artistic masterpiece. The story uses art to express the maelstrom and torment of Winston’s mind. And the girls are the one’s who tell us of how they died, of who Winston used to be and perhaps how he came to be tormented with his mission to find his seven butterfly girls. Even as they forget themselves and fight for space as ghosts, they don’t forget what he did to them. It’s told in pieces, mostly from the collective girls’ pov, moments of Winston’s pov, with sections of the butterfly girls living the novel he wrote. It offers bright fantastical fairytale esque breaks between the more mundane violence that is all the more horrifying for how easily he managed it, for how long he gets away with, for how little the dead girls can do to stop him taking another. I
It’s dark and chilling, having a killers story told by his victims. Their voices shining brighter than his gruesome deeds. The writing has a lyrical, raw quality that adds to the dread and intensity. A very unique read!
Thank you titanbooks for the proof copy. All thoughts are my own
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
full review to come.
Easily my favorite Chapman book thus far and that's amongst tons of great books
Easily my favorite Chapman book thus far and that's amongst tons of great books
January 15, 2026
Bodies of Work
is one of the stories that grabs you almost instantly, not because of shocking moments, but more so due to the slow, creeping unease that hooked into me.
Clay McLeod Chapman
continues to prove why he is a fantastic horror writer with this short but impactful novella. Chapman delivers a dark, intimate tale that is both unsettling and reflective. It's the kind of story that gets under your skin with a feeling of dread and atmosphere, making every page feel deliberate. It was a quick read, mostly due to not being able to put it down.
At sixty-six years old, Winston Kemper has always been a nonentity. No one notices him. His simple existence barely registers for those who come into contact with him. Some call him feeble-minded. He is a janitor at the local church, a groundskeeper by default, and that’s it. No friends, no family. When he’s done with work, he returns home—a remote, single room apartment located above a garage—and that is where his true work begins.
Winston Kemper is a collector of voices, and his magnum opus—The Butterfly Girls—is a sprawling epic of untapped imagination. It has no single canvas, no particular frame. It is everywhere—scribbled on the walls, the floor, and countless notebooks.
Winston is creating a fantasia which exists in words, images and blood. As part of his 'art' he has been murdering forgotten women. Poor souls who slip through the cracks of society, who no one’s looking for. Mothers, sisters, daughters to someone, but no more.
Winston takes their lives, their voices. But now he can hear them. They whisper to him. They talk of revenge. Winston Kemper might not believe in ghosts, but he is about to learn they are very real. And they are very, very angry.
Bodies of Work is not just a great story, but a uniquely written novella. Chapman uses this format deliberately when telling this story and it works so well. The structure feels a bit unconventional, almost cinematic in the way that screams movie adaptation. It's a way of storytelling that immerses the reader in the tale in a fresh way. Voices bleed into the narrative (memories, victims, and inner monologue) to create a layered effect I haven't seen much in books, keeping us on our feet. It's not just a story being told, it's an experience that is unfolding page by page.
Chapman has a real talent for horror storytelling and it is evident again in Bodies of Work. He does a fantastic job blending psychological unease with surreal, unsettling imagery, to create scenes that are disturbing yet beautiful. The horror is just about the acts that take place, but how it feels. Chapman understands restraint when needed, letting the atmosphere and structure do much of the work, making the story hit just that much harder, and stay with you long after.
Using the novella format to tell this story works so well. There is no excess filler, every moment feels intentional and tightly controlled. Bodies of Work is a complete, haunting story without overstaying its welcome. This is a testament to the different types of horror stories. The compact format hits just as hard as a longer novel.
Bodies of Work by Clay McLeod Chapman is a compact, tightly written story filled with creeping dread and unease. While I am always down for a longer Chapman horror story, this one hit just right.
Bodies of Work hits bookstores everywhere on April 7, 2026 from Titan Books. The audiobook, narrated by Hannah Cabell, is available for preorder via Libro.fm!
NOTE: We received an advance copy of Bodies of Work from the publisher. Opinions are our own.
At sixty-six years old, Winston Kemper has always been a nonentity. No one notices him. His simple existence barely registers for those who come into contact with him. Some call him feeble-minded. He is a janitor at the local church, a groundskeeper by default, and that’s it. No friends, no family. When he’s done with work, he returns home—a remote, single room apartment located above a garage—and that is where his true work begins.
Winston Kemper is a collector of voices, and his magnum opus—The Butterfly Girls—is a sprawling epic of untapped imagination. It has no single canvas, no particular frame. It is everywhere—scribbled on the walls, the floor, and countless notebooks.
Winston is creating a fantasia which exists in words, images and blood. As part of his 'art' he has been murdering forgotten women. Poor souls who slip through the cracks of society, who no one’s looking for. Mothers, sisters, daughters to someone, but no more.
Winston takes their lives, their voices. But now he can hear them. They whisper to him. They talk of revenge. Winston Kemper might not believe in ghosts, but he is about to learn they are very real. And they are very, very angry.
Bodies of Work is not just a great story, but a uniquely written novella. Chapman uses this format deliberately when telling this story and it works so well. The structure feels a bit unconventional, almost cinematic in the way that screams movie adaptation. It's a way of storytelling that immerses the reader in the tale in a fresh way. Voices bleed into the narrative (memories, victims, and inner monologue) to create a layered effect I haven't seen much in books, keeping us on our feet. It's not just a story being told, it's an experience that is unfolding page by page.
Chapman has a real talent for horror storytelling and it is evident again in Bodies of Work. He does a fantastic job blending psychological unease with surreal, unsettling imagery, to create scenes that are disturbing yet beautiful. The horror is just about the acts that take place, but how it feels. Chapman understands restraint when needed, letting the atmosphere and structure do much of the work, making the story hit just that much harder, and stay with you long after.
Using the novella format to tell this story works so well. There is no excess filler, every moment feels intentional and tightly controlled. Bodies of Work is a complete, haunting story without overstaying its welcome. This is a testament to the different types of horror stories. The compact format hits just as hard as a longer novel.
Bodies of Work by Clay McLeod Chapman is a compact, tightly written story filled with creeping dread and unease. While I am always down for a longer Chapman horror story, this one hit just right.
Bodies of Work hits bookstores everywhere on April 7, 2026 from Titan Books. The audiobook, narrated by Hannah Cabell, is available for preorder via Libro.fm!
NOTE: We received an advance copy of Bodies of Work from the publisher. Opinions are our own.
January 15, 2026
4⭐️
LOVED this! Think … Jacobs Ladder meets Ferngully meets the Gilgo Beach Killer.
Bodies of Work by Clay McLeod Chapman is a meticulously controlled work of psychological horror where symbolism operates as narrative infrastructure.
The story follows Winston, an elderly recluse who has murdered six “forgotten girls,” removed their uvulas using sewing shears, and preserved them in a jar. Running parallel to this reality is an expansive internal narrative Winston has written, depicting the girls as butterflies living in an alternate realm and engaged in a war against masked soldiers. Much of the novella is narrated through the voices of these girls, a perspective that exists entirely within Winston’s fractured psyche.
Winston’s internal mythology is built from sustained childhood trauma and obsession. His father, a Korean War POW, introduced violent imagery into Winston’s early life, including presenting a severed ear and identifying it as a butterfly. His mother reinforced fear and bodily control by repeatedly threatening Winston with sewing shears and ultimately cutting off part of his earlobe. These experiences collapse violence, punishment, and transformation into a single psychological language that Winston later reenacts through ritualized murder.
Color imagery is vivid and persistent throughout Winston’s narrative. His imagined world is saturated with painterly detail, watercolor textures, and dreamlike hues that contrast sharply with the brutality of his actions. This heightened visual palette mirrors his dissociation and reinforces the artificial beauty of the reality he constructs to contain his crimes.
Central to this constructed world is Winston’s fixation on the Morton Salt Girl. As his psyche deteriorated in childhood, he believed the image spoke to him. The butterfly girls in his internal narrative all resemble this figure, an idealized and endlessly replicated symbol of innocence and movement frozen in time. Winston obsessively collects magazine clippings of children who resemble her, numbering in the hundreds or possibly thousands, further collapsing identity into repetition and image into control.
Chapman’s symbolic economy is precise. The gas masked soldiers reflect inherited war trauma. Butterflies signify distorted transformation rather than freedom. The sewing shears evolve from tools of maternal punishment into instruments of violence. Nothing in the narrative functions decoratively. Every image reinforces the same closed psychological system.
Winston is profoundly unstable, operating through dissociation and mythmaking that allows him to rationalize his actions without absolution. The story offers understanding without sympathy and concludes with a decisive reckoning.
For its length, Bodies of Work is exceptionally dense, visually striking, and structurally exact. It demonstrates how psychological horror achieves its greatest impact when imagery, trauma, and consequence are bound into a single, uncompromising design.
Huge, thanks to NetGalley, Clay, and Titan books for the opportunity to read this advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
LOVED this! Think … Jacobs Ladder meets Ferngully meets the Gilgo Beach Killer.
Bodies of Work by Clay McLeod Chapman is a meticulously controlled work of psychological horror where symbolism operates as narrative infrastructure.
The story follows Winston, an elderly recluse who has murdered six “forgotten girls,” removed their uvulas using sewing shears, and preserved them in a jar. Running parallel to this reality is an expansive internal narrative Winston has written, depicting the girls as butterflies living in an alternate realm and engaged in a war against masked soldiers. Much of the novella is narrated through the voices of these girls, a perspective that exists entirely within Winston’s fractured psyche.
Winston’s internal mythology is built from sustained childhood trauma and obsession. His father, a Korean War POW, introduced violent imagery into Winston’s early life, including presenting a severed ear and identifying it as a butterfly. His mother reinforced fear and bodily control by repeatedly threatening Winston with sewing shears and ultimately cutting off part of his earlobe. These experiences collapse violence, punishment, and transformation into a single psychological language that Winston later reenacts through ritualized murder.
Color imagery is vivid and persistent throughout Winston’s narrative. His imagined world is saturated with painterly detail, watercolor textures, and dreamlike hues that contrast sharply with the brutality of his actions. This heightened visual palette mirrors his dissociation and reinforces the artificial beauty of the reality he constructs to contain his crimes.
Central to this constructed world is Winston’s fixation on the Morton Salt Girl. As his psyche deteriorated in childhood, he believed the image spoke to him. The butterfly girls in his internal narrative all resemble this figure, an idealized and endlessly replicated symbol of innocence and movement frozen in time. Winston obsessively collects magazine clippings of children who resemble her, numbering in the hundreds or possibly thousands, further collapsing identity into repetition and image into control.
Chapman’s symbolic economy is precise. The gas masked soldiers reflect inherited war trauma. Butterflies signify distorted transformation rather than freedom. The sewing shears evolve from tools of maternal punishment into instruments of violence. Nothing in the narrative functions decoratively. Every image reinforces the same closed psychological system.
Winston is profoundly unstable, operating through dissociation and mythmaking that allows him to rationalize his actions without absolution. The story offers understanding without sympathy and concludes with a decisive reckoning.
For its length, Bodies of Work is exceptionally dense, visually striking, and structurally exact. It demonstrates how psychological horror achieves its greatest impact when imagery, trauma, and consequence are bound into a single, uncompromising design.
Huge, thanks to NetGalley, Clay, and Titan books for the opportunity to read this advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
There are a lot of subgenres that I have not yet explored as much as those who adore them and weird lit would be one of those. I’m not unfamiliar with it but I definitely am not an expert either. This book would probably fall into that category alongside those of horror and maybe some body horror, if we want to be more specific. There is a fantastical element to it as well but it is weird. On purpose and it makes the book fun to read but not so fun to review because I struggle knowing what to say about it.
Something that puts me off some of the “weird” books is that they are confusing in a way that’s not fun for me. Give a purpose to that confusion and I’m fine but often that doesn’t happen. I wouldn’t say “Bodies of work” is like that. It confused me how it was told but I understood all of it quickly. Still, I had to read it slowly because of that storytelling choice and that surprised me because it’s a shorter book. I’m not saying it can’t be binge read but I wasn’t able to do it. However, I still think it’s important to point out that it’s not a confusing book that can’t be understood. The plot and the message, while very odd at times, is pretty clear. And I appreciate that.
The premise is very interesting and what caught my attention (after the cover did because it’s so pretty). And yet the book is about so much more but it’s hard to summarise into two paragraphs. It takes a lot of skill to put so much into a smaller page count, honestly. Because the book is about the women Winston killed to turn into his “butterflies” but it’s also about Winston himself and how he became the person he is now. There is a lot of commentary that can be done through his story, especially that of his childhood. It really goes into the psychology of why someone turns the way he did. What factors play a part.
And that’s also the reason for the fantastical element of the story. It’s hard to comment about it without spoiling but I’ll try. That threw me off when I first read it but it also shows what’s going on in Winston’s mind. He’s a troubled person so that confusing storytelling technique makes sense.
I waited a few days to write the review on purpose because I believe this to be a story that will grow on me with time. And I already liked it now so I do look forward to a reread in the future which will probably make me raise the rating. But for now, I think a 3.25 would be the most accurate. Still a book that I would recommend a lot but maybe not to everyone. But a lot of people will get a lot from this story. Also great for anyone looking to step out of their comfort zone a little.
Thank you to Titan Books and NetGalley for providing me with an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Something that puts me off some of the “weird” books is that they are confusing in a way that’s not fun for me. Give a purpose to that confusion and I’m fine but often that doesn’t happen. I wouldn’t say “Bodies of work” is like that. It confused me how it was told but I understood all of it quickly. Still, I had to read it slowly because of that storytelling choice and that surprised me because it’s a shorter book. I’m not saying it can’t be binge read but I wasn’t able to do it. However, I still think it’s important to point out that it’s not a confusing book that can’t be understood. The plot and the message, while very odd at times, is pretty clear. And I appreciate that.
The premise is very interesting and what caught my attention (after the cover did because it’s so pretty). And yet the book is about so much more but it’s hard to summarise into two paragraphs. It takes a lot of skill to put so much into a smaller page count, honestly. Because the book is about the women Winston killed to turn into his “butterflies” but it’s also about Winston himself and how he became the person he is now. There is a lot of commentary that can be done through his story, especially that of his childhood. It really goes into the psychology of why someone turns the way he did. What factors play a part.
And that’s also the reason for the fantastical element of the story. It’s hard to comment about it without spoiling but I’ll try. That threw me off when I first read it but it also shows what’s going on in Winston’s mind. He’s a troubled person so that confusing storytelling technique makes sense.
I waited a few days to write the review on purpose because I believe this to be a story that will grow on me with time. And I already liked it now so I do look forward to a reread in the future which will probably make me raise the rating. But for now, I think a 3.25 would be the most accurate. Still a book that I would recommend a lot but maybe not to everyone. But a lot of people will get a lot from this story. Also great for anyone looking to step out of their comfort zone a little.
Thank you to Titan Books and NetGalley for providing me with an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Early pre-published physical copy thanks to author via Authorcon 2026
Bodies of Work
Bodies of Work by Clay Mcleod Chapman was a journey and a half. I am very thankful I was able to get a signed copy of this book in its pre-released form straight from the hands of Clay at Authorcon 2026.
Bodies of Work follows Winston Kemper an elderly man living above the carport of a seemingly random strangers home who graciously rented to space to him out of what some would call pity for his state. He spent most of his time at a local and semi hidden Baptist Church. So much so that he became somewhat of a permanent fixture of the church to the point where no one could really remember when exactly he first showed up. This story follows a I think very unique style of horror writing delivering it from the perspective how his deceased victims which are referred to as the "Butterfly Girls" Rather than from the serial killer himself.
The story, weight, emotion, atmosphere, and dialogue in this book are all excellently captured to delivery the perfect imagery at a given moment for the reader.
The only draw back to this book that prevented me from giving it a higher rating is the way in which the story takes place switching back and forth from the outside world in which Kemper resides and commits his heinous acts and the internal world of "Nevermore" where his victims are forcefully enlisted to fight his "Holy-war". While I personally loved this back and forth concept, as a reader I can see where a style of writing such as this can either be to jarring, confusing, or back and forth for other readers. My personal opinion of this book by Clay is easily 4.5/5 stars. but viewing it as a reviewer it drops slightly to 4/5 stars due the the jarring nature some readers might face with the chapter structure as said above. That being said this was an excellent read and really delve deeply into religious and familial trauma, post war PTSD, grief, and the desire to be like our parents.
I definitely recommend this book for horror fans, readers who like different styles of writing, unconventional ghost stories, etc. . .
Great job Clay and thank you for the early copy!
Bodies of Work
Bodies of Work by Clay Mcleod Chapman was a journey and a half. I am very thankful I was able to get a signed copy of this book in its pre-released form straight from the hands of Clay at Authorcon 2026.
Bodies of Work follows Winston Kemper an elderly man living above the carport of a seemingly random strangers home who graciously rented to space to him out of what some would call pity for his state. He spent most of his time at a local and semi hidden Baptist Church. So much so that he became somewhat of a permanent fixture of the church to the point where no one could really remember when exactly he first showed up. This story follows a I think very unique style of horror writing delivering it from the perspective how his deceased victims which are referred to as the "Butterfly Girls" Rather than from the serial killer himself.
The story, weight, emotion, atmosphere, and dialogue in this book are all excellently captured to delivery the perfect imagery at a given moment for the reader.
The only draw back to this book that prevented me from giving it a higher rating is the way in which the story takes place switching back and forth from the outside world in which Kemper resides and commits his heinous acts and the internal world of "Nevermore" where his victims are forcefully enlisted to fight his "Holy-war". While I personally loved this back and forth concept, as a reader I can see where a style of writing such as this can either be to jarring, confusing, or back and forth for other readers. My personal opinion of this book by Clay is easily 4.5/5 stars. but viewing it as a reviewer it drops slightly to 4/5 stars due the the jarring nature some readers might face with the chapter structure as said above. That being said this was an excellent read and really delve deeply into religious and familial trauma, post war PTSD, grief, and the desire to be like our parents.
I definitely recommend this book for horror fans, readers who like different styles of writing, unconventional ghost stories, etc. . .
Great job Clay and thank you for the early copy!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I know I have said this before, but Mr Chapman is just a really great person. Not only has he been kind enough to respond to all my social media posts, but his online presence is genuine, silly, and fun. Getting to know the person behind the words is something that really solidifies my enjoyment of an author’s work. Thankfully to social media, Mr. Chapman posted that ARCs were available and I instantly requested a copy. I’m always greatful to have this opportunity so thank you to Titan Books and NetGalley.
Bodies of Work is Clay McLeod Chapman’s latest Novella coming in at 176 pages and releasing on April 7, 2026. This is a revenge horror story but with a supernatural twist. Winston Kemper has always been a background character, even in his own life. Winston lives in his mind dreaming of better worlds and knows that sometimes you have to protect those words. Because of this, Winston sees the real world a little differently and he collects his butterfly warriors to fight the raging war going on that threatens his other world.
Cryptic I know and there are better summaries, but I hate risking giving anything away. Winston’s Butterfly Girls are the women who are runaways that he collects and puts into their cocoons so they can evolve. This story is told from his warriors perspective as they have become apart of Winston’s mind and seen his life and childhood. Everything in Winston’s mind is at their disposal.
I will admit this took me some time to get into. I honestly have no idea why because it starts out fast with the collecting of girl number 6. Then we get the story of why Winston does this with backstory. A little over half way through there is an epic battle sequence which was really well detailed. This was a fun read and I’m always excited to see what Mr Chapman comes up with next. I do still have a good deal to catch up on but I’m making my way. 🥃🥃🥃🥃 Read for me and I do encourage fans of horror and maybe light Sci-fi to give this a read when it comes out.
Bodies of Work is Clay McLeod Chapman’s latest Novella coming in at 176 pages and releasing on April 7, 2026. This is a revenge horror story but with a supernatural twist. Winston Kemper has always been a background character, even in his own life. Winston lives in his mind dreaming of better worlds and knows that sometimes you have to protect those words. Because of this, Winston sees the real world a little differently and he collects his butterfly warriors to fight the raging war going on that threatens his other world.
Cryptic I know and there are better summaries, but I hate risking giving anything away. Winston’s Butterfly Girls are the women who are runaways that he collects and puts into their cocoons so they can evolve. This story is told from his warriors perspective as they have become apart of Winston’s mind and seen his life and childhood. Everything in Winston’s mind is at their disposal.
I will admit this took me some time to get into. I honestly have no idea why because it starts out fast with the collecting of girl number 6. Then we get the story of why Winston does this with backstory. A little over half way through there is an epic battle sequence which was really well detailed. This was a fun read and I’m always excited to see what Mr Chapman comes up with next. I do still have a good deal to catch up on but I’m making my way. 🥃🥃🥃🥃 Read for me and I do encourage fans of horror and maybe light Sci-fi to give this a read when it comes out.
February 24, 2026
“𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘵𝘰 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺. 𝘖𝘶𝘳𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘴 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦. 𝘞𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘩.
𝘗𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘣𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯.”
🩸🩸
Bodies of Work, Clay McLeod Chapman
WOW! I meannnn WOW, there was points in this book I felt physically weak- beautifully vivid and unapologetically full of gore. This was a great gruesome novella it was perfect to get me out of my reading slump bc i absolutely flew through it I COULD NOT put it down.
Bodies of Work isn’t just another serial killer book it’s much much more it was so heart wrenching, bone chilling.
This killer is Winston, a 66 year old loner who works at a church. Winston thinks God has told him to commit the most heinous crimes. Winston is quiet, strange and such a great point made -I say this all the time- that the most hideous crimes are almost always committed by the people you would never suspect. He is the living nightmare most women are terrified of daily- a man who seems so lost and so in need of help, someone who is so NOT intimidating to most people (cough* men) but in fact he is the most dangerous of all.
Winston is a collector of voices, and his magnum opus—The Butterfly Girls—is a sprawling epic of untapped imagination. It has no single canvas, no particular frame. It is everywhere—scribbled on the walls, the floor, and countless notebooks.
Winston is creating a fantasia which exists in words, images and blood. As part of his 'art' he has been murdering forgotten women. Poor souls who slip through the cracks of society, who no one's looking for. Mothers, sisters, daughters to someone, but no more.
Winston takes their lives, their voices.
But now he can hear them. They whisper to him. They talk of revenge.
Winston Kemper might not believe in ghosts, but he is about to learn they are very real. And they are very, very angry.
𝘗𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘣𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯.”
🩸🩸
Bodies of Work, Clay McLeod Chapman
WOW! I meannnn WOW, there was points in this book I felt physically weak- beautifully vivid and unapologetically full of gore. This was a great gruesome novella it was perfect to get me out of my reading slump bc i absolutely flew through it I COULD NOT put it down.
Bodies of Work isn’t just another serial killer book it’s much much more it was so heart wrenching, bone chilling.
This killer is Winston, a 66 year old loner who works at a church. Winston thinks God has told him to commit the most heinous crimes. Winston is quiet, strange and such a great point made -I say this all the time- that the most hideous crimes are almost always committed by the people you would never suspect. He is the living nightmare most women are terrified of daily- a man who seems so lost and so in need of help, someone who is so NOT intimidating to most people (cough* men) but in fact he is the most dangerous of all.
Winston is a collector of voices, and his magnum opus—The Butterfly Girls—is a sprawling epic of untapped imagination. It has no single canvas, no particular frame. It is everywhere—scribbled on the walls, the floor, and countless notebooks.
Winston is creating a fantasia which exists in words, images and blood. As part of his 'art' he has been murdering forgotten women. Poor souls who slip through the cracks of society, who no one's looking for. Mothers, sisters, daughters to someone, but no more.
Winston takes their lives, their voices.
But now he can hear them. They whisper to him. They talk of revenge.
Winston Kemper might not believe in ghosts, but he is about to learn they are very real. And they are very, very angry.
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